HALIFAX REGIONAL COUNCIL
AGENDA

Tuesday, April 28, 2026, 10:00 a.m.; Reconvene 6:00 p.m.

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

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REVISED – April 24, 2026 – 12:25 a.m.

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1.

CALL TO ORDER AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

2.

SPECIAL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

3.

APPROVAL OF MINUTES - April 14, 2026

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, 15.2.1, 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.

HEARINGS

6:00 p.m.

12.1

VARIANCE APPEAL HEARING

12.1.1

Case VAR-2025-01872: Appeal of Variance Approval – 41 Cowie Hill Road, Halifax

Motion:
That the appeal be allowed.

12.2

PUBLIC HEARING

12.2.1

2025-00728: Amendments to the Eastern Passage/Cow Bay Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law for Site #1 (PID 00374710) and Site#2 (PIDs 00374728 and 00471698), Main Road, Eastern Passage

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council adopt the proposed amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law for Eastern Passage/Cow Bay, to allow multiple unit dwellings:

i) to a maximum of 32-units and a maximum height of 3 stories on Site #1 (PID 00374710); and

ii) to a maximum of 24-units on Site #2 (PIDs 00374728 and 00471698),

Main Road, Eastern Passage.

13.

CORRESPONDENCE, PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS

13.1

Correspondence

13.1.1

Fly-past Request - HMCS Sackville Recommissioning Celebration*

That the Halifax Regional Municipality grant permission of a flyby by a Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF) Aircraft as low as 500 feet, for the HMCS Sackville Recommissioning being held at Sackville Landing for transit, practice and shows on May 15, 2026, between approximately 11:00 a.m. and 12:00 p.m.

13.2

Petitions

14.

INFORMATION ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD - April 14, 2026

14.1

Councillor Steele - Annual Public Safety Strategy Report

15.

REPORTS

15.1

CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER

15.1.1

Facility Operating Agreement – East Preston Recreation Centre*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve a Facility Operating Agreement (FOA) with The East Preston Recreation Centre for the EPRC facility at 24 Brooks Drive substantially in the same form as set out in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated April 20, 2026 and authorize the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to execute the FOA.

15.1.2

The Municipality’s Role in a Society-Wide Response to Gender- based, Intimate Partner and Domestic Violence*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO), as part of the upcoming renewal of the municipality’s Public Safety Strategy, to incorporate a focus area on Gender-based Violence, Intimate Partner Violence and Domestic Violence, with a goal of improving the municipality’s internal strategic coordination so that the municipality may better define common outcomes for monitoring and reporting on its role in a society-wide response.

15.1.3

2026-27 Events East Business Plan – Halifax Convention Centre - 10:00 a.m.

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve the 2026-27 Events East Business Plan for the Halifax Convention Centre Corporation, submitted to the Municipality on March 31, 2026, as set out in Attachment 2 of the March 16, 2026, staff report.

15.2

AUDIT AND FINANCE STANDING COMMITTEE

15.2.1

Sir Sandford Flemming Park – Shoreline Improvements Phase 5*

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Amend the multi-year capital plan as described in the staff report dated April 8, 2026 to reflect the projected annual expenditures for capital project account no. CP180002 – Shoreline Improvements/Water Access.

2. Award Tender No. 2025-0573 Sir Sandford Flemming Park - Shoreline Improvements Phase 5 to the sole bidder, Langes Rock Farm Construction Ltd for a total tender price of $1,308,274.21 (net HST included) with funding from Project Account No. CP180002 – Shoreline Improvements/Water Access, as outlined in the Financial Implications section of the staff report dated April 8, 2026.

15.3

COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDING COMMITTEE

15.3.1

Analysis of Costs and Benefits of Halifax Mooseheads Expansion Proposal at the RBC Dartmouth 4-pad

Motion: 
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to negotiate and execute a market rate lease agreement with the Halifax Mooseheads for the existing exclusive use space and the expanded building envelope at RBC Centre in Dartmouth, with terms and conditions satisfactory to the CAO, including detailed leasehold improvement, consultant public benefit, and construction conditions for the proposed expansion.

15.4

GRANTS COMMITTEE

15.4.1

Community Museum Grants Program: Recommended Awards: Fiscal 2026*

Motion: 
That Halifax Regional Council approve five (5) Project Grants as described in the Discussion section of the staff report dated March 17, 2026 at a combined cost of $60,500 from Operating Account M310-8004.

15.5

MEMBERS OF COUNCIL

15.5.1

Deputy Mayor Cuttell - Administrative Correction for Federation of Canadian Municipalities Board of Directors Term

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:

1. Suspend the rules of procedures under Schedule 6 of Administrative Order One, Executive Standing Committee Terms of Reference, requiring the Executive Standing Committee to review nominations and make recommendations to Regional Council; 

2. Endorse the extension of Deputy Mayor Cuttell’s term on Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM’s) Board of Directors, from June 2026 to June 2027; and 

3. Assumes all costs associated with Deputy Mayor Cuttell attending FCM’s Board of Directors meetings.

15.5.2

Councillor White - Prioritizing the Maintenance of Active Transportation Routes During Building Construction

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to prepare a staff report regarding:

a) policy that maintains the municipal right-of-way (ROW) during building construction projects for pedestrians and/or people cycling/rolling/wheeling regardless of whether the sidewalk or bike lane on the opposite side of the roadway is open or not.

b) developing or refining HRM policy and/or fee structure to deter building construction project footprints from encroachment into the municipal active transportation (AT) ROW.

c) developing or refining HRM policy and/or fee structure to encourage developers to re-open the municipal AT ROW as soon as possible during building construction projects when closing the AT ROW is necessary for a time.

d) developing or refining HRM policy that prioritizes temporary protected pathways for pedestrians and/or people cycling/rolling/wheeling in the vehicular ROW over parking spaces and unnecessarily wide vehicle travel lanes during building construction projects.

16.

MOTIONS

16.1

Mayor Fillmore

Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council directs the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to prepare the 2027/2028 budget by holding expenditure levels flat with the consideration for increases for inflation, contractual commitments, mandatory provincial contributions, and items approved by Council.

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

CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS - In Camera (in Private) Information Item brought forward April 14, 2026 

A matter pertaining to contract negotiations and legal advice. 

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

17.2

INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS - 1:00 p.m.

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. 

17.3

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:

1. Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated April 16, 2026; and

2. Release the private and confidential report dated April 16, 2026 to the public once the conditions as outlined in the report have been met.

17.4

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 April 20, 2026; and

2. Release the private and confidential report dated April 20, 2026 to the public once the conditions as outlined in the report have been met.

18.

ADDED ITEMS

19.

NOTICES OF MOTION

20.

ADJOURNMENT

21.

INFORMATION ITEMS

21.1

Memorandum from the Chief Administrative Officer dated April 16, 2026 re: Award of Contracts – Quarterly Report January 2026 to March 2026

21.2

Memorandum from the Chair of Audit and Finance Standing Committee dated April 15, 2026 re: Investment Activities – Quarter ending December 31, 2025

21.3

Memorandum from the Municipal Clerk dated April 20, 2026 re: Requests for Presentation to Council - None

21.4

Proclamation - Mental Health Week - May 4 - 10, 2026

21.5

Memorandum from the Chief Administrative Officer dated  April 22, 2026 re: Potential for Amending Administrative Order 2015-006-ADM to Raise the $100,000 Disclosure Threshold

22.

IN CAMERA (IN PRIVATE) INFORMATION ITEMS

22.1

Private and Confidential In Camera (In Private) Information Report re: Labour Relations - To Be Circulated