N.S. premier wishes $1.35M home-sharing program had resulted in more than 60 leases

HALIFAX — Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston says he wishes his government’s $1.35 million partnership with home-sharing platform Happipad had resulted in more than just 60 leases over two years.

Responding to reporters questions after a cabinet meeting Thursday, Houston said the program announced in August 2023 was one of many options his government has tried to ease the housing crunch.

“Do I wish the results were better? Of course I do. But we tried it, and the existence of Happipad connected some people with housing. There are probably people who could have been homeless if not for Happipad,” Houston said.

“So do I wish there were more people connected? Of course I do. But we tried it and it worked for some people and we’re done with it now,” he added.

Houston’s government confirmed to The Canadian Press earlier this month that it had terminated the program and considered it to be a success. But opposition parties criticized the low number of leases signed, saying the government had failed to help Nova Scotians find affordable homes.

The initial results from the $1.35 million program indicate it wound up costing more than $22,000 per lease.

When asked if he believes the program was a good use of taxpayer money, the premier said “to the people that got a lease, I’d say it is.”

The non-profit organization called Happipad handled background checks, matched renters with homes, and collected rent. The provincial government has said its funding, at $675,000 annually for two years, allowed the platform to waive user fees. It also paid for the costs of setting up the website and for marketing.

Meanwhile, Nova Scotia’s official Opposition called on the premier to re-establish a department dedicated to housing and appoint a full-time minister to oversee the portfolio.

In a letter sent to the premier early Thursday morning, NDP Leader Claudia Chender criticized Houston’s decision in December to combine the housing and economic development departments to create the Department of Growth and Development.

She also said the province needs a housing minister whose sole focus is making homes affordable, protecting renters and opening paths to home ownership.

“Under your leadership, Nova Scotia is in the midst of an unprecedented housing crisis… One of your first actions taken under your new mandate was to do away with a dedicated Department of Housing, relegating this crucial portfolio under the Department of Growth and Development,” Chender said in the letter.

The NDP leader said seniors who deserve to retire in dignity are struggling to keep up with massive rent hikes and many young people have lost hope of ever owning a home. Her letter also points to Statistics Canada data showing that the cost of living in Halifax for housing and transportation is comparable to that of Toronto.

When asked if he would consider reinstating a dedicated department of housing with a full-time minister appointed to the role, Houston said “there’s a housing minister in this province.”

A spokesperson with the premier’s office confirmed the housing minister he is referring to is in fact Growth and Development Minister Colton LeBlanc, who oversees the housing portfolio.

A spokesperson for LeBlanc’s department said in an emailed statement that housing is one of the government’s top priorities, as is the economy.

“They go hand in hand and that is why we brought both priorities under one roof,” said Chrissy Matheson.

Chender disagrees.

“We have a Minister of Growth and Development who, buried somewhere in his responsibilities, has housing,” she told reporters on Thursday. “And the premier’s assertion that the minister is doing a good job is directly refuted by the facts. What Nova Scotians need from this premier is housing they can afford, and they are not getting that.”

The Department of Growth and Development spokesperson said the province’s commitment to housing is evident in the “hundreds of millions of dollars in generational investment we’ve been making, the thousands of people and families we got into homes faster, and the work underway to build new public housing for the first time in decades.”

Matheson also said the number of new housing construction projects had increased 38 per cent year-over-year, with vacancy rates rising above two per cent for the first time in years. She said these numbers indicate the market is stabilizing.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 10, 2025.

Lyndsay Armstrong, The Canadian Press