N.S. non-profit hopes post-secondary students will contribute to off-campus housing fund

A Nova Scotia non-profit is pitching a provincewide plan with hopes to raise millions toward off-campus housing for, and supported by, university and college students. 

Mitchell Archibald, the executive director of Student Housing Nova Scotia, said the organization hopes to expand its housing stock through the Developing Affordable Student Housing Fund. The student housing development, operations and advocacy group owns 11 units close to Acadia University in Wolfville, N.S. 

"The barrier for us is the capital required to start projects or to purchase existing properties," Archibald said in an interview. "Any additional funding is something we're able to use to accelerate projects at a faster pace." 

Archibald said the next step is to get university and college students on side to contribute $5 each semester toward the initiative. He said campuses across the province will decide to join the fund through referendums. 

"It's less than the cost of lunch, but to be able to create a long-term affordable future for students," Archibald said, adding the fund has potential to generate $12 million annually. 

The Developing Affordable Student Housing Fund is based on a model used by Montreal-based Utile.

Maxime Pelletier, assistant director of government affairs, said the non-profit has 600 units, and expects 3,000 units to be complete by 2028. He said the units are rented below market rate and benefit more than just the students who live in them. 

"We increase the rents as little as possible in order to maintain the buildings in an adequate way," Pelletier said. "The students who come and live in our affordable apartments, they free up apartments for other renters, including families."

Prajwal Shetty, chair of Students Nova Scotia, said it is an "extremely exciting" idea. He said the cost of housing is layered on top of other affordability challenges, and students are being pushed out of receiving an education. 

"Tuition prices are almost 35 per cent higher than the national average. Grocery prices are incredibly expensive … student financial assistance by the province has not gone up since 2017," Shetty said in an interview. 

"All of these things should not be a barrier when it comes to seeking an education."

Shetty said closing the fixed-term lease loop hole would also benefit students. 

The provincial Department of Advanced Education declined an interview with CBC News.

"We understand students are seeking affordable and high-quality education," the department said in a statement.

"This year, Nova Scotia updated the formula for calculating student assistance to align with the federal government's student financial assistance program. The new formula considers basic living expenses to better reflect current housing and living costs for students." 

During the provincial election, Premier Tim Houston repeatedly pointed to two residences built on NSCC campuses and five more in progress.

In February, the province also imposed conditions as part of university funding agreements that include working toward on-campus housing for 15 per cent of students.

Dalhousie University and Cape Breton University fall below that threshold. Both will have to submit evidence of an application for a development permit with their respective municipalities by Feb. 15, according to the department. 

In the meantime, Archibald said 10 per cent of funds raised will be used to support students through bursaries and financial aid. And when units are built, he said they'll be below market rent. 

"I think students know now that when you're going into debt to go to school, there really is nothing that's affordable, right? So how do we make it more affordable than what's out there now?" Archibald said.