District 8 Update #39 – Defunding Survey, Africville Interpretive Panels, Centre Plan Update Package B, and more!

Subcommittee to Define Defunding the Police
Please take a moment to share your feedback to inform the Halifax Board of Police Commissioners’ subcommittee to Define Defunding Police to help clearly define what defunding means, and help guide further conversation and decision-making on this matter.

July 2020, the Board of Police Commissioners received a staff presentation entitled “Reimagine Public Safety.” The Board of Police Commissioners determined that defunding the police needs to be clearly defined to provide a basis for them to make sound, informed decisions relating to policing functions and reallocating community support resources. From this, the Board approved the formation of the Committee to Define Defunding Police (officially known as the “Board of Police Commissioners – Subcommittee to Define Defunding the Police”). Learn more details about this committee here (PDF).

The Committee’s role is to review relevant research and conduct community engagements to allow citizens to express their view regarding the definition of Defunding Police. Following this public engagement, the Committee will submit a written report to the Board of Police Commissioners.

To do this community engagement, the Committee to Define Defunding Police has developed a public survey and will be conducting virtual public engagement. You can get involved:

Participate in the subcommittee’s public survey.
Sign up for the subcommittee’s virtual public engagement sessionbeing held on June 19^th.

For more information, or to contact the Board of Police Commissioners – Subcommittee to Define Defunding the Police, please email defundhrm@gmail.com.

Africville Interpretive Panels
The Africville Interpretive Project is a partnership between The Africville Heritage Trust, the Africville Genealogy Society, and in collaboration with the municipality.

Five Corten steel interpretive panels have been installed in Africville Park, showing the history, families and daily lives of the former residents of Africville. These panels are not only beautiful but also give insight into the history of Africville and the people who once lived there.

June is National Indigenous History Month
This year marks the 25^th anniversary of National Indigenous Peoples Day, recognized annually on June 21^st, the summer solstice, a historically significant date to many Indigenous peoples. While ceremonies and celebrations will continue to look different this year, there are still ways to share and learn about the rich culture, traditions and contributions of the diverse Indigenous peoples that have shaped our country and our region.

While we honour Canada’s Indigenous Peoples, we concurrently mourn the 215 children who were recently found buried around the Kamloops Indian Residential School. The discovery of this mass burial is a heart-wrenching reminder of the tragic history and lasting impacts of Canada’s residential school system. For immediate assistance to those who may need it, the National Indian Residential School Crisis Line is available 24 hours a day at 1-866-925-4419.

Here in HRM, flags were lowered to half-mast on municipal properties on May 31^st to honour and mourn these children and to recognize all who lost their lives or were impacted in any way through the residential school system. The flags remained at half-mast for 215 hours, until sunset on June 8. City Hall was also illuminated in orange each evening through June 7.

List of events and notices – here’s what is included:

Update:

COVID-19 Related information
- Nova Scotia’s provincial 5-phase reopening plan
- Response to COVID-19: Halifax Mobility Response – Streets and Spaces
Centre Plan Update (Package B – June 2021)
HRM Regional Plan review
Municipality’s annual tree planting program
Merv Sullivan Park – Naturalization Pilot Project
Recreation Program Registration

Items of Interest:

RoadWorks Map (Sidewalk/street Closures & Disruptions)
Road Construction – Bayers Road
Sign up for hfxALERT
Road Safety Dashboard
Weekly green cart collection/blue bag recyclable collection
Halifax Water Board Reports
North End Business Association
Quinpool Road Business Association
Regional Council Meeting June 8^th
- Proposed Amendments to Administrative Order 46, Respecting Asset Naming Policies and Administrative Order 29, including potential engagement strategy for the community consultation for renaming Cornwallis Street.
- Framework for Anti-Black Racism Strategy and Action Plan Development

Contact me:
Phone: 902-579-6975
Email: Lindell.Smith@halifax.ca
Website: www.LindellSmithHfx.ca
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/LindellSmithHFX/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/LindellSmithHFX

311 – HRM’s Call Centre
HRM’s call centre is open 8am-8pm Mon-Fri, 9am-5:30pm weekends to respond to routine inquiries and complaints from HRM residents. Please use this service since it helps HRM keep track of issues that are of concern for residents (missed solid waste pickup, sidewalks not cleared, transit info or complaints, etc.) For more information please visit http://www.halifax.ca/311/

Please send your feedback on issues before Community Council and Regional Council – and on any municipal issue. If you would like to send your comments to all Regional Councillors please email the Clerk’s Office (clerks@halifax.ca) so that your comments are shared and are part of the public record.

