New supportive housing that recently opened in Vancouver’s downtown will bring Chinese seniors one step closer to the community, according to advocates.
Queenie Choo, the CEO of Vancouver-based S.U.C.C.E.S.S. Foundation, says the new building will offer cultural support to Chinese-Canadian women who face language and cultural barriers.
Choo says her organization will have building staff who can provide translation services Monday through Friday, even during daily activities and cultural festivals.
On April 10, the provincial government announced the Tung Sum Lau building, located at 177 West Pender Street near Victory Square, had opened its doors to Vancouver’s Chinese diaspora and the Indigenous population.
In an interview with 1130 NewsRadio, Choo said, “Just because [seniors] don’t have the language skills does not mean that they do not deserve these services.”
To live up to its promise, Choo said, the translators accompanied the Chinese attendants who could not speak English during the building’s opening ceremony.
She says Tung Sum Lau has been accepting tenants since January.
During the event, building resident Bing said the facility offered her a space to live when she was at the most difficult, darkest time of her life.
“With the support of staff, neighbours, and community organizations, we felt warmth, care, and a true sense of belonging,” said Bing.
Choo says Bing didn’t have anywhere to go.
“Everywhere is so expensive to live,” she said.
“So she was finally able to get help through S.U.C.C.E.S.S. and come to live at the Tung Sam Lau and be able to also enjoy the community amenities.”
Choo says that in the past, there have been plenty of cases in which seniors could not get the support they needed due to language barriers.
“Those are people who are unspoken. [That] does not mean that there are no needs.”
A release from the B.C. government said 40 of the total 76 units in the 10-storey building are catered to senior Chinese women. The facility was built in collaboration with BC Housing, the City of Vancouver, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, and Canada Land Trust.
In the release, Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs Christine Boyle said the “Tung Sam Lau building demonstrates B.C.’s commitment to building homes where people can remain in the communities they love and call home.”
Vancouver Mayor Ken Sim said the culturally appropriate housing will meet the needs of seniors and strengthen community connections.
Located at the heart of Chinatown, the building welcomed the Chinese elderly and Indigenous people. Its stakeholder, CLT, contracted Atira Women’s Society, which has collaborated with S.U.C.C.E.S.S. to provide cultural services to the residents.
In an emailed statement, Atira CEO Sarah McIntosh said the facility’s cultural support staff can offer inclusive programs, such as craft sessions, games, shared meals, and cultural celebrations for the residents to feel welcomed.
McIntosh also said seniors might struggle to live in a community due to social isolation, caused by factors such as low income, health challenges, and limited personal support systems.
The cultural disconnection, she says, can make things worse.
“Being away from familiar language, customs, and traditions can create an added layer of loneliness,” she said.
“Homes like Tung Sam Lau ensure women, especially those with deep roots in this community, can remain where they feel a sense of belonging, connected to culture, language, and support.”
