South Shore motel to be converted to accommodations for N.S. health-care professionals
In a year, the doors of what was once the Wheelhouse Motel will open to health-care professionals looking to relocate to, or stay in, Lunenburg, N.S.
“This property was for sale, we saw the potential to get units faster through the renovation of the motel and the site was zoned correctly for us to build on the asset that is already here,” says Angela Bishop, the executive director of the Housing Trust of Nova Scotia.
The 18-unit motel will be renovated to become 10-12 one-bedroom units. Six townhouses for families will also be built on the site for a total cost of $4.7 million.
The Nova Scotia government has purchased the former Wheelhouse Motel in Lunenburg, N.S., to house health-care workers. (Jonathan MacInnis/CTV Atlantic)
“When health-care workers move into a community, ultimately when they settle down, we expect they will purchase their own home or move somewhere else, but we know that simply having a place to live is incredibly important to moving somewhere,” says Nova Scotia Housing Minister John Lohr.
“It’s just a great announcement,” adds Lunenburg mayor-elect, Jamie Myra, especially because Fishermen’s Memorial Hospital faces regular closures.
“The biggest issue we hear from health-care workers to almost every profession in Lunenburg lately is the housing crisis for employees. It’s easy to get people to come here for the most part because it’s such a beautiful place to live, it’s just that they can’t find housing to live in,” Myra says.
Lohr says the need for housing provincewide is acute. That’s why Bishop says units not occupied by health professionals could, for instance, go to skilled tradespeople.
“We certainly will not leave a unit vacant in the current housing shortage here in Lunenburg, or anywhere else in the province.”
A room inside the former Wheelhouse Motel in Lunenburg, N.S. (Jonathan MacInnis/CTV Atlantic)
Rent will be paid by the tenant to the Housing Trust and will be based on that person’s income.
The units are expected to be ready by next July or August.
Similar projects are being considered for the communities of Cumberland, Guysborough, Sydney, Antigonish, Inverness and Colchester.
Announcements on one or two of those could be made by the end of the year.
For more Nova Scotia news visit our dedicated provincial page.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
![](https://www.ctvnews.ca/polopoly_fs/1.6979388.1722030190!/httpImage/image.jpg_gen/derivatives/landscape_800/image.jpg)
Celine Dion delivers stirring comeback performance at Paris Olympics opening ceremony
Against the rainy Paris night sky, Celine Dion staged the comeback of her career with a powerful performance from the Eiffel Tower to open the Olympic Games.
Jasper wildfire: 'Several weeks' before residents can return, premier says
Premier Danielle Smith said Friday afternoon in Hinton while weather conditions are cooler, the Jasper fire is still considered out of control and that Jasper residents can expect to be away from their homes 'for several weeks.'
Missing 3-year-old boy found dead in creek in Mississauga, Ont.: police
A three-year-old boy has been found dead a day after he went missing in a park in Mississauga, Ont., Peel police say.
Irish museum pulls Sinead O'Connor waxwork after just one day due to backlash
An Irish museum will withdraw a waxwork of singer-songwriter Sinéad O'Connor just one day after installing it, following a backlash from her family and the public, it told CNN in a statement on Friday.
Winnipeg senior's account overdrawn for $146,000 water bill
A Winnipeg senior is getting soaked with a six-figure water bill.
FBI says Trump was indeed struck by bullet during assassination attempt
Nearly two weeks after Donald Trump’s near assassination, the FBI confirmed Friday that it was indeed a bullet that struck the former president’s ear, moving to clear up conflicting accounts about what caused the former U.S. president’s injuries after a gunman opened fire at a Pennsylvania rally.
Driver charged after flashing high beams at approaching police
Orillia OPP arrested and charged a driver with impaired driving after flashing their high beams.
Turpel-Lafond won't sue CBC over Cree heritage report that took 'heavy toll': lawyer
The lawyer for a former judge whose claims to be Cree were questioned in a CBC investigation says his client is not considering legal action against the broadcaster after the Law Society of British Columbia this week backed her claims of Indigenous heritage.
Major Canadian bank experiences direct deposit outage on payday
Scotiabank says it has fixed a technical issue that impacted direct deposits on Friday morning.