HALIFAX REGIONAL COUNCIL
AGENDA

Tuesday, November 18, 2025, 10:00 a.m.; Reconvene 6:00 p.m. If Required

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

REVISED - November 14, 2025 - 4:45pm

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1.

CALL TO ORDER AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

1.1

SPECIAL PRESENTATION – CARNEGIE MEDAL PRESENTATION - 10:00 a.m.

1.2

SELECTION OF DEPUTY MAYOR

2.

SPECIAL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

3.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES - October 28, 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: 15.1.2, 15.1.3, 15.1.4, 15.1.5, 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

None

11.

NOTICES OF TABLED MATTERS

None

12.

HERITAGE HEARING

1:00 p.m.

12.1

HRTG-2024-02793: Request to Include 1158 South Park Street, Halifax in the Registry of Heritage Properties for the Halifax Regional Municipality

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve the request to include 1158 South Park Street, Halifax, in the Registry of Heritage Property for the Halifax Regional Municipality, as shown on Map 1 of the staff report dated August 14, 2025, as a municipal heritage property under the Heritage Property Act.

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

Second Reading Proposed By-law T-801, an Amendment to By-law T-800, Respecting Property Tax Billing for Tax Relief Recipients

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council adopt By-law T-801, amending By-law T-800, the Property Tax Billing for Tax Relief Recipients By-law, as set out in Attachment 1 to the staff report dated September 10, 2025.

15.1.2

Amendments to Regional Centre SMPS and LUB - Grouped Site-Specific Applications for 2025/2026 (Cases MPSA-2025-01528, MPSA-2025-01629, MPSA-2025-01929, and MPSA-2025-02020)*

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

1. Initiate a process to consider amendments to the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and Regional Centre Land Use By-law to reduce side and rear high-rise setback requirements for high-rise buildings in the Downtown Halifax Zone when the abutting property cannot achieve a high-rise building because of the Citadel Ramparts Sight Lines, as outlined in the staff report dated October 26, 2025 for MPSA-2025-01528.

2. Initiate a process to consider amendments to the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and Regional Centre Land Use By-Law to:

a. Change the urban structure designation from Established Residential to Higher-Order Residential;

b. Rezone from the Established Residential-3 Zone to the Higher-Order Residential-1 Zone;

c. Increase the maximum permitted height from 11 metres to 5 storeys; and

d. Reduce the minimum front yard setback from 4.0 metres to 1.5 metres
for the lands located at 63 Jackson Road (PID 00056218) in Dartmouth as outlined in the staff report dated October 26, 2025 for MPSA-2025-01629.

3. Initiate a process to consider amendments to the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and Regional Centre Land Use By-Law to enable a site-specific development agreement option for a light industrial use on lands located at 4 Fernhill Drive (PID 41079807) and 386 Windmill Road (PID 41079799) in Dartmouth as outlined in the staff report dated October 26, 2025 for MPSA-2025-01929.

4. Initiate a process to consider amendments to the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and Regional Centre Land Use By-Law to reduce the minimum side setback above the streetwall from 4.5 metres to 0.0 metres for the lands located between Queen Street and Birmingham Street (PID 00077313) in Halifax as outlined in the staff report dated October 26, 2025 for MPSA-2025-02020.

5. 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 October 26, 2025.

15.1.3

Bee City Resolution*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council endorse the Bee City Resolution as outlined in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated October 10, 2025.

15.1.4

MPSREV-2025-02389 Update on Missing Middle Housing, Mass Timber and other Amendments in the Regional Centre SMPS & LUB*

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

1. Initiate a process to consider amendments to the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and the Regional Centre Land Use By-Law to:

a) review urban design requirements for missing middle housing;

b) review built form requirements for mass-timber construction and identify opportunities to further support the construction of manufactured housing; and

c) undertake administrative changes to improve the administration of the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-Law. 

2. Follow the public participation program as set out in the Community Engagement section of the staff report dated October 9, 2025.

15.1.5

HRM Corporate User Fee Policy and Strategy*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Approve the HRM User Fee Policy & Guidelines as set out in Attachment 1 to the staff report dated October 13,2025; and

2. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to seek out and implement new user fee opportunities within each business unit in accordance with the new user fee policy.

15.1.6

Service Review Framework

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Approve the Service Review Framework as set out in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated November 10, 2025, subject to yearly budgetary availability and approval.

2. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to carry out the actions contained in the Service Review Framework as part of the multi-year budgeting and business process.

