City council’s slow-motion credibility crisis

COUNCIL

City council’s slow-motion credibility crisis

Thanks to Tim Houston not paying Nova Scotia’s educational support workers enough money, covering Halifax City Hall has been a bit of a challenge in recent weeks. So I (Matt Stickland) missed last Thursday’s transportation standing committee meeting. But that meeting, more than anything else in recent years, fully encapsulates why no one trusts the government to do anything anymore. Because even when politicians want to do things, they can’t.

The main focus of the meeting’s debate was the Almon Street bike lane. The details are less important than the larger picture here:

• Three years after the council said it was going to do something, it hasn’t even finished the designs. It will likely take more than one full council term to implement what should be a pretty routine function of municipal government.

• Ditto the much-awaited electronic payment app for Halifax Transit buses, which was supposed to be implemented by 2022. It might be implemented in 2024.

What the above means: Elected councillors are often literally prevented from fulfilling their election promises due to the rigidity of the city’s bureaucracy. And if our elected officials can’t make change, then our votes don’t have power.

This is thick-lens, egg-heady stuff, so for the details of the how and why, listen to the next episode of The Grand Parade where Martin Bauman and I will take a deep dive into it.

The main takeaway: Global warming is projected to break the 1.5 C threshold for the first time in 2027. Before that time, we need to fundamentally change our consumption habits and patterns to prevent climate change.

Even if that work started today, your city government couldn’t even build a bike lane in time.

Write to your councillor, you’re in danger.

Need to know

☀️ Today's weather: Sunny with a high of 15C and a low of 7C with a 30% chance of showers overnight. A UV index of 8.

😎 It’s patio season! With over 80 patios to choose from, you can find your perfect patio this summer in downtown Halifax.

🎶 Scotia Festival of Music 2023 is almost here! Thirteen amazing concerts; two weeks of chamber music at its best. Get your tickets today.*

🍿 Get ready for a popping good time at Social Media Day Halifax! Discover the secret recipe for social media success on Jun. 9. Get your tickets now!*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY SONIC CONCERTS

Great shows happening all summer long

Still time to catch great live shows at the Light House Arts Centre this month!

On May 25, Canadian indie-rock band The Rural Alberta Advantage makes their anticipated return to Halifax with new music! See them live, with special guest Zoon, tomorrow. Standing and seating tickets available.

On May 31, experience Genesis’ legendary rock opera The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway live in downtown Halifax. Montreal’s The Musical Box takes fans along for a time-traveling ride, recreating the original show in painstaking detail-the only production licensed by Genesis.

"They're not a tribute band, they have taken a period and are faithfully reproducing it in the same way that someone would do a theatrical production," said Phil Collins.

Get your tickets for these shows and more.

On The Coast

SPONSORED BY FEED NOVA SCOTIA

Raffle for a cause!

Feed Nova Scotia’s 50/50 raffle is back and it’s a great chance to support your community and win!

Buy tickets now and help Feed Nova Scotia address the immediate need for food and advocate for meaningful policy changes that address the root causes of food insecurity.

Good luck!

License # AGD-326140-23

In other news

🏠 Head of the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia, Michael Kabalen, believes the government is not moving fast enough when it comes to creating affordable housing to combat the ongoing housing crisis. CBC has the story.

🌳 A new urban wilderness area on the outskirts of Halifax has been given the OK to move into the planning stage along with $2.1 million in funding from Parks Canada.

🦞 Maritime lobsters are looking good this year but their population numbers continue to drop. Read what the federal Fisheries Department had to say about the decline here.

💰 Lunenburg’s opulent history comes with a high price and the town is struggling to maintain its numerous heritage properties. Currently, there are a number of needed maintenance projects that would cost Lunenburg an estimated $46 million.

🚨 Austin Blake has been charged in connection with the stabbing of two individuals on Barrington Street this past Monday. Read more here.

👋 Hey small business owners! It’s your last chance to register to be a vendor at the upcoming Dartmouth at Dusk Summer Markets.

🧸 Read the heartwarming story of Chelsea Boudreau, a Dartmouth woman who runs the business Cuddle Care–a company that helps restore old stuffed animals.

💵 The province is increasing support to adults with intellectual disabilities with a $1.4 million investment into Summer Street Industries.

