A recent study by real estate firm Turner Drake & Partners revealed that Nova Scotia is facing the most significant affordability challenges for renters compared to other Canadian provinces. The firm introduced a new tool called the Residential Market Pressure Index to assess housing market conditions nationwide. This index rates each province and the country on a scale of 0 to 100, with higher scores indicating more severe housing affordability issues.
According to Turner Drake, Nova Scotia needs to address its deep-rooted affordability problems to create a more balanced housing market. The index considers four key factors in its assessment: rental affordability, ownership affordability, housing supply efficiency, and demand pressure from population growth.
Although Nova Scotia ranks second overall in the second quarter of 2025, it leads in rental affordability pressure. The third-quarter data provided by Turner Drake to CBC News shows British Columbia at the top, followed by Ontario and then Nova Scotia in the overall rankings. However, Nova Scotia maintains its top position in the rental burden category.
The brainchild behind the index, Jigme Choerab, emphasized the tool’s purpose of offering a comprehensive overview of the housing market for comparison. Choerab clarified that the index aims to identify issues rather than prescribe solutions, leaving it to academics and policymakers to address the challenges highlighted.
Nova Scotia Housing Minister John White declined to comment, while a spokesperson for the Department of Growth and Development acknowledged the findings and highlighted ongoing efforts to increase housing supply in the province. Ren Thomas, an associate professor at Dalhousie University, supported Turner Drake’s findings, stressing the importance of non-market housing solutions to tackle affordability issues effectively.
While Nova Scotia has taken steps to boost public and non-profit housing initiatives, Thomas cautioned that significant growth in the non-market housing sector may take years to alleviate the province’s affordability concerns. The road ahead involves a strategic approach to balance housing supply and demand, especially in the rental market, to ensure long-term affordability for residents.