As I wrote in my special bulletin this committee met Aug. 29th and fully approved the Complete Streets Project which will see a bike lane network through the main streets of the South End. This will now go to City Council for approval in September. The staff report on this project:
15.1.3 Cogswell District Project Update & Recommendation Report #6 [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Suspend the rules of procedure under Schedule 2, the Audit and Finance Standing Committee Terms of Reference, of Administrative Order One, the Procedures of the Council Administrative Order, requiring the Standing Committee to review and make recommendations on proposals coming to the Council outside of the annual budget or tender process; and
2. Approve an increase to the gross budget to Project CT000007 – Cogswell Interchange Redevelopment by $15.5M, funded from expected $25.2M in cost recoveries from third party work and utilities cost sharing, resulting in an expected net project budget decrease of $9.7M as outlined in the Financial Implications Section of the staff report dated July 3, 2024.
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to consider the requests of the “New Roots Halifax North End Community Land Trust”, as part of the Cogswell District Land Use Policies planning process, or through other applicable municipal initiatives, as outlined in the Discussion section and Attachment B of the staff report dated August 9, 2024.
15.2 AUDIT COMMITTEE
15.2.1 Year End Financial Statements & Fourth Quarter Financial Report* [LARGE 20 MB FILE]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve:
1. The Consolidated Financial Statements of the Halifax Regional Municipality for the year ended March 31, 2024;
2. The Statement of General Rate Surplus of the Halifax Regional Municipality for the year ended March 31, 2024;
3. Transfers to reserves of the following amounts to reduce the general rate surplus to zero:
• Q416 Operating Stabilization Reserve – $8M
• Q526 Capital Funds Reserve – $3.5M
• Q421 Options Reserve – $2.1M
4. The financial statements of the Halifax Regional Municipality Miscellaneous Trust Funds for the year ended March 31, 2024; and
5. The appointment of KPMG to be the External Auditor for the fiscal year ended March 31, 2025.
Further to this is reviewing the Parks Advisory Committee agenda I see a committee update of designating the park as a encampment site. This is the link to the agenda: https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/boards-committees-commissions/september-5-2024-point-pleasant-park-advisory-committee
Dear Mr. Breckenridge:
Thank you for your e-mail of July 26, 2024, and additional letter of August 9, 2024, regarding Halifax Regional Municipality’s decision to consider Point Pleasant Park as a proposed location for a designated encampment site for people experiencing homelessness in the city. I have sent your letter and petition to The Honourable Steven Guilbeault, Minister of Environment and Climate Change, and Minister responsible for Parks Canada, and I am responding on his behalf. We appreciate you sharing your concerns.
Point Pleasant Park is administered by the Halifax Regional Municipality under a 999-year licence agreement with the federal government, signed in 1873. The licence agreement provides Halifax Regional Municipality with the use and occupation of the lands for the purposes of a public park.
For over 150 years, Halifax Regional Municipality has operated Point Pleasant Park as a municipal park. Parks Canada is not actively involved in its operation, other than the administration of Prince of Wales Tower National Historic Site, located within the park.
Parks Canada is sensitive to the situation of homelessness in the Halifax Regional Municipality and across the country and is aware of the difficulties associated with affordable housing; however, Parks Canada’s consent is not required for this municipal decision to permit this temporary encampment site.
Parks Canada is aware there is concern regarding fire safety, and Halifax Regional Municipality has confirmed that should they continue to explore establishing a designated tent encampment within Point Pleasant Park, a detailed site and risk assessment will take place with municipal staff from Housing & Homelessness, Parks & Recreation and Halifax Regional Fire & Emergency.
Thank you again for taking the time to write regarding Point Pleasant Park. Should you have any further questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.
Wela’lin, Thank You, Merci,
Alannah Phillips
Pronouns: She/Her
Pronom: Elle
Field Unit Superintendent, Mainland Nova Scotia
Parks Canada | Government of Canada
Free transit passes being handed out to students in HRM (citynews.ca)
Climate change affecting Earth’s rotation.
Climate Change Affects the Earth’s Rotation, Bringing Longer Days – GreekReporter.com
The Halifax Independent Civilian Review into the August 18, 2021, encampment evictions was released this week. The report, which spans 116 pages, details the events that occurred at the Halifax Memorial Library in 2021 and provides recommendations on how HRM should address encampments in the future. I am reviewing it and will report on highlights of the report.
Tiny Homes Arrive in Lower Sackville | Government of Nova Scotia News Releases
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