Federal government announces 2 Nova Scotia properties for housing developments

The federal government has added two properties in Nova Scotia to the Canada Public Land Bank as part of its national housing plan. 

A release says that "whenever possible" the properties will be turned into housing through a long-term lease "to support affordable housing and ensure public land stays public."

It also announced another four properties — two in Ontario, one in Quebec and another in the Northwest Territories — will be added to the bank. 

The properties in Nova Scotia are the New Glasgow Armoury and Shannon Park in Dartmouth. The latter is intended to be redeveloped as a neighbourhood with 3,000 residential units, 600 of which will be affordable housing. 

The New Glasgow armoury closed in 2016 due to its condition.

Lisa MacDonald, New Glasgow's chief administrative officer, said she believes there's "quite a bit of potential" in the property due to its downtown location.

"It could be an ideal location for a mixed-use development that would have commercial opportunities on the main floor as well housing on the above floors," MacDonald told CBC's Mainstreet Nova Scotia. 

She said it has been difficult to maintain the property since it became surplus.

'We do have a housing shortage right now'

MacDonald said the town faces challenges in providing a range of housing options, including low-income, affordable and high-end housing.

"We do have a housing shortage right now and we also are trying to diligently improve our rental housing because some of the conditions of those rental properties are really not in suitable condition for humans to live in," she said. 

New Glasgow Mayor Nancy Dicks told Mainstreet Nova Scotia that the building is not difficult to tear down and has no historical importance.

"The Halifax Armoury, I can certainly understand the value in restoring that," said Dicks. "I don't see this in this building."