As outlined in the staff report on ditch maintenance and responsibilities, the municipality plays an important role in the multi-jurisdictional effort to ensure effective and efficient management of storm water.
General responsibilities
- Regulation of land development activities, which include siting of buildings, grading of land, and assessing impacts of overland flow that result from the development of land
- Storm water systems used for municipal purposes, such as municipal parkland or other municipal facilities
- Owning and maintaining those elements of the minor drainage systems (pipes, ditches, culverts, etc.) that fall outside of the storm water service boundary but are within streets owned by the municipality.
Learn about the municipal Right-of-Way (ROW) Charge.
Learn about Halifax Water’s responsibilities for storm water management and ditch maintenance.
The provincial government is responsible for maintenance and management of ditches and stormwater that falls outside the municipal service boundary. For property maintenance questions in these circumstances contact the provincial operation contact centre at 1.844.696.773.
Residents can call 311 or use the ExploreHRM map to determine if they are within the municipal service boundary.