Nova Scotia's premier noncommittal on $25-million investment in affordable housing
Nova Scotia Premier Iain Rankin is holding off for now on approving $25 million a commission has called for to quickly address some affordable housing needs.
Rankin said after a cabinet meeting on Thursday that he wants to make sure the funding request fits within his government's fiscal plan before he signs off.
A report released on May 31 by Nova Scotia's affordable housing commission said the money would help up to 900 households find reasonably priced accommodation, and it called for that to happen within 100 days.
The report and its 17 recommendations followed a public outcry last fall over a series of widely publicized evictions of low-income tenants and rising homelessness in Halifax.
Rankin noted that the funding is part of a "suite of recommendations" his government is considering.
Geoff MacLellan, the minister responsible for housing, presented the report to cabinet and played down Rankin's comments, saying he doesn't get the sense the government is veering away from the commission's funding recommendation.
"This is normal diligence. It's nothing to be concerned about," MacLellan told reporters.
The report's recommendations ranged from protections for tenants from unfair evictions to altering legislation so zoning could require developers to include low-income rentals in their projects.
However, it didn't adopt a clear stance in favour of continuing rent control in light of the cap that has been imposed by the province during the pandemic.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published June 18, 2021.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Young people 'tortured' if stolen vehicle operations fail, Montreal police tell MPs
One day after a Montreal police officer fired gunshots at a suspect in a stolen vehicle, senior officers were telling parliamentarians that organized crime groups are recruiting people as young as 15 in the city to steal cars so that they can be shipped overseas.
'It was joy': Trapped B.C. orca calf eats seal meat, putting rescue on hold
A rescue operation for an orca calf trapped in a remote tidal lagoon off Vancouver Island has been put on hold after it started eating seal meat thrown in the water for what is believed to be the first time.
Man sets self on fire outside New York court where Trump trial underway
A man set himself on fire on Friday outside the New York courthouse where Donald Trump's historic hush-money trial was taking place as jury selection wrapped up, but officials said he did not appear to have been targeting Trump.
Sask. father found guilty of withholding daughter to prevent her from getting COVID-19 vaccine
Michael Gordon Jackson, a Saskatchewan man accused of abducting his daughter to prevent her from getting a COVID-19 vaccine, has been found guilty for contravention of a custody order.
Mandisa, Grammy award-winning 'American Idol' alum, dead at 47
Soulful gospel artist Mandisa, a Grammy-winning singer who got her start as a contestant on 'American Idol' in 2006, has died, according to a statement on her verified social media. She was 47.
She set out to find a husband in a year. Then she matched with a guy on a dating app on the other side of the world
Scottish comedian Samantha Hannah was working on a comedy show about finding a husband when Toby Hunter came into her life. What happened next surprised them both.
B.C. judge orders shared dog custody for exes who both 'clearly love Stella'
In a first-of-its-kind ruling, a B.C. judge has awarded a former couple joint custody of their dog.
Saskatoon police to search landfill for remains of woman missing since 2020
Saskatoon police say they will begin searching the city’s landfill for the remains of Mackenzie Lee Trottier, who has been missing for more than three years.
Shivering for health: The myths and truths of ice baths explained
In a climate of social media-endorsed wellness rituals, plunging into cold water has promised to aid muscle recovery, enhance mental health and support immune system function. But the evidence of such benefits sits on thin ice, according to researchers.