Additional social housing coming for Island seniors

A new 30-unit development will give Island seniors more options for affordable housing units in Charlottetown. 

The new 30-unit social housing development on Beach Grove Road will help to ensure seniors have a safe and affordable place to live. Funding for the project was approved in the 2020-21 Capital Budget in support of government’s commitment to build 100 new government-owned units.

“Addressing the Island’s housing needs requires a collective and collaborative approach that puts people first. Island seniors have helped shape the province we know and love and it is our responsibility to offer safe, accessible and affordable homes that support our seniors to age in place.”

-  Social Development and Housing Minister Ernie Hudson

A tender will be issued later this month for the design of the building with construction anticipated to start in the fall of 2021. Government will collaborate with the City of Charlottetown and consult with the public in the coming months to re-zone land from institutional to residential. The project will be a ‘net zero ready’ building, designed to be energy efficient. 

Including the Beach Grove Road development, a total 167 affordable seniors housing units are currently under construction in PEI by government or in partnership with developers. Government is also in the process of implementing 400 new mobile rental vouchers that help to off-set renting costs for low-income Islanders.

The current social housing registry for seniors housing in the greater Charlottetown area is 103. In November 2019, the social housing registry for seniors was 183.  

Island seniors eligible for housing supports will pay 25 percent of their gross annual household income for a unit. 

Media contact:
Rebecca Gass
Senior Communications Officer
Department of Social Development and Housing
rjgass@gov.pe.ca