A joint statement from Karen Barclay, Director, Mental Health and Substance Use, VCH – Richmond; James Challman, Chief Executive Officer, Greater Vancouver Community Services Society; and, Ruby Chow, Development Manager, BC Housing   

Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH), BC Housing and Greater Vancouver Community Services Society (GVCSS), are delighted to announce a new Mental Health and Substance Use (MHSU) supportive housing resource in Richmond, named “Railway House” after the beautiful Railway Greenway that runs adjacent to the home.  
 
Railway House will replace the existing Southdale Manor and will be licensed under the Community Care and Assisted Living Act. In order to provide supervised community living opportunities for individuals who have been referred from the Richmond Mental Health Team, the home will be staffed 24/7 by Greater Vancouver Community Services Society (GVCSS).  Individuals currently living at Southdale Manor, which will close this summer, will have first opportunity to relocate to this new home.  
 
Railway House features four ground level spaces that provide much needed mobility accessibility that has been lacking in our local MHSU group home inventory. There will be an additional six spaces upstairs to provide a total of 10 beds—a net increase of one bed for our community.  
 
With neighbourhood notification and consultation now completed with the City of Richmond and BC Housing, we’re looking forward to an opening of mid-July, 2020 following the completion of some minor renovations and achievement of licensing requirements. We will be working with current Southdale residents on this move to ensure they are supported during this transition. 

Learn more about GVCSS' Supported Housing program here.