Nova Scotia Announces 64 New Public Housing Units for Middleton, Windsor, Shubenacadie and Springhill

Nova Scotia is moving forward with a significant expansion of affordable housing in rural communities, announcing plans for up to 64 new rent-geared-to-income apartments across four towns. The project is part of the province's historic $251 million commitment to build 515 public housing units over five years—the largest public housing investment in more than three decades. Nova Scotia invests $16.8m to boost affordable housing in Dartmouth. 

Four Communities Selected for New Public Housing Development

The province has identified sites in Middleton, Windsor, Shubenacadie and Springhill for new low-rise apartment buildings designed to serve singles, couples and families. All four locations will be built on provincially owned land, helping to streamline development timelines and reduce upfront costs.

Planned unit breakdown:

        - Middleton (Sunset Crescent): Up to 24 apartments on existing provincial land with water and sewer infrastructure already in place   

        - Windsor (Crossley Court): Up to 16 apartments

        - Shubenacadie (Mill Village Road): Up to 16 apartments, identified by the Municipality of East Hants as a priority public housing site

        - Springhill (Junction Road): Up to 8 apartments, located near downtown services in Cumberland County

The buildings will feature a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units designed to accommodate different household sizes and needs.

Construction Timeline and Design Process

Nova Scotia architecture firm ZZAP Architecture and Planning is leading the design work for all four sites. The design phase will determine final building layouts, unit configurations, accessibility features, parking arrangements and site access before construction tenders are issued.

Local municipalities have noted that infrastructure is already available at the selected sites, making them "shovel-ready" and allowing for faster project delivery. The province has indicated that construction tenders will be issued once designs are finalized, with ground-breaking possible as early as spring 2026.

As of late 2025, 35 of the 515 planned units are complete and another 60 are under construction at other sites across Nova Scotia, demonstrating steady progress on the broader provincial housing initiative.

Are you a Builder and interested in learning more about funding options? Click on this complete guide to Affordable Housing Funding in Nova Scotia.

Understanding Rent-Geared-to-Income Housing

All 64 new units will operate under Nova Scotia's rent-geared-to-income (RGI) public housing model, which ties monthly rent to household earnings rather than market rates.

Under the RGI system, most tenants pay rent based on a percentage of their gross household income. The Nova Scotia Provincial Housing Agency sets rent at no more than 30 per cent of total household income for most RGI tenants—the threshold that Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) considers affordable.

This income-based approach helps protect low-income renters from being priced out as housing markets rise, providing stability and predictability for vulnerable households. The province has also been phasing legacy fixed-rent leases into the RGI system over several years to create more consistent and equitable treatment across all public housing tenants.

How This Fits Into the Larger 515-Unit Plan

The four rural projects announced for Middleton, Windsor, Shubenacadie and Springhill represent approximately 12 per cent of the province's total 515-unit commitment. Earlier phases of the program focused on adding units at existing public housing sites in communities including Halifax, Lower Sackville and Kentville, with some of those projects already completed or under construction.

When the full 515-unit program is complete, the new housing is expected to accommodate more than 1,300 Nova Scotians. However, even this historic investment will not clear the current public housing waitlist, which stands at over 8,000 people provincewide.

The province is positioning the 515-unit program as one component of a broader affordable housing strategy that includes non-profit builds, modular housing units and land-for-housing initiatives. Middleton, for example, has also received provincial land for a separate 67-unit mixed-affordability project, demonstrating how different housing tools are being deployed in the same communities.

What This Means for Rural Nova Scotia Communities

The addition of public housing in smaller communities like Middleton, Windsor, Shubenacadie and Springhill represents an important shift in provincial housing policy. Historically, public housing construction has been concentrated in larger urban centres, leaving rural and small-town residents with limited affordable rental options.

By selecting sites in these four communities, the province is acknowledging that housing affordability challenges extend well beyond Halifax and Cape Breton Regional Municipality. Rural communities often face unique housing pressures, including aging housing stock, limited rental inventory and barriers to new private-sector development due to smaller market sizes.

The proximity of these new units to existing services—particularly in Springhill, where the Junction Road site is near downtown—should help residents access employment, healthcare, education and community resources without requiring personal vehicles.

Addressing the Broader Waitlist Challenge

While the announcement of 64 new units is welcome news for the four communities involved, the reality is that Nova Scotia's public housing waitlist continues to grow. With over 8,000 households waiting for affordable housing across the province, even the completion of all 515 planned units will leave a significant gap between supply and demand. Canada's rental affordability crisis deepens in 2025.

This underscores the need for continued investment in affordable housing across multiple sectors—public housing, non-profit housing, co-operative housing and purpose-built affordable rental housing developed by private partners with public support.

For Nova Scotians currently on the public housing waitlist or struggling with housing affordability, the 515-unit program represents progress but not a complete solution. Households in need should continue to explore all available options, including rental assistance programs, non-profit housing providers and affordable housing developments supported through provincial and federal funding programs.

Next Steps and Community Engagement

As design work continues for the Middleton, Windsor, Shubenacadie and Springhill projects, residents in these communities can expect to see more details emerge about building layouts, construction timelines and tenant application processes.

Local municipalities will play an important role in the approval process, working with provincial agencies to ensure the projects meet zoning requirements, building codes and community planning objectives.

For households interested in applying for public housing in these communities once the units are complete, applications are managed through the Nova Scotia Provincial Housing Agency. Eligibility is based on income thresholds, household composition and local residency requirements.

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