It may not be called a tax — but make no mistake, Halifax’s proposed $27,000 Regional Development Charge (RDC) increase is a TAX.  Just like a tariff, this fee gets passed down the line and lands where it always does: squarely on the shoulders of the buyer.

Halifax Water has unveiled its 2025 RDC proposal, and the numbers are staggering. The total RDC on a new single-family home — covering water and wastewater infrastructure — would jump from just over $8,000 today to more than $27,000 in 2025.

And in case that sticker shock didn’t land, here’s the breakdown: 

 This isn’t a modest adjustment. It’s not a quiet course correction. This is a full-blown "tariff" on new housing in Halifax — one that builders won’t absorb. They’ll do what every supply chain does under pressure: they’ll pass it on to the buyer.

RDCs Are Today’s Tariffs — and Buyers Are the Ones Paying

Think back to when international tariffs were introduced on steel and lumber — it wasn’t the suppliers who paid the price. It wasn’t the retailers either. It was the consumer who felt the pain. This is the exact same principle.

In this case, Halifax Water plays the part of a tariff-happy trade minister — introducing sky-high infrastructure fees and calling them “Regional Development Charges.”

• Developers? They’ll adjust their pro formas and raise the price of every home.

• Buyers? They’ll foot the bill — and many will simply get priced out.

This isn’t a policy for progress. It’s a shortcut to a deeper affordability crisis.

This Hits More Than First-Time Buyers

It’s tempting to assume this only affects new entrants into the market — but that’s not true. These charges will disrupt the entire housing chain: 

• Families upgrading to their forever home? Delayed.

• Seniors looking to downsize? Pushed to the sidelines.

• Middle-income buyers? Shut out of new builds altogether.

When a hidden surcharge adds $27,000 to the cost of building a home, it creates ripple effects that extend far beyond the foundation. It slows construction, reduces housing supply, and undermines every government promise of affordability.

Jeopardizing Federal Support — While Undermining Local Trust

Let’s also not forget the Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF), which provides critical federal support for municipalities — on one condition: that they freeze development charges. 

This proposal by Halifax Water flies in the face of that agreement. By trying to impose this charge the moment the freeze is lifted in late 2025, they’re playing fast and loose with federal funding. If CHIF support is pulled due to these hikes, every Haligonian will pay the price — again.

This Isn't Smart Growth. It's a Strategic Misstep.

I work in Halifax real estate every day. I sit at kitchen tables with people making the biggest financial decisions of their lives. And I can tell you — this move doesn’t solve our housing crisis. It deepens it. This isn’t nimbyism. This isn’t a political stance. This is just common sense: we cannot fix a housing crisis by making housing even more expensive.

RDCs should support growth, not stifle it. Halifax needs responsible infrastructure planning — but not at the expense of working families. Not through surprise charges that quietly balloon housing costs. And certainly not under the guise of a "user fee" that walks, talks, and behaves just like a tariff.

 What Can You Do?

CHBA is accepting public feedback until August 15.  Or you can email: board@novascotia.ca by Monday Aug 25/2025  If this matters to you — and I know it does — let them know. Push back. Ask questions. Demand a better solution.

Because in Halifax, we don’t need another cost barrier. We need real action on affordability, without paying $27,000 to turn on the tap.

 Sandra Pike
Your advocate in Halifax real estate