Transfer of roads from the Province of Nova Scotia to the Halifax Regional Municipality

LAST UPDATED: June 3, 2022

Overview

As of June 1, 2022, approximately 300 lane kilometres of roads were transferred from the Province of Nova Scotia to the municipality in two areas (areas 1 and 4). As of June 1, 2022, the municipality’s Public Works department is the new service provider for general and winter maintenance to new customers in these areas.

The first impacted area (area 1) includes roads within Boutiliers Point, Ingramport, Head of St Margarets Bay, Lewis Lake, Hubley and Upper Tantallon. The second area (area 4) includes roads within East Preston, Lake Echo, Mineville, and the Western areas of Lawrencetown.

On April 13, 2022, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB) approved the stormwater service boundary exchange to Halifax Water. Property owners in Areas 1 and 4 may become stormwater customers of Halifax Water as of June 1, 2022. Halifax Water will notify all property owners whether they will become customers. New stormwater customers in these areas will not be billed by Halifax Water until early 2023. To learn more, visit halifaxwater.ca/stormwater-expansion.

Residents will experience no disruptions in services throughout the transfer period.

Background

Through the Municipal Reform (1994) Act, SNS 1994-95, c 7, a Road Transfer Agreement (HRM-01) was signed in 1996.

On November 29, 2019, the Minister of Nova Scotia Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal (NSTIR) — now Nova Scotia Public Works (NSPW) — provided the municipality with notice of the province’s intent to transfer approximately 300 lane kilometers of roads to the municipality by April 21, 2021.

As per Regional Council direction, a letter was sent from the Mayor to the Minister of NSTIR, requesting a deferral until at least June 1, 2022 (see attachment B in the staff report), to allow more time for both provincial and municipal staff to prepare for a seamless service transfer. On September 15, 2020 the municipality received a letter from the Minister of NSTIR granting the deferral of the road transfer until June 1, 2022.

A review of the municipal urban service boundary occurs periodically. As part of this review, population densities are assessed and, together with other factors, a determination is made about transferring responsibility for maintaining roads from the province to the municipality.

Various arrangements between the province and the municipality, including HRM-01, the guiding road transfer document, address the process of the transferring of roads.

As a result, the province transferred to the municipality the responsibility for roadway maintenance and related infrastructure for the two areas.

This web page will continue to be updated as further information becomes available.

For more information on the Halifax Water stormwater service expansion, click here.

July 20, 2021 Regional Council meeting

The Conveyance of Road Responsibilities from NSTAT to HRM staff report was brought to Regional Council on July 20, 2021.

The relevant motions from this meeting, that were approved by Regional Council include the following:

That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to continue preparations to receive the transfer of provincial roads, effective June 1, 2022, within:
(a) Area 1 as listed in Attachment D and generally defined on the map in Attachment E of the staff report dated July 15, 2021;
(b) Area 4 as listed in Attachment F and generally defined on the map in Attachment G of the staff report dated July 15, 2021;
2. Request that Halifax Water provide stormwater services to the landowners within the boundaries identified in Recommendation 1; and,
3. Approve the key terms set forth in Attachment H of the staff report dated July 15, 2021 as terms and conditions that the Chief Administrative Officer will seek to have included in a renegotiated and updated HRM-01 agreement; and such renegotiated and updated HRM-01 agreement is to govern the June 1, 2022, and future, transfer of roadways.

Interactive map

The maps below show where the transfer of roads occurred in areas 1 and 4.

For more detailed information, residents may visit ExploreHRM to determine whether their road is now serviced by the municipality. When viewing the interactive map, users should turn on the layer “Street by Classification” prior to clicking on the road. Residents may use the search bar on ExploreHRM to enter their civic address.

Additionally, the Winter – Street Information, Winter – Sidewalk Information, and Overnight Winter Parking Ban zone maps show areas classified as either priority 1 or 2 (note: sidewalks also have a priority 3).

View ExploreHRM here

FAQ

What is happening?

As of June 1, 2022, approximately 300 lane kilometres of roads have been transferred from the province to the municipality in two areas (areas 1 and 4).

As of June 1, 2022, the municipality’s Public Works department is the new service provider for general and winter maintenance for the roads located in these areas.

Area 1, as listed in this report, includes roads within Boutiliers Point, Ingramport, Head of St Margarets Bay, Lewis Lake, Hubley and Upper Tantallon.

