Jen Taplin

How Halifax’s $1-billion-plus budget may affect your life in the next year Halifax regional council makes last changes to epic budget with a tax bill increase landing at 9.5 per cent

It’s the big show of HRM’s budget season. This is where Halifax regional councillors make the last-minute additions and subtractions they debated in earlier sessions.

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Halifax spending $960k to expedite road safety projects ‘We are hurting and maiming and killing more people on our roads than we should be,’ says Dartmouth councillor

From BAL today: “We are going in the wrong direction. We are hurting and maiming and killing more people on our roads than we should be,” argued Coun. Sam Austin.

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Scaffolding, metal rod plummeted from Dartmouth development during construction Developer who built two illegal storeys had stop order issued for crashing construction debris into neighbour’s yard

“There’s a bunch of us who build who work within the rules the province and the city have set forth, and it’s really not that hard," says one builder who has no sympathy for Dartmouth developer who built two extra floors without HRM permission.

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Scaffolding, metal rod plummeted from Dartmouth development during construction Developer who built two illegal storeys had stop orders issued for crashing construction debris into neighbour’s yard

The last time this happened was in the 1990s on Brunswick Street. "The council of the day ended up approving a staff-recommended development agreement to solve that.”
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Nova Scotia pulls funding for Halifax’s student transit pass pilot program Halifax council received a letter from the province saying funding for their transit pass pilot program was being discontinued.

New: @thechronicleherald.bsky.social was able to confirm that funding for Halifax's student transit pass pilot program has been "discontinued."

It's unknown if the program can continue without the provincial funds. More details later this morning.

Agreed! My kid has to take transit because there's no school bus and now she has to pay for a bus pass to get to school?

Different developers I think. Stay tuned for a good follow to this story coming hopefully this afternoon.

Oops, we built two extra storeys: Dartmouth developer says extra floors were 'a misunderstanding' Halifax may order developers to tear down extra floors at a cost of over $1 million

So it looks like this kinda thing happened in Halifax in the '90s. Halifax caved to the developer, making an exception to planning rules.

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How Halifax's delayed fast ferries could create a harbour highway How Halifax Works dives into Halifax’s plans for fast ferries, private water taxis and what’s better: ferries or LRT?

"We are an ocean playground in Nova Scotia and we should act like one.”

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Oops, we built two extra storeys: Dartmouth developer says extra floors were 'a misunderstanding' Halifax may order developers to tear down extra floors at a cost of over $1 million

“The applicant acknowledges that the additional storeys were built in error due to a misunderstanding of the LUB (land-use bylaw) requirements.”

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Work alongside New York City's Strongest as we get through this historic storm. 
 
Emergency shoveling pay is now $30/hour. Walk into any sanitation garage to sign up TODAY BY 8PM or TOMORROW from 9AM to 8PM.
  
Let's get NYC back on its feet— together.

bit.ly/NYCShovel

Major housing project at Dartmouth’s Mic Mac Mall grows to 3,800 units Halifax expecting to pay $5.8 million for an upgraded bus terminal for the mega housing development in Dartmouth

Halifax is expecting to pay (at least) $5.8 million for an upgraded bus terminal at Mic Mac Mall.

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I'm pleased to share I started a new gig this week as a reporter for @thechronicleherald.bsky.social. I'll be focusing on all things Halifax, including municipal politics, so don't hesitate to send an email to JoHealey@postmedia.com if there's a story you want to share.

After pushing to cut millions, Halifax mayor looking for 16 per cent increase to his office budget Andy Fillmore is spending 29 per cent more than former mayor Mike Savage

“When you have communications coming from the mayor’s office that is distinctly the mayor’s point of view and not necessarily all of council, how does that benefit taxpayers?”

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Rallying cry: Save the Forum campaign reignited in Halifax $126-million redevelopment 'halfway finished' at risk for delay or cancellation

“Here we are, 12 years later, doing exactly the same thing on exactly the same project after five councils have endorsed it, seven different reports saying it’s a good idea and here’s the plan, and here’s how we’re going to make it happen.”

