• ‘Cart before the horse’: Site prep work approved before development plans in HRM

  Source: Nova Scotia - Halifax & Regional News
  Date: 2026-11-02 22:25:29.0
  Tags: [Nova Scotia, Municipal, Housing, Infrastructure, Environment, Governance]

  The Government of Nova Scotia has approved site preparation work—including tree removal, blasting, and earthwork—at 16 special planning areas within the Halifax Regional Municipality, including the Sandy Lake project in Bedford, prior to the finalization of development plans or public consultation. Housing Minister John White defended the approvals as a proactive measure to address regional housing and traffic challenges along Hammonds Plains Road. Critics, including Ecology Action Centre senior wilderness outreach coordinator Karen McKendry and Halifax Regional Municipality Councillor Kathryn Morse, argue that the 'cart before the horse' provincial intervention undermines municipal planning, circumvents public input, and risks unnecessary environmental degradation of old-growth forests, wetlands, and streams.

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• Construction begins on new 90-bed student residence at NSCC Kingstec Campus

  Source: Nova Scotia - Halifax & Regional News
  Date: 2026-09-22 20:25:50.0
  Tags: [Nova Scotia, Housing, Education, Infrastructure]

  Construction has officially begun on a new 90-bed student residence at the Nova Scotia Community College Kingstec Campus in Kentville, Nova Scotia. Announced by provincial officials and school leadership on September 22, 2026, the facility aims to alleviate local rental market pressure and accommodate students who commute from surrounding areas. The project forms part of the provincial government's broader student housing expansion across Nova Scotia Community College campuses, which has previously delivered 350 spaces across Pictou, Akerley, and Ivany campuses. Construction on the Kingstec Campus residence is scheduled for completion in the fall of 2028.

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