The Province has identified 37 sites from the provincial land inventory that could be used to build housing, including affordable housing, for thousands of Nova Scotians.

“I made a commitment to Nova Scotians to identify provincial land to create more housing stock and these sites represent a potential future home for thousands of people,” said John Lohr, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “While there is still work that needs to be done on these sites, we know communities across the province need housing and this inventory now gives more options to increase supply.”

Five of the sites are ready for proposals:
— sites 29, 30 and 31 on Tremain Crescent, Windsor, West Hants
— Site 35 on Chapel, Mechanic and Elm streets, Springhill, Cumberland County
— Site 38 including six residential lots, Liverpool, Queens County.

In March, the Province also made a piece of land in downtown Dartmouth available for a mixed-use project that includes affordable housing. Proposals are currently being evaluated by Develop Nova Scotia.

A separate pilot project was announced last year for provincially owned lands at 1 Circassion Drive in Cole Harbour. The Dartmouth Affordable Housing Society was the successful proponent to support the construction of up to 18 new affordable units on that property. Planning is now underway.

The Department continues to work on 31 of the sites to ensure housing suitability. When this work is approved, lands will be made available for proposals.  Each site goes through a due diligence process, including environmental studies, traffic sight line studies and planning analysis, and considers access to services like sidewalks and schools.

Work continues on identifying additional parcels from the provincial land inventory, with future development proposals that include affordable housing given preference.

“I am pleased to see this process identify provincially owned land for housing development throughout the province, including some lots that are part of the Nova Scotia Lands portfolio. This increased supply of land for housing will benefit these three communities and others in the future.”
     – Kim Masland, Minister of Public Works

“On behalf of the Municipality of Cumberland, I want to thank the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs for making provincial lands in Springhill available for housing development. We, like other communities in Nova Scotia, are facing a housing crisis and look forward to working with developers to see new housing opportunities in our municipality.”
     – Murray Scott, Mayor, Municipality of Cumberland

“We are pleased to be selected as the successful proponent for the Circassion Drive property. Our non-profit organization is committed to constructing affordable housing for residents of Dartmouth. The contribution of this site will help to ensure new affordable units remain affordable for the community for generations.”
     – Nick Russell, Executive Director, Dartmouth Non-Profit Housing Society

Quick Facts:
— in his mandate letter, the Minister of Housing and Municipal Affairs was directed to develop a full inventory of lands owned by the Province and identify areas that could be used for housing
— the Municipal Affairs and Housing 2022-23 budget included $900,000 to support the development of an inventory list
— Dartmouth Non-Profit Housing Society is a housing provider based in Dartmouth, providing affordable housing solutions for Nova Scotians since 1982

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

Mandate letter of the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing: https://novascotia.ca/exec_council/letters-2021/ministerial-mandate-letter-2021-MAH-EMO-MR.pdf

News release – New Affordable Housing Opportunity in Downtown Dartmouth: https://novascotia.ca/news/release/?id=20220125001