Part 1: Affordable Housing Corporation Talks Recruitment, Funding, and Delays - 04/13/2026

The County Affordable Housing Corporation Board met on April 13, 2026, for a regular session focused on ongoing housing projects, internal planning, and next steps for funding and board capacity. The meeting, chaired by Councillor Phil St.-Jean, was held in a hybrid format and livestreamed, with both in-person and virtual participation.

After approving the agenda and adopting minutes from earlier March meetings, the board moved quickly into its main discussions. There were no public deputations or presentations, which kept the focus squarely on internal updates and project progress.

The early portion of the meeting was straightforward. The board reviewed and approved the Action Tracker, a regular update that keeps ongoing tasks and priorities visible. With no questions raised, it was received without much discussion, suggesting that current items are progressing as expected or at least without immediate concern.

From there, attention shifted to active housing developments, where delays and uncertainty became more visible.

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Nile Street Development Still Waiting on Results

One of the key updates came from staff regarding the Nile Street development, a project the board has been closely watching. Staff explained that environmental testing had been completed, but the board was still waiting on lab results.

There was some frustration around timing. Testing results had been expected earlier, but the update confirmed that the process was running behind schedule by at least a couple of weeks. Board members asked for clarification on when results would be available, but the answer remained uncertain, with staff indicating they were still waiting on confirmation from external parties.

St.-Jean noted that the board had hoped to receive the results during the meeting itself, but instead, they would likely be shared later by email once finalized.

While the discussion remained brief, it highlighted a familiar challenge in housing development. Progress often depends on external timelines, and delays like this can slow down decision-making and planning for next steps.

Fundraising Group and Board Recruitment Back on the Table

The conversation then shifted to a broader internal issue: fundraising capacity and board composition.

The board discussed reactivating its fundraising working group, which currently has limited active membership. Rather than formally appointing members during the meeting, there was general agreement to defer official nominations until more participants could be present.

However, the discussion quickly expanded beyond the working group itself. Members raised the need for a broader recruitment effort for the Affordable Housing Corporation board, especially to bring in individuals with specific expertise.

There was strong interest in targeting candidates with experience in fundraising and capital campaigns, recognizing that future housing projects will require significant financial support beyond municipal contributions. The idea is to strengthen the board’s ability to attract funding and partnerships.

At the same time, members pointed out that fundraising is only one part of the equation. There was also discussion about the importance of skills related to real estate, legal structuring, and development partnerships, particularly for projects that may involve joint ventures or alternative financing models.

Staff confirmed that some of these skill areas are already included in the board’s existing skills matrix, though the language could be refined to better reflect current needs. Rather than delaying recruitment to formally update the matrix, the board leaned toward moving ahead with outreach and highlighting desired expertise in recruitment materials.

This approach allows the board to keep momentum while still reviewing and refining its long-term structure.

Closed Session Leads to Funding Direction

Following these discussions, the board moved into a closed session to address matters related to financial strategy and negotiations. When the meeting returned to open session, one key motion was brought forward.

The board directed staff to revise a report to Council outlining the current funding status of housing initiatives and exploring several options to support future projects. These include potential waivers of municipal charges, different forms of municipal financial support, opportunities for equity partnerships, and approaches to profit-sharing agreements and fundraising.

This direction signals that the board is actively working to expand its financial toolkit. Rather than relying on a single funding model, the focus is shifting toward a mix of strategies that could make housing projects more viable in a challenging market.

Key Takeaways

1. Progress on the Nile Street development is still pending critical test results. While work is moving forward, timelines remain uncertain, and updates will likely continue to come incrementally.

   
   

2. The board is preparing to expand its membership and expertise, with a clear focus on fundraising, development, and legal knowledge. This reflects a growing recognition that housing solutions will require more complex partnerships and financial strategies.

   
   

3. The Corporation is actively exploring new funding approaches, including municipal support tools and private partnerships. This could shape how future affordable housing projects are financed and delivered across Prince Edward County.

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Disclaimer: This article is based on a meeting with an approximate duration of 2:47:09. 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.