Minister Designates New Special Planning Areas, Approves Development Agreement

Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Lohr has designated four new special planning areas in Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) to support development of more than 23,000 residential units and 380 long-term care rooms.

“There is a tremendous need for housing in Halifax and surrounding areas,” said Minister Lohr. “We’re a significant way through the planning and development process with many of our initial special planning areas, and we’re seeing the results. Designation is removing red tape and speeding up development. The process is working, and these new designations will bring more housing, including long-term care rooms, to Nova Scotians, faster.”

The new special planning areas are:

• Westphal urban reserve lands, Dartmouth – up to 18,000 units, plus 96 long-term care rooms
• 1226 Cole Harbour Rd., Cole Harbour – more than 511 units, plus 144 long-term care rooms
• 1109 Fall River Rd., Fall River (Opportunity Site B) – 316 units, plus 144 long-term care rooms
• Paper Mill Lake, Bedford – up to 4,714 units, including 214 units in Phase 1.

The Minister has also approved a recommendation by the Executive Panel on Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality to issue a development agreement to Perry Lake Developments Inc. for 120 units off Ingram Drive in Fall River (Opportunity Site C).

Amendments to the development agreement for the Southdale-Mount Hope special planning area were also approved to allow the project to progress as planned, with no impact from changes to the federal Housing Accelerator Fund.

Maps of the special planning areas are available at: https://novascotia.ca/housing-panel/

Quotes:

“The designation of the sites where modern, new long-term care homes will be built as special planning areas supports our government’s multi-year plan to expand and increase long-term care in Nova Scotia. These new homes will provide single rooms with private washrooms for more than 380 seniors and help us meet the growing need for long-term care into the future.”
— Barbara Adams, Minister of Seniors and Long-Term Care

“Through community engagement sessions, Akoma Holdings Inc. has heard many times that building the land for the prosperity of Black Nova Scotians is of the utmost importance. This designation as a special planning area will help us not only build housing, but create more spaces for intergenerational health and wellness, and spaces to support Black entrepreneurs.”
— Jason Jackson, Vice-President, Board of Directors, Akoma

Quick Facts:

• special planning area designations allow the Minister to assume authority for development approvals within the areas outlined in the Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act
• projects are subject to required permits, fees and regulatory requirements as specified in the Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act
• designation removes barriers and can save four or more months in municipal planning time
• the Minister previously designated 11 other special planning areas in HRM

Additional Resources:

Regulations under the Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act (orders issued by the Minister): https://novascotia.ca/just/regulations/rxaa-l.htm

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

Executive Panel on Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality: https://novascotia.ca/housing-panel/

Descriptions of special planning area projects and updates: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/regional-community-planning/regional-plan/special-planning-areas

The Province’s five-year housing plan – Our Homes, Action for Housing: https://novascotia.ca/action-for-housing/

HRM Regional Plan: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/regional-community-planning/regional-plan