N.B. non-profit housing in peril as advocates await provincial strategy

As many as three out of every four non-profit housing units in the province are at risk, according to the New Brunswick Non-Profit Housing Association.

While Ottawa is about to start funnelling tens of millions in funds for affordable housing to New Brunswick, the province is still working on its plan.

George Cormier, the association's executive director, said 76 per cent of the 6,000 non-profit housing units in New Brunswick desperately need attention, in one way or another.

"It could be either cash-flow issues that are going to happen or not enough replacement reserves to maintain buildings, but that's a very high number, and it's very concerning," said Cormier.

$30 million per year on its way

New funding from Ottawa could help. A federal affordable housing initiative will see $30 million per year sent to New Brunswick for 10 years to help with the problem.

But with funds ready to flow in April, the provincial strategy on affordable housing still isn't ready.

"We just want to make sure that all the details are clear and that we fully understand what we need to put into our provincial housing strategy," said Dominic Aubé​, manager of housing and homelessness with the province.

It's frustrating for affordable housing advocates who have been waiting more than a year for that strategy.

According to Joan Kingston, chair of Fredericton's Community Action Group on Homelessness, there doesn't seem to much happening.

'We haven't seen as much action as we would like'

"We haven't seen as much action as we would like to," she said. "And so I guess we're still waiting."

The province announced it would come up with a new housing strategy in the fall of 2017. Aubé​ said there is still no word on when it will be ready or released.

Meanwhile, the problem in New Brunswick grows.

Affordable housing equates to paying 30 per cent or less of disposable income on housing.

"Right now 30,000 households in New Brunswick are paying more than 30 per cent for their housing," Cormier said.

It is a particular problem for seniors, he added.

"We've got a 2,000 seniors that are living alone and are actually paying more than 50 per cent of their disposable income on housing. Now that generates other problems, like if you're spending that much on housing, where are you going to cut?"