Sidewalks and Multi-Use Pathways in Rural Community Centres
Regional Council Meeting May 13, 2025
Item 15.1.1. Sidewalks and On-Road Multi-Use Pathways in Rural Centres Public Engagement Results and Next Steps Recommendation Report Motion by Councillor David Hendsbee :
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to direct staff to:
1. Prepare amendments to Administrative Order 2022-008-ADM, the Rural Sidewalk Area Rates Administrative Order, to implement a fixed area rate of $0.021 per $100 of taxable property value for sidewalks in rural communities and come back to Council for approval.
2. Pending adoption of the amendments to Administrative Order 2022-008-ADM, conduct further public engagement in Musquodoboit Harbour and Lucasville to understand their position on a new approach to an area rate.
3. Begin functional planning for the priority segment of sidewalk in Hubbards and return to North West Community Council with a recommendation on area rate and an area rate boundary for the community of Hubbards.
4. De-prioritize planning for sidewalks in Upper Tantallon and Porters Lake in response to the community engagement feedback.
Motion was passed unanimously.
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Between January 22, 2024, and May 12, 2024, HRM hosted public engagement in five rural communities. The purpose was to determine community support for the possibility of adding an area tax rate to support implementing and maintaining new sidewalk or multi-use pathway infrastructure along the mainstreet of their community. In general, there was strong and broad opposition to HRM’s approach that eligibility for sidewalks is the main differentiator in level of services between rural and urban HRM and also that the area rate should be calculated as the difference between the urban and suburban/rural tax rates.
Based on this feedback, we are proposing moving away from setting the rate as “the difference between the general tax rate and service delivery in the urban tax boundary and suburban and rural tax boundary” and toward an approach where the rate is loosely based on annual maintenance costs.
If support is received from Regional Council to update the area rate as proposed, these are the next steps for the AT Rural Program:
- Amend the Administrative Order and return to Council for consideration.
- Round two of community engagement in Musquodoboit Harbour and Lucasville on the new area rate
- Return to respective Community Councils with recommendations for Regional Council to consider approval of the updated area rate for Hubbards, to update the East Preston rate. We would also return to Community Councils and Regional Council on Musquodoboit Harbour and Lucasville following more engagement.
- Begin functional planning and design for sidewalk facilities in Hubbards.
- Discontinue consideration of an area rate and sidewalks in Porters Lake and Upper Tantallon.
This project is part of the municipality's new Rural Active Transportation Program approved by Regional Council February 8, 2022, following recommendations from the Integrated Mobility Plan and Active Transportation Priorities Plan.
Included in Regional Council's approval was the addition of 17 new Candidate Rural Communities to the Active Transportation Priorities Plan. Regional Council also adopted a new Administrative Order Respecting the Implementation of Area Rates to Fund Sidewalks Outside of the Urban Tax Area in the Halifax Regional Municipality (AO 2022-008-ADM) to direct the implementation of the Active Transportation Rural Program.
The priority under the program is the construction of sidewalks or multi-use pathways (wider paved pathways) in rural community centers to provide safer and more accessible options for those who walk, cycle and roll - creating improved connections that help support overall community development.
The first five communities prioritized (listed in alphabetical order) out of the 17 added to the Active Transportation Priorities Plan include:
- Hubbards
- Lucasville
- Musquodoboit Harbour
- Upper Tantallon
- Porters Lake
These communities were prioritized based on criteria such as population density, safety, equity, community planning and advocacy, and number of local or regional destinations. Information received through the engagement process will be submitted to Regional Council for final decision on implementing the area tax rate and area rate boundary. Approved candidate rural communities will then enter planning, design and construction of the sidewalk or multi-use pathway. Construction is conditional on available budget. Construction is planned to be completed by 2032. Maintenance will be on-going.
Example: Multi-use pathways and sidewalks in a rural community centre. (Hubbards Community Plan, p. 115)
Area Tax Rate
Pending Community Council and Regional Council approval, an area tax rate of $0.033 per $100 (or $33 per $100,000) of taxable (capped) assessed property value will be applied in perpetuity to property owners annually starting in the fiscal year after the sidewalk or multi-use pathway is substantially completed.
