Explore the Draft Regional Plan

The Halifax Regional Municipal Planning Strategy (also called the ‘Regional Plan’) sets out a common vision, principles, and long-range, region-wide planning policies outlining where, when and how future growth and development should take place.

• Introduces the plan, provides historical and planning context, and sets out the Plan’s Vision, Guiding Principle and Principles

• Sets out the municipality’s approach to regional and community planning
• Establishes a strategic growth target directing 90 per cent of new housing growth to the Urban Area
• Establishes a program to regularly monitor population, housing and employment to inform reviews and amendments to the Plan, Community Plans, and supporting planning documents or studies
• Sets direction to develop a Strategic Growth and Infrastructure Priority Plan, to provide a framework for future long-range growth and investment
• Establishes the regional land-use structure

To read chapter 2 - click here.

• Sets out the Community Planning Framework for the Regional Centre, Suburban Areas and Rural Areas
• For the Regional Centre: provides the Vision, Core Concepts and Guiding Principles; identifies Regional Centre Growth Areas.
• For Suburban Areas: provides a Vision and Guiding Principles for Suburban Communities to be used as part of the Suburban Community Planning program; identifies Growth Areas aligned with proposed rapid transit corridors; sets out guidance for planning future serviced communities
• For Rural Areas: provides a Vision and Guiding Principles for Rural Communities to be used as part of the Rural Community Planning program; identifies Rural Centres, which will be further refined as part of the Rural Planning program; establishes intent to study rural services and mobility options as part of the Rural Community Planning program.

To read chapter 3 - click here.

• Identifies Community Infrastructure as critical for building healthy and complete communities
• Includes policies related to:
  • Parks
  • Community facilities (indoor recreation)
  • Libraries
  • Schools
  • Public safety and emergency services
  • Food security
  • Solid waste
  • Energy and telecommunications

To read chapter 4 - click here.

• Includes policy to increase housing supply through:
  • Opportunities to build a diverse range of housing types
  • Encouraging gentle density and missing middle housing
  • Adaptive reuse of underutilized buildings
  • Reducing parking requirements
• Includes policy to increase housing affordability through:
  • Exploring initiatives such as inclusionary zoning and no net loss/rental replacement
  • Incentive or bonus zoning
  • Regulating short-term rentals
  • Partnering with other levels of government, non-profit and private sector housing providers

To read chapter 5 - click here.

• Updates environmental policy to reflect the Halifax Green Network Plan and HalifACT
• Includes policy to protect open space and promote landscape connectivity, including: urban forests; natural/ wildlife corridors; naturalization
• Includes policy to protect water resources through:
  • Establishing intent to develop a watershed management framework
  • Setting parameters for watershed studies and lake water quality monitoring
  • Increasing required buffer distances around watercourses and wetlands
• Directs the municipality to pursue resilient infrastructure, including stormwater management using green infrastructure and to address flooding and erosion control
• Includes policy related to coastal protection with a focus on mitigating coastal risk, including requirements for coastal setbacks and limiting development on islands and undersized coastal lots
• Includes policy supporting HalifACT actions related to renewable energy

To read chapter 6 - click here.

• Updates policy to reflect the Integrated Mobility Plan
• Identifies strategic mobility corridors
• Establishes the Urban Transit Service Boundary
• Updates mode share targets
• Directs future updates to the Moving Forward Together Plan and Active Transportation Plan
• Directs the municipality to collaborate with the Joint Regional Transportation Agency on a future Regional Transportation Plan

To read chapter 7 - click here.

• Updates economic policy to reflect People Planet Prosperity, Halifax’s Inclusive Economic Strategy 2022-27, and the African Nova Scotian Road to Economic Prosperity action plan
• Includes policy to support African Nova Scotian community-action planning
• Includes policy to support subdivision of lots in areas designated under the Land Titles Clarification Act, to ensure African Nova Scotian residents can establish legal title to their lands
• Supports collaboration with institutional partners including post-secondary institutions, Department of National Defence, Halifax Stanfield International Airport, and the Halifax Port Authority
• Establishes region-wide policy to protect industrial employment lands
• Establishes the Halifax Harbour sub-designation and policy related to harbour-related land uses
• Directs consideration for rural employment lands as part of the Community Planning program
• Includes policy to support the Integrated Tourism Master Plan and rural tourism

To read chapter 8 - click here.

• Updates culture and heritage policies to reflect the forthcoming Sharing Our Stories: Culture & Heritage Priority Plan.
• Includes policies in support of reconciliation with Mi’kmaq and Indigenous communities
• Includes policies to support African Nova Scotian community planning, as well as community-led approach to supporting planning efforts for other traditionally under-represented groups
• Includes comprehensive policies regarding the protection of heritage resources, including but not limited to:
  • The Municipal Heritage Registry
  • Heritage conservation districts
  • Heritage development agreements
  • Cultural landscapes

To read chapter 9 - click here.

• Includes a range of technical policies to support implementation of the Plan and sets a standard for community engagement
• Outlines the range of planning tools used
• Includes policies related to the Regional Subdivision By-law, including growth management policies which limit subdivision outside the Urban Service Area and parkland dedication
• Includes policies related to water and wastewater services in both urban and rural areas, including establishing the Urban Service Area boundary
• Sets requirements for monitoring of key performance indicators and reviews of the Plan

To read chapter 10 - click here.

• Map 1 - Regional Plan Geographies
• Map 2 - Regional Land Use Structure
• Map 3 - Urban Growth Areas
• Map 4 - Rural Centres
• Map 5 - Parks and Community Facilities
• Map 5A - BMBCL Partnership Lands
• Map 6 - Wildlife Corridors
• Map 7 - Regional and Community Links
• Map 8 - Source Water Protection Areas