Affordable Housing:
A Home for All

We are called to build not just churches, but communities of care.

At the heart of Luke’s Gospel, Jesus declares: “The Spirit of the Lord is upon me. I have been anointed to bring good news.” The original Greek, evangelion, reminds us that the Gospel is not just words—it is action. To bring good news is to live the Gospel, meeting people where they are, and responding to their real needs.

Here on Vancouver Island, one of the most urgent needs is safe, affordable housing. Families, seniors on fixed incomes, and young workers are struggling to find homes. At the same time, the demand for Catholic health-care services for the frail and vulnerable is growing. These are not abstract problems—they are opportunities for the Church to act on the Gospel.

Pope Leo XIV, in Dilexi Te, emphasizes that serving the poor is not a one-way gesture: it is a mutual encounter where Christ is revealed. Synodality, the practice of listening and collaborating in our parishes and schools, shows us that solutions are found when we engage with communities, hear diverse voices, and work together.

The Diocese of Victoria is inviting parishes and schools to consider how Church land could host affordable housing and Catholic health-care facilities. Parishes are not being asked to do the work themselves—partners like St. Vincent de Paul or BC Builds will handle planning and construction. The role of the Church is to say YES, provide the land, and engage the community. Projects like Port Alberni’s Maitland Village show that this approach is both feasible and transformative.

This initiative is a tangible way to bring the Gospel to life. By listening, serving, and walking with the poor, we build communities where hope, care, and faith flourish together. Every project, every home, every health-care facility becomes a living act of love—a way for Christ to meet the world through us.

Let us ask ourselves: How can we bring good news today? How can our parishes, schools, and communities respond with love, action, and presence? By saying yes, by listening, and by walking together, we make the Gospel real in our neighbourhoods, showing Christ’s mercy in both word and deed.

Find information and resources below on how we can build hope through affordable housing opportunities in the Diocese of Victoria.

Pope Leo XIV - Dilexi Te  

“I HAVE LOVED YOU” (Rev 3:9)


Read Pope Leo XIV's Apostolic Exhortation Dilexi Te online here: https://www.vatican.va/content/leo-xiv/en/apost_exhortations/documents/20251004-dilexi-te.html

 

Download a copy of Dilexti Te here.

Why Affordable Housing?  

Affordable Housing in the Diocese of Victoria  

In this time of challenge and opportunity, our Diocese stands at the threshold of living more fully into the Gospel, our Catholic social tradition, and the invitation of our Holy Father. The issue of affordable housing is not separate from our mission—it is our mission in action. 

 

Why This Matters 

In 2015, Pope Francis wrote Laudato Si’ – On Care for our Common Home, calling us (not only Catholics but all people of good will) to protect the planet and care for our brothers and sisters. He says our care for creation must include care for one another, especially the vulnerable. 

In his first Apostolic Exhortation, Dilexi Te, Pope Leo XIV reminds us that serving the poor is not a one-sided act of generosity but a mutual encounter where Christ is revealed. He calls the Church to see the poor not as recipients of charity but as bearers of grace—teachers of the Gospel who renew the whole community. When we reach out to those in need, then we meet Christ himself.

Here on Vancouver Island, and indeed across Canada, we face a housing crisis: many people cannot afford decent, safe, and suitable housing. When housing is insecure, all else—work, health, family life, dignity—suffers. 

At the same time, there is also a great need for long-term care facilities to meet complex medical needs. Catholic healthcare has a long tradition of caring for the most frail and vulnerable populations. On our island, institutions such as Mount St. Mary Hospital in Victoria and Providence Living at The Views in Comox stand as testimony to that tradition. To expand this ministry, we need land, vision, and collaboration. 

  

What We Mean By “Affordable Housing” 

  • Who are we housing? Seniors on fixed incomes, young working people, and families. 
  • What is affordable housing? A mix of market rent, rent-geared-to-income, deeply discounted or subsidized rent. 
  • What counts as affordable? Housing is considered affordable if residents spend 30% or less of their income on rent. 

  

How the Diocese Can Help 

At the Clergy & Leadership General Meeting in October 2025, we shared ideas about reusing, repurposing, and redeveloping Church land. This is not just about building housing or health-care facilities — it’s about building stronger communities, supporting parish life, and sustaining our mission. 

