CBRM election candidates respond to questions about homelessness and affordable housing

Members of the Affordable Housing and Homelessness Working Group submitted a series of questions to all CBRM mayoral and council candidates by email on October 7. Below are the responses received to date (October 17).

Mayor Donnie Bacich
Cecil Clarke Responded
James Edwards
Carla George Responded
Vince Hall
Kevin MacEachern
Archie MacKinnon
Rankin MacSween Responded
Joe ward Responded

 

District 1 Gordon MacDonald (Acclaimed) Responded
District 2
Earlene MacMullin (Acclaimed )
District 3
Esmond (Blue) Marshall
Glenn Murrant
Michael Vickers Responded
Tom Vickers
District 4
Steve Gillespie (Acclaimed)
District 5 Eldon MacDonald
Bennett MacIntyre Responded
District 6
Glenn Paruch (Acclaimed)
District 7
Steve Parsons (Acclaimed)
District 8 Derrick Kennedy Responded
Shawn Lesnick
District 9 Kyron Coombes Responded
Dave MacKeigan
 Ken Tracey
District 10 Matthew Boyd Responded
William Martin Responded
Paul Nickituk
District 11 Darren O’Quinn
Louie Piovesan
District 12 Gary B. Borden
Lorne Green Responded
Krys Maher Responded
Kim Sheppard
CSAP Clemont Charland

Responses to each of the five questions are below, beginning with mayoral candidates in alphabetical order, followed by council candidates in order of district. Where a candidate provided a response but did not answer a specific question, this is indicated by “No answer provided”.

Some candidates provided answers outside of the scope of the questions. These responses are listed in the last section titled “Other responses not linked to Questions”.

You can view the responses in a spreadsheet here.

1. If elected, what specific actions will you take to address the critical need for deeply affordable, non-market housing in your community?

Cecil Clarke: Mayoral Candidate

Goal: Address housing challenges by increasing affordable options.

Homelessness Solutions: Adequate shelters and transitional housing are essential. CBRM must ensure those without homes have safe, supportive spaces.

  • Nova Scotia Housing has dozens of affordable housing units vacant waiting for repairs and renovations. Those empty units need to be upgraded and made available to individuals, families and seniors and get people into the housing they need.
  • Council will work with Nova Scotia Housing on a plan to ready those units.

Surplus lots: Empty but services lots (with water, sewer and power) can be found in every community. These lots can be developed through a new approach.

The New Aberdeen Revitalization and Affordable Housing Society’s pilot project, which Cecil supported when Mayor, has been a success. 11 “surplus” lots have been sold since 2017 and families are moving back into the area.

Odd sized surplus lots: Designate such properties as Mobile Lot or Tiny Home Lot for ease of planning and purchasing purposes.
Governments spend a lot of time telling people what they cannot do. So instead, CBRM will give people alternative options. A standard bungalow couldn’t be placed on an odd sized lot but perhaps a mobile or “Tiny Home” could.

Housing for Seniors: Prioritize affordable, accessible housing for seniors, allowing them to live independently and safely.

22 affordable apartment units for seniors at 224 Pitt Street: Cecil consulted on a volunteer basis with the Future Growth Housing Cooperative Ltd, helping the board overcome bureaucratic hurdles.  This follows the 20-unit Phase One of the project in Sydney Mines for which he secured funding.

New Subdivisions: Use provincial and federal infrastructure programs to speed up housing development through the creation of hundreds of new, serviced, subdivision lots.

Trusted Partner Certification.  Implement a Trusted Partner program to certify construction contractors and developers. Certification will reduce red tape, reduce wait time and improve outcomes.

Please find the full document below.
https://www.votececilclarke.ca/_files/ugd/4dfb71_d0275e60d6084e2c8e37c742bcebd24d.pdf

Carla George: Mayoral Candidate

This is a complex problem, I plan to work with developers and stake holders to address this issue. From using available buildings,  for homeless and addiction, and mental health issues, with care centers integrated in facilities so people can rehab at home and have help on site.

While creating home for low income families by tax breaks or credits to developers that want to ensure 25 years  of low income housing.

With all my invests bringing in money to CBRM we also be able to lower property taxes and small business taxes to elevate the high cost pressures we are currently facing and I will have province pay for any housing that falls under the health and welfare act as well as education act.

I will also do my very best to cut red tape for small businesses and help them get all available loans and grants.

Rankin MacSween: Mayoral Candidate

The Provincial Housing Needs Assessment identified a deficit of over 2500 units of housing in CBRM, and it is my understanding that, in order for those units to meet the needs of this particular community, then somewhere in the range of 40% of those units need to be affordable, and some portion of that would need to be deeply affordable.

Housing is a municipal responsibility. I have no patience for the way the municipal government, whenever the conversation turns to housing, tosses the issue back at the province like a hot potato. This isn’t to suggest that we could or would pay for it ourselves. The senior levels of government are the ones with the money, but we’re the ones with the problem. Therefore, it is incumbent on us to take the lead.

As mayor, I commit to convening the various stakeholders — CBU, NSCC, developers, non-profit organizations, and the seniors levels of government — to develop a plan for how we, as a community, fill the 2,550 unit gap. That meeting will be public, live-streamed, and open to the community.

