More Ways for Nova Scotians to Work with the Affordable Housing Commission

Nova Scotians now have more ways to help shape the future of affordable housing in the province. The Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission has launched an online survey and will host a series of virtual public workshops with housing stakeholders in March and April.

“Our province is growing and the need for a diverse supply of housing options has been clearly identified as a priority”, said Infrastructure and Housing Minister Geoff MacLellan. “Now is the time to look at bold ideas to keep Nova Scotia one of the most affordable places to live and ensure that safe rental housing is available to anyone regardless of their income.”

Individuals and organizations are invited to share their knowledge and experiences by writing or emailing the commission. The survey is available at www.nsaffordablehousingcommission.ca and details of the workshops will be available on the website soon.

The commission was created to engage with experts and stakeholders across the province to learn more about the current state of affordable housing and find sustainable, long-term solutions that build on the commitments made by the province under the National Housing Strategy.

The feedback will be used to help develop recommendations that will be presented to government by May 31.

Quotes:

“The response we’ve received to the commission’s work so far has been outstanding, and everyone involved is grateful for the time spent and effort made by people to submit their ideas and stories. We believe Nova Scotians still have more to offer and that’s why we are leaving no stone unturned to try to get as much feedback as possible.”

– Ren Thomas, co-chair, Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission

Quick Facts:

• rents cannot increase by more than two percent per year and landlords will not be able to get an eviction order for renovations until Feb. 1, 2022, or until the state of emergency is lifted, whichever is sooner
• government is investing $513 million over 10 years in affordable housing projects and programs under the National Housing Strategy
• over the past six months, more than 900 low-income homeowners have received a home repair or adaptation
• more than 2,700 households currently receive a rent supplement
• the recently announced Targeted Housing Benefit will help up to 1,700 households across the province

Additional Resources:

The commission can be reached at 1-833-743-0777 or by emailing affordablehousingcommission@novascotia.ca

Nova Scotia Housing Action Plan: https://housing.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/NS_Housing_Action_Plan_2019.pdf

Municipal Affairs and Housing Twitter Account: https://twitter.com/dma_ns