N.S. scoops up land at Shannon Park for $16.8M, expects 600 affordable units to be built

Nicola Seguin · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 07, 2025 1:30 AM EDT | Last Updated: 11 minutes ago

The Nova Scotia authorities is wading into the redevelopment of Shannon Park successful Dartmouth, confirming to CBC News it is purchasing onshore for affordable lodging astatine the erstwhile subject tract that has been mostly vacant since 2017. 

An order-in-council dated March 6 authorized the curate of nationalist works to acquisition the onshore from Crown corp Canada Lands Company, but details are scarce astir the Nova Scotia government's program for its caller property.

"We expect astir 600 units of affordable lodging volition beryllium built there," Gary Andrea, a spokesperson for the Department of Public Works, said successful an email. 

Andrea said the state paid $16.8 cardinal for the property, which is "well beneath marketplace value." He said the two parcels of onshore disconnected Princess Margaret Boulevard full much than 9,000 quadrate metres, which is approximately the size of two shot fields. 

Interview requests for Minister of Public Works Fred Tilley and Colton LeBlanc, the curate successful complaint of housing, were declined. 

The grassy country the size of 63 shot fields connected the waterfront adjacent the basal of the MacKay Bridge has been sitting mostly empty for astir a decennary since the demolition of subject housing was completed in 2017.

In 2023, the Halifax Regional Municipality approved a permanent lodging development at the site, arsenic good arsenic a commercial space, a transit hub and 2 ample parks. Canada Lands Company owns the property and is successful complaint of the redevelopment, which is acceptable to see 3,000 lodging units.

Canada Lands told CBC News last year the redevelopment of the 34-hectare property will include astatine slightest 20 per cent affordable units, which amounts to astir 600 homes. 

At the time, the institution said it is working with the municipality to get the required approval to subdivide the spot to merchantability disconnected parcels of onshore to developers, with operation expected to statesman successful the autumn of this year. 

'More affordable housing, faster'

Canada Lands Company told CBC News connected Friday it is unable to remark connected its activities during a national predetermination period, truthful it cannot supply an update. 

Andrea said connected Wednesday that the acquisition is being completed and the onshore volition beryllium acquired "in the coming days."

Another spokesperson would not say whether the state plans to physique its ain lodging connected the onshore it is buying, oregon if it volition enactment with affordable lodging providers to bash so.

"The onshore acquisition astatine Shannon Park is an breathtaking adjacent measurement successful getting much affordable housing, faster for Nova Scotians," Amy Wagg, a spokesperson for the Department of Growth and Development, wrote successful an email.

"It is premature to remark connected the affordable lodging facet of this onshore purchase." 

Non-profit lodging hopes

Trish McCourt, enforcement manager of the Nova Scotia Non-Profit Housing Association, said she doesn't cognize what the state is planning, but she hopes non-profit lodging providers are involved.

"Then that volition besides mean ... affordable lodging successful perpetuity, which is truly wherever the top request is for lodging close now," McCourt said successful an interrogation Friday.

McCourt said immoderate non-profit lodging providers person the quality to physique housing, but it could besides enactment if the state built the lodging and a non-profit ran it. She is hoping to spot rents that are 30 per cent of the household's income. 

"What we truly request to beryllium focused connected close present is to person the biggest bang for our buck erstwhile it comes to authorities funds, erstwhile it comes to assemblage funds, truthful that we tin guarantee that we find our mode retired of this homelessness situation arsenic rapidly arsenic we can," she said.