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CBC
10-06-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Halifax mayor's move to pause bike lane construction defeated
Social Sharing Halifax will continue to move ahead with its bike network after councillors voted 12-5 to defeat a motion by the mayor asking to temporarily pause awarding new design and construction contracts for bike lanes. Mayor Andy Fillmore made the motion at regional council on Tuesday afternoon. During the meeting, Fillmore said he was concerned that the costs of the AAA (all ages and abilities) bicycle network were escalating and it was contributing to Halifax's increased traffic congestion. "Halifax now has the third-worst congestion in Canada and the fifth-worst congestion in North America," Fillmore said. "People here are spending 83 hours a year stuck in traffic. That's the equivalent of 12 working days behind the wheel in gridlock." The pause would have lasted until staff came back with a report providing the list of bike lane projects over the next four years that could result in reduced vehicle traffic capacity and increased congestion. The mayor also asked that the report assess the feasibility of alternative network options that could achieve active transportation goals while "sustaining or improving current traffic flow." 'This is foolish' Fillmore has not offered any evidence or details about how the current or future network segments increase traffic congestion. Coun. Sam Austin said he was disappointed in Fillmore's motion and said bike lanes do not cause traffic congestion. He said delaying the work on bike lanes will worsen traffic. "It's the people of this city who want to move around sustainably, who we've been left hanging by having this project run years behind schedule, and now we're proposing to add yet more time to that," Austin said. "This isn't good governing, this is foolish." Coun. Becky Kent agreed, adding any talks about pausing bike lanes should have happened when the budget was being discussed. 'It's not good for stability' Coun. Laura White said the motion wasn't in line with the municipality's strategic plans. "Think of people that bid on our contracts, if they think that at any time that we're going to change direction. It's not good for stability, for business," White said. Coun. Trish Purdy said there didn't seem to be an accurate understanding of Fillmore's motion. "The vast majority of bike lane projects will move forward unhindered. This is looking at, from what the mayor has said, the red light projects, the ones that are going to negatively impact our traffic congestion," Purdy said. 'It's going to take a long time' Coun. Billy Gillis said he would support Fillmore's motion. "Cycling is a great way to commute. The more cars we get off the road, the better, 100 per cent. But it's not for everyone. And we live in the here and now," Gillis said. "It's going to take a long time to get enough people cycling to make an impact on relieving congestion." Hundreds of people, many on bikes, came to Grand Parade before the council meeting to protest Fillmore's motion. A few residents wearing bike helmets sat in the public gallery to listen to the council debate in the afternoon. The bicycle network's original expected cost of about $25 million has more than tripled, now reaching about $93 million. The provincial and federal governments have contributed about $20.8 million, leaving about $66 million for the Halifax Regional Municipality to pay over the next few years. The Halifax Cycling Coalition has said it believed Fillmore's motion was not rooted in facts, because the most congested choke points for Halifax — including the Armdale roundabout, the Windsor Street exchange and North Street — do not have bike lanes. Rising costs, inflation Originally planned to be completed in 2022, about 60 per cent of the 53 kilometres of network has been done so far with temporary or permanent measures. These include protected lanes, multi-use paths or painted signals on side streets. Staff have said the network should be finished — with the exception of one section — by 2028. Municipal staff have said costs have risen because of inflation and labour market issues, but also because the network sections have become more complicated and include improvements for the whole street. For example, the upcoming Brunswick Street project for this year would install a two-way bike lane and would also include a new plaza at the foot of Citadel Hill, sidewalk changes, and a redesign of the Sackville Street intersection to improve car traffic. Halifax spends more than $50 million each year to repave streets, with this year's capital budget totalling $314 million. The municipality's 2024 citizen survey showed most respondents preferred to maintain or increase the service levels for bike lanes (65 per cent), with 35 per cent saying it should be decreased. Another Halifax resident survey showed 48 per cent of respondents said that safer, more comfortable and more connected infrastructure is the No. 1 thing that would encourage them to cycle more often. Construction on the network began in 2017, as part of Halifax's integrated mobility plan. Halifax aims to have at least 30 per cent of trips made by walking, biking or taking transit by 2031.
