Headwaters Rental FAQs

What is Headwaters?

Headwaters are two separate rental apartment buildings being developed by Catalyst Community Developments Society on land leased from THC and funded by BC Housing, CMHC, the Rural Dividend Fund, the THC and the District. They are located at 366 and 363 Peterson Drive in the Tonquin neighbourhood. 

The two buildings - Headwaters North: 35 units, Headwaters South: 37 units - have a mix of studio, 1-bedroom, 2-bedroom and 3-bedroom units that will be rented to tenants who meet the residency and other eligibility criteria described below. 

When are applications for the rental housing available? 

The application forms will be released closer to the August 2023 application deadline (June likely) and will be available here and at www.catalystcommdev.org

To make sure you do not miss the application deadline please sign up for the THC mailing list.

The application, tenant selection and tenancy process for rental homes at Headwaters North (35 units) and Headwaters South (37 units) is anticipated to follow the approximate schedule below: 

• March 8th, 2023: Municipal Theatre Drop-In Open House and Presentation
  • A copy of the Tofino Housing Corporation presentation can be found here
  • A copy of the Catalyst Community Developments Society presentation can be found here.
  • A recording of the presentation is available here (warning: it is 1 hr and 40 min and 200mb).

• February/March: Survey with regard to Headwaters North/South rental offerings and consideration of Tofino Housing Corporation rental eligibility policy amendments (due to feedback from the Creekside rental process). Complete the Tofino 2023 Housing Survey to provide feedback. 
• June/July 2023: Specific information meetings related to the three Headwaters rental types
  • Lower rent homes affordable to those on fixed incomes and social assistance (20% of units)
  • Rent-Geared-Income for those with low to moderate incomes with rents that flex to 30% of household income (50% of units)
  • Market rental units (30% of units)
• August 2023: Application intake for Headwaters North &  South.
• September 2023: Initial tenant selection for Headwaters North 
• October 2023: Tenancy agreements completed for December 1st move-in; tenancy agreements will be completed later if move-in date has to pushed later than December 1st. 
• Late 2023 : Tenant selection for Headwaters South
• Winter 2024: Tenancy offers for Headwaters South about 5 weeks before move-in

If you want to be considered for tenancy be sure to sign up for THC's mailing list and you will be notified of the timing for the public meetings and application deadlines.

When will homes be ready for move-in?

Various construction delays related to updated geotechnical specifications, BC Hydro installation and other items means Headwaters North is now expected to be complete by about October 2023 with residents able to move into these new homes no sooner than December 1st, 2023. The construction of the second building, Headwaters South, is expected to be finished in time for an early 2024 move-in.

Who will be moving in?

The new rental units at Headwaters will be allocated 20% to those on fixed incomes (e.g. disability, seniors on limited pension, those on social assistance), 50% to those with lower incomes - with rents at 30% of household income (rent-geared to income – RGI units) and 30% of the units will be average market rents. Maximum permitted household income for each of these rental types is based on BC Housing guidelines. For example, for a 1-bedroom RGI unit, a household’s maximum income would have to be approximately $62,000 or less; if household income was $35,000 per year the household would pay $875 a month. For a market 1-bedroom rental unit, the household maximum income would be $82,310 a year (in 2023) and rent will be $1,550. Priority will be given to those who have lived in the region 2 out of 3 years, and for RGI and market units, priority will be given to those who have been working full-time in Tofino for 1 year, or who are seniors or essential workers. Final rental rates and maximum incomes could still be adjusted.

What are the tenant eligility requirements?

Residency: Living 24 of previous 36 months in the Alberni Clayoquot Regional District; AND

Employment Requirement*: Have been working for 1 year full-time in Tofino, or for Island Health or for the Parks, or is a Senior or is on Disability.

OR

Are an “Essential Worker”: Essential worker means a person working in public or non-profit health and mental health care, BC Ambulance Service, RCMP, critical utility and infrastructure workers holding specialized certifications, a teacher, principal, vice-principal or education assistant in the public school system or child-care worker.

AND

Real Estate: No real estate owned by the household

AND

Income: See below

* Working full-time means someone who has worked at least an average of at least 26 hours per week, year-round, and in the case of self-employment, means employment from which an individual earns at least 90% of his or her annual income; if your job was interrupted by closures or reduced hours due to the COVID-19 pandemic and your employer can confirm this in writing, then you will still be eligible. 

 
How much will the monthly rental be?

There will be three types of rentals mixed together in both buildings. 

