Protect Affordable Housing for Renters - QP
CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Just a reminder that we're talking about housing and, in particular, finding an affordable place to live in this province, which has become like finding a needle in a haystack. According to Rentals.ca, the average rent for a one-bedroom apartment in Halifax is now $1,909. I'll table that. This is an almost 10 per cent jump from last year, similar to the leaps in rental prices in Toronto and in Vancouver. Rents are high in communities right across this province. It's not just Halifax. We've been calling on the government to take action to protect tenants and to address the skyrocketing cost of housing to no avail. For every one person outside, there are 10, 20, 50, 100 more just trying to keep a roof over their heads. Why does the Premier refuse to protect renters?
THE PREMIER « » : We share their concerns. Nobody likes to see Nova Scotians suffering. We're not in government because we like to see Nova Scotians suffer. Nobody wants to see Nova Scotians suffering. We understand that there are issues facing affordability for many Nova Scotians. That's why we've invested more in rent supplements. That's why we've invested in the first affordable housing. That's why we extended the rent cap regime. That's why we are working on real solutions for Nova Scotians. Is there more work to be done? Of course there's more work to be done. There will always be more work to be done. We are doing what we can to support Nova Scotians.
CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : The Premier, in fact, cut the rent supplement program. The Premier also announced 200 units of housing in the face of a deficit of 30,000. I don't really think it's anything to crow about, and people can't keep up. According to a new report on rental wages, the hourly wage required to afford rent while working a standard 40-hour week - the wage to afford a two-bedroom apartment in Halifax is more than double the minimum wage. Double. The report found that none of Halifax's neighbourhoods - none, zero - have affordable rents for a full-time minimum-wage worker. Does the Premier think that people should be able to afford an apartment if they work 40 hours per week?
THE PREMIER « » : This is a serious issue that requires members of this Chamber to stick to the facts on things. The rent supplements were not cut. In fact, what used to be a program that benefited 5,000 Nova Scotians now benefits somewhere in the range of 8,000 units. Nova Scotians might be familiar with NDP math, because we lived through their short term in government, but I will assure Nova Scotians that going from 5,000 supports to Nova Scotians to 8,000 is not a cut.
CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : If we're talking about math, it's interesting to have a Premier who's an accountant whose answer to every question about what does it cost is: Just trust me. Let's talk about rent supplements. In January, the Premier slashed the program from 30 per cent to 50 per cent of a person's income being spent on housing before they qualify. That is punitive, it is terrible, and it has driven people onto the streets.
In July, a two-month subsidy that people actually living on the street could apply to while they searched for an apartment was removed with no notice to anyone. All of this despite a budget surplus - let's talk math - of $116 million and no housing strategy in sight.
Can the Premier explain why his government insists on making it harder for people to afford a place to live?
THE PREMIER « » : Speaker, the issue is a serious issue. It's one that we're deeply concerned about in government. It's one that doesn't need to be sensationalized with misinformation. The facts themselves are troubling enough. What I would say to the member opposite: The changes to the Rent Supplement Program didn't put anyone out. They changed the programs going forward so we can support more Nova Scotians. We will continue to invest in Nova Scotians, as we have with almost $300 million in affordable housing just this year. We'll keep going. We know there's work to be done.