As part of the Provincial Government’s commitments to making life more affordable for seniors and to create more affordable housing, the Honourable Joedy Wall, Minister of Housing, today announced that a long-awaited contract has been awarded to build a new apartment building on Charter Avenue in Pleasantville, St. John’s.

These 40 apartments will be geared towards seniors and persons with disabilities. While the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC) normally sets a threshold of having 10 per cent of builds be fully accessible, this project doubles that, with eight fully accessible units. All apartments will include universal design elements that support seniors to age in place over time.

The ground level of the apartment building will have space that can be used for commercial or office purposes or for health or community services. NLHC will consult with industry and government departments on how to best use this space to provide valuable support to the tenants this building serves, and the broader community.

The contract, valued at $17 million, is the largest single-project residential build that NLHC has ever undertaken. Funding is cost-shared between the provincial and federal governments through the Canada Community Housing Initiative (CCHI) under the National Housing Strategy, and the land was provided by the Canada Lands Company through a $1.2 million forgivable loan from the Federal Lands Initiative (FLI).

Olympic Construction was the successful bidder for the apartment building project, with anticipated completion of the project by summer 2027.

Minister Wall was joined by the Honourable Joanne Thompson, federal Minister of Fisheries and Member of Parliament for St. John’s East, and by St. John’s Mayor Danny Breen, to make the announcement.

The Provincial Government recognizes that too many people in this province cannot find a safe and affordable place to live and has set the goal of 10,000 new homes in Newfoundland and Labrador over five years. To do this, government will:

Reduce the red tape surrounding new home builds and redevelopment, working with municipalities to encourage red tape reduction.
Explore modular home construction as a solution to build homes faster.

Help create affordable and independent housing for seniors who prefer to move into a supportive community environment, which will also free up housing throughout the marketplace.

Help build new homes in Labrador, and work with Indigenous Governments to create more housing in Indigenous communities.

Aggressively repair or replace uninhabitable NLHC units.

These efforts are focused on reducing the number of families who have to spend more than 30 per cent of their income on housing costs.

Quotes
“This long-awaited apartment building will mean more suitable housing for seniors and people with disabilities, groups that are struggling to find housing in the current market. We will continue to look for opportunities to build housing that supports those who most need it, so that everyone in this province can have the opportunity to find a safe and affordable home.”
Honourable Joedy Wall
Minister of Housing

“I am very pleased by today’s announcement, knowing that more seniors in this province will have access to affordable and accessible housing. Our new government has made a commitment to prioritize seniors and their well-being and this new initiative accomplishes just that.”
Honourable Craig Pardy
Minister of Seniors

“Our government is proud to help get new homes built here in St. John’s. It’s part of our work to build more affordable housing, strengthen areas like Pleasantville, and build Canada strong.”
The Honourable Joanne Thompson
Federal Minister of Fisheries
Member of Parliament for St. John’s East

“Access to safe, affordable housing is vital for the well-being of our communities. We are proud to support initiatives like this that make a real difference for families, seniors, and individuals with disabilities across Newfoundland and Labrador. This project reflects the kind of partnership and momentum we need to address housing challenges. By working together, we can continue to build more homes that meet the needs of our community.”
His Worship Danny Breen
Mayor of the City of St. John’s