Affordable Housing Shortage - QP

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Speaker, the Premier mentioned yesterday that he and I have an ideological disagreement over housing, and he's right. We believe that all people have a right to housing, and he doesn't. We believe that in this budget, we see a complete absence of actually dealing with the issue of the affordable housing that is needed in this province. In this budget, we see precious little investment in creating affordable housing at all or in strengthening the non-market housing sector. Does the Premier think that the housing in this province is affordable enough?

THE PREMIER « » : This government is the first government in decades to invest in public housing. This government. The investments in affordable housing that this government is making would dwarf anything that the prior two governments could have even contemplated. We are investing in housing across the spectrum.

I will tell the member this: I agree that there is more to be done. I agree that when you think about public housing - affordable housing - it is important that we as leaders collectively preserve that precious stock for those who truly need it, and not allow it to be used by others.

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : It certainly is. Unfortunately, the Premier believes in trickle-down housing, but we know that this approach has failed. We have record-high rental completions, and yet according to the government's own Housing Needs Assessment Report, 41,000 Nova Scotians are living in unaffordable situations, and the number is projected to grow.

The report states: "Even a well-functioning market will not be able to adequately address the needs of individuals or households earning lower incomes." Nova Scotians can't wait any longer. We need real investment in housing that families and seniors and young people can actually afford. Why does the Premier refuse to accept that while we do need a huge amount of housing supply, it must include dedicated and truly affordable housing?

THE PREMIER « » : It does include dedicated affordable housing, and that's why it's particularly important that leaders, particularly in this Chamber, preserve that stock for those who truly need it. That is really important. The investments that we're making in housing are significant by any measure, and we need people to build housing. That's why we've invested $100 million over three years in the Apprenticeship Program to get the housing built.

That's why we're investing in the MOST program - More Opportunities for Skilled Trades. I can tell you, the number of young Nova Scotians who are trying to put their roots down who are benefiting from that program, the MOST in particular, they are happy. I know the member pooh-poohed that program, but it is money in the pockets of those Nova Scotians, and they like it, and we like it too.

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : By the government's metrics, that program has been a failure, so I'm not the pooh-pooher. The numbers speak for themselves.

Shelter investments in this climate are necessary and important, and there are some in this budget, but they are not sufficient. Shelters are, by definition, short-term emergency facilities from which people must transition to permanent housing quickly. That permanent affordable housing, and I'm going to say it again and again, does not exist. We don't see anything in this budget that puts it on the horizon, and 200 units over several years is a drop in the bucket for the over 41,000 Nova Scotians who are in core housing need.

Does the Premier have any long-term plan for the people he thinks are too comfortable outside, or the thousands of others who are struggling to afford housing? His words.

THE PREMIER « » : We put forward a housing plan. I'd encourage the member to read it. It calls for 40,000 units. We put forward an apprenticeship program to get people, to encourage people to be here in the program. I just want to make one thing absolutely clear: That MOST program is a significant, innovative program, and it is not a failure even if one Nova Scotian, let alone the thousands that avail themselves - we want young Nova Scotians to make their lives in this province, and that's a part of this issue.

That member can call investments in young Nova Scotians a failure, but I assure you, Speaker, I will never do that.