A New Way Forward for Co-operative Housing in PEI

Published July 15, 2025

A first of its kind land co-operative in PEI helps safeguard 56 homes and inspire a new path. 

Island Unity Land Co-op board, Housing Alternatives Inc. and CHF Canada.

Islanders know what it means to come together. Now, that spirit of cooperation is being put to work in a powerful new way. 

The newly formed Island Unity Land Co-operative, established in January 2025 in partnership with CHF Canada is setting a new standard for community housing in Prince Edward Island. In collaboration with New Commons Development and New Market Funds, the co-op has acquired 56 units of housing as part of a larger provincial pilot project designed to protect and expand affordable housing. 

“CHF Canada is honoured to be one of the three organizations selected for this pilot, which represents a shift from project-by-project work to sustained, partnership-based planning,” commented Karen Brodeur, Director of Co-operative Development, Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada. “Partnership is at the heart of this solution, by working together and investing in local governance, we’re not just adding units we’re building homes and strengthening the fabric of our communities.” 

Why does this matter? Because PEI is in the midst of a housing crisis. The province’s population has been growing rapidly, but new housing hasn’t kept pace. Vacancy rates are the lowest in the country, below 1%, which have pushed up rents and housing prices for many.  

The land co-op model offers a long-term solution. It secures land in perpetuity for community benefit, keeping housing affordable for generations to come. It also builds local capacity empowering Island-based organizations to take the lead in development, governance, and management. 

This initiative is part of a $10 million pilot project spearheaded by the PEI government and the Community Housing Transformation Centre. By focusing on collaboration and capacity-building, the project marks a departure from traditional, fragmented approaches to funding community housing, including co-operative housing.  

Stay tuned as Island Unity and its partners continue to prove that housing can be affordable, co-operative and community led.