Affordable housing still a concern in New Brunswick with 10,000 people on the waitlist
With 10,000 people on the province's housing waitlist, it's clear that affordable living isn't coming this year.
"We got to get things going,” said Warren Maddox, executive director of The Shelters. “The line I've been using a lot is less consulting and more building.”
According to the strategy, $22 million will go towards 3,000 subsidized housing waitlist households to remain affordably housed, and immediately decrease the subsidized housing waitlist.
"That's why I'm so excited about the direct to tenant benefit that's going to be starting in January,” said New Brunswick Minister of Housing Jill Green.
But measures from the province's strategy are already falling behind.
"There are some things that aren't just quite hitting the mark yet,” Green said.
“One of the things is building the new housing units. I'm pleased to say we have 44 units under construction right now and we have 90 units planned for next spring,” she said.
Those new 90 units will be dispersed throughout the province but with six months since the strategy was released an affordable housing advocacy groups says help is not coming soon enough.
"We have talked to so many people who have told us if they get another rent increase or ‘reno-viction’ that they fear they're going to be on the street, they're going to be homeless,” said Nichola Taylor with ACORN NB.
"It really comes down to we just have to build, its housing options that we look at so it's not all one bedroom apartments,” Maddox said.
The province is planning on 294 units over the next few years, according to Green.
Green said there will be a report released next week on the 22 housing strategies the government devised back in June.
For more New Brunswick news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Canadian gov't proposes new foreign influence registry as part of wide-spanning new bill
Prime Minister Justin Trudeau's government is proposing a suite of new measures and law changes aimed at countering foreign interference in Canada, amid extensive scrutiny over past meddling attempts and an ever-evolving threat landscape.
Boeing Starliner capsule's first crewed test flight postponed
The long-awaited first crewed test flight of Boeing's new Starliner space capsule was called off for at least 24 hours over a technical issue that launch teams were unable to resolve in time for the planned Monday night lift-off.
Teacher charged in historical sexual assault of Calgary teenage girl
Calgary police have charged a teacher with the alleged sexual assault of a teenage girl more than 20 years ago.
Winnipeg man admits to killing four women, argues he's not criminally responsible
Defence lawyers of Jeremy Skibicki have admitted in court the accused killed four Indigenous women, but argues he is not criminally responsible for the deaths by way of mental disorder – this latest development has triggered a judge-alone trial rather than a jury trial.
Man banned from owning animals after fatal Calgary dog attack
The owner of three Calgary dogs that got loose and mauled a woman to death in 2022 has been ordered to pay a $15,000 fine within one year and banned from owning any animal for 15 years.
East-end Ottawa family dealing with massive rat infestation
Residents in Ottawa’s Elmridge Gardens complex are dealing with a rat infestation that just won’t go away. Now, after doing everything they can to try to fix the issue, they are pleading with the city to step in and help.
Mediterranean staple may lower your risk of death from dementia, study finds
A daily spoonful of olive oil could lower your risk of dying from dementia, according to a new study by Harvard scientists.
An El Nino-less summer is coming. Here's what that could mean for Canada
As Canadians brace themselves for summer temperatures, forecasters say a weakening El Nino cycle doesn’t mean relief from the heat.
Newfoundland and Labrador latest province to tighten rules on Airbnbs
Newfoundland and Labrador is the latest jurisdiction to bring in stricter rules for short-term rentals, with a coming set of regulations that will force operators to register with the provincial government.