The Federal Housing Accelerator Fund has been awarded to The Town of Antigonish in the amount of $1,316,000. These funds will be received in 4 equal payments, when we complete our actions that we set out for the year. Our initial fund has been received, and we succeeded in receiving the full amount on the second installment.

What is the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF)?

The HAF aims to bring about changes at the municipal level to make it easier to build more homes, both now and in the future. It encourages communities to make commitments, show improvements, and receive funding as a result.

Here’s how it works:

• Local governments create action plans to speed up housing development.
• The Government of Canada provides upfront funding to help put those plans into action.
• More funding is available when we meet our housing goals.

The program focuses on:

• Building higher-density housing (such as townhomes and apartments)
• Creating student housing and homes near public transit
• Supporting affordable housing options for residents

Across Canada, HAF aims to fast-track at least 100,000 new homes in three years and lay the groundwork for 750,000 more over the next decade.

What This Means for Antigonish

Through HAF, we will receive $1.3 million in funding to support five key local initiatives:

1. High Density Zones

The Town of Antigonish will expand residential zoning regulations in identified areas to include high-density zoning or high-density housing developments by passing an amendment to the existing Municipal Planning Strategy. Increasing high-density residential zones will promote multi-unit dwellings to increase housing availability and provide more efficient land use. In turn, this strategy will provide lower service costs, support lower-income residents, contribute to the building of complete communities, and reduce the impact of sprawl.

The inclusion of high-density residential zones will expedite permitting as rezoning or special development agreements will not be required. The initiative will require a review of the municipal planning strategy, identification of appropriate areas for implementation of a high-density residential zone, drafting and amendments to the municipal planning strategy and associated bylaws and policies.

2. Modernization of the Permitting Process

With the Eastern District Planning Commission (EDPC), the intention is to replace the existing permitting process with an online portal, which the EDPC will maintain. Ultimately, this new process will reduce redundancies, provide efficiencies, and streamline the process for both developers and public departments. The initiative will support housing growth by minimizing delays in processing permits and signaling modernization of our community.

3. Source Water Protection

Currently, the Town depends on a single source for drinking water, the James River Dam. While this supply will be adequate in the short term, the Town sometimes has to ration water during periods of high heat, which climate change is expected to intensify. We must find an additional water source to augment the current water supply or future housing developments will not be feasible.

Over the course of this initiative, we will conduct surveys of potential water sources, conduct water quality testing, and integrate the most appropriate water source into our existing water infrastructure. This project will promote additional housing developments by ensuring the Town has enough supply to meet increasing demand in the coming years. We will complete this initiative in partnership with the Municipality of the County of Antigonish.

4. Town Services Grant Program

The Town will design, promote, and initiate a new grant program to promote increased housing density and the creation of additional affordable housing units. The grant program would have two streams: one for high-density housing and one for affordable housing. Applicants in each stream that meet the qualifications may receive a reimbursement grant to fund service connection to their development.

The grant program will be designed to support affordable and diverse housing within the community and to promote stability in housing growth for the region. By providing additional programming to financially incentivize new units, we will directly contribute to growth in the housing supply, which can provide new permanent units for years to come.

5. Community Transit

In partnership with Antigonish Community Transit and the Town of Antigonish, the County will hire a consultant to review and evaluate current public transit offerings to determine the most effective transit service strategy to meet the needs of the region. The consultant will also produce recommendations for strategies the local government can enact to improve public transit services in the coming years. Following the review and evaluation, the County will make appropriate changes to the current system to support service growth and ensure equitable access to public transportation. These improvements to community transit will make the County more attractive to developers by providing new residents with reliable options to commute to work, school, social services, recreation, and other amenities.

The Municipality of the County of Antigonish is receiving over $1.9 million for its own action plan, which includes similar steps like using municipal land for housing development, offering grants to non-profits building affordable housing, and expanding services like water and community transit.

Why This Matters

Housing is one of our community’s biggest challenges. This funding allows us to take real, concrete steps toward:

• More homes at prices people can afford
• Faster, simpler approval processes
• Growth that is supported by infrastructure and public services