Parsons says the provincial government and the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation are responsible for affordable social housing.
Corner Brook Mayor says council is not aware of any problems with people getting permission to build apartments in the city. MHA Gerry Byrne raised the question on Bayfm news saying he would like to meet with developers to ask them why they didn’t apply through an $80 million dollar provincial program to build apartment units. Only 6 will be built in Corner Brook while Deer Lake and Stephenville are getting 20 units each. Mayor Jim Parsons says the reason only one developer applied is because affordable housing projects are not worth it. Parsons says under the program, urban areas did not get a lot of applicants. He says it makes more sense for private builders to be able to charge market rates. Parsons says the provincial government and the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation are responsible for affordable social housing. He says these units on Crestview Avenue need to be repaired or replaced, and they’ve been talking with NLHC about this since 2019. Parsons says these units would do a lot to address the long waitlist of people needing social housing.