Residents of Bridgewater, Nova Scotia, can have their say on a proposal that would allow more commercial development in parts of town now set aside mostly for housing. The Town is holding a public meeting on Wednesday, June 3, 2026, at 6:00 p.m. in the Committee Room at Town Hall, 60 Pleasant Street, to discuss changes to its planning rules.
The proposed amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law would make it possible for commercial projects to be built in the Comprehensive Residential (R3) Zone through what is called a development agreement. Right now, that zone mainly allows homes, including apartment-style buildings up to 25 units per acre, but shops and services are not on the list of allowed uses. A development agreement is a legal deal between a property owner and the Town that sets out the terms of a specific project, looking at things like how it fits with nearby land, traffic, water and sewer services, and the environment.
Anyone who wants to attend the meeting must register ahead of time. To sign up, contact Sondra Brehaut at the Community Development Department by calling 902-541-4371 or emailing [email protected]. People who cannot make it to the meeting can still share their thoughts by sending written comments to Town Council. More details about the application and the process are available at www.bridgewater.ca/DA.
For questions about the proposal itself, contact Planner I Evan Ferguson at 902-530-4081 or [email protected]. The meeting marks another step in Bridgewater’s ongoing review of how the town grows, which has already included recent moves like the March 9, 2026, approval to rezone 283 properties from single-family to two-unit homes as part of a federal housing push.
The public notice for the June 3 meeting was posted on May 26, 2026, and all feedback will be considered as Town Council decides whether to move ahead with the changes.
