A project that was on the mind of the community’s late Mayor as he prepared to make his ‘final run‘ is now starting to come into shape.

Nine applications have been submitted to the BC Government for a shot at creating the first-ever municipally-controlled rental project for locals in Sun Peaks.

“That is a significant amount of interest,” said CAO Deanna Campbell in confirming the number of applicants following the December 19th close on BC Builds.

Born out of a need for housing as the Mountain Resort Municipality’s permanent population continues to grow, the project is not expected to gather a lot of dust as 2025 begins.

Once the 9 different applications are vetted to ensure their legitimacy, a group including members of the BC Builds program and reps from the Village, will come together to determine which firm will be responsible for designing and building the project.

“The evaluation process will kick off in January,” noted Campbell.

Once the developer is chosen and municipal approvals are given, its expected design and construction will begin immediately.

BC Builds has a mandate to complete projects within 12 to 18 months once the initial planning phase is done.

The concept is to provide housing options specifically for Sun Peaks Resort employees.

Sun Peaks rental rates soar post-pandemic

Analysis compiled by the Village for its latest Housing Needs Assessment shows rental rates in Sun Peaks — until a few years ago — had been somewhat average compared to the rest of the Thompson Nicola Regional District.

“Per the 2021 Census, the average renter shelter cost (rent and utilities) in Sun Peaks was $1,210, or about 81% of BC-wide levels, and just above rates seen in the TNRD,” noted the report.

But following the pandemic, things took a dramatic turn for those who rent in the community.

The Municipality reported 120 homes were transferred into Short Term Rental status by their owners between June of 2022 and June of 2023.

“The commercial STRs [Short Term Rentals] in Sun Peaks are calculated to be responsible for the average renter household’s rent having increased by an estimated $405 per month over the course of 2022,” said the report.

That would put the median average for rentals in Sun Peaks at $1,615.

According to Canada Mortgage and Housing, the average rental rates in Kamloops jumped $51 between October of 2023 and October, 2024 to $1,392.

With similar analysis showing the permanent population in Sun Peaks is expected to double over the course of the next 17 years — 1,460 today to 2,985 by 2041 — the Village was receptive to overtures by the Province to be included in its BC Builds program.

Province to take lead in project

“It was really appealing to Sun Peaks, because we don’t have the funds to take on our own housing development or project,” said Campbell of the BC Builds overture.  “We established our own Housing Authority in 2018, but we haven’t really been able to take on any housing projects, because of a lack of financial resources.”

Analysis from the 2024 budget document provided to the Village council shows the Municipality has some $1.5 billion worth of taxable assets.

However, the Village government in Sun Peaks only had around $8.5 million to spend this year, and will have around the same amount of available capital in 2025, before things begin to improve into the $9-9.5 million range the following couple of years.

No cost estimates for the project have been presented.

However, the BC Builds program is designed to keep the initial costs to a partner municipality to a minimum.

“BC Builds takes on all of the financing, so there’s no up-front cost to the Municipality,” noted Campbell.

Money spent by the provincial government is expected to be recouped through the rental payments made to the Sun Peaks Housing Authority, which will take on the role of landlord once the building is operational.

“Earthy” project with over 100 units expected

Official design plans for the project won’t be known until after the winning contractor is chosen.

However, the application does provide some insight into what the project could entail.

This includes specifications for the possible number of units.

The application materials also include specifics as to what the exterior of the apartment building could look like.

“The exterior facade should convey a rural rather than urban character,” said the notes provided to would-be applicants.

“Rough outdoor construction is encouraged.”

 

Parcel 74, located at 1180 Sun Peaks Road, is listed in the application process as being 1.10 hectares in size, which would allow for a 110 unit apartment complex to be built under the current zoning.

The application provided to BC Builds does note the Village Council is considering zoning amendments to the site, but doesn’t specify whether this could increase the number of units.

The plot itself, which the Village purchased for $100,000, is sub-divided, and includes 1188 Sun Peaks Road, the development of which “will be explored in the future.”

What is known is the units will all be rental, and will cater predominantly to the middle-income bracket.

“For partnerships with non-profits and municipal housing authorities, the units need to be rented at an 80-20 split – 80% of the units at market [rate], 20% of the units at 20% below market,” noted Campbell.

Under the BC Builds criteria laid out in the application prospectus, those who would qualify to rent bachelor or one-bedrooms from the market-rate stock would fall into an annual salary range of between $84,780 and $131,950.

Those hoping for two or three bedroom apartments would need to make in the range of $134,410 to $191,910 to hit the BC Builds middle-class rental requirements.

There is a lower threshold available under the program, as 80% are to be set at market rates.

The remaining one-fifth of the non-market units could be available for those earning just under $68,000 per year for a bachelor or one-bedroom.

A two-or-more-bedroom application would be set at just over $107,500 for the annual salary requirement.

Legacy project for long time Mayor

This particular project has been in the works in different forms for the last few years, including an original plan in 2022, which would have included provisions for 40% of the project to include below-market housing.

That proposal did not come to be, and the site itself has remained untouched since.

“We would have loved to develop an affordable housing project,” noted Campbell.   “Middle-income housing was also a need that was identified in the community through our housing strategy that we did in 2022.”

Despite the setbacks, the long-time Mayor of Sun Peaks did always keep the project, and the broader goal of development in his mind.

This included advocacy directed at SD73 from shortly after municipal incorporation to create a new, permanent school in the community.

Waste water and sewage treatment were also high on his priority list as well.

And while not all projects were seen to fruition, there were some victories along the way — including being able to oversee one of the lasting and more visible projects Sun Peaks has undergone recently: the Sun Peaks Plaza.

However, as he prepared to leave his struggles with ALS behind him, his final note to Sun Peaks showed his thoughts were still with those who helped make the Mountain Resort Municipality what it is…

“I had hoped to see the employee only rental building burst out of the ground, but it is coming along, just a little too slow for my schedule,” lamented Al Raine in his final note left to the community.

“Always remember, the Sun Peaks people make the difference in whether our guests return or go somewhere else,” added Raine. 

“The community makes people feel special and that is why people love Sun Peaks.”