The Canadian Mental Health Association Kelowna has opened its fourth supportive housing building, Ellis Place, for people who are at-risk or experiencing homelessness.

Residents of the new three-storey, 38-unit apartment building located at 1055 Ellis Street will be moving in during the first week of November.

Each unit features its own washroom and shower, kitchen, sleeping and living space. The building has a commercial kitchen, dining area, lounge area, storage, amenity space, laundry room and medical room.

The project was expedited through a partnership with the City of Kelowna and the province in an effort to provide more housing options to those most vulnerable amid the COVID-19 pandemic.

“The city is committed to supporting the Journey Home Strategy focusing on ending chronic and episodic homelessness, introducing measures to prevent homelessness in the first place and implementing a co-ordinated systems approach to homelessness,” says City of Kelowna mayor Colin Basran.

“Homelessness is an evolving, dynamic crisis in our community and these kinds of partnerships go a long way towards creating solutions.”

CMHA Kelowna staff will be on site 24/7, providing supports such as meal programs, peer support and health and wellness services to residents. 

CMHA Kelowna and Interior Health staff are eager to pilot the collaborative initiative.

“We anticipate this unique partnership will be a game changer for residents and for the community,” says CMHA Kelowna executive director Shelagh Turner.

“With the addition of Ellis Place to our other housing in the community, our organization is now providing more than 200 individuals with a place to call home. And we are also connecting them with supports that will help them to stay housed and move forward in their wellness journey.”

The opening of Ellis Place is a significant milestone towards advancing the city's Journey Home Strategy's goal of creating 300 units of supportive housing. 

“We are proud of the role we are playing in the community’s collective commitment to ending homelessness.”