Along Campbell River’s scenic coastline – a new six-storey residential building has changed the landscape, along with the local housing picture.
CR Horizon, an approximately 88,000-square-foot wood-frame development, adds 80 new homes to Campbell River, including 65 multi bedroom units and 15 studio suites. The building combines contemporary residential design with a setting that puts residents close to the water, transportation routes, walking opportunities and the natural environment that defines this part of Vancouver Island.
The development’s location is one of its defining characteristics. Positioned along South Island Highway, CR Horizon looks out toward the coastal landscape, with views toward the Salish Sea, Willow Creek and the surrounding mountains. The building was designed to make the most of natural light and its waterfront setting, with balconies, large windows and a variety of orientations providing residents with different perspectives of the landscape.
But while the views may be one of CR Horizon’s most immediately noticeable features, the building’s significance goes beyond its architecture.
Adding Much-Needed Rental Housing
Campbell River, like many communities on Vancouver Island, has been dealing with growing pressure on its housing supply.
Previously conducted housing-needs analysis for the community identified the potential for low rental vacancy, rising housing costs and a shortage of purpose-built rental developments. The analysis also called for hundreds of additional purpose-built rental homes in a variety of sizes to meet projected demand.
That history provides important context for CR Horizon.
The majority of Campbell River’s rental housing stock has historically consisted of older apartments and townhouses, while purpose-built rental construction was relatively limited for much of the 2010s. More recently, multi-family development has increased, including projects specifically designed as rental housing.
CR Horizon is part of that shift
Its 80 new homes expand the city’s rental inventory at a time when having more housing choices has become increasingly important. The mix of studios, one-bedroom and two-bedroom homes also provides options for different household sizes and stages of life.
For families, couples, individuals and seniors, adding modern rental housing can help provide alternatives in a market where purchasing a home has become increasingly difficult for many residents. New construction also adds contemporary housing to a community where much of the existing rental supply was built decades ago and may require ongoing maintenance and investment.
CR Horizon does not solve Campbell River’s housing challenges on its own. But 80 new homes represent a meaningful addition to the community—and another step toward creating a broader range of places for people to live.
A Major Construction Undertaking
Behind the completed building is a construction story that began with an extraordinary foundation pour. One of the biggest project milestones was the raft slab pour for the parkade. 867 cubic metres of concrete were placed during a single 25-hour by general contractor IWCD. Construction management services were also provided by IWCD.
From there, the building progressed floor by floor. Framing was followed by roofing and drywall, then windows and doors, interior finishing and the countless details required to turn a large wood-frame structure into a functioning residential community.
That sequence is easy to overlook when looking at the finished building, but it represents an enormous amount of planning, coordination and skilled labour.
Some of the suppliers and sub-trades recognized for their contribution to CR Horizon are Ron’s Drywall, RAS Ltd., Osprey Electric, Plateau Plumbing Heating & Gas, Access SMT, Mid Island Glass, Current Millwork, Echelon Exteriors, Ply Gem, and Dibi Coatings.
Their combined efforts are tangible throughout the completed development—from the building envelope and glazing to electrical and plumbing systems, millwork, drywall, exterior finishes and coatings.
Contemporary Design on the Coast
Architecturally, CR Horizon takes a contemporary West Coast approach. The façade combines clean lines, expansive windows, varied roof forms and recessed balconies to create a building that feels substantial without becoming visually monolithic. Neutral exterior tones are contrasted by carefully placed colour accents, while the varied façade helps break up the building’s overall scale.
The private balconies and large windows are particularly important to the design. Rather than turning inward, the building is oriented toward its setting, making the coastal landscape a visible part of everyday life.
Residents can access amenities including parking, bicycle facilities, electric-bike charging and beach access, while the building’s location places the waterfront and surrounding community close at hand.
Living Where Others Come to Visit
There is another dimension to CR Horizon that cannot be separated from its location. Campbell River is marketed as a gateway to outdoor adventures on Vancouver Island, with the coast, forests and mountains providing opportunities for fishing, boating, hiking, biking, wildlife viewing and other year-round activities. Destination Campbell River describes the community as a place where visitors can experience nature and wildlife while still enjoying the amenities of a small city.
For CR Horizon residents, those qualities are not simply attractions on a vacation itinerary. They form part of the setting of home.
From the building’s coastal edge, the movement of the water, passing boats, surrounding trees and distant mountains become part of the everyday environment. It is a reminder that one of the project’s strongest features may not be something constructed at all—it is the landscape surrounding it.
That sense of place is central to Campbell River’s identity as both a community and a destination.
Building on a Place with Deep Roots
Any story about new development in Campbell River also exists within a much longer history.
Campbell River is situated within the territory of the Liǧʷiłdax̌ʷ peoples, including the We Wai Kai, Wei Wai Kum and Kwiakah Nations. The region is also home to the peoples of the Homalco, Klahoose and K’omoks First Nations.
CR Horizon is therefore part of a contemporary community that is growing and changing within a landscape with deep cultural, historical and Indigenous significance.
More Than a New Building
The completed CR Horizon is easy to appreciate from the outside: a modern six-storey building standing above an expansive parkade, framed by the Campbell River waterfront and the landscape beyond.
But the larger story is what the building represents. It is 80 new homes added to Campbell River.
It is a new purpose-built rental housing in a community that has spent years dealing with limited rental availability and rising housing costs.
And it is a development that places contemporary homes within one of Vancouver Island’s most distinctive coastal settings.
CR Horizon adds not just another building to the community, but 80 new opportunities for people to make a home in a place where the coast, community and outdoor lifestyle are all part of the address.
