Q&A: New affordable co-op housing units on the horizon in Pictou County

NEW GLASGOW, N.S. — New affordable co-op housing units will become available to Pictou County residents this summer.

With buildings being renovated into co-op apartments in the town of Pictou to be available in July and a second phase of Coady’s Place starting, the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council has been busy.

The first phase of Coady’s Place was transforming the old Tara Inn into 36 affordable housing units in 2022. After the success of that phase, the co-op council expanded and aimed to bring more affordable housing options for residents throughout Pictou County.

Dianne Kelderman, the CEO of Nova Scotia Co-operative Council, took the time to answer some of SaltWire’s questions about the new units.

Q: How would you describe a housing co-op to someone who has never heard of one?

Kelderman: A housing co-operative is a housing unit owned by the co-operative sector. In this case, the Nova Scotia Co-operative Council owns the units. Co-operative housing is usually not for profit and based on the “mission” of providing safe, affordable housing, not on a return on investment or a big bottom line. The project must, however, make business and financial sense as someone has to pay the mortgage and operations.

Q: How are housing co-ops helping the affordability crisis in Nova Scotia and Pictou County?

Kelderman: The Nova Scotia Co-operative Council is committed to being a solution to the unfortunate housing crisis that many currently face. We are buying and renovating units in Pictou, building new homes, such as Coady’s Place Phase Two, and purchasing units to protect the affordable housing stock and the vulnerable people who live there, such as in Truro. When an affordable unit is on the market, the tenants are at risk of being on the street if the units are sold to someone focused only on a return on investment.

Q: I know there are a few co-ops in New Glasgow, and you’re renovating a building in Pictou – what has the response been to the housing co-ops throughout Pictou County?

Kelderman: The response has been overwhelmingly positive from neighbours, municipalities, community agencies, the police, and those in desperate need of a safe, affordable place to live. We now have over 100 units and have had no issues with tenants.

Q: You’re working on phase two of Coady’s Place. What will the end of that phase look like? How much will the units be?

Kelderman: We are building 20 new one, two, and three-bedroom homes; they will be beautiful, new, bright units with balconies, all appliances, laundry facilities, parking and communal space. Our goal in all of our properties is to create a community within a community. This is why a communal space is deliberately in our design, including spaces to gather, BBQs, gazebos, and community gardens to encourage tenants to grow their own vegetables, which they have done at Coady’s Place Phase One. We don’t have the rental amounts confirmed, but most units will be affordable, meaning not more than 30 percent of a person’s or family’s income.

Q: When did phase two of Coady’s place start, and when is it expected to be completed?

Kelderman: We began servicing the lot in December 2023. We expect to be ready for occupancy in July 2024. Coady’s Place Phase One has a waiting list of 87 people, so we know demand will far exceed supply again. So, we will likely consider phase three.

Q: Do you know how much the affordable units in Pictou will go for when they become available in July?

Kelderman: We don’t have the rental amounts confirmed, but most units will be affordable, meaning not more than 30 per cent of a person’s or family’s income.