Our twelfth council meeting of 2026 was held on Tuesday, 23 June 2026.
The full meeting agenda, reports and video recording are linked below.
Halifax Regional Council – June 23, 2026
Items most relevant to District 7 are highlighted below. The public agenda was light.
15.1.1 Proposed Amendments to Administrative Order 15, Respecting License, Permits and Process Fees – Adjustment to Parking Rates for 2026/2027
(staff) “Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council adopt the amendments to Administrative Order 15, the License, Permits and Process Fees Administrative Order, as set out in Attachment 1 to the staff report dated June 9, 2026.”
This is not new information, but updating our paperwork with the budget committee decisions made about parking fees so that HRM can proceed with signage changes and enforcement. Weekday paid parking fees will go up 25%, Saturday paid parking will be put in place (the first hour will be free) and the price for commuter parking permits will increase by $20.
Staff assumed a 15 July implementation date in the report, and I expect that we will see Public Service Announcements to confirm or alter this date in the next couple of weeks.
The last time parking prices increased in 2023, there was no change to demand.
This motion passed unanimously (16 – 0).
15.3.1 Halifax Jazz Festival
That Halifax Regional Council approve additional Marketing Levy Special Events Reserve (MLSER) funding for one year in the amount of $55,000 for Jazz East Rising Association to host the 2026 Halifax Jazz Festival from the 2026/2027 Community & Events Reserve (Q621), in light of the information provided in the presentation on June 10, 2026.”
Special Events are funded through a hotel levy. This 2026 funding boost along with decisions made to economize from the organizers will help the festival run for another 40 years. The 40th Halifax Jazz Fest runs 7-12 July 2026.
This motion passed on the consent agenda.
15.4.1 Councillor Hinch – Amendments to Bylaw B-600 Respecting Blasting
“Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to prepare a staff report to amend section 5 respecting hours of blasting of By-law B-600 Respecting Blasting to restrict blasting activities during operational hours of elementary schools and/or daycare centres that are located in close proximity to the building site.
This request is a tricky one, as blasting often needs to happen to build in Halifax, and any decrease to the time allotted for blasting could negatively impact construction costs and timelines. However, residents are providing feedback on the disruptive nature of the process, so, similar to other recent requests from councillors, this is an ask for staff to do some thinking about how we may improve children’s quality life through possible changes to our permissible hours. As always, staff will consult with industry interest holders regarding possible reasonable solutions.
This motion passed 14 – 3. I voted Yes.