Bishop, Mary "The Planning, Financing and Construction of Single Dwellings in Colchester County, Nova Scotia"

Canadian housing policy has traditionally sought to encourage home ownership. The primary instrument used to accomplish this goal is the mortgage. However, there are a significant number of single family dwelling starts which are built and financed outside the influence of national housing policy. These "residual" starts comprise a larger proportion of total starts in the Atlantic region than in the rest of the country, yet little was known about the characteristics of this sector of the housing market.

Two studies, conducted in Newfoundland and Prince Edward Island showed that the residual is characterized by high levels of owner construction, low land costs, the use of savings and regular income as sources of financing, is relatively independent of high interest rates and is more common in rural areas than in urban centers.

The objective of this study was to examine the nature of SFD construction in Nova Scotia and to compare the results with those of the other Atlantic provinces. Using building permit records a survey of households who had acquired a new SFD between 1981 and 1983 was conducted in Colchester County, Nova Scotia. The survey identified household and housing characteristics, the nature of the construction process and the way in which households financed their new homes.

Results show that many low income households access homeownership by reducing total construction costs through sweat equity, obtaining land from family and living with relatives during construction. Financing is done by using a variety of sources such as savings, regular income and short term bank loans.

The study recommends changes in national housing policy which would recognize the characteristics of SFD construction in the Atlantic region and a shift in emphasis away from the mortgage instrument.

Atlantic Planners Institute

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This document was last modified on February 15, 2001.