Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan Implementation Framework

The Action Plan Implementation Framework has been created to support the implementation of Wolfville's Housing Accelerator Fund Action Plan.

What is the Housing Accelerator Fund?

The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is a federal program administered by the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC). It provides funding to local governments to incentivize and support initiatives that accelerate housing supply. The Town of Wolfville is one of 150+ municipalities participating in the program and implementing an HAF-Action Plan.

The Town of Wolfville, like many communities across Nova Scotia and Canada, is experiencing a period of change. A growing population, an increasing demand for housing, and shifting demographics create both new opportunities and complex challenges. As we plan for the future, we are guided by a central question: how can we enable thoughtful growth that meets the needs of our residents—both current and future—while preserving what makes Wolfville a special place to live and visit.

To do this work, the Town is using the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) as a tool to support more inclusive development to meet the diverse housing needs of families, young professionals, seniors, and students.

Through our Housing Accelerator Agreement, the Town is considering an Action Plan that includes revising parking requirements, reducing development barriers, promoting non-market housing, and allowing more than one housing unit in traditionally low-density zones. This Action Plan has been informed by residents, advisory committees, professionals, community partners and in the months ahead, they will be formalized through new Municipal Planning Documents, including the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw.

The Action Plan consists of 4 key actions:

1. Reviewing and updating municipal planning documents to align with housing priorities to allow a wider mix of housing types in more areas of Town by simplifying planning processes and accelerating approvals. With changing population projections and housing needs across all demographics, updates to the Planning Documents will improve process for approving needed housing units through a gentle density approach.

This review includes:

• Amend the Land Use Bylaw and zoning map / regulations to reduce barriers to housing development by permitting more housing types as-of-right or by site plan approval. This includes replacing the Low Density Residential (R-1) Restricted zone with a zone that permits more housing types.
• Enabling gentle density through support for missing middle housing, like duplexes, townhomes, and small apartment buildings.
• Expediting housing applications and waiving development fees to support housing development.
• Conducting a Secondary Planning Process for the rail corridor lands to enable more development potential on lands within the downtown, while preserving the Harvest Moon Trail system.

2. Reviewing parking requirements to support housing viability, especially in walkable, serviced areas and the downtown. Minimum parking requirements can create a hindrance to commercial and residential development.

• Complete a parking study to understand potential paths forward to reducing parking requirements in key areas.
• Amend requirements for parking in strategic areas in an effort to reduce the cost burden of minimum parking standards as required in the current Land Use Bylaw, and opening more opportunities for commercial development in the downtown.

3. Encouraging and protecting non-market housing. Non-market housing includes cooperative housing, housing run by non-profit organizations focused on affordable housing, or provincial owned and subsidized housing. These types of housing offer permanently affordable housing options for low- and moderate-income households.

• A Non-Market Housing Strategy will be created to support the retention of existing units, acquisition of housing by the non-market sector, and encourage the development of more non-market dwelling units. This Strategy will be informed by the Housing Needs Assessment, Non-Market Housing Working Group and Community Profile.
• Key aspects of this work will include a Land Bank of Town owned land to be considered for non-market housing use, a Non-Market Grant program to provide financial support to non-market housing providers, and highest and best use analysis for town owned lands for the use of non-market housing to support with pre-development costs.

4. Partnering with Acadia University to explore student housing solutions that relieve pressure on the broader rental market and provide students with safe, suitable housing options.

• Complete a Secondary Planning Strategy for the Town and Acadia University to identify and enable opportunities for residential development on the south-east campus (the lands near Crowell Tower).

The Action Plan Framework, linked to the right, describes different scenarios for implementing the Action Plan. These scenarios are presented in order to obtain community feedback on which scenarios are most palatable. A similar approach is taken for exploring options to improve the downtown, with ideas presented for feedback and exploration.