Province will open another 25 social housing units

New housing opportunities for low-income Islanders will open in Charlottetown and Summerside.

Through the Affordable Housing Development Program, the Province of Prince Edward Island has partnered with three developers to create 25 social housing units – nine in Charlottetown and 16 in Summerside. These units will support Islanders on the social housing registry with rent set at 25 per cent of income. 

“New social housing units provide affordable shelter for those who need it the most – an important part of poverty elimination. At the same time these partnerships with developers result in more market priced units, providing much needed housing for Islanders, especially in areas where vacancy rates are the lowest.” 

-  Social Development and Housing Minister Brad Trivers

“We are thrilled to be partnering with the provincial government on phase one of our multi unit project here in Summerside.  We have seen a need for a project like ours in Summerside and are pleased to be able to bring more affordable units to the market for Islanders,” says Jamie Rodgerson, Upfront Development Inc. “As pressures in the real estate market continue, we are excited to announce our twenty-year commitment to affordable housing initiatives in PEI. We look forward to an early start this spring on our first building and can’t wait to get Islanders into their new homes.”

The Affordable Housing Development Program provides up to $55,000 per unit to non-profit corporations, private entrepreneurs and development corporations, housing cooperatives or municipalities to support the addition of affordable housing to construction projects. New builds, buildings currently under construction, or renovations to existing buildings are eligible, as long as the projects add new affordable units to the market. Since the launch of the program, 103 social housing units have been announced, leveraging another 172 market units.

Through this program, along with investments in mobile vouchers and 100 new government-owned social housing units announced in the fall 2021 capital budget, the provincial government is committed to adding 1,200 new affordable housing units by 2024. 

The province has already initiated 978 of the 1,200 units. The 2021-2022 Operating Budget included $32.4 million to provide more affordable housing for Islanders. As of December 31, 2021, there were 88 seniors and 269 families or individuals on the social housing registry. 

For assistance with finding affordable housing, including applying for a social housing or a mobile rental voucher, visit Housing Assistance, email housing@gov.pe.ca or call 1-877-368-5770.

Visit Housing Assistance for more information on the Affordable Housing Development Program. 

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

Backgrounder 

More information on the 25 social housing units:

Charlottetown 

• The province is partnering with Arsenault Brothers Holdings Inc., to add eight family/senior social housing units at 54 and 58 Sherwood Road in Charlottetown.
• The market units for 54 and 58 Sherwood Road is 62. 
• The province has signed a 25-year agreement with the developer to maintain the housing as affordable for Islanders on the housing registry. 
• The province is partnering with Riley Cameron to add one senior/family social housing unit in Charlottetown and has signed a 15-year agreement with the developer to maintain the housing as affordable for Islanders on the housing registry.
• The market units for Riley Cameron is 7. 
• These projects are in the planning and permitting stages of development and will be net-zero ready. 

Summerside

• The province is partnering with Upfront Development Inc. to add 16 seniors/family social housing units on Brophy Street in Summerside. 
• The province has signed a 20-year agreement to maintain the housing as affordable for Islanders on the housing registry. 
• Total market units for Upfront Development Inc is 16. 
• This project is in the planning and permitting stages of development and will be net-zero ready.