Latest news with #AndyFillmore
CTV News
3 hours ago
- Politics
- CTV News
Halifax Cycling Coalition to hold rally against motion to stop bike lane construction
The Halifax Cycling Coalition is holding a rally to voice its opposition to Mayor Andy Fillmore's motion that, if passed, would immediately halt the construction of new bike lanes in the municipality. The rally will be held at City Hall at 8 a.m. on Tuesday. The motion calls for a pause on awarding any contracts for new bike lane designs or construction capital projects. The pause would continue until a staff report assessing the 'feasibility of alternative network solutions' that could reach active transportation goals while maintaining or improving the flow of traffic is complete. 'This motion is not about stopping progress,' said Fillmore in an open letter. 'It's about sequencing progress properly. Right now, we're seeing road space reduced before alternatives like reliable transit or safe, connected bike routes are in place.' The Halifax Cycling Coalition called Fillmore's motion 'politically motivated, not good transportation policy' in its post about the upcoming rally. 'Halifax enjoys the second highest rate of people cycling and walking of all Canadian cities,' the post reads. 'Do we want to jeopardize that? 'Cycling and walking make for a healthier population, reducing pressure on the healthcare system. At the same time we reduce greenhouse gases, particulate emissions, noise, and road violence.' Council will vote on the motion at their meeting on Tuesday. More to come… Halifax Bike Lane A green bike lane marker is pictured in Halifax, N.S. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CBC
3 days ago
- Business
- CBC
Halifax mayor defends motion to temporarily pause new bike lane infrastructure
Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore is defending a motion he intends to put forward next week at regional council to temporarily pause awarding new design and construction contracts for bike lanes. In his memo to colleagues, which was posted to Reddit on Friday, Fillmore said the move is in response to frustration among residents and business owners over "worsening traffic congestion" and the escalating project costs for the AAA (all ages and abilities) bicycle network. Fillmore stated the municipality is also failing to deliver a "balanced and efficient mobility system" as per its integrated mobility plan. Fillmore told CBC Radio's Mainstreet Halifax on Friday that his goal is to build cycling infrastructure and active transportation infrastructure "in the right way, in a way that doesn't create the very unfortunate backlash that is very real in our city right now." The mayor said he'd like to create cycling infrastructure in Halifax that doesn't sacrifice the needs of others who use the roads, like bus drivers, people who ride the bus, delivery and commercial vehicle drivers, people who have to drive in a car because they're not on a bus route, and those who aren't able to ride bikes. "We have to have a very balanced approach and I just push back on any commentary that we're facing some sort of a binary choice," Fillmore told Mainstreet. "This is very much a pause so that we can all move forward together in a mindful way that reflects the changing reality we have in our growing and busy city." Only applies to tenders not yet awarded Fillmore said the municipal bicycle network was only meant to cost $25 million. He said $16 million has already been spent, but that the budget for the project now is $93 million. "That leaves $77 million yet to be spent. Only $8 million will come from provincial and federal sources, and that leaves an unexpected $69 million to be funded through the municipal tax rate," Fillmore said. Fillmore said construction being done right now will be finished. Tenders identified in the capital budget for the next four years — but not yet awarded — would be put on hold. "This gives us an opportunity to have staff come back to us with a list of all those projects that are in that capital budget with a red light or a green light," he said, adding projects that threaten to "worsen congestion" will be paused. "All that red light means is, OK, we're just going to take a redesign here," Fillmore continued. "I expect a great percentage of the project on that list will get a green light and may only have a holdup of a month or two." 'Misguided proposal' David Trueman, the chair of the Halifax Cycling Coalition, called Fillmore's recommendation a "misguided proposal." He's calling on people to write to their regional councillor and urge them to vote against it. "We just got the cycling infrastructure projects back on track with the report to council from staff where they took the plan that was supposed to be delivered by the end of 2024 and they presented a detailed plan to get to it by 2028," Trueman said. "If we have a temporary pause, this is going to be delayed by years. We have a lot of staff and consultants tied up in designing these infrastructure protects, which take years through the pipeline. If you stop the pipeline, the flow is cut off and there can be untold delays and escalating costs." Trueman said the roads are already built and cycling is catching up. He said the upkeep cost on cycling infrastructure is a tiny fraction of what it would be for road costs. Divisive issue "These projects include all the costs of revamping a given street, and often there are other aspects of the road improvement ... [that] reduce the impact on car traffic," he said, citing a flyover bicycle bridge planned for the Macdonald Bridge site. "If we weren't worried about cars, we could do a much less expensive solution there. It's our propensity to avoid any impact to cars that raises the cost of cycling." Trueman said he thinks Fillmore's proposal is politically motivated. "Halifax has the second highest rate of active transportation of any city in Canada. Surely we don't want to throw that away," he said. "But what Andy Fillmore is keying in on is that cycling is a divisive issue. There's maybe 30 per cent of the population that has their doubts or their objections to it and he wants to create a wedge issue."
