Houses on a street

Press Release
(For immediate release)

Little Brook, NS – August 4, 2021: In an effort to address the housing challenges in the region, the Municipality of the District of Clare with the input of key community stakeholders has released its Housing Action Plan.

One of the first municipal-level and municipally organized housing assessments and roadmaps conducted in Nova Scotia in recent decades, the study underlines the need for more safe and affordable housing options for its residents, be they seniors, young professionals, or modest to low-income families. The Housing Action Plan, prepared by SHS Consulting, also indicates that current housing challenges are impeding the private sector’s employee recruitment and retention efforts.

Stéphane Cyr, Chief Administrative Officer for the Municipality of Clare, indicates, “The Municipality of Clare is not exempt from the housing difficulties that have affected many communities in Nova Scotia. With this plan we aim to find housing solutions that are forward-thinking, to build community resiliency, to work with the community to understand the unique needs they have and to form strong partnerships with employers to meet short- and long-term needs.”

The study identifies strategic action items to address the housing challenges in Clare, which include providing surplus municipal land at an affordable cost for housing—including workforce accommodation, increasing the number of daycare spots in Clare, establishing a housing development committee composed of major employers and municipal staff and identifying opportunities for all levels of government to contribute to affordable housing projects in Clare.

The Municipality is already moving forward with some of these items. It is currently working with management for the Villa Acadienne long-term care facility to identify options for the current building once residents and staff move into the new construction. It is preparing to receive proposals for the sites of two elementary schools once the Conseil scolaire acadien provincial completes the construction of a new elementary school in Clare. The Municipality is also in the process of creating a land bank for future real estate development projects.

Pam Doucet, the Municipality of Clare’s Director of Community Development, notes, “One of the primary issues facing the Municipality is that the current housing does not meet the needs of the population. Most housing options in Clare consist of large, hard to heat houses, which are a struggle for smaller and low-income households to maintain. The increase in smaller households indicates that there is a need for smaller sized homes with more affordable utility costs.”

Supplementing the technical work performed by the consulting team, a Standing Committee of local residents, business owners, municipal staff and a political representative was formed to provide insight into local issues and rapid feedback on the findings of the project team.

André LeBlanc, Manager of Business Development and Entrepreneurship Services at the Conseil de développement économique de la Nouvelle-Écosse, underlines, “The opportunity to develop a Housing Action Plan is coming at the right time, amidst Provincial and National shifts in employment, an upsurge in participation in immigration-led hiring strategies and a global pandemic that has increased the instances of tele-commuting and working remotely. We hope this report will address current housing gaps in Clare and will encourage residents to move to and stay in our community.”

Those interested in consulting the Municipality of Clare’s Housing Action Plan can visit the municipal website at www.clarenovascotia.com. The Plan may also be consulted from Monday to Friday between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the municipal office at 1185 Highway 1, Little Brook. 

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Settled in 1768 and incorporated in 1879, the Municipality of Clare is located at the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia with approximately 8,000 residents. The Municipality of Clare is the only municipality in the province that conducts business and offers services in both official languages, French and English.

Media Contact / Interviews:

Stéphane Cyr
Chief Administrative Officer
Municipality of Clare
902-769-2031
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Pam Doucet
Director of Community Development
Municipality of Clare
902-769-2031
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.