ELMSDALE: One of four sites for new public housing selected by the province will be in Shubenacadie.
The province announced the four communities that will see the new housing, expected to create upwards of 64 new safe and affordable homes in Middleton; Windsor; Springhill; and Shubenacadie.
Municipal Affairs Minister John A. MacDonald, the MLA for Hants East, stopped by the Municipality of East Hants offices on Friday morning for photos about the new housing coming to Mill Village Road in Shubenacadie.
He discussed what it meant with MEH Warden Eleanor Roulston. Construction is expected to start in Spring 2026 and be in the form of one, two, and three bedroom apartments.
Other council colleagues of Roulston’s, including Craig Merriam; Norval Mitchell; and Walter Tingley also stopped by to hear from MacDonald briefly. Roulston said the municipality was appreciative and grateful a community in their region was one of the sites selected to build.
The location on Mill Village Road is on a plot of land behind the Shubenacadie Legion and in front of Sunnybrook Manor. The Shubenacadie District Elementary school is nearby as well.
The new public housing will be accessible and energy-efficient and all follow Build Nova Scotia criteria.
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The new housing is part of the plan to build 515 new public housing units across the province over the next five years.
Design work for the buildings in the four communities is now underway, and construction could start as soon as the spring.
“Our government is delivering the most significant investments in public housing infrastructure in over 30 years,” said John White, Minister of Housing.
“The announcement represents months of work to ensure these sites are safe, accessible, close to amenities and have the infrastructure in place that is needed to support families for decades.”
Besides the Shubenacadie location, the housing will be a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom apartments located at:
– Sunset Crescent in Middleton, up to 24 apartments
– Crossley Court in Windsor, up to 16
– Junction Road in Springhill, up to eight.
Nova Scotia firm zzap Architecture and Planning is now working on initial designs. This will confirm the number and size of units, size and shape of the buildings, access to the sites and other design details.
Tenders will be issued once initial designs are complete. Construction should begin this spring, subject to the tender responses.
Under public housing’s rent-geared-to-income model, tenants do not pay more than 30 per cent of their gross income on rent.
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Quotes:
“We’re very pleased that this much-needed public housing is being provided here in Cumberland County. We applaud the Minister and the provincial government for including our area in what is the first significant announcement of public housing in our province in decades.
“One of the biggest advantages is the location. Being within walking distance of downtown amenities – our grocery store, the bank, the post office, the community centre and other services – means residents will have convenient access to the things they need every day.
“That walkability strengthens our downtown and keeps people connected to the heart of the community.”
— Rod Gilroy, Mayor, Municipality of Cumberland
Quick Facts:
– Build Nova Scotia’s criteria used in site selection includes land ownership, size, readiness for development, safety and distance to essential services, and employment opportunities
– all four sites are on provincially owned land
– the new units will be energy efficient and meet other provincial environmental and accessibility standards
– the 515 new public housing units will provide homes to more than 1,300 Nova Scotians and represent an investment of $251 million; the new units are a commitment in the Province’s five-year housing action plan
