BY LAURENT BEAULIEU
GUEST OPINION
The housing crisis in Charlottetown and P.E.I. is a very serious matter for anyone seeking either to buy or rent; there is little availability and very high prices that defy logic. There appears to be a good deal of real estate speculation, homes sold a year ago can be offered again at double their original price. Apartments are converted at a record pace into tourist accommodations licensed or not by the Province.
City council has not paid sufficient attention to this question and some Councillors have not shown interest in the matter. This housing crisis has been developing for some time now and has only gotten progressively worse with our rapidly growing population.
The Government of P.E.I. has just announced its action plan on housing and is asking the municipalities to co-operate. This announcement comes on the eve of a rumoured provincial election, with no guarantee that a newly elected government would follow through on the plan.
A few days ago, the City of Charlottetown followed suit with its announcement through its chief administration officer that city council would bring a strategy to deal with the housing crunch to the discussion table. The city is also about to amend its zoning and development plan and heritage bylaws with promised improvements to the way new constructions and housing are handled. Will a new City Council and Mayor follow through on the recommendations?
All this happens in the dead of summer during a heat wave when most Islanders are on vacation or enjoying their summer with family and friends and unlikely to pay too much attention to these topics.
It’s very unfortunate that after years of discussion and dithering, and when politicians are about to face the electorate, we come to this sudden rush of action plans on housing that are not likely to see any quick results.
Even if both the city and the province were to agree and follow through, and this is not certain, it would be at least another 24 to 36 months before concrete results could be felt in offering sufficient and competitive housing choices and hopefully affordable prices.
In about 12 weeks, residents of Charlottetown will be asked to vote for a new city council and mayor, change is expected but will it be sufficient to ensure determined action and vision on the housing file? The last thing we need would be a continuation of the current situation that would undermine our growth as a city and our quality of life.
As this municipal election approaches, mayoral and city council candidates should be asked for their vision on the way forward. The time for polite conversations is long past.
- Laurent Beaulieu is a candidate for city council, Ward 1 Charlottetown
