Prince Albert will soon have more affordable housing available for families.
Thursday morning in the city’s west end representatives from the city and provincial government joined the P.A. Community Housing Society for a sod turning to mark the start of the construction process.
Speaking to media after the ceremonies, Linda Boyer, the outgoing general manager for P.A. Community Housing explained the new rental units, which will be sitting on a lot in the city’s west end will be primarily for younger families.
“Four units are geared towards families with one child, either a single or a couple, that are just starting out in life, the rents (will) be very affordable for them,” she said.
Boyer said the fifth unit in the housing complex will be reserved for an Elder, who may be related to one of the families.
The majority of the funding for the new housing is coming from the provincial and federal governments, while the City of Prince Albert is providing money from it’s non profit housing trust funds. The remaining costs are being covered through a mortgage which is being done through the Diamond North Credit Union.
P.A Community Housing does have a similar development which also aims to support younger families, which Boyer explained has worked out well. She said there are always younger people with children who can make use of this kind of housing.
“There’s always a need when you’re starting out in life with your children that you need a good home to live in and we provide that to our Indigenous community,” she said.
Currently P.A. Community Housing has 460 units in the city. Boyer said due to changes in the province’s rental market they have noticed more people coming to them looking for housing.
“As rents increase across the province, it’s not affordable for people just starting out, or people on a low income, so therefore we provide the housing for those most in need,” she said.
(Top Photo: Delegates and employees of P.A. Community Housing pose before the sod turning. Photo by Michael Joel-Hansen.)