The Government of Nova Scotia has purchased a hotel to accommodate healthcare workers assigned to work in the South Shore of the province.

This step aims to help alleviate the housing shortage and will see the conversion of the former Wheelhouse motel in Lunenburg, NS, into mixed-income housing.

The investment in the first phase of the project is $4.7 million, including $1.5 million for the property acquisition, $1.4 million for renovations, and $1.8 million for six independent homes.

The site is expected to include up to 12 one-bedroom units, as well as six independent homes suitable for families, with rent adjusted based on income.

Nova Scotia stated that healthcare workers will be given priority for renting the units, followed by skilled professionals.

The province has also identified the South Shore as an area in dire need of housing for healthcare workers, along with the communities of Sydney, Gosport, Antigonish, Inverness, Colchester, and Cumberland.

Health Minister Michelle Thompson said in a press release: "We need more professionals for our healthcare system, and that means attracting people from all over Canada and around the world to our province." "The availability of housing in areas outside the Halifax Regional Municipality is essential for attracting and retaining the much-needed staff here."

Officials said the Lunenburg site is in the design phase, and contractors and other suppliers have yet to be selected.