Construction is now underway on a new affordable housing development in Liverpool that will add 30 rental homes to the community.

The Lawrence Street project is being led by Queens Neighbourhood Co-operative Housing and is supported by more than $11 million in combined federal and provincial funding.

The announcement was made Monday in Liverpool by South Shore–St. Margarets MP Jessica Fancy, Queens-Shelburne MLA Kim Masland, and Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian.

The development is focused on providing affordable, accessible, and barrier-free housing, with a particular emphasis on seniors and residents seeking to live independently.

Masland said the project represents a major milestone for the community, noting that local volunteers and organizers were central to moving it forward.

“It’s just an amazing day in Liverpool,” Masland said. “We’re going to have 30 units here that will be affordable, accessible, barrier-free units for people within the community to be able to call home.”

She added that while government funding was critical, the project was driven by community members who spent years navigating approvals and securing support.

The co-operative model being used is expected to guide future developments in Queens County, with plans already in place to build more than 100 homes over the next three to five years.

Mayor Scott Christian said the project addresses a clear and growing need in the region.

“This is a big step in the right direction,” Christian said. “We all know that we need to do a lot more, but this project shows what’s possible when the community and all levels of government work together.”

Christian noted that the municipality supported the project by selling the land to the housing group for one dollar and said council is continuing to review other properties that could be used for non-market housing.

MP Jessica Fancy said the project reflects a broader push by the federal government to speed up affordable housing construction through programs like Build Canada Homes.

“Anytime we can all work together to reach a common goal is a good day,” Fancy said. “It’s time to get shovels in the ground, because communities like Queens County know what they need.”

The building is being constructed using Passive House principles and is expected to reduce energy use by about 60 per cent.

With rooftop solar panels, the project is designed to achieve net-zero energy performance, eliminating annual on-site carbon emissions.

Queens Neighbourhood Co-operative Housing says the Lawrence Street build is its first major construction project and represents a foundation for future affordable housing development in the region.

The plan is for the property to be move-in ready for November 2026.