Housing summit to welcome over 160 stakeholders

02 May 2023

FREDERICTON (GNB) – Key stakeholders in the housing sector from across the province will be participating in the second phase of discussions today to share and develop collaborative solutions to improving housing for New Brunswick residents.

“To ensure we see impactful and sustainable improvements in housing, we must work together on a path forward,” said Jill Green, the minister responsible for housing. “The feedback received from our housing workshop, summit and ongoing consultations is vital in helping us understand how we can support the great work being done to address housing challenges throughout our province.”

During the first phase of discussions in February, over 150 participants were invited to share their housing needs and return to the summit in May with creative and collaborative solutions.

“I look forward to participating in today’s discussions and working on solutions together,” said Kit Hickey, executive director of Housing Alternatives Inc. “The minister’s commitment to developing a collaborative, sector-involved housing strategy will ensure a steady path forward.”

To help ensure broad representation of the province’s housing sector, participants were selected from community groups, non-profit organizations, and the public and private sectors. Special attention was taken to ensure representation from urban and rural communities, First Nations, anglophone and francophone communities, tenant groups, homeowners, developers, landlords, students, seniors, newcomers, educational institutions, researchers, housing advocates, the skilled trades and private employers.

“New Brunswick’s communities are enjoying a period of unprecedented growth,” said Kenneth Forrest, director of planning and development for the City of Fredericton. “Finding ways to deliver more housing that is affordable for more people is critical for places like Fredericton. The knowledge and experience gathered at the housing summit will provide practical and meaningful solutions that we can work together to rapidly implement.”

“Finding the right approach to a problem is not always easy or straightforward, especially when there is an urgency to act,” said Green. “I thank those who have provided feedback on the steps we have taken to help alleviate housing pressures on residents. It has allowed me to re-assess our measures and address unintentional gaps.”

The summit will support the creation of a housing strategy expected to be released in June. The strategy will act as a starting point to be updated on a regular basis to reflect the government’s progress in implementing actions and any changes to the province’s housing needs.

Information on provincial housing programs and support is available online or by calling a housing navigator at 1-833-355-3262.

NT5