Nova Scotia Amends Halifax Planning Rules to Boost Housing and Mass Timber Construction
On October 28, 2026, Nova Scotia announced amendments to the Minimum Planning Requirement Regulations under the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter. The changes strengthen residential zoning allowances, remove barriers to mass timber buildings up to 12 storeys, and set deadlines for HRM to update planning documents.
On October 28, 2026, the province of Nova Scotia announced it will amend the Minimum Planning Requirement Regulations under the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) Charter to support housing development in Halifax.
Minister of Housing John White stated that the changes help build more housing and support new building approaches like mass timber. The amendments strengthen an existing rule allowing residential housing in all zones unless specifically excluded.
Under the new requirements, HRM must remove certain design requirements that act as barriers to building mass timber residential buildings up to 12 storeys using modern methods. This change is intended to make it easier to use new building approaches and remove barriers to housing growth.
Additional changes require HRM to update its planning documents by June 30, 2027. These updates must remove restrictions on conservation design developments and enable residential development where new public streets improve connectivity and emergency egress for existing communities.
HRM must adopt the changes by January 15, 2027.