Area 4, as listed in this report, includes roads within East Preston, Lake Echo, Mineville, and the Western areas of Lawrencetown.

The maps below show where the transfer of roads occurred in areas 1 and 4. For more detailed information, residents may visit ExploreHRM to determine whether their road is now serviced by the municipality. When viewing the interactive map, residents should turn on the layer “Street by Classification” prior to clicking on the road. Residents may use the search bar on ExploreHRM to enter their civic address.

Why is this transfer happening?

Various arrangements between the province and the municipality, including a guiding road transfer document entitled HRM-01, address the process of the transferring of roads.

As a result, the province transferred to the municipality the responsibility for roadway maintenance and related infrastructure for the two areas.

Details about the boundaries can be found in the staff report. To learn more, visit halifax.ca/roadtransfer.

Which areas will be impacted?

As of June 1, 2022, the municipality acquired approximately 300 lane kilometres of additional roads, and their related infrastructure, in two areas of the municipality (areas 1 and 4).

Area 1, as listed in this report, includes roads within Boutiliers Point, Ingramport, Head of St Margarets Bay, Lewis Lake, Hubley and Upper Tantallon.

Area 4, as listed in this report, includes roads within East Preston, Lake Echo, Mineville, and the Western areas of Lawrencetown.

Through the 2007 HRM-HW service agreement, Halifax Water took over stormwater services on June 1, 2022.

The most updated information can be found online at halifax.ca/roadtransfer. This web page will continue to be updated as further information becomes available.

Why these areas?

Four areas were included in the initial transfer proposal from the province. After assessment by municipal staff and discussions with provincial counterparts, it was determined that only Areas 1 and 4 met the requirements for transfer. Details about the boundaries can be found in the staff report.

What will the cost to impacted residents be?

Municipal costs will increase by $7 million in 2022/23 to accommodate this transfer and could exceed $9 million in future years.

These costs – to operate, maintain and replace (as required) the roads and their additional infrastructure – will increase the average homeowner’s tax bill by approximately $22 in 2022/23, across the Halifax region. This increase is included in the approved 2022/23 Operating and Capital Budgets. To learn more, visit halifax.ca/roadtransfer.

Additionally, per the April 13, 2022 approval by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board, property owners in Areas 1 and 4 may become stormwater customers of Halifax Water as of June 1, 2022.

Each property is assessed individually for charges associated with stormwater system services provided by Halifax Water. If a property is identified as contributing water to the stormwater system, a site-generated stormwater charge will be determined based on the amount of impervious area (hard surfaces such as asphalt, concrete, and packed gravel, etc.) on that property. For more information on impervious areas, visit https://halifaxwater.ca/rates-charges#stormwater.

Halifax Water will notify all property owners whether they will become customers. New stormwater customers in these areas will not be billed by Halifax Water until, most-likely, early 2023.

To learn more about the stormwater service expansions, billing, the types of fees and how they are calculated, visit halifaxwater.ca/stormwater-expansion.

Has this ever happened before?

The last road transfer occurred in 2006 and primarily included the Hammonds Plains area.

What will change in terms of service?

As of June 1, 2022, the municipality’s Public Works (PW) department is the new service provider for general and winter maintenance for the roads, and related infrastructure, in areas 1 and 4. Halifax Water will provide services for the stormwater system.

PW provides the following services for roads, and related infrastructure, that are owned by the municipality:

Winter operations (snow and ice control)
Pothole maintenance
Capital and maintenance projects (not including series 100 highways, which remain provincial)
Reinstatement of shoulder gravel washouts
Vegetation maintenance along the right-of-way
Right-of-way forest management and emergency response
Bridge inspections and repair
311 Customer Contact Centre
Traffic signage and street lighting
24/7 services for accident cleanup, illegal dumping, receptacle collection for transit areas, and hazard mitigation

As of June 1, 2022, what can new customers in areas 1 and 4 expect in terms of service standards?

