Samuel Turpin, a resident of Halifax, struggles to make ends meet despite having a mid-level job at a university and sharing a three-bedroom apartment with roommates. Turpin, 28, expresses frustration at the high cost of living, stating that he cannot afford to rent a one-bedroom apartment in the current market. Concerned about potential eviction for reporting issues, he pays around $1,000 per month in rent and shares a single bathroom with his roommates.
In 2024, a report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives revealed that a Halifax renter needed to earn approximately $27 per hour working full time to afford the average one-bedroom apartment while spending 30% of their income on housing for it to be deemed affordable. Anya Ruparell, who worked a $27-an-hour job, highlighted the financial strain faced by students, emphasizing that even full-time work might not suffice to meet expenses.
Comparing the rental wage to the minimum wage, economist Marc Lee, a co-author of the report, noted that in Halifax, one would almost need to work two full-time minimum-wage jobs to afford a one-bedroom apartment. Although Nova Scotia’s minimum wage increased to $15.70 an hour in April with a future rise to $16.50 on Oct. 1, Lee suggests that raising the minimum wage could improve rental affordability, particularly in cities facing high rental market pressure.
However, Lee also acknowledges that reaching the necessary wage levels solely through minimum wage increases is unlikely. He advocates for government investment in non-market and public housing, drawing parallels to past successful affordable housing initiatives from the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. Additionally, a newer report incorporates Statistics Canada data to estimate the rental wage required to afford vacant units at higher market prices, indicating the substantial hourly earnings needed in Halifax for one and two-bedroom apartments.