This is a national crisis that requires local leadership.

Look around the province and you’ll see housing being built in Antigonish, Truro, New Glasgow, and Halifax. Communities in Nova Scotia that are building housing have one thing in common: municipal leadership.

I have spent my entire career building housing in the CBRM to meet the diverse needs of its residents. Almost 20 years ago, mental health service providers in the CBRM identified a significant lack of suitable housing for people with mental illness, who typically face stigma and other barriers to finding and keeping housing.

In response, New Dawn — of which I was CEO at the time — took the lead on SHIMI (Supportive Housing for Individuals with Mental Illness). Through program funding and capital contributions from the federal and provincial governments and charitable foundations, New Dawn acquired, renovated and furnished housing units and today has a portfolio of 27 SHIMI units throughout CBRM. That’s 27 safe, supportive places for people to call home.

The initiative relies on a partnership of organizations including Nova Scotia Health, Cape Breton Mental Health Services, Crossroads Clubhouse, Pathways to Employment and the Mental Health Charitable Foundation of the Cape Breton Regional Hospital. It is an example of what we can do when we work collaboratively to find solutions to community challenges.

Joe Ward: Mayoral Candidate

Housing is a key focus for me in my mayoral platform, specifically as it relates the effect high property tax rates have on making homes and rentals less affordable and discouraging more private development. A key goal for me is to lower residential taxes by using a combination of negotiated reduction in provincial fees (Education) and/or an increase in provincially sourced revenues (municipal capacity grant/equalization, grants in lieu, etc) to reduce the tax burden on home or apartment owners, and lowering rates. If this is done in concert with removing the tax cap in 1-year, fair tax rates will be pervasive and the lowering of rates will ensure that CAP (capped assessment program)’s significant beneficiaries are not harmed by sudden increases in total taxes payable. More importantly, lowered rates and removal of tax CAP distortion removes major disincentives to developers who are seeking to reduce carrying costs.

Housing vacancy rates and inflation due to short supply during high demand effects also have a direct relationship to Cape Breton University, who effectively recruited too many students too fast, in respect of insufficient housing units to accommodate them. Thus, despite the versatility of students, who have adapted to higher costs and low vacancy by moving to shared room rental models and accepting sub-standard or unsafe living conditions, the university’s recruitment policies have had a tremendously adverse effect on the community (as it pertains to housing). Local residents who might have been able to afford rentals before, suddenly were pulled into the undertow. Local landlords would naturally charge higher rates in such a scenario. As such, communication with CBU to acknowledge the adverse effects that their successes in international student recruitment have caused is important, similar to the federal government taking action to reduce student quotas. The municipality also has an advocacy role in making sure the actions of the university do not harm local residents, which include university students. I did not see that indicated in your letter, although it is obviously one of the primary drivers of the local issues we are facing.

Public housing is the only source of housing that qualifies as “deeply affordable.” Attempts at creating affordable housing with private developers can be very challenging. Building public housing is provincial in scope, but advocacy is required municipally. While it’s important for the CBRM to stay close to its scope of responsibility, when programs like the Rapid Housing Initiative are deployed, we cannot refuse participation. I have a policy proposal that requires a municipal charter for expanded tax policy authority that would offer as-low-as 0% property tax rates to incentivize housing construction, phased in over 5-10 years. There’s a direct relationship between “affordable” (not “deeply affordable”) housing and the rate of private development that is ongoing to increase the housing supply, and to reduce demand for older inventory.

Gordon D. MacDonald: District 1

Thank you for your very important email regarding housing and the lack of housing within the CBRM and all across Nova Scotia for that matter.

On your attached bulletin I agree with everything that is attached because it does show the statistics that we’re facing on homelessness within the municipality. As a sitting counsellor going through my first term, I would suggest that these questions that new candidates are being asked are very unfair and I will tell you why.

Prior to 2020 when I was elected, if you had to put those questions to me, I would tell you I support all those initiatives and would push CBRM to invest in housing and do whatever I can to improve that situation. I would of checked off all the questions as I support them.

That’s what I would of said back then because I truly believed it was in my scope as a councillor, and I believe I spoke of it during my campaign of 2020. Having spent my first term elected, I see what the municipality is responsible for, and housing isn’t one of them. The province would like to download this on municipalities, but we don’t have the resources required, nor does CBRM have the means to create a housing department.

I will always support affordable housing, rent controls and larger tax rebates for low-income families, I will support any efforts to push the federal government and the province of Nova Scotia to invest in housing initiatives, especially affordable housing which they haven’t invested in in years.I will support our municipality to find available land to assist in any investment on housing initiatives.

The roles of government need to remain firm, unless the province is willing to invest in housing departments across the province so municipalities can hire and create a team to work with developers to find the funding needed to take on those challenges.
Councillors should never stay quiet on the housing crisis, and a lot of this has been caused by poor planning from our federal and provincial counterparts on the effects of such an aggressive immigration policy.

There should have been insight into the full effect of the influx of immigration on housing, health care and education, which we are now feeling the effects of.

So, I guess Catherine, that is the reason I think those questions are unfair to someone who is not fully aware of the scope of what CBRM or any other municipality has under the MGA or the provincial governance, unless they are very well in tune and done their homework with all levels of government and how they operate.

