Do you agree with using surplus federal and military buildings for residential housing?

Photo: Chelsey Mutter

Brigadier Murphy Armoury in Vernon.

The federal government is looking at an old Vernon military building as a potential housing option, but hasn't given details on what that'll mean for the protected building.

The Department of National Defence is working with Canada Lands company – a Crown corporation – to look at offloading extra properties not needed for defence operations. One of the 14 surplus properties being reviewed is the Brigadier Murphy Armoury in Vernon.

Announced in the federal government's 2024 budget, the housing option is part of a federal promise to build homes on public lands. The feds say it’s also meant to address housing needs for people serving in the armed forces.

The Department of National Defence is directing questions about the project to Canada’s department of finance. The department was unable to provide comment before publication, citing high requests following the federal budget release.

Brigadier Murphy Armoury

It’s not clear what housing would look like, or if the Vernon armoury would be eligible for inclusion as it is a federally protected Heritage building.

The armoury is a two-storey drill hall built in 1913, with historic ties to the British Columbia Dragoons.

According to the Directory of Federal Heritage Designations, the building is a good example of an armoury building built from one of five standard drill hall plans produced under the direction of Sir Sam Hughes the Minister of Militia and Defence from 1911 to 1916.

The building was constructed as a part of a military reform and expansion plan and can be associated with establishing a community-based training centre in Vernon.

The designation page also calls the building a recognizable landmark which reinforces the military character of armed forces.

Demolition of a heritage site is typically used as a last resort.

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