The meeting reconvened on February 19, 2025 at 2:40 p.m.
The following was before Budget Committee:
- Staff report dated February 13, 2025
- Correspondence from Wendy McDonald, Martyn Williams, David Meadows, Norm Collins, Talan Iscan, Paul MacKinnon, Tina Oh
Brad Anguish, Commissioner of Operations/Chief Engineer/Traffic Authority, John Spinelli, Executive Director of the Office of Major Projects, Dave Reage, Executive Director of Strategic Infrastructure and Transportation and Lucas Pitts, Executive Director of Public Works gave a presentation and responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
MOVED by Councillor Steele, seconded by Councillor Hartling
THAT the Budget Committee direct the Chief Administrative Officer to incorporate the Major Projects Office proposed 2025/26 Budget and Business Plan, as set out and discussed in the accompanying plan and supporting presentation of the staff report dated February 13, 2025, into the Draft 2025/26 Operating Budget.
Spinelli and Reage responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
MOTION PUT AND PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Not present: Mayor Fillmore, Councillors Kent, Purdy, Young
MOVED by Deputy Mayor Mancini, seconded by Councillor Steele
THAT the Budget Committee direct the Chief Administrative Officer to incorporate the Strategic Infrastructure & Transportation Planning proposed 2025/26 Budget and Business Plan, as set out and discussed in the accompanying plan and supporting presentation of the staff report dated February 13, 2025, into the Draft 2025/26 Operating Budget;
Reage and Mike Connors, Manager of Strategic Transportation Planning Program and Anguish responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
MOTION PUT AND PASSED. (12 in favour, 1 against)
In favour: Budget Committee Chair Deagle Gammon, Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillors Hendsbee, Austin, White, Cleary, Morse, Cuttell, Steele, Hartling, Gillis, St-Amand
Against: Councillor Hinch
Not present: Mayor Fillmore, Councillors Kent, Purdy, Young
Lucas Pitts, Executive Director of Public Works gave a presentation.
MOVED by Deputy Mayor Mancini, seconded by Councillor Hartling
THAT the Budget Committee direct the Chief Administrative Officer to incorporate the Public Works proposed 2025/26 Budget and Business Plan, as set out and discussed in the accompanying plan and supporting presentation of the staff report dated February 13, 2025, into the Draft 2025/26 Operating Budget;
Pitts, Beverley Audet, Director of Infrastructure Maintenance and Operations, Anguish, Anne Sherwood, Director of Transportation Design & Construction Services, Roddy MacIntyre, Director of Traffic and Parking Management, Jerry Blackwoord, Executive Director of Finance & Asset Management/Chief Financial Officer, David MacIsaac, Manager of Active Transportation, Colin Burton, Manager of Transportation Infrastructure and Shannon Betts, Director of Solid Waste responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
Councillor Deagle Gammon stepped down from the Chair and Mayor Fillmore assumed the Chair.
MOVED by Councillor Deagle Gammon, seconded by Councillor Hendbsee
THAT the motion be amended to add a new section that reads:
2. Provide a briefing note on moving funding ahead from 2029/2030 to 2026/2027 for “CR180006 – New Paving Street – HRM Roads” for consideration on the 2025/2026 Budget Adjustment List.
MOTION TO AMEND PUT AND PASSED. (13 in favour, 2 against)
In favour: Budget Committee Chair Deagle Gammon, Mayor Fillmore, Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillors Hendsbee, Austin, Hinch, Morse, Cuttell, Steele, Hartling, Young, Gillis, St-Amand
Against: Councillors Purdy, White
Not present: Councillors Kent, Cleary
Councillor Deagle Gammon resumed the Chair.
The question was called on the main motion:
MOVED by Deputy Mayor Mancini, seconded by Councillor Hartling
THAT the Budget Committee direct the Chief Administrative Officer to:
1. Incorporate the Public Works proposed 2025/26 Budget and Business Plan, as set out and discussed in the accompanying plan and supporting presentation of the staff report dated February 13, 2025, into the Draft 2025/26 Operating Budget; and
2. Provide a briefing note on moving funding ahead from 2029/2030 to 2026/2027 for “CR180006 – New Paving Street – HRM Roads” for consideration on the 2025/2026 Budget Adjustment List.
