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Economic Strategy Launch, Halifax Hall, Thursday November 17, 2005
HRM's Economic Strategy:
Strategies for Success (1.2 MB PDF)
Glossary & Terms and their Resourceful Links
Executive Summary, Strategies for Success
This economic strategy has been prepared by the Halifax Regional
Municipality (HRM) as an essential component in defining our future
and ensuring that future is within our grasp. Quite simply, we want to be the envy of the world.
There is little doubt we can be. But that requires understanding the
challenges that lie before us and addressing those challenges head
on. The Halifax Regional Municipality is proud to lead the process.
In this document, we explore the attainment of five key goals for our community over the next five years:
 HRM’s bustling job market will stop our young and ambitious from leaving and make our community a magnet for highly trained
immigrants and expatriates.
HRM’s investments in social and cultural infrastructure will enhance the city’s persona as one of the most vibrant and unique communities on the continent.
HRM will possess the best business climate in Canada, one able to kick-start and grow ambitious new enterprises and attract exciting companies from anywhere on the globe.
HRM’s renown as one of the continent’s great cities — a beautiful, immensely livable place that teems with history and creativity —will draw top-drawer companies and people to our community.
Each partner in HRM’s future will work in sync to propel our economy forward in a way that improves the quality of life for every citizen.
Those goals are the pillars of a far-reaching vision. That vision states:
Our people are our community. We will improve and empower the lives of every citizen by building a prosperous, dynamic, globally competitive
economy where creativity and risk-taking can flourish alongside a
quality of life that is the envy of the world.
This is not pie in the sky. This vision, and the goals that bolster it, are
attainable. But the path to success is not an easy one. First comes
knowledge and understanding, then comes concerted action.
This strategy is focused on attaining the five goals noted above,
understanding that today's reality underlies those goals, and identifying the actions that need to be taken to move HRM forward to a bright new
future.
In a global economy, economic development activities must meet
"smart growth" criteria. These include economic growth, environmental sustainability, cultural priorities, and social objectives. Only a prosperous, growing economy, one that generates tax revenue, can attain these outcomes. This strategy encompasses those criteria.
The economic strategy also encompasses all of HRM. Our unique
blend of urban and rural geography is a defining characteristic. It is
our strength. This strategy approaches this rural/urban reality as one of interdependence rather than irreconcilable differences.
Indeed, interdependency and partnership is a central theme. This
strategy, quite simply, cannot be implemented by HRM alone. We
need to identify common values and present a common vision that
will allow a range of partners, three levels of government, development organizations, and the private sector to join forces to build a prosperous future. This strategy links to and builds on a provincial economic strategy
and the federal government’s economic priorities including the New
Deal for Cities and Communities.
Getting to a prosperous future is not easy. Leadership is critical. The
kind of future we envision requires boldness, conviction, and the ability
to make tough decisions. Our greatest challenge will be to embrace
change. The greatest risk to our future is to do nothing.
This strategy identifies what needs to be done now. It is only in the doing
that ideas will come to life. The North American landscape is littered with
stagnating communities that did nothing when action was required.
Action is required now for HRM. The future awaits.
The following actions were identified as key first priorities for implementation:
Work with businesses and existing ethnic, cultural communities and recent immigrations to attract and retain new immigrants.
Develop and promote a compelling community business case for retention, expansion and attraction of DND facilities and other
federal government offices.
Support rural economic development by encouraging and
providing support services to those individual and organizations
establishing or maintaining businesses in rural areas.
Build support and work to fast track social investment projects that are already well advanced.
Establish a Quality of Place Council to review existing brand equity in HRM and develop a multi-partner approach to marketing HRM.
Benchmark tax, regulation, development permit approval / timing against competing cities.
Bring infrastructure spending up to appropriate comparable standards.
Work with Nova Scotia trade partners to inform and educate HRM business about exporting. Identify and assist trade-ready companies to enter new markets.
Establish new and enhanced maintenance initiatives and standards with a focus on year-round, 24/7 accessibility in the downtown. Engage through a public/private approach that emphasizes individual and business responsibility and stewardship.
Work with our partners to identify common values and vision around growing our community. Create an “alignment of strategic intent” and “rules of engagement” to implement this vision.
Work to develop the Halifax Gateway as the East Cost logistics hub.
For further details, see the complete Economic Strategy (PDF, 1.2 MB)
Glossary and Terms
ACOA – Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency
BBI – Black Business Initiative
BRE- Business Retention and Expansion Initiative
CIC – Citizenship and Immigration Canada
CMA – Census Metropolitan Area
CME – Canadian Manufacturers & Exporters
CNR – Canadian National Railway
COPS – Canadian Occupational Projection System
DND – Department of National Defence
GDP – Gross Domestic Product
GHP – Greater Halifax Partnership
HCC – Halifax Chamber of Commerce
HIAA – Halifax International Airport Authority
HPA – Halifax Port Authority
HRM – Halifax Regional Municipality
HRSB – Halifax Regional School Board
HRSDC – Human Resources and Skills Development Canada
IC – Industry Canada
MISA – Metropolitan Immigrant Settlement Association
MOU – Memorandum of Understanding
MGA – Municipal Government Act
NSBI – Nova Scotia Business Inc.
NSCC – Nova Scotia Community College
NSDOE – Nova Scotia Department of Education
OED – Office of Economic Development
RDA – Regional Development Agency
UNSM – Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities
WDC – Waterfront Development Corporation Limited
WTCC – World Trade and Convention Centre
Business Commissions
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