Nova Scotia’s housing plan hailed by non-profits as an ‘impressive’ first step
Global News
The province announced an extension of its two-per-cent rent cap, as well as investments in affordable housing units and a planning task force.
The housing plan released by Nova Scotia’s Progressive Conservative government is receiving high marks from some advocates who hope to see it lead to solutions to the province’s housing crisis.
Under new legislation brought forward Wednesday, the province’s two-per-cent rent cap will be extended until December 2023 to protect tenants once the state of emergency ends.
The announcement also included investments in affordable housing units and creating a planning task force to focus on faster planning and development approvals for large residential projects in HRM.
Kevin Hooper, the manager of partnerships and community development with United Way Halifax, said the announcement was “impressive in its understanding of the issues” from a holistic perspective.
“To get the results we want, we need a systemic response, and this is one piece of the puzzle that will get us there,” he said.
Hooper said while the legislation isn’t a silver bullet, it’s a good start in fixing the longstanding issue of housing affordability in the province.
“It’s society, the province as a whole. There are costs associated with people being unhoused … we all need to take responsibility for this and we need to take it seriously and treat it as the crisis that it is.”
Not everyone is a fan of the legislation. In a release, Kevin Russell, the executive director of the Investment Property Owners Association of Nova Scotia, said his association wasn’t consulted beforehand.
A portion of a British Columbia highway linking the Lower Mainland to Alberta that's been closed since atmospheric rivers washed away sections of the road earlier has reopened.
Personal finance experts agree that the way you approach, structure and keep tabs on your financial goals dictates how successful you are in maintaining them throughout the year.
Police were first called at 6 p.m. by a family member who saw the accident.
In a year-end interview with Global News, Carney said Canada is in a better place that it was when he first became prime minister, but more work lies ahead to grow the economy.
Canada’s public health agency reports a fifth hospitalization in an E. coli outbreak linked to recalled Pillsbury Pizza Pops that has sickened 23 people nationwide.
Quebec's expanded school cellphone ban is getting top marks from some students and administrators who say the measure has improved students' concentration and social interactions.
Hundreds came together for a holiday feast at Rossbrook House on Christmas Eve which included a visit from Santa and gifts for families.
In his decision, Judge Graeme Mitchell of Court of King's Bench in Regina says the families' allegations are not sound in law and lack merit.
The FDA approved the one-a-day Wegovy pill, the first oral GLP-1 medication for obesity in the U.S., Wegovy manufacturer Novo Nordisk said in a statement Tuesday.
The federal government is suspending the planned export ban on single-use plastics due to tariffs and supply chain issues "creating significant pressure on the domestic economy."
The final preparations for Santa Claus' annual Dec. 24 flight are complete after successfully navigating 'several unusual challenges,' NAV Canada said in a statement.
A Regina mother is speaking publicly after her 11-year-old son died in a carbon monoxide incident at an apartment building friday.
Honveer Singh Randhawa said his team has already achieved a material outcome after the chief electoral officer admitted that some violations had occurred.