The Haligonians spend a third of their net revenues in housing and transport, almost as long as Toronto, according to the Housing and Transport Coatal Coin Costs.
Half of Halifax households spent 31 %of their before tax revenues to find accommodation and move in 2024, more than Toronto (30 %), Montreal (27 %) and Ottawa (25 %).
In addition, Nova Scotia is the sixth province where the cost of housing compared to net income is the highest.
If we take into account the cost of transport, Nova Scotia even goes up in fourth place, according to Statistics Canada, which notes, however, that moving costs more in small cities.
Loss of attractiveness
Montrealer Rachel Sunter left Halifax in 2023 in part because of the increase in rents and the price of houses. She notes that rents are lower in Montreal. On the other hand, the costs related to the purchase of a car are more important.
The real estate agent Chris Melnyk Calculated that the purchase price of accommodation in Halifax doubled between 2019 and 2022, which discourages people outside Nova Scotia from coming to settle in the Atlantic metropolis.
The real estate agent Chris Melnyk says that people give up moving to Halifax due to the high cost of living.
Photo: Radio-canada / jeorge sadi
In addition, according to Statistics Canada, the price of unleaded petrol is more important in Halifax than in Toronto. Last May, he was $ 1.41 in Halifax against $ 1.36 in Toronto.
However, at the same time, wages in Nova Scotia are among the lowest in Canada.
Income does not follow
Because prices increased less quickly in 2024 than in 2022 and 2023, employers are now not inclined to renegotiate wages, notes Annie Boilard, president of the Annie HR network, specialized in organizational development and training.
Annie Boilard, a specialist in human resources, warns that employers are not in a hurry to increase wages.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Yannick Cournoyer
There is the workforce available. Companies are not in a race for talent as they were in 2022 and 2023 when we were at the peak of the shortage of labor labor
she said.
Loyers are increasing, employees can no longer and there is an incomprehension that settles.
In addition, if non -unionized employees can hope for a rapid gesture of their employer, those who depend on a collective agreement must be patient, according to her.
At the next cycle of negotiations, they will be able to put this back on the table, but water will have flowed under the bridges
she warns.
A slow transition
For Annie Boilard, the labor market in Halifax experiences a transition period during which a large number of employees are looking for a better paid position while employers are still hesitating to offer more attractive wages.
According to Statistics Canada, the rent requested for a two -room apartment in Halifax was $ 2230 in the first quarter of 2025.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Robert Short
Possibly that there were positions that were enticing and interesting at the time, but that now because the rent is too expensive, the place where they are located in the city, the nature of the work, will lose interest
she explains.
Government responsibility
For the director of the Canadian Center for Alternative Policy in Nova Scotia, Christine Saulnier, the current average salary of $ 25 is insufficient.
For Christine Saulnier, the provincial government must intervene.
Photo : Radio-Canada / Jonathan Villeneuve
She believes that a neo-Scottish needs $ 28.30 per hour to live.
At least 50 % of people who work do not earn the vital salary.
Regarding accommodation, It is really the government’s responsibility to build and invest in the rental market outside the private market as well as to set up effective policies to control rents and protect apartments that exist
she said.
The annual increase in rents is capped at 5 % in Nova Scotia, but there are exceptions.
With information from Andrew Lam, CBCand the program The New Year
