Council will waive municipal and school board taxation on three affordable housing projects for a term of 20 years.

Councillors voted last month to declare 30 Disraeli Street; Nicholas Street Homes, above Delhi Park; and Leeward House as Municipal Capital Facilities. 

Under section 110 of the Municipal Act, the designation allows for financial assistance to offset part or the full cost of an Affordable Housing development.

Director Adam Goheen explained the process incentivizes both public and private developers to offer a certain threshold of affordable rental units.

The property at 30 Disraeli Street is owned by the Prince Edward County Affordable Housing Corporation. Part of the bylaw agreement with the County means the Affordable Housing Corporation must develop the property into 12 housing units that will be maintained as Affordable.

Developers also must obtain an occupancy permit within two years of the date on which the agreement is executed.

On Nicholas Street, the agreement is between the municipality and Nicholas Homes Limited, which intends to develop the property into a mixed-income rental community with a range of housing types. 

Nicholas Homes proposes a 98-unit apartment building, a six-unit townhouse block, and a semi-detached building with two units of supportive housing. The agreement dictates no less than half of the 106 Housing Units shall be deemed Affordable Housing for the entirety of the term. 

The third property, Leeward House, is a municipally operated transitional housing facility owned by Base31. 

The developer partnered with the municipality when it purchased the former Maples retirement residence to create a transitional housing facility. It provides housing, rehabilitative and therapeutic support to individuals experiencing homelessness. 

“This is a huge milestone and we should be applauding our staff for building these agreements,” said Councillor Phil St-Jean. “This is a watershed moment for this community, and we are going to create truly affordable housing.”