Province and CMHA-PEI announces Community Housing Fund recipients

Six different organizations will receive funding to support affordable housing, assisted living or planning and research supports related to housing.

Cooperative housing, residential housing for Islanders with disabilities, transitional housing for Islanders in recovery and affordable housing options for veterans and their families are all being funding through the 2021/22 Community Housing Fund administered through the Canadian Mental Health Association – PEI Division.

Organizations and funding include: 

• Valley Cooperative - $10,000
  • Valley will create and distribute a guidebook that would help those interested in creating cooperative housing. This "how-to" guide would outline the process of creating and registering a cooperative as a governance structure for people to collectively purchase and inhabit a home. 
• Community Inclusions - $50,000
  • Pre-construction support to research and develop new day program space, a Snoezelen Room and specialized residential units for persons with intellectual disabilities in the Tignish region. 
• Lennon House - $50,000
  • Pre-construction support to investigate the development of transitional housing for individuals that have successfully completed a recovery program and need assistance integrating into the community. 
• Royal Canadian Legion - $50,000
  • Pre-construction support for the design and planning of affordable housing project targeted to veterans and their families.  
• Stars for Life - $200,000
  • Help to purchase a supportive housing location in the Charlottetown area that will service individuals with autism spectrum disorder. 
• Sticks and Stones Development - $317,000 
  • Construction support for a 17-unit housing project in Hunter River; 6 units of which will be affordable. 

The provincial government is investing another $3 million in the Community Housing Fund, a partnership with the Canadian Mental Health Association (CMHA), to provide a third round of funding. Non-profits, community-based service organizations, municipalities and developers can apply for support to help create affordable housing options for Islanders in need. 

In addition, $500,000 of this new funding will be dedicated to advancing indigenous housing projects. 

“Indigenous organizations must have the opportunity to lead the way to create housing options that work best for them. That is why I'm so pleased to have dedicated funds specifically for Indigenous housing projects.  Every project announced today has the capacity to positively impact the lives of many Islanders – congratulations to all recipients!”

- Brad Trivers, Minister of Social Development and Housing. 

“As a parent of an autistic adult, I’m deeply aware of the housing needs of this growing, vibrant community, of Islanders,” said Peter Rukavina, board member at Stars for Life. “This funding will help us provide additional safe, supported housing to autistic adults, housing that caters to their particular needs, allows them to thrive, and to contribute to their communities, while, at the same time, providing aging parents with the comfort that their children will be well-housed and well-supported."

The Community Housing Fund has three main categories: 

1. capacity building and research; 
2. professional services; and
3. construction. 

Backgrounder 

The Community Housing Fund has three categories:

1. Capacity Building and Research
   This category of funding can be utilized to build community capacity and / or undertake necessary research to support a proposed development. Community capacity building refers to strengthening the skills and competencies of people and communities as well as local grassroots movements in order to achieve a set of goals. Maximum funding under this category is $10,000 or 75% of project costs. 
2. Project Management and Professional Services
   Funding under this category can be used to hire an external resource(s) to assist with the planning process of the housing project. This could be in the areas of business, accounting, or another skillset that is not within the applicant organization. Maximum funding under this category is $50,000 or 75% of project costs. 
3. Construction and Development
   Grant for the construction of a housing facility including related services for engineering and architecture (as applicable). We expect that this fund is not the sole source of construction funds and that applicants have other grants or financing in place to support construction. Eligible projects can be completely affordable or a mix of affordable and market units. Maximum funding under this category is 30% of project costs up to a $1 million contribution. 

Media contacts:
Rebecca Gass
Senior Communications Officer
Social Development and Housing
902-213-4507
rjgass@gov.pe.ca 

Lori Morris
Communications Coordinator
Canadian Mental Health Association – PEI Division 
902-393-6416
communications@cmha.pe.ca