Prince Edward County council voted in favour of writing a letter of support to a Kate’s Rest Foundation’s Home and Farm Initiative.
Kate’s Rest Foundation provides some housing for some of the homeless in the county on Big Island.
The initiative uses Aquaponics, a system that combines aquaculture which includes the raising of aquatic organisms with hydroponics which is the practice of growing plants cultivated in water as opposed to soil.
As part of its intiative, the foundation will also be implementing a rent-to-own program for people that work on the aquaponics farm.
“It will work towards having the group be able to afford their own affordable housing on site,” Councillor Sam Branderhorst explained to council on the rent-to-own program.
“It wasn’t saying that it’s linked to affordable housing and funding for affordable housing. It’s linked to the opportunity to start obtaining a secure income that they can then put towards affordable housing.”
Kate’s Rest Foundation is looking to use the letter of support to bring it to other levels of government to help request funding.
During deliberations about the project, Councillor Kate McNaughton expressed her support for the aquaponics initiative.
“(I) just want to say this is new technology sort of, but it is proven technology and it looks quite good and has been tested worldwide,” McNaughton told council.
“So it’s going to be a good learning example for other ventures in the County.”
A recorded vote was taken to have a letter of support written for Kate’s Rest Foundation’s Home and Farm Initiative.
The motion was passed 12-1 with only Councillor Brad Nieman voting against a letter of support.
