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New Brunswicker’s need and deserve an adequate supply and selection of safe, diverse,
affordable housing to meet the needs of our residents. We need a Residential Tenancies Act and
dispute resolution system that is fair, accessible, effective, and timely. We need inspectors, and
we need enforcement.
New Brunswick doesn’t need another costly, bloated, ineffective Crown Corporation with
unclear goals or outcomes and little oversight. We don’t need another 15 jobs and an expensive,
overpaid board of directors, senior leaders, and support teams.
We need action. We need solutions.
People’s Alliance has grown increasingly frustrated and tired of the can being kicked further
down the road with many excuses and no one taking ownership while our people suffer. That’s
why we are so disappointed with Government’s announcement on Thursday, March 2.
It’s true that housing is a multi-faceted issue and that there is no one-size fits all solution.
Instead, there are many different moving parts that, when put together correctly, function as one
effective machine.
Let’s look at only a very few of the tools we could and should be using:
- Supply (new development, renovated, repurposed)
- Provincial/Municipal incentives for developers
- Diversity (single occupant, family, student, empty nester, adult living, family-friendly,
high-end, mid-range, low-income) - Government-owned social housing
- Government-supported subsidized housing
- Non-profit housing
- Cooperative housing
- Existing Tenant Protections (increase capped)
- Newcomer and worker planning and anticipation
- Complete overhaul of Rentalsman Office
We don’t need a new Crown Corporation to manage our current departments; we need those
departments to do their jobs! At last count, New Brunswick had a waiting list of over 8000 for
social housing units, with over 200 units offline. Someone dropped the ball somewhere there.
Please, stop playing games. Stop studying the study of the study that was done. Stop
rearranging the pieces on the board to make them look better.
It’s time to act. People need help.