Funding from the Community Housing Transformation Centre supported community engagement, governance development, and consultant work by Happy Cities, including development of a draft housing strategy.

Community feedback was collected through surveys and outreach, focusing on affordability, displacement, and housing conditions.

New Roots Community Land Trust was officially incorporated, establishing a legal foundation for fundraising, land ownership, and partnerships. Governance sessions began with Femme Noir Consulting.

In preparation for our May 16th presentation to the Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) Committee, New Roots hosted three community engagement sessions focused on shaping a proposed development in the Cogswell Redevelopment lands.

April 16, 2024 — Introduction & Listening Session: Introduced the CLT model and invited feedback on what the community would like to see developed downtown. Residents spoke about the need for a new community centre to replace what was lost with the fast-tracked sale of St. Patrick’s-Alexandra. That building was sold to a private developer around 2012 after the community’s court case was dropped. Although it sat vacant for over a decade, construction only resumed in 2025 after the developer was challenged again in court.

• April 23, 2024 — Draft Vision Review: Presented a working draft of our development vision and gathered feedback to ensure it reflected the needs and aspirations of African Nova Scotian residents.

• April 30, 2024 — Final Presentation & Community Feedback: Shared the finalized presentation in advance of our CPED meeting. Collected final comments and made small adjustments to ensure the proposal fully aligned with community priorities and aspirations.

These sessions were essential in grounding our proposal in lived experience, historical accountability, and Afrocentric planning values.

Happy Cities finalized a draft business plan rooted in Afrocentric values and direct community input, aligning future land development with culturally informed economic planning.

We attended a session hosted by CNCLT to explore board structures and participatory models. This strategic workshop helped us shape our approach to membership and leadership, laying the groundwork for our community-driven governance.

Treno Morton spoke at a panel following a screening of CBC’s Black Life: Untold Stories, where he introduced the term "occupational freedom" to describe the emotional, economic, and social labor African Nova Scotians often give up for their communities due to institutional disinvestment.

A feature article by Haley Ryan of CBC News elevated the North End Halifax "New Roots" Community Land Trust's advocacy for Community Benefit Agreements. The piece highlighted how these agreements would grant Black communities a legal voice in development projects, providing a direct mechanism to address historical injustices. This coverage positioned the land trust as a leader in advocating for equitable and community-driven development policy.

The North End Halifax "New Roots" Community Land Trust delivered a pivotal presentation to the Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) Standing Committee. Attended by senior municipal staff and councilors, the presentation outlined a visionary proposal to transfer a municipally owned parcel of land for a deeply affordable, net-zero-ready, mixed income housing model, emphasizing community ownership and African Nova Scotian leadership.

Outreach and onboarding for the inaugural board prioritized local leadership, lived experience, and collective responsibility.

A full-day retreat was hosted to clarify our values, membership structure, and community accountability mechanisms.

As part of a strategic capacity-building effort, a meeting was held with the Kensington Market Community Land Trust. The purpose of this engagement was to draw upon the wealth of knowledge and proven success of an established CLT, gathering critical insights into effective board structures and foundational document development to inform the strategic planning of the North End Halifax "New Roots" Community Land Trust.

A crucial meeting took place with Andy Fillmore prior to his mayoral election. This engagement was a proactive step to build a relationship with a key political figure, sharing the North End Halifax "New Roots" Community Land Trust's vision for community-led development and ensuring its mission to address historical inequities was on the radar of future civic leadership.

A strategic meeting was held with the Little Jamaica Community Land Trust. This peer-to-peer knowledge exchange provided invaluable, intersectional insights into how another Black-led CLT approaches its board structure and maintains a deeply community-centric and culturally relevant approach to governance and leadership. The discussions served to strengthen the North End Halifax "New Roots" Community Land Trust's commitment to Afrocentric planning and lived experience.

An article by Elizabeth Chiu of CBC News told the compelling story of how the land trust is working to heal the harm of displacement. The piece featured interviews with community members whose families were directly uprooted by the original interchange, and it positioned the organization's efforts to secure Parcel D as a form of reparations and a crucial step toward restoring housing and economic opportunities.

The North End Halifax "New Roots" Community Land Trust held its first meeting with the Community Foundation for Nova Scotia (CFNS). The purpose of this introductory meeting was to align missions and explore how CFNS funds might support the land trust's long-term goals. This conversation was a crucial step in building a new relationship with a major philanthropic partner.

The North End Halifax "New Roots" Community Land Trust hosted a vital Community Engagement Session and Membership Drive, with a focus on creating a positive and supportive environment for the community's youth. The event was held at the George Dixon Centre Park, where families enjoyed bouncy castles and door prizes in a celebratory atmosphere. This was a particularly meaningful gesture, as it followed a recent shooting in Africville that left a local youth paralyzed.

The feedback and priorities gathered from residents at this session were instrumental, serving to directly inform the housing strategy later developed by the planning & consulting firm, Happy Cities. The event successfully created a space for open dialogue, empowering residents to shape the future of housing and development in their community.

The North End Halifax “New Roots” Community Land Trust received official recognition from the Nova Scotia Registry of Joint Stock Companies on September 11, 2024. This milestone solidified the Trust’s provincial standing as a non-profit society, granting it the authority to enter into contracts, hold assets, and qualify for local funding opportunities. Registration ensured compliance with Nova Scotia’s governance framework while reinforcing the organization’s commitment to community accountability and long-term stewardship of land in the North End.

After a months-long wait following the May 16th presentation, the staff recommendation on the North End Halifax "New Roots" Community Land Trust's proposal was released. The report, while acknowledging the organization's mission, was disappointing and non-committal. Instead of recommending the direct transfer of a land parcel for community-led development, it only suggested that the CAO "consider" the land trust's request as part of a larger, ongoing planning process. This was a frustrating and anticlimactic response for a proposal rooted in rectifying historical injustices.

We sent our accountant at the time, who is also a community member, to the Canadian Network of Community Land Trusts (CNCLT) Summit in Vancouver. This investment in our local leadership was a strategic move to build knowledge and capacity from within. The attendee’s participation was designed to deepen our understanding of the community land trust model and integrate best practices into our governance and financial planning, strengthening the organization's long-term sustainability.

A news article explored the potential of the Cogswell District redevelopment to become a model for innovative city planning. The article specifically mentioned the North End Halifax "New Roots" Community Land Trust's proposal to secure a parcel of land in the district, showcasing how the organization's vision could help shape the future of the city.

Happy Cities completed the first New Roots CLT Housing Strategy, grounded in insights collected from community surveys and local engagement. The strategy reflected key concerns raised by African Nova Scotian residents, including affordability, safety, and displacement, and laid the foundation for long-term community ownership and land justice. This marked a critical turning point for the organization’s advocacy and acquisition priorities.

This news story by Hafsa Arif of CTV News highlighted the ongoing uncertainty faced by New Roots Community Land Trust. The article focused on the Halifax Regional Municipality's delayed and non-committal decision regarding the proposal, casting a spotlight on the challenges of securing a firm commitment to community-led projects.

The North End Halifax "New Roots" Community Land Trust's Executive Director, Treno Morton, was featured on the prestigious University of California, Berkeley’s "Talk Policy to Me" podcast. The title of the episode was "Treno's Community Land Trust." The podcast is also part of UC Berkeley's Goldman School of Public Policy.

This pivotal interview elevated the organization's groundbreaking work onto a national platform, highlighting how its pioneering Community Land Trust model is strategically combating gentrification and building a legacy of economic and cultural resilience for the historic African Nova Scotian community in Halifax.