Latest news with #municipalgovernment
Yahoo
19-07-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
Halifax mayor says its premier's job to intervene when council is wrong
Tim Houston is "entirely within his mandate" to get involved in the decisions of municipal governments, said Halifax's mayor Friday, two days after the premier threatened to overturn a decision by regional council. In an interview at Halifax City Hall, Andy Fillmore said he expected Houston to speak out on council's decision to turn Morris Street into one-way traffic to make room for a two-way bike lane. "We have to remember that in Canada, municipal governments are creatures of provincial legislation. We only exist because of the provincial governments have created legislation to give us the powers to do the things we do," Fillmore told CBC Radio's Mainstreet. "Planning powers, traffic authority powers, policing powers, etc., all are at the mercy or the grace of provincial legislation. So it's entirely within any premier's wheelhouse to adjust or to give direction. That's their job." Houston posted a letter to social media on Wednesday addressed to the mayor, regional councillors and the chief administrative officer saying he had serious concerns about the plan for Morris Street. The letter, signed by Houston, said the change would "contribute to traffic congestion, create unnecessary public safety risks and potentially jeopardize port activity." Houston said his government would "be forced to act" and overturn council's decision if it doesn't reverse course by Aug. 6. — the day after its next council meeting. If council doesn't budge, Houston said the province would use Bill 24 for the first time. The bill, which was passed this spring, allows the public works minister to override decisions by municipal councils related to transportation. Fillmore said he agrees with Houston's concerns and believes the change would hurt truck traffic to the Port of Halifax and delay ambulances. The mayor voted against the bike lane design last week, but he was overruled by the majority of regional council. Ahsan Habib, a transportation professor at Dalhousie University, said a public conversation about traffic congestion is important — especially with Nova Scotia's growing population. "We are a growing city. We are trying to double our population both in the city at the same time as the province and we need to improve our transport infrastructure. The question is how," Habib said. Habib said whatever the solution ends up being, there will always be a compromise. "In my opinion, we need to build many more bike lanes, many more public transit services and also make sure our roadways are efficient to carry other traffic cars." But critics have said they don't believe Houston's intervention is actually about Morris Street. Rather, they believe the premier wants to paint council as dysfunctional to grant Fillmore strong mayor powers. That could allow Fillmore to make decisions without the majority of council and set the budget. Fillmore has previously said strong mayor powers could improve the current system that is slowing progress on issues he was elected to tackle. On Friday, however, Fillmore said he disagrees that Houston is using Morris Street as an excuse to grant strong mayor powers, because those powers would only come after a pattern of bad council decisions. "I'm interested in them [the province] improving my accountability to voters," he said. Fillmore cited two examples of what he considers poor council decisions: Morris Street, and the back-and-forth over the Windsor Street exchange redesign, which saw council approve a plan in February that it had rejected just a month earlier. The mayor said he believes the provincial government would have intervened in the road's overhaul had council not reversed course. MORE TOP STORIES
Bloomberg
18-07-2025
- Business
- Bloomberg
Tokyo Ward Seeks to Curb Condo Resales Amid Soaring Prices
Soaring property prices in Tokyo have prompted a rare intervention by one of the city's central wards, as local officials seek to cool the market by reining in resales. Chiyoda City, home to Tokyo's financial district and parliament, asked real estate developers to implement restrictions that include banning the resale of condominiums for five years after purchase, according to a statement dated Friday. The municipal government also asked that buyers be prohibited from acquiring multiple units within the same property.