The municipality’s Public Works (PW) department provides the following service standards:

311 Customer Contact Centre: the 311 Customer Contact Centre offers residents a direct connection to important municipal services and information. Residents can contact 311 by phone, regular mail, or email (contactus@311.halifax.ca). For more information on 311, visit halifax.ca/311.
Winter operations: street and sidewalk clearing timelines are prioritized on a number of criteria, including how often they’re used by commuters, access to important infrastructure (such as hospitals and schools), and whether they’re located on major bus and transportation routes. Clearing timelines are based on the weather event end time. For more information, visit halifax.ca/snow. The Winter – Street Information, Winter – Sidewalk Information, and Overnight Winter Parking Ban zone maps show areas classified as either priority 1 or 2 (note: sidewalks also have a priority 3).
Potholes: pothole repair priorities and timelines vary based on the severity of the pothole and the road the pothole is on. Repair service standards are in effect from April 1 to November 30 each year, except where noted. Residents are encouraged to report potholes to 311. For information on road and sidewalk maintenance, visit the pavement maintenance rehabilitation strategies and paving & repair web pages. Staff are in the process of classifying the priority 1 and 2 roads in the two new service areas. Once classified, ExploreHRM, will be further updated.
Vegetation maintenance: the municipality responds to vegetation (including trees) obstructing visibility in the right-of-way. Residents can contact 311 to report vegetation hazards.
Capital and maintenance projects: capital and maintenance projects are approved by Regional Council. This does not include series 100 highways, which are provincial.
Bridge inspections and repair: the municipality inspects bridges annually and carries out repairs as needed.
Traffic signage and street lighting: the municipality maintains traffic signs and streetlights in the right-of-way. Residents may report missing, damaged or faded signs or street lighting issues to 311. Staff will then visit the site and assess whether a replacement is needed, and if deemed necessary, staff will replace the sign or light.
24/7 services for accident cleanup, illegal dumping, receptacle collection for transit areas, and hazard mitigation: the municipality provides 24/7 services, some of which include addressing illegal dumping, clearing deceased animals from roadways, daily removal of Halifax Transit garbage receptacles, and placing pilons around obstacles.
Proactive inspection of the right-of-way: municipal staff proactively inspect the right-of-way daily, identifying necessary work and inputting information into the workflow management system.

For information on Halifax Water stormwater services, visit the Halifax Water website.

What does “right-of-way maintenance” of roads mean?

Right-of-way maintenance is the general term used to describe such things as the care and maintenance of roads and bridges, as well as assets along the roadside such as trees, lighting, signage, and guard rails.

The maintenance services that compose the right-of-way maintenance include, but are not limited to, road repairs and asset recapitalization; addressing vegetation intrusion; grading roads; repairing the shoulders of roads; flood mitigation; dead animal and litter removal, garbage collection and snow and ice removal services.

For further information about right-of-way services, please visit halifax.ca/roadtransfer.

What does “stormwater system” mean?

Stormwater is the water from rain, melted snow and ice that runs off from roofs, parking lots, driveways, and other hard surfaces. Halifax Water provides stormwater services to thousands of customers throughout the Halifax Regional Municipality.

For information about stormwater systems, please visit halifaxwater.ca/stormwater-expansion.

How will the municipality notify impacted residents?

The municipality has issued a comprehensive communication to affected residents. For the latest updates, see halifax.ca/roadtransfer.

What steps have the municipality and Halifax Water taken to prepare for the transfer?

The municipality continues to work closely with the Province of Nova Scotia and Halifax Water. The municipality has gathered data from the province about the current state of the roads and related infrastructure within the transfer boundaries. Joint meetings will continue throughout the transition.

The municipality has verified data with on-site inspections to determine the condition of the roads and infrastructure. Additionally, the municipality has reviewed the right-of-way service requirements in each community, as well as set short- and long-term service goals for each area. New staff are currently onboarding to provide services, and capital equipment continues to arrive with some challenges due to COVID-19 impacts with suppliers.

The municipality continues to communicate with the province and Halifax Water, aligning its internal service.

On April 13, 2022, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board approved the stormwater service boundary exchange to Halifax Water. Property owners in Areas 1 and 4 may become stormwater customers of Halifax Water as of June 1, 2022. Halifax Water will notify all property owners whether they will become customers. New stormwater customers in these areas will not be billed by Halifax Water until early 2023. To learn more, visit halifaxwater.ca/stormwater-expansion.

Are detailed maps of the impacted areas available?

Yes. The maps below show where the transfer of roads occurred in areas 1 and 4.

How will Nova Scotia Public Works and the municipality address work currently in the provincial work order system?

The municipality continues to work with the Province of Nova Scotia to identify ongoing work within the Nova Scotia Public Works (NSPW) Operations Centre. NSPW is aiming to resolve open work. Any NSPW in-flight work that must be handed over to the municipality will be transferred through the municipality’s Asset Management Office.

