Our nineteenth council meeting of the year was held on Tuesday, 07 October 2025.
The full meeting agenda, reports and video recording are linked below.
Halifax Regional Council – October 07, 2025
I’m relying partly on some text prepared by staff to share this info with you in a timely manner this week. Happy Thanksgiving!
“Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council adopt the proposed amendments to the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and the Regional Centre Land Use By-law, as set out in Attachments J and K of the staff report dated August 12, 2025, to restrict water lot development and infilling in Dartmouth Cove.”
This motion passed after a public hearing 12 – 3. I voted Yes.
The decision follows a series of motions dating back to 2023 that directed staff to explore options to manage and regulate water lot development in Dartmouth Cove. While staff had recommended deferring changes until completion of the Downtown Dartmouth Waterfront Revitalization (DDWR) Project, Council instead chose one of three alternative approaches presented in the report; a full restriction on infilling within Dartmouth Cove.
Council’s decision aims to balance environmental, recreational, and development considerations while ensuring future planning for the Dartmouth waterfront proceeds in a coordinated manner.
The amendments will now be reviewed by the Province of Nova Scotia to determine whether they are consistent with provincial interests before taking effect. Provincial staff have 15 days to assess whether the changes align with provincial interests, followed by a 30-day period for the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing to approve, amend, or refuse the amendments.
14.2 Councillor White – HRM Statement Response to Independent Civilian Review
This item was an apology resulting from the 18 August 2021 Encampment Evictions. I brought the item off the information report list as I felt it was important to deliver an apology verbally. Council agreed (2/3 vote required to add it to the day’s agenda). Bill Moore, Commissioner of Public Safety, delivered the message. We have come a long way since that day, and I am grateful for the staff including HRP and the Housing & Homelessness group that serve residents with empathy every day.
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council request the Mayor write a letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs to request the Province of Nova Scotia amend the Municipal Government Act to:
a) increase the maximum allowable deed transfer tax amount from 1.5 per cent to at least 2.5 per cent,
b) create a provision to allow for tiered rate amounts for deed transfer tax,
c) create a provision to allow for a luxury deed transfer tax rate for single-family residential properties at or over $2,000,000 at an additional deed transfer tax amount of 1 per cent,
d) amend subclause 109(1)(c)(ii), which permits a deed transfer tax exemption allowance for nominal consideration transfers,
e) create a provision which states properties pay deed transfer tax calculated on the greater of market value from the most recent assessment received from PVSC or the property purchase price, and
f) add a new clause which explicitly treats the transfer of shares or beneficial interests in a corporation or partnership owning real estate as equivalent to purchasing the land itself, similar to language used by Ontario in section 3 of the Land Transfer Tax Act.
We voted in parts on this one, as items d) & e) prompted concern and discussion, but everything passed. I voted Yes to all items. We are out of step with other provinces on this item as per the table in the staff report.
The move follows a staff recommendation to replace the current flat 1.5 per cent tax with a progressive, tiered structure, aimed at improving fairness and increasing revenue for major capital projects. Under the proposed model, lower-value property sales would see reduced taxes, while higher-value transactions would contribute more. Staff estimate the changes could generate at least $25 million in additional annual revenue.
Council’s decision means the municipality will now request amendments to the Municipal Government Act to permit tiered and luxury rates, raise the maximum allowable tax to 2.5 per cent, and close existing legislative exemptions.
Because deed transfer taxes are governed by provincial law, any changes must first be reviewed and approved by the Province. If supported, the Minister of Municipal Affairs would have final authority to approve or amend the requested legislative updates before they take effect.
“Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Initiate a process to consider amendments to all planning documents, including the Regional Municipal Planning Strategy, all Secondary Municipal Planning Strategies and Land Use By-Laws, and the Regional Subdivision By-Law to ensure compliance with the provincial Minimum Planning Requirements Regulations; and
2. Follow Administrative Order 2023-002-ADM, the Public Participation Administrative Order, for the required public participation program, as outlined in the Community Engagement section of the staff report dated September 26, 2025.”
This one was a heartbreaker. Because the Province rejected our Phase 4 Regional Plan in June, we are back to a 2014 Regional Plan, which does not account for all the planning work since then, which is informed by the huge growth in population we have had (100 000 people in 10 years). Developments have been on hold since the rejection. The June 2025 Phase 4 Regional Plan included the Minimum Planning Requirements that the province asked for on a deadline, but since they rejected the full plan, something had to be done to implement them ASAP.
19 August 2025 HRM Council Meeting: Wanderers, Special Events, Regional Plan, Argyle Pedestrian Zone
19 & 24 June 2025 HRM Council Meetings: Regional Plan, Bike Lanes, Heavy Vehicles, Vehicle Noise
“Public Engagement” is open now until 24 October, but I highly recommend writing to the Province on this one too, as we really have no say in the matter now. They have made HRM an interim planning area until this process is complete.
Learn more about the proposed updates by visiting engagehalifax.ca/2025-planning-changes. Some notable changes affect bedroom unit mix, parking requirements, how building height is measured, ground-floor commercial use requirements and opportunities for interim growth in suburban areas.
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Not proceed with the implementation approach described in the staff report dated March 28, 2023 for a transit priority corridor pilot project along Spring Garden Road, between South Park Street and Queen Street; and
2. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to continue to consider options for transit priority on Spring Garden Road as part of the broader planning for Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) implementation.”
I’m not thrilled to see this pilot project wither away, but I do agree with the staff report. Making SGR or any road transit-only requires infrastructure, not signs. We need Bus Rapid Transit ASAP, and the possibility of a transit priority corridor for SGR (probably a longer portion of the street and perhaps other streets too) will be reconsidered later. Now we wait for BRT funding and plans to firm up to see if this route will see decreased personal vehicle traffic in the future.
15.4.1 HRTG-2024-02793: Request to Include 1158 South Park Street, Halifax in the Registry of Heritage Properties for the Halifax Regional Municipality
That Halifax Regional Council set a date for a heritage hearing to consider the inclusion of 1158 South Park Street, Halifax, in the Registry of Heritage Property for the Halifax Regional Municipality, as shown on Map 1 of the staff report dated August 14, 2025.
This motion passed on the consent agenda.