Our sixth council meeting of 2026 was held on Tuesday, 31 March 2026.
The full meeting agenda, reports and video recording are linked below, as well as the draft Minutes.
Halifax Regional Council – March 31, 2026
March 31, 2026 Regional Council Draft Minutes
There were no items specific to District 7 this meeting other than perhaps the NSP taxes, so more general items are discussed including the Green Network Plan and Transit Prioritization.
Item 15.1.3 (Inclusionary Zoning) was deferred at Councillor Cleary’s request.
10.2 Councillor Austin – Transit Prioritization
“Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to prepare a staff report on short-term options to prioritize transit on our streets to improve transit’s speed and adherence to scheduling. Options to consider should include but are not limited to:
• More rigorous parking enforcement on transit corridors and potential changes to parking regulations
• Engineering options such as repurposing road space for dedicated lanes, tactical changes, and transit priority signals”
Our Integrated Mobility Plan (IMP) has four principles, one being:
“Moving People: By focusing on the number of people using a transportation corridor, rather than the number of vehicles, we can better recognize more efficient, affordable and environmentally responsible mobility options.”
“While vehicles will remain important, their purpose is to move people and goods. By focusing on the number of people using a transportation corridor, rather than the number of vehicles, transportation planners can better recognize more efficient, affordable and environmentally responsible mobility options, such as walking, bicycling, using scooters and wheelchairs and taking transit.”
Transportation planning | Halifax
However, we have struggled to implement the IMP broadly to date since its inception in December 2017. Councillor Austin’s motion directs staff to focus attention on the engineering work that can be done to provide transit priority measures on our roads in a timely manner. (Through discussion it seems that the parking changes are already in the works.) Council broadly agrees that we need to improve transit in HRM and therefor the idea of repurposing road space for this purpose was well supported, at least at this stage to ask for a staff report.
I did speak about Robie Street briefly here, as there are parts of the road that may be designed at 6 lanes wide per the 2019 staff report. I would prefer that we reallocate space where we can to transit and active transportation to save costs and make the corridor a place rather than a thoroughfare.
Robie Street Transportation Corridor – Laura White, Councillor for District 7
Part 1 passed 16 – 0 and part 2 passed 15 – 1. I voted Yes on both items.
10.4 Councillor Morse – Halifax Green Network Progress Report, up to December 2024
“THAT Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to provide a staff report outlining an implementation plan including a governance structure along with metrics for success for the Halifax Green Network Plan, in order to improve integration with all HRM business units similar to other HRM-wide strategic plans.”
Community Planning Economic Development (CPED) Standing Committee received this same presentation on the Green Network Plan on 22 January. As not all council members were in attendance, Councillor Morse brought this Regional Council Information Item back to council for everyone to hear the presentation from David Hodd, and to make this motion for an implementation plan. The Green Network Plan was passed in 2018, but did not have dedicated staff until recently, so this motion will help council keep an eye on progress outside of the Regional Planning process.
HGNP-Final Report_20180726_updated.pdf
This motion passed unanimously.
15.1.1 Request to Revise Provincial Legislation for Nova Scotia Power Property Taxation
“Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council request the Mayor write a letter to the Minister of Municipal Affairs at the Province of Nova Scotia requesting that section 18 of the Nova Scotia Power Privatization Act be repealed, subjecting Nova Scotia Power to pay full property tax on its properties within HRM.”
This motion was brough forward by staff. I appreciate this motion because NSP is a private company. I’d much rather raise our revenue by reasonable policy changes, than cut services to residents at budget time. This motion passed unanimously.
15.1.5 Windsor Street Exchange Project – Phase 2 Construction
“Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Suspend the rules of procedure under Schedule 7, the Transportation Standing Committee Terms of Reference, of Administrative Order One, the Procedures of the Council Administrative Order.
It is also recommended that Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to:
1. Proceed with the Windsor Street Exchange project, including award of a Phase 2 construction contract, as per the current funding agreement and Progressive Design-Build contract. The current contract uses the existing functional design including future proofing new structures along the corridor where municipal lands permit, to accommodate future dedicated transit lanes and separated pedestrian and cycling facilities.
2. Request an increase to CT190010 – Windsor Street Exchange Redevelopment in the amount of $30,000,000 as included in the 2026/27 Capital Plan, for a total budget of $180 million, with funding to be provided by debt financing, as outlined in the Financial Implications Section of the staff report dated March 19, 2026.
3. Provide bi-annual updates to Regional Council on the progress of the Windsor Street Exchange project. Provide updates to the capital budget through the Capital Planning process.”
The WSE is not my favorite topic:
This phase of the work provides the most benefits for general traffic and goods movement, with some transit improvements and better pathways for walking, rolling and wheeling than are now in place or are non-existent. The total cost for the project is now up to $180M, with $70M more to come if we implement the transit priority measures and separated cycling and pedestrian infrastructure that would happen years after this contract building phase is complete. This is all for one intersection! Peak period general traffic pressure is still projected to occur at the extents of the project area (level of service F) in some areas, while others will see a slight improvement. HRM’s contribution to the project is about $85M ($10M province, $60M Halifax Water, $2M Port, $23M Feds). This does not include the aforementioned future dedicated transit lanes and separated pedestrian and cycling facilities.
As I believe that we need to diversify our revenue sources away from property taxes so we can afford to offer people the services they need and want, I asked staff if there has been any discussion with the province on tolling this entry point to the peninsula. There has not, but Councillor Clearly liked the idea and raised it as a motion:
“THAT the motion be amended to add, Direct the Mayor to write a letter to the Provincial Minister to request consideration of adding tolls through the Windsor Street Exchange project area to help offset the costs of the Windsor Street Exchange Project.”
Our colleagues were not ready to take this step, so the motion failed 3 – 13.
Completing the goods movement portion of the WSE is very important for D7 residents. This project, paired with the Port rail shuttle will see 75% of Port truck traffic diverted to rail movement downtown. This will improve our quality of life on the peninsula (noise, road safety).
Our provincial and federal partners share an interest in moving this project forward, so it must proceed, despite many councillor’s discomfort with the cost and the design seemingly in conflict with our IMP. Perhaps more funding will be available in the future to fund the transit and active transportation lanes to help make the area more enjoyable to move through in the future.
This motion passed 15 – 1. I voted Yes.
18.1 Ratification from Budget Committee – Proposed 2026/27 Budget
“That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Adopt the Resolution for Approval of Operating Budgets, Capital Plan and Tax Rates for Fiscal 2026/27 as set out in Schedule 1 of the staff report dated March 25,
2026.
2. Adopt the amendments to Administrative Order 2018-003-ADM, Respecting Private Road Maintenance, as set out in Attachment F to the staff report dated March 25, 2026.”
I’ll write about the budget highlights in my April newsletter. The budget passed 14 – 3. I voted Yes.