Government of Canada, Nova Scotia Department of Growth and Development, Halifax Regional Municipality, and YWCA Halifax Open 91 Affordable Rentals at Dartmouth's Mount Hope Village
DARTMOUTH, Nova Scotia — Sept. 2, 2026 — The Government of Canada, the Nova Scotia Department of Growth and Development, the Halifax Regional Municipality, and YWCA Halifax announced the grand opening of 91 secure, non-profit rental homes through Phases 2 and 3 of Mount Hope Village in Dartmouth, backed by more than $37 million in combined public funding.
The townhouse-style units — all two- and three-bedroom configurations — are designated for women and gender-diverse led families and will be operated permanently as non-profit rentals by YWCA Halifax. The announcement was made September 2 by the Honourable Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth–Cole Harbour, on behalf of the Honourable Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure, alongside the Honourable John White, Minister of Housing and MLA for Glace Bay-Dominion, and Andy Fillmore, Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality.
Funding Stack: Federal Dollars Lead a Three-Government Capital Structure
The more than $37 million in combined funding breaks down across three government sources. The federal government contributed $26.6 million through the Affordable Housing Fund (AHF), a $16.1 billion program under the National Housing Strategy. The Nova Scotia Department of Growth and Development provided $8.45 million, and the Halifax Regional Municipality committed $2.27 million — producing a combined per-door public investment of roughly $406,600 across the 91 homes.
The federal AHF, whose application portal is now closed with all funding committed, has supported the creation of more than 61,700 units and the repair of more than 174,700 units nationally as of March 2026. A $1.5 billion top-up in loans for the AHF's New Construction Stream was announced in September 2025 to support the creation of more than 5,000 new units beginning in fiscal year 2025–26.
HRM's $2.27 million contribution aligns with its Affordable Housing Grant Program, which awarded YWCA Halifax funding to support 64 new affordable townhouses in Dartmouth as part of this portfolio.
Project Details: Phased Townhouse Development Within a Larger Master Plan
Mount Hope Village is a multi-phase, mixed-tenure community in Dartmouth's Mount Hope neighbourhood. Phase 2 saw YWCA Halifax acquire 32 new two- and three-bedroom townhomes, with construction completed in July 2024. Phase 3 adds 57 new townhouses — including 40 affordable units — with capacity for approximately 200 residents.
Affordable rents in Phase 3 range from $1,075 per month for two-bedroom units to between $1,250 and $1,445 per month for three-bedroom units. Three-bedroom market-rent units in the same phase are priced at $2,250 per month. The broader Mount Hope Village development is part of a three-phase, approximately $62 million YWCA expansion targeting 148 new affordable units for roughly 500 people over three years, situated within a larger master-planned community that combines affordable and market-rate housing.
A related mid-rise building in the same area — Mount Hope Village I, a six-floor, 64-unit property at 19 Leonamarie Drive — illustrates the scale of infill and densification underway in the Mount Hope submarket.
Halifax Regional Municipality Also Marks Housing Accelerator Fund Milestone
Alongside the Mount Hope Village opening, the Halifax Regional Municipality highlighted its progress under the federal Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF), a program designed to help local governments cut red tape and accelerate homebuilding. HRM was approved for $79,309,000 in HAF funding after proposing a Housing Action Plan that included streamlining the development approval process and introducing changes to support gentle density. Earlier in 2026, the municipality received its third HAF instalment of nearly $19.8 million, reflecting successful implementation of its plan.
Quotes From Officials
Darren Fisher, Member of Parliament for Dartmouth–Cole Harbour, said the investment is helping YWCA Halifax purchase new two- and three-bedroom townhouses, giving families the opportunity to live and thrive in Dartmouth. "By partnering with trusted nonprofit organizations like the YWCA, we're ensuring more homes will remain nonprofit and benefit families in our community for generations to come," Fisher said.
John White, Minister of Housing, described Mount Hope as "a strong example of what can happen when governments and community partners work together with urgency and purpose," adding that the province is proud to support YWCA Halifax in creating safe, supportive homes for women and gender-diverse led families.
Mayor Andy Fillmore said HRM is proud to invest $2.27 million in the new affordable homes. "City Hall needs to create the conditions for more projects like this to move forward faster, at lower cost, and with fewer barriers," Fillmore said.
A representative of YWCA Halifax noted that Phase 3 of Mount Hope Village will offer 57 new townhouses providing housing for 200 people. "Investment in nonprofit housing is essential to addressing the housing crisis facing renters. It creates lasting community assets and helps ensure affordable homes remain available for generations to come," the statement read.
Context: Non-Profit Inventory Lock-In Amid Tight Halifax Rental Market
The Mount Hope Village completions arrive as Halifax-area rental vacancy remains tight and rents have risen, intensifying pressure on lower-income households. The project reflects a broader strategy by governments and non-profit operators to lock in permanently affordable, non-profit-controlled inventory while federal AHF capital is still being deployed. By structuring YWCA Halifax as the permanent owner-operator of the townhouses, the funding partners aim to keep the units out of the speculative market for the long term.
The Government of Canada's Build Canada Homes initiative, which frames the federal approach to affordable housing supply, is designed to partner with non-profit and private organizations to increase housing production across the country, with a stated focus on transitional and supportive housing, deeply affordable community housing, and middle-class homeownership.
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