COVID

The COVID emergency is officially over in Nova Scotia

In the early months of the COVID crisis, Dr. Robert Strang's daily briefings were a popular and vital source of information for Nova Scotians. Today, Dr. Strang gave his final briefing of the epidemic, announcing the lifting of the province's last lingering COVID restrictions and stating that COVID's become an endemic disease akin to the flu.

Find out what that means for Nova Scotians at The Coast.

🤝 Now hiring

• Part-time groomer at East Coast Dogs

• Support staff at Adsum for Women and Children

• Millwork assistant at Hewn + Barter

• Social media marketing position at Nova Multifest Society

Hiring? Reply back and let us know!

Sure things

Looking for something to do this week? Check out these Coast picks:

🗓 Hand Building Pottery Workshop: Work on your pottery skills at the Flora James Shop’s Hand Building Pottery Workshop hosted by Once Mud. All materials are provided! | May 27 | 12pm-1pm, 1:30pm-2:30pm | $65.

🗓 Tare Shop Clothing Swap: The Tare Shop is holding its largest clothing swap yet! Find some new treasures for your closet at 21 Portland Street. | May 27 | 6pm | Pay what you can (money is being donated to Out of the Cold).

🗓 Roxy & The Underground Soul Sound: Catch this Motown and modern R&B music group at Bearly’s House of Blues this week | May 26 | $15.

🗓 The Famous Grace Perennial Sale: Spruce up your garden this year and check out Grace United Church’s annual perennial sale. There will also be a secondhand sale and a barbecue in case you get hungry! | May 27 | 8am-1pm | Free.

Find more Halifax events in The Coast listings

Shop talk

🍻 Brightwood Beer Garden at Alderney Landing is open for the season.

🍟 Exciting news for all the folks who are fans of late-night poutine runs: Willy’s has extended its hours to be open every other Monday until 4am.

👀 New restaurant, Tribeca Bistro and Bar, is opening its doors soon at 1688 Barrington Street. Keep your eyes peeled on its Instagram for updates.

Eat this

🍗 Cafe Aroma Latino, located on the corner of North and Agricola Streets, is celebrating its 14th anniversary on May 28 with a charcoal BBQ! Only cash will be accepted.

Drink this

🍹 Try Good Robot Brewing’s new Bumbleberry Fizz seltzer this summer.

COUNCIL

City council’s slow-motion credibility crisis

Thanks to Tim Houston not paying Nova Scotia’s educational support workers enough money, covering Halifax City Hall has been a bit of a challenge in recent weeks. So I (Matt Stickland) missed last Thursday’s transportation standing committee meeting. But that meeting, more than anything else in recent years, fully encapsulates why no one trusts the government to do anything anymore. Because even when politicians want to do things, they can’t.

The main focus of the meeting’s debate was the Almon Street bike lane. The details are less important than the larger picture here:

• Three years after the council said it was going to do something, it hasn’t even finished the designs. It will likely take more than one full council term to implement what should be a pretty routine function of municipal government.

• Ditto the much-awaited electronic payment app for Halifax Transit buses, which was supposed to be implemented by 2022. It might be implemented in 2024.

What the above means: Elected councillors are often literally prevented from fulfilling their election promises due to the rigidity of the city’s bureaucracy. And if our elected officials can’t make change, then our votes don’t have power.

This is thick-lens, egg-heady stuff, so for the details of the how and why, listen to the next episode of The Grand Parade where Martin Bauman and I will take a deep dive into it.

The main takeaway: Global warming is projected to break the 1.5 C threshold for the first time in 2027. Before that time, we need to fundamentally change our consumption habits and patterns to prevent climate change.

Even if that work started today, your city government couldn’t even build a bike lane in time.

Write to your councillor, you’re in danger.

Need to know

☀️ Today's weather: Sunny with a high of 15C and a low of 7C with a 30% chance of showers overnight. A UV index of 8.

😎 It’s patio season! With over 80 patios to choose from, you can find your perfect patio this summer in downtown Halifax.*

🎶 Scotia Festival of Music 2023 is almost here! Thirteen amazing concerts; two weeks of chamber music at its best. Get your tickets today.*

🍿 Get ready for a popping good time at Social Media Day Halifax! Discover the secret recipe for social media success on Jun. 9. Get your tickets now!*

*Sponsored Post

SPONSORED BY SONIC CONCERTS

Great shows happening all summer long

Still time to catch great live shows at the Light House Arts Centre this month!

