The BC SPCA is getting a $5-million helping hand from the province as part of its plan to renew, renovate and replace aging shelters and facilities.
Part of the funds will be used to replace the 62-year-old Vancouver branch, which is showing signs of its advanced age.
The facility on East 7th Avenue is the oldest and busiest branch of the BC SPCA, and houses a full-service veterinary hospital that works with low-income pet owners, as well as the provincial branch office.
Over the years the building has undergone renovations, but CEO Craig Daniell said there's no way they can expand any further.
"We have no space to grow. The building is so old we can't even upgrade wiring," Daniell told CTV Vancouver.
Right now the BC SPCA is exploring two options: redeveloping its East Vancouver site, which would involve a temporary relocation, or else sell the land the current shelter sits on and look for another site in the city.
Construction on the new Vancouver shelter alone could run $20-21-million, Daniell said.
The animal welfare agency wants the new shelter to act as a community hub will serve as a destination for people looking for more information about animal adoption, and people wanting to learn more about animal welfare.
The $5-million announced Tuesday by the province is on top of the $5-million it contributed in 2015 as part of the BC SPCA's eight-year capital development project, which will also see a new community animal shelter constructed in Prince George.
The overall plan, which it put in front of the B.C. government four years ago, involves nearly $54-million in capital projects to create state-of-the-art shelters across the province.
The first phase of funding saw a specialized facility for seized cats in Surrey, large animal adoption barns in Surrey and Kelowna, and a new animal centre in Nanaimo.
"It's an enormous undertaking," said Daniell.
