Supportive housing key to tackling homelessness in Nova Scotia: report

Michael Kabalen, executive director with the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia, talks about tackling homelessness.

A new report from the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia (AHANS) says supportive housing is key to addressing homelessness in the province.

The Costs of Homelessness in HRM report said the reliance on emergency shelters is unnecessarily expensive and does not tackle the root cause of homelessness. It also notes the correctional and health-care costs associated with homelessness are also high.

“In contrast, supportive housing models that include wraparound services and ongoing engagement have a proven track record of delivering better results for both individuals and public systems,” the report reads. “People experiencing homelessness who are provided appropriate housing with access to health, mental health, and social supports show significant improvements in well-being, reduced use of costly emergency services, and increased community participation.

“They are able to exit the cycle of homelessness, regain control of their lives, and rejoin the broader community.”

In an interview with CTV News Atlantic’s Todd Battis, Michael Kabalen, the executive director of AHANS, said supportive housing can be less costly because it can be customized for an individual’s needs.

“Supportive housing unit per month or per year costs 25 per cent of running a shelter bed or hospital bed,” Kabalen said. “That’s important to understand. Ending homelessness is the right thing to do. We can have better outcomes for our communities and take strain off taxpayers.”

A 2024 point-in-time count found there were at least 1,132 people experiencing homelessness in a single night in the Halifax Regional Municipality alone. The report noted there were roughly 8,267 people on the public housing waitlist in the province as of September 2025.

“It’s going to take a long time to invest in the right kinds of solutions,” Kabalen said. “We’re talking about years and years of thousands of houses built. We need to continue to see those investments year over year.

“A shelter isn’t a home. We invest in shelters as an emergency option. We need to offer people a way out of shelters.”

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