N.S. government failure has made affordability similar in Halifax and Toronto: NDP
Opposition NDP Leader Claudia Chender told a news conference the Progressive Conservative government must act urgently to address the city's high cost of living.
Chender referred to data, first reported by CBC, that said the median percentage of before-tax household income that went to housing and transportation in 2024 was about the same for Toronto and Halifax.
Statistics Canada says households in Halifax spent about 31 per cent or more on housing and transportation, compared to 30 per cent in Toronto.
Chender says that 10 years ago no one would have believed that Halifax could be as unaffordable as Toronto, but now many Haligonians who work full-time still can't afford rent, food or gas.
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Premier Tim Houston's office says cost-of-living issues are a result of more than a decade of under-investment, adding that the province has taken many steps to address housing and affordability issues.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 7, 2025.
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