Major housing development in Bridgewater could take 30 years to complete

The Town of Bridgewater is looking to build more homes amid Nova Scotia's housing crisis with multiple development projects approved or in the works, but the work may take decades to finish.

Town council recently approved a proposal for 886 units in a development that will transform an open field and woods on the edge of town into a new subdivision.

Mayor David Mitchell said that will be key to relieving the housing shortage, with the town's vacancy rate as "close to zero as you can get."

"We've got lots of people that are trying to move to this area," Mitchell said.

Bridgewater is one of the few rural municipalities that's growing in the province, as population rose three per cent between 2016 and 2021 to sit at 8,790. The town is projected to hit 10,000 people by 2036.

The development plans for a mix of five- and six-storey multi-unit buildings and townhouses on the 15-hectare site bordered by Jubilee Road and Exhibition Drive, two new streets, a watercourse, plus a large new park and trails that connect to the nearby Woodland Gardens.

But Marchand Developments will do the project in three phases, which the company says could take up to 20 years or more.

Consultant for Marchand, Chris Markides, told town council in January that the timeline depends on market conditions. 

"If Bridgewater's population keeps growing then it might be quicker, and if it slows down then it might be a bit slower," Markides said.

Town planner, Mackenzie Childs, said the town decided to put benchmarks into its agreement with the developer "to make sure they follow their intended phasing plan."

According to the agreement, Phase 1 has to be completed within 10 years, Phase 2 within 20 years, and Phase 3 within 30 years from now. If the developer does not meet those targets, Childs said council could cancel the agreement and open up remaining parts of that land for other projects.

"We haven't really seen a development with that long of a timeline here before," Childs said.

Some time is needed to ensure the right infrastructure is in place, Mitchell said, because the town is in the middle of a wastewater upgrade and the system couldn't handle 800 units coming online at once.

The developer will pay fees to help fund some of that work, Mitchell said, but the numbers are still being finalised through town staff.

Dalhousie University planning professor Jeff Biggar said it makes sense for the town to ensure they're ready for more residents, but a development window of 30 years is "unusual."

"Especially in light of the fact that Bridgewater, in particular, has [a] growing population and can't build housing fast enough," Biggar said.

"Pushing for shorter at the outset knowing that inevitably there may be some delays … may have given them a bit more of a leg to stand on."

The developers are now completing detailed design and engineering work to get building permits for Phase 1, Childs said, which will see 492 units built in five, six-storey buildings, as well as the new park.

Council heard the developer hopes to start construction by the end of this year or early 2024.

At least 20 per cent of those units must have two or more bedrooms, but Childs said the development density does not trigger the town's policy to require affordable housing. Bridgewater is looking at how to require affordable housing in new projects, Childs said, but that's not in place yet.

"It's something that's kind of being continuously worked on," Childs said.

Developer Jeff Marchand told council during a Jan.16 meeting that most units will be rentals and they intend to "absolutely provide some affordable units" and work with Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) to access financing, but it's unclear what the pricing will be.

Other major projects in the works

The size of the development is the largest in terms of unit numbers in recent years. 

There are more than 400 units proposed (but not yet approved) for a new neighbourhood on Glen Allan Drive, while the downtown core of King Street has seen two large 70-odd unit developments approved. One of those is currently under appeal.

Treehouse Village on Pearl Street in Bridgewater, the province's first co-housing project, is also wrapping up according to its website. The 30 homes have been sold and are expected to be ready by this spring.