QP Fixed-Term Lease Loophole

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : It is now more expensive to live in Nova Scotia than it is to live in Toronto. The average Nova Scotian's rent has gone up by nearly $4,400 per year since this government was elected. Homelessness has nearly doubled in the city of Halifax and nearly tripled in the western region of this province. This is the context in which this government is cutting HARP and stripping back what few rights renters have.

I have another question: Will this government close the fixed-term lease loophole that is letting landlords ignore the rent cap, forcing rents up and making people move year after year?

HON. JILL BALSER « » : I want to emphasize, of course, the investments that we have been making in housing, recognizing the work of the Department of Growth and Development and the minister's hard work in making sure that Nova Scotians see the growth that's happening.

I can even speak to my own constituency: the changes that have happened and knowing that public housing units are going there in my constituency of Digby-Annapolis. It is significant. That is in conjunction with all the other efforts and measures that government is doing. We're continuing to focus on growing the province. That has been referenced many times in this particular session. I look to my colleagues in multiple departments to make sure that Nova Scotians know all the efforts that we're taking to see this province move ahead.

Again, we want Nova Scotians to have safe, affordable places to live, and we'll continue to make . . .

THE SPEAKER « » : Order.

The honourable Leader of the Official Opposition.

CLAUDIA CHENDER « » : Over one-third of Nova Scotians rent, and the public housing that has been announced is a fraction of the need and a long way away. The average increase for any new lease in this province is 28 percent, and that's way above the 5 percent rent cap that government has in place. It's not working. Renters across the province are asking for real rent control. That means allowable increases tied to CPI and tied to the unit, not the tenant. When someone moves out, the cost of that space shouldn't go up by hundreds of dollars for the next person, but that's what's happening.

My question is: If this government is serious about addressing sky-high housing costs, when can Nova Scotians expect real rent control?

THE SPEAKER « » : The honourable Minister of Growth and Development.

HON. COLTON LEBLANC » : I want to reassure Nova Scotians that we are taking the housing situation in this province very seriously. We're the first and the only government to table and present a housing action plan: $1.7 billion. We're 167 percent of our five-year completion goal. We're seeing housing starts going up; we see vacancy going up. There are over 11,000 units just in HRM alone that are under construction - unprecedented work, if only the NDP would have done.

All these initiatives, the NDP shamefully voted against. In one sense they say, "Do more," but the other way, they're saying, "No, we don't support that." We're going to continue to do what's best for Nova Scotians.