Michael Vickers: District 3

There are a few actions I will take if elected. First is bringing to council a motion to create a non-market rental acquisition strategy, where we will work with Housing Nova Scotia and other community partners.  Create a new property tax rate for non profit own rental units. Lobby the province to upgrade and build on a minimum 50% of municipal and provincial own land are surplus land.

Bennett MacIntyre: District 5

If elected, a deep focus for me would be that of helping make affordable housing more available through funding collaborations with the Province of Nova Scotia, non-profit organizations, and developers. Firstly, the money has to come from somewhere, and I’d encourage the other eleven councilors and newly elected mayor to do the same while also interjecting their insights. We must secure as much as we can that becomes available to us for funding new housing developments. Low-income rental units would be a priority. A big push I am very willing to make is to have derelict, vacant, or unattended to municipal property be repurposed for affordable housing.

Derrick Kennedy: District 8

I think we must have a hard look at some of the municipal owned land and buildings, some of these properties can be converted into affordable housing units.

 Kyron Coombes: District 9

Housing has become a prominent issue in recent years, with different levels of government passing the responsibility back and forth. So, who is responsible? The truth is, we all are. Housing is a basic necessity, often taken for granted. One immediate step we could take is to convert unused buildings into interim housing for the homeless, pairing these efforts with social services to help individuals seek employment, access medical care, and receive the skills needed to succeed. Councillors can’t create change on their own, they must work in collaboration with council and community partners to bring about meaningful progress. If elected, I would make this a priority. I would also push for new incentives to promote affordable housing and work with the provincial government to guide housing developments tailored to the needs of the CBRM. Additionally, I’d work to cut through bureaucratic red tape, helping developers start projects sooner and deliver housing faster. We need to flip the “Closed” sign on the CBRM and let the world know we’re open for new development. Finally, I’d advocate for mixed-use housing and relax zoning laws to allow for denser, more efficient use of land.

Matthew Boyd: District 10

One of the key points of my campaign is to delve into the efficiencies of the municipality.  I am sure there have been many attempts at plans to at least look into this, but there seems to be a lack of communication within the municipality.  I think that would be an excellent start.  I have talked to people who are living in properties through the housing authority, who have told me about wait times, and miscommunications, and even after getting into housing, the housing is not looked after.  These are all things that we would need to look into.  I am no housing expert, but I learn very easily and want to help as many in my community as possible.

William Martin: District 10

If elected, my focus will be on advocating for the construction of the 1,200 public housing units as recommended by the local housing task force. I will actively petition the province and work closely with stakeholders to secure funding and resources. Additionally, I will work towards increasing access to affordable housing by streamlining the approval process for affordable housing developments and promoting partnerships with non-profits and private developers to ensure housing that meets the needs of low-income residents.

 Lorne F. Green: District 12

Thank you for your email. Housing is a very critical issue that needs support at all levels of government. I will ensure that this remains a priority for council and myself. I have plans to address the affordable housing in our community. I will share them upon having a successful re-election campaign. I’ve worked for people requiring housing over the last four years and made many inroads and contacts with individuals in the housing market. Dialogue on this very important matter remains crucial and I will commit to continue advocating for this. I look forward to working with you on the concerns raised in your email.  

Krys Maher: District 12 

I will have a learning curve to where the limits of Council’s role can be, some of my ideas may be more something that Council would need to motion to suggest staff do than something I’d be allowed to initiate but here are some bullet points:

