N.S. buys 25 modular homes for residents displaced by wildfires to rent

Nova Scotia says it is purchasing 25 modular homes to be rented out to residents displaced by this season’s multiple wildfires.

Nova Scotia is purchasing 25 modular homes to be rented out to residents displaced by this season’s wildfires.

The province said it will spend $7.4 million on two and three bedroom, furnished modular houses that it will rent out for $1,000 to $2,000 per month.

"These modulars will provide a safe and comfortable space for people who need them as they work through the trauma of losing their home and the stress of possibly rebuilding or repairing,” Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Lohr said Tuesday.

The wildfires in Nova Scotia that started in late May destroyed 150 houses in the Halifax-area and about 60 homes and cottages in Shelburne County.

Renée Hynes, who lost her Tantallon home to the blaze, said she’s excited by the news of the modular housing units — though she’s unsure if she’d like to move into one.

The modular home can be placed on residents’ property while they rebuild, and the province said it is working on identifying land where modular homes can be set up for those that do not have the appropriate space on their property.

Hynes, who is a mother of four, said she likes the idea of being able to return to her property with her children “so that the kids can have the same routine.”