Date:
Time: 1:00 p.m., Reconvene 6:00 p.m. If Required
Location: Virtual Meeting
Minutes: February 6, 2024 Halifax Regional Council Minutes (PDF)
Agenda
1. CALL TO ORDER AND LAND ACKNOWLEDGEMENT
2. SPECIAL COMMUNITY ANNOUNCEMENTS & ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
3. APPROVAL OF MINUTES – January 23, 2024
4. APPROVAL OF THE ORDER OF BUSINESS AND APPROVAL OF ADDITIONS AND DELETIONS
5. CONSENT AGENDA*
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve recommendations in the following items: 15.1.2, 15.3.1, 15.4.1, 15.5.1.
6. BUSINESS ARISING OUT OF THE MINUTES
7. CALL FOR DECLARATION OF CONFLICT OF INTERESTS
8. MOTIONS OF RECONSIDERATION – NONE
9. MOTIONS OF RESCISSION – NONE
10. CONSIDERATION OF DEFERRED BUSINESS – NONE
11. NOTICES OF TABLED MATTERS – NONE
12. PUBLIC HEARING – NONE
13. CORRESPONDENCE, PETITIONS & DELEGATIONS
13.1 Correspondence
13.2 Petitions
14. INFORMATION ITEMS BROUGHT FORWARD – NONE
15. REPORTS
15.1 CHIEF ADMINISTRATIVE OFFICER
15.1.1 PLPROJ-2023-01671: Comprehensive Neighbourhood Planning Process for Bedford Commons, Bedford [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Initiate a process to consider amendments to the Regional Municipal Planning Strategy, the Bedford Municipal Planning Strategy, and the Bedford Land Use By-law to enable a comprehensive mixed-use development of the Bedford Commons Opportunity Site located between Highway 102, Rocky Lake Drive, the Bedford Bypass, and Duke Street, Bedford and surrounding lands as outlined in the discussion section of the staff report dated December 14, 2024; and
2. Follow the public participation program as set out in Attachment A of the staff report dated December 14, 2023.
15.1.2 Facility Operating Agreement – Sackville Heights Community Centre* [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Approve the Facility Operating Agreement (FOA) with the Sackville Heights Community & Cultural Centre for the Sackville Heights Community Centre at 45 Connolly Road, substantially in the same form as set out in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated November 30, 2023, and direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to execute the FOA;
2. Direct the CAO to negotiate a Lease Agreement with the Boys & Girls Clubs of Greater Halifax for the existing occupied space at 45 Connolly Road, and return a staff report through Grants Committee for the approval of the key terms and conditions;
3. Direct the CAO to negotiate a Lease Agreement with the Early Childhood Interventionists Association of Nova Scotia for the existing occupied space at 45 Connolly Road, and return a staff report through Grants Committee for the approval of the key terms and conditions;
4. Direct the CAO to negotiate a Lease Agreement with the Sackville Rivers Association for the existing occupied space at 45 Connolly Road, and return a staff report through Grants Committee for the approval of the key terms and conditions; and
5. Direct the CAO to negotiate a Lease Agreement with the Sackville Seniors Advisory Council for the existing occupied space at 45 Connolly Road, and return a staff report through Grants Committee for the approval of the key terms and conditions.
15.1.3 Part B of the JustFOOD Halifax Action Plan
-Report [PDF]
-Presentation [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Accept and approve Part B of the JustFOOD: Action Plan for the Halifax Region, as contained in the staff report dated December 21, 2023;
2. Approve in principle the proposed annual budget request and resources for the implementation of the JustFOOD Action Plan for the Halifax Region, as contained in Table 2 of the staff report dated December 21, 2023; and
3. Direct funding in the amount of $522,000 for the implementation of Part B of the JustFOOD Action Plan, as identified in the financial implications section of the staff report dated December 21, 2023, to be added as an option over budget on the budget adjustment list (BAL) for Budget Committee to consider in the 2024/25 Budget.
15.1.4 Rural Transit Funding Program Update [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Suspend the rules of procedure under Schedule 2, the Audit and Finance Standing Committee Terms of Reference, and under Schedule 7, the Transportation Standing Committee Terms of
Reference, of Administrative Order One, the Procedures of the Council Administrative Order;
2. Direct staff to amend Administrative Order 2014-012-ADM, the Rural Transit Grants Administrative Order, to allow for a one-time increase in the 2024/25 fiscal year to the lump sum funding available to applicants from $5,000 and $10,000 to $6,381 and $12,736 respectively (Option B) and an increase to per vehicle kilometre rate funding from 50 cents to 64 cents (Option 4).
