Highlighted below are a few recent decisions by Regional Council that reflect steps being taken by the municipality to make a difference in the Halifax region. For more details regarding all matters deliberated by Council and the direction given to municipal staff, please see the action summaries which are posted to the online meeting agendas within one business day as well as the meeting minutes which are posted online once approved by Regional Council.
Highlights from Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2020
Children aged 12 and under to ride free on Halifax Transit
Based on the Transportation Standing Committee’s recommendations, Regional Council has directed the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to adopt By-law U-107, an amendment of By-law U-100, the User Charges By-law. This amendment will permanently eliminate transit fares for children 12 years of age and under.
Regional Council has also directed staff to prepare a report considering the potential for discounting bulk purchases of single transit fares for both non-profit agencies, and promotional events.
In June 2019, Halifax Transit recommended a number of fare structure changes. This included a recommendation for a six-month pilot program to allow children between the ages of four and 13 to travel on all Halifax Transit services free of charge. Previously, only children aged four and under were provided free travel. Following approval of the By-law U-105 on Sept. 17, 2019, this pilot launched on Sept. 30, 2019, and was intended to be concluded on March 30, 2020, however, Halifax Transit has continued to allow free travel for children, pending a final decision on the results of the pilot.
In January 2020, engagement regarding the pilot was undertaken via the Talk Transit online engagement platform. A total of 355 residents responded to the survey. Additionally, a survey was undertaken with Halifax Transit Operators to gain their perspective. The highlights of both the surveys are found in Attachment C of this report.
Read the staff report for more information.
Parking Permit By-Law Changes
Regional Council has directed the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to adopt a number of parking permit By-law changes, as outlined in this report and below.
Most permits will now be tied to license plates and residents will no longer be required to display a physical permit in their windshield. Three-hour parking restrictions will be introduced; however, annual residential and visitor permits will be exempt from such signage.
In response to feedback from the Business Improvement Districts, and in an effort to provide relief to local businesses requiring shorter term loading and parking options, changes to AO 15 have been adopted to provide greater flexibility in changing or pausing rates for paid parking.
Further, the CAO has been directed to implement a Daily Contractor Parking Permit. This permit will increase access to on-street parking for contractors working in areas with paid parking and time-controlled parking restrictions. The cost for this permit for all zones will be $40 per day.
On Oct. 13, 2020, the municipality launched a new Integrated Parking Technology System. As part of this change, legacy pay-by-space meters were replaced by a pay-by-plate parking session system, where drivers could purchase time in designated zones using an on-street pay station or a mobile application. This change also introduced daily time limits of four hours for each zone.
To learn more, read the report.
Kindness Meters coming to the municipality
A contribution agreement will be executed between United Way Halifax and the municipality to program parking pay stations (“Kindness Meters”) to accept charitable donations.
In September of 2016, the Community Planning and Economic Development (CPED) Standing Committee requested a staff report to evaluate a proposal to dedicate revenue from select parking meters to a United Way Halifax fund.
In March 2017, staff delivered a Kindness Meters report in response to CPED’s motion, with a recommendation for Halifax to adopt the approach taken by Calgary’s Road Home program, where public donations are made at Calgary’s parking pay-stations. Halifax Regional Council supported staff’s recommendation and directed that parking pay stations be programmed to accept charitable donations when installed.
United Way Halifax will be managing the revenues generated through parking pay-station donations.
To learn more, read the report.
Support for Community Associations for Active Transportation and Recreational Trails
Amendments have been adopted for Administrative Order Number 2020-011-ADM, Respecting HRM’s Grant Programs for Active Transportation and Recreational Trails (AO 2020-011-ADM), as outlined in this report.
The new amendments ensure that trail organizations that develop and maintain recreational trails facilities, as well as active transportation facilities, are included in the eligibility criteria for funding. This will ensure the sustainability of those facilities.
AO 2020-011-ADM enables grant funding streams to make municipal resources available to Trail Organizations and Community Organizations who wish to support municipal Active Transportation (AT) and recreational trail objectives.
As outlined in the January 2019 report, the municipality is part of a broader collaboration model with the province, the Halifax Regional Trails Association, volunteer community trail associations and others to meet our Active Transportation objectives.
To learn more, read the report.
Respecting Charges for the Resolution of Inadequate Water Supply
By-Law C-1002 has been adopted, amending By-Law C-1000, Respecting Charges for the Resolution of Inadequate Water Supply, as set out in Attachment 2 of this report. Adoption of this By-law includes financing for on-site sewage disposal systems. As of November 2019, the municipality has the legislative authority to expand the financing program to include on-site sewage disposal equipment. The By-law amendment includes these solutions as items eligible for financing under the program, as set out in Attachment 2 of this report.
The CAO has also been directed to adopt the Amending Administrative Order, as set out in Attachment 2 of this report. This will permit other types of water systems, including the installation of cisterns, to be eligible for financing – previously, only wells were eligible under the program.
