History of the Halifax Regional Municipality
Encyclopedia
The Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) is one of the newest municipalities in the Canadian
province of Nova Scotia
, in terms of incorporation.
It was formed on April 1, 1996 by dissolving and amalgamating the following municipalities:
All municipal services and staff were merged into the new municipal unit. The awkward name of the municipality was quickly shortened by media, residents and politicians to the informal "HRM," which is commonly heard.
The regional municipality's boundary includes all of Halifax County except for several First Nation reserves. All of the 188 rural and urban communities
within Halifax County have retained their geographic names for legal, map
ping, mail
, 9-1-1
and other services. The name "Halifax Regional Municipality" is used to refer to the entire region as well as the municipal government.
The urban core area of HRM is located in the western end of the municipality, fronting on Halifax Harbour
in the Halifax - Dartmouth and Bedford area and constitutes the most populous urban area on Canada's Atlantic coast, and the second largest coastal population centre in the country, after Vancouver, British Columbia. HRM currently accounts for 40% of Nova Scotia's population, and 15% of that of the Atlantic provinces. The western and most of the eastern parts of the municipality are mostly rural.
in the provincial legislature and the Halifax Regional Municipality was established on April 1, 1996, the same day all former municipalities were dissolved.
Small scandals such as the purchase of $1,000 chairs for the new Halifax Regional Council
cast a negative light on the process, and unflattering articles in the national media portrayed the Halifax amalgamation as an example of how not to merge municipalities. Halifax was repeatedly referenced as a scenario to avoid when the Government of Ontario was looking at amalgamating municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area
during the late 1990s.
Since amalgamation, the municipality has experienced dramatic growth and prosperity, mainly resulting from HRM benefiting from a much-delayed urban growth in Atlantic Canada - this being one of the last regions in North America to urbanise. Critics have pointed out that the majority of economic development has benefited the former cities of Halifax and Dartmouth, with many rural areas of HRM continuing to experience economic stagnation and decline.
The term Haligonian refers specifically to residents of the former City of Halifax. Since amalgamation, there have been attempts to apply the term more broadly to all residents of HRM, however the majority of citizens in Dartmouth, Bedford and smaller centres in the municipality tend to avoid its use. Despite amalgamation, most residents of the municipality, maps
, (and Canada Post
) still refer to the names of the pre-amalgamation municipalities when describing geographic area and when referring to their specific groupings of citizens.
In 2004, there was some discussion in the eastern shore area of applying to the province of Nova Scotia to form their own municipality. This was due to the perceived lack of services to and representation from this part of HRM.
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Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
province of Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia
Nova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
, in terms of incorporation.
It was formed on April 1, 1996 by dissolving and amalgamating the following municipalities:
- City of HalifaxCity of HalifaxHalifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
- City of DartmouthDartmouth, Nova ScotiaDartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...
- Town of BedfordBedford, Nova ScotiaBedford is a community in the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia, Canada. It was an independent town from 1980-1996. Bedford lies on the northwestern end of Bedford Basin, an extension of the Halifax Harbour...
- Municipality of the County of HalifaxHalifax County, Nova ScotiaHalifax County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.The Municipality of the County of Halifax was the municipal government of Halifax County, apart from the separately incorporated towns and cities therein...
All municipal services and staff were merged into the new municipal unit. The awkward name of the municipality was quickly shortened by media, residents and politicians to the informal "HRM," which is commonly heard.
The regional municipality's boundary includes all of Halifax County except for several First Nation reserves. All of the 188 rural and urban communities
Community (disambiguation)
A community is a group of interacting organisms sharing an environment.Community may also refer to:* Community * Community , a collection of populations of different species** Plant community* Community...
within Halifax County have retained their geographic names for legal, map
Map
A map is a visual representation of an area—a symbolic depiction highlighting relationships between elements of that space such as objects, regions, and themes....
ping, mail
Mail
Mail, or post, is a system for transporting letters and other tangible objects: written documents, typically enclosed in envelopes, and also small packages are delivered to destinations around the world. Anything sent through the postal system is called mail or post.In principle, a postal service...
