Strait-area builder aiming for low rent on 2 new housing projects

The developer of two new housing projects in the Strait of Cansoarea says he's seeking every avenue to ease the financial burden on new renters.

Brela Construction purchased a vacant school building in Evanston, N.S., from the Municipality of Richmond County in May to convert toaffordable seniors' housing.

A month later, the Arichatcompany signed a development deal with the Town of Port Hawkesbury to set up housing units within walking distance of the Nova Scotia Community College'sStrait Area Campus.

Brela owner Jeremy Carroll says seniors' housing makes sense for the former West Richmond Education Centregiven its closeness to the Strait Richmond Hospital in Evanston.

"Every community right now is in need of housing in general, especially seniors' housing," Carroll said. "As the population continues to age, that's an area that we have to take care of."

Environmental review underway for former school

While Carroll identified the building's classrooms as an ideal template for seniors' apartments, Brela is dealing with several issues that have arisen at the former school, which opened in1978 but has sat idle since the former Strait regional board stopped holding classes there in 2013.

A formal environmental review is underway at the building, and Carroll cited asbestos and mould as two primary concerns.However, he feels his company made the right choice in buying the schoolafter the county put it up for sale in the spring.

"It's something we've talked about over the past decade this critical piece of infrastructure being wasted in our community," Carroll said. "We wanted to make sure that whatever was done with it was done right and was done to help the community. So we were basically forced to jump on it."

The company hopes to start booking rentals at the Evanston site by early 2026, he said.

NSCC-area units not limited to students

In Port Hawkesbury, Brelais launching a 10-year project to set up a combined 80 units on a Memorial Drive site that was originally targeted as a mobile home park. The organizers of that project abandoned their plans in 2008, but Carroll says the leftover infrastructure has benefited his company.

As a result, Brela is pursuing an "aggressive" timeline to open its first phaseof studio and one-bedroom apartments by September 1, he said.

Although the location is within walking distance of theNSCC campus, Carroll saidhis company is not specifically targeting student renters but would welcome any students seeking accommodations.

He said he is working witha number of agencies to ensure that rental fees for the Port Hawkesbury and Evanston developments are below the current market rate.

He declined to provide an estimateof rental costs when asked for those figures by CBC News.

Richmond warden optimistic about new developments

Richmond County Warden Amanda Mombourquette, who is also the co-chair of the Strait-Richmond Housing Matters Coalition, has given the new Strait-area projects a vote of confidence.

After Mombourquette and her four fellow Richmond councillors were elected in 2020, they sought to determine what would be required torefurbishthe old West Richmond Education Centre, with the goal of developing affordable housing on the site.

After an assessment indicated restoration ofthevacantschool would cost the municipality millions of dollars, the county put it up for sale.

Mombourquette is hopeful Brela's work in Evanston and Port Hawkesbury will bear fruit and fulfil the company's promise of affordable housing options for Strait-area residents.

"If this company can't do it, I would challenge any company to figure out how," said the warden, who has toured Brela's Arichat headquarters. "They've got an impressive setup. [They] are diligent in what they are doingand forward-thinking."

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