Minister’s Statement on Extending Deadline for Minimum Planning Regulations in HRM

NOTE: The following is a statement from Colton LeBlanc, Minister of Growth and Development.

The best way to tackle the housing crisis is to build more homes. The government remains deeply committed to that goal, and the work we are doing is making it easier to build and is getting Nova Scotians home, faster.

The government has a housing plan, and it’s working. We’ve invested hundreds of millions of dollars, cut miles of red tape, supported the workforce and reduced costs. We are just getting started and are more than halfway to our goal in the first year with close to 30,000 new units planned that will house tens of thousands of people and families.

The measures we’ve put in place with Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) are working, and the government has made significant progress in speeding up development in our province’s largest city. Housing starts are up over 25 per cent, and HRM issued 6,057 building permits for new residential units in the last year. Additionally, the Executive Panel on Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality actively supported the work within special planning areas to support 25,694 future housing units. These are positive steps in the right direction, but we knew we needed more.

In August 2024, the Province announced changes to Minimum Planning Requirements Regulations for HRM to incentivize even more housing, faster. The deadline for HRM to implement these regulations was originally December 31, 2024. I received a letter from Mayor Andy Fillmore requesting an extension on the implementation of the regulations. The mayor cited the need for more time to effectively implement these regulations, considering a new council was elected. After careful consideration, I granted a short extension. The new deadline for implementing these regulations is now June 30, 2025.

Let me be clear. This will be the one and only extension. It’s incumbent on HRM to ensure planning and projects are moving forward, swiftly. My government understands the urgency, and development in HRM will not stop. Our goal to bring more housing to Nova Scotians, faster, will not change.

My team will remain closely connected to HRM staff and will receive regular reports. I am confident this short extension will give HRM the time they need to bring their newly elected council up to speed and implement regulations that will build more homes, faster.