Nova Scotia Approves Four Halifax Development Agreements, Sparking Debate Over Sandy Lake Site Work
Nova Scotia Housing Minister John White approved four development agreements in Halifax Special Planning Areas during October. The most contentious permits early site clearing and blasting at the Sandy Lake site in Bedford before housing plans are finalized, drawing criticism from environmental advocates and raising concerns about infrastructure costs and local authority.
Nova Scotia Housing Minister John White approved four development agreements recommended by the executive housing panel in special planning areas (SPAs) through October. The approvals cover high-density residential projects across the Halifax region, but one agreement allowing early site work at the Sandy Lake site in Bedford has drawn significant scrutiny.
The Sandy Lake agreement permits early site work, including blasting and tree-clearing, on approximately 48 hectares at the southern portion of the site. It does not yet permit housing construction. The broader Sandy Lake development is planned by Clayton Developments to include a 6,400-unit neighbourhood, though the layout and details have not been finalized. Housing Minister John White stated that no single house is approved in the interim Sandy Lake agreement and that the work is necessary to prepare for future housing and infrastructure improvements.
Environmental advocates have pushed back against the decision. Karen McKendry from the Ecology Action Centre criticized the approval as doing things in the "opposite order," noting there are 24 wetlands on the Sandy Lake site. Early studies suggest Halifax could pay approximately $131 million in infrastructure costs to support the Sandy Lake development, with another $83 million in shared costs with developers. To address these needs, the housing panel has directed $2.3 million toward a study on future infrastructure requirements such as water, sewer, and roads in areas like Sandy Lake. Additionally, a connector linking Hammonds Plains Road to Highway 101 in Lower Sackville is undergoing environmental assessment and is projected to open in 2031.
The other three agreements approved in October involve substantial residential additions. An SPA agreement in Fall River approved 352 apartment units across two five-storey buildings and 86 townhomes by Vision 7 Developments. About 78 per cent of respondents opposed the Fall River project due to concerns about building scale, environment, and traffic.
Another agreement for Bedford West 10 allows a nine-storey building with 98 units and five single-unit homes. Councillor Kathryn Morse expressed concern that the Bedford West 10 development will stress Kearney Lake and argued the process undermines local democracy.
The fourth agreement added 483 units to the Penhorn lands SPA in Dartmouth, bringing the total to 1,388 units and increasing maximum building heights to 26 storeys.
There are currently 16 special planning areas in the Halifax region controlled by the province, with construction begun in 10 of them. As of June, only 536 of 63,000 planned units in SPAs were completed, though more than 10,000 units are under construction.