MOTION AS AMENDED PUT AND PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Not present: Mayor Fillmore, Councillors Kent, Cleary
Maggie MacDonald, Executive Director of Parks & Recreation gave a presentation.
MOVED by Deputy Mayor Mancini, seconded by Councillor Cuttell
THAT the Budget Committee direct the Chief Administrative Officer to incorporate Parks & Recreation proposed 2025/26 Budget and Business Plan, as set out and discussed in the accompanying plan and supporting presentation of the staff report dated February 13, 2025, into the Draft 2025/26 Operating Budget.
MacDonald responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
MOVED by Councillor Morse, seconded by Councillor Cuttell
THAT the motion be amended to add a new section that reads:
2. Include an increase of $254,509 for a Youth Advocate Program as outlined in Briefing Note BN006 within the proposed 2025/26 Parks & Recreation budget to the Budget Adjustment List as an operating over budget option for consideration.
MOTION TO AMEND PUT AND PASSED. (14 in favour, 2 against)
In favour: Budget Committee Chair Deagle Gammon, Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillors Hendsbee, Austin, White, Hinch, Cleary, Morse, Cuttell, Steele, Hartling, Young, Gillis, St-Amand
Against: Mayor Fillmore, Councillor Purdy
Not present: Councillor Kent
Councillor Deagle Gammon stepped down from the Chair and Mayor Fillmore assumed the Chair.
MOVED by Councillor Deagle Gammon, seconded by Councillor Hendsbee
THAT the motion be amended to add a new section that reads:
3. Include an increase of $52,939.50 for one Sport Field Technicians for rural field maintenance and partnership support as outlined in Briefing Note BN007 within the proposed 2025/26 Parks & Recreation budget to the Budget Adjustment List as an operating over budget option for consideration.
MOTION TO AMEND PUT AND PASSED. (12 in favour, 3 against)
In favour: Budget Committee Chair Deagle Gammon, Mayor Fillmore, Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillors Hendsbee, Austin, Hinch, Cleary, Morse, Steele, Hartling, Gillis, St-Amand
Against: Councillors Purdy, White, Young
Not present: Councillors Kent, Cuttell
Councillor Deagle Gammon resumed the Chair.
The question was called on the main motion:
MOVED by Deputy Mayor Mancini, seconded by Councillor Cuttell
THAT the Budget Committee direct the Chief Administrative Officer to:
1. Incorporate Parks & Recreation proposed 2025/26 Budget and Business Plan, as set out and discussed in the accompanying plan and supporting presentation of the staff report dated February 13, 2025, into the Draft 2025/26 Operating Budget;
2. Include an increase of $254,509 for a Youth Advocate Program as outlined in Briefing Note BN006 within the proposed 2025/26 Parks & Recreation budget to the Budget Adjustment List as an operating over budget option for consideration; and
3. Include an increase of $52,939.50 for one Sport Field Technicians for rural field maintenance and partnership support as outlined in Briefing Note BN007 within the proposed 2025/26 Parks & Recreation budget to the Budget Adjustment List as an operating over budget option for consideration.
MacDonald and Richard Harvey, Acting Director of Strategic Planning & Design responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
MOTION AS AMENDED PUT AND PASSED UNANIMOUSLY.
Not present: Councillor Kent
The meeting recessed on February 20, 2025 at 3:55 p.m.
The meeting reconvened on February 21, 2025 at 9:35 a.m.
Robin Gerus, Executive Director of Halifax Transit gave a presentation and responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
MOVED by Deputy Mayor Mancini, seconded by Councillor Purdy
THAT the Budget Committee direct the Chief Administrative Officer to incorporate the Halifax Transit proposed 2025/26 Budget and Business Plan, as set out and discussed in the accompanying plan and supporting presentation of the staff report dated February 13, 2025, into the Draft 2025/26 Operating Budget.
