Hogan Deleting Housing Department Signals Housing Not a Priority
- NL NDP
- May 12
- 2 min read
For Immediate Release
May 12, 2025
NL NDP Leader Jim Dinn (St. John’s Centre) appalled that Premier Hogan removed Housing as its own focused department when shuffling cabinet, saying that this move shows that the new Premier does not understand the housing crisis in this province.
Dinn says that dismantling the housing department, leaving just Minister Responsible for the Newfoundland and Labrador Housing Corporation (NLHC) signals that this government thinks their job is done when it comes to housing, which Dinn says is far from the reality.
“In February 2024, then Premier Furey appointed a minister for a newly established separate Department of Housing to elevate the debate of cabinet and give housing even closer attention,” Dinn asked today in the House of Assembly. “I ask the Premier, are we to assume that by reversing that separate status is he signaling that homelessness and affordable housing are no longer priorities for his government?”
Dinn continued, pointing out that the Minister Responsible for NLHC was the Minister for Transportation and Infrastructure when residents at Tent City on the Colonial Building grounds were removed, spending approximately $60,000 of public funds, leaving most with no where to go, and no where to bring their belongings.
“This is the minister who criminalized homelessness by forcibly evicting homeless individuals from the grounds of the Colonial Building and making it illegal to set up tents on government property.” Dinn asked the Premier, “I ask the Premier, why should people in the province have confidence that this minister will now act any differently?”
Dinn said housing is still at a crisis level, highlighting the amount of money government is spending on shelters, rather than investing in non-market, community based housing, or putting in rent controls to help seniors and the middle class deal with skyrocketing costs.
“A recent ATIPP shows that the number of non-profit shelters has increased from 521 in 2019 to 1134 in 2025 and the number of private shelters from 243 to 362. In that same time frame spending on shelters tripled from just over $4M to almost $15M. I ask the Minister, what is his plan to get people into deeply affordable homes and reduce spending on shelters to pre 2019 levels?”
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For further information, contact Stephanie Curran, Media and Communications Officer, NDP Caucus at 330-0328 (o), or stephaniecurran@gov.nl.ca