  • Motion to accept the following 2023 Strategic Task Force recommendations:
    to hire a Grant Writer. CBRM misses out on funding opportunities, including for housing, because there’s no dedicated role and staff are busy with their regular responsibilities.
  • Winter plan/ Downtown plan: support the continuation of this work. Accept any committee/ group opportunities. (ex. the neighbourhood group for the Pallet Shelters).
  • Support community collaboration and building trust with any transitional or supportive housing development. People are often misinformed and afraid. Responding to their fear with directives or overloading them with information beyond the literacy level of many does not help. Council and community groups need to work to ensure information is relayed in a friendly and understandable way. I strongly believe the Pallet Shelter meeting and everything surrounding it could have had a better outcome had the government officials involved handled it better and planned for it better. The elected Provincial representatives could and should have given the public their rationale for using “Pallet”. Instead, they spent most of the meeting leaning against the wall. Actual collaboration with community members prior to the meeting could have helped.
  • Public Housing – advocacy to the province via a petition for 1200 new public housing units in CBRM. Include information on CBRM website about past development so citizens also have access to information for them to advocate to all levels of government more effectively.
  • Local Housing Data – this Task Force suggestion will support our ability to advocate to other levels of government
  • Affordable Housing Property Tax Incentive
    Low income property tax rebate – see my website for writing on Introducing Tax Deferral and easier access to the Low Income Property Tax credit
  • Work to repair the lost trust in the Provincial Government over the short-sighted use of the $15,000,000 municipal top-up in 2022. It is challenging to advocate successfully to other levels of government for increased funding for CBRM when our Council makes decisions that benefit big corporations rather than use it towards critical community needs. This would include direct conversation with Minister John Lohr to let him know I agreed with his writing in the CB Post. We’ll see how many of the Councillors who made that choice he fairly criticized end up leading us again. The 4 of the 5 acclaimed did. And incumbents running in 9, 11, and 12.
    The Mayor’s Task Force from 2013 reported on the need for increased governance work by Council members. I feel this is a problem that persists and greatly limits CBRM’s ability to successfully advocate for its citizens. The governance opportunities is what draws me to this work. I don’t want to be a politician in the standard gabby photo-op sense. I want accessible and affordable communities and see this as the most impactful avenue available to me to do this work.
  • Disrupt the ‘that’s not our job’, ‘we didn’t ask for this funding’ panic. Playing hot-potato with the province over who is responsible isn’t getting people housed. Municipal responsibilities have been shifting as the needs of our communities are shifting. The acute phase of the Sars-CoV-2 pandemic made way for social inequities to deepen and become more apparent and urgent to address.
  • Prioritize ASHRA 241 guidelines for ventilation and air filtration in any new builds where CBRM has a say. These standards will be included eventually and we can lead the way. COVID is still impacting our communities and even more so for those who live in overcrowded housing, in shelters, on the streets. Long Covid is a thing and the rate of disabilities is rising, whether it be related to long covid or something else, the numbers are clear (see 2017 vs 2022 Canada Disability Survey). People with disabilities are more vulnerable to economic pressures and more likely to live in poverty. Their housing choices are limited by the accessibility of the available homes.
  • 37.5% of Nova Scotians aged 15+ live with one or more disabilities. 1 in 2 Nova Scotians over the age of 65 live with at least 1 disability with over 40% of those with a disability over 65 having a severe or very severe disability (Source:Canada Disability Survey NS Results 2022).
  • Support Co-operative housing development. This is likely something that would need collaboration with the province. Cape Breton is reported to be home to the first known Co-operatively built housing development. Co-op owned rentals generally provide more stable tenancy agreements and below market rate costs. Read more on my website Return to co-operatively built.
  • Support whatever is needed to speed up getting through CBRMs properties that haven’t been assessed or surveyed and CBRM owned derelict properties. Prioritize key areas for affordable housing within these properties. Sell surplus land to non-profits and affordable housing developers for $1. On a personal note, one of these CBRM mystery properties borders my house. The land is CBRM owned and was intended to be a road but was never developed. There was a large and very dead poplar tree I had been trying to have removed for months (once I moved in and realized the tree was a problem) and I’m told others on the street had been trying for years. Because the land isn’t in the Property Online system as clearly CBRMs it is nearly impossible to get Public Works or NSPower to assist with the tree. During the early hours of Hurricane Fiona, the tree dropped onto my house causing damages in the excess of $100,000. From all the information available to me, I believe the people I bought the house from (with my parents co-signing because I don’t qualify on my own even though rent is higher than my mortgage rate), were not insured.
  • Not only do we need to address urgent housing needs, we also need to ensure people who do have appropriate and safe housing are able to keep it.

2. What do you see as the key role of municipal government in addressing these urgent housing needs? 

Cecil Clarke: Mayoral Candidate

No answer provided

Carla George: Mayoral Candidate

No answer provided

Rankin MacSween: Mayoral Candidate

In addition to convening the stakeholders listed above, I will re-convene the task force you mentioned to determine how best to move forward on the recommendations you listed.

Petitioning the province to build enough public housing units in CBRM to meet the need the province itself has identified via its waitlist — with over a thousand families and individuals, half of whom are seniors. Yet the recent investment by the senior levels of government into 222 units of public housing provincewide only leads to 22 units being built in CBRM. With 16% of the provincewide need, CBRM is only receiving 10% of the provincewide expenditure — an expenditure which itself will only meet 2% of the actual need in CBRM.

This is one example from the many you listed (increasing the low-income property tax rebate; supporting the development of youth-focused supportive housing and other spaces for young people; developing a human rights-based housing charter to protect the rights and dignity of unsheltered people; reducing energy poverty across the municipality). Clearly, we have our work cut out for us. But ignoring the recommendations of experts in the field would be irresponsible and lazy.

Addressing the housing crisis is my number one priority, so if the experts in our community are telling us this is what we need to do to address housing insecurity, then as Mayor I will advocate for these priorities in every phone call, meeting, and conversation I have with seniors government until they are achieved.

Joe Ward: Mayoral Candidate

Everything is a municipal issue, because, generally speaking, people live in municipalities first, within provinces second, and within Canada thirdly. Everything is experienced where we live.

Now, in terms of CBRM’s policies in respect of housing challenges, there are actions that are (a) within municipal scope of responsibility, and (b) suitable for advocacy to other levels of government. If it’s out of municipal scope, but affects people, it’s suitable for advocacy. With respect to the local housing task force’s “critical recommendations,” I would view them as:

Gordon D. MacDonald: District 1

No answer provided

Michael Vickers: District 3

The key role municipal government needs to play is identifying the type housing units needed, where the available land is, and setting up the proper tax & development conditions to encourage the province and non for profit sector to develop affordable housing. 

