Finding affordable housing can be challenging for any family sub-type, but especially for adolescent lead families. According to Alini, it costs about 14,350$ to support a newborn in its first year (2021). This number was calculated in 2018 and it would be about 15,475$ in 2022’s economic environment.

In research from the Indeed Editorial Team, the average income for people between the ages of 16-24 is 17,000 CAD dollars annually (2021). This leaves single parents to support themselves and their child with less than 2000 CAD dollars a year if they do not receive any support from the government.

BC Housing

BC Housing is a government organization that assists low-income families and individuals find affordable housing (Subsidized Housing | BC Housing, n.d.). There are strict criteria to be accepted into subsidized housing in BC and there are many families that need assistance. Please click on the criteria link above to view the BC Housing subsidized housing criteria.

National Occupancy Standards

  1. There shall be no more than 2 or less than 1 person per bedroom.
  2. Spouses and couples share a bedroom.
  3. Parents do not share a bedroom with children.
  4. Dependents aged 18 or more do not share a bedroom.
  5. Dependents aged 5 or more of the opposite sex do not share a bedroom.

The following guidelines are used when applying the National Occupancy Standards:

  • In recognition of a variety of co-parenting arrangements, a dependent child who resides with their parent(s) a minimum of 40 percent of the time will qualify as a permanent member of the household when determining eligibility and appropriate unit size.
  • Single applicants (seniors or people with disabilities) are eligible to apply for bachelor and one-bedroom units.
  • Couples (two individuals) are only eligible to apply for one-bedroom units, as they would be under-housed in a bachelor unit.
  • To maximize the use of limited one-bedroom units, priority for available one-bedroom units is generally applied as follows:
    • Couples
    • Single applicants with a documented medical need for a one-bedroom unit
    • All other single applicants. (Subsidized Housing | BC Housing, n.d.)

Off-reserve Indigenous Housing

Off-reserve housing is available for status, non-status, Metis and Inuit people (Indigenous Housing Providers | BC Housing, n.d.). There are many partners throughout BC. Please follow the link to find the agency in your community. If you qualify for standard BC housing, you are still able to access resources through indigenous housing.