The Province of Nova Scotia announced on Monday that it will open a Black Communities Housing Technical Centre, staffed by people of African descent, to help improve housing outcomes for the group. The Centre will provide support to groups across Canada, funded through the provincial ($150,000) and federal governments ($500,000 from CMHC’s Co-Investment Fund $50,000 from Community Housing Transformation Centre).
The Province already committed to support the development of a non-profit housing association this spring. But consultations with non-profits and cultural associations for the National Housing Strategy reaffirmed housing discrimination is still a major factor for many groups, including Black and Indigenous peoples, immigrants and refugees. This year’s point-in-time Homeless Count in Halifax found 15% of people experiencing homelessness identified as Black–but they make up just 3.8% of the population. Similarly, 22% of those experiencing homelessness identified as Indigenous, while they make up just 4% of HRM’s population.
The new Centre will build capacity in the non-profit sector, specifically those serving Black communities across the country.
