Provincial government pulls out as developer of Bloomfield project
Posted May 19, 2016 04:13:47 PM.
Last Updated May 19, 2016 04:16:33 PM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
HALIFAX – The province announced Thursday they will be pulling out as developer of the Bloomfield housing project.
Community services minister Joanne Bernard says the decision came after much analysis, and adds the estimated $100 million cost associate with the project was simply beyond the province’s capacity.
“Housing Nova Scotia is not a private developer and is not a developer of a $100 million dollar housing facility. It simply does not have the capacity,” said Bernard.
Bernard says the decision to opt out was due to number of factors, including recent federal funding.
“$100 million dollars at tax payer’s risk for a beautiful project that will not have any impact on homelessness in the HRM was not the best use of tax payer’s money or the resources of Housing Nova Scotia. The release of the housing assessment in 2013 and the influx of federal funding which would further enhance our reach in terms of affordability also swayed our decision,” she said.
Bernard adds she hopes to see the project move forward under a private developer.
The province says it will share information from the design and planning stages with the Halifax Regional Municipality and any future developer to ensure affordable housing options are available at Bloomfield.
Halifax Regional Council awarded the bid to redevelop the Bloomfield site to Housing Nova Scotia in 2012.
Back in January, the group, “Imagine Bloomfield” and its board, cut ties with Housing Nova Scotia, saying the public housing organization was moving too slow on the project.
