The average price of a house in B.C. is almost $300,000 more than the national average. With the rising cost of housing, many British Columbians can’t afford shelter and end up living on the street.
In Prince Rupert, house prices are up 10.5 per cent from last year and are expected to increase as the population grows.
The economy in Prince Rupert has grown significantly over the last 20 years, which has created many new jobs. While people will move to Prince Rupert for work, many newcomers struggle with finding safe and affordable housing.
The cost of rent has also risen substantially, said North Coast Transition Society executive director Grainne Barthe.
“What used to be low-income housing could be rented for $650, and now it’s $2,500. So that has now become a middle-class house. So then low-income people got shifted down and people got shifted to the streets. So there’s a huge housing need,” she said. “Just last month we were having over 40 people a day access to shelter.”
In April, the average price of a house in Prince Rupert rose sharply to become the highest in five years.
The city is working to combat the increased cost of housing by building many new units.
