Workforce housing project helps bring more doctors to North Okanagan

Project provides purpose-built housing for first-ever family residency program in the community

VERNON, B.C.—More than 20,000 people in the North Okanagan don’t have a family doctor. A North Okanagan medical residency program launching in 2024, supported by a new workforce housing development, hopes to change that.

Put forward by Community Futures North Okanagan and local home developer AIM Development and Management, the workforce housing project will provide housing for four family medicine residents in 2024, with plans to welcome four more residents the following year.

“This new economic development project will support a critically challenged sector of our economy that affects thousands of residents,” says Leigha Horsfield, Executive Director, Community Futures. “Access to medical care and childcare are significant factors skilled workers take into account when deciding to reside in a community.”

With persistent physician shortages, family practices and walk-in clinics have growing waitlists that put additional pressure on emergency departments and all healthcare services.

“The residency program is a great thing for our community. Other sites across the province continue to see residency programs as one of the strongest recruitment tools to get family doctors trained and practicing in their region,” says Dr. Travis Allen, site director of the family residency program. “Creating this pool of resources makes family medicine more sustainable for our community and directly benefits the patients.”

Ultimately, Horsfield says, the project hopes to retain family doctors through outreach and incentives and improve access to health care for thousands of North Okanagan residents.

“Given the extreme housing shortage, the goal of this project is to create housing that supports the health sector and provides a ready-made landing place for medical residents,” says Horsfield.

Community rallies in support of project

AIM Development purchased the single-family home on 25^th Street and subdivided the property into three lots. Founder and owner Ian Murphy says that the current home will remain on the property and the development will see two new homes each with a suite to provide housing for six residents.

Connected through the City of Vernon’s economic development office, Murphy agreed to sell the already subdivided lots to Community Futures at a discounted price and manage the construction of the new workforce housing development.

“This project aligns with our goal of creating attainable housing for our community,” says Murphy, whose company has successfully created housing for 32 families from five single-family properties in the past eight years. “It’s great to have Community Futures pushing this development forward.”

While construction has yet to begin, Murphy says the trades, contractors and suppliers have also shown their support for the project and even offered free upgrades and to reinvest a portion of their proceeds.

“Access to healthcare affects us all,” says Murphy. “We hope everybody sees this project the way we do: a development with a real purpose and benefit to our community.”

Construction on the project is scheduled to be completed in May 2024.

“I’ve lived in resident housing and finding an affordable place to live during residency is a huge stress point for a lot of people,” says Dr. Allen. “This workforce housing development helps us welcome residents from medical schools across Canada and provide a safety net and roof over their heads. They get to stay right in the community, see what it has to offer, and hopefully continue their practice in the North Okanagan.”

Nicole Cullen, program expansion manager with the University of British Columbia’s Faculty of Medicine, says the family medicine residency program is the first of its kind in the North Okanagan.

“This is a great way to support medical residents and encourage them to stay and work as physicians in the region,” says Cullen.

But, before the residents arrive in July 2024, Horsfield says Community Futures is looking for additional partners and sponsors. Whether it’s by donating services or materials, organizations and community groups that are able to support the workforce housing project are encouraged to contact Community Futures at 250-545-2215.