Here’s how it could work: 

1. Land partner: The Diocese of Victoria (parishes and schools own the land).

2. Non-profit housing operator: For example, St. Vincent de Paul Society or Alberni Low Energy Housing Society.

3. Funding partner: BC Builds, along with other government funding programs. 

When Church land is leased rather than sold, building costs drop significantly. A successful example is Maitland Village in Port Alberni, built on church land through a three-way partnership. More projects like this could provide housing, health-care services, and resources for the parish or school, such as lease payments or shared space — all without the parish having to do the heavy lifting. 

  

Living Out Our Faith 

Laudato Si’ reminds us that the cry of the Earth and the cry of the poor form one cry. Caring for those without homes and providing health care for the frail is not just social work—it is living our faith. 

Pope Leo XIV, in Dilexi Te, emphasizes that faith is inseparable from love for the poor: “Contact with those who are lowly and powerless is a fundamental way of encountering the Lord of history.” 

By providing affordable housing and Catholic health care, we answer that call. We turn faith into action. 

  

What You Can Do 

Pray: Ask the Spirit to guide this initiative and open hearts. 

Think creatively: Could your parish or school land support housing or health-care projects? How might underused space serve the wider community? 

Say YES: Parishes and schools only need to agree. Partners will handle the planning, construction, and funding. 

Engage leadership: Bring the idea to pastoral councils, finance committees, and school boards. 

  

A Vision of Hope 

Imagine a parish community where: 

  • Seniors live in safe, affordable homes. 
  • Young families have a place to call their own. 
  • A Catholic health-care facility provides compassionate care for the vulnerable. 
  • Community life flourishes around faith, friendship, and service. 

This is possible. Policies are in place. Funding is available. The only missing piece is our yes. By saying yes, we answer the Gospel call to serve, care for the poor, and strengthen our communities. 

Let us build affordable housing. Let us expand Catholic health care. Let us build hope—together. 

Community Examples  

Current Diocese of Victoria Examples

St. Clare Villa (Victoria):

In 1999, St. Clare Villa was built in Victoria on land previously occupied by the old Poor Clares Monastery and St. Patrick’s Church; it offers 24 life-lease units for seniors.

 

St. Peter's Parish (Nanaimo):

For the past seven winters, St. Peter’s Parish in Nanaimo has hosted the St. Peter’s Winter Shelter, which gives those experiencing houselessness a safe sheltering option.



Maitland Street Village (Port Alberni):

Most recently, Maitland Street Village in Port Alberni opened in 2021. Built on the site of the former Smith Memorial Catholic School, the energy-efficient family housing complex offers 46 units at various rates—market, rent-geared to income, or subsidized. The project was a collaboration of the Diocese of Victoria, the Catholic Independent Schools of the Diocese of Victoria, and Holy Family Notre Dame Parish, and the Alberni Low Energy Housing.


Other Christian Community Examples

Brechin Hill Apartments (Nanaimo):

The Brechin United Church offers apartments with three levels of affordability, including deep-subsidy for those with social assistance, rent-geared to income for those with lower income, and low-end of market for those with moderate income.

 

Dawson Heights Housing (Victoria):

The Anglican Diocese has partnered with many housing societies, including the Dawson Heights Housing, which provides accommodation for independent residents aged 55+ and has one- and two-bedroom apartments available.

 

St. John the Baptist (Duncan):

There is also an Anglican Diocesan project underway in collaboration with Duncan Housing Society and BC Housing at the parish of St. John the Baptist in downtown Duncan, to build 130 units of affordable housing for seniors and people with disabilities.

 

Hannelore (Vancouver):

Hannelore is a project of the Oakridge Lutheran Church and consists of four levels of affordable rental housing, atop of the Church and a commercial space.

 

Christ Church Cathedral (Victoria):

The Anglican Diocese of British Columbia hopes to build as many as 500 units of housing on the city block owned by Christ Church Cathedral in Victoria.

 

Broad View United (Victoria)

Broad View United decided to host a 20-mat,  extreme-weather shelter, with Our Place Society staffing it and church volunteers providing extra hands for clean-up, as well as resources that aren’t paid for by the province (plans currently call for breakfast, a packed lunch, refreshments and clean clothes).

Community Aid Resources  

BC211: https://bc.211.ca/ 

A free phone, text, and online search service that helps you find community, government, and social services in your area.

This resource has links for services across BC, but you can use the map to find resources near your community.

 

Quick Links:

Food & Basic Goods: https://bc.211.ca/result/?topics=419 

Emergency Shelters: https://bc.211.ca/result/?topics=439

Housing: https://bc.211.ca/result/?topics=439