On September 8th, it was reported that the first residents of 32 new affordable homes in Dartmouth moved in. There is also currently work underway to bring 38 units of social housing at 2445 Brunswick Street. These stories are from early September 2024, and there may be more plans underway to build more of such housing in Halifax, which the Municipality direly needs.
HRM direly needs them because, according to data from CMHC’s Social and Affordable Housing Survey (2023) released in May 2024, around 63.9% (4,904) of all social and affordable housing units in Halifax were built before 1980? 1980 through 1995 saw 32.9% or 2,525 of these units built, and only 3.2% (246 units) were built since 1996.
Moreover, according to data from the Canadian Housing Survey (2022) released on the 10th of September, 2022 saw the highest number (3,550) and share (59.2%) of households living in social and affordable homes in Halifax, yet still in core housing need.
Lastly, East Hants had the highest 2023 average rent for 2-bedroom social and affordable units in Canada at $1,311, according to the Social and Affordable Housing Survey (2023). The average market rent for 2-bedroom apartments in East Hants in 2023 was $1,238. Can housing really be called “social” or “affordable” if their rents are higher than market rents?
For a deeper dive into the findings and data analysis from our latest research on affordable housing in Halifax, reach out to Turner Drake & Partners for comprehensive reports and expert insights on regional housing trends and solutions.
Jigme Choerab is manager of our Economic Intelligence Unit. For more information about how you can benefit from the unique expertise of our Planning & Economic Intelligence team, contact Jigme at (902) 429-1811 or .