Sam Austin

Bike count for January. Despite the cold and snow, HRMs 11 counters still recorded 15,400 bikes over the month (Dartmouth Cove counter only gave partial results due to maintenance). Down slightly from last January, but still ahead of January 2024 @stats.hfx.bike

YouTube video by About Here The Bike Share Dilemma

NEW VIDEO: The Bikeshare Dilemma

Bikeshares and scootershares (also known as “Shared Micromobility) is one of the fastest growing forms of transportation on the planet today, but cities appear deeply divided on how to manage them. youtu.be/qfz6AsYycA8

Today: Budget deliberations continue with (1) Parks and Rec (2) Planning and (3) Property, Environment & Fleet

Today: Budget deliberations continue with operations departments. The roster for the next three days (1) Major Projects Office, (2) Strategic Infrastructure & Transportation Planning (3) Public Works (4) Parks and Rec (5) Planning (6) Property, Environment & Fleet

I just emailed them too

I’m in transit home today so haven’t seen the minister comments. HOV is probably fine if it comes with the electronic tools to enforce it, which the Province could provide. If they just want to let cars into bus lanes without giving us the ability to police, that’s really problematic

Council Update: Lakes, Bike Network, One-Membership, Ride Share - Sam Austin Agenda, January 27 LakeWatchersCouncil received its first detailed report into results from the LakeWatchers program. The Program launched in 2022 and involves sampling lake water in 79 lakes across H...

My Council Update from last week's meeting: Lakes, Bike Network modifications, a One-HRM Membership for Parks and Rec, and regulating ride share companies. Read it here: samaustin.ca/council-upda...

No. We looked at that in 2021 and Colliers was retained to test the market. No one was interested in partnering, but they would buy land. Council concluded that the value of the land for public use was more important.

Council Update: Forum and Ferries - Sam Austin Forum:On Wednesday, Council resumed budget deliberations with a look at the capital budget and I’m fairly alarmed at where Mayor Fillmore wants to take us regarding the Halifax Forum project. The Foru...

My Council Update from our Wednesday's budget meeting. Potential trouble for two of HRM's biggest projects! samaustin.ca/council-upda...

YouTube video by Star Wars Andor Season 2 | Mon Mothma’s Senate Speech | Now Streaming on Disney+

Popping into my head today... "The distance between what is said, and what is known to be true has become an abyss." youtu.be/KYnE2Mxayco?...

LIVE: Canadian PM Mark Carney Special Address at Davos WEF 2026 YouTube video by DRM News

This is one heck of a speech! www.youtube.com/live/dqtDxku...

You're welcome. Barring building code changes, an Edmonton style guide might make alternative compliance options more appealing! :)

Council Update: Missing Middle, Pensions - Sam Austin Missing Middle Housing and the Building CodeA motion of mine was back before Council around eliminating barriers to Missing Middle Housing. The situation I’m trying to change is our restrictive rules ...

My Council Update: Missing Middle Housing and the building code, plus the HRM pension plan. Read it here samaustin.ca/council-upda...

Today: Was a quiet one. A few phone calls, some emails, an interview with King's journalism students, and I finished my Council blog (will post that tomorrow).

blue background with a ferry icon and the text "ferry service disruption" with the Halifax Transit logo at the top

An update on the Alderney Ferry service disruption: www.halifax.ca/home/news/up...

Today: Heading over to City Hall for Regional Council. Full agenda that includes discussions on litter, missing middle housing, and taxi/ride share licensing. Agenda here pub-halifax.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...

Today: A busy one. Chatted with the Herald about bike stats, meetings with staff regarding missing middle housing and building code. Briefing on the suburban plan. Also catching up with the Halifax Partnership, and the weekly check-in with my coordinator.

Today: Coffee meetings for the morning, including with the Park Avenue Oven folks. Emails and Transportation Standing Committee Agenda Review to round out the day.

Today: Back into the office after the holidays. Started the day with Councillors on the Hot Seat with News 95.7. A few other media inquiries about Dartmouth Cove (all quiet today). Email and phone calls with the balance of the day.

Not as far as I know. The only charge to my knowledge that is broken out differently in rates is urban/suburban includes sidewalks while rural does not.

The Utrecht morning rush hour in the snow did not disappoint!

So why post it? Pushing back on the verifiably false narrative that no one uses the bike lanes and showing that yes, bike usage is growing year over year.

heh. I have been posting the bike stats every month because I'm a sucker for punishment. Folks who don't like bikes love the comments, but each and every time I post the likes tell the real tale. 120 vs 22 (laugh emoji) in latest... not far off what polling would suggest really.

2025's bike stats. Over half a million bikes counted at HRM's 12 counters with several posting all-time highs (Hollis, Barrington, Dartmouth Cove, South Park, Vernon, Windsor).

Yes. It’s referenced in recently released correspondence between HRM and Province. HRM has issued a protection of property order but can’t rule out that they might cross our land illegally given the attempted blockade in 2024. If equipment is noticed on the trail, folks should call police.

Bit of a strange one to share on Christmas Eve but there was a fleury of Dartmouth Cove correspondence this week. Province to HRM and HRM back to Province. Plus a threat of action by a landowner on Jan 5 cdn.halifax.ca/sites/defaul...

Image of the new bus lane on Barrington Street with two cars passing by.

Heads up – a new southbound transit-only lane is now open from Artz Street to the Cogswell District roundabout. This lane is for buses only and completes a missing link in the Barrington Street transit corridor from the north end to downtown, helping transit move faster and more reliably.

Pretty picture for your cover! :)

ID: Navy background with an icon of a no parking sign and the words 'Overnight winter parking ban'.

We're advising residents that the municipal overnight winter parking ban is in effect from Dec. 15, 2025, through March 31, 2026. The parking ban is enforced from 1 a.m. to 6 a.m. during declared weather events and snow removal operations. More details: www.halifax.ca/home/news/mu...

It's definitely complicated! Part of what makes changing it so damned hard to do