BILL NO. 50

(as introduced)

1st Session, 65th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
3 Charles III, 2025

 

Private Member's Public Bill

 

Rent Supplement Eligibility and Benefit Act

 

The Honourable Derek Mombourquette
Sydney–Membertou

First Reading: February 27, 2025

Second Reading:

Third Reading:

 

An Act to Reduce the Eligibility Threshold for
the Canada-Nova Scotia Targeted Housing
Benefit Rent Supplement Program
and Increase the Maximum Benefit

Be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:

1 This Act may be cited as the Rent Supplement Eligibility and Benefit Act.

2 In this Act, "program" means the Canada-Nova Scotia Targeted Housing Benefit Rent Supplement Program.

3 Subject to Section 4, the Minister of Growth and Development shall

(a) reduce the eligibility threshold for the program such that a person is eligible if the person spends at least 30% of the person's pre-tax income on the average market rate for the area in which the person lives and the size of the person's household; and

(b) increase the maximum benefit payable under the program to the amount calculated by taking the actual rent paid by the renter, to a maximum of 120% of the average market rent in the location of the rental unit, and subtracting 30% of the renter's pre-tax household income.

3 The Minister of Growth and Development may not increase the eligibility threshold for the program or adjust the maximum benefit payable under the program without the House of Assembly first passing a resolution approving the increase.

4 The money required for the purpose of this Act must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.

 

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