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Goals & Objectives
Principle 4
Support development patterns that promote a vigorous regional economy. |
Read the public comments about Principle 4 goals and objectives
Investing in the Regional Economy
Goal 4.1: Reinforce and promote HRM as an economic and cultural force within Nova Scotia, Atlantic Canada, and beyond.
Objectives:
- Continue to establish and promote the image of HRM as a pro-business municipality, locally, nationally and internationally.
- Develop and enhance initiatives to increase the competitiveness of HRM in the global marketplace.
- Support and promote the growth and development of the region's major economic drivers and emerging growth sectors by identifying and protecting key lands with strategic transportation links throughout the region to facilitate this growth.
- Ensure an adequate supply of competitively priced and easily serviceable lands for industrial, commercial and institutional development, reflecting a comprehensive strategy for economic growth.
- Ensure that industrial/business park locations and plans are responsive to the future needs of key business sectors and expanding and new businesses.
- Adopt business-supportive best practices which provide clear regulation with timely approval processes and consistent enforcement.
Goal 4.2: Develop revenue plans that reflect and implement the outcomes of the Regional Plan, increase our economic competitiveness and result in a more efficient land development pattern.
Objectives:
- Invest in public infrastructure and strategic physical improvements to enhance business growth and facilitate planned development patterns.
- Maximize leverage on spending and capital investment by collaborating with federal and provincial governments and business to implement public improvements and projects that demonstrate commitment to developing vital economic infrastructure and viable business districts.
- Support a competitive tax environment and service levels through efficient and effective development patterns, making the best use of infrastructure investment.
Goal 4.3: Achieve collaboration between government levels, other agencies and business stakeholders to support the long range vision for economic development within the region, consistent with Regional Plan outcomes.
Objectives:
- Liaise with other levels of government and government agencies to identify development plans and ensure that long-range development strategies, economic planning and promotion are consistent with regional planning goals.
- Establish linkages between regional economic development efforts and land-use planning to optimize community development opportunities.
- Establish a regional economic development strategy that supports the economic function of the Capital District and other major centres.
Goal 4.4: Reinforce the economic function of Halifax Harbour, including marine-based industry, energy, sciences, port and navy operations, sewage treatment operations, transportation and tourism, and balance this function with the desire for increased public open space and recreation, residential and other interests.
Objectives:
- Develop a Harbour Planning Strategy for the future development and management of Halifax Harbour reinforcing its role as a fundamental economic, cultural, recreational, transportation, and public regional asset.
- Identify and protect appropriate harbour frontage and adjacent lands to ensure the continued growth of vital harbour-based industrial and commercial functions, and develop measures to mitigate community impacts from such operations.
- Recognize and establish a sustainable balance between commercial, industrial, institutional, residential, tourist-related and public recreation and open space uses and linkages around the harbour.
- Collaborate with federal and provincial governments, business community and other stakeholders to determine appropriate governance and management structures to effectively promote and administer harbour activities, harbourfront land use and cross-jurisdictional interests.
Business and Industrial Parks
Goal 4.5: Ensure a strategic approach to the development of large-scale industrial parks, business parks and retail parks that is consistent with regional growth management objectives.
Objectives:
- Undertake an assessment of the region's existing industrial parks, business parks and retail parks in terms of efficiency and effectiveness related to number, location, function, proximity to the work force, provision of services and transportation infrastructure, including transit.
- Establish criteria to evaluate prospective commercial centres in terms of their impact on the region and the impact on the regional transit network, road capacity, public expenditure needs, and integration with surrounding built and natural assets.
- Discourage major retail development within industrial/business parks that have been designated for future industrial expansion consistent with a regional industrial/business park strategy.
- Maintain effective buffers between established industrial lands in order to protect such businesses against encroaching land-uses.
- Develop and maintain essential transportation modes and routes to industrial areas to enable the seamless transport of goods.
Network of Community Commercial/Business Centres
Goal 4.6: Identify a hierarchy of commercial centres appropriate to the communities that they are intended to serve. Such hierarchy may entail designations that reflect the suburban areas, rural commutershed areas, and rural areas.
Objectives:
- Develop mechanisms to enable mixed-use "complete" communities that include places to live, work, learn, shop, and access services, and enable residents to undertake a wider range of daily activities closer to home.
- Build on existing employment nodes and established suburban and rural centres by providing a variety of housing options closer to jobs and transit services.
- Develop appropriate design mechanisms to encourage a mixed-use, compact development form for commercial districts, to protect and enhance the character of these districts.
- Facilitate and support the establishment and continuation of community based business districts within commercial centres throughout HRM.
Goal 4.7: Enhance rural and local economies and reinforce rural quality of life.
Objectives:
- Foster community economic development in rural and rural commutershed areas to enhance the diversity of the regional economy and offer employment and local services to residents.
- Support the development of resource sector industries, in harmony with other regional plan principles.
- Protect the natural and built character and identity of rural communities to sustain the cultural and eco-tourism assets, rural economies and community identity.
- Collaborate with other governments and agencies to provide improved infrastructure (transportation links, telecommunications) to rural areas to support economic development.
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