Helping build more homes, faster in Charlottetown

Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, February 9, 2024

With federal funding and federal leadership, we are changing how cities let housing get built in their municipalities. With a greater focus on higher density housing, student housing, homes near transit and affordable housing, we are going to get more homes built for Canadians at prices they can afford.

Today, the Government of Canada and the City of Charlottetown announced that they reached an agreement to fast track 300 housing units over the next three years. This work will help spur the construction of more than 1,000 homes over the next decade.

The agreement under the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), will provide over $10 million to eliminate barriers to building the housing we need, faster. Charlottetown’s Action Plan commits to eight local initiatives that enable a variety of housing forms and densities to meet the diverse needs of the community. The City of Charlottetown will implement a new official plan and introduce bylaw changes that will enable more medium-density housing, duplex and multi-family housing such as townhouses and multiplexes by allowing up to four units as-of-right on existing residential lots. Building heights will be increased from six to eight storeys near post-secondary institutions and in high-growth areas. Charlottetown’s Action Plan will also help expedite the permitting of accessory dwelling units by adopting pre-approved plans. Additionally, the funding will allow for the implementation of zoning changes to support higher density, building more rental and affordable homes, reducing parking requirements and improved processes including e-permitting.

HAF is helping cut red tape and fast track at least 100,000 permitted new homes over the first three years, which cities and regions estimate will lead to the creation of almost 550,000 permitted new homes for people in towns, cities, and Indigenous communities across Canada over the next decade. It asks for innovative action plans from local governments, and once approved, provides upfront funding to ensure the timely building of new homes, as well as additional funds upon delivering results. Local governments are encouraged to think big and be bold in their approaches, which could include accelerating project timelines, allowing increased housing density, and encouraging affordable housing units.

The Government of Canada is making life more affordable for Canadians — and housing is key to our work. We will continue to work with provincial, territorial, and municipal governments, as well as Indigenous partners, to keep building more homes for Canadians, faster.

Quotes:

“We are excited and proud to announce this partnership with Charlottetown today. By allowing greater density, building more rental and affordable homes, incentivizing accessory dwelling units, and improving permitting processes, the City will ensure that Charlottetown has more of the kind of homes we need to tackle the housing crisis. We will continue working with cities, mayors, and all levels of government, to get more homes built for Canadians at prices they can afford.”
— The Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing, Infrastructure and Communities

“By building more affordable homes more quickly, our government is unlocking new opportunities for growth in Charlottetown. Working together, we can equip our communities with new tools to support them to reach their potential and turn possibilities into realities.”
— Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Prince Edward Island

“This investment into our planning process exponentially improves our ability to enact our Strategic Plan commitment to enhance livability by bringing Charlottetown residents closer to the services, lifestyle and leisure options they want. We have a dynamic and innovative set of priorities that will streamline and incentivize our planning process and make it more transparent for all users. We will change the way we zone and develop our neighbourhoods while maintaining our special mix of vibrancy and historic charm, all while creating the homes we need right now. We’ve been planning for ambitious growth in a way that optimizes both land use and infrastructure and now we can put those plans into action.”
— Philip Brown, Mayor of the City of Charlottetown

Quick facts:

Today’s announcement was made by Sean Casey, Member of Parliament for Charlottetown–on behalf of the Honourable Sean Fraser, Minister of Housing Infrastructure and Communities — and Philip Brown, Mayor of the City of Charlottetown.
Launched in March 2023, the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is a $4 billion initiative from the Government of Canada that will run until 2026 – 27.
The Housing Accelerator Fund is part of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS), an $82+ billion plan to give more Canadians a place to call home. Progress on programs and initiatives are updated quarterly at www.placetocallhome.ca. The Housing Funding Initiatives Map shows affordable housing projects that have been developed.
As of September 30, 2023, the Government of Canada has committed over $38.89 billion to support the creation of almost 152,000 units and the repair of over 241,000 units. These measures prioritize those in greatest need, including seniors, Indigenous Peoples, people experiencing or at risk of homelessness, and women and children fleeing violence.