3. Approve an unbudgeted reserve withdrawal from the Options Reserve, Q421 in the amount of $350,000 as per the Financial Implications section of the staff report dated November 10, 2025

4. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to provide annual progress reports on the implementation of the Service Review Framework to Regional Council.

15.1.7

Updated Framework to Address Homelessness in HRM, 2026-28

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve the updated Framework to Address Homelessness in the Halifax Regional Municipality, and the related strategic actions, both as set forth in the Discussion section of the staff report dated November 18, 2025.

15.2

TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE

15.2.1

2025 Road Safety Annual Report

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council receive the 2025 Road Safety Annual Report for information and presentation. 

15.3

NORTH WEST COMMUNITY COUNCIL

15.3.1

Hubbards Rural Sidewalks Area Rate and Boundary*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Approve the community boundary of Hubbards, as shown in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated September 10, 2025, for an area rate of $0.021 per $100 of taxable property value, to be charged after substantial completion of the AT facility, consistent with the process outlined in Administrative Order 2022-008-ADM, the Rural Sidewalk Area Rates Administrative Order.

2. Pending approval of the area rate in Hubbards:

a. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to direct staff to explore external funding opportunities with other orders of government to support the active transportation facilities in Hubbards; and

b. Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, or their designate, to negotiate and enter into one or more agreements, and any amendments to those agreements, with the Province of Nova Scotia respecting the construction, operation, and maintenance of AT facilities in the provincial right-of way.

15.4

MEMBERS OF COUNCIL

15.4.1

Councillor White - Road Safety Communications

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to provide a staff report to develop a positive HRM road safety messaging campaign evolving from the lessons learned during the Heads Up Halifax campaign and taking inspiration from leading vison zero municipalities across North America. The campaign shall use images of local real-world examples depicting all road users that will encourage changing behaviors that have the most impact on road safety outcomes. The campaign shall address road safety in ways that build community and promote a culture of respect among residents.

15.4.2

Councillor Hinch - Movement of the Halifax Regional Police Integrated Emergency Response Communicators

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to prepare a staff report that identifies the financial and logistical implications of moving the Halifax Regional Police (HRP) Integrated Emergency Response Communicators from the HRP Business Unit to a HRM Business Unit.

15.4.3

Councillor Austin - Road Safety Engineering

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to provide a staff report on options for Council to accelerate implementation of HRM’s Road Safety program as it relates to road design. The report, and/or a separate budget briefing note, should: 

1.  Provide short-term options for the 2026/2027 budget as a potential over budget item and

2. Provide options to increase program implementation over the longer-term, similar to what has been previously done to scale up sidewalk construction and traffic calming.

16.

MOTIONS

16.1

Councillor Kent

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council request a staff report and recommendations for expanding parking services at the Woodside Ferry Terminal. Report to include potential acquisition of land, restricting use for ferry users only, possible commissionaire supervision, gated key access and any other opportunities to expand availability of parking to serve the users of the Woodside Ferry and consider public space only with fee for service as a cost recovery. 

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 - October 28, 2025

Motion: 
That the In Camera (In Private) minutes of October 28, 2025, be approved as circulated.

17.2

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 November 3, 2025; and

2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated November 3, 2025 be maintained private and confidential. 

17.3

INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS

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. 

17.4

INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS - Private and Confidential Report

This item was deleted from the agenda.

18.

ADDED ITEMS

19.

NOTICES OF MOTION

20.

ADJOURNMENT

21.

INFORMATION ITEMS

21.1

Memorandum from the Chief Administrative Officer dated October 21, 2025 re: Transfer of Provincial PID’s in HRM’s Road Boundary

21.2

Memorandum from the Chief Administrative Officer dated November 10, 2025 re: Strategic Performance Report 2024/25

21.3

Memorandum from the Chief Administrative Officer dated November 3, 2025 re: Award of Contracts–Quarterly Report July to September 2025

21.4

Memorandum from the Chief Administrative Officer dated October 20, 2025 re: Legislative Update – Fall Sitting (2025)

21.5

Memorandum from the Municipal Clerk dated November 10, 2025 re: Requests for Presentation to Council - None

21.6

Memorandum from the Chair, Halifax Water Board dated October 28, 2025 re: Halifax Water Annual Accountability Report

21.7

Memorandum from the Chief Administrative Officer dated November 12, 2025 re: 2026-2030 Strategic Plan / Action Plan

22.

IN CAMERA (IN PRIVATE) INFORMATION ITEMS

22.1

Private and Confidential In Camera (In Private) Information Report re: Personnel Matter