25 August 2026 HRM Council Meeting: Affordable Housing, Major Events Framework & HRM Parks Washrooms and Drinking Fountains

photo: new crosswalk at Henry & Watt (Curb cut, signs and paint.)

Our fourteenth council meeting of 2026 was held on Tuesday, 25 August 2026. I was absent from the meeting, as I mistakenly booked a family vacation event months ago, thinking our council meetings would be in early August as they were last year.  My apologies for this scheduling error. The Blue Jays did not play very well, but we had fun 🙂

I was able to defer two agenda items relevant to D7 by working with staff prior to the agenda review process, and one item was deferred during the meeting that came to the agenda more recently from CPED (Item 15.3.1).

The full meeting agenda, reports and video recording as well as the draft Minutes are linked below.

Halifax Regional Council – August 25, 2026

August 25, 2026 Regional Council Draft Minutes | Halifax.ca

15.3.1 HeadStart Tennis Dome – Gorsebrook Park

(Staff) Motion: That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Decline the current proposal for the construction of the HeadStart Tennis Dome at this time;

2. Direct staff to undertake community and stakeholder consultation regarding the proposed HeadStart Tennis Dome at Gorsebrook Park in accordance with the HRM Community Engagement Strategy, following approval of Phase One of the Gorsebrook Park Plan through HRM’s capital budget and the subsequent commencement of the project; and

3. Direct staff to re-engage with HeadStart Tennis following completion of the community and stakeholder consultation set forth in Recommendation 2 of the staff report dated July 29, 2026 and return to the Community Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee with recommendations informed by the consultation results and engagement with HeadStart Tennis.

This matter was deferred during the approval of the Order of Business. Thanks to Councillor Austin for moving this for me. I am generally in favour of the motion, but through both this process and “Item 15.4 Halifax Rugby Football Club” from March, it has become abundantly clear to me that we need to find a way to get moving on Phase 1 of the Gorsebrook Park Plan if we are ever going to see any improvements to our hard-working urban park. A washroom for the park, for example, is not currently envisioned until Phase 3 of the plan. We need a water fountain and washroom in Gorsebrook park “yesterday”. I spoke to staff this week about how I can best champion improvements for Gorsebrook park per out Park Plan that was passed by council in 2020. Gorsebrook Park | Park Planning | Halifax

I participated in the discussion about this motion (and the Dartmouth Regional Pickleball Facility motion, Item 15.3.3) at CPED on 13 August. The video and minutes are linked though this agenda page:

August 13, 2026 CPED | Halifax

15.3.2 Affordable Housing Strategy

(Staff) Motion: That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Endorse the Affordable Housing Strategy as provided in Attachment A of the staff report dated August 5, 2026;

2. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to include funding options for actions contained in the Affordable Housing Strategy in future years, commencing in the 2027/28 Budget and Business Plan for Council’s consideration;

3. Direct the CAO to provide the Committee with an update on the implementation of the Strategy every 2 years.

I’m surprised to see the debate on this motion and am grateful that all three items it passed (An amendment to move the funding of this work to the Budget Adjustment List rather than baking it into the budget process failed 8 – 8, and the item as written passed 8 – 7). I intend to support the required two staff positions (because our HAF funding is ending) at budget time, based on the information I have to date from this report.

“Initial, high-level costing indicates that full implementation of the Affordable Housing Strategy would incur a cost of $2,429,500 over ten years.”

The Strategy recommends the creation of a small team of permanent staff within Planning and Development to implement and administer existing and future municipal programs to support non-market affordable housing. One permanent staff position at the Senior Planner level is currently dedicated to affordable housing and the proposed complement is for a 3-person team (2 additional staff) that would see an additional Senior/Supervisory Planner added, along with a Junior Planner or Processing Coordinator.

All staffing and budgetary decisions are to be confirmed through fiscal 20(2)7/28 Budget and Business Planning, and not through endorsement of this Strategy. Operational implications would begin in fiscal year 2027/28, as HAF funds may be used to cover staffing through to October 11, 2027. Based on an initial analysis, the costs to implement the Strategy are as follows:
• Average staffing costs of $193,150 per year from 2027-2028, increasing to an average of $273,600 per year from 2032-2036; and
• Consulting budget of $80,000 in 2028 and $100,000 in 2033 to complete Housing Needs Assessments.”

