Nova Scotia has announced more than 30 additional sites on provincial land that could be used to build housing.
Housing Minister John Lohr said Tuesday these sites could mean homes for “thousands” of residents.
“The lack of available and affordable housing is challenging people,” said Lohr.
He said the housing crisis did not develop overnight, but has grown significantly over the last few years.
“We all see the impact, our youth are struggling to stay in the province, people wanting to move and work here can’t find a place to go.”
The rising cost of living has been top of mind for many in Nova Scotia as the price of basic needs like housing, groceries and gas continue to increase while wages fail to keep up. There is currently a two per cent rent cap in place, but that is set to lift at the end of 2023.
Premier Tim Houston has reiterated in the past that the solution to creating affordable housing is not the rent cap, but dealing with the low housing stock.
This has been echoed by his Progressive Conservative ministers including Lohr.
“Nova Scotians need housing,” Lohr said in Tuesday’s announcement, but he said dealing with the housing supply is a complex process.
“Nova Scotia is facing growth we haven’t seen in decades,” he said, adding that resolving the issue will take time.
The criteria for the 37 sites across the province included a basic understanding of housing need in a community and at least 10,000 square feet of land.
Two sites in Dartmouth were already released through the initiative. The first site located on 1 Circassion Dr. was bought by the Dartmouth Affordable Housing Society which is set to build 18 new affordable units.
Another five are being made available by the province for proposals. These are located in Windsor, Springhill and Liverpool.
The other sites are set to undergo reviews of environmental, traffic and planning factors.
“Each site will go through a due diligence process,” said Lohr.
Housing that could be built on these sites will include affordable housing, said the minister.
Developing this land inventory list was a part of Lohr’s mandate letter, and the province had dolled out $900,000 to the process.
— With files from Alex Cooke.
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