ANTIGONISH: An affordable housing project got a boost from Antigonish County.
The Antigonish Affordable Housing Society is looking at establishing a 15-unit building near the Antigonish Education Centre and St. Andrew’s Junior School.
During the regular meeting on December 17, council for the Municipality of the County of Antigonish approved $100,000 in funding for the project, contingent on the society receiving funding from other sources and that the project goes to tender.
Warden Owen McCarron called the project a good initiative, noting the county supported Riverside Estates, a previous project completed by the society.
“[Riverside Estates] was a true success from the start,” said McCarron. “We just felt it’s the right thing to do. There is obviously lots of need when it comes to housing. The determinants of health will tell you it starts with good housing as a beginning.
“Our council felt it was an important step to make to show that we truly do value housing and projects like this,” he noted.
Antigonish Town Council offered similar funding with similar conditions. When town council made the announcement, Mayor Laurie Boucher said she was approached a number of times at a recent Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities regarding the society’s work and how it can be duplicated elsewhere.