The NSNDP Focus on Housing Solutions for Nova Scotians, While Houston Ignores Crisis

HALIFAX – On Friday morning, all members of the Official Opposition will question the Houston government about their failure to address the soaring cost of Nova Scotians’ largest monthly expense– housing.

During the first week of the fall sitting, the NDP tabled legislation to protect renters from skyrocketing increases, make the residential tenancies system function better through a compliance and enforcement unit, close the fixed-term lease loophole, put more people on the pathway to homeownership through equity-building land trust programs, and reverse the Houston government’s cruel decision to deny people living in tents the help they need to get back on their feet.

“Nova Scotians want to stay in the communities they love, and they want their kids to be able to build a good life here. But they can’t plan their futures or save money if they can’t afford their housing,” said Chender. “They trusted this government to deliver on a promise to make housing more affordable, five years later and Halifax rents are among the highest in the country, vacancy rates for affordable rentals are stubbornly low, and our housing market remains out of reach for too many.

“Nova Scotians are fed up.They see this government expediting housing the average Nova Scotian can’t afford. They see loopholes left open and staggering rental price hikes every single year. They watch their government ignore their own experts’ advice to set up a residential tenancy enforcement unit to level the playing field. People want a government they can trust to help with price hikes, bad living conditions and soaring house prices.”

A recent report from the Parliamentary Budget Officer found that Halifax has the widest gap in the country between home prices and what a typical family can afford. Nova Scotia is now the most expensive province in Canada for those signing a new lease and the number of people who are homeless in Halifax has tripled under the Houston government.

Yesterday, Dal Legal Aid released a report showing that Halifax’s housing market is increasingly controlled by large corporate landlords. Just 20 landlords - many based in Toronto - own over half of the rental units in Halifax’s medium to large apartment buildings.

“Five years into this government and housing is much less affordable for Nova Scotians whether they rent, own, or want to buy,” said Chender. “This government’s strategy has been to rely on private development to fix the housing market while ignoring their responsibility to protect renters and build housing that hardworking people can actually afford. Developers are building to make a profit; fairness, stability and predictability for renters and those looking to buy a house requires action and regulation from the government.”

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