Was the transfer of roads approved by Regional Council?

A staff report on the scope of the proposed transfer of roads was brought to Regional Council on July 20, 2021. The relevant motions for the road transfer that were approved by Regional Council include:

That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to continue preparations to receive the transfer of provincial
roads, effective June 1, 2022, within:

(a) Area 1 as listed in Attachment D and generally defined on the map in Attachment E of the staff report dated July 15, 2021;

(b) Area 4 as listed in Attachment F and generally defined on the map in Attachment G of the staff report dated July 15, 2021;

2. Request that Halifax Water provide stormwater services to the landowners within the boundaries identified in Recommendation 1; and,

3. Approve the key terms set forth in Attachment H of the staff report dated July 15, 2021 as terms and conditions that the Chief Administrative Officer will seek to have included in a renegotiated and updated HRM-01 agreement; and such renegotiated and updated HRM-01 agreement is to govern the June 1, 2022, and future, transfer of roadways.

The transfer took place on June 1, 2022.

How many households will be impacted?

In the information provided by NSTIR (now Nova Scotia Public Works) in November 2019, areas 1 and 4 are noted as having 2,866 and 3,054 dwellings, respectively.

It is anticipated that most of these dwellings, as well as other non-residential properties (with impermeable areas), would be billable by Halifax Water for stormwater services.

For more information on stormwater services and billing in these areas, visit the Halifax Water website.

When would the annual property tax bill be impacted by the road transfer costs?

The final tax bill of 2022/23 will be sent on October 31, 2022. This tax bill is anticipated to reflect the impact of the road transfer costs. New accordion content

When will Halifax Water issue their first bills to new stormwater customers in Area 1 and Area 4?

The bills will be sent out between January and March 2023, for stormwater service in 2022/23.

For more information, contact the Halifax Water Customer Care Centre at 902.420.9287.

What was the purpose of the Funding for Stormwater Right-of-way Cost as General Tax report? What did Regional Council approve?

The Funding for Stormwater Right-of-way Cost as General Tax staff report, presented to Regional Council on Tuesday, March 1, 2022, described different options for funding the municipality’s stormwater right-of-way costs and the accompanying collection methods.

The municipality is responsible for paying Halifax Water for stormwater services, based on the total area of impervious surface of municipally owned roads. The municipality has collected the required amounts in a variety of ways, including general funds, as a flat charge on the Halifax Water bill and as a flat uniform charge on the municipal tax bill. For the past five years, the required amount has been collected on the Halifax Water bill and charged in accordance with By-law C-900, the Charges for Stormwater from Municipal Streets By‐law.

A supplementary staff report, Funding of Stormwater Right-of-Way Costs – Supplemental, with additional information and funding options was provided to Regional Council on May 31, 2022. Following discussion at Committee of the Whole, Regional Council directed the Chief Administrative Officer to prepare amendments to By-law C-900 to reflect Option 2, Area Rate, as presented in the supplementary staff report. Starting April 1, 2023, the municipality’s required stormwater right-of-way payment will be collected by an area rate on the municipal property tax bill, from all properties within the municipal stormwater service area.

Why was the method of funding the municipality’s stormwater right-of-way cost reviewed?

At the September 14, 2021, Halifax Regional Council meeting, Council requested a review of the current process for funding the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board stormwater right-of-way cost. To learn more about the origin of the Funding for Stormwater Right-of-way Cost as General Tax staff report, click here.

Who should residents contact for any inquiries?

As of June 1, 2022, for road service and related right-of-way maintenance requests concerning the newly transferred roads, property owners may contact the municipality’s Customer Contact Centre, by calling 311 or emailing contactus@311.halifax.ca. Full 311 contact information can be found here.

As of June 1, 2022, for any Halifax Water-related questions, property owners who are new customers may visit halifaxwater.ca/stormwater-expansion or contact the Halifax Water Customer Care Centre at 902.420.9287. Halifax Water will notify all property owners whether or not they will become customers.

As of June 1, 2022, for any provincial road-related questions, residents should contact the Provincial Operation Contact Centre at 1.844.696.7737.

Can you tell me about the ditch roles and responsibilities for the municipality and Halifax Water?

Information on ditch roles and responsibilities can be found in attachment A of the HRM Ditch Maintenance - Roles and Responsibilities report.