Bennett MacIntyre: District 5

A key role of municipal government in this matter is to be the voice of urgency and to march up to the higher levels of government for support. Without the financial help of Nova Scotia and the Federal Government, we become limited in a lot of aspects, though there is still leaps we can take. To start, I think a developing key role would be to include affordable housing into our city/urban planning from here-on-out. Furthermore, roles we can further take are fast-tracking permits for projects that would house people (since we know waiting for a permit could take forever), offer grants/incentives for non-profit developers to take on aiding our needs, or property tax breaks. We have already seen a change in our zoning by-law, however I believe doing so must be handled carefully.

Derrick Kennedy: District 8

I think we must be the advocates for those less fortunate in our community, we must treat them with respect and compassion. 

 Kyron Coombes: District 9

The CBRM is facing a financial crisis, and we need to focus on increasing revenues while cutting unnecessary expenses. This will allow us to pass savings on to residents and invest in critical infrastructure. We urgently need more housing—we knew this yesterday, not tomorrow. Instead of conducting studies on what we already know, we should be actively building new housing to reduce the number of people living in tents and alleyways. Everyone deserves a roof over their head, not in the future, but now. Our role is to advocate to the provincial and federal governments for solutions, such as pallet shelters, that can make an immediate impact. 

Matthew Boyd: District 10

The main thing is making sure it can be provided.  Whether that be at front lines helping get it built, or by reaching out to other levels of government for funding, and helping the groups that are getting it done. 

William Martin: District 10

Municipal government must act as both an advocate and facilitator. Our role is to create policies that encourage affordable housing development, work closely with provincial authorities for funding and resources, and support local initiatives aimed at improving housing. Municipal governments can also ensure zoning and bylaws are conducive to creating diverse, affordable housing options, including non-market and supportive housing. 

Lorne Green: District 12

No answer provided

Krys Maher: District 12 

Governance work and advocacy to provincial and federal governments with strong data to back up the advocacy.

Making development easier: continuing the in progress work of the CBRM Forward. Allowing greater density. Public education on the benefits of greater density to buffer some of the concerns about changes.

I’d suggested in the CBRM forward consultations to allow accessory dwelling units on Supportive Housing property. Mayor MacDougall-Merril motioned this in Spring 2024. My rationale was because stable staffing is a great challenge for front-line disability support. Low wages contribute to this. Making it possible for providers to offer housing as a benefit for staff could assist in addressing this problem. Some people’s accessibility needs require separate quieter space than what a shared housing arrangement could provide.Allowing ADU’s would assist.

I’m told there is work in progress to be able to apply for building permits online. Monitor this progress and intervene if it’s not moving forward.

Create definitions of Affordability. The municipality can clarify what Affordability means even if the Province doesn’t and I believe a Councillor could motion to suggest any developments receiving grants from CBRM have a long term guarantee of Affordability attached to the units, not the developer so there are less loopholes. Motion to request that staff explore the legality and draft a policy.

Motion for staff to explore legality of ending fixed term leases in CBRM.. If the province won’t make this commitment, can we?

Collaboration with Indigenous communities to support culturally appropriate housing development for Indigenous people who live in urban areas or otherwise off-reservation.
Collaboration with local non-profits doing this work. Through my role on the Board for the Youth Project, I hear about hidden struggles of houseless youth. Madonna Doucette, the CB Director, is doing all she can with the resources she has to support youth with her staff and volunteers. 2SLGBTQ+ youth have higher rates of homelessness. Council could support her work and the work of other incredible youth service providers throughout the municipality like Chester Borden and the staff and volunteers of the Whitney Pier Youth Club. Could we invite key stakeholders like these folks to government meetings? Their perspectives and insight are far richer and more impactful than me on my own.

3. How will you ensure that housing remains a priority for council, and that concrete steps are taken to address it?

Cecil Clarke: Mayoral Candidate

No answer provided

Carla George: Mayoral Candidate

No answer provided

Rankin MacSween: Mayoral Candidate

As Mayor, I will create a permanent Housing Secretariat to convene and keep key actors at the table to resolve the housing crisis.

It seems to me that in the last little while, no matter who was around the table, the Mayor and Council seem to get lost, especially when it comes to addressing big, complex issues — housing being perhaps the biggest and most complex. As Mayor, I won’t get lost. I will gather the best people together, decide on where we want to go as a community, and then develop a plan to get there together.

The Housing Secretariat will report to Council on its work on a regular basis to allow the community to evaluate whether real progress is being made behind the scenes.

Joe Ward: Mayoral Candidate

Tax reduction and fixing our tax system to promote housing development is a core item in my mayoral platform. We may introduce a quarterly report of the state of housing in the CBRM and facilitate data collection to keep it top of mind for the CBRM and its partners and the community. However, we have to execute on key strategies. Any council that lapses on a focus on the need for housing is dysfunctional.

Gordon D. MacDonald: District 1

No answer provided

Michael Vickers: District 3

I will ensure that is a priority for council by moving to create a council sub-committee on housing that includes members of the community. This committee will be required to present to council monthly, and will have an actionable mandate and clear goals. 

Bennett MacIntyre: District 5

To ensure housing remains a priority for our council, my idea consists of having regularly scheduled public meetings with developers and community members to discuss where we stand and for outside input, and I’d really like to see public reports on our current progress be shared through council, newsletters, or some kind of updating system. This would allow the community to track what kind of work has been done, promoting transparency on what is happening within the CBRM. Doing so would keep housing a topic and agenda that cannot be ignored when it comes to council meetings. 

