New Regulations Support Infrastructure Planning for Housing, Growth in Halifax Region
New regulations will help move housing projects forward faster in the Halifax region by improving how the Province, Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM), Halifax Water and other partners work together on infrastructure and growth.
“To build more homes, we need to move faster and work better together,” said Housing Minister John White. “These regulations set clear rules for decisions about infrastructure so projects can keep moving.”
The regulations support legislative changes passed in the spring that give the Province more tools to help housing move ahead. The Executive Panel on Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality has helped advance planning for thousands of potential homes, but planning for water, wastewater and other services can still slow construction.
Changes to the Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act included giving the Minister of Housing new order-making authority with HRM and Halifax Water to improve co-ordination of water, wastewater and other infrastructure. The regulations around using that authority are now in place.
The new rules set out what the minister must consider before directing the municipality or utility to build infrastructure or extend services, apply for funding or other actions needed to speed up housing development. Among the criteria and factors to be considered are:
- capacity of water, wastewater and stormwater systems
- public health and safety
- existing municipal plans and infrastructure conditions
- financial considerations
- legal requirements.
HRM urban service area
There were also legislative changes to the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter that give the Minister of Municipal Affairs authority to amend HRM’s urban service area boundary. New regulations now in place set out the factors and criteria the minister must consider before making a change, including whether the change would:
- materially increase housing supply
- support major job growth
- remove barriers to major economic development opportunities
- support Nova Scotia’s population growth objectives.
Under the new rules, changes to the urban service area must be proposed to the minister by the municipality, a provincial department, a Crown agency or another provincial authority. Changing the urban service area would enable planning for potential future development; it would not require the municipality to provide services or guarantee new infrastructure.
“These regulations give us clear guidance around when changes to the urban service areas should be considered,” said Municipal Affairs Minister John A. MacDonald. “They support growth while making sure decisions about services like water and wastewater are made carefully.”
The new regulations were developed with input from other provincial departments, HRM and Halifax Water.
Quick Facts:
- despite significant progress, Nova Scotia continues to face a shortage in housing supply, with the highest concentration of need in HRM
- the executive panel on housing has helped create conditions for more than 60,000 new housing units across 16 special planning areas
Additional Resources:
Regulations under the Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality Act: https://novascotia.ca/just/regulations/regsbyact.htm#hhrmo
Regulations under the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter: https://novascotia.ca/just/regulations/regsbyact.htm#hrmchartero
Executive Panel on Housing in the Halifax Regional Municipality: https://novascotia.ca/housing-panel/
Information on special planning areas is available at: https://www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/regional-community-planning/regional-plan/special-planning-areas