STATUS
Complete

LOCATION
Vancouver, BC

REGION
Lower Mainland

CLIENT
Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society

PROJECT PARTNERS
BC Housing
Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation
City of Vancouver

PROJECT TEAM
Low Hammond Rowe Architects
WCPG Construction

BUILDING SIZE
80 shelter beds
25 supportive units
143 rental homes
2 social enterprise commercial units

PROJECT COST
$145 million

COMPLETION DATE
March 2026

Located at East Hastings Street, this new development is named Ho’-kee-melh Kloshe Lum, meaning “To Gather, Good Spirits” in the Chinook Jargon. The development prioritizes Indigenous residents and incorporates design elements to foster culture and community.

M’akola Development Services (MDS) worked as the development consultant for BC Housing and the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society to build a range of housing options for people of all ages struggling to find a place to call home. It includes 80 safe shelter beds for people and families experiencing homelessness, 25 studios and one-bedrooms for people who are ready to move from the shelter to more independent living, 87 affordable rental homes for people and families with lower incomes (one, two and three-bedroom units), 56 market rental homes to help pay for the cost of the more affordable units, and 2 social enterprise space operated by the Vancouver Aboriginal Friendship Centre Society. The building also includes courtyard access, a rooftop multi-purpose and landscaped area, and a multi-level day centre with a range of services available, such as a dedicated cultural gathering space, lounge areas, a gym, an art studio and counselling spaces.

MDS SERVICES PROVIDED

• Site analysis and feasibility
• Planning and policy analysis
• Funding applications
• Site and land-use planning
• Operations planning
• Project management

STATUS
Complete

LOCATION
Terrace, BC

REGION
North

CLIENT
Ksan Society

PROJECT TEAM
Boni Maddison Architects
Golden Globe Construction

BUILDING SIZE
22 housing units

PROJECT COST
$12.7 million

COMPLETION DATE
August 2024

MDS partnered with the Ksan House Society (Ksan) as development consultant for the design and construction of Ella’s Place, a 22-unit second stage housing development in Terrace. Building on Ksan’s 30+ years of supporting women and vulnerable populations, and its adjacent transitional housing facility, the project expands its services by providing second stage housing for women and children at risk of violence.

Funded through BC Housing’s Building BC: Women’s Transition Housing Fund and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) Women and Children Shelter and Transitional Housing Initiative, the development includes a mix of one-, two-, and three-bedroom units, along with common amenity and programming spaces. The project offers residents up to two years of supportive housing to promote healing, resilience, and transition to independent living. Construction began in 2022, and the project was fully operational in 2024.

MDS SERVICES PROVIDED

• Feasibility analysis and studies
• Project management services
• Local government approvals
• Partnership development and coordination
• Expression of Interest submission (Women’s Transition Housing Fund)

STATUS
Complete

LOCATION
Valemount, BC

REGION
North

CLIENT
Robson Valley Community Services

PROJECT TEAM
Boni Maddison Architects
IDL Projects

BUILDING SIZE
14 housing units
72 childcare spaces

PROJECT COST
$11.6 million

COMPLETION DATE
2023

Working with Robson Valley Community Services, MDS developed Ada’s Place, a mixed-use building that combines a child development centre with independent housing options for women. The three-storey building provides 14 units of affordable housing, including one-, two- and three-bedroom homes. Tenants also have access to in-suite laundry and a shared amenity space. The 72-space childcare facility on the ground floor of the building, Roots of Life, provides licenced preschool, school-aged, and group childcare options for tenants and the broader community.

MDS Services

• Project Management Services
• Feasibility Analysis and Studies
• Funding Applications, Management and Reporting
• Site and Land-Use Planning
• Procurement and Consultant Management
• Design Phase Management
• Construction Administration