Delayed repairs and inspections are leaving New Brunswick’s public housing units sitting empty longer than they should be.
A new report from the province’s auditor general found the 30-day target between tenants is only met four per cent of the time.
“The average time to prepare a vacant unit for occupancy during our audit period was 140 days, with some taking more than 365 days,” Paul Martin told the legislature on Tuesday.
Martin said that it can have a significant impact on the housing waitlist, which stood at more than 13,000 households as of the end of 2024.
Part of the reason for the delays, his report found, is that required inspections and repairs are not being completed in a timely manner.
Vacancy inspections, which are supposed to be completed within two days, were taking an average of 70 days to be done.
That delay was one of the key drivers that led to the 30-day target to fill vacancies not being met, according to the auditor general.
Martin also noted that more than one-third of work orders submitted during the audit period were not completed on time.
In some instances, according to the report, it took nearly three years to address issues related to pests, plumbing, fire safety and mould.
Urgent orders, to be completed within 24 hours, were noted as taking significantly longer than the target. Only 29 per cent were completed on time.
The report also noted that 85 per cent of units did not meet annual interior inspection requirements.
“The audit found significant areas for improvement in processes and oversight to ensure safe and habitable housing for those most in need,” said Martin.
The auditor general made 16 recommendations to the New Brunswick Housing Corporation.