High-rise projects are popping up around Halifax. But why are they getting built this way? – Halifax [Video]

As Halifax continues its rapid transformation to meet historic housing demands, cranes above intersections have become a defining feature of the skyline.

But the city’s future doesn’t rest solely in highrises.

Across the region, planners and developers are eyeing green fields and underused spaces as opportunities for new neighbourhoods — designed from the ground up to accommodate tens of thousands of new residents.

Rob LeBlanc, planning director at Fathom Studio, says his team is working hard to create more housing. “In our office alone, we’re working on master planning about 65,000 units in Atlantic Canada,” he said.

In Moncton alone, the plan includes a proposed 16,000 units.

That includes major developments like Bedford Common with 6,800 proposed homes, and Exhibition Park, which could see upwards of 5,000 units.

These are just a few pieces of Halifax’s Centre Plan, which is the city’s blueprint to manage growth and build sustainable, high-density communities.

They’re envisioned not just …