Gerus, Philip Herritt, Director of Transit Operations, Norman Hendry, Director of Transit Fleet, Patricia Hughes, Director of Planning & Customer Engagement and Stewart MacDonald, Acting Director of Employee Support & Development responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
MOVED by Councillor Morse, seconded by Councillor Hinch
THAT the motion be amended to include a new section that reads as follows:
2. An increase of $2,137,700 to operate ten buses beyond their service life as outlined in Briefing Note BN005 within the proposed 2025/26 Halifax Transit budget to the Budget Adjustment List as an operating over budget option for consideration.
Gerus, Herritt and Hendry responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
MOTION TO AMEND PUT AND PASSED. (14 in favour, 2 against)
In favour: Mayor Fillmore, Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillors Hendsbee, Austin, White, Hinch, Cleary, Morse, Cuttell, Steele, Hartling, Young, Gillis, St-Amand
Against: Budget Committee Chair Deagle Gammon, Councillor Purdy
Not present: Councillor Kent
Herritt, Gerus, Cathie O'Toole, Chief Administrative Officer and Hughes responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
The question was called on the main motion:
MOVED by Deputy Mayor Mancini seconded by Councillor Purdy
THAT the Budget Committee direct the Chief Administrative Officer to:
1. Incorporate the Halifax Transit proposed 2025/26 Budget and Business Plan, as set out and discussed in the accompanying plan and supporting presentation, into the Draft 2025/26 Operating Budget; and
2. Include an increase of $2,137,700 to operate ten buses beyond their service life as outlined in Briefing Note BN005 within the proposed 2025/26 Halifax Transit budget to the Budget Adjustment List as an operating over budget option for consideration.
MOTION AS AMENDED PUT AND PASSED. (15 in favour, 1 against)
In favour: Budget Committee Chair Deagle Gammon, Mayor Fillmore, Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillors Hendsbee, Purdy, Austin, White, Hinch, Cleary, Morse, Cuttell, Steele, Hartling, Gillis, St-Amand
Against: Councillor Young
Not present: Councillor Kent
Jacqueline Hamilton, Executive Director of Planning & Development gave a presentation and responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
MOVED by Councillor Cuttell, seconded by Councillor Morse
THAT the Budget Committee direct the Chief Administrative Officer to incorporate the Planning & Development proposed 2025/26 Budget and Business Plan, as set out and discussed in the accompanying plan and supporting presentation of the staff report dated February 13, 2025, into the Draft 2025/26 Operating Budget; and
Hamilton, Erin MacIntyre, Director of Development Services and Kate Greene, Director of Regional & Community Planning responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
MOVED by Councillor Austin, seconded by Councillor Hinch
THAT the motion be amended to include a new section that reads as follows:
2. Provide a briefing note outlining the funding for options to accelerate the delivery of heritage conservation districts, in the amount of $310,000 to be considered as an option over budget on the budget adjustment list (BAL) for Budget Committee to consider in the 2025/26 Budget.
