HALIFAX REGIONAL COUNCIL
AGENDA

Tuesday, March 25, 2025, 10:00 a.m.; Reconvene 6:00 p.m.

Council Chamber, 3rd Floor City Hall, 1841 Argyle Street, Halifax

(Joint Meeting with North West Community Council for the purposes of Item 12.1) 

---

1.

CALL TO ORDER AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

2.

SPECIAL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

3.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES

None

4.

APPROVAL OF THE ORDER OF BUSINESS AND APPROVAL OF ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS

5.

CONSENT AGENDA

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve recommendations in the following items: 13.1.1, 15.1.1, 15.1.2, 15.1.5, 15.2.1, 15.3.1.

6.

BUSINESS ARISING OUT OF THE MINUTES

7.

CALL FOR DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTERESTS

8.

MOTIONS OF RECONSIDERATION

None

9.

MOTIONS OF RESCISSION

None

10.

CONSIDERATION OF DEFERRED BUSINESS - March 18, 2025

10.1

Request for Letter – Drop-In Centre

This item was deleted from the agenda.

11.

NOTICES OF TABLED MATTERS

None

12.

PUBLIC HEARING

6:00 p.m.

12.1

MPSA-2023-00304: Amendments to the Beaver Bank, Hammonds Plains, and Upper Sackville MPS and LUB and amendments to the existing DA - 1274 Hammonds Plains Rd (Joint Public Hearing with North West Community Council)  

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Adopt the proposed amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law for Beaver Bank, Hammonds Plains and Upper Sackville as set out in Attachments A and B of the staff report dated December 11, 2024, to allow for a two (2) storey commercial office building not exceeding a total area of 604 square metres (6,500 square feet) at 1274 Hammonds Plains Road (PID 00422279).

It is further recommended that North West Community Council:

1. Provisionally approve the proposed amending development agreement to permit a two-storey commercial office building at 1274 Hammonds Plains Road (PID 00422279), which shall be substantially of the same form as contained in Attachment C of the staff report dated December 11, 2024; and

2. Require the amending development agreement be signed by the property owner within 120 days, or any extension thereof granted by Council on request of the property owner, from the date of final approval by Council and any other bodies as necessary, including applicable appeal periods, whichever is later, otherwise this approval will be void and obligations arising hereunder shall be at an end.

13.

CORRESPONDENCE, PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS

13.1

Correspondence

13.1.1

Fly-past Request - Halifax Wanderers DND Appreciation Game*

Motion: 
That the Halifax Regional Municipality grant permission to the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) to fly assets in formation over the Wanderers Grounds, as per the enclosed diagram in the letter dated March 10, 2025, routed from north northeast to south southwest, flying over the Commons/Citadel Hill), originating from over the harbour flying towards the playing field, at a height of 500 feet above the highest obstacles on June 21, 2025, at 4:04 p.m. 

13.2

Petitions

14.

INFORMATION ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD

14.1

Deputy Mayor Mancini - Options for Eliminating or Limiting US Goods and Services in HRM Supply Chain

15.

REPORTS

15.1

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

15.1.1

Legislative Options for Houseboats and Floating Homes*

That Halifax Regional Council request that the Mayor send letters to the Province of Nova Scotia and to the Government of Canada requesting that the provincial and federal governments collaborate with the Municipality to establish a clear and comprehensive framework for the regulation of liveaboard vessels and floating homes in the Halifax Regional Municipality.

15.1.2

Case 24505: Development Agreement for 10 Kirk Road, Halifax for a bare land condominium development and rehabilitation of a registered heritage property*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to negotiate a 4m wide easement at 10 Kirk Road as identified by the applicant in Attachment B of the staff report dated January 20, 2025.

15.1.3

Westwood Hills Egress Supplementary Report

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to:

1. Advance the planning, design, land acquisition, and construction required to develop an emergency-only roadway connection between the Westwood Hills subdivision and Highway 103 via PID 40742496 (Option 1 as described in the staff report dated January 18, 2025).

2. Continue to investigate connector road options between the Westwood Hills subdivision and nearby communities including Highland Park North and the historic African Nova Scotian Community of Upper Hammonds Plains. Ensure that engagement with potentially impacted communities is undertaken, including the Upper Hammonds Plains Community as part of its ongoing Planning Strategy Review and African Nova Scotian Community Action Plan.

3. Complete a Region-wide Subdivision Egress Review Study to identify areas that are vulnerable to access/egress challenges, and based on its findings, establish a multi-year implementation strategy that prioritizes subdivisions for remediation.

15.1.4

Long-term Support for Mobile Food Market: Years 10-13 (2025-2029)

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Direct funding in the amount of $175,700.00 for Year 10 (2025/26) of the Mobile Food Market (MFM), as identified in the financial implications section of the staff report dated January 30, 2025, to be funded with a one-time withdrawal from the Options Reserve Q421, subject to approval of an unbudgeted withdrawal from the reserve by the Audit and Finance Standing Committee.

2. Approve continued support for the Halifax Mobile Food Market for Years 11-13 (2026/27 to 2028/29), as outlined in Table 2 of the staff report dated January 30, 2025; and,

3. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to: 

i) work with the MFM and other partners to develop a capital campaign for the purchase of a new hybrid or electric market vehicle and bring potential funding options to Regional Council for consideration;

ii) explore the feasibility of the MFM’s use of an HRM fleet vehicle in the interim period until a new vehicle is purchased; and, 
 
iii) explore funding options for the next iteration of long-term support for the MFM and report to Council in Year 13 (2028/29) with a recommendation for Regional Council’s consideration. 

