BIRCH - Bowen Island Resilient Community Housing

08/29/2026

BIRCH is at Bowfest! We have information on Hemlock Hill and Lot 1. Have questions? Ask BIRCH.

08/26/2026

Come see us at Bowfest!

BIRCH and Lookout Housing will be at Bowfest from 10:30 – 3:30.

Lookout Housing will be there to share info and answer your questions about the Hemlock Hill project.

BIRCH will be sharing the latest concepts for Lot 1, we’d love to know what you think.

And as always – come say hi and Ask BIRCH.

We look forward to seeing you!

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08/19/2026

We received 6 thoughtful questions from a community member for Ask BIRCH:

See the Q + A's in our comments below and on our Ask BIRCH page on our website. https://birchousing.org/ask-birch/

1. Do we know what Lookout considers a "resident of Bowen?" Any specific criteria for that?
2. Do we have any idea what the income requirements might look like?
3. What steps were taken to ensure that the greatest amount of people possible had access to the residence survey and why do you think the final number of respondents was so low.
4. Are you aware of any policies or laws that would have applied to a project like yours that specifically require the consultation of people with disabilities that were in effect during this current housing project? If you do, then would you say that BIRCH did a good job at following those guidelines?
5. The number of units seems to fluctuate between 24 and 25 in all of the copy related to this project, even on your own website. Could we get some clarification on that number?
6. Do we have specific numbers yet on how many units of each  size there will be?

Thank you for the Q's.

[Image: AI generated, Text: human]

08/18/2026

We are excited to see a growing number of conversations and questions about BIRCH (Bowen Island Resilient Community Housing), our projects, and our work in the community.

We know that housing is an important topic on Bowen, and we want to make sure our community has easy access to clear information about what we do, how decisions are made and where our projects stand.

So we’re starting Ask BIRCH.

We will address questions we’re hearing from the community and provide responses from the BIRCH Board, staff, project team, and/or our partners. We’ll share the answers on our page and add them to a new FAQ section on our website so they’re easy to find and reference.

Have a question about BIRCH? We welcome it. You can leave it in the comments on our page post or send it to us directly at [email protected].

We've started our website FAQ page with some recent questions from the community - https://birchousing.org/ask-birch/

[Image: AI generated, Text: human]

08/08/2026

[Post edit: Image: AI, Text: human]

Did You Know?

As part of the BIRCH Housing Survey, community members were asked:

"Question 21: In terms of addressing different community housing needs, which group(s) should be prioritized for affordable housing?"

A total of 155 community members responded.

The results shown in the graphic reflect the weighted average ratings, with higher weighted ratings indicating higher priority.

1. Families with low income
2. People experiencing or at risk of homelessness
3. Seniors
4. Individuals with low income
5. People with disabilities
6. Essential workers
7. Families with moderate income
8. Individuals with moderate income
9. Seasonal workers

These results will help inform BIRCH's ongoing work to understand community housing needs and support future housing planning on Bowen Island.

Thank you to everyone who took the time to participate. Your voice helps shape our community.

Want to continue the conversation? Visit us at BowFest to learn more about our current projects, ask questions, and share your ideas. We look forward to connecting with you!

06/26/2026

Join our email list at https://birchousing.org/.

06/22/2026

Today, BIRCH presented its first Annual Report to Bowen Island Municipality (BIM).

The 2025 report highlights a year of significant growth and progress, including the partnering agreement with BIM, advancement of the Hemlock Hill Village and Lot 1 projects, the hiring of three part-time staff members, and the completion of key organizational and strategic planning milestones.

With enormous thanks to Robyn Fenton, Executive Director and David McCullum, Board Chair, for your leadership, guidance, and unwavering commitment to creating affordable housing opportunities for Bowen Islanders.

Together, we're building a more resilient Bowen Island community.

Please review the report in full on our website at https://birchousing.org/2025-annual-report/

Questions may be directed to [email protected].

06/05/2026

The official groundbreaking for Hemlock Hill Village was an exciting moment for BIRCH and partners.

05/29/2026

Today's the day! Groundbreaking for the Lookout Housing & Health Society and BIRCH - Bowen Island Resilient Community Housing Hemlock Hill apartment building!

Twenty-five apartments for community members.

Groundbreaking is at 2pm, and we are between the Health Centre and the park, on Miller Road.

Bowen Island Resilient Community Housing Society (BIRCH) Announces Ground Breaking of Hemlock Hill Village – A New Affordable Housing Development on Bowen Island Bowen Island Resilient Community Housing Society (BIRCH) and Lookout Housing and Health Society (Lookout) are proud to announce the offi...