Example of change to the Property Tax Bill:
| Taxable (Capped) Assessed Property Value | Area Rate Applied to Property Bill Annually |
| $100 - $100,000 | $0.033 - $33 |
| $100,000 - $200,000 | $33 - $66 |
| $200,000 - $300,000 | $66 - $99 |
| $300,000 - $400,000 | $99 - $132 |
| $400,000 - $500,000 | $132 - $165 |
| $500,000 - $1,000,000 | $165 - $333 |
| $1,000,000 - $2,000,000 | $333 - $666 |
Area Rate Boundary
The Administrative Order the Implementation of Area Rates to Fund Sidewalks Outside of the Urban Tax Area in the Halifax Regional Municipality specifies that the boundary for the area rate will be the community area, but that it could extend into neighbouring rural communities if they are deemed to benefit from the implementation of the sidewalk or multi-use pathway. The inclusion of neighbouring communities is considered if the destinations in the community with the sidewalk or multi-use pathway were used by residents from other communities (e.g., large grocery stores, regional public services, schools, etc.).
The preliminary area rate boundary maps for public feedback for the five priority communities are located to the right of this webpage.
Get Involved:
Lucasville
Lucasville online survey - Closed on May 12, 2024
In-person engagement scheduled for Thursday, April 25, 2024
See key dates and location change for details.
Whether attending the in-person engagement session or not, Lucasville residents are encouraged to complete the survey available at the bottom of the page.
For a paper version of the survey, please contact Emma Martin at 902.490.4920 or martinem@halifax.ca.
Access Lucasville information on the side panel
Hubbards
Hubbards online survey - Closed on April 15, 2024
Whether attending the in-person engagement session or not, Hubbards, Queensland and Black Point residents and property owners are encouraged to complete the survey available at the bottom of the page.
For a paper version of the survey, please contact Emma Martin at 902.490.4920 or martinem@halifax.ca.
In-person engagement scheduled for Monday, March 4, 2024 and March 25, 2024
Access Hubbards information on the side panel
Upper Tantallon
Upper Tantallon online survey - Closed on April 21, 2024
Whether attending the in-person engagement session or not, Upper Tantallon, Tantallon, Head of St Margaret's Bay, Stillwater Lake and Lewis Lake residents and property owners are encouraged to complete the survey available at the bottom of the page.
For a paper version of the survey, please contact Emma Martin at 902.490.4920 or martinem@halifax.ca.
In-person engagement scheduled for Tuesday, March 19, 2024 and Thursday March 21, 2024
See key dates for details
Access Upper Tantallon information on the side panel
Porters Lake
Porters Lake online survey- Closed on February 29, 2024
Whether attending the in-person engagement session or not, Porters Lake residents are encouraged to complete the online survey available at the bottom of the page.
For a paper version of the survey, please contact Emma Martin at 902.490.4920 or martinem@halifax.ca.
In-person engagement schedule:
NEWLY ADDED: In-person engagement session: February 12, 2024
CANCELLED DUE TO WINTER STORM: In-person engagement: February 5, 2024.
Monday, January 22, 2024.
Access Porters Lake information on the side panel
Musquodoboit Harbour
Musquodoboit Harbour online survey - Closed on February 29, 2024
Whether attending the in-person engagement session or not, Musquodoboit Harbour residents are encouraged to complete the online survey available at the bottom of the page.
For a paper version of the survey, please contact Emma Martin at 902.490.4920 or martinem@halifax.ca.
In-person engagement schedule:
Wednesday, January 31, 2024, with a backup date of February 7, 2024, in case of inclement weather.
See key dates and location change for details.
Access Musquodoboit Harbour information on the side panel
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239 responses
This survey is open until May 9, 2024 and it will take approximately 10 minutes to complete.
Please fill out this survey if you own/ rent or lease property in one of these communities included in the Lucasville preliminary area rate boundary for this project public engagement: Lucasville, a section of Hammonds Plains, and a small number of properties south of Highway 101 in Middle Sackville, and Lower Sackville as outlined in the map included with the survey.
In accordance with Section 485 of the Municipal Government Act (MGA), any personal information collected on this survey form will only be used by municipal staff and, if necessary, individuals and/or organizations under service contract with the Halifax Regional Municipality for purposes relating to processing the Rural AT Facility and Tax Rate Survey results.
If you have any questions about the collection and use of this personal information, please contact the Access and Privacy Office at 902.943.2148 or privacy@halifax.ca.
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