The following was before Halifax Regional Council:
- Special Events Advisory Committee report dated August 13, 2025 with attached staff report dated June 19, 2025
- Correspondence from Kate MacKeigan, Carole MacDonald, Heather Walker, Sebastien Labelle, Jody Zinner, Cathy Fearon, Amanda Rhodenizer, Bill McKiggan, Akamsha Abraham, Mya Gagnon, Neil Balan, Nouman Ali, Robyn McNeil, Melanie Wilson, Carolyn van Gurp, Alan Surovell, Timothy Bood, Emma FitzGerald, Alyssa Fulop, Meghann Kerr, Tamar Eylon, James Bryant, Isaac Saney, Hani Abuelkhair, Anne-Marie Gardner, Freddie Irani, Victoria Chung, Judy Haiven, Tarek Ajjour, Andrea McCulloch, Simon McNeil, Riana Mian, Dina Essa, Reid Maltby, Ryan Booth, Reid Cooder, Omar Khartabil, Khalil El Attar, Canada Palestine Association, Fadil Elsheik, Vanessa Rachael Marsden, Michael Munro, Dalia El-Dib, Margaret Anne McHugh, Matthew Brett, Rubeenpal Ubhi, Lori’s Eastlink, Emma Wells, Joanna Wexler, Michael Steinitz, Ben Schelew, Maurica Millett, Joseph Khoury, Ethel Cooper-Rosen, Sharon Waxman, Andrew Honey, Brenda Brown, Samuel Kalman, Gabrielle Macklin, Abbie Offman, Polina Baum-Talmor, Yael Asia, Daniel Greenblatt, Joe Kostin, Orr Frohlich, Margie Macdonald, Elizabeth Abbott, Patricia Kipping, Reid Maltby, Sandy Greenberg, Pat Brennan, Linda Scherzinger, Svetlana Gorlik, Asaf Rashid, Asaf Rashid, Alice Bruce, Susan Yorke, Alex Rudcovski, Arik Drucker, Margie Zer-Aviv, Peggy Walt, Alex Rudcovski, Teresa Thomas, Ben Sichel, Rebecca Pretty, Schuyler H Smith, Scott Neilson, Bobbi Zahra, Yoram Abisror, Maurica Millett, Johanne Solomon, Wendy R. Katz, Carole Woodhall, Andrea Hilchie-Pye, Victor Goldberg, Olga Levin, Andree Gracie, Freddie Irani, Sheila Watson, Heather Walker, Ben Farrall, Liana Votchal, Alan Ambrech, Naomi Zamir, Ned Zimmerman, Theresa Thomas, Adrienne Richey, Yariv Gadish, Rebecca Hartery, Lori Curtis, Ky Grey, Joe O'Brien, Paxton Romana, Leah Hassin, Stephanie Domet, Hasan Sinan
MOVED by Councillor White, seconded by Councillor Purdy
THAT Halifax Regional Council approve total funding from the Community and Events Reserve (Q621), as follows:
1. Award $50,000 for the Davis Cup World Group I tie based on Special Events Advisory Committee’s evaluation for economic merits as a tourism event;
2. Increase the grant award for the Taekwondo Canada National Championships to $50,000;
3. Increase the grant award for the 2026 Karate Canada U21 & Senior National Championships to $20,000; and
4. Decline the grant award of $75,000.00 to The Gifts We Carry: Youth Empowerment Event Honouring Residential School Survivors as the application does not meet the eligibility guidelines.
Billy Comer, Manager, Events, Parks & Recreation, Jerry Blackwood, Chief Financial Officer and Cathie O'Toole, Chief Administrative Officer responded to questions of clarification from Halifax Regional Council.
As provided for in section 90 of Administrative Order One, Respecting the Procedures of the Council, the motion was separated for voting purposes.
MOVED by Councillor White, seconded by Councillor Purdy
THAT Halifax Regional Council approve total funding from the Community and Events Reserve (Q621), as follows:
1. Award $50,000 for the Davis Cup World Group I tie based on Special Events Advisory Committee’s evaluation for economic merits as a tourism event;
MOTION PUT AND PASSED. (10 in favour, 6 against)
In favour: Mayor Fillmore, Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillors Deagle Gammon, Hendsbee, Kent, Purdy, Steele, Hartling, Young, Gillis,
Against: Councillors Austin, White, Hinch, Cleary, Morse, St-Amand
Not Present: Councillor Cuttell
MOVED by Councillor White, seconded by Councillor Purdy
THAT Halifax Regional Council approve total funding from the Community and Events Reserve (Q621), as follows:
2. Increase the grant award for the Taekwondo Canada National Championships to $50,000;
MOTION PUT AND PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Not Present: Councillor Cuttell
MOVED by Councillor White, seconded by Councillor Purdy
THAT Halifax Regional Council approve total funding from the Community and Events Reserve (Q621), as follows:
3. Increase the grant award for the 2026 Karate Canada U21 & Senior National Championships to $20,000;
MOTION PUT AND PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Not Present: Councillor Cuttell
MOVED by Councillor White, seconded by Councillor Purdy
THAT Halifax Regional Council approve total funding from the Community and Events Reserve (Q621), as follows:
4. Decline the grant award of $75,000.00 to The Gifts We Carry: Youth Empowerment Event Honouring Residential School Survivors as the application does not meet the eligibility guidelines.
MOTION PUT AND DEFEATED. (4 in favour, 12 against)
In favour: Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillors Kent, Steele, Gillis
Against: Mayor Fillmore, Councillors Deagle Gammon, Hendsbee, Purdy, Austin, White, Hinch, Cleary, Morse, Hartling, Young, St-Amand
Not present: Councillor Cuttell
MOVED by Councillor White, seconded by Councillor Hinch
THAT Halifax Regional Council approve $75,000 in funding from the Community and Events Reserve Q621 for The Gifts We Carry: Youth Empowerment Event Honouring Residential School Survivors as outlined in the staff report dated June 19, 2025.
MOTION PUT AND PASSED. (14 in favour, 2 against)
In favour: Mayor Fillmore, Councillors Deagle Gammon, Hendsbee, Kent, Purdy, Austin, White, Hinch, Cleary, Morse, Steele, Hartling, Young, St-Amand
Against: Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillor Gillis
Not present: Councillor Cuttell