Nova Scotia & Housing

Nova Scotia Tourism and Hospitality

Nova Scotia economy is strongly supported by the Tourism and Hospitality Industry. With wonderful ocean views, nature trails, museums, arts and culture events, there is truly something for everyone. The peak tourism season in Nova Scotia is from May to Mid-October. This is an important consideration, as the costs for short-term accommodation, childcare, and other support may be more expensive and difficult to gain during this time.

Nova Scotia Housing Situation

Nova Scotia is experiencing a shortage of rental housing, so finding long-term accommodation can be challenging and expensive. It can take up to 4 months or more to secure a place to live for the long term. It is important to know about the housing shortage, because temporary accommodation (hotels, Airbnbs) can be quite expensive and being financially prepared to sustain the cost of living in Nova Scotia is of key importance.

It is of key importance to secure housing prior to moving to your community, because temporary accommodation should only be used as a buffer between lease start dates and end dates because of their expense, temporary timeline, and cost.

Housing Types in Nova Scotia

There can be distinct language and descriptions used to label rental housing throughout Canada and Beyond. In Nova Scotia, there is some specific language you will need to understand helping with your housing search.

Basements: 

Apartments that are below ground level. It is important to check that they’re well insulated, lit and ventilated. There are a variety of styles (bachelor, 1-bedroom, etc) of basement apartments in Nova Scotia.

Ground Level

These apartments are on the street level, not in a basement or on a second or higher story. There are a variety of styles (bachelor, 1-bedroom, etc) of ground level apartments in Nova Scotia.

Bachelor

Bachelor’s apartments are ideal for one person. They have a separate bathroom but the bedroom, kitchen and living room are usually a common area. These are also known as studio apartments.

As you can see, the living space is shared, and the bathroom is private. The square footage of these apartments is usually much smaller than the 1-, 2-, and 3+, bedroom apartments with separate living and bed spaces.

1-, 2- or 3-bedroom apartments

1, 2- or 3-bedroom apartments: They have a separate bathroom and have 1, 2 or 3 separate bedrooms. They might have a separate kitchen and living room, or these might be combined in a common space.