3. Direct staff to amend Administrative Order 2014-012-ADM, to account for inflation by increasing funding annually based on the five-year average for inflation.
15.1.5 Council Chamber Hybrid Technology Option [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to identify funding options for hybrid participation technology enhancements for the Council Chamber.
15.2 AUDIT AND FINANCE STANDING COMMITTEE
15.2.1 Annual Investment Policy Review [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council adopt the amendments to the Investment Policy as set out in Attachment B of the staff report dated January 15, 2024.
15.3 COMMUNITY PLANNING AND ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT STANDING COMMITTEE
15.3.1 Lake Banook Master Plan* [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to prepare the Coordination Plan as outlined in the staff report dated July 17, 2023 and return to Regional Council with a staff report.
15.4 HERITAGE ADVISORY COMMITTEE
15.4.1 Case HRTG-2023-01146: Substantial Alteration to the Municipally Registered Heritage Property at 2539 Agricola Street, Halifax* [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council approve the proposed substantial alteration to the municipally registered heritage property at 2539 Agricola Street, Halifax, as set out in the staff report dated January 8, 2024.
15.5 BUDGET COMMITTEE
15.5.1 2024/25 Multi-Year Capital Plan* [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Approve the Capital Budget for 2024/25 as set out in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated December 19, 2023;
2. Approve in-principle the schedule of 2025/26, 2026/27, 2027/28 Multi-Year Capital Plan as set out in Attachment 2 of the staff report dated December 19, 2023;
3. Approve the schedule of 2024/25 Capital Plan Reserves Withdrawals as set out in Attachment 3 of the staff report dated December 19, 2023;
4. Approve the schedule of 2024/25 Capital Multi-year Projects as set out in Attachment 4 of the staff Report dated December 19, 2023; and
5. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to update a Long-term Capital Funding Strategy as part of the 2025/26 budget process to reflect the changing Municipal and economic long-term goals.
15.6 MEMBERS OF COUNCIL
15.6.1 Councillor Lovelace – Private Road Policy Report [PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to prepare a staff report and return to Council with recommendations on how the municipality can more adequately address HRM’s private road policies to ensure they meet Council’s stated strategic priorities.
16. MOTIONS
16.1 Councillor Lovelace [Large 22 Mb PDF]
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) to consider the information contained in the Department of Natural Resources and Renewables Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FOIPOP) report and the RCMP Access to Information and Privacy (ATIP) report when preparing the staff report with respect to Wildland Urban interface Preparedness Strategies.
17. IN CAMERA (IN PRIVATE)
Council may rise and go into a private In Camera session, in accordance with Section 19 of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter, for the purpose of dealing with the following:
17.1 PERSONNEL MATTER - Private and Confidential Report
A matter pertaining to an identifiable individual or group.
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council
1. Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated January 17, 2024; and
2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated January 17, 2024 be maintained private and confidential.
17.2 PERSONNEL MATTER - Private and Confidential Report
A matter pertaining to an identifiable individual or group.
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council
1. Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated January 18, 2024; and
2. Direct that the private and confidential report dated January 18, 2024 be maintained private and confidential.
17.3 INTERGOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS - Private and Confidential Report
A matter pertaining to any subject, the discussion of which could, violate the confidentiality of information obtained from another body of government, or a public body.
Motion:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Adopt the recommendations as outlined in the private and confidential report dated January 18, 2024; and
2. Release the private and confidential report dated January 18, 2024 to the public once the conditions as outlined in the report have been met.
Private and Confidential Information Items
1. Private and Confidential In Camera (In Private) Information Report - re: Property Matter
18. ADDED ITEMS
19. NOTICES OF MOTION
20. ADJOURNMENT
________________________________________
INFORMATION ITEMS
February 6, 2024
1. Proclamation – Canadian School Counselling Week – February 5-9, 2024 [PDF]
2. Proclamation – Congenital Heart Disease Awareness Week - February 7-14, 2024 [PDF]
3. Proclamation – Wear Red Day – February 13, 2024 [PDF]
4. Proclamation – International Mother Language Day – February 21, 2024 [PDF]
5. Proclamation – Rare Disease Day – February 29, 2024 [PDF]