The Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board have approved an increase for Halifax Water, but it’s not as high as what they asked for.
Pending a final review, Halifax Water can raise rates by at least 20 percent starting Jan. 1. The utility’s reasoning is inflation and fixing aging infrastructure. Halifax Water had originally asked for a rate of 35.6 percent: a 15.8 percent increase on Jan. 1, 2026, and a 17.1 percent increase on April 1, 2026.
One of the board’s directives is for Halifax Water to find ways to deal with its debt, a deficit of around $34.1 million for 2025/26.
Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore responded to the news in a press release on Wednesday.
“For many months, I have been expressing my concern that Halifax Water’s rate increase proposal amounts to rate shock which would put financial burden on residents during an affordability crisis,” says Fillmore. “Today, the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board agreed.”
While the rate increase was more agreeable to Fillmore, he stressed the municipal government should not be responsible for the financial shortfalls of the water utility; at least, not without an audit.
“I have therefore written to the Halifax Regional Municipality Auditor General, and the Auditor General of Nova Scotia, to ask that they each consider a review of Halifax Water’s governance, financial management, and capital planning practices,” says Fillmore.
Who ever audits the water commission, ensure they are not connected to them in any way. In this day and age, no company or organization should be allowed to audit or investigate itself, as when ever organizations investigate themselves, nothing is ever found to be wrong.