HAF Initiative Updates

Updated: November 14, 2024

The Municipality of Chester has received $1,986,000 in funding through the Canadian Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to support nine initiatives supporting the Charting a Course for Growth plan. Details and progress updates are provided below:

By-Laws and Municipal Specifications Review: The Municipality has initiated a comprehensive and integrated review of the Subdivision By-Law, Sewer By-Law, and Municipal Specifications to more efficiently and effectively advance appropriate housing development:

Progress Update: This project has been tendered and bids are currently being evaluated.

Missing Middle Housing Strategy: The aim of this strategy is to review where growth is anticipated to occur within the Municipality and amend existing planning documents to encourage and facilitate growth in serviced areas outside the Village Planning Area.

Progress Update: A planning consultant, FBM, has been retained to assist in several of the study tasks, including community engagement in support of this strategy. Engagement sessions were held in September and October and a 3rd phase of engagement is scheduled for early January 2025 (postponed from November due to the Provincial election). We anticipate developing a new “Village Periphery Area” that will consider active transportation, wastewater infrastructure, climate risk, and more.

Plan for Municipally-Owned Land: The Municipality is developing a map of all municipally-owned properties and reviewing each property to determine its suitability for potential affordable housing projects.

Progress Update: In April, FBM’s Planning Studio began working with the Municipality on our Growth Plan and have incorporated an initial scan completed by staff into their identification of potential opportunities to support the creation of affordable housing in the area. In addition, FBM will be assisting in developing an internal process to assess and acquire land that could be made available to not-for-profit organizations for affordable housing projects.

Online Permitting System: This initiative will lead to the development and implementation of an online permitting system that will streamline the application and approval process.

Progress Update: A tender for this scope of work was released Summer 2024 and bids are currently being evaluated.

Marketing & Sales for Residential Development: This work is designed to creatively secure new building units by building awareness among developers and other stakeholders.

Progress Update: Work on this initiative will get started in 2025 as it is reliant on the work currently underway with FBM.

Housing Infrastructure Plan: The Municipality will create a comprehensive map of existing serviceable boundaries, potential new wastewater treatment sites, and currently undeveloped land that could readily be included in existing or expanded wastewater service areas. The Plan will also explore service feasibility and business case development possible water supply infrastructure options. Finally, the Housing Infrastructure Plan will also identify resources and processes for data concerning watersheds and inland and coastal flood risk areas to further aid the planning and prioritization of climate resilient infrastructure and service delivery.

Progress Update: Comprehensive mapping for wastewater completed in April 2024. Maps can be found in our Document Library. The first test wells are scheduled to be drilled in Robinson's Corner this Fall as part of the work underway to identify a viable groundwater source for the Village of Chester.

Building Inspector Capacity: Hiring and training additional building inspectors will expedite inspections and permits for occupancy.

Progress Update: Council recently appointed two new Residential Building Officials who are working on achieving their Level 1 certification in the coming months and Level 2 by 2026.

Develop Pre-Approved Building Plans: The Municipality of Chester has committed to working with the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), the Province of Nova Scotia and other potential partners to review pre-approved building plans and adopt plans that are appropriate within our local permitting process. Once completed, property owners would have access to building plans the Municipality has confirmed are pre-approved and ready to build, significantly speeding up the permitting process.

Progress Update: No updates at this time as the preliminary work to develop plans is being done by the federal government, CMHC, and other partners.

Incentives to Encourage the Creation of Affordable Housing: The Municipality of Chester’s Housing Needs Report found that as of the end of 2022, there was a gap between housing demand and available supply of about 335 units. Historical construction trends indicate this gap will continue to grow unless our pace of construction increases. Additionally, affordability of housing is a significant risk for current and future residents of the Municipality. Currently, 85% of households have estimated income levels that are below the threshold required to afford the median-priced home within the Municipality.

Progress Update: In addition to the work listed above, FBM will help identify barriers that prevent the construction of affordable housing units within the Municipality and propose solutions as part of their final report anticipated in Spring 2025. Once completed, we anticipate proposing a series of incentives to encourage developers and not-for-profits to create affordable and attainable units throughout the Municipality.