Housing Needs - QP
THE SPEAKER « » : The honourable Leader of the NDP.
CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : We found out yesterday from CMHC that 25 per cent of Nova Scotian renters are in core housing need. That's well above the national average. The definition of core housing need is those who "live in housing that is unaffordable, inadequate, or unsuitable," and "couldn't afford alternative suitable and adequate housing in their community."
Young people, seniors, working people, health care workers, these people need stable housing, and we do need to increase supply to meet this need. In this case, we need truly affordable, non-market housing supply.
Will the Premier commit to matching the number of Nova Scotians in core housing need with the number of non-market truly affordable housing starts?
THE SPEAKER « » : I ask that all questions are directed through the chair to the member opposite.
The honourable Premier.
THE PREMIER « » : We have made incredible investments in housing across the spectrum: student housing at NSCC campuses, working with some of the universities, affordable housing, public housing - the first investments in public housing in this province in decades. We will continue to bring down barriers to the construction of new housing. Speaker, the plan is working.
There are more housing starts. Housing starts are up, and we're moving towards 40,000 new units in this province under a housing plan by 2028. We will continue to move forward on that plan.
CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : We've heard announcements, but we haven't actually seen any of that public housing. Yesterday, an organization representing many of Canada's biggest landlords said: "We're not tasked with building deeply affordable or social housing. We can't be there. We're in business. Let's draw a line between these two."
Developers don't want this responsibility, but non-profit providers do. The YWCA, with $2.9 million from this government, has in the space of under a year housed over 30 families in the Mount Hope area. Meanwhile, the original plan from this government, $22 million to a private sector developer, resulted in zero housing in over a year and the eventual return of the funds.
Will the Premier commit to giving the remaining $19 million to non-market providers so that they can . . .
THE SPEAKER « » : Order.
CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : . . . quickly build the housing we need?
THE PREMIER « » : I thank the member for recognizing some of the investments that we're making in affordable housing and in public housing, and again, I would say the first investments in public housing in decades. We know that the prior government wasn't interested in supporting housing and investing in housing.
We know that the prior NDP government sat on - literally, Speaker - tens of millions of dollars from the federal government to invest in housing. If the NDP had invested those tens of millions of dollars in housing instead of sitting on them, maybe we'd be having a different situation with housing in this province today.
Yes, the member is seeing announcements. Yes, the member is seeing shovels in the ground. Yes, as the member is quite right, we said we're seeing people moving into housing as well in just a couple of short years.
CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Even this government acknowledges that trickle-down housing won't solve the problem. In the 2023 Nova Scotia's Provincial Housing Needs Assessment Report: "Most of this report focuses on market housing . . . However, these effects alone are insufficient to guarantee affordable housing for everyone in need. Even a well-functioning market will not be able to adequately address the needs of individuals or households earning lower incomes."
The vacancy rate when the NDP was in government was at least quadruple of where we are now. We are in a crisis and yet we hear this government giving more and more money to private sector developers for social housing who don't want it.
Will this Premier finally acknowledge that for this government to address the housing crisis they need to build and incentivize housing that people can actually afford?
THE SPEAKER « » : Order.
The honourable Premier.
THE PREMIER « » : This government is investing in housing: record investments in affordable housing, record investments in public housing. We are removing barriers for the construction of new homes. We want housing built. The solution to the housing crisis is more housing across the spectrum: student housing, public housing, affordable housing, and even high-end condos. It involves housing across the entire spectrum. We're trying to strike that balance, and we're seeing that balance with the changes we're making on the rent cap, with the changing relationship - the opportunities for tenants and landlords.
We're doing all that, and we're still seeing cranes and construction, because as a government it's our responsibility to find a balance, and we're finding that.