HALIFAX: Housing is increasingly unaffordable for people across the province, said the N.S. NDP.
The housing sector in our province must be stabilized, and immediate and sustained action must be taken to address the housing crisis. The NSNDP is calling on the Houston government to release the housing strategy that has been promised and to take immediate action to ensure that everyone has a home they can afford.
“We have a dire situation in our province with people unable to afford to buy their first home, downsize to something smaller, or rent an affordable home for them and their families,” said NDP Leader Claudia Chender.
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“When I visit communities throughout Nova Scotia, I hear from people from all walks of life who are worried about the lack of housing and how unaffordable homes have become.”
Recent wildfires have added dozens of families to the ranks of those looking for somewhere to live, shining another spotlight on the severe lack of affordable housing in Nova Scotia.
“We shouldn’t all be one emergency away from being unhoused or paying more than half of your income to keep a roof over your family’s head,” said Chender.
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“Tim Houston needs to take this seriously and show Nova Scotians that he is ready to deal with this situation and make sure everyone has a home they can afford,” said Chender.
In May the Deputy Minister for Housing told reporters the province will need to build 70,000 new homes over the next five years. Interest rates have risen 4 percent since the Houston government was elected, and housing has become increasingly unaffordable.
The most recent count of people experiencing homelessness in HRM has increased from 690 in September last year to 953 in mid-June.
