HALIFAX: Nova Scotia’s five-year housing plan is meeting or exceeding all targets and is getting more people in housing, faster, the Minister of Growth & Development said on Monday.
A progress report released by the Department February 24, confirms that housing starts are up 38 per cent and the path has been cleared for the creation of an additional 51,352 housing units – 125 per cent of the 2028 goal.
“The proof is undeniable. The work we are doing is making it easier to build and is getting Nova Scotians into homes faster,” said Colton LeBlanc, Minister of Growth and Development.
“Because of our historical investment and strong focus on housing, we’ve surpassed our five-year goal in the first year. Our approach is working, and we have no intention of slowing down.”
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The housing plan brings partners together to address the gap identified in the housing supply; grow and sustain affordable housing; and deliver programs people need.
Key achievements from April 1, 2023, to December 31, 2024, include:
– the plan aims to create the conditions for 41,200 units in 5 five years; actions in the plan have already paved the way for 51,352 new units
– affordability has been improved for 16,200 households; the five-year goal is 17,250 households
– development fees have been frozen in Halifax Regional Municipality, and the provincial portion of the HST hahas been cut for new rentals
– housing conditions have been improved for 38,844 households; the five-year goal is 47,900 households
– 663 first-time home buyers were supported through the Down Payment Assistance Program
– 335 publicly owned affordable housing units have been upgraded; the goal is to upgrade 900 units by 2028.
– the path has been cleared for 3,517 affordable and supportive housing units.
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Other highlights include:
– 4,608 Nova Scotians, many of them seniors, were helped though home repair programs
– more than 12,000 households were supported by a rent supplement
– more than 300 secondary/backyard units in the works, creating affordable housing for hundreds of people
– 280 long-term care spaces opened as of March 31, 2024
– 273 new public housing units coming online will allow 700 people to enjoy new public housing – the largest investment in 30 years
– seven new Nova Scotia Community College student residences will allow 600 more students to access on-campus homes, freeing up housing for others who need it
– investments in the community housing sector have increased ten-fold, with more than $120 million invested in the last two years; this has increased the number of households supported by 175 per cent.
The executive summary highlighting progress on the plan is at: https://novascotia.ca/action-for-housing/docs/action-for-housing-progress-report-2024-12.pdf
