The P.E.I. government said Aug. 18 that the former Royalty Maples Cottages that are being stored near the Provincial Correctional Centre in Milton Station, just outside Charlottetown, will be turned into affordable housing. The cottages were once located on Malpeque Road in Charlottetown until the property was purchased by U-Haul Moving and Storage. Photo by Dave Stewart /The GuardianArticle contentThe P.E.I. government says it is finalizing plans for a set of tourism cottages bought for the purpose of turning them into affordable housing units.THIS CONTENT IS RESERVED FOR SUBSCRIBERS ONLY.Subscribe now to access this story and more:Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsSUBSCRIBE TO UNLOCK MORE ARTICLES.Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience.Unlimited access to the website and appExclusive access to premium content, newsletters and podcastsFull access to the e-Edition app, an electronic replica of the print edition that you can share, download and comment onEnjoy insights and behind-the-scenes analysis from our award-winning journalistsSupport local journalists and the next generation of journalistsRegister to unlock more articles.Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience.Access additional stories every monthShare your thoughts and join the conversation in our commenting communityGet email updates from your favourite authorsSign In or Create an AccountorArticle contentJill Edwards, the senior communications officer with the Department of Housing and Communities, said Aug. 18 that there are plans for the former Royalty Maples Cottages currently being stored near the Provincial Correctional Centre in Milton Station, just outside Charlottetown.Article contentArticle contentArticle content“The Department of Housing and Communities is finalizing plans for the units, which will be used to increase affordable housing in the province,” Edwards said in an email to The Guardian.Article contentBought two years agoArticle contentU-Haul Moving and Storage purchased the property on Malpeque Road in November of 2024 and the cottages were moved just outside the jail property where they have sat since.Article contentAt the time of the sale, The Guardian was told that the P.E.I. Housing Corporation had purchased the six-unit motel and 11 cottages.Article contentThe department said at the time that it was planning a multi-phase development in Miltonvale Park that would include tiny home communities.Article contentThen-senior communications officer April Gallant said, “with respect to the cottages, the former owners need to sell and relocate the cottages from their former site” and that it “aligned well with the province’s plans for Miltonvale Park.”Article content The P.E.I. government is about to do something with the former Royalty Maples Cottages that were once located on Malpeque Road in Charlottetown. Photo by Dave Stewart /The GuardianArticle contentGallant said it was anticipated that the cottages would complement tiny homes currently under development through partnerships with the Public Schools Branch and the Construction Association of P.E.I.Article contentArticle contentGallant added the site in Miltonvale Park would “very likely” become the new permanent home for the cottages.Article contentArticle contentUnmapped wetlandsArticle contentPublic meetings were held in March 2025 with Miltonvale Park residents, and the municipality approved the work.Article contentThen an environmental assessment discovered an issue with unmapped wetlands, along with “higher-than-expected infrastructure costs,” said the spokeswoman, making the project unfeasible.Article content“The plan then shifted to reuse the cottages currently stored at Miltonvale Park as part of the Hillsborough Park development, specifically within the planned cluster housing,” Gallant said in an email earlier this year.Article content“The cottages will no longer be included in the Hillsborough Park plans,” Gallant said. “However, the Hillsborough Park development itself will proceed as previously presented to the public.”Article contentThis includes a mix of market and social housing, with single-family homes, row housing and multi-unit apartment buildings, along with commercial space and green space.Article contentIn its Aug. 18 communication, the department did not release any additional details beyond that more information on the next steps would be provided in the coming weeks.Article contentArticle contentStay informed: Don’t miss the news you need to know. Sign up for our newsletter today.Article contentArticle contentDave Stewart is a reporter for The Guardian in Prince Edward Island. He can be reached at dstewart@postmedia.com and followed on X at @DveStewart.Article content
P.E.I. government has plans for former motel and cottages
