The Nova Scotia government is taking steps to address the shortage of housing for new healthcare workers.

The province will spend $8 million to provide affordable and temporary housing for workers who need it the most in communities that have very limited housing options.

The government will partner with the Housing Trust of Nova Scotia, an organization that will work with health partners, municipalities, and other key stakeholders to set up temporary mobile modular homes in areas where there is an acute demand.

In an e-mail, a spokesperson for the Department of Municipal Affairs says, “this is meant to be a short-term solution for people as communities build more housing stock over the next several years.”

Opposition party leaders questioned where new recruits would live after government recently announced 65 Continuing Care Assistants from Kenya had received offers to come to Nova Scotia.

The housing initiative will require cooperation from several departments and agencies.

The Housing Trust will work with Nova Scotia Health and the Department of Health and Wellness to establish qualification criteria for who can access the modulars.

Then they will coordinate with Municipal Affairs and Housing and municipalities to identify available land and placement options within communities.

When asked how it will be determined which communities will receive these new housing units the Municipal Affairs Spokesperson went on to say, “this initiative is based on need, so the principal criteria will be a demonstrated demand for units, within a given community.”

The spokesperson indicated a supplier will be selected based on how quickly the housing can be delivered and until the supplier is selected the department can’t say how many units will be purchased.

She stressed both government and the housing trust are aware of the urgency, and will work quickly to move the process along so modulars can make it to the areas where they are most needed as quickly as possible.

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

To listen to the broadcast of this story, press play below.