CTV News
17-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Murphy's Logic: Citizens should decide if we have strong mayors
Speculation is running rampant in political circles that the Premier of Nova Scotia plans to give the Mayor of Halifax a lot more power. At the moment, the mayor is little more than a member of council elected at-large, who chairs the meetings. His 'authority' is the power of persuasion, spoken from behind what U.S. president Theodore Roosevelt once described as 'the bully pulpit.' He's in a position to be heard, if not heeded. And so it is with the new mayor of Halifax, who's already proposed ideas that have been rejected by his fractious council. I have long believed that municipal governments should have more power. Municipalities deliver most of the services that affect our lives every day: police and fire protection, garbage collection and recycling, streets and sidewalks, snow clearing, water and sewage, recreation and parks. Curiously, this level of government has the least amount of real authority. Its power is derived from the provincial legislature. In addition to giving the mayor more executive authority to lead the government, more members of council should be elected at large, to better reflect the interests of the entire municipality not just a district. But changes of this magnitude should be proposed to voters before, not immediately after provincial and municipal elections. Tim Houston didn't campaign on a promise to give the mayor more power and Andy Fillmore didn't ask for it during elections less than a year ago, although it seems possible they were thinking about it. In a democracy, the citizens – not a powerful premier or ambitious mayor – should decide whether to restructure self-governance in such a fundamental way. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CTV News
10-07-2025
- Politics
- CTV News
Halifax council directs mayor to write provincial government about strong powers
Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore was the lone dissenting vote against a motion that will require him to write a letter to the provincial government asking them to collaborate with council if it is considering 'strong mayor powers.' Fillmore, who has expressed support for the concept of strong powers, said he would follow the will of council, which voted 16-to-one in favour of the first half of the motion, which concerns the letters. The second half of the motion, which focused on a deadline for the letters and a staff report, passed unanimously. Coun. Sam Austin brought forward the motion, which directs Fillmore to request collaboration from the province about possible strong mayor powers. It also directs Fillmore to ask the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities Board to adopt a similar position. 'Strong mayor powers would be a major institutional change for us,' Austin said. 'It would bound future mayors and councils. Strong mayor powers was not part of anyone election's campaigns. There are major implications.' Ontario allows for strong mayor powers in some municipalities and says it can include the ability to appoint a chief administrative officer and hire municipal division heads. Fillmore, who said the municipality is at a 'pivotal moment,' has had informal conversations with the province about the strong powers. He noted he received a 'clear mandate' when he was elected last fall with more than 52,000 votes. 'The system we operate under is not designed to deliver on that mandate with urgency,' he said. 'It's about structure. It's about a governance built for a smaller city in a simpler time. 'This is not a call for unchecked power. This model doesn't erode democracy; it sharpens its edge. I believe deeply in collaboration but I also believe leadership must have the tools to lead.' During the discussion of the motion at a meeting on Thursday, many councillors expressed reservations and concerns about possible strong mayor powers muting their voices. 'Democracy is messy and it isn't easy but out of that can often come a lot of benefits,' said Coun. Patty Cuttell. 'It's about making the decisions out of multiple opinions.' 'A strong leader does not require strong mayor powers,' said Coun. Shawn Cleary. 'Leadership comes from all aspects. It doesn't come from the top down.' 'Concentrating this power is very troubling to me,' said Coun. Laura White. 'I support this motion because people need to know what's going on here. There's so much noise. It's important to get this more in the public conversation.' Austin said his motion did not seek to have council make a position on strong mayor powers, but rather engage the public with the potential changes from the province. 'We should be talking to the public about this,' he said. 'Concentrating power in the hands of one diminishes the whole.' An amendment to the motion sought to have the chief administrative officer write the letter to the minister of Municipal Affairs instead of the mayor, but it was defeated 12-to-five. Fillmore, Billy Gillis, David Hendsbee, Trish Purdy and John Young voted in favour of the amendment. 'It won't make a hill of beans difference who the letter comes from; Premier Houston is not going to give a crap anyway,' said Cleary, who noted section 382 of the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter requires the province to consult with the municipality for any proposed changes to the Act. The motion also directs the chief administrative officer to provide a staff report on how strong mayor powers have been implemented in other Canadian jurisdictions. Both letters will have to be sent by July 22. For more Nova Scotia news, visit our dedicated provincial page
CBC
11-06-2025
- Automotive
- CBC
Euston Street site of Irving Oil station dating from the 1930s is now owned by City of Charlottetown
The old Irving Gas station in downtown Charlottetown is about to get a facelift. Irving Oil has donated the site to the City of Charlottetown. Mayor Philip Brown says the location will be turned into a charging station for EVs and e-bikes, as well as a community hub where municipal and provincial officials can work out of.
