The Nova Scotia government is introducing amendments to Halifax Regional Municipality’s charter to speed up new housing developments. Municipal Affairs and Housing Minister John Lohr said the new regulations aim to remove barriers and create more opportunities for housing in the HRM. The amendments include the following changes to the HRM charter’s minimum planning requirements regulations:
1. Manufactured housing, such as modified shipping containers, will now be permitted in all residential zones.
2. Residential uses will be allowed in most zones, where appropriate.
3. New developments in the “urban service area” will no longer have to meet specific on-site parking requirements.
4. Temporary housing will be permitted to be built in all zones to help employees working on construction sites live near or on the site during their assignment.
The province is also amending the regulations to push the city to introduce a secondary municipal planning strategy for suburban areas by no later than January 31, 2025.
An additional amendment requires the city to adopt a bylaw to allow the implementation of a trusted partner program so qualified developers can fast-track projects. John Lohr highlighted that no deadline has been set for the adoption of this bylaw, recognizing that it will take time to develop the program.
Many of the new regulations stem from a 2022 independent report from Deloitte, which recommended the changes, including the push for a suburban plan and the elimination of minimum parking requirements for new developments. These changes follow the controversial passing of Bill 329 in 2023, which gave John Lohr the power to approve development projects across the entire municipality.
The municipality is preparing a report on the amendments to present to regional council. The city stated that it will be evaluating the resource implications of the regulations to understand and manage any short to medium-term impacts to operations. However, the city also stated that the deadline to deliver a new suburban plan is not feasible in the given timeframe and instead aims to provide an update on the work being done on the plan to demonstrate progress.
Source: CBC.CA