News release

Amendments to Halifax Regional Municipality Charter Support Quicker Housing Development Approvals

Municipal Affairs and Housing

The government is proposing amendments to the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) Charter to help streamline, improve and shorten the approval process for residential housing developments.

The changes will modernize aspects of the development process, clarify approval processes, remove duplication of public engagement, adjust the timing of some development costs to align with the completion of development, and improve develop agreement authorities.

“The Halifax region needs more housing stock and more affordable units as soon as possible,” said Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Lohr. “By removing unnecessary regulatory barriers and processes, we will help ensure the approval process moves more quickly so we are able to increase the housing supply.”

These proposed changes were brought forward by the HRM Housing Task Force.

Quotes:

“We have been working in partnership with HRM to identify ways to accelerate stalled developments. They have highlighted several challenging legislative and policy areas in which the province has jurisdiction. It only makes sense to modernize the rules that impact their ability to move projects forward.”

– Geoff MacLellan, Chair, HRM Housing Task Force

Quick Facts:

  • the task force was appointed on November 25, 2021, and since December, it has met with 31 developers, industry representatives and community agencies and 41 potential developments have been brought before the panel for consideration
  • the Province designated nine special planning areas last month, allowing the Minister to assume authority for development approvals in those areas
  • a $2.3-million investment was announced recently to enable the municipality to conduct critical environmental, land-use suitability, transportation and infrastructure studies
  • a $22-million investment to create more than 370 affordable housing units in Dartmouth was announced last week
  • in November, a $6.4-million investment was made to build about 200 new affordable rental units in Kentville, Lantz, Halifax and Cole Harbour

Additional Resources:

News release – Province Announces Members of Panel on Housing: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20211125002

Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act:
https://nslegislature.ca/sites/default/files/legc/statutes/housing%20in%20the%20hrm.pdf

A Healthy Nova Scotia: Solutions for Housing and Homelessness: https://beta.novascotia.ca/documents/solutions-housing-and-homelessness/

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