Political Corner: HRM needs help with infrastructure and affordable housing

Together, we can build stronger communities in Nova Scotia.

In a country as wealthy as ours there is simply no good reason for housing to be out of reach. However, here in Dartmouth-Cole Harbour and across Canada, the housing crunch is reaching crisis proportions.

Middle-class families are seeing housing prices so high that their dream of owning a home is exactly that — a dream. Meanwhile, the wait list for affordable housing keeps growing; and rental housing is so scarce that many hard-working people simply can’t afford it.

Surely we can do better.

Neglect by the current Conservative government is creating a social housing crisis. An NDP government would partner with cities like ours and make long-term, stable investments in affordable housing. We would also work with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation to provide incentives for affordable and market rental housing units to be constructed.

It’s also time for a federal government that understands investments in Canada’s communities and cities are vital investments in our future that help drive our economy.

We know that municipalities like HRM need funding that is long-term, stable and predictable. That is why New Democrats are proposing a plan for investments in the local roads, bridges, and public transit that make our communities work.

An NDP federal government would bring positive change by substantially increasing funding for core infrastructure like local roads and water treatment facilities. We would increase the municipal gas tax transfer and also provide $1.3 billion every year in predictable and transparent transit investment across Canada to tackle gridlock and cut commute times.

This means an increase of $188 million in infrastructure and transit funding will be invested directly into Nova Scotia municipalities over the next four years. By the end of our 20 year plan, a total investment of $2.75 billion will be made in our province’s communities.

Our plan is bold, measured and fully costed. With this investment we can help ensure the long-term success of Canadian municipalities from coast to coast to coast.

Our goals are affordable places to live, roads and bridges that are well-maintained, safe water supplies, less congested streets, and shorter commute times, communities like ours have been let down by previous federal governments. It’s time for us to build the Canada of our dreams.