The why behind the highrise living that’s popping up around Halifax – Halifax

As Halifax continues its rapid transformation to meet historic housing demands, cranes above intersections have become a defining feature of the skyline.

But the city’s future doesn’t rest solely in highrises.

Across the region, planners and developers are eyeing green fields and underused spaces as opportunities for new neighbourhoods — designed from the ground up to accommodate tens of thousands of new residents.

Rob LeBlanc, planning director at Fathom Studio, says his team is working hard to create more housing. “In our office alone, we’re working on master planning about 65,000 units in Atlantic Canada,” he said.

In Moncton alone, the plan includes a proposed 16,000 units.

That includes major developments like Bedford Common with 6,800 proposed homes, and Exhibition Park, which could see upwards of 5,000 units.

These are just a few pieces of Halifax’s Centre Plan, which is the city’s blueprint to manage growth and build sustainable, high-density communities.

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They’re envisioned not just as places to live but as complete neighbourhoods, with schools, grocery stores, daycares, and other facilities. “You’ll see new downtowns develop in what might have been a green-filled area or a small suburban neighbourhood,” said LeBlanc.

However, with a big vision like this one, the timeline is long. For many, the wait for housing relief remains frustrating and unattainable.

LeBlanc warns that while the goal is to support the housing lifecycle and free up homes for families, “It’ll take upwards of 10 to 15 years to even start to put a dent in the crisis we’re currently in.”

And for many potential homeowners or renters, affordability still remains the biggest hurdle.

Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore acknowledges that while building new communities is crucial, they’re just one part of the puzzle.

“There’s a tremendous amount of work to do to build the housing stock,” he said, adding that speeding up approvals, unlocking low-cost land, and supporting innovative building methods like modular homes must also be priorities.

As of now, the average home price in Halifax sits above $550,000, and the average rent has climbed over $600 in the last decade.

The city’s vacancy rate may have ticked up to two per cent, but for affordable units, it’s effectively just one per cent.

This is Part 2 in our three-part series looking at development in Halifax and if we’re pricing too many people out.

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