A change to the student assistance funding formula means some Nova Scotia college and university students could get more help. (Communications Nova Scotia)
Some Nova Scotia college and university students will get more student assistance beginning this fall because of a change in the funding formula.
The updated formula brings the Nova Scotia Student Assistance Program in line with the federal Canada Student Financial Assistance program.
Part of the formula considers basic living expenses. The living allowance was previously increased based on inflation. It now will also be based on rental information from the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. That means some students could qualify for more help.
“We’re listening to students and want to make it more affordable for students to stay and build a life here after they graduate,” Brian Wong, Nova Scotia’s minister of advanced education, said Wednesday in a news release.
The change will cost about $2.9 million for the 2024-25 academic year, which will essentially be picked up by the federal government. Applications for student assistance are now open.
A rendering of the Queens Neighbourhood Co-operative Housing development planned for Liverpool. (QNCH)
An affordable housing development for Liverpool could break ground by this fall.
Queens Neighbourhood Co-operative Housing is planning a 26-unit development off Lawrence Street that will include one-bedroom, two-bedroom and three-bedroom units in two separate buildings.
It’s passive design, net zero-ready housing that will welcome tenants from all income groups.
The group was formed as a result of consultations by the Queens Care Society, which identified transportation and housing as vital for Queens County’s older population.
The Region of Queens sold the land to the group for $1 and rezoned the area. It also committed $203,000 toward the project.
Initially, the group expected to start construction this spring. But now they hope to break ground later this year.
Earl Mielke, with Inclusive Homes Consulting, has been working with the Queens Neighbourhood Co-operative Housing board. He said Monday that there have been some delays in the initial work on design and preparation.
But he said they’re at the final stages of the design, and are working now with a cost consultant, before they make funding requests to the province and the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation. CMHC requires groups to use a cost consultant because it wants a good idea of the final project cost.
“We hope to have our funding in place and a contractor hired, realistically late fall. Early fall, late fall, it all depends on how quickly the funders turn the funding over. And the availability of contracts is a big factor.
“Realistically, we really hope to get something started there by the end of this year.”
He said the group expects the whole project to be in the $6-$7-million range, though that could change as the project progresses.
“A lot of it will depend on the funders. But what we’re getting from the feds and the province, they’re really anxious to get some wins for affordable housing. The initial discussions we’ve had are very positive. We’re seen as one of the more shovel-ready on this scale. Things are going well.”
Mielke said rent for the units will be based on a mixed-income approach. Rents will be at or below the median market rate.
He said that could mean the highest rent would be about $1,200 a month. But he cautioned that that could change depending on final construction costs.
“A mix of incomes, the rents are all basically the same across the board. It’s just a matter of what types of rent supplement or income testing assistance will be available. And a lot of that is negotiated with the province.
“If you have a single pensioner on old age pension, they can’t afford $1,200 a month. So there will be units that will be designated for people on lesser incomes.”
Mielke says this is just the first of what the group hopes will be more affordable housing developments in other areas of Queens.
“The intent is do this one, do it really well and then move into another neighbourhood. Initially, it was like 100 units over three years. Now it’s more like 100 units over three to five years. … We’re just looking at ways to … get more affordable housing.”
Mount Hope Development Plan Map. Photo Nova Scotia Government
The province has announced more initiatives aimed at increasing the amount affordable housing in Nova Scotia.
The federal and provincial governments announced over $916,000 through the Community Housing Capacity Program.
According to a release from the province, the grants will fund governance and operations reviews, growth and development plans, create community land trusts, and other capacity building needs.
Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing John Lohr says one of the ways the Community Housing Capacity Program can be used by community groups is to develop a co-op approach to housing.
“They know their communities best and we’re optimistic that this seed money will provide for more projects in the future,” said Lohr.
The minister was also in Dartmouth Monday to announce the Nova Scotia government will spend $21.8 million in a forgivable loan to subsidize 373 residences in a new 875 home development.
The agreement between the province and Clayton Developments stipulates the units must remain affordable for 20 years.
Rents in the new development could be as low as $605 per month for a one-bedroom apartment, or $788 a month for a two-bedroom, based on current Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation data.
This project uses the last of the $35 million committed in the Quick Start program to create 1,100 new affordable housing units.
But Lohr says the province isn’t finished yet.
“This Mount Hope was always part of the plan for the $35 million Quick Start program. There will be more affordable housing announcements to come.”
Lohr stopped short of committing the government to building more public housing units, indicating they prefer to find development partners
“No government has added to the public housing stock in 30 years. We’re responding to the crisis,” said Lohr. “We believe that this is a very efficient use of what resources we have and we’re very pleased to be doing it this way.”
The new units are expected to be ready for occupants by fall of 2023.