Market
Unit Type        Rent                    Income Low         Income High
Studio             $1,150                 $34,500                 $82,310

1 Bedroom     $1,550                 $41,500                 $82,310
2 Bedroom     $1,950                 $52,000                 $128,810
3 Bedroom     $2,300                 $62,000                 $128,810

Rent-Geared-to Income (RGI)
Unit Type        Avg. Rent **        Income Low        Income High
Studio             $1,085                  $21,000                $62,000
1 Bedroom     $1,085                  $21,000                $62,000
2 Bedroom     $1,304                  $26,000                $74,500
3 Bedroom     $1,461                  $26,000                $83,500

** NOTE: Actual rent in RGI units is 30% of gross (before tax) household income and will change from year to year based on changes in household income

Deep Subsidy - BC Shelter Rate
Unit Type         Rent                    Income Low         Income High
Studio              $375                    $15,000                 $21,946
1 Bedroom      $375                    $15,000                 $21,946
2 Bedroom      $570                    $22,500                 $26,600
3 Bedroom      $665                    $23,940                 $26,600

Partial answers to Common Questions  -  for details on these answers view the Catalyst presentation. If you can't find the answer here please email execdirec@tofinohousingcorp.ca with your question.

1. How are units allocated? They will be allocated by three different lotteries from applications received.

• A lottery for the Market units
• A lottery for the RGI units
• A lottery for the Deep Subsidy units

Within each lottery, applicants with minor dependents (18 and under) or dependents with disabilities will be prioritised (e.g.  all such applicants will be in a priority sub-lottery for each rental type above for the 2- and 3-bedroom units only ). 

Per the proposed new lottery rules you will get an extra entry in the lottery if: 

1. You were on the Creekside waitlist by March 1st, 2023
2. You have lived in Tofino more than 5 years
3. You have lived in Tofino more than 8 years
4. You have lived in Tofino more than 11 years 

Maximum number of entries is 5 if you have lived in Tofino more than 11 yrs and you were on the Creekside waitlist by March 1st, 2023.

2. If I applied to Creekside do I need to reapply?  Yes.

3. Can I make two applications?  No - every household must make one application to one unit size (e.g. studio or 1 bedroom or 2 bedroom or 3 bedroom) to one rent type (e.g. market, RGI or deep subsidy). You can indicate a 2nd preference that could become a possibility if not all units are filled initially. This also means you and your partner/spouse make only one application. If you are applying to live with roommates - all roommates must be eligible tenants and remember 2 and 3 bedroom units will be prioritized first to those with dependents. 

4. Can I have pets? Yes, but only 1 dog and 1 cat. Not 2 dogs. Medium sized breeds and below. Pet deposit required.  

5 Are the income criteria gross or net income? It is gross household income - basically a sum of line 15000 (formerly 150) on all the household income earners. 

6. Why do I have to show bank accounts? To confirm what you are showing as income sources on your application are complete and accurate.

7. What if I work at more than one job or have a job and am self employed?  The variety of jobs you hold will be used to see if you meet the full-time requirement (average of 26 hours per week, 1352 hours per year). If you have income from a job(s) and also Tofino focused self-employment income we will determine an hourly equivalent for the self-employment portion.   

8. Can my new partner/spouse live with me?   Yes. Additional persons who are not eligible tenants, but who are residing with them in "a single domestic unit and related by blood, marriage or other spousal relationship, adoption, or foster parenthood" are permitted. After initial move-in new household members living in the unit must be added to the tenancy by contacting the property manager, Ardent Properties.

9. Will I have to move out if my household income exceeds the maximum? This rarely happens at Catalyst-owned properties but it is possible. Keep in mind: 

• This only applies to the Deep Subsidy and RGI units; there is a only a move-in maximum income requirement for the market units. 
• The "Income High" maximums are adjusted up yearly. 
• There may be a possibility to move into a different unit type (e.g. from RGI to Market) - with a change in rent - but that depends on availability at the time. 
• There will be a one-year grace period to be sure that the income change is permanent and to give you time to find accommodation elsewhere (if required). 

10. How does the parking work? There will be 1 parking stall for most tenants, charged at $25 a month. Allocation will be by lottery. If there are extra stalls there may be a possibility of 2 stalls, but for a select few only. Some of the parking for Headwaters North will be at Headwaters South.

11. Is there bike parking and extra storage? Yes. There will be some bike parking and only limited extra storage. Details on amounts and how these are being allocated are still being determined.

12. What appliances come with the home?  Fridge, stove and dishwasher. There are free-to-use, washers and dryers in each building (in a common room.

13. How can I be self-employed if I need a business licence and Home Occupation is not permitted by zoning at Headwaters? THC will be seeking a zoning amendment to allow office-based Home Occupations that do not receive clients to your home.