HALIFAX – For many, the onset of winter means nothing more than putting on an extra layer before stepping outside. For others, it’s a daily struggle to survive.
The 2013 Report on Housing and Homelessness in the Halifax Regional Municipality was released Friday and the findings have left some disappointed.
Since 2009, the number of people staying in shelters has risen from 1,718 to 1,860, while the cost of living has also significantly increased.
“More people are staying a longer time in shelters,” said poverty activist Wayne MacNaughton.
“They can’t get a decent place to live at a price they can afford, so the number of people drop but the shelter use remains about the same.”
MacNaughton is pessimistic the plans to improve the affordable housing situation will be followed through, but said change could come.
Mayor Mike Savage opened Friday’s conference by expressing the municipal government’s full support in the development of building affordable homes.
New Liberal community services minister Joanne Bernard, who had been on income assistance at one point in her life, also promised help.
“Developing more units, that’s the end goal,” she said.
It was a frustration to her then, but now that she’s a minister, it’s money — grants estimated to be worth more than $60 million — she plans to spend.
“We are also going to spend every penny that’s available to us through the federal deferred grants which have been set aside by previous governments,” she said.
“Those funds were set aside for a rainy day, and it’s been pouring in Nova Scotia for many years.”
Other projects are already underway, such as the Bloomfield Housing Project in Halifax’s north end.
Dan Troke of Housing Nova Scotia believes that will be a leap forward for the city. He said through multiple phases, “we’re looking at developing about 500 units of housing on that property.”
The plan put forward by panelists on Friday is to effectively end homelessness by 2019. However, even with added political support, not everyone is optimistic.
“This is a bad sign,” said panelist Claudia Jahn, director of Community Action on Homelessness.
“It’s particularly very alarming since we had some programs in place that moved over 500 people out of the shelter system. In spite of all these amazing efforts, the number increased.”
Plans have also been made by Bernard to gather an inventory of lands owned by the federal government to find unique ways of diversifying the housing stock they have.
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