Housing shortage in the way of newcomers helping with worker shortage
CBC
To government, newcomers are part of the solution to the country's labour shortage, but settlement support organizations says another shortage, that of housing, stands in the way of that goal.
The Miramichi Regional Multicultural Association issued an advisory this week to newcomers about the housing shortage in the province.
"Available housing is at critically low levels," said the advisory on the organization's website and social media.
"It is strongly recommended that individuals planning to move to Miramichi secure housing arrangements in advance of their arrival."
While both rural and urban areas are grappling with the housing crisis, the problem in Saint John has not reached the point of advising newcomers to commit to a home or apartment before seeing it in person, said Lina Gharbiya, anglophone newcomer settlement lead with the Saint John Newcomers Centre.
She said that's because there are short-term rental properties available where people can stay while they search.
"There is a crisis, but we're not that bad yet," she said. "But my gosh, it's really, really hard for people to find a place, even for locals."
Craig Silliker, executive director of the Miramichi organization, said the advisory was necessary because people were arriving to the town and finding no housing.
"[We've] been increasingly getting phone calls, and people are showing up at our doorstep here at the RMA, and in Miramichi, with no place to live and no permanent accommodations," he told Information Morning Moncton.
The organization's advisory is also aimed at local employers, who are also facing challenges when hiring internationally.
"We've had even employers tell us that they've made job offers to newcomers, but they were unable to come because they were unable to find housing for them," Silliker said.
Last year, the New Brunswick vacancy rate fell from 3.1 per cent to 1.7 per cent. Housing is in short supply, especially affordable housing.
Silliker said all levels of government need to be focused on making sure people wanting to live in New Brunswick have a place to stay.
"We need newcomers here, you know, for a better community, and they need a place to live," he said.
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