CBRM Pallet Shelter Village FAQs
A follow-up to our last post answering some of the questions that we’ve received on the CBRM Pallet Shelter Village.
The land for the Pallet Village had to be (already) provincially owned land.
In its 2023 Municipal Planning Strategy, the CBRM did not allow for the creation of tiny home (or tiny dwelling) communities.
The CBRM can approve tiny home communities, but any privately owned land or municipally owned land where a tiny home community is contemplated has to undergo a municipal rezoning which can take between six and nine months.
The goals of this temporary/transitional housing are (1) to keep people alive through the winter months when the risk of death from exposure/weather is at its highest and (2) to identify suitable alternative affordable and supportive housing and work to transition Pallet Shelter residents into this housing.
The Open-Hearth site (northern section) was considered but covenants on this land do not allow it to be used for any kind of overnight accommodations.
New Dawn considered its own Pine Tree Park site, but this site would also be subject to the 6-9 month rezoning process.
In addition to being provincially-owned, the site needed to be:
- flat
- clear of any buildings
- able to be fenced and well-lit
- have secure and monitored access
- ready to receive the development (not requiring any major clearing/levelling)
- large enough to accommodate 30 units and shared facility buildings
- in proximity to municipal services (water, sewer, power) for hook-ups
- close to a transit stop, near to the services that are often used by future residents (foodbank, the Ally Centre, the health clinic at the Ally Centre, the YMCA, the Homeless Shelter, the library, etc.)
- able to meet all of the Dignity Standards set out and required by the manufacturer, Pallet.
The site selected as one that could satisfy all of the above.
