Former executive director no longer with Pacifica Housing

Pacifica Housing confirms that former executive director Dean Fortin is no longer on the leadership team of the non-profit housing provider.

Pacifica is the operator of the temporary supportive housing project on Labieux Road as well as supported housing at Uplands Walk and other affordable housing in Nanaimo. Fortin, former mayor of Victoria, had been the executive director of Pacifica Housing from August 2015 until the leadership shakeup at the end of 2018.

“As the executive director, Dean Fortin was responsible for the management of the entire organization,” said Jaime Hall, president of Pacifica Housing, who would not comment on the reasons the relationship ended.

“We have lots of leaders in the organization. Individuals come and go but the organization has a long history and institutional heart. There are 130 other people who do a lot of good work.”

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Margaret Eckenfelder stepped down from her position as board secretary to take on the role of temporary acting executive director until the board appoints a new executive director in the spring of 2019. Eckenfelder worked for four years as assistant deputy minister with the B.C. Environmental Protection Division. She also built expertise in affordable housing as planning director with the District of North Vancouver and through eight years of board membership with the HFBC Housing Foundation.

Pacifica Housing offers affordable, supportive and subsidized housing for 2,000 residents in approximately 1,200 units from Nanaimo to Victoria, including low-income families, people with disabilities and with mental health and addiction challenges.

There are currently 400 new units of supportive housing under development, according to Hall.