Global News
10-06-2025
- Politics
- Global News
Halifax councillors caught off guard by mayor's bike lane pushback
Regional councillors in Halifax say they were blindsided by the mayor's decision to bring a motion forward asking for a pause on all future bike lane construction. Mayor Andy Fillmore has indicated in a memo to council that he's looking to put a pause on future bike lane development until a staff report on road congestion can be completed. The matter will be discussed at Tuesday's meeting. Coun. Sam Austin says the news came as a surprise. 'I mean, this is not a small thing the mayor is proposing,' he said. 'This isn't a, 'Well, let's go look at this question and bring back a report.' It's to stop work that's literally planned that we voted on in our budget just two months ago now. So that's pretty significant.' Story continues below advertisement Coun. Kathryn Morse takes issue with the idea that cyclists and biking infrastructure are causing congestion in the city. Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy 'We certainly have congestion issues. We shouldn't be blaming that on cyclists and other people who are using alternatives to private cars,' she said. She added that pausing the project won't ease the burden of building cycling infrastructure. 'All of our infrastructure costs have gone way up in the last few years. Everything — playgrounds, roads, anything that we're building — is now almost twice as expensive as it was five years ago, so it's the cost of delay,' she said. Meanwhile, Coun. Shawn Cleary says he's concerned that if the motion passes, it will be a step backwards for active transportation in Halifax — not just for cycling, but also rapid transit. 'My fear is that the mayor's going to try and remove that next because that also takes up some roadway space from certain vehicles in certain times in certain places,' he said. All three councillors say they have been inundated with emails and calls from constituents expressing their concerns with the motion. For more on this story, watch the video above.
CTV News
27-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Halifax councillor pitches singular membership for publicly owned fitness centres
The Halifax Regional Municipality is exploring the idea of creating one membership to cover all of its recreational facilities. HALIFAX — There is a new push to make healthier and more active lifestyles easier to access in Halifax. Publicly owned recreation and fitness centres are each managed independently in the city. Members are restricted to just one gym and can't use other city operated facilities. Halifax Regional Councillor, Sam Austin, wants to implement a new policy: one membership to allow access to all facilities. 'It could be as simple as having a membership at one facility that gives you reduced cost access at another,' said Austin. 'Or it could be one membership card for every place you go.' This idea has already been implemented in other Canadian cities. Toronto offers an all-access membership that allows use of every public fitness and recreational centre. If a one-membership concept was implemented in Halifax, Austin says it would promote an overall higher level of accessibility. 'There are programs that are full and trying to get swimming lessons is a challenge,' said Austin. 'But there is space and capacity in our facilities, and we might get more usage if we made them easier to access.' Members of the city-owned Dartmouth Zatzman Sportsplex fitness centre like the idea. 'There are different opportunities at different gyms and sometimes it's a good mixture, because if you go to a different gym, it makes you work a bit harder,' said Donnie Malcolm. 'If you can get people to work out at a reasonable price and the flexibility to go anywhere in town, it is a win,' added Peter Beardsall. According to gym owner and instructor Devin Sherrington, a move like this could remove restrictions and barriers that are crucial when it comes to people pursuing a healthier way of life. 'The most important thing we can do is make fitness accessible and easy for people,' said Sherrington. 'When more barriers are up, the more problems we have and the less healthy a society we have.' As Austin pointed out, one membership for multiple facilities is a practice that has long been in place for private gyms. He wants the city to make this change soon, and he believes it could enhance the business model and viability of these facilities. 'If we have one membership model, we are better able to coordinate programming for folks who can't pay regular prices,' said Austin, who added that affordable fitness is a pathway to getting the most use of public facilities.
