Wolfville housing accelerator action plan
Happy Cities worked with the Town of Wolfville, Nova Scotia to lead planning and engagement for the Housing Accelerator Action Plan, guiding the way for gentle density and economic revitalization in the town centre.
Conceptual sketch for Central Avenue, creating a pedestrian street that connects to the Wolfville dykes and waterfront. (Happy Cities)
Wolfville is a small, rural college town in Nova Scotia with a strong historic main street. Like many municipalities across Canada, Wolfville is experiencing a large gap in housing supply, with 1,705 homes needed in the area by 2032. In 2024, the Town of Wolfville received funding from the Government of Canada’s Housing Accelerator Fund to support non-market housing and increased density in the area, while reducing barriers to housing construction.
The Town of Wolfville engaged Happy Cities to lead planning and engagement for the Housing Accelerator Action Plan, which focuses on the following key areas:
Enable downtown growth while maintaining its heritage and character
Allow for “gentle density” in neighbourhoods, such as basement suites and townhomes
Encourage growth near Acadia University campus, in partnership with the university
Build non-market affordable housing with non-profit housing providers
Happy Cities collaborated with Fathom Studio to identify strategic solutions to meet the Town’s housing needs by enabling more density, streamlining development policies, and bringing life and vibrancy to the downtown core. Throughout the project, Happy Cities played a central role in developing and illustrating redesign concepts for Wolfville’s downtown, engaging the community to hear their priorities for the area, and facilitating discussions to align town priorities.
