HRM 2026 CITIZENSHIP AWARDS

Every year HRM presents a Citizenship Award to outstanding Grade 9 students throughout the municipality. The recipients are chosen based on qualities of leadership in their school and community, and commendable performance in the courses in which they are enrolled. This year the following students from our district were bestowed with this honour: 

Marine Drive Academy – Jaime Falkenham

Oyster Pond Academy – Amber Bayers

Eastern Shore Consolidated – Toby Naugler

Ross Road School – Callie Meaney

Great efforts by these outstanding students!

2026 COMMUNITY MUSEUM GRANTS

The HRM Community Museums Grants Program was established in 2018 in response to a request for funding assistance from several local museums, some of whom do not receive operating assistance under the provincial Museums Assistance Program and instead rely heavily upon volunteers and self-generated revenue. The term “community museum” is defined to distinguish these museums from provincial, federal, or institutional museums, stand-alone archives, interpretation centres, and art galleries. Here is a list of this year’s grants and tax relief provided to our local community-based museums:

Project Grants:

• Lake Charlotte Area Heritage Society: $1,750 towards paint restoration of antique bicycles 
• Cole Harbour Rural Heritage Farm Society: $12,000 for professional design fees for their “Food Education Centre”

Operating Grants: 

• Cole Harbour Rural Heritage Society $18,574 
• Lake Charlotte Area Heritage Society $24.066 
• Musquodoboit Harbour Heritage Society $9,787 
• L’Acadie de Chezzetcook Association $7,041 
• Sheet Harbour Area Heritage Society $4,624

Property Tax Relief: 

• Cole Harbour Rural Heritage Society: $5,363
• L’Acadie de Chezzetcook Association: $12,275
• Lake Charlotte Area Heritage Society: $11,274
• Musquodoboit Harbour Heritage Society $1,119
• Sheet Harbour Area Historical Society $3,202

Less than Market Value Lease: 

Sheet Harbour Area Historical Society $5,110 Rent Waiver + $5,150 Operating  Assistance = $10,260

HOME ENERGY UPGRADE PROGRAM 

HRM has launched its HalifACT Home Energy Upgrade (HHEU) program. It will help homeowners cut their energy use by 50 per cent to improve home comfort and lower energy costs, provides financing and valuable technical support services to property and homeowners to cover initial costs and help project manage cost-saving energy upgrades. The HHEU Home Energy Upgrade program directly advances HRM Council’s priority of strengthening communities by reducing carbon emissions through initiatives for homeowners. Through the program, residents can affordably upgrade their properties leading to future cost savings that help enhance quality of life throughout our municipality. Visit this HRM website for more information and details: www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/environment-climate-change/halifact-energy-upgrade

BE AWARE – IT’S TICK SEASON

Tick season has begun - As temperatures rise, ticks become more active. Nova Scotia is home to several kinds of ticks, but only blacklegged tick bites can cause illnesses like Lyme disease, Anaplasmosis, Babesiosis and Powassan virus. Reduce your risk of getting a tick-borne illnesses by educating yourself, staying safe and performing tick checks after being outdoors. And be sure to check your pets too! Learn more here: https://novascotia.ca/ticksafety/

HRM RECEIVES BEE CITY STATUS

HRM has received Bee City status, as designated by Bee City Canada. Bee City status recognizes the municipality’s commitment to protecting and promoting pollinators by establishing and maintaining pollinator habitats, supporting community education and celebrating National Pollinator Week, held annually during the third week of June. The designation also provides access to expert resources from Bee City Canada to support ongoing work under the municipality’s Naturalization Strategy. Naturalization is a landscape management approach that focuses on biodiversity and making urban spaces more resilient. It includes the use of native or non-invasive grasses, perennials, shrubs and trees.  Visit the HRM website to learn more about the municipality’s naturalization efforts. www.halifax.ca/naturalization

STATS CANADA TRAVEL SURVEY 

Statistics Canada is collecting data on how Canadians travel for everyday trips. Check your mailbox – If you have an invite to complete Statistics Canada’s Canadian Survey on Everyday Travel - please participate! Your responses will help us plan and improve transportation across the region. This data feeds into a travel demand model (co-owned with Link Nova Scotia), which lets us test projects and understand impacts without the need for investment or construction, road closures, or detours. A strong, representative sample helps ensure decisions are based on accurate, real-world travel patterns. This Survey will be collecting data until March 21, 2027. To learn more about this endeavour, please go here: www.statcan.gc.ca/en/survey/household/5445 Or try calling StatsCan at: 1-877-949-9492 or with TTY:1-800-363-7629 Monday to Friday (except holidays) from 9 AM to 8 PM. Or by E-mail: infostats@statcan.gc.ca

ENVIRONMENT WEEK: May 31-June 6

During Canadian Environment Week (CEW) there are many special dedicated days to heighten the awareness of various environmental causes such as World Environment Day (June 5th), Clean Air Day (June 3rd) and World Oceans Day (June 8th). During CEW and throughout the year, we are urged to reflect on the many ways we can take action to protect and preserve our natural surroundings. It is meant to refocus our attention on nature conservation, preservation of natural resources and climate change. Other ways to celebrate include: Take a nature hike: Join a group dedicated to conservation: Create a bird or butterfly habitat: or Visit a nature sanctuary or botanical garden. Be sure to use #CanadianEnvironmentWeek to share on social media with your environmental awareness posts.

NEIGHBOUR WEEK - JUNE 21–27

Neighbour Week is about celebrating the everyday connections that make our communities stronger, more welcoming and more connected. It’s a chance to reach out to those who live next door or across the street. It’s an opportunity to share, learn and build relationships with the people around you. Whether you are new to the neighbourhood or have lived there for years, Neighbour Week is your opportunity to turn simple gestures into meaningful community connections and make where you live feel more like home. Join the movement in your own front yard, hallway, park or community space. This week-long celebration is a chance to spark joy, get inspired, initiate activities in your neighbourhood and take part in something larger. You are encouraged to share your experiences across the municipality by using the hashtag: #HalifaxNeighbourWeek.

MUNICIPAL SERVICE REVIEW

HRM Council has asked for a report on ways to improve financial sustainability and service delivery for core services. A Municipal Service Review (MSR) focuses on reviewing cost-effectiveness and efficiency of services and operations. The intent of a MSR is to understand how a municipality can manage costs and what are the greatest opportunities to reduce costs or resourcing for future years. The benefits of these opportunities are then financially quantified to allow prioritization of work and provide the municipality with a roadmap for better cost-management. 

This review will determine:

• what the service is and who it serves;
• the service level and associated standards;
• the cost of providing the service;
• how the service compares to similar services in other municipalities;
• where efficiencies, savings or different delivery options could exist.

The review will also allow HRM to identify:

• where it is overcommitting funding and explore reductions;
• alternative service delivery options to decrease costs; and,
• improvement opportunities that will increase efficiency and avoid future costs. 

This high-level review is being done by EY – Ernst & Young Consultants that will take place between April and October 2026. The final report will be presented to HRM Council in November 2026. For more details about the MSR, go to: www.halifax.ca/city-hall/accountability-transparency/municipal-service-review or contact: ServiceReview@halifax.ca

GRADUATION  CONGRATULATIONS

I want to congratulate the Class of 2026  Graduates in High School, Community College, and University. May each of you find your own path in life that leads to many successes and the best of luck with your future endeavours.