On March 20, 2018, Regional Council adopted By-law C-1000 Respecting Charges for the Resolution of Inadequate Water Supply, enabling residents with an inadequate water supply to apply for financing options through the municipality.
Read the staff report for more information.
*Note: Amending By-law C-1002 be amended to amend section 11, which amends section 8 of By-law C-1000 as follows:
- By striking out the words in subclause (vi) repealing clause 8(b);
- By adding the following words to subclause (vi) to amend clause 8(b) as follows:
- amend clause (b) by adding the words and comma “or an on-site sewage disposal system,” after the word and comma “equipment,” and before the word “less”; and striking out the period and adding a semi-colon and the word “or” at the end of the clause.
Ecological Lens Decision-Making
Regional Council has directed the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to update the implementation guidelines for the Environmental Implications Section of Regional Council and Committee reports. The CAO has also been directed to develop mandatory training to educate staff on the implementation guidelines and additional resources and requirements for environmental decision-making.
As part of an effort to green the municipality’s corporate culture, the municipality partnered with The Natural Step (TNS) in 2004 to conduct a corporate sustainability analysis. A corporate sustainability analysis was undertaken to identify gaps and opportunities towards the themes of healthy, sustainable, and vibrant communities. The analysis identified the need to link initiatives and provided high-level, corporate-wide recommendations.
The ESSC recommended the Administrative Standing Committee adopt the Environmental Implications section as a standard requirement in Council and Committee reports. The Environmental Implications Section was approved for adoption in February 2012.
To learn more, read the report.
Interim Community Museums Grant Program – Addition of Capital Grant Awards Category
Amendments have been adopted for Administrative Order 2018-010- ADM, Respecting Interim Grants to Community Museums, as detailed in Attachment 1 of this report and below.
The first amendment includes changing the Project Grant category to include three sub-categories, each with a funding threshold. The second includes amending the Operating Grant, to include Recurring Event Hosting under the expenditures permitted. Further, amendments specific to COVID-19 have been adopted for the balance of the program in fiscal years 2021 and 2022.
The 2021 application deadline for the Capital Grant Awards Category has been amended to Feb. 15, 2021 to enable groups to prepare project grant submissions and to accommodate any new organizations applying for inclusion.
For more information, read the report.
Highlights of recent Regional Council decisions
Councillors appointed to Boards and Committees
Regional Council has directed the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to adopt the recommendations of the Standing Committees regarding Councillor appointments to Boards and Committees, as outlined in Attachment 1 to this report.
Based on the terms of reference of the Standing Committee as approved by Regional Council, each
Committee has the mandate to be the nominating and appointing body (to Regional Council) for the members of a number of Boards and Committees.
Standing Committees of Council met in November 2020 to review the expressions of interest put forward by members of Council to serve on various Boards and Committees.
Read the staff report for more information.
Addition of Affordable Housing Category in AO50 – Respecting Disposal of Surplus Real Property
Regional Council has directed the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to adopt the amendments to Administrative Order 50 (AO50), the Disposal of Surplus Real Property Administrative Order, as set out in Attachment 2 of this report. This includes the creation of a new Affordable Housing Category within AO50, as well as a minor housekeeping amendment respecting the review of potentially surplus properties.
On April 9, 2013, Council approved AO50 for the disposal of surplus real property, which provides a standardized disposal approach by bringing before Regional Council – via surplus property reports – candidate properties for review and decision with respect to: (1) surplus status; and (2) category of disposal method.
The proposed category would permit Regional Council to designate surplus property, with the potential to be used for affordable housing purposes, for sale at below-market-value disposal, subject to the requirements of Section 63 of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter.
After property is declared surplus by Regional Council and categorized as Affordable Housing, the property would then be the subject of a call for submissions or direct sale process open to eligible not-for-profit organizations meeting the submission requirements and criteria established by the Planning & Development Business Unit.
The amendments will be effective on March 1, 2021 to allow staff time to develop the submission requirements and program criteria necessary to implement them.
Read the staff report for more information.
Changes to street names
Regional Council has directed the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to adopt the proposed amendments to Administrative Order 29, Respecting Civic Addressing Policies, as set out in Attachment A of this report, to approve the naming and renaming of various streets in the municipality.
The Halifax Regional Municipality Charter allows Regional Council to name and rename any street or
private lane by policy. The Civic Addressing By-Law (C-300) requires that all names must be approved in accordance with the Civic Addressing Policy.
Regional Council has approved the following name changes to public streets and private lanes:
- the naming of thirteen new private lanes as identified in Attachment A and Maps 1, 2, 3, 4, 5,6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11 and 12;
- the naming of one public street as identified in Attachment A and Map 13;
- the renaming of Lawnwood Ext., Halifax to Maskwi Lane, Halifax, as identified in Attachment A and Map 14; and
- the retiring of two private lane names, Nijinsky Lane, Hammonds Plains and Razor Lane, Lower Sackville, as identified in Attachment A and Maps 15 and 16.
Read the staff report to learn more.