On the first day of the Nova Scotia Legislature, I spoke about the current situation in Ocean Breeze Village:
Madame Speaker, the community known as Ocean Breeze Village in Dartmouth North houses a vibrant array of people - seniors, young families, veterans, people with disabilities, people from the queer community, newcomers, and people of many faiths and cultures. It’s a place where kids can play safely, where neighbours know each other, and where rents have been affordable for the 1,000 or so people who live there. The last couple of years have been extremely stressful for the residents of Ocean Breeze, as the land and apartments there were sold to a new owner who plans to redevelop the area and can’t guarantee affordable housing options after the redevelopment. Late last month, townhouses in Ocean Breeze began to be demolished as the corporate owners of the area began the phased redevelopment. It’s a very sad thing to watch perfectly good housing and a neighbourhood turned into rubble in one part of my community while in other parts, hundreds of people are struggling to find housing, living in tent encampments, hotels, and in shelters. Something’s wrong with the picture. As we begin this session, I hope this government will show some leadership and understanding of the complex and massive investment needed to make sure everyone has a permanent, safe home that they can afford.