, 9-1-1
9-1-1
9-1-1 is the emergency telephone number for the North American Numbering Plan .It is one of eight N11 codes.The use of this number is for emergency circumstances only, and to use it for any other purpose can be a crime.-History:In the earliest days of telephone technology, prior to the...
and other services. The name "Halifax Regional Municipality" is used to refer to the entire region as well as the municipal government.
The urban core area of HRM is located in the western end of the municipality, fronting on Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour
Halifax Harbour is a large natural harbour on the Atlantic coast of Nova Scotia, Canada, located in the Halifax Regional Municipality.-Harbour description:The harbour is called Jipugtug by the Mi'kmaq first nation, anglisized as Chebucto...
in the Halifax - Dartmouth and Bedford area and constitutes the most populous urban area on Canada's Atlantic coast, and the second largest coastal population centre in the country, after Vancouver, British Columbia. HRM currently accounts for 40% of Nova Scotia's population, and 15% of that of the Atlantic provinces. The western and most of the eastern parts of the municipality are mostly rural.
Pre-amalgamation
The history behind the individual communities comprising the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) can be traced back several centuries.Halifax Metropolitan Area
- The settlement of HalifaxCity of HalifaxHalifax is a city in Canada, which was the capital of the province of Nova Scotia and shire town of Halifax County. It was the largest city in Atlantic Canada until it was amalgamated into Halifax Regional Municipality in 1996...
was established in 1749 as a Royal NavyRoyal NavyThe Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
base and British ArmyBritish ArmyThe British Army is the land warfare branch of Her Majesty's Armed Forces in the United Kingdom. It came into being with the unification of the Kingdom of England and Scotland into the Kingdom of Great Britain in 1707. The new British Army incorporated Regiments that had already existed in England...
garrison to counter French military forces at Fortress Louisbourg. The establishment of Halifax marked the beginning of Father Le Loutre's WarFather Le Loutre's WarFather Le Loutre’s War , also known as the Indian War, the Micmac War and the Anglo-Micmac War, took place between King George's War and the French and Indian War in Acadia and Nova Scotia. On one side of the conflict, the British and New England colonists were led by British Officer Charles...
. During the war there were numerous Mi'kmaq raids on the settlement. Incorporated as the City of Halifax in 1842, Halifax gradually grew to occupy the entire Halifax PeninsulaHalifax PeninsulaThe Halifax Peninsula is a community and planning area located in the urban core of Halifax Regional Municipality in the province of Nova Scotia. Halifax Peninsula is home to Downtown Halifax, the financial and economic heart of the region, which was also the site of the original settlement and...
by the end of World War IIWorld War IIWorld War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. An important port for the Caribbean-Canada-United Kingdom shipping triangle during the 19th century, Halifax's strategic harbour was also an integral part of Allied war efforts during both world wars. The city expanded in 1969, amalgamating several adjacent communities from Halifax County. With its amalgamation into HRM, the City of Halifax was officially dissolved, however the provincial government designated the area occupied by the now-former city as the Halifax Metropolitan Area.
Dartmouth Metropolitan Area
- The settlement of DartmouthDartmouth, Nova ScotiaDartmouth founded in 1750, is a community and planning area of the Halifax Regional Municipality, Nova Scotia. Located on the eastern shore of Halifax Harbour, Dartmouth has been nicknamed the City of Lakes after the large number of lakes located in the city.On April 1, 1996, the provincial...
was established in 1750, one year following the founding of its neighbouring cross-harbour community of Halifax. During Father Le Loutre's WarFather Le Loutre's WarFather Le Loutre’s War , also known as the Indian War, the Micmac War and the Anglo-Micmac War, took place between King George's War and the French and Indian War in Acadia and Nova Scotia. On one side of the conflict, the British and New England colonists were led by British Officer Charles...
, there were numerous Mi'kmaq and Acadian raids on the settlement. For many decades Dartmouth remained largely rural in nature, lacking direct transportation links to the growing military and commercial presence in Halifax, except for a dedicated ferry service. During the late 1800s, two unsuccessful attempts were made to build railway bridges across the harbour to service a growing manufacturing industry along the Dartmouth waterfront, however these bridges were destroyed by storms. Permanent rail links were established by the 1890s and the town of Dartmouth grew into a small urban centre. The biggest change to the town came in 1955 when the Angus L. MacDonald BridgeAngus L. Macdonald BridgeThe Angus L. Macdonald Bridge, locally known as "the old bridge", is a suspension bridge crossing Halifax Harbour in Nova Scotia, Canada; it opened on April 2, 1955....
