The Government of Canada has announced more than $2.2 million in funding to renovate and upgrade 56 secure, affordable rental homes across Prince Edward Island. The goal: protect existing affordable housing, support vulnerable tenants, and keep costs down for people who need it most.
This federal investment is being delivered through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF), a national program that helps build new affordable housing and repair or preserve existing community housing. The announcement was made in Charlottetown, PEI, by Sean Casey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs and Associate Minister of National Defence (and Member of Parliament for Charlottetown), on behalf of Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure and Minister responsible for Pacific Economic Development Canada. Also present was Lisa Cooper, President and Chief of the Native Council of Prince Edward Island.
What this funding will do in PEI
The $2.2 million will support renovations and upgrades to 56 rental units managed by Nanegkam Housing Corporation, under the Native Council of Prince Edward Island (NCPEI). These homes are located in Charlottetown, Cornwall, and Summerside, and include a mix of duplexes, apartments, and single-family homes.
A large number of these units are rent-geared-to-income, meaning rent is based on what tenants can afford. Many homes are designed to support Indigenous women and children, providing safe, stable, and affordable living spaces.
Through the UI560 Project, Nanegkam Housing has already started upgrades and safety improvements for most of these units. The funding helps preserve affordable homes in PEI at a time when supply is limited and demand is rising.
Why this matters for housing in Canada
Canada continues to face a national housing affordability and supply crisis. Rents are climbing, and too many Canadians are struggling to find safe, affordable homes.
To address this, the federal government launched Build Canada Homes, a new federal agency focused on building affordable housing at scale. This agency will prioritize:
- Transitional and supportive housing
- Deeply affordable rentals
- Community and Indigenous housing
- Affordable homes for working Canadians
The approach relies on partnership—working with provinces, municipalities, non-profits, Indigenous housing organizations, and the private sector—to bring down costs and build homes faster than ever before.
About the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF)
The Affordable Housing Fund is a $16.1 billion federal program that provides low-interest or forgivable loans and direct contributions to partners for:
- Building new affordable homes
- Renovating and repairing existing affordable and community housing
- Preserving critical housing for vulnerable populations
Projects that receive funding through the AHF give priority to seniors, Indigenous Peoples, women and children fleeing violence, Veterans, people with disabilities, and those struggling with mental health or addiction challenges.
What’s next
Budget 2025, to be tabled next month, is expected to build on this momentum with new measures to lower costs for builders, attract private investment, and double the pace of homebuilding across Canada.
The government says it plans to reduce waste in operations and redirect savings into building more homes and improving affordability for Canadians.
Quotes
Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure:
“We need to build more, build better, and build bolder. Through investments in affordable housing, our government is supporting those who need it most, here in Prince Edward Island and across the country.”
Sean Casey, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Veterans Affairs:
“Every Canadian has a right to a safe, affordable home to call their own. This project will provide more safe, affordable homes for residents in Charlottetown and surrounding communities.”
Lisa Cooper, President of the Native Council of PEI:
“Nanegkam Housing and the Native Council of PEI have proudly provided affordable housing for over 50 years. This funding helps us improve living conditions for the most marginalized and vulnerable Indigenous population while moving toward a housing-first model of healing and reconciliation.”
Quick Facts
- As of June 2025, the federal government has committed $69.6 billion to support the creation of more than 170,700 new housing units and the repair of over 322,300 existing units.
- Through the Affordable Housing Fund alone, over 50,300 new units have been created and 174,600 units repaired across Canada.
- The AHF includes a $50 million stream to support Black-led housing initiatives and affordable housing for Black renter households.
- In September 2025, the federal government announced an additional $1.5 billion top-up for the AHF’s New Construction Stream, expected to create over 5,000 new homes beginning in 2025–26.
Source: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC)
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