PART 2: Housing Board Regains Momentum With Unified Leadership and Project Clarity - 09/08/2025

Leadership and governance Councillor Phil St-Jean, as Chair, set a steady tone and pushed the board to keep momentum after the summer break. His support for Councillor Nyman as Vice Chair passed unanimously, giving the board a clear leadership structure moving forward. This matters locally because it stabilizes decision-making at a time when housing files are sensitive and time-dependent.

Photo: PEC Council/ YouTube

View the entire PEC Council meeting; or view our recap.

Disraeli Street, Picton Staff updates were led by Ellis with input from CAO Adam. Councillor Nyman asked directly about CMHC funding, prompting staff to clarify that non-CMHC partners are also welcome.

This flexibility is important for Picton residents because it increases the chances that housing actually gets built, instead of stalling while waiting for limited federal grants.

The board voted unanimously to receive the Disraeli update, signaling support for moving into the proposal review phase this fall.

Nile Street, Wellington The Nile Street discussion was driven by Ellis, Adam, and Chair St-Jean, with strong interest from board members. The decision to drop the daycare component was acknowledged openly, with explanations tied to funding realities and site constraints. While that may disappoint some families, the board was clear that housing and food bank space come first.

This directly affects Wellington residents because it keeps the site viable instead of overloading it with uses that could derail the project financially. The board’s unanimous acceptance of this update shows alignment around a practical, phased approach.

CMHC and financing The update that most federal grants are currently tapped out was sobering, but the focus on ALCP loans keeps projects alive. This matters county-wide because loans, unlike grants, require solid financial planning. The board’s support here signals a willingness to build responsibly rather than wait indefinitely.

Governance and transparency Councillor McNaughton played a key role in questioning governance language, especially around the board’s right to bring issues to Council. After discussion, staff agreed to clarify this explicitly. This might sound technical, but for residents it matters because it protects the board’s ability to raise concerns publicly when needed, rather than operating behind closed doors.

All governance motions passed unanimously, showing rare consensus and reducing the risk of delays.

Board recruitment This is one of the most locally significant outcomes. By approving recruitment now, the board is opening the door for community members to directly shape affordable housing decisions. This is especially relevant for residents who want housing solutions grounded in local knowledge, not just municipal process.

Overall impact Every motion passed without opposition, which is notable. The meeting showed a board that is aligned, pragmatic, and focused on delivery rather than debate. For Picton and Wellington residents, the takeaway is simple: projects are moving, partnerships are forming, and the board is finally set up to function at full capacity.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 1:06:023. 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.