CTV News
3 days ago
- Business
- CTV News
Halifax mayor to propose pause on construction of new bike lanes
An image indicating a bike lane in Halifax is seen on Oct. 29, 2024. (CTV Atlantic/Joel LeBlanc) Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore is bringing forward a motion to regional council next week to pause the construction of new bike lanes in the municipality. The motion is asking council to immediately pause awarding any contracts for new bike lane designs or construction capital projects until a staff report is completed. The motion says the report would provide a list of bike lane projects proposed in the current four-year capital plan that could reduce traffic capacity or increase traffic congestion, and assess the 'feasibility of alternative network solutions' that could achieve active transportation goals while maintaining or improve the current flow of traffic. Council will vote on the motion at their Tuesday meeting. More to come… For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
Ottawa Citizen
14-05-2025
- Automotive
- Ottawa Citizen
Bird Canada Brings E-Scooters and E-Bikes to Halifax
Article content The future of city travel arrives in Nova Scotia, offering a fun, sustainable way to move. Article content Article content Halifax, Nova Scotia, May 14, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Bird Canada, the country's leading micromobility provider, is officially launching 300 e-scooters and 300 e-bikes across Halifax, in partnership with the Halifax Regional Municipality. Residents and visitors will now have a smarter, more joyful way to get around this summer. Article content This marks Bird Canada's 28th city launch and its first in Nova Scotia as the company continues expanding across the country with its signature blend of innovation, safety, and community focus. Article content Article content 'We are excited to welcome Bird Canada's e-scooter and e-bike program to Halifax,' said Mayor Andy Fillmore. 'This innovative partnership aligns with HRM's commitment to building a sustainable and accessible transportation network for our residents. With the introduction of this fleet, we're improving mobility, reducing our carbon footprint, and supporting a greener, healthier future for our community.' Article content Bird Canada is proud to partner with Halifax Regional Municipality to support their bold transportation goals by offering a convenient, sustainable option that integrates with existing transit and helps people easily navigate those last-mile trips. Article content Getting Started Is Easy Download the Bird app for iOS or Android, find a vehicle nearby, scan to unlock, follow safety prompts and ride. Riders can pay per minute or choose from flexible, affordable ride passes. Users must be 16 or older to ride. Article content All riders begin in beginner mode, which caps speed at 25 km/h. Vehicles are approved for roads with a 50 km/h speed limit or lower, bike lanes, multi-use paths, and designated park areas. Sidewalk riding is not permitted. Article content Article content Since 2019, Bird Canada has powered more than 9 million rides and helped eliminate nearly 4,000 metric tons of CO₂ emissions by replacing car trips with cleaner, more efficient ways to get around. Article content 'As a fully Canadian-owned and operated company, we're thrilled to bring our next-generation micromobility service to the Halifax region,' said Stewart Lyons, CEO, Bird Canada. 'Bird is here to make short trips simpler, more affordable, and a whole lot more fun for everyone.' Article content Equity in Motion Bird Canada has partnered with United Way Maritimes to expand access to micromobility in communities that need it most. Discounted rides will be available for low-income residents, seniors, veterans, healthcare workers, and others facing transportation barriers. Article content 'We're proud to support Bird Canada in bringing inclusive, accessible transportation options to our communities,' said Sara Napier, President & CEO, United Way Maritimes. 'Together, we're helping to build a more connected and equitable Halifax.'
Global News
05-05-2025
- Business
- Global News
Halifax Water applies for rate increase, facing ‘significant operating deficits'
Halifax Water has applied for a 16.2 per cent increase in residential bills because it is facing 'significant' operating deficits due to inflation, depleted reserve funds and aging infrastructure. According to the municipally-owned utility, the application to the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board (NSRAB) is asking for a 16.2 per cent increase in average residential bills in 2025/26 and a 17.6 per cent increase in 2026/27. Halifax Water estimates the average annual bill will increase by $148.01 in 2025/26 and $186.56 in 2026/27. Operating deficits are projected to be $18.7 million for 2024/25 and $34.1 million for 2025/26, Halifax Water said in a Monday news release. 'We understand that requests for rate increases come at a time when many households are already feeling the pinch of rising costs, but it is unavoidable,' said Kenda MacKenzie, general manager and CEO of Halifax Water, in the release. Story continues below advertisement 'Operating as a not-for-profit, we require the proposed rates for strategic investments to continue ensuring safe and dependable water services. Without them, we risk long-term financial instability that could jeopardize the quality of services provided to the community.' Get breaking National news For news impacting Canada and around the world, sign up for breaking news alerts delivered directly to you when they happen. Sign up for breaking National newsletter Sign Up By providing your email address, you have read and agree to Global News' Terms and Conditions and Privacy Policy The utility went on to say that it intentionally suppressed rates and tapped into its reserves during the pandemic — which increased their current deficit. Customers and other interested parties can participate in the regulatory review process. In January, more than 200,000 residents were affected by a two-day boil water advisory — the second time in about seven months — after a power interruption at the Pockwock treatment facility led to the release of unchlorinated water into the system. The event led Mayor Andy Fillmore to call for an investigation into what happened. Halifax Water is currently undertaking 'critical' maintenance work and diverting cubic metres of wastewater into the Halifax harbour and Bedford Basin as part of that project. That work includes upgrades to their ultraviolet disinfection equipment.