Derrick Kennedy: District 8

In order to make it a priority, we have to keep it in the forefront of all we do, until it gets resolved 

 Kyron Coombes: District 9

If elected, my first motion would be to adopt a housing-first policy to ensure we stay focused and on track. I’m driven by a commitment to seeing projects through to completion, and in the CBRM, we have pressing issues like deteriorating infrastructure, financial challenges, and communication gaps between governments and residents. However, the housing crisis stands as one of our most urgent problems. Time and time again, the CBRM spends over $100k on consultants to confirm what we already know. Instead, we should be channelling that money into creating a dedicated Housing Department and building shelters, with long-term plans being the creation of new public housing. I won’t stop until the job is done. Starting October 19th, I’ll be pushing for updates, cutting through red tape, and finding solutions to any challenges that arise. The work won’t end until the public says so.  

Matthew Boyd: District 10

As long as it’s needed it should be reviewed by council and always in the forefront of what a council should do.  If people cannot afford to live in our community, our community needs to adapt so that they can. 

William Martin: District 10

Ensuring housing remains a priority for council: I will advocate for regular progress reports on housing initiatives to be presented at council meetings, ensuring transparency and accountability. By establishing housing as a standing item on the agenda, we can keep the issue top of mind. Additionally, I will support the creation of a dedicated task force to monitor housing developments and explore new solutions to ongoing challenges. 

 Lorne F. Green: District 12

I will ensure that this remains a priority for council and myself. I have plans to address the affordable housing in our community. I will share them upon having a successful re-election campaign. I’ve worked for people requiring housing over the last four years and made many inroads and contacts with individuals in the housing market. Dialogue on this very important matter remains crucial and I will commit to continue advocating for this. I look forward to working with you on the concerns raised in your email.  

Krys Maher: District 12 

Council often opens meetings with a handful of proclamations. Find a way to begin meetings with a reminder of the urgency of this work, via point in time counts or asking local service providers for a 45 second – 1 minute blip, either from an unhoused community member or stats from staff to keep us oriented to the necessity and urgency of this work.

Suggest an Ad-Hoc Committee for Affordable Housing or Council membership on the existing Affordable Housing & Homelessness Working Group. My biggest priority for committees should I get elected is to Chair the Accessibility Committee. The work isn’t getting done. I know I can move the Accessibility Plan from a document to action. Affordable Housing goes hand in hand with accessibility so membership on both committees would make sense.

Motion to create clearer guidelines for committees. It’s too easy for committees to end up in limbo and not enough accountability measures for the Council members responsible. There are significant limitations to what Council can do when important aspects of the work are abandoned and there are few ways for the public to stay informed about the work (or lack thereof) their Council member is doing. This is a structural issue that impacts all of Council’s work, not just housing.  I believe it’s in Rankin’s platform to create an online tracker of some sort so people can track the progress and any updates on development in CBRM. Adding housing to this could be a nice way to keep us on track and give the public more to advocate with when they are contacting the municipality or other levels of government.

4.  In your opinion, what are the housing needs of people living in your district or municipal unit? 

Cecil Clarke: Mayoral Candidate

No answer provided

Carla George: Mayoral Candidate

No answer provided

Rankin MacSween: Mayoral Candidate

The vacancy rate in CBRM is 0.8% – this is lower than in Halifax and in Vancouver.

That means, if you lose your housing — no matter the reason — there’s nowhere to go. It’s like we’re playing musical chairs. When the music stops, who doesn’t get a chair — who doesn’t get a house? It’s the person struggling with addictions, or mental health, the vulnerable and already marginalised.

In a housing crisis, we see more people who are unhoused, more people living in unsafe or unsuitable places, more people being taken advantage of, and more people in crisis when they have to leave their rental unexpectedly and struggle to find somewhere to land. Housing crises tend to disproportionately affect people living on low-income, many of whom are seniors, people with disabilities, single-parent families, L’nuk and other Indigenous peoples, and newcomers.

Thanks to the work of the Affordable Housing & Homelessness Working Group itself, we know that among those who are housed, more than three thousand households are in core housing need, meaning their housing costs are greater than 30% of the household’s gross income; the housing is inadequate (meaning it likely requires major repairs); and/or the housing is unsuitable (often meaning the dwelling is too small for the family who lives there).

Our plan must address the need for not only market housing and rentals, but also affordable housing (including deeply affordable), supportive housing, and harm reduction housing.

Joe Ward: Mayoral Candidate

My opinion is that your metrics represent an accurate quantitative depiction of the situation. However, the psychological and social ills associated with living with insecure housing would be difficult to quantify. My conjecture (more so than my opinion) is that people are having very emotionally volatile times directly because of unaffordable or unavailable housing.

Gordon D. MacDonald : District 1

No answer provided

Michael Vickers: District 3

My district is one of CBRM’s more rural districts, and the housing needs of the district smaller units that can allow our senior population to downsize at an affordable rate, and open units for younger individuals. 

