PLPROJ-2024-01075 – Dartmouth Cove, Dartmouth

Proposal

Municipal project to consider amendments to the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and the Regional Centre Land Use By-law to restrict water lot development and infilling in Dartmouth Cove, Dartmouth. 

Background

Dartmouth Cove is part of the Halifax Harbour and contains 9 water lots that total a combined area of 4.52 hectares. These water lots existed prior to Confederation in 1867 and can typically be infilled with various natural materials to become land if proper federal approvals are obtained. Authority over the infilling of water lots in the Halifax Harbour falls under the jurisdiction of the Federal Government through Transport Canada and the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada (DFO). Issues relating to the infill of water lots along Dartmouth Cove have been the subject of concern for both Council and the public. These concerns are generally as follows:

• the loss of harbour views along the Trans Canada Trail;
• the loss of a natural asset;
• impacts on navigation;
• an increase in truck traffic during infilling activities; and
• potentially negative environmental impacts.

The Municipality is seeking to obtain a limited jurisdiction from the Federal Government to regulate the infilling of water lots in Dartmouth Cove. The Municipality already has jurisdiction to manage the use and the development of water lots once they have been infilled.

Proposal Details

The Municipality is considering amending the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and the Regional Centre Land Use By-law to prohibit most water lot infilling activities in Dartmouth Cove.

Key Considerations Under Review

1.    Potentially limiting infilling activities in Dartmouth Cove to public uses and limited shoreline protection.

2.   Potentially requiring a development permit for any infilling activity in Dartmouth Cove.

3.   Potentially designating and zoning water lots in Dartmouth Cove as “Water Access”. This would prevent water lots from taking on the abutting zone if infilled. The Water Access (WA) Zone currently limits the use of infilled water lots to the following uses:

• boating club use;
• conservation use;
• park use;
• water access structure use;
• historic sites or monument use;
• temporary construction use; and
• utility use.

Process

The planning project will be considered under the MPS and LUB Amendment Process.

Status

A public hearing will be held by Halifax Regional Council on October 7, 2025, at 6:00 p.m. at Halifax City Hall (Council Chamber), 1841 Argyle Street, Halifax, NS.

View the staff report. If you have questions about how to access the staff report contact the Office of the Municipal Clerk clerks@halifax.ca or 902.490.4210. To arrange for a paper copy of application materials to be sent to you by mail if the internet is unavailable to you, please contact the planner.

All oral and written submissions will be considered at that time. Written submissions are welcomed and encouraged in advance of the hearing itself. These submissions are distributed to all Councillors and considered at the time of their decision. Written submissions may be forwarded to the Municipal Clerk by e-mail; by fax, 902-490-4208; or by mail, P.O. Box 1749, Halifax, NS, B3J 3A5. Written submissions must be received by the Municipal Clerk’s Office as early as possible and not later than 3:00 p.m. on October 7, 2025. Please allow sufficient time for delivery.

If you have questions about the public hearing process, please email or call 902.490.4210 the Office of the Municipal Clerk. Should you have questions about the nature of the application itself, please email (salihd@halifax.ca) or call the planner directly at 902.220.9631

Enhanced security processes to access City Hall, including security screening with X-ray and metal detection, as well as sign-in with government-issued photo ID, are in place. Please allow for ample time to complete these processes before your meeting start time. Learn more by visiting halifax.ca/visitingcityhall.

Information on how to sign up to speak in advance is available on-line: https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/regional-council/public-hearings. If you’d like, you can let us know how to say your name using simple, sound-it-out spelling. (For example: for Leila Nahirah say “Lay-ah Nah-HEE-rah”). 

This notice was posted to this site on September 26, 2025 in accordance with the requirements of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter.