Home-sharing venture by N.S. reached 60 leases when he initially targeted 500 hosts.
In August 2023, the provincial government of Nova Scotia, under the leadership of Minister LeBlanc, collaborated with a non-profit organisation called Happipad to address the housing shortage. A grant of 15 million Canadian dollars was allocated for this purpose.
The Happipad program operates an online home-sharing platform, partnering with the non-profit to help Nova Scotians find affordable housing. However, the program, which was intended to have 500 active hosts per year, only delivered 60 leases over two years at a cost of $1.35 million. This equates to $22,500 per lease.
Opposition NDP Leader Claudia Chender criticised the Happipad program, labelling it a "boondoggle" and a waste of government money. However, Minister LeBlanc emphasised that 60 Nova Scotians were able to find a safe and affordable place to call home through the program.
Colton LeBlanc, Minister of the Department of Growth and Development, stated that the government would have spent more on building housing for the 60 people who benefited from the Happipad program. Premier Tim Houston expressed that while the results were not as expected, the partnership was a success for the 60 people who found a place to rent through the platform.
The Happipad program was intended to cover service fees for Nova Scotians who register on the app, marketing for the platform, and the hiring of two staff based in the province to provide user support. No specific information was provided about the non-profit organisation Happipad.
No further details were given about the government's plans for the Happipad program moving forward. Meanwhile, the CUSMA review process is underway, and Canadian consumers are buying less, including on credit cards.
In other news, Carney named David Lametti as the new UN ambassador, and Carney heads to Mexico with a strategic partnership agreement on the cards.
Despite the program's shortcomings, the Happipad initiative underscores the ongoing efforts by the Nova Scotia government to address the province's housing crisis.
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