Housing Assistance

The Province offers, supports and funds various services that create greater access to housing along the housing continuum including access to emergency shelter services, transitional housing, social housing, incentivizing the construction of market rental housing and facilitating home ownership.

Housing assistance provides low income Islanders with appropriate housing at a reduced cost. For qualified applicants, this might be renting a social housing unit or receiving funding that reduces the cost for rental market housing.

Safety Net

If you are in need of temporary shelter due to homelessness or housing insecurity, there are several community organizations that provide support services.

Emergency Shelters

• Blooming House
• Family Violence Prevention Services
• Bedford MacDonald House, Prince Edward Island - Maritime Division, (902) 892-9242
• Park Street Emergency Shelter, 68 and 72 Park Street, 1-877-220-4722
• Life House Summerside – Safe harbour through treacherous waters
• Chief Mary Bernard Memorial Women’s Shelter

Short Term Supportive Housing
A temporary place to live with supports to help people experiencing homelessness move to permanent housing and live on their own or in long-term supportive housing.

• Community Outreach Centre, 241 Euston Street, (902)-367-3884
• Smith Lodge, 35 Weymouth Street, (902)-367-0520
• Canadian Mental Health Transitional Housing

Housing with Supports

Long Term Supportive Housing is longer-term safe and adequate living arrangements linked to supportive services for homeless and/or disabled individuals and families. This type of housing enables persons experiencing homelessness to live independently.

• Canadian Mental Health Association Housing First Program
  • Housing Programs - CMHA PEI Division

Subsidized Rental Housing is rental housing that is financially supported in part or full by the Province, depending on the core housing need of a family or individual. Support may be offered in the form of a suitable social housing unit, a mobile rental voucher or a rental supplement.

Please see sections on Family Housing Program, Seniors Housing Program, and Social Housing Registry.

Family Housing Program

The Family Housing Program provides quality rental housing units for Island families and individuals in core housing need. Islanders with low incomes, poor housing conditions or other special circumstances that create a need for assistance and who may not otherwise be able to obtain adequate housing, may be eligible for the family housing program.

How are tenants selected?

Applications are chosen and reviewed based on the following criteria:

• Number of dependents;
• Household income;
• Ratio of housing costs to income;
• Condition of dwelling;
• Other factors.

Local housing boards select tenants based on availability of a unit suitable to your family's need.

What is core housing need?

A household is considered to be in core housing need if:

• A household is below one or more of the adequacy, suitability and affordability standards;
• The household would have to spend 30% or more of its before-tax household income to access local housing that meets all three standards.

The core need income thresholds used to assess the household’s need is as follows:

Most families pay 25 per cent of their income for rent.

Where is family housing located?

Government owned apartments are located in Alberton, Charlottetown, Georgetown, Montague, Mt. Stewart, O'Leary, Souris, Summerside and Tignish. You may also be able to receive a mobile rental voucher with a private landlord in any community.

For more information, download the Family Housing Program brochure.

Seniors Housing Program

Are you a senior who has trouble affording your current cost of living? Many seniors find that their housing needs change over time. You may find your income is less than in earlier years or you may find it more difficult to maintain your home. If this sounds like you, we may be able to help. Islanders with low incomes, poor housing conditions or other special circumstances that create a need for assistance and who may not otherwise be able to obtain adequate housing, may be eligible for the seniors housing program.

Other requirements for the seniors housing program include:

• Being age 60 and older, or
• 55 and older and have a disability.

*For couples, at least one person must be aged 60 or over to be considered eligible. Applicants are chosen based on income, assets, housing cost ratio, health, age and present housing conditions.

How are tenants selected?

Applications are chosen and reviewed based on the following criteria:

• Asset levels;
• Income levels;
• Housing cost ratio;
• Housing situation;
• Health;
• Age;
• Other factors.

What is core housing need?

A household is considered to be in core housing need if:

• A household is below one or more of the adequacy, suitability and affordability standards;
• The household would have to spend 30% or more of its before-tax household income to access local housing that meets all three standards.

The core need income thresholds used to assess the household’s need is as follows:

Where is seniors housing located?

Seniors Housing units are located across the province, please see the map below for locations. You may also be able to receive a rent supplement benefit with a private landlord in any community.

View a larger version of the map

For more information and for a printed application, download the Seniors Housing Program brochure.

Market Housing

Various programs exist to incentivize the construction of market rental units, which may also support the social housing inventory. Below are a list of programs eligible developers, non-profits, and community service organizations are encouraged to apply to.

Programs that support Rental Housing

• Affordable Housing Development Program
• Multi-unit Residential Loan Program
• Housing Development Challenge Pilot Program
• Residential Unit Development Incentive (RUDI) for multi-unit residential buildings

Programs that support Housing Ownership

• Down Payment Assistance Program

Social Housing Registry

The PEI Social Housing Registry includes the number of Islander's who are eligible for Family and Senior Housing Programs and awaiting a placement that best suits their needs including location, type, and size of units.

Contact Information

For more information on housing assistance, please contact Housing Services at the location closest to you.

• Toll Free 1-877-368-5770
• Charlottetown (902) 368-5770
• Summerside (902) 888-8436
• Montague (902) 838-0796
• Souris (902) 687-7098

To contact Housing Services by e-mail, please write to: housing@gov.pe.ca.