opened, connecting Dartmouth to Halifax. Unprecedented suburban growth led to the town merging with several neighbouring suburbs in 1961 to be incorporated as the City of Dartmouth. The A. Murray MacKay BridgeA. Murray MacKay BridgeThe A. Murray MacKay Bridge locally known as "the new bridge" is the second suspension bridge linking the Halifax Peninsula with Dartmouth, Nova Scotia, and opened on July 10, 1970....
opened in 1970, furthering growth and leading to the economic integration of what many were terming Nova Scotia's "twin cities". With its amalgamation into HRM, the City of Dartmouth was officially dissolved, however the provincial government designated the area occupied by the now-former city as the Dartmouth Metropolitan Area.
Bedford
- Located at the mouth of the Sackville River, Bedford was originally known by several names, such as Fort Sackville, Ten Mile House, and Sunnyside. It used the name Bedford Basin (named after the Bedford BasinBedford BasinBedford Basin is a large enclosed bay, forming the northwestern end of Halifax Harbour on Canada's Atlantic coast.-Geography:Geographically, the basin is situated entirely within the Halifax Regional Municipality and is oriented northwest-southeast, measuring approximately 8 kilometres long and 5...
) from 1856 to 1902, when it was shortened to just Bedford, taking its name from the Duke of BedfordJohn Russell, 4th Duke of BedfordJohn Russell, 4th Duke of Bedford KG, PC, FRS was an 18th century British statesman. He was the fourth son of Wriothesley Russell, 2nd Duke of Bedford, by his wife, Elizabeth, daughter and heiress of John Howland of Streatham, Surrey...
who was the Secretary of StateSecretary of State for the Southern DepartmentThe Secretary of State for the Southern Department was a position in the cabinet of the government of Kingdom of Great Britain up to 1782.Before 1782, the responsibilities of the two British Secretaries of State were divided not based on the principles of modern ministerial divisions, but...
in 1749. Bedford was organised as an unincorporated rural community in 1921 and underwent rapid suburban growth during the post-war years. One of the largest unincorporated municipalities in Nova Scotia by the 1970s, Bedford incorporated as the Town of Bedford in 1980. With its amalgamation into HRM, the Town of Bedford was officially dissolved, however the provincial government designated the area occupied by the now-former town as Bedford (Urban Community).
Halifax County
- Named after George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of HalifaxGeorge Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of HalifaxGeorge Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax, KG, PC was a British statesman of the Georgian era.-Early life:...
, Halifax County was one of the five original counties of Nova Scotia created by an Order in Council in 1759. Over the ensuing decades, new counties were created and the original five were realigned - Cape Breton IslandCape Breton IslandCape Breton Island is an island on the Atlantic coast of North America. It likely corresponds to the word Breton, the French demonym for Brittany....
was annexed to Halifax County in 1763 and separated in 1765. Hants CountyHants County, Nova ScotiaHants County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia which was the home of Thomas Chandler Haliburton, Alden Nowlan and Noel Doiron. The county of Hants was created June 17, 1781, and consisted of the townships of Windsor, Falmouth and Newport...
was created from Halifax County in 1781, as were ShelburneShelburne County, Nova ScotiaShelburne County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-History:Shelburne County was founded in 1784 shortly following the influx of Loyalist settlers evacuated from the newly independent United States of America...
and Sydney counties in 1784, followed by ColchesterColchester County, Nova ScotiaColchester County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.-History:The appellation Colchester was applied in 1780 to the district previously called "Cobequid," and was derived from the town of Colchester in Essex...
and PictouPictou County, Nova ScotiaPictou County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia. It was established in 1835, and was formerly a part of Halifax County from 1759 to 1835. It had a population of 46,513 people in 2006, which represents a decline of 6.3 percent from 1991. It is the sixth most populous county in Nova...
counties in 1835. The present boundaries of Halifax County were established in 1908. Owing to the need for a more efficient county-wide government, the Municipality of the County of Halifax was incorporated in 1962, including all areas in the county outside of the cities of Halifax and Dartmouth. In 1980, Bedford incorporated as a separate municipality (a town). With its amalgamation into HRM, the Municipality of the County of Halifax was officially dissolved, however the geographic division of Halifax County continues to exist and the boundaries of HRM are contiguous with the county, except for several First Nations reserves.
