WINDSOR, N.S. — Theresa Bushell hopes a new $394 million funding agreement for affordable housing will help ease the waiting list of people looking for a place to live.
Bushell is a tenant relations co-ordinator with the Western Regional Housing Authority and was at the announcment of the new 10-year federal-provincial agreement that will see the money spent on new affordable housing and repairs of existing units in Nova Scotia over the next 10 years.
“It’s wonderful (news),” she said. “It gives people other options and it should reduce our wait list, which is what we want to do. It’s very hard knowing there are a lot of people out there who are financially struggling or could be homeless. We’re going to be able to help more.
She estimated that the waiting list is about 1,000 applicants in the western region, which covers Mount Uniacke to Yarmouth.
The wait list is anywhere from six months to two years for seniors housing and two to five years for families, depending on what kind of unit a person needs.
Bushell said in her role she does hear regularly from people wondering about affordable housing options.
“They could have someone who is visiting, or questions from someone they know who wants to apply for housing,” she said.
Federal Rural Economic Development Minister Bernadette Jordan and Nova Scotia Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister Chuck Porter signed the agreement Tuesday morning in Windsor.
Each government is providing half the funding, which will be used for new construction, repairs and renovations.
“The lack of affordable housing is not just an urban issue,” Jordan said at the announcement. “We know housing access and affordability challenges also exists in rural Canada.”
She said every community she visited across the country while doing roundtable talks for a rural economic development strategy identified housing as their top priority.
“It’s not just affordable housing, it’s also housing that is affordable, there is a difference,” she said.
How much money will be spent on new construction and how much on repairs and renovations will be determined in the coming months, she said, but the money and other announcements across the country are meant to increase new affordable housing units by 15 per cent, and repair 20 per cent of existing units.
“We know there is a waiting list, and we need more (housing units),” Porter said. “I’d be happy to see that reach zero. Will we ever reach that? I’m not sure that we will, because realistically there are always people in need and always people that are waiting and have issues that get them to that position ... this agreemet will definitely help.”
He said the government knows it needs to develop more affordable housing units
“We don’t know what that looks like yet, we’re in the beginning stages,” he said. “As we roll out our action plan there will be more to come with that ... and see how many there will be.”
He said the 10-year project will be broken into three action plans.
“It’s a lot of money, and we have to ensure we’re getting the best value for the dollar,” he said. “We know that we have a lot of residents who deserve affordable housing.”
Developer Peter Polley, who has constructed affordable housing buildings in various communities, said units fill up as soon as they are completed.
“We’re building a project in Wolfville, which has historically had a major shortage of affordable housing. We’re filling the buildings as fast as we can build them ... there’s a huge demand.”
The Woodman’s Grove project includes units that are for people who don’t qualify for assisted housing, but can’t afford accelerating rent costs that are impacting the market.
He said there is the normal change of demographics, combined with Wolfville and the Annapolis Valley being viewed as a nice place to retire.
“With all the wineries and so on, it’s a nice place to be,” he said.
