New Affordable Homes Coming to Halifax

Halifax, Nova Scotia, March 4, 2021

Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home.

Today, Andy Fillmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax, on behalf of the Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development and Minister Responsible for Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), announced that 57 families in Halifax will soon have access to new affordable homes.

The new North-End Neighbourhood Development, by Compass Nova Scotia Co-operative Homes Ltd. (Compass NS), will consist of two buildings of 27 and 30 units each on Maitland St. near the downtown business district in Halifax.

The project is receiving $1.5 million in funding through the Government of Canada’s National Housing Strategy (NHS) Federal Lands Initiative (FLI). The Province of Nova Scotia has committed $3 million dollars towards this development as part of province-wide investments to build more affordable housing units.

Compass NS is the first sector-led housing co-operative in Nova Scotia to provide housing across the province under one governance structure, prioritizing those who have the greatest needs in the communities that they serve.

Quotes:

“Every Canadian deserves a safe and affordable place to call home. The National Housing Strategy continues to ensure more adequate and affordable housing for Canadians from coast to coast to coast. We are committed to making communities stronger through projects like this one, right here in Halifax. These investments help create new jobs and stimulate the local economy, while providing access to safe, affordable homes for Canadians.”
— The Honourable Ahmed Hussen, Minister of Families, Children and Social Development

“Being able to leverage surplus federal properties and lands is an effective way to create new housing and also breathe new life into properties that have been untouched for years or decades. These new units will add vitally needed affordable homes to our community that will allow families to thrive here in Halifax.”
— Andy Fillmore, Member of Parliament for Halifax

“Creating affordable housing for those who need it is a group effort, and having more partners help to make this development a reality is great news for Nova Scotia families. We will always accomplish more by working together to address our province’s housing needs in a sustainable way, and I look forward to many more successful collaborations.”
— The Honourable Geoff MacLellan, Minister of Infrastructure and Housing

“Compass NS is dedicated to developing strong housing communities that operate under the control of the members, for their mutual benefit on a not-for-profit basis. We welcome the partnership and contribution from CMHC that will enable us to continue with our vision for co-operatives to be the housing of choice for Nova Scotians who want strong governance and credible management in a thriving co-op community.”
— Karen Brodeur, President, Compass Nova Scotia Co-operative Homes Ltd.

“An inclusive community is predicated on all members having access to housing that they can afford. Today’s announcement moves us closer to that goal. These new homes will provide affordability, safety and inclusion within a community setting for generations to come. This project would not have been possible without support of the federal government through the Federal Lands Initiative, in addition to investment from the Government of Nova Scotia. We are truly grateful for their support.”
— Tim Ross, Executive Director, Co-operative Housing Federation of Canada

Quick facts:

The Government of Canada acknowledges North-End Neighbourhood Development is located on the ancestral and unceded territory of the Mi’kmaq People. This territory is covered by the “Treaties of Peace and Friendship”.
The Federal Lands Initiative is providing $200 million over 10 years to support the transfer of surplus federal properties to eligible proponents at discounted to no-cost rates to encourage the development of affordable, sustainable, accessible and socially inclusive housing.
The Federal Lands Initiative is led by CMHC with support from: Employment and Social Development Canada (ESDC), Public Services and Procurement Canada (PSPC) and Canada Lands Company Limited (CLC), as well as other federal partners with surplus lands.
Surplus government properties are evaluated based on location, suitability, availability, proximity to amenities and through a cost/benefit analysis. Properties selected for affordable housing development are then offered for sale and advertised on CMHC’s National Housing Strategy website. Social and affordable housing providers are then invited to submit applications to acquire these properties through a competitive process.
Canada's National Housing Strategy (NHS) is a 10-year, $70+ billion plan that will give more Canadians a place to call home — this includes more than $12 billion committed through the 2020 Fall Economic Statement.
Compass NS, was incorporated in 2016 in order to assist co-operatives in need of support and to grow the co-op housing sector. Since late 2019, six co-operatives have amalgamated into Compass NS. This is the first new development of Compass NS.

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As Canada’s authority on housing, CMHC contributes to the stability of the housing market and financial system, provides support for Canadians in housing need, and offers unbiased housing research and advice to all levels of Canadian government, consumers and the housing industry. CMHC’s aim is that by 2030, everyone in Canada has a home they can afford, and that meets their needs. For more information, follow us on Twitter, Instagram, YouTube, LinkedIn and Facebook.