Affordable housing programs
Affordable Housing Grant Program
The Affordable Housing Grant Program is available to support non-profit and charitable organizations in developing, repairing and acquiring affordable housing.
Visit the Affordable Housing Grant Program for more information.
Tax relief for non-profit organizations
The municipality'sTax Relief for Non-Profit Organizations Program can help eligible non-profit and charitable organizations reduce the amount of property tax they pay each year. The program is set out in Administrative Order 2014-001- ADM, the Tax Relief for Non-Profit Organizations Administrative Order. The Administrative Order includes a streamlined reapplication process that creates a form of multi-year tax relief for all non-profits.
Waiving of municipal-related construction fees
In November 2020, Halifax Regional Council approved waiving most municipal-related construction fees for residential development carried out by registered non-profits or charitable organizations whose mandate includes housing. More information on the waiving of municipal fees, and the application form, can be found on the permit fees webpage.
Halifax Water has a deferral mechanism to assist affordable housing by allowing for Regional Development Charges (RDCs) to be deferred for up to ten years for affordable housing projects. For more information, visit the Halifax Water website.
Surplus land for affordable housing program
Please note: The webpage for this program is currently under development.
In December 2020, the municipality approved a new surplus land category, “affordable housing”, to make municipal land available to registered non-profit or charitable housing organizations.
As part of the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), staff are developing a Surplus Land for Affordable Housing Program under the direction of Administrative Order 50. The program will make sites available to housing providers at minimal costs through direct sale or a call for proposals.
Staff are currently developing eligibility requirements, evaluation criteria and communication materials to establish a fair and transparent process for the disposal of surplus sites. The first package of sites is expected to be released through a call for proposals in 2025.
Visit the municipal Real Estate and Land Management webpage for information regarding surplus municipal land.
Rapid Housing Initiative
The Rapid Housing Initiative (RHI) is a federally funded program with the aim of developing new permanently affordable housing across Canada. The Halifax Regional Municipality has participated in three rounds of RHI, Cities Stream.
For additional information on the municipality’s Rapid Housing Initiative projects, visit the Rapid Housing Initiative webpage.
Ongoing Efforts
- Housing Accelerator Fund
On Oct. 12, 2023, the Government of Canada entered into an agreement with the municipality to fast track 2,600 housing units over the next three years through the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) and 8,866 homes over the next ten years. HAF is assisting in removing barriers to building housing and to fast-track development. HAF has 11 initiatives in the action plan to address the municipality’s role in housing and to hit the targeted units over the next three years.
More information about the municipality’s HAF program can be found on the HAF webpage.
HAF initiatives 8 and 9 directly address increasing affordable housing in the municipality. The two initiatives are focused on the involvement of non-profits to build non-market affordable housing. Meanwhile, the other initiatives indirectly address affordable housing by increasing market housing in the municipality.
Initiative 8: Expand Affordable Housing Grant Program
Initiative 9: Resource Surplus Land for Affordable Housing Program
Initiative 10: Complete a housing needs assessment
Initiative 11: Regulatory changes to support housing
Through HAF, the municipality will begin an initiation on the creation of a housing strategy to expand the role of housing and increase affordable housing in the municipality.
- Housing needs assessment
In 2023, the Province of Nova Scotia completed a housing needs assessment for the province and for specific municipalities, including the Halifax Regional Municipality.
As part of the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), the municipality is undertaking an update to the housing needs assessment to align with federal standards for housing needs assessments. This update will provide additional insights into the municipality’s housing context, including the role of non-market housing, and will discuss implications for the municipality’s planning policies. The update is expected to be completed in spring 2025.
- Inclusionary zoning
Inclusionary Zoning (IZ) is a planning tool that allows municipalities to require the inclusion of affordable units in new developments. In 2021, the Province of Nova Scotia amended the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter to enable the use of this tool. Since then, the municipality has conducted background research to identify best practices and is currently assessing the market feasibility of implementing IZ. Staff will present a policy recommendation to Regional Council based on the study findings and engagement with the development and non-profit housing sectors.
- Housing and Homelessness Partnership
The municipality has been an active member of the Housing and Homelessness Partnership (HHP) since it was created in 2013. The HHP is a collaborative of nine partners from the three levels of government, the private sector and non-profit organizations in the municipality with the mandate to “end homelessness and housing poverty in Halifax” by addressing policy and systematic issues. The HHP has been advocating for the need to expand the existing stock of affordable housing to address core housing needs across the municipality. While having a seat at the partnership table, Planning and Development staff play key roles with the partnership through participation in various sub-groups and task teams.
Through participation in the HHP, the municipality acknowledges that housing is a shared responsibility and issues surrounding affordable housing and homelessness cannot be solved by any single group or any single solution.
Past Efforts
- Rental registration by-law
Staff are developing a rental registration by-law which will include provisions for mandatory registration of residential rental accommodations and help ensure all rental accommodations meet minimum occupancy standards. Recent amendments to the M-200 - Standards for Residential Occupancies By-law expanded where minimum safety standards apply and included enhanced safety, community integration and accountability provisions for all residential rental properties. The registration and/or licensing of residential rental units will require all residential rental units within the municipality to be registered or licensed. This allows for more flexibility in ensuring buildings are compliant with rules and regulations including meeting minimum standards. View the Council report.
- Shared housing
Region-wide shared housing amendments were approved by Regional Council on Aug. 9, 2022 (view the staff report) and are in effect as of Sept. 15, 2022. Shared housing is a broad term that describes housing shared by a group of individuals living under separate leases where support services may be provided. Examples of shared housing include residential care facilities; group homes; transitional housing; and rooming houses/single room occupancies. Get more information.
- Affordable Housing Work Plan (2018)
On July 31, 2018, Regional Council endorsed the Affordable Housing Work Plan which outlines the major contributions from the municipality to meet the five-year targets of the Housing and Homelessness Partnership. Key initiatives include:
- density bonus/incentive or bonus zoning;
- registration and/or licensing of residential rental units;
- policy and regulatory barriers;
- municipal funding incentives;
- municipal surplus land; and
- vulnerable neighbourhoods.
The 2020 update on the Affordable Housing Work Plan can be found here.