Precursor to amalgamation
- In 1993, the Conservative provincial government of Nova Scotia began to consider merging the cities of Halifax and Dartmouth with the town of Bedford and Halifax County. Halifax, Dartmouth and Bedford were relatively densely populated while Halifax County was largely rural with large areas of wilderness. Amalgamating these regions had been proposed as far back as 1974.
- Bill Hayward, a consultant, was hired by the government of premier Don CameronDonald William CameronDonald William Cameron was the 22nd Premier of Nova Scotia, Canada, from February 1991 to June 1993.His administration was known for a smaller cabinet, supporting anti-discrimination measures, and amending the human rights act to extend protection to gays and lesbians...
to prepare a report on the potential savings resulting from the merger of municipalities in Halifax CountyHalifax County, Nova ScotiaHalifax County is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.The Municipality of the County of Halifax was the municipal government of Halifax County, apart from the separately incorporated towns and cities therein...
and Cape Breton CountyCape Breton County, Nova ScotiaCape Breton County, officially, County Cape Breton, is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, on Cape Breton Island.Taking its name from Cape Breton, the most easterly point of the island which was called after the Bretons of Brittany, this municipality has what is probably the oldest...
. Before the report was completed, Cameron's party was defeated in a provincial general election and a former mayor of Dartmouth, Dr. John SavageJohn Savage (politician)John Patrick Savage, OC, ONS was the 23rd Premier of Nova Scotia, Canada between 1993 and 1997.- Welsh birth :Born in Newport, Monmouthshire, Wales, and keeping his Welsh accent to the end, Savage graduated from Queen's University of Belfast and practiced as a Medical doctor in Newport until he...
won the election.
- Savage had previously declared his opposition to regional amalgamations, however he relented and his administration backed the creation of the Cape Breton Regional MunicipalityCape Breton Regional Municipality, Nova ScotiaCape Breton Regional Municipality often shortened to simply CBRM, is a regional municipality in Nova Scotia's Cape Breton County.According to the 2006 Census of Canada, the population within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality is 102,250...
in August 1995 to solve a funding and demographic short-fall facing several communities in Cape Breton County. The merger was not without controversy, however it appeared to achieve the predicted economic goals in the short-term so Savage's government opted to proceed with the Halifax County merger; Bill Hayward was retained to oversee the process on behalf of the government.
- Hayward's report had predicted that a regional amalgamation in Halifax County would save over $20 million annually, through reductions in duplicate services and by eliminating duplicate high-level administrative positions for the population of 350,000. Many residents in Halifax County municipalities were against the merger with rural areas tending to generate the most opposition; those residents feared that they would be forced to pay higher taxes and follow urban standards without receiving a higher level of municipal services.
- Hayward's predicted cost savings were widely criticised as unrealistic, with many feeling that he had arbitrarily determined the figures. Politicians were equally divided on the merger, as many saw the influence of their local constituencies being reduced in a larger municipality which would be dominated by the former cities of Halifax and Dartmouth.
- The actual public debate over the planned amalgamation was fairly muted, with a few sparsely-attended public information sessions and some discussion in various media. The prevailing attitude among residents and outside observers was that amalgamation would be inevitable and could not be stopped. The New Democratic Party did call for a plebiscite on the matter, although this was never implemented.
Incorporation and dissolution
In 1995, an Act to Incorporate the Halifax Regional Municipality received Royal AssentRoyal Assent
The granting of royal assent refers to the method by which any constitutional monarch formally approves and promulgates an act of his or her nation's parliament, thus making it a law...
in the provincial legislature and the Halifax Regional Municipality was established on April 1, 1996, the same day all former municipalities were dissolved.
