From Regional Plan on HRM website:
On Friday, Aug. 8, 2025, the Halifax Regional Municipality received a letter from the Province of Nova Scotia’s Minister of Municipal Affairs in response to the municipality’s submission of the updated Regional Plan refusing the approval of the documents.
Moving forward, this means that the current 2014 Regional Plan, last amended in May 2025, remains in effect, as the new proposed amendments have not been approved by the province. Over the coming weeks, municipal staff will re-engage with the province to determine the next steps on the planning process and ensure the Regional Plan is updated in a way that fulfills the municipality’s obligations under provincial legislation.
From The Letter:
While we were encouraged to see some proposals that would work towards improving the housing situation in the region, left as-is, they didn’t go far enough. Beyond that, the document
included many proposals that appear intentionally designed to impede housing.For example:
• Clauses EN-34, 40, 47: Changing setbacks from 20 to 30 metres.
• Clause EN-70: Requiring EV-ready parking spaces.
• Minimal changes in zoning to allow more people to build as-of-right.This is unfortunate and, as a result after careful consideration and a thorough review, I simply cannot accept the Plan as submitted and must therefore refuse to approve the Plan.
….Sincerely,
Honourable John Lohr,
Minister of Municipal Affairs
Also view Province rejects Halifax regional plan, says wetland setbacks ‘impede’ housing by Haley Ryan · CBC News, Aug 11, 2025 “…The minister said he was specifically concerned about new requirements for outlets that can accommodate electric-vehicle chargers in new homes or apartments, and increasing setbacks around watercourses and wetlands to 30 metres from 20. “If developers can’t figure out how to do a development that’s not 30 metres away from a lake or wetland, well then we don’t want those developments,” Deputy Mayor Tony Mancini said Monday. “The lakes are such a precious place. Why would we threaten that?”