The Shift Pilots 'Hidden Housing' Project in Halifax and Dartmouth to Convert Vacant Buildings
International human rights organization The Shift is launching a pilot project in Halifax and Dartmouth to identify vacant buildings for affordable housing conversion, while local reports highlight discrepancies in provincial housing targets and community debates over infrastructure redevelopment.
The Shift, an international human rights organization led by Leilani Farha, has initiated a pilot program known as "Hidden Housing" in Halifax and Dartmouth. The project aims to identify vacant or underutilized buildings, such as decommissioned schools and churches, for conversion into affordable housing units. 
Farha, who served as the United Nations special rapporteur on the right to housing from 2014 to 2020, recently published her book Housing Inc.: A Global Takeover and Our Fight for Home and is touring cities through the CBC Massey Lecture series. Research conducted by The Shift indicates that there are approximately 1.34 million vacant homes across Canada and an office building vacancy rate of 18% to 19%. The organization is requesting that the federal government adopt the Hidden Housing program via Build Canada Homes (BCH), a Crown corporation focused on affordable housing.
A key component of the pilot is a feasibility study on the St. James United Church Hall in Dartmouth, assessing its potential conversion into housing for seniors and families. Architects involved in this specific study include Sparrow Architecture Inc., Studio TÆN – Architecture and Urbanism, and Studio Meteora-Spatial Practice. The broader pilot focuses on a study area in Dartmouth within Highway 111, covering District 5, parts of District 3, and parts of District 6. The initiative seeks to address the lack of centralized data on vacant properties, which currently hinders effective municipal planning.
Concurrently, local news reports have highlighted ongoing challenges in the regional housing market. Nova Scotia Premier Tim Houston stated that people need to return to offices to ensure vibrant downtowns, a comment referenced in discussions about converting office spaces to housing. However, data suggests a gap between claimed progress and actual construction. The provincial government's "Action For Housing" plan claims to have enabled conditions for 79,100 new housing units, but only approximately 9,000 were under active construction or completed as of June. A study by Turner Drake predicted a supply gap of 41,200 housing units by 2028 unless the government intervened.
Other local issues include the redevelopment of the Halifax Forum, which currently carries a cost of $120 million. Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore met with representatives from the Halifax Hawks minor hockey association regarding concerns about ice shortages related to the Forum closure. Additionally, political tensions arose when Lunenburg West MLA Becky Druhan questioned Public Works Minister Fred Tilley about private investment for the A. Murray MacKay Bridge repair without tolls. Tilley responded by commenting on Druhan's "angry delivery," a remark labeled as misogynistic by NDP MLA Susan Leblanc.
In other developments, the Debert Diefenbunker, privately owned by Fallout Complex Inc. and run by Jonathan Baha’i, plans to add 50 luxury high-security condos. Prices for these units range from $1.25 million for a 300 square-foot suite to around $2.5 million for a 600 square-foot suite, with annual membership fees between $100,000 and $200,000. Meanwhile, healthcare access remains a concern, with resident Haley Smith reporting waits of up to five years to see a specialist after experiencing prolonged bleeding.