Part 1: Affordable Housing Corporation Reviews Homelessness Programs and Pauses Disraeli Street Project - 04/14/2025

PECConnect
Apr 14, 2025
4 min read

Opening of the Meeting and Procedural Matters

The meeting of the Prince Edward County Affordable Housing Corporation was formally called to order at 1:00 p.m. The agenda was confirmed, no pecuniary interests were declared, and the minutes from the March 10, 2025 meeting were adopted without amendment. The meeting proceeded in a structured and orderly manner, with both in-person and virtual participation.

View the entire PEC Council meeting, or continue to speaker comments and councillor votes>

Presentation on Housing and Homelessness Services

The central portion of the meeting focused on a detailed presentation from Prince Edward Lennox and Addington Social Services (PELIS) outlining the scope, funding structure, and operational realities of housing, homelessness prevention, and social services across both counties.

The presentation explained the governance partnership between Prince Edward County and Lennox and Addington, including the shared funding formula based on weighted assessment, social assistance caseloads, and housing unit counts. It was emphasized that this funding structure has remained relatively stable over time, despite growing demand.

PELIS outlined its role within the housing continuum, concentrating primarily on homelessness response, supportive housing, transitional housing, rent-geared-to-income housing, and limited affordable housing. Market housing was explicitly identified as outside its mandate. It was noted that major affordable housing construction programs previously funded by senior governments have largely expired, significantly limiting new unit creation.

Housing Supply, Rent Supplements, and Transitional Housing

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The meeting provided a detailed breakdown of local housing corporation units, non-profit housing units, and rent supplement programs operating in Prince Edward County. While existing rent supplements continue for current recipients, no new supplements are being added due to funding constraints.

Significant attention was given to transitional housing programs, which serve individuals moving directly from homelessness into supported environments. These programs were described as resource-intensive but highly successful, with 41 individuals permanently housed following participation. The “1 in 10” vacancy policy, prioritizing formerly unhoused individuals for permanent units, was highlighted as a key success.

Homelessness Prevention and Social Supports

PELIS detailed the use of Homelessness Prevention Program funding, including rent arrears assistance, utility reconnections, emergency shelter supports, and housing stabilization services. It was emphasized that prevention is more cost-effective and humane than rehousing after eviction.

Broader social services were also reviewed, including Ontario Works, children’s services, child care subsidies, early years programs, and system navigation supports that help residents access healthcare, income supports, food programs, and employment services.

Data Transparency and Public Access

The meeting addressed the availability of metrics dashboards and public reporting tools that track housing waitlists, homelessness counts, and program usage. While some data limitations exist, the importance of improving public understanding and accessibility of housing data was strongly emphasized.

Disraeli Street Affordable Housing Project

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A major policy discussion focused on the Disraeli Street Affordable Rental Housing Project in Picton. Staff provided an update on ongoing uncertainty related to CMHC funding, escalating projected deficits ranging from $1.5 million to potentially $3 million, and rising project risk.

Given these uncertainties, staff recommended pausing further expenditures, particularly related to retaining a construction manager, and issuing an Expression of Interest (EOI) to explore external partnership options, including private or non-profit delivery models.

After extensive discussion, the board supported this approach, emphasizing risk management, fiscal responsibility, and timeline realism while maintaining commitment to affordability goals.

Advocacy and External Communication

The board also discussed coordinated advocacy efforts, including a formal response letter to CMHC and expanding communication to additional provincial, federal, and sector stakeholders. The importance of aligning with regional partners and other rural municipalities facing similar challenges was underscored.

Action Tracking and Future Planning

Staff provided an overview of upcoming work, including potential presentations from the Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus, updates on governance reforms, financial reporting, and exploration of community bonds and alternative financing tools. The board directed staff to invite external experts to build literacy around innovative housing finance models.

The meeting concluded with confirmation of next steps, receipt of reports, and formal adjournment at 2:52 p.m.

Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 1:52:003. Due to the length of the meeting, our team was not able to independently review the full recording in its entirety. As a result, we relied on software-generated transcription, automated summarization, and automated recognition of speakers and participants, which may not be entirely accurate. All transcriptions, summaries, and related content are prepared by our team in good faith and on a reasonable best-efforts basis. The content is provided for general informational purposes only and is intended to support public understanding of the topics discussed. While reasonable efforts have been made to present the information accurately, automated processes may result in errors, omissions, or unintended misinterpretations. This article does not constitute an official, certified, or verbatim record of the meeting, and it should not be relied upon as such. Readers are encouraged to consult original source materials, official minutes, or recordings where available for confirmation or clarification. Questions, requests for clarification, or suggested corrections may be submitted to hello@pecconnect.ca for review and consideration.