In the debate around housing policy, we constantly hear that we need to build up, as thats the only solution to getting the number of units Halifax needs. This is bad thinking for a number of reasons ill get to later, but its also historically wrong.

Halifax Peninsula’s population grew to a high of 93,301 in 1956, and has yet to regain that population, despite years of flat out building. The peninsula was more densely populated in the 1950’s then it is now, and there were no highrises then.

Thanks to the way the census is conducted, we can see the change in population for a geographic area. in the Census data.

The Peninsula’s population grew to a high of 93,301 in 1956, when the Dominion Public Building was the tallest in Halifax, and decreased thereafter, reaching a low of 59,943 in 1996, and roughly equal to the population in 1931. In 2016, the population was 63,210 people. By 2021, the population increased to 72,169 people–an increase of 14.1% from 2016.

So Why the dramatic collapse between 1961 and 1981? The National Housing Act of 1954 enabled federal money via CMHC properties to redevelop properties for their highest and best use, including commercial uses. This was a big difference over previous versions of the act, which only allowed clearance of slum housing to make way for new housing.

It was in partnership with CHMC, that the city undertook Stephenson’s 1957 redevelopment study for Halifax. The partnership was further enhanced by the fact the city’s Development Officer, Robert B. Grant, was a former CMHC official.

In the 1957 Report, Stephenson uses a number of metrics to argue an area is a slum and suggest its redevelopment. His report Identifies several areas with a combined population of 6480 people to be cleared, and proposes new developments to accommodate only 5600. of course, all those people will need to be displaced to enable clearance. as projects were proposed, additional lands were cleared for them, displacing even more people.

Stevenson proposed several developments on unused land, What is now Romans Ave/Chisholm; The Rockhead prison lands, around Leads st; Mulgrave park; and Uniack Square. None of these when completed housed the proposed number of residents.

Council minutes from the 1960’s are full of approvals for property expropriations. The population drop between 1956 and 1966 can be entirely attributed to slum clearance, and residents moving to the more suburban parts of the city – Clayton park and Rockingham areas saw significant growth in the early 1960’s, my house for example was built in 1964. In 1969, the City of Halifax annexed Spryfield, as well as Armdale, Clayton Park, Fairview, and Rockingham, expanding off the Peninsula, and giving it its first true suburbs.

Areas that were cleared now house the Metro Centre complex, Centennial Pool, Police Station, Scotia Square and Brunswick place, The Ocean Towers, The Cogswell lands, Uniack square. the vacant land Between Barrington street and the dockyard, South of North Street.

The First proper tall building in Halifax, the 15 story Tupper building that houses the medical school at Dalhousie opened in 1967, Taking the height crown from The Dominion Public Building. Park Vic at 21 stories, opened in 1969.

This site attempts to explain why Halifax is the way it is. As you read through the Modernizing Halifax section, you should be able to see the results of decisions made in the cites best interest 50 years ago. While we dont address it directly here, similar thinking was happening in Dartmouth.

All this to say, we can build a more dense city without every new build needing to be a tower. Housing options are important, and we need more housing of all types of units. Smaller buildings let different developers get into the game, and that leads to more units faster.

Halifax is in the midst of a housing crisis. Rents are rising and people are living in tents in parks.

Halifax for the last several years has been undergoing a bit of a building boom. But its also experienced massive population growth over the same period. Since 2015, Nova Scotia has seen strong In migration from other parts of Canada.

We have also had strong population growth from Immigration, and have also gotten younger as a province, But housing starts have basically remained flat. Neil Lovitt, VP Planning & Economic Intelligence at Turner Drake & Partners, tweeted the graph below which nicely illustrates the issue. Neil figures we have a deficit of close to 30000 units.

People camping in parks is generally a bad option overall, but when its the best option they have, and the city seems to be able to take any meaningful action to deal with the problem, other than turning to the cops on them to remove them we have a right to be upset.

People have been claiming that the camps have been scenes of assault, drug use, public urination,the camps are littered with garbage, and that the shelters are unsafe since one suffered a fire.

Proper houses catch fire too.. Crimes also take place in proper houses, they house residents that make the neighbours cranky, and some proper houses are even unsightly and filled with garbage.

all the “complaints” people have about those in temporary shelters apply equally to all forms of shelter in this city.

if conditions are bad in the camps, understand its because the city chose not to provide the services to those citizens that it provides to folks who own or rent homes. if garbage collection stopped, your neighbourhood would be gross too. just go google photos of the last Toronto garbage strike. a dumpster and a portapotty would cost the city almost nothing, and would go along way to make the lives of residents better.

The strange thing, is the city has a proud history of Camping on the Commons, and Erecting Emergency Shelters on public lands.

Just over 100 years ago the north end was flattened instantly by an explosion, and most of the community was instantly killed or rendered homeless. The survivors were forced to seek shelter in public buildings, moved in with family and friends, or else sheltered into tents raised on the Halifax Commons.

Military reports of the relief efforts immediately following the explosion detail the following taskings:

Lieut. G.B. Isnor spent the first 36 hours after the explosion driving his car, assisting in the search for places to house the homeless, conveying nurses and doctors from the Terminals to the Hospitals, and helping with the distribution of emergency blankets clothing, etc

Lieut. L.G. Esther, on the 6th, ordered to assist in putting up tents on the Common. Relieved at midnight

Lieut. O. R. Crowell, … Spent evening till 10.00.p.m. conveying oil to tents on Common. On the 7th, assisted in boarding up Union Jack Club building for shelter.

The Tents were only temporary, and by January, more permanent temporary housing was under construction. The photos below form the Archives are dated Jan 26/18, less then 2 months after the explosion. the first shows the Gov. McCall Apartments built on the Provencal Exhibition Grounds (which were bounded by Young, Robie, Almon and Windsor streets)

This second set of buildings also housed the Halifax Relief commission, and were built on the Garrison Grounds. These buildings were basically constructed of timber and tar paper. These replaced the tents, and lasted until the hydrostone, and other more permanent accomidation could be constructed.

In the second world war, what is now Mulgrave park was known as Manning Pool. The site began as a large estate in the north end. It was destroyed in the Halifax Explosion and sat as vacant land until it was developed by wartime housing authorities for military use. In 1941, Manning Pool was built on the site. At the end of hostilities, when Wartime Housing was transformed into CMHC, the site became available for further development.

Apartments under construction at Manning Pool. The building is constructed on simple wooden posts. These would eventually be coverd with a plywood facing. The single family homes were also constructed on wood posts.

Wartime housing was able to quickly provide homes for service members and their families. The houses IIRC were prefab, and assembled on site. Constructed of basic Wood, they provided suitable, but temporary shelter. you can see the edges of the plywood in the photos. they were simply painted.

So what lesson do these wartime examples have for today?

In the middle of wartime supply shortages we manged to provide quality emergency housing to deal with homelessness in the first world war . During the second world war, facing rapid population growth due to the influx of service men, we were able to quickly build emergency housing.

Apparently now, with our economy once again booming, we have forgotten how to do what we have done twice in the past.