CTV News
26-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Four 40-storey buildings expected in Dartmouth, N.S., in next decade
A development project in the old Dartmouth shopping centre, known as Little Brooklyn, is set to make the area unrecognizable. A development project in the old Dartmouth shopping centre, known as Little Brooklyn, is set to make the area unrecognizable. Dartmouth, N.S., has undergone significant developments in recent years and more are in the works. 'There's thousands of units coming to Wyse Road, there's the massive redevelopment of the Dartmouth Shopping Centre, there are other stand-alone projects all along Wyse Road so Wyse Road is really booming,' says Councillor Sam Austin. Tim Rissesco with the Downtown Dartmouth Business Commission says there are several new developments downtown. 'We have four active developments we are seeing just around here in downtown Dartmouth and then there are more up and around the Macdonald Bridge. It's really picked up in the last two to three years and we are going to see more of it,' says Rissesco. Many of the new developments across the region are residential. 'You'll have ground floor commercial in most of these sorts of projects so there is a commercial component but all the upper floors, we don't really have much of an office market, it's residential right, it's places that people want to live,' says Austin. Dartmouth development Multiple 40-storey buildings are expected to be built in Dartmouth, N.S., in the next 10 years. (Source: Emma Convey/CTV News Atlantic) One major project is 'Little Brooklyn,' which will include four 40-storey buildings and some 12-storey structures. 'A new definition of urban living, we will have an urban grocery store – the first of its kind in Atlantic Canada – as well as a different venue out here, all this parking will be, this array of parking will be gone, it will be all walkable, outdoor cafes, and other local shops,' says Joseph Daniel, Cresco CEO and one of the partners in the development of Little Brooklyn. 'Our development is going to have ground level commercial, we have two anchor stores that we are going to accommodate that will complement multi-residential housing above. There will be 1,600 apartments plus or minus above it,' says Jim Kanellakos, owner of J2K Properties and partner in Little Brooklyn. The development will also have a couple hundred thousand square feet of commercial space and these developers want to help put Dartmouth on the map. 'It was an opportunity for us to get involved in a little more of the urban construction. Most of what we have done has been in the suburban and the rural. We saw the opportunity and we felt this was great to be part of redefining this area of Dartmouth,' says Daniel. 'Dartmouth a few years ago was recognized as being one of the top 10 up and coming vibrant communities in the country and we really recognize that and want to be a part of it,' says Kanellakos. Austin says Dartmouth is finally tapping into its potential. 'You skip forward five or 10 years; it's going to be unrecognizable. Instead of suburban style strip malls, vacant lots and parking lots, we're turning into a very urban neighborhood with high density living,' says Austin. Developments Multiple developments are expected in Dartmouth, N.S., in the next decade. (Source: Emma Convey/CTV News Atlantic) For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CTV News
25-05-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Halifax seeks public input on singular membership for recreational facilities
The Halifax Regional Municipality is exploring the idea of creating one membership to cover all of its recreational facilities – but it's seeking public input on the idea first. The idea has been years in the making, says Sam Austin, the councillor for Dartmouth Centre, which includes the Zatzman Sportsplex. 'It could be as simple as, 'Hey, I work in downtown Halifax and want to use Centennial Pool during the day, during my work day, but then I'm living out in Cole Harbour and on the days I'm working from home, or on the weekends, I want to use Cole Harbour Place,' he told CTV News on Sunday. A public survey is now live on the municipality's website and one of the questions asked is if people would be willing to pay additional membership fees to have access to multiple municipal recreation facilities. While affordable recreation has been a priority for the municipality, Austin says a cost increase isn't guaranteed. Sam Austin Sam Austin, the HRM councillor for Dartmouth Centre, says the idea to look at a 'One Membership' option for the city's rec facilities has been years in the making. (CTV Atlantic/Callum Smith) 'Maybe, maybe not,' he says. 'If you have one access membership, we can do things more easily, like target supports to folks who really need it.' On the flip side, he says an idea like this has the potential to make memberships more appealing and drive-up demand, 'which then puts more money into the municipal coffers and takes pressure off the existing folks.' Austin points to success in the private sector, like what GoodLife Fitness has done, for example, offering tiered memberships, including one that only allows access to a 'home club,' while others offer access to all facilities. But another alternative that could arise from discussions could be to simply offer discounts to people who purchase a second membership at a different venue. 'My hope is that we can look at this and find a way to provide better access to all the residents that these facilities are actually for; that's really what it's all about,' he says. 'You could do nothing; you could have discounted access; you can have just one HRM membership to rule them all, so to speak.' Or it could be anything in between. The survey closes at the end of June. There will then be a 'data analysis' period from July to September, before a report is brought back to council no later than next February. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page.
