Summerside pushes ahead with its East-West Housing Corridor despite three unsigned land deals, citing urgent housing growth in P.E.I.’s second-largest city.
Road construction moves forward amid missing land deals
The City of Summerside, Prince Edward Island, has pushed ahead with construction of its East-West Housing Corridor, even though not all land agreements have been finalized. The corridor, stretching from MacEwan Road to Water Street, is expected to open this fall.
A social-media post over the weekend raised concerns that work began before all ten property owners along the route had signed agreements. Mayor Dan Kutcher confirmed Monday that the post was accurate — though seven of ten agreements are complete, three remain unsigned.
City explains reason for moving ahead
Mayor Kutcher said construction could not be delayed indefinitely, given that the corridor has been part of the city’s planning documents for nearly 20 years. “We’re not going to build 90 per cent of a road and not the last 100 metres because one party isn’t agreeing,” he said.
Two of the three remaining property owners are reportedly close to deals, while the third has not communicated with city officials in months. If no agreement is reached, the city may proceed with expropriation, a process that allows governments to acquire land for public projects.
How the corridor affects landowners
Unlike a land purchase, the city’s approach involves constructing the road through existing private properties and placing liens on those parcels. Each landowner will pay for their share only when they sell or develop the land.
“That’s how we’ve always built roads — not just here but everywhere,” Kutcher said, noting that the new infrastructure will increase property values through the addition of water, sewer, curbing, sidewalks, and electrical services.
Why the project matters to Summerside
The East-West Housing Corridor is central to Summerside’s plan to address housing shortages and support population growth. Once completed, it will open access to roughly 140 hectares (345 acres) of developable land — enough space for an estimated 1,200 to 2,000 new housing units in Prince Edward Island’s second-largest municipality.
Officials say the project will also boost construction activity and improve traffic flow, linking several neighbourhoods across the city’s east and west ends.
What happens next
The city expects to finalize the two remaining agreements soon and will continue efforts to reach a settlement with the final property owner before turning to expropriation.
“The reality is that when you build a big public infrastructure project, there’s always disruption,” Kutcher said. “But we’re confident we’ll get there.”
The city maintains that work will continue on schedule, with the corridor slated to open before winter — a step officials believe will shape Summerside’s growth for decades to come.
