Good afternoon, Chair and members of the committee.
Thank you for pointing out the presentation slide show that goes with this. Certainly the words will be along with it.
Thank you for inviting the Town of Amherst to contribute to this study. The Amherst armoury, officially known as the Colonel James Layton Ralston Armoury, can become veteran housing, offering on-site support services while preserving a nationally significant military landmark. With a coordinated federal pathway, this Amherst-based project can also serve as a practical pilot for similar properties across Canada.
I will begin by explaining why the Amherst armoury matters and how the veteran housing proposal emerged. I will then outline VETS Canada’s concept, the issues that must be resolved and a potential federal delivery model. I will conclude with four recommendations that could move the Amherst project forward and help create a repeatable pathway for other suitable federal properties across Canada.
The armoury has stood in Amherst since 1915. Parks Canada recognizes it for its association with the 85th Canadian Infantry Battalion, the Nova Scotia Highlanders; for its architecture; and for its importance in our community. DND declared the building surplus to military needs in 2016. In 2024, the federal government announced the armoury would be divested, with a focus on housing development and the budget plan to unlock surplus postal and defence lands. Amherst now faces a choice between managed renewal and continued deterioration.
When the federal government identified the armoury for housing in April 2024, VETS Canada co-founder Jim Lowther saw a natural fit. VETS Canada brought the concept to the town. Council supported the direction, committed $50,000 to early project work and heard strong support at community meetings. The current council remains engaged. The idea now needs a durable federal process.
VETS Canada has developed a concept that combines housing, support and a continuing public purpose for this historic building. The design remains preliminary and will require technical, financial and heritage review. VETS Canada envisions approximately 20 apartments for veterans. The concept includes a drop-in centre to connect residents and other local veterans with support. A living Highlanders museum would retain the building's military story. A satellite recruitment presence and a veteran-run coffee shop have also formed part of the concept. The strength lies in their combination: housing beside support, community connection and a continued military presence.
The Amherst proposal creates value across mandates that government often manages separately. It could provide affordable homes and support to veterans, preserve a recognized heritage building, respond to strong community attachment and give DND a responsible route to divest a property it no longer needs. That alignment makes the project worth testing. The barriers are real but identifiable. A non-profit cannot design and fund a building without clarity about transfer terms and timing. It needs complete information about the building, structural work and environmental liabilities. Heritage requirements must inform design early.
Finally, renovation, affordable housing and veteran services sit in different funding systems. The project needs a federal lead and a coordinated table. We recommend a pilot with clear roles. DND would complete and disclose due diligence, settle responsibility for structural and environmental issues, and establish the transfer route. CMHC and federal heritage partners would help fund feasibility, adaptive design and housing capital. Veterans Affairs Canada would help shape and support the service model. VETS Canada or another qualified non-profit would own or lease the property and operate the housing and services.
We ask the committee to recommend four actions: Designate Amherst as a pilot with one accountable federal lead. Fund the predevelopment work needed to determine technical and financial viability. Perform flexible transfer terms when a non-profit delivers sustained public benefit. Then use the lessons from Amherst to create a repeatable pathway for other suitable federal properties. The results would extend beyond Amherst. A historic building remains in use. Veterans gain housing and support. DND gains a responsible path to divest a surplus property. Canada gains a model that other communities can adapt.
Amherst and VETS Canada are ready to continue the work. The Amherst armoury was built for service. It can serve again by providing homes, support and belonging to veterans while preserving a landmark that matters deeply to our community. We ask the federal government to give this project a clear path and to learn from it.
Thank you. I welcome your questions.