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Documents released to Nova Scotia NDP show public housing wait-list up over 8,000

  • The Canadian Press

  • Canadian Press

  • September 4, 2025

Nova Scotia NDP Leader Claudia Chender speaks to reporters at Province House following the speech from the throne and opening of the legislature in Halifax on Friday, Feb. 14, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darren Calabrese

HALIFAX -- Nova Scotia's Opposition NDP says the province's wait-list for public housing surpassed 8,000 people in June -- a jump of about 1,200 people over an eight-month period.

The updated numbers are contained in documents released to the NDP through a freedom of information request by the Nova Scotia Provincial Housing Agency.

The figures show a total of 8,267 people were waiting for public housing across the province as of June 27.

NDP Leader Claudia Chender says the increase shows that many people have run out of options because they can't afford to deal with rising rent.

Chender says the government needs to close lease loopholes and impose rent control to make apartments more affordable.

Last October, a legislature committee was told that 7,020 people were on the public housing wait-list.

This report by was first published Sept. 4, 2025.