Dieppe (October 26, 2020) – With the cold winter months fast approaching, Liberal Social Development critic Robert Gauvin is pressuring government to take action on the housing and rent problems in the province.

“The cost of rent is rapidly increasing in the province, and more and more people are finding themselves unable to afford these high prices.” Says Gauvin. “The affordable housing agreement between the Province and the Federal government signed in 2018 has stalled because the Higgs government refuses to take action.”

In 2018, the previous Liberal government signed a 10-year housing agreement with the Federal government to address the serious problem of affordable housing in the province. Under the National Housing Strategy, the $300 million cost-sharing agreement is to support the protection, renewal and expansion of social and community housing. It also provides support directly to families and individuals in need through the design and implementation of a Canada Housing Benefit.

“We are almost at the end of October and the nights are starting to get really cold. There needs to be investment from the Higgs government to ensure that all New Brunswickers have a roof over their heads this winter,” says Gauvin.

In addition to investing in the creation of additional affordable housing, Mr. Gauvin is encouraging Premier Higgs and his Minister of Social Development Bruce Fitch to close the gap for fixed income earners.

“People living on a fixed income have no way of earning extra money to pay for these rent hikes and with the very low vacancy rates in the province, it’s extremely challenging to find a new space in their price range,” says Robert Gauvin. “We can’t abandon our citizens like this. Government needs to close the gap between what people on a fixed income are earning and what they need to pay their rent.”