HALIFAX, N.S. – PC Party leader Tim Houston announced Wednesday that more affordable housing is on the way for Nova Scotians. “Our housing plan sought to increase housing starts by 41,200 new units by 2028,” Houston said. “And we are already more than halfway there, with over 26,000 new starts in progress. Our plan will lead to over 17,000 affordable housing starts by 2028. And again, we are over halfway there with over 10,000 affordable homes underway.”
Houston also highlighted the many policies which the PC government already implemented to build more housing, including the establishment of special planning areas to accelerate approvals, restricting the growth of short-term rentals to ensure more housing is available in the long-term market, creating the Secondary and Backyard Suite Incentive Program that helps homeowners create supportive housing or affordable rental housing on their property, providing more than $25 million in loans to help preserve affordable and supportive housing units through the Community Housing Acquisition Program, and more.
Houston said that a re-elected PC Government will make homes more affordable by selling surplus land to participating municipalities for $1 on the condition it be used for affordable housing.
“We’re building more and we’re building faster. But that is just one element of our housing plan,” Houston said. Houston pointed out that the NDP have opposed the PC housing plan at every opportunity, adding “It’s the difference between a party that believes in dragging Nova Scotians down, and a party that believes in building our province up. After spending more than three years trying to deflate our tires, they are now demanding we go faster.”
“And we have made the biggest investment in public housing in 30 years – and are building two new residences for postsecondary students, with five more to come. This is what progress looks like,” Houston said.
He also cited the NDP’s failure to build any affordable housing while that party was in government and their lack of a plan now as reasons why they would be the wrong choice for Nova Scotia. “If you can’t even get the problem right, why should Nova Scotians trust you with the solution?”