Housing Affordability - QP
THE SPEAKER: The honourable Leader of the New Democratic Party.
CLAUDIA CHENDER: We speak to Nova Scotians every day for whom housing costs are the biggest stressor in their lives. In 2022, the Provincial Housing Needs Assessment Report by this government found that 78 per cent of Nova Scotians were struggling to find housing they could afford - 78 per cent.
We’ve seen no evidence of improvement, with many people from one end of the province to the other facing housing insecurity, inability to afford housing for the very first time in their lives.
When will the Premier acknowledge that affordability is something that this government must meaningfully address?
THE PREMIER: We know that the best way to tackle the cost of living is by driving down the cost of homes and by driving down rental costs. This is the largest expense most people have. That’s why we’re bringing down barriers to home construction.
Our plan is working. Housing starts are up. Our plan will create more than 40,000 new units by 2028. The solution to the housing problem is more housing, and our plan is working. We’ve just continued to announce record investments in affordable housing.
We will continue to get that work done, Speaker, but the plan is working.
CLAUDIA CHENDER: This government announces programs created and dollars spent every day, but what we don’t hear about are the results of that. We hear about housing starts; we don’t hear about housing completions. Take Happipad, which after a $1 million investment resulted in 23 leases signed. That wasn’t an announcement. That was the result of a FOIPOP.
The fact that despite the 5 per cent rent cap, actual rents increased this year by 18.2 per cent - Nova Scotians will know that the measures are working when people aren’t being evicted into homelessness, when encampments aren’t lining our streets, and when people across this province can actually find housing they can afford. Right now, none of that is true. It’s not working.
THE SPEAKER: Question.
CLAUDIA CHENDER: When will Nova Scotians be able to find housing they can actually afford?
THE PREMIER: It is true, we’re not shy about trying new things - absolutely. I know the Opposition wants us to keep trying the same old tired solutions to things that just didn’t really solve the problem. We will try new things. Nova Scotians have a right to expect that. Housing starts are up. That is a good thing. There are more doctors, there are more nurses, there are more homes. That is evidence that our plan is working. We know there’s work to be done. We will continue to do it, and we will not be shy to try new things on behalf of Nova Scotians.
CLAUDIA CHENDER: New thing: Invest in the non-market housing sector. The creation of truly affordable - as in the person looking for the home can afford it - housing is key. It must be prioritized over things like failed apps and luxury condos. Truly affordable housing is best created by non-market providers who keep that housing affordable forever.
However, funding and support for non-market housing remains piecemeal and insufficient. We have non-profits eager to build more of this type of housing, and they say they could start tomorrow if the support was there. My question is: Where are the results? Why is this government failing to incentivize and build the truly affordable housing that Nova Scotians need?
THE PREMIER: The reality is that unlike past Liberal and NDP governments, we are making record investments in affordable housing. The Liberals refused to invest when they were there. The NDP actually, Speaker, just sat on tens of millions of dollars. They literally sat on cash from the federal government.
We are not sitting on cash. We are investing in affordable housing. We are investing in Nova Scotians, and we will continue to act every single day on their behalf.