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Halifax arts non-profit likely getting $225k to buy Gottingen Street building: ‘We’re under threat’ Halifax councillors supportive amidst a very difficult budget season, with a possible 10 per cent cut to arts funding

"We’ve seen a lot of closures or struggles with facilities in Halifax, specifically in downtown and in the north end — the pressure is on right now with the incoming cuts we’re hoping don’t happen.”

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More cash for cops, store owners urge Halifax council Organized crime thefts are escalating, becoming more aggressive

More cash for cops, store owners urge Halifax council
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Halifax to consider raising transit fares by 25 or 50 cents ‘We’ve got to find money everywhere’: Halifax council grapples with a potential 10.9 per cent tax bill increase

“Since we’re looking at putting up parking fees, we should be looking at putting up transit fares. We’ve got to find money everywhere,” Hendsbee said.

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“In 2019, on-street parking represented only about 12 per cent of total downtown supply, and off-street supply has likely grown since then..."

Circling the block: What's the parking situation in downtown Halifax and Dartmouth? How Halifax Works explores parking frustrations and changes on the way

“I avoid going downtown as much as possible because of the parking."
Same.

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Shake-up proposed for Halifax Transit — What’s happening to your commute? New three-year plan suggests 24-hour airport bus, brand new route and changes to 37 per cent of the network

“Throwing more buses into the heap to just have them sit in traffic is counterproductive…”

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Lucasville micro-transit would be a proof-of-concept for new way of busing in Halifax On-demand micro-transit considered a solution for communities without buses

“It’s a historical Black community that’s 199 years old and still without this service in the community.”

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A particular set of skills: Eastern Passage metal detectorist reunites Nova Scotians with their sentimental treasures On land, in water or in the snow, Nate McLagan can find it — if it’s made of metal

“When they just fall to the ground crying, it’s like, ‘Oh my God,’ ... I’m not really an emotional person, but like, when I start watering, and I’m like, it hits you right in the feels, right?”

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Halifax considering paid parking on Saturdays: ‘It’s going to be a hornet’s nest’ Councillors expecting plenty of negative feedback as HRM looks to raise parking rates by 25 per cent

“If there was ever a year for us to adjust our parking prices, surely this would be the year where our tax increases are already so unmanageable that I think that it’s a responsible thing to do."

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Carpool lanes coming to Halifax in a matter of months Nova Scotia’s public works minister says coordinated traffic lights are also in the works

Will carpool lanes actually make a difference or just legalize what many drivers are just doing now anyway?

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Killam REIT buys Clayton Park's Forrest Green apartment building for nearly $30 million 109 units, mostly three-bedroom, have an average $1,800/month rent

“The average in-place monthly rent is $1,860, with a meaningful mark-to-market opportunity as units turn, providing a stable runway for organic growth."

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Carpool lanes coming to Halifax in a matter of months Nova Scotia’s public works minister says coordinated traffic lights are also in the works

“We’re looking at HOV lanes, potentially in bus lanes, where appropriate, and other areas."

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Don’t kill our fast ferries, urge some Bedford commuters Halifax council may pause or cancel fast ferry mega project in Mill Cove

Council voted 10-4 this morning to reject Coun. Kathryn Morse’s request for a briefing note to look at the impacts of cancelling or changing the Mill Cove Ferry Terminal project. www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...

Future of $126-million Halifax Forum redevelopment in jeopardy With looming 10.9 per cent tax bill increase, Halifax council is taking big swings at the budget

Spending millions on the Halifax Forum, which is one good storm away from an indefinite closure, may just be too expensive for HRM right now.

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Land trust founder pushes Halifax for piece of Cogswell 'to settle a debt' to displaced African Nova Scotians Halifax residents speak out on workers’ wages, unaffordability of tax bill increase at the first public hearing on the budget

“Council must look at the ledger of history. This is not just a request for land, it’s a proposal to settle a debt — a debt measured in dollars, lives and community erasure.”

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