Besides mystery tunnels under the harbour and basically anything donair, no regurgitated news story piques the interest of this municipality quite like the perpetual discussion of putting a football stadium in Halifax. Well strap in and hold on, because shit’s about to get (vaguely and informally) real. The Sports Network is reporting that the Canadian […]
Council
Posted inNews + Opinion
Tony Mancini wants stronger sanctions for disrespectful HRM councillors
As Drake would say, Halifax council is coming back on its worst behaviour. Harbourview–Burnside–Dartmouth East representative Tony Mancini is asking for a staff report at Tuesday’s meeting of HRM Regional Council on updates to the municipality’s code of conduct for elected officials. Part of that report will look at creating a new integrity commissioner at […]
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LED streetlight project delayed, millions of dollars over budget
The light at the end of the tunnel is costing Halifax an extra $8 million. The municipality’s budget for installing energy-efficient LED streetlights has increased from $47 million to $55 million—a result of several operational delays in the massive public works project. Council approved the increase as part of a yet-to-be-declassified staff report back in […]
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Council choo-choo-chooses not to fund downtown “road train”
The Halifax “road train” will have to conduct its business without any funding from city hall. A vote at council to provide $50,000 in municipal money for the downtown people-mover was defeated by an 8–8 tie on Tuesday. Councillor Waye Mason, a member of the Halifax Community Road Train Society, recused himself from the vote. Ambassatours […]
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Matt Whitman is sorry if he offended anyone by using the word “negro”
For the third time in his political career, Matt Whitman has issued a public apology. The councillor stood at the start of Tuesday’s committee of the whole meeting to address his Twitter fight last week with fellow elected official Shawn Cleary and his use of the word “negro” on TV. “I apologize to my colleague […]
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Halifax councillor calls for municipal lobbyist registry
At the next meeting of Regional Council, councillor Shawn Cleary will ask for a staff report on the creation and maintenance of a municipal lobbyist registry to keep track of the people and businesses trying to influence HRM. Currently, there’s no record of the consultants, business owners, property developers or special interest groups who bend […]
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Pain and no gain: HRM looks to write-off nearly $300,000 in gym fees
Changing banks was easier than cancelling a Sackville Sports Stadium gym membership, and that could end up costing HRM over a quarter of a million dollars. A report headed to Wednesday’s Audit and Finance committee is asking city council to write-off slightly over $295,000 in outstanding accounts from the Lower Sackville fitness centre. The lost […]
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Police board to discuss new services for First Nations communities
Halifax’s police oversight board wants to help serve and protect the municipality’s First Nations-owned lands. Councillor Waye Mason will put forward a motion at the next Board of Police Commissioners meeting looking to establish a more formal relationship between Halifax Regional Police and the city’s First Nations. Three Indigenous bands currently own addition-to-reserve lands that fall […]
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Tentative agreement reached for Purcell’s Cove Backlands
Don’t celebrate just yet. The municipality announced Wednesday that a tentative agreement has been reached to purchase the Purcell’s Cove Backlands, but Nature Conservancy of Canada program manager Craig Smith says the sale isn’t a done deal. That’s because Halifax and the NCC will share the $6.6-million cost to buy 380 acres of wilderness property […]
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Hendsbee blames media for ruining his pension proposal
David Hendsbee won’t be getting any taxpayer money to top up his pension Regional council voted against the Preston—Chezzetcook—Eastern Shore representative’s motion asking for a staff report on whether the municipality could split the cost and help him buy back years on his pension. The request was met with public scorn over the weekend, to […]