New Programs to Enhance Affordable Housing, Support Climate Change Goals

The Province is investing $21.9 million in a suite of new and expanded sustainable development and energy efficiency programs that will support net-zero construction and the affordable housing sector.

In collaboration with EfficiencyOne and other key partners, the Province is introducing two major programs – and strengthening two others – to help build affordable, green housing.

“The buildings we plan, design and construct today will shape our future. To meet our efficiency goals and increase the housing supply, we are building affordable, accessible, comfortable homes for Nova Scotians today and in the future. As we work towards our net-zero targets, we must prepare the building sector,” said John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “These investments will help us build more energy-efficient buildings, increasing the supply of homes for people who need them, and contribute to protecting our environment for generations to come.”

The new programs are:

• the Affordable Rental Construction pilot (ARC), which will provide financial incentives to private and non-profit developers to build new net-zero or net-zero ready affordable housing. It aims to improve the financial viability of net-zero ready housing projects, reduce the operation and maintenance costs, and increase building quality and resilience.

• the New Home Research Project, to be launched by EfficiencyOne. It will offer energy efficiency evaluations, at no charge, for new homes built outside of Halifax Regional Municipality. The program will work with builders to collect data on building energy efficient homes, and builders will receive education to help them improve their work.

The Province is also:

• topping up EfficiencyOne’s existing Affordable Multifamily Housing Program, which funds affordable housing providers’ energy efficiency improvements, including windows, insulation and heating. As part of the program, housing providers must commit to long-term affordable rent.

• funding the Building to Zero Exchange initiative to deliver training on the 2020 National Building Code of Canada. This training will empower the building sector to retrofit and construct net-zero buildings, supporting the Province’s goal of reaching net-zero emissions by 2050.

These programs underscore the Province’s ongoing efforts to address the housing crisis while fulfilling commitments related to housing under Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth. The construction of affordable net-zero or net-zero ready residential buildings will ensure more Nova Scotians can benefit from sustainable, affordable housing options.

Quotes:

“Moving to more energy-efficient buildings is just one of the many actions propelling us toward our ambitious goal of reaching net zero by 2050. Bolstering our building sector’s ability to build green will help us reduce emissions and reach our goals.”
— Tory Rushton, Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables

“With these investments, the Province is taking important action to address climate change while supporting the affordable housing sector. We have established the most ambitious legislated greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets in the country – 53 per cent below 2005 levels by 2030. Working toward net-zero construction with programs like these will not only help us achieve our 2030 reduction target, but allow us to meet our ultimate goal of net-zero emissions by 2050.”
— Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change

“These new programs will support the building sector to help ensure even more Nova Scotians have access to affordable, energy-efficient homes. We recognize how important it is to help even more Nova Scotia residents keep money in their pockets at a time when it is needed most, while helping move the province closer to its climate change goals.”
— Stephen MacDonald, President and CEO, EfficiencyOne

“We are thrilled to receive this significant funding from the Province to launch our training strategy for the Nova Scotia building sector. This initiative will mobilize leadership in the green building space, build workforce skills to include climate considerations across the industry, and inspire the development of more net-zero new builds and building retrofits. With the training and industry support, Nova Scotia can make significant progress towards our net-zero targets for the building sector.”
— Taylor Owen, Director, Building to Zero Exchange

Quick Facts:

• the Province is investing $6.39 million in the ARC pilot; $600,000 in the New Home Research Project; $13.49 million in the Affordable Multifamily Housing Program; and $1.5 million in Building to Zero Exchange’s training program
• applicants to ARC need to be part of the Affordable Housing Development Program
• approved ARC projects will receive a funding commitment from Efficiency Nova Scotia based on the whole building energy model of the final design
• energy-efficient buildings use less energy, through features including extra insulation and high-performance windows; net-zero ready buildings are designed and built to be able to run off renewable energy, with no emissions
• Nova Scotia is adopting the 2020 National Building Codes, which will provide guidance on enhancing the accessibility and energy efficiency of buildings, starting on April 1, 2025; the new national codes use a tiered system and will be phased in over four years

Additional Resources:

The Province’s five-year housing plan – Our Homes, Action for Housing: https://novascotia.ca/action-for-housing/docs/strategic-plan-action-for-housing.pdf

Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth: https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/ns-climate-change-plan.pdf

News release – Province to Adopt 2020 National Building Codes: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2024/09/20/province-adopt-2020-national-building-codes

Mandate letter for the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-MAH-EMO-MR.pdf

Mandate letter for the Minister of Natural Resources and Renewables: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-NRR.pdf

Mandate letter for the Minister of Environment and Climate Change: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-ECC-TPB.pdf

National Building Code of Canada 2020: https://nrc.canada.ca/en/certifications-evaluations-standards/codes-canada/codes-canada-publications/national-building-code-canada-2020

EfficiencyOne: https://www.efficiencyns.ca/

Building to Zero Exchange: https://www.buildingtozero.ca/

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