The Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission has released its final progress report on the Province’s efforts to address the urgent need for improved affordable housing.
Of the 17 recommendations and 60 meaningful actions in the commission’s 2021 report, Charting a New Course for Affordable Housing in Nova Scotia, close to 50 are complete or substantially complete and most of the remaining are in progress.
The commission noted several important actions have been completed since its first progress report in January. In particular, the commission highlighted the Province’s investment to create the Community Housing Growth Fund to support and expand the community housing sector in Nova Scotia. The government also launched the first-ever provincewide housing needs assessment and a needs assessment for African Nova Scotian communities that will help inform development of a long-term housing strategy for the province.
“As we conclude our mandate, we are encouraged that government is continuing to take meaningful action to make housing more affordable and to increase the supply of affordable housing across the province,” said Ren Thomas, Associate Professor, Dalhousie University School of Planning, and Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission Co-chair. “I want to thank all members of the commission and everyone who provided their insights to inform our recommendations. Your contributions have been and will continue to be instrumental in guiding government’s work to address complex and systemic housing challenges both now and in the future.”
The Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission was formed in 2020 in response to the Province’s affordable housing crisis and was asked to develop recommendations that would improve access to affordable housing. The 17 members of the commission represent various sectors, regions and backgrounds.
The commission consulted with 36 experts and more than 2,000 Nova Scotians through an extensive public consultation process to form its recommendations.
“These recommendations have been foundational in guiding our efforts to address the complexities of the housing crisis in Nova Scotia. We are making progress, but there is still much more work ahead. I would like to take this opportunity to thank the commission, stakeholders and members of the public who have shared their experience, expertise and ideas with us.”
– John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing
“There is no one simple solution to the housing crisis. Finding new and creative ways to increase the supply and access to affordable housing for Nova Scotians takes all levels of government working together with industry, community partners and stakeholders.”
– Paul LaFleche, Deputy Minister, Municipal Affairs and Housing, and Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission Co-chair
Quick Facts:
— 11.4 per cent, or 45,100, of Nova Scotian households are in core housing need
— to date, the Province has committed more than $35 million to initiatives to support the recommendations of the Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission
— the Province has invested in initiatives that will more produce more than 1,100 affordable housing units
Additional Resources:
The progress report and other documents from the Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission are available at: https://beta.novascotia.ca/documents/affordable-housing-reports
Nova Scotia’s affordable housing plan, A Healthy Nova Scotia: Solutions for Housing and Homelessness (October 2021) is available at: https://beta.novascotia.ca/documents/solutions-housing-and-homelessness
Mandate letter of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-MAH-EMO-MR.pdf
Information on understanding and identifying core housing need is available at the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation website: https://www.cmhc-schl.gc.ca/en/professionals/housing-markets-data-and-research/housing-research/core-housing-need