Coronavirus Disease | COVID-19

Last updated: June 15, 2021

The municipality is committed to taking important steps in reducing the spread of COVID-19.

For all health-related updates on COVID-19 visit novascotia.ca/coronavirus

The municipality’s Emergency Management Division is working very closely with provincial partners at Health and Wellness and NS Emergency Management Office to respond to and mitigate the impacts of COVID-19.

As part of the collective effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19, some municipal staff continue to work remotely. This is part of an overall public health strategy to help safeguard the health of others, particularly the most vulnerable in our communities, by reducing the number of our employees in the workplace where possible while still maintaining operations.

Exercising protective measures such as regular, proper hand washing and maintaining physical distancing will help defend against illness — as well as reduce the risk of spreading COVID-19.

Information regarding municipal programs and services, as well as provincial health messages, will be shared via Twitter @hfxgov,  public service announcements and our website.  

Provincial state of emergency

The Halifax Regional Municipality supports the province’s decision to declare a state of emergency.

A provincial state of emergency does not impact public safety service levels or the need to maintain a level of core public services. All standard essential services of the municipality – including 311, fire and police – are operational and adhering to the most updated guidance and precautions from health officials.

Municipal staff continue to adjust service levels related to the provincial state of emergency. NOTE: The two-metre physical distancing and physical gathering limits do not apply to Halifax Transit as stated in the provincial order.

Residents and businesses are advised: Under provincial authority, individuals who are found in breach of the order will be subject to fines issued by provincial and local police enforcement.

Municipal updates

General

  • An important reminder to residents: DO NOT call 911 for non-emergency purposes. Residents can call 311 and police non-emergency lines.

  • The provincial public health order states that non-medical masks are mandatory in all indoor public spaces as of July 31, 2020. The public health order and subsequent guidelines set out by the Province of Nova Scotia apply to all municipal facilities. Details can be found here.

  • All in-person public engagement and events hosted by the municipality are postponed until further notice. The municipality will provide online engagement options as much as possible.

  • Meetings of Regional Council, the Board of Police Commissioners and community council meetings will continue to be held virtually using Microsoft Teams. Other board and committee meetings will continue to be held via teleconference or will be rescheduled to a later date. For meetings held via teleconference, meeting minutes will be posted online as soon as possible after the conclusion of the meeting. More information, including how to watch online, can be found on our agenda page. 

  • Cleaning staff in all municipal facilities have been instructed to increase the frequency of thoroughly cleaning public surfaces, such as door knobs, elevators and counters.

  • Two portable, accessible toilets & an accessible hand washing station are available on the back plaza of Halifax Central Library. Toilets are open:

    9 a.m.-8 p.m. Mon-Thurs
    9 a.m.-5 p.m. Fri/Sat
    12-5 p.m. Sun.

Customer Service

  • The in-person customer service centres at Alderney Gate and Bayers Road remain open to the public with regular hours.  

  • The Musquodoboit Harbour Recreation Centre & Library is closed.

  • As part of the 2020/21 recast budget discussion, the customer service centres and drop-boxes at Acadia Centre (Sackville) and Scotia Square will remain permanently closed.

  • The Planning & Development service counters at Alderney Landing and Bayers Road will remain closed until further notice.

  • A number of services offered by 311 & the customer service centres remain available online, including the payment of parking tickets, zoning confirmation applications and applications for all permit and subdivision applications.

  • Legal documents and appeals will no longer be accepted in person at City Hall. Residents are asked to fax these documents to 902-490-4208 or send by email to clerks@halifax.ca.  

  • The Access & Privacy Office is advising potential applicants to expect delays in the processing of requests, as many municipal staff are working remotely and are not in a position to search for records responsive to requests. 

Halifax Public Libraries
Halifax Transit

Follow @hfxtransit on Twitter for the most up-to-date information regarding service disruptions.

Based on current staff availability, Halifax Transit anticipates that conventional bus service may be impacted.