If you would like to send events or information to be possibly included in my e-newsletter, please email with the subject line “E-Newsletter”

Update:

Covid-19 Related Information
Nova Scotia’s provincial government outlined a 5-phase reopening plan to safely ease restrictions. The phased plan is based on ongoing progress of provincewide vaccination rates and improvements of public health and healthcare indicators like COVID-19 activity and hospitalizations. Vaccinations are now open to individuals 12 and over. If you haven’t yet received your first dose yet, you can book online today.

There are many resources available to residents stay updated with the constantly changing information and measures taking place to control the spread of Covid-19 and to help residents stay informed and safe. I will list some below:

Covid-19 Alert app: https://www.canada.ca/en/public-health/services/diseases/coronavirus-disease-covid-19/covid-alert.html
Covid-19 self-assessment https://covid-self-assessment.novascotia.ca/
COVID-19 testing and online booking, https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/symptoms-and-testing/
Government of Canada https://canada.ca/coronavirus
Province of Nova Scotia https://novascotia.ca/coronavirus/
Halifax Regional Municipality https://halifax.ca/coronavirus

Response to COVID-19: Halifax Mobility Response – Streets and Spaces
The first phase of the Halifax Mobility Response plan began earlier this week with the widening of sidewalks in high traffic areas, traffic signal modification and the implementation of temporary loading spaces for businesses in downtown Halifax and Dartmouth. Learn more about these changes, here.

Happy Pride Month! June is Pride Month in Canada. We stand together to celebrate and support the LGBTQ2S+ community with inclusivity and acceptance – during this month, and always.

HRM Meetings/Updates

Centre Plan Update (Package B – June 2021)
Following the conclusion of public engagement in December, the proposed Centre Plan and Land Use By-law were released on May 28 and was presented to CDAC on June 2^nd, 2021. This will represent the start of the adoption process for the revised and combined planning policies for both Package A and Package B lands within the Regional Centre.

Most of the Package B lands are established residential neighbourhoods that are zoned ER-1 (one unit plus a secondary suite), ER-2 (two units plus a secondary suite) or ER-3 (townhouse or three units plus a secondary suite). Package B also has some minor changes and updates to the work done in Package A. As Package B moves through adoption there are specific areas and zoning that I will be bringing to staff for a review before we fully adopt. Any potential changes will be made once the adoption process gets to Halifax and West Community Council.

HRM Regional Plan review
Help HRM review the Regional Plan. The Regional Plan sets out a common vision, principles, and long-range, region-wide planning policies for where, when, and how future growth and development should take place between now and 2031.

Visit the project website to learn more about the Regional Plan, review the key ideas of the Themes and Directions, take a survey, or attend a Live Virtual Question & Answer (Q&A) session with the Regional Plan Review team. If you are unable to attend the Q&A webinars, they will be recorded and posted under the Videos sidebar on this page. HRM is now asking the public for feedback on the Regional Plan Review Themes & Directions, the public is invited to submit comments by July 16, 2021.

You may also submit questions via email or by phone during this public engagement period until July 16^th: Call and leave a voicemail at 902-233-2501 or email regionalplan@halifax.ca.

Municipality’s annual tree planting program
The municipality’s annual tree planting program is officially underway. This year, staff will be planting 3,100 trees in various locations throughout the region.

The municipality’s urban forest consists of all trees within the urban core, including street trees, park trees, and trees on private and public lands. The goal of the plan is to ensure a sustainable future for our urban forest and to create awareness about the many benefits that are gained from the trees in our neighbourhoods.

