Summerside, federal government pledge $5.8 million to increase P.E.I. housing density, affordability

Summerside, P.E.I., is pictured in this undated file photo.

The City of Summerside and the Government of Canada plan to fast track development for 132 housing units over the next three years.

The agreement aims to increase housing density in Summerside, P.E.I., by allowing multi-unit residential lot zoning changes, according to a Tuesday news release from the City of Summerside.

This will make housing more affordable and more attainable to support growth, said Dan Kutcher, Summerside mayor, in the news release.

“The (funding) complements our housing strategy to build more varied, diverse, dense and attainable housing across the City,” said Kutcher.

“We are breaking down housing barriers through innovation and hard work to achieve our goal of creating more attainable and affordable housing for all our residents. Today's announcement will help us get there faster.”

The agreement between the federal and municipal government falls under the federal Housing Accelerator fund, which will provide $5.8 million to build necessary housing faster, the release says.

The agreement is called the Summerside Action Plan. According to the release, it includes 14 initiatives, which aim to prioritize:

• zoning changes to increase housing density

• allowing four units per residential lot as-of-right

• incentives for multi-unit development

• reducing restrictions on accessory dwelling units, which are second homes on lots already occupied by a residence

• incentives for missing middle housing, which are buildings like multiplexes, townhouses, cottage courts, and courtyard buildings

• establishing a new east-west growth node

The houses are “missing” because they have not been commonly built since the mid-1940s and “middle” because they sit between high rises and single-family homes in form and scale, according to the Missing Middle Housing website.

The Housing Accelerator Fund is part of a larger federal initiative called the National Housing Strategy. The government updates the strategy’s progress quarterly at this website.

The government of Canada has “committed” over $38.89 billion of the total planned $82 billion, according to the website. The 10-year plan will run until March 2028.

“By building more affordable homes more quickly, our government is unlocking new opportunities for growth in Summerside,” said Bobby Morrissey, member of parliament for Egmont on P.E.I.

For more Prince Edward Island news visit our dedicated provincial page.