March 4, 2024
Halifax Student Housing Society’s Response to the 2024-2025 Nova Scotia Budget
Last week, the Government of Nova Scotia tabled its 2024-2025 budget.
In this budget, the government recognized housing as a priority, and reiterated its commitment to supporting student housing. The Halifax Student Housing Society welcomes the government’s ongoing commitment to initiatives such as the Community Housing Acquisition Program, the Nova Scotia Community Housing Growth Fund and the Affordable Housing Development Program. These programs play a critical role in addressing the existing housing challenges that affect all Nova Scotians.
While the housing crisis is impacting all Nova Scotians, students are facing additional challenges to accessing affordable, secure, and reliable housing in the communities where they live and study. Therefore, we are encouraged by the government’s recognition of this issue and its support for our institutional partners through the expansion of the Affordable Housing Development program to include student housing proposals. While this represents a positive step towards addressing the province’s student housing challenges, it is essential that these proposals not only come from universities but also from other non-profit student housing providers dedicated to serving this community.
We are excited to learn more details about these important developments, and look forward to continuing to advocate for and support student housing initiatives across our province.
The Halifax Student Housing Society eagerly awaits further details on these developments, and is committed to advocating for and supporting student housing initiatives throughout Nova Scotia. We believe that collaborative efforts between the government, educational institutions, and non-profit organizations are essential in ensuring that all students have access to housing that is affordable, reliable, and safe.