Bennett MacIntyre: District 5

In my opinion, the housing needs of the residents within my district (District 5) has been becoming more dire by the day. The downtown core that is included inside my boundaries is the biggest piece of evidence to support this claim. The cost to own, rent, even put food on the table has skyrocketed, thus putting financial pressure on people from all backgrounds and walks of life. Property taxes in certain neighborhoods of my district are forcing people out of their homes as well, and the best case scenario for them involves the individuals moving out of the municipality for somewhere that’s cheaper. More support is needed for those who need a steady roof over their head. We need support for seniors, troubled, abused, and/or neglected youth, and proper services for people with mental health issues and those struggling from addictions, such as rehabilitation.  

Derrick Kennedy: District 8

It is no secret that we have major issues with affordable housing in the CBRM. 

 Kyron Coombes: District 9

One word, affordability.  

Matthew Boyd: District 10

They are the same as everywhere, but I personally do not have the stats to say to what level the need it.  However, the level of need is irrelevant, as no one should ever be homeless. 

William Martin: District 10

The housing needs of people in my district: Many residents in my district are struggling with the rising costs of rent and homeownership, as well as the lack of available units. There is also a significant need for housing for young families and seniors. The lack of affordable options leaves many in precarious situations, which is why I will focus on increasing both affordable housing units and repairs to existing housing stock, especially for those most vulnerable. 

 Lorne F. Green: District 12

No answer provided

Krys Maher: District 12 

Accessible, affordable, safe/ in good repair, energy efficient – all deeply needed in my community. Whitney Pier has great access both to CBU, CBU’s cineplex classes, and NSCC downtown campus. Same for the Grand Lake Road and Ashby areas of District 12. District 12 also has the most surplus land (according to Lorne Green’s statement during the CBC District 12 Roundtable). We urgently need multi-unit, accessible, and inter-generational development.

There are so many seniors in my community living in large houses with steep narrow steps, alone or with a senior spouse, often one of them acting as caregiver for the other. Many of them are heating drafty houses with oil. I’ve been told some houses in my community still use coal. Many of them don’t want to pursue energy efficiency upgrades even if they are eligible because they don’t want to live in construction for whatever time they have left in their homes.

Well-planned multi-unit buildings can build community and combat loneliness which has loads of health benefits. I lived in a small 4-plex in Edmonton for years and we became an odd little community that helped each other out when needed. With purposeful planning, the community benefits of multi-unit housing could be even greater.

Increased support and eligibility for the low income property tax rebate. I would suggest looking into the possibility of coordinating with the CRA for automatic enrollment for low income households if they could opt in to something 1 time to allow for that exchange of info. Or at least offer online or email applications. I wrote about Property tax deferral on my website.

Effortful public education in coordination with community service providers and CBRM communications, on how these are more beneficial for the average person than 5% cuts would go a long way. It’s often easier to do the work that sounds good than the work that does good.

People also seem to fear the high taxes on new builds compared to their rate under the CAP. Motion for staff to explore the possibility of lifting the CAP without creating significant financial strain for low and middle income citizens (ex. phased in approach, increased tax credits, introduce tax deferral). In the same motion request for staff to study if the CAP is a disincentive to leaving inappropriate housing for more appropriate housing. This is not to say the CAP must be removed, just exploring the impact and possible solutions.

I’ve had more than 5 people come to my door unprompted asking if I have space to rent. Even when I told people my house was undergoing repairs from hurricane Fiona and had a leaky roof. Someone wanted to pay to live in my unfinished basement, even when I explained it’s always damp and not safe to live in.I don’t even live on a busy street. CBRM needs housing now.

5.  How can the rights of people experiencing homelessness be protected in the CBRM? How do you propose to strengthen these rights? 

Cecil Clarke: Mayoral Candidate

No answer provided

Carla George: Mayoral Candidate

No answer provided

Rankin MacSween: Mayoral Candidate

As Mayor, I will stand against the stigmatization, vilification and criminalization of our most vulnerable citizens.

In our planning — for example, via a Housing Secretariat — we must ensure that the voices of individuals with lived experiences of housing insecurity and homelessness are included in the development of housing policies and initiatives affecting their community and especially their own housing.

This can be one part of a CBRM Housing Charter, as you mentioned, that recognizes housing as a fundamental human right, recognized in international law, and affirms that all orders of government — including municipal — have a role to play in furthering the realization of that right. As Mayor, I would support this.

Joe Ward: Mayoral Candidate

The rights afforded to citizens are universal to all—most certainly including the vulnerable. A person experiencing homelessness is a person in a vulnerable state. The NHSA essentially treats the term “right” as the connotation of “priority”:

I am critical of political answers that sound abstract. Nonetheless, in this regard, the role of the CBRM would be advocacy in the sense of reminding the federal government of the commitments it has made (NHSA), and to actively pursue all supportive activities that are within the scope of the municipal government.

Gordon D. MacDonald: District 1

No answer provided

Michael Vickers: District 3

Council needs to first acknowledge that housing is a right, and we develop our municipal charter (which is deeply needed), enshrining that right into the charter. 

Bennett MacIntyre: District 5

 To look after the rights of those in situations of homelessness, approaches must be taken to destigmatize homelessness and educate the community on the issues they face, establish properly designated and safe areas for encampments that can shelter people who need it, and work together to find a way to have organizations support the needs of those who are not housed in providing education, food, hygiene, healthcare, and other essentials that are basic human rights nowadays. The future of the CBRM can be a very bright and optimistic one if we are able to work together to solve the crucial needs many, MANY residents face across the entirety of the municipality. Not only that, but I hope we can see success in conquering these issues not only in the CBRM, but Nova Scotia and Canada as well. Everyone has the right to a comfortable life.

