N.S. spending $5M to get Sydney housing project 'off the ground'

The Nova Scotia government is spending $5 million to kick start a Sydney housing project, first announced last spring.

The development at the old Tartan Downs horse race track is being promoted by a local non-profit group on land owned by Cape Breton University (CBU).

According to plans made public last March, the Urban Neighbourhood Development Association is looking to build as many as 430 units in what would be a brand new neighbourhood. It includes townhouses and apartment buildings on 9.7-hectare property CBU bought almost three years ago. 

The money is coming as part of an $8-million funding announcement "to increase housing options for post-secondary students."  Students would be free to rent apartments on the site, but the project does not specifically set aside any units for students, either from CBU or the local community college.

Kent Macintyre, president of the development association and manager of special projects at CBU, told CBC News he expected students would be able to afford some of the apartments being set aside as "affordable housing". 

"Students would be living in one of those units, whether they prefer one-, two- or three- bedroom units," said Macintyre. "Using the CMHC [Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation] template for [the Cape Breton Regional Municipality], which is 80 per cent of the median rents, one bedroom would be $560 [a month] and about $640 [a month] for a two-bedroom."

Largest commitment to date

He said the $5-million contribution was the largest commitment to date for the project and could help pay for the installation of services ahead of construction. He estimates it could cost $7 million to put in streets, sidewalks, sewer and water lines.

"We've been challenged putting that together in a package for funding and so this $5 million may very well kick start things on an infrastructure standpoint," said Macintyre.

"We'll talk to our provincial friends about ... directing that money in that vein."

Macintyre hopes work on the project will start in 2023 and some of the first apartment buildings will be open in 2024 or early 2025.

"That would depend on how quickly would could start in 2023," he said.

Nova Scotia Minister of Advanced Education Brian Wong was not discouraged by that timeline. He suggested the Houston government was simply doing what previous governments had not.

"I wish we came into government with student housing already in progress,"  said Wong.

"We can't build student housing overnight. So if it takes to 2024 then it's going to take to 2024, but at least we get this off the ground and and people have hope."

Wong said the Sydney investment was a good one for students, and the community.

"We have Cape Breton University that desperately needs housing," said Wong. "They've had a large increase in their student population, especially international students.

"We have a not-for-profit organization in the Urban Neighborhood Development Association that's had difficulty getting funding. And we have all the levels of government that think this is a great idea and be able to move this forward," he said. "So that $5 million is getting this off the ground."

Wong also announced a $3-million contribution to the Atlantic School of Theology to do necessary repairs to its residence, to upgrade shared kitchens and bathrooms and to convert some single rooms to double occupancy.

In all, the university will add space for 32 more students in the residence, from 65 to 97 people.