FREDERICTON (GNB) – The minister responsible for housing says work is advancing on developing a strategy that properly reflects and addresses New Brunswick’s housing challenges.

“We have made much progress in understanding the complex housing needs and available resources across New Brunswick through ongoing meetings, discussions, site visits and jurisdictional scans,” said Service New Brunswick Minister Jill Green. “Over the coming months, we will be bringing housing experts together to discuss issues, identify priorities, share ideas and collaborate on creative solutions.”

Key housing stakeholders will be invited to sessions that include:

·         A virtual housing workshop on Feb. 16 with support from the New Brunswick Real Estate Association.

·         An in-person housing summit in early May.

“Homes are the heart of our social and economic well-being in New Brunswick,” said Jamie Ryan, CEO of the New Brunswick Real Estate Association. “Problems of affordability and availability are not unique to our province, but we believe that the solutions we create must be uniquely ours. We are proud to support the province’s efforts in developing a housing strategy.”

“To ensure we see impactful improvements in housing quickly and over the long term, we need creative solutions and collaborative efforts to move New Brunswick forward and achieve better results for our residents,” said Green. “As part of our efforts, we have recently introduced measures to further support residents with a new housing website and the availability of one-on-one help from a housing navigator.”

The housing website and housing navigator program were announced last month.

Tenants and landlords with questions or concerns regarding a tenancy should continue to call the Residential Tenancies Tribunal at 1-888-762-8600. This includes matters related to a rent increase, termination or eviction notice, security deposit or information on rights and obligations.