Affordable housing projects coming for Charlottetown, Cornwall and Souris

The P.E.I. government announced more three more affordable housing projects on Thursday.

The projects are for 30 units for seniors in Cornwall, 20 units for seniors in Charlottetown and 10 units for seniors and families in Souris.

It's the latest in a string of recent housing announcements as government tries to keep up with population growth.

Finance Minister Heath MacDonald said they're not done yet.

"We know that population is going to continue to grow so we have to keep going until we can find that balance," he said.

"We're a little behind in the housing right now, but I can tell you with the trajectory we're on, we will not be behind for much longer."

The province has reduced its 1,400-person waiting list for affordable housing by 500 people in less than a year.

Committed to 1,130 units

The Department of Finance saidin thisfiscal year the provincehas committed $30.9 million, including $6.1 million from the federal government, to support housing initiatives on P.E.I.

It has so far committed to support 1,130 units throughinclude rent supplements, private developer agreements, P.E.I. Housing Corporation builds, long-term care beds and a new year-round residence at UPEI. It will expand the existing inventory of 1,600 provincial government-owned affordable units, as well as more than 700 rent-supplement arrangements the province has with private landlords.

For the housing development in Cornwall, the government is giving $1.3 millionto D.L.McQuaid Holdings, consisting of both a construction grant and annual operating grant for 25 years. The province will also offer a 25-year affordable housing and rent supplement agreement to ensuretheunits will remain affordable for tenants.

Map shows housing projects

The units in Charlottetown and Souris will be government-owned social housing buildings, funded as part of a $12 million capital investment committed to in November 2018.

To keep track of the new housing projects, the province has launched an interactive map that shows government and private developments over the last two years.

"The map basically allows people to take a look and say here's what's being donewhether it be Alberton, whether it be O'Leary, Summerside, Souris, Montague, Stratford, Charlottetown, they can go in and actually take a look and find out exactly what government's been up to," MacDonald said.

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