Progress made in efforts to address affordable housing crisis: N.S. Affordable Housing Commission

In this file photo, a For Rent sign is posted in Sacramento, Calif. (AP Photo/Rich Pedroncelli, File)

The Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission has released its final progress report on the province's efforts to address the urgent need for affordable housing.

A news release from the commission says, of the 17 recommendations and 60 meaningful actions in its 2021 report, close to 50 are complete, or substantially complete, and most of the remaining are in progress.

The 61-page report, titled “Charting a New Course for Affordable Housing in Nova Scotia,” was submitted to Infrastructure and Housing Minister Geoff MacLellan on May 31, 2021.

Actions completed so far include the province's contribution to create the Community Housing Growth Fund to support and expand the community-housing sector.

The Nova Scotia government also launched the first-ever provincewide housing needs assessment and a needs assessment for African Nova Scotian communities, which will help inform development of a long-term housing strategy for the province.

"As we conclude our mandate, we are encouraged that government is continuing to take meaningful action to make housing more affordable and to increase the supply of affordable housing across the province," said Ren Thomas, an associate professor at the Dalhousie University School of Planning, and co-chair of the Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission.

"I want to thank all members of the commission and everyone who provided their insights to inform our recommendations. Your contributions have been and will continue to be instrumental in guiding government's work to address complex and systemic housing challenges both now and in the future."

The Nova Scotia Affordable Housing Commission was formed in 2020 in response to the province's affordable housing crisis. The group was tasked with developing recommendations that would improve access to affordable housing.

The commission, which includes 17 members representing various sectors, regions and backgrounds, says it consulted with 36 experts and more than 2,000 Nova Scotians through an extensive public consultation process.

"These recommendations have been foundational in guiding our efforts to address the complexities of the housing crisis in Nova Scotia. We are making progress, but there is still much more work ahead," said Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing John Lohr.

According to the news release, 11.4 per cent – or 45,100 – Nova Scotian households are in core housing need.