HALIFAX REGIONAL COUNCIL
AGENDA

Tuesday, April 08, 2025, Immediately following Budget Committee; Reconvene 6:00 p.m. If Required

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

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1.

CALL TO ORDER AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

2.

SPECIAL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

3.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES - March 18, 2025 & March 25, 2025

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: 15.1.1, 15.1.2, 15.1.3, 15.2.1, 15.3.1, 15.4.1.

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

None

11.

NOTICES OF TABLED MATTERS

None

12.

PUBLIC HEARING

None

13.

CORRESPONDENCE, PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS

13.1

Correspondence

13.2

Petitions

14.

INFORMATION ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD

None

15.

REPORTS

15.1

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

15.1.1

Transit Support For People Experiencing Homelessness*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve an increase to the maximum monthly value of transit fare products available to the Executive Director of Halifax Transit for housing and homelessness initiatives by the equivalent value of one hundred (100) Adult Monthly Passes. 

15.1.2

Report to Halifax Regional Council regarding the removal of X as a social media platform for the municipality*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to discontinue use of all active X accounts by July 15, 2025, using a phased approach that will transition to the Bluesky social media platform.

15.1.3

Growing Canada’s Community Canopies Funds Application*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Approve the commitment of $629,750 from the 2026/27 capital budget, $627,750 from the 2027/28 capital budget and $45,000 from the 2028/29 capital budget, as detailed in the Financial Implications section of the staff report dated March 24, 2025, in support of the Municipality’s application to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Growing Canada’s Community Canopy program; and,

2. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to provide a letter of support to the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Growing Canada’s Community Canopy program that outlines the HRM financial commitment to the program, as approved in Recommendation 1.

15.2

BUDGET COMMITTEE

15.2.1

Comprehensive Firefighter Cancer Screening Program*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), in consultation with the IAFF, Province of Nova Scotia and our service providers, to establish a comprehensive firefighter cancer screening program effective no later than January 1, 2026.

15.3

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDING COMMITTEE

15.3.1

Dartmouth Curling Club Partnership Opportunity*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to engage with the Dartmouth Curling Club on options and opportunities for a new curling facility and potential municipal involvement and return to Community Planning and Economic Development Standing Committee with a staff report.

15.4

HERITAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE

15.4.1

HRTG-2024-00694: Request to include 6 to 16 and 20 Ropewalk Lane, Dartmouth in the Registry of Heritage Properties for the Halifax Regional Municipality*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council set a date for a heritage hearing to consider the inclusion of 6 to 16 Ropewalk Lane, in the Registry of Heritage Property for the Halifax Regional Municipality, as shown on Map 1 of the staff report dated February 19, 2025, as a municipal heritage property under the Heritage Property Act.

15.5

MEMBERS OF COUNCIL

15.5.1

Deputy Mayor Mancini – Update on Auditor General Recommendations

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to provide a staff report on the current status of the 19 recommendations made by the Auditor General as outlined in the following reports:

-June 2024 Review of OS recommendations 
-March 2024 Follow up

15.5.2

Mayor Fillmore - 2026-2027 Budget and Business Plan Council Direction

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to return to Council by June 2025 with a staff report that includes feasible options and considerations for the 2026/2027 budget and business planning process including the following:

1. Hold expenditure levels flat for the 2026/2027 budget to keep the total budget at 1.35B with consideration for an increase for inflation based on CPI.  

2. Identify operating efficiencies and savings that could be implemented in this current budget year. 

3. Examine options for long term efficiencies and savings in both the operating and capital budget including areas of duplication, service modernization, project integration, and potential redeployment of resources, 

4. Identify options for revenue diversification and funding including financing tools, user fees, private and public partnerships, and revenue sharing. 

5. Consider financial sustainability and service delivery enhancement opportunities for core services to identify efficiencies, find capacity, and increase productivity, 

6. Timeline for the annual business planning and budget process that would be shorter and start earlier for Council and conclude with an approved budget no later than February 28th.

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

In Camera (In Private) Minutes - March 18 & 25, 2025

Motion: 
That the In Camera (In Private) minutes of March 18 & 25, 2025 be approved as circulated.

17.2

LEGAL ADVICE - Private and Confidential Report

A matter pertaining to litigation or potential litigation in regard to an identifiable person and information whose disclosure could reasonably be expected to prejudice the interests of the Municipality.

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated March 25, 2025; and

2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated March 25, 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 28, 2025; and 

2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated March 28, 2025 be maintained private and confidential. 

17.4

INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS - Private and Confidential Report

A matter pertaining to any subject, the discussion of which could, violate the confidentiality of information obtained from another body of government, or a public body. 

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council convene to in camera (in private) to discuss the matter.

18.

ADDED ITEMS

18.1

Ratification from Budget Committee – 2025/2026 Budget

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Adopt the Resolution for Approval of Operating Budgets, Capital Plan and Tax Rates for Fiscal 2025/26 as set out in Schedule 1 of the staff report dated April 4, 2025.

2. Approve the attached Resolution to approve Area Rates and Uniform Charges for fiscal year 2025/26, as well as the Schedules of Area Tax Rates and Budgeted Revenues as set out in Schedule 2 of the staff report dated April 4, 2025.

3. Adopt the amendments to Administrative Order 2018-003-ADM, Respecting Private Road Maintenance, as set out in Attachment F to the staff report dated April 4, 2025. 

19.

NOTICES OF MOTION

20.

ADJOURNMENT

21.

INFORMATION ITEMS

21.1

Proclamation - Green Shirt Day - April 7, 2025

21.2

Proclamation – National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week - April 13-19, 2025

21.3

Proclamation - National Organ Tissue Donation Awareness Week - April 20-26, 2025

21.4

Memorandum from the Chief Administrative Officer dated February 6, 2025 re: District 11 Community Integration Fund Update

21.5

Memorandum from the Municipal Clerk dated March 31, 2025 re: Requests for Presentation to Council - None

22.

IN CAMERA (IN PRIVATE) INFORMATION ITEMS

22.1

Private and Confidential In Camera (In Private) Information Report re: Contract Negotiations