Port Hawkesbury, NS – A housing survey, launched at the end of January in partnership with the Town of Port Hawkesbury and the Cape Breton Partnership, is aimed at addressing the town’s growing and changing housing needs. The survey has sparked strong resident interest and participation with more than 520 respondents to date.

The survey, which had more than 200 responses within the first 24 hours, seeks to engage current and future residents, and will provide valuable data for the Port Hawkesbury Town Council to share with potential investors and developers to inform housing developments in the future.

“Port Hawkesbury is a vibrant, progressive seaside town, located directly on the Strait of Canso’s ice-free deep-water port. We are a major service centre, with several amenities, including: recreation and education facilities, safe active transportation infrastructure – making our town walkable for all ages and abilities, well-connected residential and business zones and a newly revitalized main street,” said Brenda Chisholm-Beaton, Mayor of Port Hawkesbury. “We are a town on the move for many reasons. Not only are we an excellent place to live, we are perfectly positioned for business and industry growth with accessibility to roads, rail, air and port infrastructure. Housing is a major priority for the Port Hawkesbury Town Council and this survey will help inform decision-making around housing developments in the future.”

The survey is open to all current residents and those who may be interested in calling Port Hawkesbury home in the future. The survey asks a number of questions about housing style preferences, senior housing specifications, demographic information and more. The results will provide valuable insight into current housing needs, and will help inform decision making for future public and private housing developments.

“The Cape Breton Partnership’s role is to help foster economic prosperity on the Island, and housing needs and the economy go hand-in-hand,” says Carla Arsenault, President & CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “In order for Cape Breton companies to grow, we need to have adequate housing for workers. The response rate we have seen so far shows that current and future residents see this as an opportunity to not only address housing needs, but to also grow their community and welcome newcomers, which will enable the local economy to thrive.”

Residents are encouraged to fill out the survey and share the survey with any friends or family who are interested in moving to the area in the future by April 21, 2021.

Once the survey closes in April, the Cape Breton Partnership will work with the Town of Port Hawkesbury to compile and analyze the data to share with housing stakeholders, the public, interested developers and investors by late spring to early summer.

The survey is available online, takes approximately nine minutes to complete and is open until April 21, 2021. The online survey is available at www.surveymonkey.com/r/PH-HousingSurvey.  Paper copies are also available to residents at the Town of Port Hawkesbury Civic Centre at 606 Reeves St. Port Hawkesbury, NS.

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Media contact:
Mayor Brenda Chisholm-Beaton
902-302-9371
bchisholmbeaton@townofph.ca

The Town of Port Hawkesbury is located on the southwestern end of Cape Breton Island, on the north shore of the Strait of Canso in Inverness County.  Positioned as the gateway to Cape Breton just minutes from the Canso Causeway, the town acts as a major service centre for the Strait area.

About the Cape Breton Partnership:
The Cape Breton Partnership is Unama’ki – Cape Breton’s private sector-led economic development organization that supports companies and entrepreneurs by promoting our island as a great place to live and invest; growing a culture that values and celebrates creativity, innovation, and entrepreneurship; and connecting entrepreneurs and companies to the resources they need to succeed. For more information, visit https://capebretonpartnership.com.