Hi folks, hope you are enjoying this blustery fall day!

This will be my last newsletter for this term. Hard to believe how time has flown by! I have enjoyed representing you and District 7 these last eight years, and it has been an honour and a privilege to serve you.

If you have not already, please take a moment and vote, information on how to register and vote follows this section.  The first in-person voting opportunity is tomorrow at Citadel High School.

On October 3, 2020, police received a report of damage to a sign directing visitors to the headstone of Canadian icon Ms. Viola Desmond located in Camp Hill Cemetery located on Summer Street in Halifax. Upon arrival, officers found three highly offensive words written with a marker on the sign. The incident is being investigated by the Integrated Criminal Investigation Division as a hate crime.

Anyone with information about the incident or who may have video from any of the areas where the incident occurred is asked to call police at 902-490-5020. Anonymous tips can be sent to Crime Stoppers by calling toll-free 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submitting a secure web-tip at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca or by using the P3 Tips app.

Police would like to reinforce that such actions within our community are unacceptable, and anyone planning to initiate or copy such actions can expect to face serious consequences. They are conducting a full and thorough investigation, and seek the public’s support in sending any information you think may assist investigators with this incident.

I am really excited to share the Halifax Regional Centre for Education’s (HRCE) Supplementary Funding Report to Community for 2020.

As per HRM and HRCE's Supplementary Funding Agreement, this report was sent directly to all HRCE families on October 1, 2020. The report will also be included in the Regional Executive Director’s Report for October, which is shared with all HRCE families, staff, School Advisory Councils, municipal and provincial politicians, a number of educational partners and champions of public education here in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM).

Elwin LeRoux, Regional Executive Director of Education wrote "On behalf of all HRCE students and families, I offer my sincere thanks to members of Halifax Regional Council. Your leadership and continued support of Supplementary Education Funding provides enhanced opportunities, especially in fine arts, to HRCE’s more than 50,000 students. Fine arts opportunities deeply impact the development of students as they prepare for their lives beyond school as creative, productive and contributing members of our community."

The second phase of the Point Pleasant Park tree thinning has begun. As with the project last year, it will be approx 10 ha of area thinned to better allow trees to grow to maturity. It will also remove the less desirable species and encourage native plant material that is found in the region. This is all supported by the Point Pleasant Park master plan. Up to 80,000 small saplings may be cut and while this number is astronomical this equals 20-25 mature trees by volume of wood.  If you have any questions, please contact me!

Municipal Election October 6-17 2020 - first in-person (advanced) poll

VOTER REGISTRATION

Voting letters should have arrived at most registered voters homes two weeks ago. You can still call and register, but voter letters will be sent by a secure email to the individual.

Call 902-490-VOTE (8683) to confirm their information on the voters’ list and make any necessary changes.  For more information visit https://halifax.ca/election

VOTING INFORMATION

Tuesday, Oct. 6 to Wednesday, Oct. 14
Advanced Electronic Voting (online or by telephone)
Note: There is no electronic voting after this time.

Saturday, Oct. 10 (TOMORROW) and Tuesday, Oct. 13
12 to 8 p.m. – Advanced Polls (in person)
Citadel Community Centre 1955 Trollope St

Saturday, Oct. 17
8 a.m. to 7 p.m. – Election Day (in person)
Three locations, please confirm which one on your voter letter or online at halifax.ca/election
Citadel Community Centre 1955 Trollope St, St Mary's Boat Club 1641 Fairfield Rd. The Westin Nova Scotia 1181 Hollis St

For more information about voting, contact Halifax Regional Municipality’s (HRM) election office:
902-490-VOTE (8683) or 1-888-820-VOTE (8683) or visit https://halifax.ca/election

Community Events

TEDxHalifax Presents Countdown
October 10, 2020 7pm | Online

Join us for a streamed watch party 10.10.2020 at 7 p.m. for TEDxHalifax presents TED Countdown. Halifax (and the HalifACT team) is thrilled to be a part of this global streamed event focused on climate action. Countdown is the launch event for HalifACT: Acting on Climate Together. HalifACT is the climate action movement for Halifax. It's more than a plan - it's a commitment to reducing emissions, switching to clean and reliable energy sources and demonstrating local government leadership. This transformational plan aligns the municipality’s efforts to support an equitable shift to a low-carbon economy by 2050.

HalifACT is one of the most ambitious climate action movements in Canada and was passed unanimously in June 2020.
Visit halifax.ca/climate for more information.

Don't miss our watch party. We'll have local and international talks and performances from:

• Neon Dreams
• Chris Hemsworth
• Eve Wedderburn
• Al Gore
• Mayor Mike Savage
• Shannon Miedema
• Cathy Martin
• Lindsay Levin
• Aparna Nancherla

Check back regularly as we make more announcements! #jointhecountdown

How can we help?

Call my office
Call my office for assistance with your municipal issues.  You can reach my Coordinator Liam MacSween during the business day, his phone number is 902-490-2012 and his email is macswel@Halifax.CA

311 – HRM’s Call Centre
HRM’s call centre is open 7 days a week, Monday to Friday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and Saturday & Sunday 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. to respond to routine inquiries and complaints from HRM residents. Please use this service since it helps HRM keep track of issues that are of concern for residents (missed solid waste pickup, sidewalks not cleared, transit info or complaints, etc.) For more information please visit http://www.halifax.ca/311/

Regional Council Reports and Agendas
If you want to read reports coming to Regional Council (posted mid-day Friday prior to the Tuesday meeting) or to check the agenda please go to: https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/regional-council

Halifax and West Community Council Reports and Agendas
Community Council meets on Tuesday evenings that alternate with Regional Council. Please check the webpage here for agendas (usually available a week before the meeting), locations and times. https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/community-councils/halifax-west-community-council

Halifax Peninsula Planning Advisory Council Reports and Agendas
Halifax Peninsula Planning Advisory Committee meets once a month to discuss and provide feedback to council on planning proposals for the three districts on the peninsula. Please check the webpage for agendas (usually available a week before the meeting), locations and times: https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/boards-committees-commissions/h/halifax-peninsula-planning-advisory-committee