15.4.1 Major Events Policy Framework

(SEAC Staff) “Motion: That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Endorse the Major Event and Growth Policy Framework, attached as Attachment 1 to the staff report dated July 15, 2026, as the guiding document for how the Municipality proactively supports, attracts, and grows major events, establishing shared values and clear expectations for municipal participation;

2. Endorse the development of the Event Attraction and Portfolio Strategy, which is a component of the Framework and led by Discover Halifax in collaboration with HRM, as the mechanism to identify, prioritize, and advance event opportunities consistent with the Framework.

3. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to work with Discover Halifax to prepare and return to Regional Council with:

proposed amendments to Administrative Order 2014-020-GOV (Marketing Levy Special Event Reserve Grants) as set forth in the staff report dated July 15, 2026; and

draft detailed policy instruments required under the Framework, as set forth in the staff report dated July 15, 2026.

4. Authorize staff to apply the guiding values and principles of the Framework as reference points for event planning and funding decisions in the interim, pending full policy adoption; and

5. Direct staff to report annually through the Special Events Advisory Committee (SEAC) on progress implementing the Framework, including updates to policies, performance metrics, and event impact outcomes.”

We passed this motion at SEAC on 12 August, and it passed here at council on the consent agenda (unanimous). Improving how and why we deliver events in HRM is about more than just entertainment. Our events demonstrate our values, generate a sense of community, are a source of economic development and most exciting to me, can enhance implementation of our strategic goals like improving transit (if you try the bus for an event, you may adopt it as a commuting habit) and maintaining and improving infrastructure (projects that all levels of government can support that may benefit HRM in the long run).

From the Executive Summary of the staff report:

“It establishes clear roles for HRM as funder and policy steward, and for Discover Halifax as strategic partner leading event attraction and development. It
also defines expectations for event producers receiving public support, including alignment with municipal values and accountability for outcomes. The purpose is to align funding, service levels, and policy decisions with event scale, community impact, and Council priorities. It ensures fairness, transparency, and strategic growth across the event sector. The Framework replaces fragmented programs under Administrative Order 2014-020-GOV with a coordinated structure that links event policy to the pending Halifax Regional Event Strategy and the Integrated Tourism
Master Plan (ITMP 2030). Implementation will be funded within existing approved budgets, primarily through the Marketing Levy Special Event Reserve (MLSER). Any additional costs related to new program development or evaluation tools will be outlined in subsequent staff reports. The Framework reduces operational and reputational risk by establishing clear criteria, accountability, and evaluation measures for municipal participation in events.”

15.5.1 Deputy Mayor Cuttell – HRM Parks Washrooms and Drinking Fountain Strategy

“Motion: That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to prepare an information report providing:

1. A progress update on the implementation of the HRM Washrooms & Drinking Fountains Strategy approved by Regional Council in September 2020;

2. An update on washroom and drinking fountain projects completed, underway, or approved since adoption of the Strategy;

3. An update on the status of projects identified in the Strategy’s implementation plan and subsequent staff addendum; and

4. Recommendations respecting the next priority washroom and drinking fountain projects for consideration through future business planning and capital budget processes, including any revised prioritization criteria, funding opportunities, or implementation considerations.

This motion passed unanimously. I am fully in support as residents often write to me about the need for more public washrooms. This also ties in directly with item 15.3.1 above regarding Gorsebrook Park. Per the strategy below, Gorsebrook was identified as one of five “high needs parks” and was recommended to have a dedicated washroom installed in year one of the five-year strategy. “Highlighted parks fulfilled multiple criteria and should be addressed first.”

HRM Parks Washrooms and Drinking Fountains Strategy – Sep 29/20 Regional Council | Halifax.ca

16.2 Mayor Fillmore

“Motion: That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to return to Council by November 2026 with options to purchase one new passenger ferry servicing Alderney Landing and Woodside routes.”

modified with friendly amendments to:

“Motion: THAT Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to prepare a staff report to return to Council alongside the ferry services operational review with options to purchase one new passenger ferry servicing Alderney Landing and Woodside routes, including consideration of berthing and associated costs, such as staffing and maintenance.”

This motion is intended to increased reliability for our current Halifax-Dartmouth ferry service. I support action to achieve reliable 15-minute service, but I’m not sure that adding a 6th ferry will help achieve that goal. Transit staff were not in attendance to help council decide how to vote on this motion.

Concerns:

-Do we have anywhere to dock and maintain a 6th ferry soon?

-The ferry service operational review already in progress and coming to council in late fall. (I’m not sure if the first report I’ve presented below is that or not, I couldn’t find one specific to the ferries in Report Centre other than the second capital costs report.)

-This ask is not in line with our 2025-2027 Transit Core Service Plan. halifax-transit-core-service-plan.pdf