15.1.5

Development Agreement Policy for Robie and Almon (ZURB MPSA-2024-00975)*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to:

a) Initiate a process to consider amendments to the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law to enable a development agreement for a 12-storey building in a tall mid-rise built form on lands at 2764 – 2778 Robie Street (PID 00005181) in Halifax as outlined in the staff report dated February 24, 2025; and

b) Follow Administrative Order 2023-002-ADM Respecting Public Participation for Planning Documents, Certain Planning Applications, and Engagement with Abutting Municipalities for the required public participation program and as outlined in the staff report dated February 24, 2025.

15.2

ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY STANDING COMMITTEE

15.2.1

Urban Forest Management Plan - Update*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council: 

1. Revoke the Urban Forest Master Plan (2013) and support the principles contained in the new Urban Forest Management Plan as set out in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated February 28, 2025; and 

2. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to carry out the actions contained in the Urban Forest Management Plan as part of the multi-year budgeting and business process.

15.3

HERITAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

15.3.1

H00582: 2025/2026 Heritage Incentive Program*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Approve the proposed grants to the properties listed in Attachment A of the staff report dated February 10, 2025, conditional upon the applicants’ compliance with Sections 29 through 35 of Administrative Order Number 2014-002-ADM and subject to the approval of the proposed 2025/2026 budget.

2. Approve the reallocation of excess funds to the standby list properties in Attachment B of the staff report dated February 10, 2025 if an approved project in Attachment A does not proceed or incurs expenses below the estimated amount, conditional upon the applicants’ compliance with Sections 29 through 35 of Administrative Order Number 2014-002-ADM and subject to the approval of the proposed 2025/2026 budget.

15.4

MEMBERS OF COUNCIL

15.4.1

Councillor Austin - Green Municipal Fund (GMF) - Revised

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council endorse the application of Councillor Sam Austin to the Federation of Canadian Municipality’s Green Municipal Fund.

15.4.2

Councillor St-Amand - Comprehensive Review of All Communication Tools

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to conduct a comprehensive review of all communication tools currently utilized by the municipality and perform a jurisdictional scan of communication tools employed by similar cities across Canada to maximize reach and effectiveness of communications with the public, reflective of the Halifax Regional Municipality's strategic objectives and consistent with the values of the municipality.

16.

MOTIONS

17.

IN CAMERA (IN PRIVATE)

Council may rise and go into a private In Camera session, in accordance with Section 19 of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter, for the purpose of dealing with the following:

17.1

PERSONNEL MATTER - Private and Confidential Report

A matter pertaining to an identifiable individual or group.

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated March 12, 2025; and

2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated March 12, 2025 be maintained private and confidential. 

17.2

PERSONNEL MATTER - Private and Confidential Report

A matter pertaining to an identifiable individual or group.

Motion: 
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated March 18, 2025; and

2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated March 18, 2025 be maintained private and confidential. 

17.3

PROPERTY MATTER - Private and Confidential Report

A matter pertaining to providing instruction and direction to officers and employees of the Municipality pertaining to the acquisition / sale of land. 

Motion: 
That Halifax Regional Council: 

1.  Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated March 12, 2025; and

2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated March 12, 2025 be maintained private and confidential.

17.4

PERSONNEL MATTER - Private and Confidential Report

A matter pertaining to an identifiable individual or group.

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated March 20, 2025; and

2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated March 20, 2025 be maintained private and confidential. 

18.

ADDED ITEMS

18.1

2024-2025 Affordable Housing Grant Program Funding - Administrative Order 2020-008-ADM, Respecting Grants for Affordable Housing

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to allocate $4,652,318 from the Density Bonus Reserve Q640 to fund the Affordable Housing Grant Program; and

2. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to allocate $623,400 from the Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) to fund awards under the Affordable Housing Grant Program.

18.2

Councillor Hendsbee - District 2 Area Rate for Paved Shoulders

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council waive section 17 of Administrative Order One, requiring a staff report, and:
 
1. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to enter into agreement with the Province of Nova Scotia (PNS) by March 28, 2025 to pave extended shoulders at a minimum width of 1.5 metres along:

a. Route 357, from Trunk 7 northerly for 6 kilometres at an estimated cost of $1,525,000, and

b. Crowell Road, from Route 207 to Marjorie Drive for 5.42 kilometres at an estimated cost of $2,160,000.

2. Levy a uniform charge, currently estimated at $241.00 per property, for a period of 10 years starting in 2026/27 in the community of Musquodoboit Harbour to recover the cost of paving extended shoulders along Route 357, with the final charge determined by the PNS invoice for the work.

3. Levy a uniform charge, currently estimated at $563.00 per property, for a period of 10 years starting in 2026/27 in the community of East Lawrencetown to recover the cost of paving extended shoulders along Crowell Road, with the final charge determined by the PNS invoice for the work.

19.

NOTICES OF MOTION

20.

ADJOURNMENT

21.

INFORMATION ITEMS

21.1

Memorandum from the Municipal Clerk dated March 17, 2025 re: Requests for Presentation to Council - None

21.2

Memorandum from the Chief Administrative Officer dated March 25, 2025 re: Diversity & Inclusion Framework Update 2023-24

22.

IN CAMERA (IN PRIVATE) INFORMATION ITEMS

None