DISTINGUISHED SPEAKERS SERIES: Regional Centre Plan

The Halifax Peninsula and Dartmouth inside the circumferential highway, together make up the Centre of Halifax Regional Municipality. Following years of work on a new plan to guide the future use and development of this Regional Centre, planning staff is preparing to release the draft Regional Centre Plan. The Centre Plan seeks to create complete communities that meet the needs of our diverse population while accommodating strategic growth in our Regional Centre. The goal of these plans, by-laws, and policies is to shape the development of our urban core to maintain and create vibrant places and enhance the quality of life for all residents.

Carl Purvis, Planning Application Program Manager at the Halifax Regional Municipality, will give an overview of the work done to date to create the Centre Plan documents, discuss the new tools and approval processes within the plan to reduce red tape and speed approvals, and he will address the increased amount of predictability about the form and location of future development.  Also outlined will be the ways members of the business and development community are being engaged on these new plans over the coming months, and how this involvement will be integral to the success of the plan as it moves forward to Council for final adoption.