If you ask Tyler Stewart to explain how excited he is to open the doors of The Elizabeth retirement community this summer, you get an immediate answer.

“The word excitement doesn't even explain it. I don’t know if you can be beyond excited,” said Stewart, president of Stewart Properties.

The developer knew there was a need for low-income seniors housing in Humboldt, but thought people wouldn't rent a room at the former St. Elizabeth's Convent until the company finished renovations and opened the doors.

As it turned out, most of the rooms are already committed to, Stewart said.

“These seniors see what’s there and are already ready to make a commitment to move in. That’s what’s exciting.”

Stewart Properties works exclusively on affordable housing projects, and a few years ago had been approached to see what it could do with the building, he said.

When they toured it, they immediately saw how well it was built - if the right project could be found, the structure was worth saving. That project ended up being The Elizabeth.

Stewart Properties received $1 million in funding for the renovations from a provincial program which required the company to lower the rents of 25 of the 39 units for 10 years - which works out to $1 million.

That money was part of a joint federal and provincial announcement on Thursday of $4.4 million for affordable housing in  Humboldt, Saskatoon, Regina and Prince Albert.

Without the capital rent subsidy, Stewart Properties wouldn't have been able to make the rooms as affordable as it did, Stewart said.

But it, like most other provincial affordable housing programs, no longer exists, Stewart said. The only remaining one is a rental development program specifically for hard-to-house people.

That’s why Stewart is excited to see what comes of the federal government’s National Housing Strategy, which pledges $40 billion for housing over the next 10 years. His company has ideas for what it would do, and that includes senior care in Humboldt, he said.

Stewart plans to talk publicly next month about all the services The Elizabeth will offer.

“It’s going to be awesome.”