Derrick Kennedy: District 8

As I said, we have to be the advocates for those less fortunate in our community, that includes the homeless as well as our seniors and our veterans. 

 Kyron Coombes: District 9

Everyone has a story, and no one should be judged by their past. I will work to ensure that every individual—whether homeless or impoverished—is treated with the fairness and dignity they deserve. I’m committed to partnering with community organizations to ensure the safety and security of people experiencing homelessness and will advocate at every step to help them find shelter. Additionally, I will collaborate with the Regional Police to provide protection in vulnerable areas and work with local partners to connect those in need with legal aid and employment opportunities. 

Matthew Boyd: District 10

This is something that I would have to research more on.  I am not as versed in the housing crisis as I’d like to be, but I would work with people to help me better understand.

William Martin: District 10

 Protecting the rights of people experiencing homelessness: I support the development of a human rights-based housing charter to protect the rights and dignity of unsheltered individuals. This charter should focus on ensuring that homeless individuals have access to basic services, protection from discrimination, and safe spaces to reside. Additionally, I will advocate for stronger partnerships between the municipality and local shelters, as well as expanded supportive housing options to provide a pathway out of homelessness. Addressing housing challenges will be a top priority for me if elected, and I am committed to working with the community and all levels of government to find sustainable, long-term solutions. I appreciate your efforts to raise awareness on this vital issue, and I look forward to contributing to this important work.

 Lorne F. Green: District 12

No answer provided

Krys Maher: District 12 

CBRM hasn’t had a visible unhoused population before. Some citizens who’ve been sheltered from reality in larger cities are utterly shocked and really judgemental and horrible to people who are already struggling. Some Council members contribute to this by how they speak about unhoused community members and in particular those living with acute mental illness and/or substance use disorder. If elected, I will use my voice at every opportunity to remind Council all of our community members deserve to be spoken about and treated with dignity.

The Strategic Task Force 2023 report suggested a Housing as a Human Right Charter which I am very in support of.

I would like to work with police to see people charged for taking pictures/ video of vulnerable unhoused community members in various states of undress and posting them publicly online without their consent. We have no public washrooms. Posting vulnerable people online does not prevent public nudity. Public washrooms and housing does.

Strongly advocate for an accessible public washroom with anti-vandalism features in downtown Sydney.

Other responses not linked to Questions

  Gordon D. MacDonald: District 1

Thank you for your very important email regarding housing and the lack of housing within the CBRM and all across Nova Scotia for that matter.

On your attached bulletin I agree with everything that is attached because it does show the statistics that we’re facing on homelessness within the municipality. As a sitting counsellor going through my first term, I would suggest that these questions that new candidates are being asked are very unfair and I will tell you why.

Prior to 2020 when I was elected, if you had to put those questions to me, I would tell you I support all those initiatives and would push CBRM to invest in housing and do whatever I can to improve that situation. I would of checked off all the questions as I support them.

That’s what I would of said back then because I truly believed it was in my scope as a councillor, and I believe I spoke of it during my campaign of 2020. Having spent my first term elected, I see what the municipality is responsible for, and housing isn’t one of them. The province would like to download this on municipalities, but we don’t have the resources required, nor does CBRM have the means to create a housing department.

I will always support affordable housing, rent controls and larger tax rebates for low-income families, I will support any efforts to push the federal government and the province of Nova Scotia to invest in housing initiatives, especially affordable housing which they haven’t invested in in years.I will support our municipality to find available land to assist in any investment on housing initiatives.

The roles of government need to remain firm, unless the province is willing to invest in housing departments across the province so municipalities can hire and create a team to work with developers to find the funding needed to take on those challenges.

Councillors should never stay quiet on the housing crisis, and a lot of this has been caused by poor planning from our federal and provincial counterparts on the effects of such an aggressive immigration policy.

There should have been insight into the full effect of the influx of immigration on housing, health care and education, which we are now feeling the effects of.

So, I guess Catherine, that is the reason I think those questions are unfair to someone who is not fully aware of the scope of what CBRM or any other municipality has under the MGA or the provincial governance, unless they are very well in tune and done their homework with all levels of government and how they operate.

Bennett MacIntyre: District 5

Thank you for reaching out to me with information and questions regarding affordable housing and homelessness within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality. I found the fact sheet to be very insightful and help further my knowledge of the crisis we face as a community.

 Kyron Coombes: District 9

Firstly, thank you very much for emailing me, it is my belief that everyone deserves to have a roof over their head regardless of their economic situation. Across the province, and the country, we are seeing significant increases in the cost of renting, buying, and maintaining homes. The CBRM was home to Nova Scotia’s economy with coal and steel dominating the market. Today those industries are long gone and we are witnessing the negative effects and inaction of previous Municipal and Provincial governments to support us. CBRM is home to some of the highest unemployment, lowest income, high average age, and serious physical and mental health concerns. Combining those negative effects of our industries leaving, inaction, and low socio-economic status, affordability becomes a large topic that we need to act on, not just discuss.