On May 25, Canadian indie-rock band The Rural Alberta Advantage makes their anticipated return to Halifax with new music! See them live, with special guest Zoon, tomorrow. Standing and seating tickets available.

On May 31, experience Genesis’ legendary rock opera The Lamb Lies Down on Broadway live in downtown Halifax. Montreal’s The Musical Box takes fans along for a time-traveling ride, recreating the original show in painstaking detail-the only production licensed by Genesis.

"They're not a tribute band, they have taken a period and are faithfully reproducing it in the same way that someone would do a theatrical production," said Phil Collins.

Get your tickets for these shows and more.

On The Coast

SPONSORED BY FEED NOVA SCOTIA

Raffle for a cause!

Feed Nova Scotia’s 50/50 raffle is back and it’s a great chance to support your community and win!

Buy tickets now and help Feed Nova Scotia address the immediate need for food and advocate for meaningful policy changes that address the root causes of food insecurity.

Good luck!

License # AGD-326140-23

In other news

🏠 Head of the Affordable Housing Association of Nova Scotia, Michael Kabalen, believes the government is not moving fast enough when it comes to creating affordable housing to combat the ongoing housing crisis. CBC has the story.

🌳 A new urban wilderness area on the outskirts of Halifax has been given the OK to move into the planning stage along with $2.1 million in funding from Parks Canada.

🦞 Maritime lobsters are looking good this year but their population numbers continue to drop. Read what the federal Fisheries Department had to say about the decline here.

💰 Lunenburg’s opulent history comes with a high price and the town is struggling to maintain its numerous heritage properties. Currently, there are a number of needed maintenance projects that would cost Lunenburg an estimated $46 million.

🚨 Austin Blake has been charged in connection with the stabbing of two individuals on Barrington Street this past Monday. Read more here.

👋 Hey small business owners! It’s your last chance to register to be a vendor at the upcoming Dartmouth at Dusk Summer Markets.

🧸 Read the heartwarming story of Chelsea Boudreau, a Dartmouth woman who runs the business Cuddle Care–a company that helps restore old stuffed animals.

💵 The province is increasing support to adults with intellectual disabilities with a $1.4 million investment into Summer Street Industries.

COVID

The COVID emergency is officially over in Nova Scotia

In the early months of the COVID crisis, Dr. Robert Strang's daily briefings were a popular and vital source of information for Nova Scotians. Today, Dr. Strang gave his final briefing of the epidemic, announcing the lifting of the province's last lingering COVID restrictions and stating that COVID's become an endemic disease akin to the flu.

Find out what that means for Nova Scotians at The Coast.

🤝 Now hiring

• Part-time groomer at East Coast Dogs

• Support staff at Adsum for Women and Children

• Millwork assistant at Hewn + Barter

• Social media marketing position at Nova Multifest Society

Hiring? Reply back and let us know!

Sure things

Looking for something to do this week? Check out these Coast picks:

🗓 Hand Building Pottery Workshop: Work on your pottery skills at the Flora James Shop’s Hand Building Pottery Workshop hosted by Once Mud. All materials are provided! | May 27 | 12pm-1pm, 1:30pm-2:30pm | $65.

🗓 Tare Shop Clothing Swap: The Tare Shop is holding its largest clothing swap yet! Find some new treasures for your closet at 21 Portland Street. | May 27 | 6pm | Pay what you can (money is being donated to Out of the Cold).

🗓 Roxy & The Underground Soul Sound: Catch this Motown and modern R&B music group at Bearly’s House of Blues this week | May 26 | $15.

🗓 The Famous Grace Perennial Sale: Spruce up your garden this year and check out Grace United Church’s annual perennial sale. There will also be a secondhand sale and a barbecue in case you get hungry! | May 27 | 8am-1pm | Free.

Find more Halifax events in The Coast listings

Shop talk

🍻 Brightwood Beer Garden at Alderney Landing is open for the season.

🍟 Exciting news for all the folks who are fans of late-night poutine runs: Willy’s has extended its hours to be open every other Monday until 4am.

👀 New restaurant, Tribeca Bistro and Bar, is opening its doors soon at 1688 Barrington Street. Keep your eyes peeled on its Instagram for updates.

Eat this

🍗 Cafe Aroma Latino, located on the corner of North and Agricola Streets, is celebrating its 14th anniversary on May 28 with a charcoal BBQ! Only cash will be accepted.

Drink this

🍹 Try Good Robot Brewing’s new Bumbleberry Fizz seltzer this summer.