Belfast-Murray River MLA Darlene Compton says eastern P.E.I. is in need of more affordable housing, and she's started a survey to find out what it will take to bring more residents to the area.
"Since I got elected three years ago, it's been brought to my attention by a number of people young and old, through the threat of school closure one thing that was identified was that we needed some housing," Compton said.
She says young families have struggled to find affordable lots in the area, or houses that won't need costly upgrades.
And she says seniors are affected too — many are forced to move away from their community when they choose to downsize, since there's a lack of transitional housing in the area.
Need for more affordable homes
Members of the Belfast Area Development Corporation say the area has a lot to offer, including a close commute to Charlottetown. But a lack of certain amenities can be an obstacle in the way of development.
"When you're in a rural area, we don't necessarily have the access to very high paying jobs close to us," said corporation member Jim Kinnee.
Kinnee noted that houses that do go up for sale typically sell quickly. He says the issue is not necessarily attracting people to the area, but rather having affordable housing options. Compton echoed that, saying it would be helpful to have additional smaller, lower-cost homes in the area.
"There are a few homes for sale, but most of them are older, and for younger families, it's not necessarily a feasible thing to renovate an old house," Compton said.
Compton also said she has heard from a number of staff at the Dr. John Gillis Memorial Lodge in Belfast that they would like to live in the area rather than commuting, but haven't been able to find housing.
100 responses so far
Compton has received about 100 responses to her survey so far, which asks people about their age bracket, their housing situation, and what kind of housing they might be looking for.
"I think it will help me and in turn the district see what the housing needs are," Compton said.
Compton said she has been approached by builders considering developments in the area. She said she will present the results of the survey to them, as well as to other groups in the community.