Before heading out on your trip, all riders are encouraged to check for possible delays and/or cancellations. Halifax Transit will make every effort to share route disruptions as timely as possible via our website and @hfxtransit on Twitter.

Ferry service is expected to continue as scheduled.

For full schedules, visit halifax.ca/transportation/halifax-transit/coronavirus.

Halifax Transit implemented the following measures to help reduce the spread of disease:

  • Mandatory masks: In keeping with the public health order, masks are now mandatory on all Halifax Transit buses, ferries and terminals.

    Please note: children under two and those with a medical reason for not wearing a mask are exempt.

    Transit riders are responsible for bringing their own masks.

    As part of a mask awareness campaign, Halifax Transit staff will continue to hand out masks periodically, through pop-up events at select locations across the municipality. Times and locations will be announced in advance, via @hfxtransit on Twitter.

    Those who are feeling ill are reminded not use any transit service until their health returns to normal.

  • Halifax Transit has been designated by the Province of Nova Scotia an essential service under the current provincial state of emergency. The two-metre physical distancing and physical gathering limits do not apply to Halifax Transit as stated in the provincial order. 
  • Access-a-Bus service levels will continue to be adjusted to meet the demand.
Halifax Water 
Parks & Recreation

Summer recreation programs have once again been planned, in accordance with public health guidelines. 

Outdoor recreation programing will be offered in June and both indoor and outdoor (half-day and full-day) summer camps are expected to proceed this summer with physical distancing measures in place. 

If there are changes to COVID-19 guidelines, staff will work with public health to assess and adjust programs as needed to balance the safety of all participants and staff.

Registration for all ages will begin at 10 a.m. on each of the following days:

June outdoor programs 

  • Wednesday, June 9

June outdoor programs are now viewable online.

Day camps and other recreation programs 

  • Monday, June 21 – July programs
  • Tuesday, June 22 – August programs

Indoor/outdoor pool and beach programs 
•    Wednesday, June 23 – July and August programs 

Day camps, other recreation programs, pool and beach programs will be viewable online on Wednesday as of June 9. 

One-on-one inclusion support
Registration for one-on-one inclusion support will take place Monday, June 21 and Tuesday, June 22. Requests received after this date will be added to a waitlist.

Registrants will be asked to prioritize requested weeks for both July and August along with preferred choice of facilities. 

NOTE: Those who need support must register using the barcode 00040191. This barcode is only for one-on-one support for those wishing to attend a summer camp. It will be used by all facilities across the municipality. 

When supports are confirmed, the applicant will be notified by their local Community Recreation Coordinator to provide payment and complete an intake form. More information can be found here.

Indoor pools

·        The Captain William Spry and the Sackville Sports Stadium pools will open June 17

·        The Needham pool will open June 19as renovation work is ongoing

Outdoor pools

·        After being closed last summer, the Bedford outdoor pool will open July 1

·        Due to ongoing renovation work, the Cole Harbour outdoor pool and splash pad will delay opening until mid-July. For more information visit the website.

·        The Halifax Common Pool remains closed at this time. The pool is being assessed to determine the work required to be able to reopen. More information will follow.

Please note: Due to ongoing public health restrictions, swim times must be booked in advance for all indoor and outdoor pools at www.halifax.ca/myrec.

Splash pads

The following splash pads are now open:

·        Bayers-Westwood

·        George Dixon Centre

·        Isleville Street

·        Westmount

·        Sackville (Kinsman)

The Halifax Common splash pad will open July 1.

Aquatic Program Registration

Registration for aquatic programming will begin June 23 at 10 a.m. Programs will be offered at both indoor and outdoor pools. Swimming lessons will also be offered at supervised beaches across the municipality.

Residents can register by phone at 902-490-6666, in person at a municipality operated recreation centre or online beginning June 23.

Municipal beaches

Municipal beaches will be open for the summer season from July 1 to August 31.

