Housing Conditions in Hotels - QP

CLAUDIA CHENDER: Speaker, there are currently 212 families living in provincially funded, very-short-term housing. That's 212 Nova Scotian families living in cramped hotel rooms. These spaces lack kitchens to prepare meals, privacy for parents to decompress and regroup, and spaces for kids to play or do their homework. No family should have to live in a hotel room in this province. Does the minister think these conditions are acceptable for families?

HON. SCOTT ARMSTRONG: Franky, no, I don't think a hotel room is an appropriate place. That's why our department officials are working hard on programs and facilities to move people out of any hotels. It's better than living in a short-term shelter, but we want to make sure we have more supportive housing, more affordable housing like The Rose, which we invested in. It's a great facility. It's got a playground. It's got a gym. It's got kitchens, multiple bathrooms for larger families. We need more supports and more facilities like that. That's why we're working with our service providers across Nova Scotia to make sure we have places for families to go so we'll no longer need to have hotels.

CLAUDIA CHENDER: Sometimes we're thinking and trying and discussing, and sometimes we have to make it happen right away. I'll remind the minister there are 212 families who are not at The Rose who are living in hotel rooms. Every family deserves a home that's suitable and affordable, and these families need non-market, deeply affordable housing immediately. Not only is this not being built with the urgency and speed required, but now the government is about to allow landlords to begin the eviction process just three days after rent is late. Why is this government making it easier for families to be forced out of their homes rather than making sure that families can find housing they can afford?

THE SPEAKER « » : The honourable Minister of Growth and Development.

HON. COLTON LEBLANC » : I'd like again to correct the record regarding eviction notices. When a tenant is faced with an eviction notice, the clock stops when they file an application to the Residential Tenancies Program. I encourage the member to share the entirety of the program changes.We know that the solution to the housing challenges we're seeing in our province is more supply. We believe in the community housing sector. We are making investments working with them, increasing our investment 10 times over the last number of years. We believe in building more public housing. We believe in utilizing the portfolio of existing public housing to its entirety, ensuring that overhousing is being addressed.