HALIFAX REGIONAL COUNCIL
AGENDA

Tuesday, September 23, 2025, 10:00 a.m.; Reconvene 6:00 p.m. If Required

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

REVISED – September 19, 2025 – 3:35 p.m.

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1.

CALL TO ORDER AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

2.

SPECIAL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

3.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES - September 9, 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, 15.2.1, 15.3.1, 15.3.2, 15.4.1, 15.5.2.

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 - September 9, 2025

10.1

PLPROJ-2024-01075: Dartmouth Cove Water Lots (Amended)

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council defer consideration of any amendments to the Regional Centre Secondary Municipal Planning Strategy and Regional Centre Land Use By-law concerning the Dartmouth Cove water lots until such time that the Downtown Dartmouth Waterfront Revitalization (DDWR) Project has returned to Regional Council for consideration.

11.

NOTICES OF TABLED MATTERS

None

12.

HERITAGE HEARING

1:00 p.m.

12.1

HRTG-2024-01522: Request to include 2316 Maynard Street, Halifax in the Registry of Heritage Properties for the Halifax Regional Municipality

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve the request to include 2316 Maynard Street, Halifax, in the Registry of Heritage Property for the Halifax Regional Municipality, as shown on Map 1 of the staff report dated May 6, 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

2026/2027 Budget Schedule

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve the proposed 2026/27 Budget Schedule as outlined in the staff report dated September 17, 2025.

15.1.2

Fall 2025 Temporary Borrowing Resolution & Debenture*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Approve a Temporary Borrowing Resolution in the amount of $419,654,830 for financing of current debt-funded projects in-progress from the 2025/26 and prior capital budget's, per Attachment 1 of the staff report dated August 26, 2025;

2. Approve a Temporary Borrowing Resolution in the amount of $45,177,651 for financing of the debt-funded projects from previous capital budgets that have reached substantial completion and are eligible for Fall 2025 Debenture Issue application, per Attachment 2 of the staff report dated August 26, 2025; and

3. Authorize the Mayor and Municipal Clerk to sign the Resolution for Pre-Approval of Debenture Issuance, subject to an interest rate not to exceed 7.0%, to enable the Halifax Regional Municipality to issue a debenture not to exceed 20-years, in the amount of $45,177,651, per Attachment 3 of the staff report dated August 26, 2025.

15.2

AUDIT COMMITTEE

15.2.1

Year End Financial Statements & Fourth Quarter Financial Report*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve: 

1. The Consolidated Financial Statements of the Halifax Regional Municipality for the year ended March 31, 2025;

2. The Statement of General Rate Surplus of the Halifax Regional Municipality for the year ended March 31, 2025;

3. Transfers to reserves of the following amounts to reduce the general rate surplus to zero:

• Q416 Operating Stabilization Reserve - $3.5M

4. The financial statements of the Halifax Regional Municipality Miscellaneous Trust Funds for the year ended March 31, 2025;

5. The appointment of KPMG to be the External Auditor for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2026; and

6. The Fourth Quarter report for 2024/25 on District Capital, District Activity, Recreation Area Rates, Hospitality Expenses, and Expenses for Reportable Individuals.

15.3

AUDIT AND FINANCE STANDING COMMITTEE

15.3.1

2025/26 Affordable Housing Grant Program Funding - Administrative Order 2025-003-ADM, Respecting Grants for Affordable Housing*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to allocate $1,500,000 from the Density Bonus Reserve Q640 to fund projects in the Regional Centre under the Affordable Housing Grant Program.

15.3.2

Orenda Canoe Club Request for HRM Funding*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Decline the funding request from Orenda Canoe Club; and

2. Refer the Orenda Canoe Club to the HRM Community Grants program for consideration in fiscal 2026/27 for a capital grant valued up to $25,000.

15.4

ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY STANDING COMMITTEE

15.4.1

Hemlock Woolly Adelgid Management Plan*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council: 

1. Approve the Hemlock Woolly Adelgid (HWA) Treatment and Management Plan, as set out in Attachment A of the staff report dated July 30, 2025;

2. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to direct staff to initiate treatment of eastern hemlocks with a focus on the 15 priority parks identified within the HWA Treatment and Management Plan; and

3. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to carry out the actions contained in the HWA Treatment and Management Plan as part of the multi-year budgeting and business planning process.

15.5

EXECUTIVE STANDING COMMITTEE

15.5.1

2026 Halifax Regional Council Meeting Schedule

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council adopt the proposed 2026 Regional Council meeting schedule as outlined in Attachment 1 of the report dated September 15, 2025.

15.5.2

Treat Accessibly Day*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council recognizes October 16th annually as Treat Accessibly Preparation Day.

15.6

TRANSPORTATION STANDING COMMITTEE

15.6.1

Proposed Amendments to Administrative Order 2021-005-OP, Respecting Traffic Calming

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council adopt the amendments to Administrative Order 2021-005-OP, the Administrative Order Respecting Traffic Calming, as shown in Attachment 2 of the staff report dated May 26, 2025.

15.7

MEMBERS OF COUNCIL

15.7.1

Councillor White – Parking Benefit Districts and Dynamic Pricing

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to provide a staff report that investigates the potential to create parking benefit districts (PBDs) and the institution of dynamic pricing for on-street parking.

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 - September 9, 2025

Motion: 
That the In Camera (In Private) minutes of September 9, 2025 be approved as circulated.

17.2

PERSONNEL MATTER - Private and Confidential Report

A matter pertaining to an identifiable individual or group, including Code of Conduct complaints against Elected Officials.

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated August 27, 2025; and

2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated August 27, 2025 be maintained private and confidential. 

18.

ADDED ITEMS

19.

NOTICES OF MOTION

20.

ADJOURNMENT

21.

INFORMATION ITEMS

21.1

Memorandum from the Chief Administrative Officer dated July 8, 2025 re: Review of Halifax Transit Collisions

21.2

Memorandum from the Chair of Board of Police Commissioners dated September 3, 2025 re: Update on the HRM response to the Halifax Independent Civilian Review into August 18, 2021, Encampment Evictions

21.3

Memorandum from the Municipal Clerk dated September 15, 2025 re: Requests for Presentation to Council - None 

21.4

Memorandum from the Chair of Audit and Finance Standing Committee dated September 17, 2025 re: First Quarter 2025/26 Financial Report

22.

IN CAMERA (IN PRIVATE) INFORMATION ITEMS

22.1

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

22.2

Private and Confidential In Camera (In Private) Information Report re: Legal Advice