HALIFAX – With a deadline looming for a provincial NDP government to fund housing and other services, Premier Darrell Dexter said his government is taking the same approach.

Dexter told reporters in Halifax on Friday the NDP government will raise $12 million this fiscal year to provide a housing fund to assist low-income families.

"We've got a number of initiatives we're putting forward, we'll let the market decide whether to raise it. If not, we're not raising it," Dexter said.

The Liberals are expected to ask the legislature for $15 million more in 2016-17 to help make up for $5 million in 2015-16.

Dexter did not say when the province will introduce legislation to increase funding.

"We have to be careful. We can't wait until we're in opposition and then throw away our first election promise," Dexter said. "I'm going to take the same approach with our government."

Dexter said he has been briefed on the housing situation in the province and the federal Liberals "would like to see more action."

"I'm going to continue to engage them, but they're a long way from us," Dexter said. "We're going to do what we have to do."

He said the government will also review housing needs in the next few months.