MOTION AS AEMDNED PUT AND PASSED. (11 in favour, 5 against)
In favour: Councillors Hendsbee, Austin, White, Hinch, Cleary, Morse, Cuttell, Hartling, Young, Gillis, St-Amand
Against: Budget Committee Chair Deagle Gammon, Mayor Fillmore, Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillors Purdy, Steele
Not present: Councillor Kent
The question was called on the main motion:
MOVED by Councillor Cuttell, seconded by Councillor Morse
THAT the Budget Committee direct the Chief Administrative Officer to:
1. Incorporate the Planning & Development proposed 2025/26 Budget and Business Plan, as set out and discussed in the accompanying plan and supporting presentation of the staff report dated February 13, 2025, into the Draft 2025/26 Operating Budget; and
2. Provide a briefing note outlining the funding for options to accelerate the delivery of heritage conservation districts, in the amount of $310,000 to be considered as an option over budget on the budget adjustment list (BAL) for Budget Committee to consider in the 2025/26 Budget; and
MOTION AS AMENDED PUT AND PASSED. (15 in favour, 1 against)
In favour: Budget Committee Chair Deagle Gammon, Mayor Fillmore, Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillors Hendsbee, Purdy, Austin, White, Cleary, Morse, Cuttell, Steele, Hartling, Young, Gillis, St-Amand
Against: Councillor Hinch
Not present: Councillor Kent
John MacPherson, Executive Director of Property, Fleet & Management gave a presentation and responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
MOVED by Councillor Cuttell, seconded by Councillor Austin
THAT the Budget Committee direct the Chief Administrative Officer to incorporate the Property, Fleet & Environment proposed 2025/26 Budget and Business Plan, as set out and discussed in the accompanying plan and supporting presentation of the staff report dated February 13, 2025, into the Draft 2025/26 Operating Budget.
MacPherson, Peter Stickings, Director of Corporate Real Estate, Shannon Miedema, Director of Environment & Climate Change and Trevor Harvie, Director of Corporate Fleet responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee.
Councillor Deagle Gammon stepped down from the Chair and Mayor Fillmore assumed the Chair.
MOVED by Councillor Deagle Gammon, seconded by Councillor Purdy
THAT the motion be amended to add a new section that reads as follows:
2. Provide a briefing note on the impacts of removing funding for approximately 2,000 trees scheduled for planting in 2025/26 as part of the Urban Forest Management Plan. This includes $944,000 from the Public Works operating budget and $892,000 from capital project PW01 - Urban Forest Management Plan Implementation, to be considered as a budget reduction for 2025/26.
Anguish responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee and noted upcoming report on the Urban Forest Management Plan that would return to Regional Council prior to final budget approval.
MOTION PUT AND PASSED. (9 in favour, 7 against)
In favour: Budget Committee Chair Deagle Gammon, Mayor Fillmore, Councillors Hendsbee, Purdy, Cuttell, Steele, Hartling, Gillis, St-Amand
Against: Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillors Austin, White, Hinch, Cleary, Morse, Young
Not present: Councillor Kent
Councillor Deagle Gammon resumed the Chair.
MOVED by Councillor Cuttell, seconded by Councillor Morse
THAT the motion be amended to include a new section that reads as follows:
3. Provide a briefing note outlining the business planning, legal and budget implications of Bill 24 to be considered for discussion on the budget adjustment list (BAL) for Budget Committee to consider in the 2025/26 Budget.
Cathie O'Toole, Chief Administrative Officer responded to questions of clarification from Budget Committee. O'Toole noted an information report would come to Regional Council on the potential implications of Bill 24.
As provided for in section 66 of Administrative Order One, Respecting the Procedures of the Council, the amended was withdrawn with consent of Budget Committee.
The question was called on the main motion:
MOVED by Councillor Cuttell, seconded by Councillor Austin
THAT the Budget Committee direct the Chief Administrative Officer to:
1. Incorporate the Property, Fleet & Environment proposed 2025/26 Budget and Business Plan, as set out and discussed in the accompanying plan and supporting presentation of the staff report dated February 13, 2025, into the Draft 2025/26 Operating Budget; and
2. Provide a briefing note on the impacts of removing funding for approximately 2,000 trees scheduled for planting in 2025/26 as part of the Urban Forest Management Plan. This includes $944,000 from the Public Works operating budget and $892,000 from capital project PW01 - Urban Forest Management Plan Implementation, to be considered as a budget reduction for 2025/26.
MOTION PUT AND PASSED. (15 in favour, 1 against)
In favour: Budget Committee Chair Deagle Gammon, Mayor Fillmore, Deputy Mayor Mancini, Councillors Hendsbee, Austin, White, Hinch, Cleary, Morse, Cuttell, Steele, Hartling, Young, Gillis, St-Amand
Against: Councillor Purdy
Not present: Councillor Kent