Coming to Halifax council: climate emergency, changes to garbage pickup, snow clearance

Halifax Regional Council is back and there’s a small slate of topics that could have an impact on the day-to-day lives of Haligonians.

From a proposed change in the municipality’s snow clearing plan to permitting metal dishes to be disposed of in blue bags, Tuesday is shaping up to be a contentious meeting.

Here’s what you can expect at this week’s edition of municipal council.

Relocating a piece of Halifax heritage

Halifax Regional Council is set to consider a slate of alterations to seven registered heritage properties, including a plan that would see properties be removed from their foundation and physically moved down the street.

The proposal comes from Dexel Developments and Kassner Goodspeed Architects and would see the Gold Cure Institute at 5969 College St. and the McCoy Building moved from their current locations to 1452-1456 Carlton St..

This would allow the construction of two proposed developments at the buildings’ current locations. The developments would have four towers that range between 16 and 30 storeys.

Staff has approved of all the proposed alterations.

READ MORE: Halifax councillor proposes municipality declare ‘climate emergency’

Declaration of a climate emergency

Council’s resident champion for environmental issues will ask for his fellow councilors to declare a “climate emergency” on Tuesday.

Richard Zurawski, the councillor for Timberlea-Beechville-Clayton Park-Wedgewood, will present a motion that requests staff to prepare a report that recognizes “the breakdown of the stable climate and sea levels… constitutes an emergency for HRM” and provides recommendations that would accelerate the municipality’s actions to meet — and even exceed — their climate change targets.

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But the ambitious proposal doesn’t stop there. The request also asks the municipality to achieve net zero carbon emissions before 2050 and net negative carbon emission in the second half of the century.

If passed, staff have 90 days to come back with options that would address his concerns.

WATCH: Halifax one step closer to plastic bag ban with draft bylaw on the way

2:01 Halifax one step closer to plastic bag ban with draft bylaw on the way

Metal pots and pans added to blue bag recycling program

Council is set to examine a report that will change how the city approaches recycling — namely by allowing the disposal of metal pots and pans in the city’s blue bag recyclables program.

Municipal staff is recommending that council award Royal Environmental with a five-year recycling contract.

The company’s proposal included a condition to allow metal pots and pans in the municipality’s blue bag recyclables without any additional costs. The pans would then be marketed and sold to metal recyclers in a similar fashion to how aluminum cans and steel are marketed.

In order to get Haligonians educated on the new process staff are recommending that council direct staff to develop and carry out an “appropriate education and communications plan.”

WATCH: ‘Disruptive’ snow removal depot operating without city permit, says Halifax

2:12 ‘Disruptive’ snow removal depot operating without city permit, says Halifax

Possible change to snow clearance priorities

Shawn Cleary, councillor for Halifax West Armdale, will ask council to request a staff report that assesses the “costs and benefits” of changing the municipality’s snow clearing standards when snowfall is 30 cm or less.

The proposal would require resources be deployed to major roads two to four hours after snowfall begins while cycling lanes and sidewalks in the downtown core of Halifax and Dartmouth would have resources deployed within four hours.

Both of those areas to be cleared within 12 hours of the end of a weather event.

Cycle lanes and primary sidewalks outside of the downtown core would be the next priority, with resources being deployed four to six hours after snowfall begins. The routes would be cleared within 16 hours from the end of the weather event.

Finally, secondary and residential streets would see resources deployed within six to eight hours or when accumulations have reached 10 cm in order to clear cut-throughs.

They’d be cleared to a “passable” standard within 24 hours from the end of a weather event.

Council is slated to begin at 1:00 p.m. on Tuesday.