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The City of Richmond has advanced plans for more than 200 new affordable rental homes through a partnership with The New Vista Housing Society.

Photo by Jaana Björk

Richmond selects non-profit partner to advance over 200 new affordable rental homes

By Richmond Sentinel

Published 9:53 PST, Wed November 5, 2025

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The City of Richmond is advancing plans for more than 200 new affordable rental homes through a partnership with The New Vista Housing Society. The proposed development on Sexsmith Road will help address growing community demand for housing that serves seniors, families, people with disabilities, and working households who are struggling to find affordable options locally. The development is contingent on funding approval from BC Housing’s Community Housing Fund (CHF)

“Housing affordability remains one of Richmond’s most urgent priorities,” said Mayor Malcolm Brodie. “The partnership with New Vista Housing Society represents a strategic investment in our community’s long-term livability, pairing city-owned land with the expertise of a proven non-profit provider which increases our chances to receive funding from senior government to deliver high-quality, affordable homes close to jobs, transit, and essential services.”

The city and New Vista Housing Society will pursue funding through the BC Housing’s Community Housing Fund (CHF) to support the development, with the working name of Aberdeen Rental Residences, on city-owned lands at 3660, 3680, 3700, 3720, and 3740 Sexsmith Road. The CHF is a provincial program which supports the creation of affordable rental housing across British Columbia and prioritizes projects permitted under existing zoning regulations; accordingly, the city anticipates advancing a rezoning report to Council in early 2026.

Public engagement on the development has included open houses held on August 21 and September 4, 2025, and meetings with nearby strata councils to raise awareness of the city’s plans for the properties, as well as gather input on neighbourhood fit, design preferences and community priorities. Feedback from the public is summarized on the project’s Let’s Talk Richmond page at LetsTalkRichmond.ca/AberdeenResidences.

The city selected New Vista Housing Society (New Vista) through a formal request for expressions of interest process which considered the experience of applicants in developing, owning and operating affordable rental housing. Their 80-plus years of experience and the overall composition of the project team, their vision and early design considerations for the project and a commitment to developing housing that will serve those with a connection to Richmond were all considerations. Together with NSDA Architects and TL Housing Solutions, New Vista is in the early stages of conceptual design.

As this development moves forward, next steps include advancing conceptual design work, completing the rezoning process, and submitting a formal funding application to BC Housing’s Community Housing Fund. The city and New Vista will continue engaging with residents and businesses going forward, to share updates and gather feedback.

For more information, visit LetsTalkRichmond.ca or email housing@richmond.ca or visit New Vista Housing Society at newvista.bc.ca.