Summerside applying for gas tax funding

The City of Summerside is looking for an undisclosed amount of Gas Tax funding to help facilitate the development of an affordable housing project in the community’s downtown core.

A motion was passed unanimously at the March monthly council meeting, which authorized the application for funding. Summerside Mayor Bill Martin said, following the meeting, the money is related to a request for proposals (RFP) the city issued in July, 2017. That RFP invited developers interested in building no less than 40 units of affordable housing in the downtown to come forward with proposals. The city said at that time it was looking for a development that would be mixed commercial and residential use.

Five proposals were received by the city, two of which were deemed eligible to be considered under the criteria of the RFP and one of which was ultimately chosen to move towards development. Martin declined to discuss the proponents or the specifics of the project at this time. However, he did say the application is for hundreds of thousands of dollars under the municipal strategic component of the Gas Tax fund, and if approved would help the city pay for infrastructure related to the project. The Gas Tax Fund is a pot of federal government money administered by the provincial government and earmarked for municipal projects. Summerside expects to have a response to its proposal for funding in the coming weeks.