What is the Centre Plan?
The Centre Plan is the set of city planning policies and zoning rules that guide how land is used and developed on the Halifax Peninsula and in central Dartmouth. Click here to view the Centre Plan area boundary.
Adopted in its current form in 2021 after extensive community input, the plan is based on the core concepts of complete communities, pedestrian-first planning, human-scaled design, and strategic growth.
The Centre Plan includes two main parts:
- The Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy (SMPS): the policy document
- The Regional Centre Land Use By-law (LUB): the zoning rules
Both documents can be found here.
What is happening?
To ensure the Centre Plan remains current and responsive to emerging trends and issues in the Regional Centre, the Municipality will be reviewing a few key topics in 2026. Regular reviews and updates to the Centre Plan allows a modern planning framework that responds to the realities of a growing city and aligns with the evolving needs of residents.
The review process will include opportunities for public and industry feedback, research and analysis by municipal employees, as well as a final report and decision by Halifax Regional Council on any proposed changes.
Explore the tabs below to learn more about the key topics.
- Missing middle refers to housing options that bridge the gap between single-unit houses and larger apartment buildings. These “middle” options can be in the form of a duplex, triplex, row house, or small multiplex. They are referred to as missing because until recently, few of these housing options were being built, largely due to zoning restrictions.
- Recent zoning changes under the Urgent Changes to Planning Documents for Housing process have created more opportunities for new missing middle housing. The updated zoning framework permits up to four units on most properties in the Centre Plan area, with up to eight units for new construction allowed in the ER-3 zone, depending on lot size. Further opportunities for housing were introduced in the ER-2 and ER-3 zones through internal conversions, rear additions, and backyard suites.
- Observed trends and early community feedback indicate that a closer look at zoning rules is needed to make sure new missing middle homes contribute positively to the character of existing neighbourhoods. The Municipality will be reviewing the urban design rules for new missing middle housing in areas zoned Established Residential (e.g. ER-2 and ER-3). View the zoning map here to see where the Established Residential zones apply.
- The previous zoning changes helped create more homes and housing options. This review will look at how we can continue that progress while making sure new buildings fit better into existing neighbourhoods.
- New ways of constructing buildings are gaining traction, particularly in response to a need to create new housing quickly. Emerging methods such as mass timber and manufactured housing can provide benefits such as a lower carbon footprint, shorter onsite building timelines, and support for local industries. These methods are recognized by multiple levels of government and industry experts as efficient options for improving housing supply.
Mass timber construction uses engineered wood products that can be used to build taller and larger wood buildings than previously possible.
Manufactured housing, also referred to as prefabricated or modular construction, is a building process which uses prebuilt sections which are transported and assembled on site.
- Historically, zoning rules have been created around conventional construction methods and materials, such as steel and concrete. It can be challenging for new methods to achieve the built form (i.e. size, shape, and design of new buildings) required by zoning rules. The Municipality will be reviewing ways to reduce built form barriers to emerging building methods.
In addition to the changes being explored through missing middle housing and mass timber, other aspects of the Centre Plan are proposed for update as part of a routine administrative review. The key topics of this review were identified through feedback from residents, developers, industry professionals, and internally from municipal employees.
Key topics to be reviewed include:
| Pedestrian Wind and Shadow Protocol | Requirements for wind studies for tall buildings to limit wind impacts on pedestrian spaces, as well as shadow performance standards near certain parks. Proposed Scope of Changes: Technical update to wind and shadow protocol informed by a consultant specializing in this field. |
| Amenity Space | Requirement for common space for residents in new and expanded multi-unit dwellings. Proposed Scope of Changes: Add clarification for what uses qualify as amenity space and introduce requirement for amenity space to be provided aboveground. |
| Bicycle Parking | Requirements to provide safe and secure bicycle parking in new developments. Proposed Scope of Changes: Review section to clarify intent |
| On-Site Public Art | Many larger developments must provide public benefit, referred to as bonus zoning. Up to 40% of the required public benefit value can be dedicated to on-site public art. Proposed Scope of Changes: Allow developments which include multiple phases to provide a combined public art contribution. |
| Site Plan Approval | Discretionary process enabled by the HRM Charter that allows for site-specific exemptions of certain rules. Proposed Scope of Changes: Review opportunities for additional Site Plan Approval options and criteria |
| Waterfront View Corridor | Protects important public waterfront views for public benefit. Proposed Scope of Changes: Review Waterfront View Corridor for Duke Street |
| Rooftop Uses and Permitted Encroachment | Certain uses or features can be located on the rooftop of a building such as an elevator enclosure, greenhouse, or mechanical equipment enclosure. Many of these features are required to be setback from the roof edge. Proposed Scope of Changes: Clarify permitted rooftop uses, setbacks, and permitted encroachments |
| Bay Window Encroachments | A permitted encroachment is a building feature that is allowed to be built in a required yard (i.e. minimum setback). A bay window is included as a permitted encroachment. Proposed Scope of Changes: Remove bay window encroachments for portions of a building above the streetwall |
| Permitted Uses and Definitions | Definitions and various terms used throughout the by-law. Proposed Scope of Changes: Housekeeping changes for some definitions and new uses to capture evolving trends |
| Design Requirements for Additions | Provides minimum design rules for constructing alterations or additions to existing buildings. Proposed Scope of Changes: Provide clarity on what design requirements apply when a building undergoes renovation or re-cladding |
| Ground Floor Uses on Non-Pedestrian Oriented Commercial Streets | Lists land uses allowed on the ground floor of a building where the property is not located on a Pedestrian-Oriented Commercial Street. Proposed Scope of Changes: Expand list of permitted uses, including institutional uses (e.g. daycares) |
| View Terminus Requirements | Important sites are identified as a view terminus where additional design requirements apply. Proposed Scope of Changes: Add flexibility and more options to meet view terminus requirements |
| Other Housekeeping Amendments | Various amendments to improve administration of the By-Law. Proposed Scope of Changes: Includes addressing various errors, missed references, diagrams, typos, and other matters |
