[Image-1] His victory confirmed, Lindell Smith thanked a cheering crowd that had gathered last October at Alteregos. Beaming, he then offered praise for the woman who’d managed the campaign that saw him become the first African Nova Scotian to win a Halifax city council seat in nearly 20 years. “Like me, Jalana is embedded in […]
City Council
Posted inNews + Opinion
Parking overhaul pitched for downtown
[Image-1] Downtown drivers should brace for changes in how they park on city roads. The cost of an expired parking meter in HRM could double later this year—up from $25 to $50 per violation. Planning chief Bob Bjerke said during budget talks this week at City Hall that the revenue is needed to cover increasing […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Union negotiations adding “significant” budget pressure
[Image-1] The municipality will be negotiating four of its collective employment agreements during budget season, all while trying to anticipate compensation costs for the next two fiscal years. Since compensation makes up most of HRM’s expenses, that’s going to add “significant” pressure to this year’s budget according to Bedford-Wentworth councillor Tim Outhit. “Any business plan requires […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Living wage ordinance floated by Halifax council
[Image-1] The municipality maintains over 220 buildings, but HRM employees who make more than minimum wage only clean seven of them. Mark Cunningham, president of the Civic Workers Union (CUPE 108) says that’s not right. “It’s terrible work. It’s unjust that HRM as an employer would employ, even through third-party contractors, so many minimum-wage workers […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
City council tackles food deserts and feral cats
[Image-1] Pay-to-spay A five-year pilot project will kick off later this year to help reduce HRM’s feral cat overpopulation. “This has come a long way since we started [with] Tuxedo Stan and the Tuxedo Party in 2012,” said councillor Stephen Adams. The $50,000-a-year program was developed in consultation with Halifax’s ‘Domestic and Feral Cat Committee,’ […]
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Brampton delays Halifax council’s pay raise
[Image-1] Nearly three months after they were supposed to take effect, the new salaries of HRM’s city councillors and mayor have yet to be determined—and we have Brampton to blame. Every year, city hall calculates the salaries of councillors and the mayor through a complicated formula that combines compensation figures from several other comparable cities […]
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Mobile Food Market gets ready to roll out winter service
[Image-1] Halifax’s Mobile Food Market—the city bus bringing affordable produce to communities with limited access to healthy food—is one step closer to providing year-round service. On Thursday, the city’s Community Planning and Economic Development committee approved a proposal from staff for a 16-week winter mobile food program, as well as supports for a transition year […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Scotian Materials has faith in Halifax Regional Council
[Image-1] I am writing to correct the numerous factual errors in the opinion piece submitted by Nick Horne regarding Scotian Materials’ proposed mobile asphalt plant. First, some background, Scotian Materials owns a parcel of land at a remote location north of Highway 103. We have been operating a quarry at this location for the last three […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Councillor not pleased municipal money spent on Trudeau’s town hall
[Image-1] Eight hundred bucks isn’t a lot of money, but one Halifax councillor says it’s still more than the municipality should have spent on Justin Trudeau’s town hall. According to the mayor’s office, HRM covered $800 in room rental costs for Monday night’s evening with Trudeau, while the Prime Minister’s Office handled the remaining bill for […]
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Halifax faces $119-million lawsuit over Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes
[Image-1] Just when you thought the battle over Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes was over… The Annapolis Group gave notice on Tuesday that it will soon begin legal proceedings against the Halifax Regional Municipality, claiming that HRM has “effectively expropriated” its property and in return is seeking $119 million in damages. The lawsuit comes from city council’s […]
Posted inNews + Opinion
Opposition strong against Tantallon asphalt plant
[Image-1] In 2014, Scotian Materials (a New Brunswick-based construction firm) applied to Halifax Regional Council to have their lands in Tantallon converted from a protected wilderness area to a heavy-industrial zoned property so that they could install a permanent asphalt plant close to family homes, schools and daycares. This is all part of a plan by […]
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Gloria McCluskey is back, baby
[Image-1] Gloria McCluskey isn’t letting retirement slow her down. The former Dartmouth Centre councillor is now association chair for the newly created Destination Dartmouth association, which a press release says was formed “to promote Dartmouth’s identity, preserve its heritage and encourage the development of a healthy and inclusive community.” “We’re also advocating for the establishment […]