Aftermath of amalgamation
Several problems with the amalgamation were noted, with the most obvious being that many of the predicted cost savings did not materialise. Some savings to be achieved by eliminating duplicate jobs were offset by the fact that staff from rural areas now demanded to paid at the same rate as their urban counterparts, forcing the cost for amalgamation to double from initial estimates.Small scandals such as the purchase of $1,000 chairs for the new Halifax Regional Council
Halifax Regional Council
Halifax Regional Council is the governing body for the Halifax Regional Municipality in Nova Scotia.In April 1996, the councils for the City of Halifax, the City of Dartmouth, Town of Bedford, and Municipality of the County of Halifax were dissolved when those municipalities were amalgamated into...
cast a negative light on the process, and unflattering articles in the national media portrayed the Halifax amalgamation as an example of how not to merge municipalities. Halifax was repeatedly referenced as a scenario to avoid when the Government of Ontario was looking at amalgamating municipalities in the Greater Toronto Area
Greater Toronto Area
The Greater Toronto Area is the largest metropolitan area in Canada, with a 2006 census population of 5.5 million. The Greater Toronto Area is usually defined as the central city of Toronto, along with four regional municipalities surrounding it: Durham, Halton, Peel, and York...
during the late 1990s.
Since amalgamation, the municipality has experienced dramatic growth and prosperity, mainly resulting from HRM benefiting from a much-delayed urban growth in Atlantic Canada - this being one of the last regions in North America to urbanise. Critics have pointed out that the majority of economic development has benefited the former cities of Halifax and Dartmouth, with many rural areas of HRM continuing to experience economic stagnation and decline.
The term Haligonian refers specifically to residents of the former City of Halifax. Since amalgamation, there have been attempts to apply the term more broadly to all residents of HRM, however the majority of citizens in Dartmouth, Bedford and smaller centres in the municipality tend to avoid its use. Despite amalgamation, most residents of the municipality, maps
MAPS
Maps is the plural of map, a visual representation of an area.As an acronym, MAPS may refer to:* Mail Abuse Prevention System, an organisation that provides anti-spam support...
, (and Canada Post
Canada Post
Canada Post Corporation, known more simply as Canada Post , is the Canadian crown corporation which functions as the country's primary postal operator...
) still refer to the names of the pre-amalgamation municipalities when describing geographic area and when referring to their specific groupings of citizens.
In 2004, there was some discussion in the eastern shore area of applying to the province of Nova Scotia to form their own municipality. This was due to the perceived lack of services to and representation from this part of HRM.
HRM history (1996-2008)
- During the mid-to-late 1990s HRM developed a strong national and international following to its music scene, particularly the alternative genre. Musical acts from HRM include such notable groups as: SloanSloan (band)Sloan is a Toronto-based alternative rock quartet from Halifax, Nova Scotia. Throughout their 20-year tenure Sloan has released 10 LPs , two EPs, a live album, a "best of" collection and no less than thirty singles...
, The Nellis Complex, Thrush Hermit, Christina Clark and Sarah MacLachlan.
- Although discussions had been underway for decades in the former cities of Halifax and Dartmouth, a deal was finally signed in 2003 that saw the construction of several sewage treatment plants for the core urban area, as well as an extensive trunk collector system to link outfalls to each plant. For the first time since settlement came to the area, human sewage will be treated before it is discharged into the Atlantic Ocean; estimated start-up is for 2007.
- On September 29, 2003, HRM was hit by Hurricane JuanHurricane JuanHurricane Juan was a significant hurricane that struck the southern part of Atlantic Canada in late September 2003. It was the tenth named storm and the sixth hurricane of the 2003 Atlantic hurricane season. Juan formed southeast of Bermuda on September 24, 2003 out of a tropical wave that tracked...
which made landfall west of the urban core. Juan was the most powerful hurricane to directly hit the Halifax-Dartmouth metropolitan area since 1893. The storm caused a serious disruption throughout the central and eastern part of the municipality during the first week of October. Although some areas of the urban core only lost electricity for a brief period, outlying rural regions in the eastern part of HRM were without electricity for up to two weeks. Millions of trees in HRM were damaged or destroyed in the dense forests along the Eastern Shore.
- On January 13, 2008 the government of Nova ScotiaNova ScotiaNova Scotia is one of Canada's three Maritime provinces and is the most populous province in Atlantic Canada. The name of the province is Latin for "New Scotland," but "Nova Scotia" is the recognized, English-language name of the province. The provincial capital is Halifax. Nova Scotia is the...
proclaimed the "The Halifax Regional Municipality Charter Act" giving the municipality more powers to address the specific needs of HRM.http://www.gov.ns.ca/news/details.asp?id=20090113003
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