Coronavirus Disease | COVID-19

Last updated: May 10, 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.

Out of an abundance of caution, Halifax Transit is installing signage on alternating seats on conventional buses and ferries to encourage passengers to appropriately distance themselves while travelling.  

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

Facility bookings & rentals

Rentals at municipally-owned recreation facilities, community centres, and arenas, are cancelled, and bookings are suspended. Rentals at all-weather fields will be cancelled as of today, April 22.  Bookings will be suspended until at least Thursday, May 20.  

Many sports courts have been reopened for the season. As they are reopened, they may be used in compliance with current provincial health orders. 

Parks, playgrounds and trails remain open. Users are required to follow public health guidelines at all times.

HRCE school bookings

The municipality coordinates facility bookings for all Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) schools for community and extracurricular school use. Rentals at all HRCE sites will be cancelled from Friday, April 23 until at least Thursday, May 20.  

Recreation programming, partner facilities, gyms & pools

All recreation centres, gymnasiums, fitness centres and pools are closed as of Friday, April 23 until at least May 20. As a result, all indoor recreation programming and services in these facilities are also cancelled. Additionally, municipally-run spring programming is cancelled for the remainder of the season. Once public health restrictions are changed, Parks & Recreation plans to provide alternative recreation delivery options for the spring.

Please contact your local recreation centre and partner facilities for more information on impacts to spring programming and memberships.

Staff will be contacting participants and members to discuss the next steps. For questions or comments please email myrec@halifax.ca.

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 mobile Household Special Waste depots scheduled for Saturday, May 8 at the Sackville Transit Terminal and Saturday, May 15 at the Porters Lake Park and Ride Transit Terminal have been postponed. 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. 

These mobile Household Special Waste events will be rescheduled when public health restrictions have been eased.

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.