Municipal staff regularly test the water quality for bacteria levels at all supervised municipal beaches, as well as one unsupervised beach (Malay Falls), during the summer months. Water quality testing will not take place at Black Rock, Dingle or Kinsmen or Government Wharf beaches.

Please note: There is currently a water advisory in effect for Grand Lake (including Oakfield Beach). Learn more here.

For more information on municipal beaches visit Halifax.ca/beaches.

Recreation services
Municipally operated recreation centres will reopen on Thursday, June 17 with the following exceptions:

·        The Sheet Harbour Recreation Centre will reopen Monday, June 21

·        Emera Oval equipment lending will begin Monday, June 21

·        Rentals at municipally owned and operated recreation facilities, community centres, and arenas will resume regular hours on Thursday, June 17. Please call your local facility for more information.

Membership fees will automatically reactivate upon reopening. Drop-ins for fitness classes, fitness centre, pools, etc. will not be permitted. Residents must book appointments in advance, over the phone or online through halifax.ca/myrec. For more information or for specific program and service offerings, please contact your local recreation centre.

For opening dates and program registration for municipal partner recreation facilities, please contact those facilities directly. 

Residents are reminded they may continue to use REC at Home which offers a variety of activities that you can enjoy with your family - from arts and crafts, to at-home workouts.

Parking

If you are directed to self-isolate by Public Health, please make off-street parking arrangements for your vehicle. If your vehicle must remain parked on the street, park it in a legal area and call 311 to notify the municipality. 

In response to the recent increased public health measures and changes to isolation protocols at hospitals, we have worked with our partners at the IWK and QEII to develop a program to provide special parking permits to health care workers. These permits expire June 1 and do not guarantee you a space.

The permits will be administered by the Hospitals and will allow holders to park in select areas all day without penalty. The following are a list of locations:

  • Cogswell between Robie and North Park Streets
  • Robie south of South Street 
  • Rainnie Drive 
  • Ahern Drive 
  • Acadia Street
  • Mount Hope Avenue
Planning & Development 
  • An online form has been created for all permit and sub-division application intakes.
  • Applications for Rezoning, Municipal Plan Amendments, Development Agreements, or Downtown Halifax Site Plan Approvals can be submitted via email to Carl Purvis – Planning Applications Program Manager purvisc@halifax.ca.
  • Revised drawings and/or any amended application information for current files can also be submitted via email, directly to the planner assigned to your file. 
Public Safety Office 
  • The municipal Public Safety Office is advising residents that help is available for those experiencing or at risk of domestic violence. Following public health direction to stay home is crucial, but we know, that home is not always safe for everyone.
  • Available help for women and their children takes many forms, from supportive connections and outreach over the phone, information about safety planning and resources, to provision of emergency shelter and second-stage housing. In Halifax, organizations serving women continue to offer a wide range of support, guidance, and shelter to women and their children during this time. If you are experiencing domestic abuse, know that you are not alone. There’s help available to you.
    • If you’re in immediate danger, call 911.
    • If you need help or information, you can call Bryony House’s distress line at 902.422.7650.
    • To connect with community resources in Halifax, call 211 or visit their website.
Solid Waste

Waste collection is continuing as scheduled.

To learn more, click here. 

The permanent Household Special Waste Depot will continue to serve the public on most Saturdays (20 Horseshoe Lake Drive) from 9 a.m. – 4 p.m. 

In following with current public health measures related to COVID-19, the Curbside Giveaway Weekend scheduled for Saturday, June 5 and Sunday, June 6 has been cancelled. 

Employee Information

What you can do

  • For all information on COVID-19 testing, self-assessments and prevention, visit novascotia.ca/coronavirus 
  • Access 211 to find non-municipal community and social services available in your area at this time. This service is available 24/7 in 140 languages.
  • Residents can call 311 for updated information on municipal services.
  • Important reminder:  DO NOT call 911 for non-emergency purposes. Residents can call 311 and police non-emergency lines.