St. John’s Launches First Affordable Housing Land Disposition Opportunity

The City of St. John’s has launched its first Request for Proposals under a new Land Disposition Program aimed at supporting affordable housing development.

The RFP invites qualified non-profit organizations, charities and development partnerships to submit proposals to develop affordable housing on City-owned land at 23-31 Plymouth Road.

Mayor Danny Breen says making City-owned land available for affordable housing is one way the City can help address housing needs in the community.

The Land Disposition Program is being developed through the City’s Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan. In March 2024, the City announced it had secured more than $10.4 million in federal funding through the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Housing Accelerator Fund to accelerate housing development and remove barriers to new construction.

The Plymouth Road property is the first site being advanced through the program.

Proposals will be evaluated based on affordability outcomes, financial feasibility, organizational capacity, design quality, accessibility, sustainability and project readiness.

The successful proponent will be expected to provide housing that remains affordable over the long term while meeting City objectives related to accessibility, sustainability and community benefit.

Federal Housing Minister Joanne Thompson says the program is an example of federal housing funding being used to support development at the local level.

A second City-owned property at 245 Forest Road has also been identified for the Land Disposition Program. Work is underway to rezone the site for potential future affordable housing development.

The RFP is available through the City’s procurement portal. Proposals must be submitted through the City’s online bidding system by 11 a.m. on October 22, 2026.