Provincial Housing Action Plan

Housing is an important support for individuals and families to be healthy and productive, and successful citizens, and contributors to our society. It is not just about buildings; safe and appropriate housing is a basic support that contributes to personal well-being, economic strength, and strong communities.

Government has developed a provincial housing action plan to provide timely access to safe, accessible, appropriate, and affordable housing for all Islanders.

How was the plan developed?

The plan was developed with a team of housing experts, clients, and an extensive engagement process with Islanders. A housing supply task force was also established to inform the work and identify innovative approaches to address housing challenges across the province.

How will the plan to address housing needs?

The provincial government has committed to:

• create 1,000 new affordable units over the next four years, including 275 units this year;
• support the development of capacity along the housing continuum to enable housing providers to create affordable housing;
• create a collaborative leadership structure to support plan implementation, monitoring, and evaluation, including processes to determine current and future housing needs and solutions.

Vision and Goals

The action plan establishes a vision and five goals with immediate and longer-term action items encouraging collaboration, partnerships, and coordination amongst all levels of government, community organizations, and private sector developers.

Vision

All Islanders have timely access to safe, accessible, appropriate, and affordable housing that meets the diversity of their needs and maximizes their ability to be healthy, productive, and successful.

Goal #1 Availability

Ensure the availability of diverse housing options for Islanders.

Goal #2 Affordability

Build the capacity of stakeholders to provide affordable housing and increase the affordability of housing for Islanders, especially those most in need.

Goal #3 Sustainable Communities

Ensure communities have sustainable housing that is safe, barrier free, supports aging in place, encourages both energy efficiency and financial sustainability, and supports diversity to support Islanders to live in appropriate housing in their community of choice.

Goal #4 Coordination and Collaboration

Provide seamless services and maximize supports to Islanders through coordination and collaboration amongst all levels of government and community organizations.

Goal #5 Governance

Establish a strong governance structure that uses evidence-informed decision making built on best practices and data to support implementation and provide ongoing evaluation, monitoring and reporting.

Priority Areas for Immediate Action

Immediately increase housing supply by creating:

• 275 affordable housing units – available fiscal 2018/19 (part of the 1,000 new units over the next four years);
• 74  new seniors units: 44 in Charlottetown; 30 in Summerside – available spring 2019;
• up to 10 new transitional housing units to support victims of family violence and for children who have aged out of the province’s child protection services – available spring 2019;  
• 10 transitional housing units to support Islanders with mental health needs as they transition back into community life – available fall 2018;
• 100 new private nursing home beds to further improve access to long- term care for Island seniors – 50 available October 2018; 50 by June 2019.

Collaborative initiatives with communities:

• create a Housing Navigator to help guide and connect Islanders to the right housing services and supports – fall 2018;
• create a Tenant Outreach Worker to help connect current social housing tenants to services if they need additional supports to remain independent – fall 2018;
• work together with municipalities who are responsible for zoning and  regulations to better support housing development and capacity in all regions of the Island – fall 2018;  
• implement the $3 million Community Housing Fund announced in government’s 2018/19 budget through engagement and collaboration with community partners to deliver innovative housing solutions – beginning fall 2018.     

Financing support:

• create an affordable housing loan fund for developers to build and maintain affordable housing units – fall 2018;
• create a down payment assistance program for eligible modest income Islanders to get an interest free, repayable loan of up to five percent of the purchase price of a home for a down payment – fall 2018.     

Leadership to oversee implementation of actions:

• establish a Cabinet Committee on Housing consisting of ministers of Finance (chair); Family and Human Services; Transportation, Infrastructure and Energy; and Community, Land and Environment to lead government’s approach to the supply of affordable housing, market development, analysis and innovation – August 2018;    
• create a Housing Council consisting of community partners selected through Engage PEI process and chaired by the deputies of Finance and Family of  Human Services to support the work of the cabinet committee, manage the Community Housing Fund, and provide direction to the housing hub – fall 2018; 
• establish a Housing Hub led by a Special Advisor for Housing and Infrastructure and consisting of members from government, community organizations and municipalities to implement the housing action plan, report on progress, monitor market trends, and provide support to housing partners – fall  2018.  

Contact:

Director of Housing Services
Department of Social Development and Housing
Phone: (902) 368-5973
Email: slcobb@gov.pe.ca