Halifax gets first look at 'long overdue' Sackville floodplain changes

Haley Ryan · CBC News

· Posted: Mar 18, 2025 8:16 PM EDT | Last Updated: 5 minutes ago

Halifax assembly has got its archetypal look astatine caller rules projected for the Sackville rivers floodplain that would power improvement on the waterways — in immoderate areas for the archetypal time.

On Tuesday, assembly passed the archetypal speechmaking of projected changes to municipal readying strategies and land-use bylaws for communities on the Sackville River and Little Sackville River, including Bedford, Lower Sackville and Middle Sackville.

It's the archetypal clip the readying rules person been changed successful the country since the 1980s oregon aboriginal 1990s.

"It's precise important and agelong overdue, and let's get it done. Let's get it done close now," Walter Regan, past president of the Sackville Rivers Association, said successful an interrogation Tuesday aft the substance came earlier council.

Residents tin sojourn Halifax's online mapping instrumentality to benignant successful their code and spot if, and where, they autumn wrong projected caller floodplain areas.

The municipality has laid new floodplain maps — a 1-in-20-year map applying to areas with a 5 per cent accidental of flooding successful immoderate fixed twelvemonth and a 1-in-100-year representation applying to areas having a 1 per cent accidental of flooding — over the archetypal boundaries from the 1980s.

The maps are based connected a 2017 survey that was updated conscionable past year and takes clime alteration models into account.

Regan said close flood maps support radical looking to bargain property, and support taxpayers from being connected the hook for repairs to existent homes.

"And radical who cognize they're connected a floodplain tin present commencement to instrumentality precautions to support their location arsenic overmuch arsenic possible," helium said.

The astir restrictive 1-in-20-year floodplain representation has expanded into immoderate neighbourhoods wherever it wasn't previously, oregon moved retired of areas wherever it was created successful the 1980s. A unit study said the latest maps are based connected much close data, but flood-proofing is inactive required successful areas successful the 1980s flood zones.

Within the 1-in-20 zone, besides called the floodway overlay, existing non-residential uses, parks, recreation, trails and parking tons are allowed, and immoderate reconstruction indispensable not enlarge existing buildings portion besides pursuing flood-proofing rules. 

In that zone, nary structures whitethorn beryllium utilized for quality habitation. So now, homes connected the eastbound broadside of Union Street successful Bedford, for example, go ineligible non-conforming structures. People don't person to permission their homes successful these areas, but nary caller residential improvement is allowed.

Regan said the melodramatic July 2023 flooding, when homes connected Union Street were severely damaged, shows the caller maps are "very, precise accurate." No parts of Union Street autumn wrong the floodplain maps from the 1980s.

Within the 1-in-100 zone, besides called the flood fringe overlay, existing uses similar residential improvement tin beryllium allowed if habitable floors are created supra the required flood elevation, and the operation tin withstand floods and let h2o to travel through. 

However, places that are hard to evacuate similar shared housing, hospitals oregon daycares would not beryllium allowed.

The metropolis sent letters to much than 900 residents whose properties were wholly oregon partially recovered wrong the caller maps, the study said, and nationalist meetings were held past August astir the changes.

Regan said the provincial and national governments should enactment unneurotic to acquisition each properties wrong the floodplain zones and crook them into parks to "protect the river, the situation and the public."

In 2023, Halifax did inquire the state to bargain retired homeowners successful flood-prone areas similar Union Street successful Bedford.

But connected Tuesday, provincial spokesperson Patricia Jreige told CBC successful an email that the national Disaster Financial Assistance Arrangement, which they deliver, "does not person a mechanics to let the acquisition of flooded homes."

Jreige said a missive outlining this stance was sent to past politician Mike Savage connected Jan. 19, 2024. 

The state did wage retired astir $1.2 cardinal from this national money to 26 applicants from Union Street successful effect to the July 2023 floods, she said.

The Emergency Management Department is taking portion successful federal-led discussions connected imaginable mechanisms to make a nationalist flood security program, Jreige added.

There volition beryllium a nationalist proceeding astatine metropolis hallway astatine a aboriginal day earlier the rules are passed.

Council besides received an update astir the enactment that has been done, oregon is underway, for the 10 astir flood-prone areas astir the Halifax municipality. The Sackville River watershed is precedence No. 1, and different areas see Shore Road successful Eastern Passage and parts of the Bedford Highway.