Charlottetown and Ottawa reach $10 million deal to fast track in-development housing units
After months of back and forth, Charlottetown and the federal government have come to a $10 million deal intended to increase housing builds in the city.
Charlottetown is currently facing a severe housing shortage and there aren’t enough new builds to keep up with demand.
A newly announced housing deal between Charlottetown and the federal Liberals of $10 million over three years isn’t to build any units directly, but for streamlining processes to make it easier for developers.
“There are lots of developments, potential developments, in the hopper right now, in the que, with our department of development,” said Philip Brown, mayor of Charlottetown.
“This funding will help speed it up.”
The city and the federal government have been negotiating for months. The major sticking point was protections for the historic 500 lot in Charlottetown’s downtown core.
Charlottetown resisted changes to increase by right building options, projects which don’t need city approval.
“The federal government wanted to push the city as far as it could to increase density, the city wanted to protect as much as it could the unique character,” said Sean Casey, Charlottetown Liberal MP. “Ultimately both sides compromised enough that it got done.”
Instead, development will be focused around post secondary institutions, the hospital, and along the city’s three main transportation corridors, University Avenue, North River Road, and Saint Peter’s Road.
New rules are set to allow fourplexes anywhere outside the 500 lot downtown and to increase height limits from 6 to 8 stories in high density areas, along with other changes to zoning, permitting, and other regulations intended to speed up the building process.
Casey said this will allow the federal government to get involved with more affordable housing projects in the city.
For more Prince Edward Island news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'My family doctor just fired me': Ontario patients frustrated with de-rostering
Dozens of Ontarians are expressing frustration in the province’s health-care system after their family doctors either dropped them as patients or threatened to after they sought urgent care elsewhere.
An apartment block collapses in a Russian border city after heavy shelling, injuring over a dozen
An apartment block partially collapsed in the Russian border city of Belgorod on Sunday, leaving at least 19 injured. Officials blamed Ukrainian shelling and said there were also likely deaths.
Millions of Canadians have been exposed to potentially toxic chemicals, and they're not going anywhere
For decades, North Bay, Ontario's water supply has harboured chemicals associated with liver and developmental issues, cancer and complications with pregnancy. It's far from the only city with that problem.
Swiss fans get ready to welcome Eurovision winner Nemo back home
Swiss Eurovision fans were getting ready Sunday to give a hero's welcome to singer Nemo, who won the 68th Eurovision Song Contest with "The Code," an operatic pop-rap ode to the singer’s journey toward embracing a nongender identity.
Flash floods and cold lava flow hit Indonesia's Sumatra island. At least 37 people were killed
Heavy rains and torrents of cold lava and mud flowing down a volcano's slopes on Indonesia’s Sumatra island triggered flash floods that killed at least 37 people and more than a dozen others were missing, officials said Sunday.
'I felt I wasn't alone': Ottawa's Mental Health Gala gets the conversation going
A personal experience has turned into one of Ottawa's biggest fund raisers to get the conversation going to remove the stigma of mental health in our community.
Canada Post cracks down on Nunavut loophole to get free Amazon Prime shipping
Amazon's paid subscription service provides free delivery for online shopping across Canada except for remote locations, the company said in an email. While customers in Iqaluit qualify for the offer, all other communities in Nunavut are excluded.
'Reimagining Mother's Day': Toronto woman creates Motherless Day event after losing mom
Mother's Day can be a difficult occasion for those who have lost or are estranged from their mom.
'It was violent': Police tear down U of A pro-Palestinian encampment Saturday morning
Multiple people at the protest camp torn down at the University of Alberta campus Saturday say police's actions against protesters were "violent" and "disproportionate."