A 17-unit residential project on Prince Albert Road in Dartmouth represents one of the most significant developments to date for Matthew Oldford, a Halifax-area developer whose career has carried him from the construction trades, through the finance sector, and into multi-unit residential development.
A Step Up in Scale
The Prince Albert Road project is a purpose-built multi-unit residential building, a clear increase in scale from the renovation and design-build work that defined the earlier part of Oldford’s career. Where his earlier projects centered on improving existing homes, this is new multi-unit housing built from the ground up, a different undertaking in both size and complexity.
A 17-unit building carries considerations that a single-home renovation does not. It involves a longer construction timeline, a larger and more complex budget, and the requirements that come with multi-unit residential construction, from structural and mechanical systems to the coordination of multiple trades over an extended schedule. For a developer moving up from renovation work, the project represents a substantial expansion of scope.
Infill and the Halifax Housing Picture
The project is a form of urban infill, set to add homes on a site already served by roads, utilities, and city services. In an area facing pressure on its housing supply, that kind of development puts new units where infrastructure already exists and where people already want to live, rather than extending growth to the edges of the region.
Infill of this scale has become an increasingly important part of how cities respond to housing demand. Smaller multi-unit buildings can move faster than major developments and fit onto lots that would not support a tower. They rarely draw attention individually, but collectively they add meaningful supply within established neighborhoods. The Prince Albert Road project fits that pattern, intended to add new homes to a part of the city that is already built up.
A Background That Shapes the Work
Oldford reached this point through a long progression in construction. He entered the trades at 22 after attending the Nova Scotia Community College and, in 2018, founded Matty’s Renos, a renovation and design-build company. Over time, his work expanded from renovations into property investment and, now, multi-unit development. The Prince Albert Road project represents the current stage of that progression.
His path also ran through the finance sector, where he spent years as a financial planner and mortgage specialist. That experience shapes how he approaches a project, bringing budgeting and risk assessment to development decisions in a way that draws on both his construction and financial background. On a project the size of the Prince Albert Road development, where financial planning and construction management intersect, that combination is directly relevant to keeping the work on budget and on schedule.
What Comes Next
The Prince Albert Road building is not Oldford’s only current project. He has also begun work on student housing in Halifax’s South End, signaling a continued focus on multi-unit residential development in the city. Together, the projects mark his establishment as a Halifax developer working to add residential supply across more than one segment of the market.
A Local Contribution
For the Halifax area, projects of this scale are a practical part of the housing picture. A single 17-unit project does not resolve a shortage, but multi-unit infill, added steadily across a region, contributes to supply in a way that compounds over time. Oldford’s Prince Albert Road project is one such contribution, a planned multi-unit building within an established part of the area, advanced by a developer who came up through its construction trades.
About Matthew Oldford
Matthew Oldford is a Halifax-area developer focused on multi-unit residential construction. His current work includes a 17-unit residential project on Prince Albert Road in Dartmouth and student housing in Halifax’s South End. He came to development through a career in the construction trades and renovation, including the founding of the design-build company Matty’s Renos in 2018.
