Nova Scotia NDP leader says party is election ready, announces housing plan

HALIFAX – Nova Scotia's NDP leader set her sights on the next provincial election as she announced a program to reduce housing costs during a rousing campaign speech at the party's annual convention in Halifax.

Claudia Chender told reporters later on Saturday that her proposal could be seen as a key building block in her party's manifesto ahead of parliamentary elections, which could take place no later than July 15 next year.

“Absolutely, I think we know that housing is one of the biggest issues we face in this province,” Chender said. “What you heard today, along with other proposals we made, was the backbone of how an NDP government plans to address this issue.”

The NDP's proposal would prioritize the use of manufactured housing to expand the public housing stock. It would also increase the down payment on a home loan from five to 10 percent of the purchase price, while extending the repayment period from 10 to 25 years under an existing provincial assistance program.

The party would also introduce rent control and give a tax credit to renters from low- and middle-income households.

“We can begin to address so many of our province's problems by tackling the housing crisis head-on,” Chender told a cheering crowd of more than 200 party delegates at a downtown Halifax hotel.

Chender told the gathering that the New Democrats are ready to hold an election whenever it is called by the ruling Progressive Conservatives.

“I’m here to tell you the NDP is on the rise. We have set fundraising records for our party, we are hiring organizers and engaging incredible candidates,” the leader said.

The New Democrats currently hold six seats in the 55-seat legislature and are preparing for a May 21 byelection in rural Pictou West.

Chender said the NDP had a strong candidate in the campaign, but she did not view the result as a barometer for its rural recovery efforts, as the byelection was called shortly after the surprise resignation of Speaker of Parliament Karla MacFarlane last month .

She told reporters that the hasty call put opposition parties at a disadvantage in a race that MacFarlane had held since 2013 and which he won handily in 2021.

“Karla MacFarlane was elected with 64 percent (of the vote) in the last election,” Chender said. “But I think we are absolutely confident that we can win, not just Pictou West but other seats in that area, whether in a by-election or in the general election.”

After being elected leader in June 2022, Chender said her party needed to focus on making “real progress” outside the major urban centers of Halifax and Sydney, NS, where she currently holds seats.

“We continue to build,” Chender said. “We are expanding our base and working on our ground campaign and are excited about the opportunity.”

The NDP, which has not been in government in Nova Scotia since 2013, finished third in the last two provincial elections.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published May 4, 2024.

Keith Doucette, The Canadian Press