Unintended consequences of Halifax's Centre Plan?

The following Opinion Editorial was published by the SaltWire Network in print and online on May 25, 2023. It was written by HTNS Board President, Sandra Barss, HTNS HRN Committee Chair Margo Grant and HTNS HRM Committee Member Jeffery Ward

In November 2021, Halifax regional council enacted the Centre Plan – a municipal planning strategy to provide regulation and guidance for growth and development in peninsular Halifax and Dartmouth inside the Circumferential Highway. The plan designated specific areas for heritage protection, some areas as transportation corridors, and others for greater population density. We are writing about the transportation corridor along Robie Street in Halifax. Although one of the stated urban design goals of the Centre Plan is “ensuring that built heritage in the Regional Centre continues to be a vital part of existing streetscapes,” the opposite has occurred – they’ve become demolition targets. There has been wholesale destruction of numerous properties between North Street and Coburg Road, leaving a wasteland of vacant lots.

Was this the plan all along? Were the citizens of Halifax sold a bill of goods about what the Centre Plan would mean for their neighbourhoods? Or did the planners and council fail to recognize the lengths developers would go to in order to maximize profits, even if they negatively and unalterably changed the neighbourhoods they bought into?Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia wants to believe it was the latter – a miscalculation as to what developers would do. That said, the Trust wants council to halt what some have referred to as a “demolition derby” and prevent further damage to Halifax’s character along the Robie Street corridor. Only Halifax council has authority to stop the demolition activity that has been happening.

Heritage Trust believes HRM failed to adequately protect the important heritage resources that the Centre Plan itself noted existed in the Robie-Cunard corridor. Some of these resources already have disappeared in the two blocks between Jubilee Road and Bliss Street, where developers have demolished nearly an entire block of buildings since the Plan was adopted 18 months ago. The Trust has observed with alarm many more demolitions elsewhere on Robie Street where some homes with significant heritage value have been demolished. Though they cannot be replaced, it is not too late for remaining homes, not only along corridors, but on adjacent streets as well. This is known as “corridor creep.” Clearly, circumstances for heritage properties and landscapes of cultural value within the Robie Street corridor have been changed significantly because of the Centre Plan. We are concerned that a similar “acquire to demolish” approach might be taken in other corridors before the heritage value of those homes and streetscapes is evaluated. What will be next?

We believe these demolitions are a significant, unintended and adverse consequence of a policy that quickly got out of hand. Important potential heritage resources on the corridor should have been identified and protected before rezoning the street as a transportation corridor; failing that, the rezoning should not have occurred. Anyone can make a mistake and the Trust believes that council innocently made a mistake in believing that developers would adhere to council’s intention of the Centre Plan. "Clearly, circumstances for heritage properties and landscapes of cultural value within the Robie Street corridor have been changed significantly because of the Centre Plan." Unfortunately, it appears council failed to consider that developers often have little interest in the city’s heritage. We believe there has been a failure to respect the intent of the plan specifically as it relates to corridor zones. Now that the problem is so evident, council must take all necessary steps to remedy the problem – and quickly.

Heritage Trust of Nova Scotia asks that Halifax council place a moratorium on all further demolitions; place a tax premium on lots where housing has been demolished; require all developers to secure building permits before such future demolition is allowed; and implement an immediate review of the Centre Plan to determine how to prevent further damage to our heritage properties.