Cape Breton council seeks funding boost from Ottawa for international student housing project

A significant housing proposal for international university students in Sydney, N.S., would provide more than 100 units in its first phase alone.

The Tartan Downs housing proposal would start with 145 units for students from abroad attending Cape Breton University (CBU).

Now, the housing plan may be one step closer to becoming a reality after requesting funds from the federal government. The project would be built on the former Tartan Downs horse racing track.

“A $7.2 million gap in a $62 million project. We're getting very close,” said Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) Mayor Cecil Clarke.

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CBRM council has asked the federal government for what Clarke calls a federal-provincial arrangement to cover that remaining amount.

The municipality – through the housing accelerator fund – has contributed $5 million already.

With other housing needs in the community, the idea is that CBRM taxpayers would not be on the hook for the project.

“The fact that with other infrastructure requirements, looking at subdivision developments and vacant lots that we're trying to repurpose and open up for housing, our efforts have to be in those areas,” Clarke said.

“I think it would make a good difference, if it's within their means that they can afford to rent them,” said Sydney resident Jacqueline Hall, who has housed international students at her home in recent years and in the process, has heard a lot about how hard it is to find good housing.

“They want to be in their own place,” Hall said. "They don't want to be fighting with 10 other people for the bathroom or for kitchen privileges and things like that."  

CTV Atlantic reached out to CBU for comment however, a spokesperson for the university said on Wednesday that given this is a council ask, they have decided not to comment for the time being.

Meanwhile, the CBRM's mayor says the municipality will be a full partner on the project once it gets underway.

“The civil works that have to be done on the site for public infrastructure is in the vicinity of $12 million of that $62 million,” Clarke said. "The municipality will be working with the infrastructure secretariat, and with the province, to move forward with the application."

Clarke said if the money comes through, the hope is that work might begin early in the New Year.

However, once shovels are in the ground, all phases of the project would take a few years to complete.

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