Message issued by President on PEI housing announcement

In a message issued to the campus community today, University of Prince Edward Island President Abd-El-Aziz thanked the Government of PEI for its support towards the construction of a new residence on the UPEI campus that will house 260 students. The Government announced the initiative as part of its Housing Action Plan.

President Abd-El-Aziz worked diligently over the last several years on the initiative. He indicated the agreement residence was the culmination of a great collaboration between Government and UPEI to address the growth in enrolment that UPEI has experienced and increases in demand for on-campus housing. He wrote:

The University is committed to its Strategic Plan of creating new and exciting programs and strengthening our traditional programs by incorporating experiential learning into the curriculum. With this intense effort to develop future-focussed programs, we have experienced tremendous international student enrolment growth as well as in the number of students from other parts of Canada.

This growth in enrolment has led to increased demand for on-campus housing, both during the traditional academic year and year-round. Today’s announcement of a new residence is the culmination of a great collaboration between our University and Government. It will help us to accommodate more of our local and off-Island students’ housing needs and also allow more students to experience residence life.

The Housing Action Plan investments announced today by the Honourable Tina Mundy, Minister of Family and Human Services, and the Honourable Heath MacDonald, Minister of Finance, include a variety of housing initiatives. I congratulate the Government of PEI on this comprehensive plan that will benefit post-secondary students, newcomers, and Islanders, and alleviate some of the housing issues in our province.

On behalf of the University, I express my appreciation to the Government of PEI for their support towards a new residence at UPEI. I look forward to continue working diligently with our government leaders to find ways to further assist our students in all aspects of their university life.