By Steve Hubrecht 

[email protected]

A public hearing last week on the revised version of the proposed Columbia Valley Metis Association (CVMA) and Metis Nation British Columbia (MNBC) affordable housing project drew a substantially smaller crowd than the first public hearing did in the spring.

The first hearing, held April 4, prompted a crowd of around 150 to 160 people expressing strong opinions both in favour and against the development on 13th Street. In July the CVMA and MNBC put forward a revised proposal that dropped the height of the housing project from four storeys to three, and eliminated a planned cultural and community gathering centre.

The fourth storey and the cultural centre were two of the factors cited most often by project opponents, and with those now changed in the revised plan (more units of housing and more parking stalls were also added to the project), the second public hearing on Thursday, Sept. 5 drew an audience of 60 residents — roughly a third as many as the first hearing. The second hearing, like the first, saw people voice opinions in favour of and against the development.

“We’ve heard the feedback,” said planning consultant Kaela Schramm, while outlining the revised three-storey proposal, adding, “We believe we have struck the right balance.”

Schramm clarified that the project, although labelled affordable housing, will not be exclusively for low-income residents. The development will be rent-geared-to-income, with rates set at 30 per cent of a tenant’s income, she explained, and it may very well end up housing many middle-income residents because “many middle income folks are struggling these days.”

In response to questions about whether the project would be only for Indigenous residents, Schramm said “priority is for Metis, but not exclusively Metis” and later added that “anyone of any background can submit an application.” Given the relatively small size of the Metis community in the Columbia Valley, Schramm said “we know there will not be 41 Metis citizens applying, so after that it turns into a needs-based assessment . … . it will be individuals and families in these communities (the Columbia Valley) that this building will serve.”

Despite the changes to the proposal, many at the hearing were still opposed to the project, citing concerns about increased traffic, parking problems, about the proposal “not fitting” with the surrounding neighbourhood. (i.e. it adds high density housing to an area with many single family homes), and about loss of views and privacy.

“You people from Vancouver or wherever, you don’t know this community,” valley resident Helen Kipp said to the planning consultants. “You’ve squeezed everything you can into a little space . . . I’m very, very frightened. You’re getting people excited about something that is not right for this space . . . someone called it a monstrosity and I’m afraid it is.”

Kipp suggested using the old provincial highway maintenance yard in Athalmer for the project instead of 13th Street.

Revised rendering of housing proposal on 13th Street.
SCREENSHOT

CVMA president Topher Burke replied that although some of the planning consultants may be from Vancouver, the idea for the project originated with the local CVMA. He pointed out that the Athalmer location would mean elders living at the project would no longer be walking distance to the hospital and medical clinic, and kids would no longer be walking distance to school. “Putting elders, tucking them away, down in the industrial park is not right. Elders do not belong down in the industrial park. Small kids do not belong down in the industrial park,” said Burke.

On the other side of the issue, many residents at the meeting spoke in support of the project.

River Gems Gallery owner Yolanda Dolman outlined that she had an employee living in her driveway for several months before finding a place to rent. That employee now spends half her take home salary on rent, and will lose her rental at the start of next summer when it is converted to a short-term rental.

“What kind of community are we looking to build if we do not support this project?” asked Dolman.

Traffic and parking seemed to be the two biggest sticking points for opponents at the hearing. Anna-Marie Rautenbach, who lives on 13th Street directly beside the proposed development, noted that the project likely means about 100 new people living in the immediate area, and said that this will make it “too congested.” 

Ryan Shanks pointed to the increase in traffic on 10th Street in recent weeks (since a four-way intersection was added to 5th Street), and said the proposed development would mean even more vehicles (on 10th Street and 11th Avenue, a second access route for the project). Of the 41 parking stalls envisioned for the project, he said, “I don’t think that’s going to be enough.” 

Tarah Armitage is both Metis and Indigenous and owns a home on 11th Avenue. She explained in a letter that she already has drivers parking on her lawn, and felt that issue would become worse with extra traffic. 

Invermere resident Kate Gibbs, who lives on 11th Avenue, uses a wheelchair and frequently goes up and down 11th Avenue to get downtown. 

Since 11th Avenue does not have sidewalks, Gibbs must go right on the road in her wheelchair and said the extra traffic the project would bring could make the avenue unsafe for her. “It’s not just older people worried about traffic,” said the 30-year old Gibbs. “It does affect me.”

Some project opponents expressed concerns beyond traffic and parking. David Gulbe, who lives on 11th Avenue, said “it’s quiet. That’s why I bought there,” adding that if the development goes ahead, “I’ll have more traffic, more crime.” 

Another resident, who also lives on 11th Avenue, said “we are being asked to accept 100 people into our neighbourhood we know nothing about . . . nothing about who they are, their background, their honesty, their integrity, politics, religion or what they do for a living, if anything.”

Project supporters repeatedly said that the development will benefit not just the Metis, but the entire Columbia Valley, which is caught in a serious housing crunch.

CVMA board member Pheb Goulet noted that everyone seems to support affordable housing in theory, however, when a project is finally proposed, almost no one actually wants it near them. “So if no one wants it in their backyard, then where does it go?” she asked. 

“People need to recognize the privilege they have . . . they need to realize that ‘my life is good. But there are a lot of people who don’t have what I have’,” said Kelsey Pritchard. She added that the roughly 100 people who would live in the project will not be strangers, but instead will be people already living here in the Columbia Valley. 

Helmut Spiegl owns the property which will be sold to the CVMA and MNBC for the project. He said he empathizes with neighbours about how the project will change the neighbourhood, but added that Invermere residents have been privileged for decades in that most have been able to afford single family residential homes relatively easily. 

“However the housing needs for our children and grandchildren have changed,” said Spiegl. “We need to do what we can to extend the privilege of home ownership to them.”

Invermere resident Herman Cortes said, “I moved here a year ago and, not to be snarky, but I didn’t come for the (quiet) traffic or the (ample) parking.” He urged thinking of the bigger picture and looking not only at the pros and cons of this particular project, but also considering what Invermere ought to be like in 2074 or 2094.

“For all its natural beauty and surroundings, Invermere is unfortunately quite homogenous . . . why not build an Invermere that reflects cultural and ethnic diversity?” he said. Cortes related the story of a friend who had to quit a reasonably well-paying job and leave Invermere this past spring because his friend’s lease was up and the friend simply could not find another affordable place to stay. “Do we want to live in a community that values mountain views at any cost?” asked Cortes.

He also pointed out that the area just a block or so up from the proposed project, where 13th Avenue meets 13th Street and then 14th Street, is frequently congested with vehicles during youth soccer practices and games, soccer tournaments, and events at the seniors’ hall. 

Cortes noted that no one complains about the traffic created from these events, and contrasted that to the traffic complaints about the affordable housing project.

The district received a dozen letters as part of the public hearing, almost all in opposition to the project.

As the meeting wound down, at least two members of the local Metis community were visibly in tears.

If Invermere council does approve the rezoning for the project, CVMA and MNBC hope to apply for a development permit in late 2024. If that is approved, a building permit application would likely follow by fall 2025. 

If the building permit is granted, construction would probably begin in spring 2026 and would take 18 months, with the project completed in late 2027.