Monitoring crews will continue to visit neighbourhoods to evaluate the condition of the new street trees, noting any diseased or dead trees that require attention under the replacement warranty provided by our tree planting contractors. In the meantime, residents can report street tree damage by calling 311.

For more information on Halifax’s urban forest, visit the website at www.halifax.ca/trees

Merv Sullivan Park – Naturalization Pilot Project
Once again Covid-19 has derailing the springtime plans which was to include community volunteers preparing and planting the new naturalization area within Merv Sullivan Park. HRM staff have gone ahead to get the project started as many of the plants ordered had arrived in our greenhouses and we need to get them in the ground.

The site design includes 3 Serviceberry trees (Amelanchier canadensis), 15 Sweet fern plants (Comptonia peregrina), 25 Bearberry plants (Arctostaphylos uva-ursi), and a second area (dark mulch) which has not yet been planted. This project also has a placemaking component with large logs which can be used for seating. The site plan is available here: https://www.halifax.ca/parks-recreation/parks-trails-gardens/naturalization/merv-sullivan-park

Once it is safe for staff to meet and work with volunteers we will get interested folks involved with the maintenance of the project.

For further information about the Ecological, Environmental, Educational and Recreational benefits of naturalization and to get involved visit https://www.halifax.ca/naturalization

Merv Sullivan Park - Naturalization Pilot Project space — Merv Sullivan Park – Naturalization Pilot Project

Recreation Program Registration
Registration for all ages will begin at 10 a.m. on each of the following days:

June Outdoor Programs:
Wednesday, June 9

Day camps and dryland recreation programs:
Monday, June 21 – July programs
Tuesday, June 22 – August programs

Indoor/outdoor pool and beach programs:
Wednesday June 23 – July and August programs

NOTE: Recreation centres currently remain closed due to Phase 1 COVID-19 restrictions. In-person registration will be unavailable until recreation centres reopen. Participants can register by phone at (902)-490-6666 or online.

Items of Interest:

RoadWorks Map (Sidewalk/street Closures & Disruptions)
View the RoadWorks map to see current and upcoming sidewalk and street closures.

Road Construction – Bayers Road
Location: Bayers Road between Vaughan and Connaught avenues
Date: Monday, April 26^th until late July
Time: Crews will be on site weekdays from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Work details: This work is required as part of phase 1 of the Bayers Road Transit Priority Corridor project, which involves the widening of this section of Bayers Road, to add dedicated bus lanes in both directions. Once complete, the dedicated bus lanes will allow residents to travel more conveniently and efficiently through this corridor.

Weekly green cart collection/blue bag recyclable collection
Weekly green cart collection of your organic waste is returning for July, August, and September. However, blue bag recyclable collection will occur once every two weeks. Both changes come into effect on July 2, 2021.

Sign up for weekly collection reminders, get a refresher on what goes where, check out recycling tips and much more, here. You can also download the free Halifax Recycles app on your Android or iOS device to have waste info at the palm of your hand. And don’t forget to follow Halifax Recycles on Facebook!

Sign up for hfxALERT
hfxALERT is our mass notification system for the municipality, keeping residents informed about emergencies and operations updates. Sign up here

Road Safety Dashboard
Provides residents with updates regarding the actions outlined in the Strategic Road Safety Framework. Track the progress the municipality is making as we work together to accomplish our Toward Zero goal.
https://www.halifax.ca/transportation/streets-sidewalks/road-safety/road-safety-dashboard

Halifax Water Board Reports
Please find below the link that will take you to the location where all of the Halifax Water Board meeting reports are posted (with the exception of In-Camera reports

https://www.halifax.ca/home-property/halifax-water/about-your-water/board-commissioners

North End Business Association
For an update on what is happening with businesses in the north end please visit the North End Business Association http://gonorthhalifax.ca/ and sign up for their monthly email.

Quinpool Road Business Association
For an update on what is happening with businesses on Quinpool Road please visit their website: www.quinpoolroad.ca/
https://quinpool.shop/

My other Committee and Board commitments:

Regional Council – Next meeting June 8^th
https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/regional-council

Notable Reports: