Housing Progress Through Research, Community & Partnership

The Town of Mahone Bay is proud to share continued progress on its Housing Initiative, marking important milestones and strong community involvement in shaping the future of housing.

At the corner of Hawthorn and Kinburn, the Town has partnered with the Mahone Bay Community Land Cooperative (MBCLC) to move forward with plans for new housing. Utilizing Housing Accelerator Funding, GEMTEC will complete soil testing to ensure the site is suitable for development. This work supports the Cooperative’s goal of increasing non-market and co-operative housing options in our community.

New insights from the Lunenburg County Housing Market Study, prepared by Turner Drake & Partners and funded by the municipalities in the County including the Town, highlight both challenges and opportunities. The study found that Mahone Bay currently has a 0% rental vacancy rate, reinforcing the urgent need for more housing. It also showed that most of the county lacks purpose-built rental buildings, meaning many residents rely on limited secondary housing options.
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In response, the Town is actively developing a Gentle Density Housing Program. This program will support “missing-middle” housing, including duplexes, townhouses, and secondary suites. These housing types are designed to fit within existing neighbourhoods while increasing housing availability in a way that respects the town’s character.

To further encourage development, the Town has waived building and development permit fees for affordable housing projects until 2029, making it easier and more affordable to build new homes.

Community voices are playing a key role in this work. Through a recent survey launched on the Town’s civic engagement platform, Get On Board Mahone Bay, residents and stakeholders were invited to help shape a new Pre-Development Grant Program. This program is part of the Town’s commitment under the Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation’s Housing Accelerator Fund.

The survey welcomed input from homeowners, property owners, developers, non-profits, and community groups. A total of 34 complete responses were received, with most participants being local homeowners or landowners interested in future development opportunities.
Feedback showed strong support for:

• Accessory dwellings, such as granny or garden suites
• Missing-middle housing like duplexes, fourplexes, and townhouses
• Affordable, purpose-built long-term rental units
• Tiny and modular homes

Notably, nearly 50% of respondents said they have considered building small-scale or accessory housing on their own property, showing growing interest in being part of the solution.

These results will directly help shape the design of the Town’s grant program and guide future housing initiatives.

The Town of Mahone Bay remains committed to working collaboratively with residents, partners, and organizations to create more housing options and support a healthy, growing community

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