The two biggest things on council's agenda this week were making cars driving slower and letting unhoused Haligonians sleep in Halifax parks. Here is the other stuff is from Halifax Regional Council's regular meeting of June 14, 2022.
Thanks to the budget debates earlier this year, council decided to raise the fine for parking tickets to $45 per ticket, which passed. There was some minor debate about making sure the people who are abusing street parking get higher tickets. But the debate was mostly settled when city staff told the council that the $45 parking ticket rate was already budgeted for, and that not making the change would result in a $300,000 budget hole.
The motion to sell 2190 Barrington street to Shelter Nova Scotia and provide up to $50,000 for extensive community engagement to try and nip NIMBYism in the bud passed unanimously.
A proposal to have a tiered corporate tax rate, which will make big box stores pay more taxes, passed.
Council awarded snow clearing contracts. Cole Harbour Eastern Passage and Lake Echo will be serviced by Ocean Contractors Limited for $36,241,991.52 over four years. Herring Cove, Timberlea and Upper Tantallon will be serviced by Dexter Construction for $26,028,482.03 over four years. Both contracts have an option to renew for four years.
Grants for rural transit, volunteer search and rescue and the Pan American Canoe Championships were passed. The other grants motion (to give small-for-government grants to community organizations) was passed with a bunch of councillors asking for staff to review rejections from their districts. A public hearing to majorly alter 5185-89 South Street will be scheduled. A public hearing to add 144 Pleasant street as a heritage site will be scheduled.
And finally, HRM’s boundary review is going to phase 2. Which is a report from the CAO on how to keep 16 seats on council.
