2025 - Sam Austin

Council Update: Budget 2026 Begins

December 1, 2025 Sam Austin 2

Agenda, November 19 Budget 2026The 2026 budget process is now underway. Over the next 4-5 months, staff and Council will complete a detailed review of all of HRM’s plans for 2026. Unfortunately, this is looking […]

Council Update: Museum Strategy, HalifACT Update

November 6, 2025 Sam Austin Comments Off

Agenda, October 28 Museum StrategyThe Regional Museum Strategy was before Council last week. HRM has been considering two different approaches towards the museum question, (1) create a new Regional Museum that would be the central […]

E-News November 2025

November 4, 2025 Sam Austin 3

News Dartmouth CoveOn October 7, after a lengthy public hearing, Council approved implementing restrictions on infilling water lots in Dartmouth Cove. The decision affects nine properties, was a long-time coming, and is a major victory […]

Council Update: Dartmouth Cove, Deed Transfer

October 9, 2025 Sam Austin 6

Agenda, October 7 Dartmouth CoveSeveral years worth of public debate and concern culminated in a public hearing on Tuesday. The stakes? Whether or not HRM should implement a bylaw restricting infill in Dartmouth Cove. Council […]

E-News October 2025

October 2, 2025 Sam Austin 9

News Bike Lane UsageBike lanes have been a hot topic over the last several months, first with the Mayor’s motion to pause building cycling infrastructure, then with the debate over Morris Street, and then with […]

Council Update: Dartmouth Cove, Dartmouth Common Lighting, Parks Stewardship

September 14, 2025 Sam Austin Comments Off

Agenda, September 9 Dartmouth Cove:By far the biggest item on the agenda for District 5 was the staff response to my motion on adopting a bylaw restricting infilling in Dartmouth Cove. The staff recommendation? Defer […]

Council Update: Slayter Bikeway, Wanderer’s, Regional Plan, Davis Cup

August 22, 2025 Sam Austin 17

Agenda, August 19 Slayter Street Local BikewayThe major item for District 5 on Council’s agenda was the Slayter Street Local Bikeway. Slayter Street was identified in the Integrated Mobility Plan as part of the Regional […]

E-News August Update (Parks and Water)

August 8, 2025 Sam Austin 5

News Sometimes in this job, I finish a newsletter just in time for events to crop up to require another! This week is one of those weeks as drought conditions are impacting the Province and […]

Council Update: Morris Street (again)

August 6, 2025 Sam Austin 8

Agenda, August 5 Morris StreetThe Morris Street bike lane circus was back before Council. Council’s approved direction for Morris Street was to convert it to a one-way street in order to accommodate a two-direction bike […]

E-News August 2025

July 31, 2025 Sam Austin 4

News Morris Street/Strong Mayor PowersI have been on Council for almost nine years and the last few weeks have been pretty unprecedented. The Province’s threatened intervention on Morris Street and the buzz around Strong Mayor […]