Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) Amendments

NOTE: Council held a public hearing on the item on January 8th, 2026, and decided to hold another public hearing on the item on February 12, 2026 to provide additional time and avenue for residents to familiarize themselves with the proposed changes, including the targeted upzonings.

What is this project about?

At the start of 2025, the Town of Yarmouth received $2.3 million in federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) support to deliver five key initiatives aimed at creating approximately 120 new homes over the next three years. The HAF Amendments are a focused package of “quick-start” zoning changes being introduced to support the Town’s HAF Action Plan.

Because implementation of HAF projects is time-sensitive and subject to contractual obligations between the Federal Government and the Town, these changes are being advanced ahead of the new Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw so that new housing can move forward sooner. However, most of the HAF-related changes are expected to be carried forward into the new Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw (mid-2026), ensuring consistency between the Town’s short-term housing goals and its long-term planning framework.

Proposed Amendments

The proposed HAF Amendments can be found under the "Planning Report - Attachment 1" on the right side of this page. The proposed amendments may be divided into 3 sections:

1. Textual Amendments to the Land Use Bylaw introducing a range of changes to the existing zoning rules pertaining to residential properties (lot sizes, minimum yards, etc.) as well as a two new residential zones (HA-1 and HA-2) designed to permit permit

2. Town-initiated Rezonings* (Map Amendments to the Land Use Bylaw) of several lots in proximity to key Town amenities to promote additional housing in these areas - see further info below.

3. Associated textual Amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy necessary to allow amendments to the Land Use Bylaw (#1 above)

* Proposed Town Initiated Rezonings

The following properties are proposed to be rezoned - see table below - to either:

• HA-1 (Housing Accelerator – 1) Zone, which would allow up to 4 units per lot as-of-right, or
• HA-2 (Housing Accelerator – 2) Zone, which would allow up to 8 units per lot as-of-right.

Do the proposed rezonings mean that the respective lots will be automatically redeveloped or that the Town has received proposal to redevelop the lots?

No.

Redevelopment would occur only if the respective property owners decided to build new housing or sell to a private builder who wishes to do so.

Project Background

Following two public information sessions held on Nov 12 and Nov 13, 2025, proposed amendments to the Land Use Bylaw and the Municipal Planning Strategy (driven by initiatives under the Housing Accelerator Fund Housing Action Plan) were brought forward to the Planning Advisory Committee on December 2, 2025 at 6pm at Town Hall - 400 Main Street. The meeting provided an opportunity for interested residents to speak to the proposed amendments in person.