Why This Question Keeps Coming Up in Halifax

If you follow Halifax real estate news — or you’ve ever read a provincial housing announcement — you’ve probably seen headlines like:

“Nova Scotia added 5,000 new housing units last year.”

And almost immediately, someone asks:   “Wait… aren’t apartments just one building?”

This confusion shows up constantly in Halifax conversations, Facebook threads, and even city council debates. And honestly? It’s fair. Government language isn’t exactly known for being warm and fuzzy.

So let’s clear this up — plainly, accurately, and without spin — using definitions that actually apply to Halifax and Nova Scotia real estate.

What “Housing Unit” Actually Means (In Plain English)

In government and planning language, a housing unit does not mean “a house.”

A housing unit means:

A self-contained place where one household can live independently.

That definition comes from Statistics Canada, which defines a private dwelling as:

• A separate set of living quarters
• With its own entrance
• That can be accessed without passing through another household’s space

If a space meets those criteria, it is one housing unit — regardless of whether it’s inside a large building or sitting on its own lot.

What Counts as a Housing Unit in Halifax?

Under this definition, the following are all counted as individual housing units in Halifax and Nova Scotia housing data:

• Detached homes
• Semi-detached homes
• Townhouses
• Row housing
• Basement suites (if they’re self-contained)
• Each apartment inside an apartment building

So yes — and this is the part that trips people up:

An 80-unit apartment building is counted as 80 housing units, not one.

The building is the structure.
The units are the homes.

Why Provinces Use “Units” Instead of “Homes”

When Nova Scotia reports housing numbers, the province isn’t asking:

“How many buildings were constructed?”

It’s asking:

“How many separate households can live here?”

That’s why units are the metric.

From a planning perspective, this matters because each household requires:

• Water and sewer capacity
• Roads and transit access
• Emergency services
• Schools and healthcare
• Zoning and density planning

Whether someone lives in a detached home in Hammonds Plains or a one-bedroom apartment downtown, they still represent one household using public infrastructure.

Counting by units reflects real-world demand.

Apartments Are Explicitly Included in Housing Policy

This isn’t a Halifax-specific invention or creative accounting trick.

Housing policy documents, funding agreements, and affordability programs at both provincial and federal levels explicitly define a “unit” as a self-contained dwelling — including apartments in multi-unit buildings.

That’s how:

• Affordable housing funding is allocated
• Rental supply is measured
• Construction targets are set
• Occupancy standards are applied

Federal guidance such as the National Occupancy Standard also works on a per-dwelling-unit basis, reinforcing the idea that each apartment is treated as its own home.

What This Means for Halifax Housing Stats

When you see provincial or municipal reports saying:

“X new housing units were added in Halifax”

That number typically includes:

• Single-family homes
• Townhouses
• Duplexes
• Basement suites
• Apartments

They’re grouped together because they all house people independently.

This is especially relevant in Halifax right now, where:

• Apartment construction has outpaced single-family starts
• Density targets are shaping zoning decisions
• Infrastructure capacity is a constant concern

Ignoring apartments — or treating them as “one unit” — would wildly undercount how many people the city can actually house.

Why This Distinction Matters for Public Debate

This isn’t just semantics. It affects real conversations around:

• Housing supply shortages
• Affordability strategies
• Development approvals
• Infrastructure planning
• Provincial funding decisions

When someone says, “They’re inflating housing numbers by counting apartments,” what they’re really doing is misunderstanding how housing demand works.

Eighty households are still eighty households — whether they live vertically or horizontally.

Halifax Example: Why Apartments Matter So Much Here

In Halifax specifically:

• Urban land is limited
• Infrastructure upgrades are costly
• Transit-oriented development is a priority
• Rental demand remains high

Apartment buildings allow Halifax to:

• House more people without endless sprawl
• Use existing infrastructure more efficiently
• Support downtown businesses and services
• Create more rental options for seniors, students, and downsizers

Counting apartments as housing units isn’t just logical — it’s essential for accurate planning in a growing city like ours.

Common Misconceptions

❌ “Apartments shouldn’t count — they’re not houses.”
✔ Housing units are about households, not building types.

❌ “The numbers are inflated.”
✔ The numbers reflect real, livable dwellings.

❌ “One building equals one unit.”
✔ One building can house dozens — or hundreds — of households.

Why This Matters for Buyers and Sellers

For buyers:

• Housing unit data affects supply forecasts
• It shapes affordability discussions
• It influences where governments invest

For sellers:

• Market narratives affect buyer psychology
• Understanding supply types matters when pricing
• Density trends influence long-term neighbourhood values

This is why understanding how housing units are counted isn’t just academic — it directly impacts real estate decisions in Halifax.

The Bottom Line

A housing unit is one independent household’s home — not a building, not a structure, not a marketing term.

Apartments count because people live in them.
And in Halifax, where housing supply is a critical issue, counting units accurately matters more than ever.

If you’re trying to make sense of Halifax housing data — whether you’re buying, selling, or just planning ahead — working with someone who understands the numbers matters.
Reach out anytime if you want real, local insight into Halifax’s housing market.

Written by Sandra Pike
Halifax Real Estate Agent | Data-Driven Market Specialist | Serving Halifax & Nova Scotia