Rankin not ready to commit $25M for affordable housing as recommended by commission

Premier Iain Rankin says he wants to make sure the $25 million called for by a commission on affordable housing fits within Nova Scotia's fiscal plan before signing off on the spending.

Late last month, the Nova Scotia affordable housing commission released a report with 17 recommendations, including spending $25 million within 100 days to address urgent affordable housing needs.

According to the commission, that money would help 600 to 900 households most desperately in need of secure, safe places to live.

Geoff MacLellan, the minister responsible for housing, presented the report to his colleagues at a cabinet meeting Thursday.

Following the meeting, Rankin told reporters his government needs more time to scrutinize the report and its numbers.

"I do think we need to invest," he said. "I'm not sure if that's the right number and what impact it has to the fiscal plan. That is part of a suite of recommendations."

The provincial budget is about $12 billion.

'This is normal diligence'

Speaking to reporters, MacLellan downplayed the premier's comments.

"This is normal diligence, it's nothing to be concerned about," he said.

"Obviously, when you're talking about $25 million and recommendations that really are going to establish the housing model for Nova Scotia for a generation, there's required work to be done."

MacLellan called the commission's recommendations prudent and reasonable, and he pledged the report would be acted upon.

"I don't get the sense whatsoever that we're veering anywhere away from that number and there's bad news on the horizon, because that's just not the case or the sense that I received from my colleagues," he said.

"Certainly not from the premier."

Opposition leaders say get on with it

NDP Leader Gary Burrill said if that's the case, the government needs to get on with things.

"The core recommendation of that report was not only $25 million, but that it should be allocated and in place on a front burner, urgent basis and within 100 days," he said.

"So here we are now, about three weeks or so in, and the premier is fudging the issue. I thought it was alarming and concerning."

Tory Leader Tim Houston, likewise, called for fast action from the government.

"The fact that they called for this report, now they have this report, they should take the report seriously," he said.

"To question the recommendation is to question the whole process of the work that's been done."

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