Community News
Notice of Public Hearing - May 8th
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- Category: Community News
A Public Hearing will be held on Thursday, May 8th, at 6:30 pm in Council chambers, located at 400 Main Street. Members of the public can attend and speak at the hearing, or hand in written submissions. Written submissions can be emailed to admin@townofyarmouth.ca, or delivered to Town Hall, and must be received by 12 pm (noon) on May 5th, 2025.
What is the Hearing About?
This Public Hearing will address the following five items:
1. Proposed Development Agreement for 8 James Street
The Town has received a Development Agreement application to convert 8 James Street (PID# 90337155) into 12 rental dwelling units. Council has approved to move forward with a Public Hearing prior to consideration of the proposed Development Agreement.
2. Proposed Development Agreement for Land Adjacent to Pleasant Street
The Town has received a rezoning and Development Agreement application to permit up to 140 residential units on two lots (PID# 90334780 and PID# 90334798) located directly across from the Burridge Campus (NSCC). Council has approved to move forward with a Public Hearing prior to consideration of the proposed rezoning and Development Agreement.
3. Proposed Development Agreement for 52 Parade Street
The owner of 52 Parade Street (PID# 90330986) applied to enter into a Development Agreement to accommodate adaptive reuse of the former Yarmouth Consolidated Memorial High School. Council has approved to move forward with a Public Hearing prior to consideration of the proposed Development Agreement.
4. Proposed Development Agreement for 42 Argyle Street
The owner of 42 Argyle Street (PID# 90212184) applied to rezone 42 Argyle Street and enter into a Development Agreement to accommodate adaptive reuse of the existing building (a former church). Council has approved to move forward with a Public Hearing prior to consideration of the proposed rezoning, Development Agreement and associated amendments to the Land Use Bylaw and Municipal Planning Strategy.
5. Proposed Amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy and the Land Use Bylaw
The Town has initiated several amendments to the Land Use Bylaw to: a) encourage comprehensive housing projects by revising requirements for Site-Plan Approvals in the CD Zone; b) update reviews and approvals of boarding homes; c) offer additional flexibility for agricultural uses in the CD and R-H Zones; and d) add ‘Construction Trades and Contractor’ use to the C-2 Zone. Council has approved to move forward with a Public Hearing prior to consideration of the proposed amendments to the Land Use Bylaw and associated changes to the Municipal Planning Strategy.
For more information, visit: https://getinvolvedyarmouth.ca/ You may also contact us by phone at (902)-742-1505 or by email planningadmin@townofyarmouth.ca. You may also obtain a copy of the Planner’s reports at Town Hall, 400 Main Street.
Council Approves 2025-26 Capital Budget
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- Category: Community News
The 2025-2026 capital budget was on the agenda at last evening’s council meeting. This year’s total comes in at just over $5.4 million and brings significant investments to a variety of projects. The budget was approved unanimously by council.
Yarmouth Community Housing Forum May 1st
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- Category: Community News
All are welcomed to attend the first Yarmouth Community Housing Forum, hosted by the Town of Yarmouth. Join us for an afternoon of discussion and presentations as we take a close look at four key Considerations for Housing:
PUBLIC NOTICE: Second Deer Pellet Group Inventory
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- Category: Community News
For the second straight spring, a wildlife management consultant company will conduct a Pellet Group Inventory (PGI) to evaluate the presence and abundance of deer in, and near, the Town of Yarmouth.
Town of Yarmouth Receives 2.3 million from Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF)
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- Category: Press Releases
The town has been awarded $2,323,150 from the Housing Accelerator Fund, a federal program designed to remove barriers to encourage local initiatives to build more homes, faster.
Housing Accelerator Fund
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- Category: Information Edge
About Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF)
Overview of HAF Program
In spring 2023, the Government of Canada launched the Housing Accelerator Fund to support local governments in creating transformational changes to boost housing supply.
The Town of Yarmouth has received $2.3 million to implement its Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Action Plan. With this investment, the Town aims to achieve a Housing Supply Growth Target of 119 net new residential units over the next three years.
To ensure the success of this ambitious goal, the Town has developed a comprehensive HAF Housing Action Plan, featuring five strategic initiatives designed to drive housing development.
- Initiative 1: Create a Surplus Lands Program for Affordable Housing
- Initiative 2: Develop a Parking Management Strategy
- Initiative 3: Regulatory Changes to Support Housing
- Initiative 4: Create a Priority Approvals Stream for Housing Projects
- Initiative 5: Development Incentives Program
More information can be found on each initiative below.
Initiative 1: Create a Surplus Lands Program for Affordable Housing
Town of Yarmouth has been working with non-profit housing providers to provide surplus Town lands for projects that have an affordable housing component. This program will use funding to refine and formalize the existing process by identifying priority sites and making the sites ‘shovel-ready’. Program components include identifying, prioritizing, and advertising a list of potential sites, creating policy and protocol on the disposal of Town owned lands for affordable housing, and pre-zoning the sites to allow multi-residential uses. This initiative would accelerate:
- More supply of housing
- Support affordable, inclusive, equitable and diverse communities
- Support complete and walkable communities with diverse land uses and access to amenities.
To learn more about this initiative, please visit: https://www.townofyarmouth.ca/surplus-land-for-affordable-housing-program.html
Initiative 2: Develop a Parking Management Strategy
This initiative will focus on developing a parking management strategy to support reduced or eliminate parking minimums for residential infill development which considers residential permitting systems, optimization, demand management strategies, and winter road maintenance activities. This initiative will be critical in supporting other initiatives including accessory dwelling units, conversion of office space, affordable housing, and conversion of existing single dwellings into multi-dwelling units.
Learn more by visiting: https://getinvolvedyarmouth.ca/parking-management-strategy
Initiative 3: Regulatory Changes to Support Housing
The Town has identified a number of current zoning regulations that impede approvals of new housing at all scales. These include restrictive zoning, the frequent use of development agreements (i.e. “discretionary” approvals), large minimum lot sizes, restrictions on residential facilities (care homes, assisted living, etc.), and unclear permission for accessory dwelling units.
This initiative would lead to the amendment of the Town’s Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw to support additional housing.
Initiative 4: Create a Priority Approvals Stream for Housing Projects
This initiative focuses on optimizing and prioritizing the housing development approval process within the town. The goal is to streamline procedures, reduce delays, and prioritize housing projects—both affordable and market-rate—to support the town’s growth and development needs effectively.
Learn more about the town's Priority Review Stream for New Housing program here: https://www.townofyarmouth.ca/priority-review-stream-for-new-housing.html
Initiative 5: Development Incentives Program
The Town is committed to fostering community development and attracting investments through the implementation of a robust Development Incentives Program. By offering strategically selected benefits and advantages, this program aims to:
- stimulate developers of affordable housing and enhance project feasibility with financial support or reduced regulatory burdens to undertake projects they might otherwise avoid due to high costs or perceived risks;
- foster community benefit with incentives tied to community-focused goals, such as affordable housing, public spaces, or infrastructure improvements and climate resilience;
- address specific housing needs within the town, such as affordable housing or mixed-use developments;
- attract investors and developers from outside the area;
- actively promote the Developer Incentives Program to developers, showcasing its potential to mitigate risks, maximize benefits, and establish the Town as an attractive and welcoming destination for development projects.
Check out the details of our Affordable Housing Grant Program here: https://www.townofyarmouth.ca/affordable-housing-grant-program.html