Two of the geese at Sullivan's Pond in #Dartmouth had goslings! #birds

Happy day at Sullivans Pond!

Woohoo!

My May E-news. Participatory budgeting, Silvers Hill Trail, fluoride update, scooters on the ferry, a whack of survey and more. Read it here samaustin.ca/e-news-may-2...

Today: Regional Centre Community Council agenda review and hoping to finalize my May e-newsletter.

No matter how you’re traveling, everyone deserves to get where they’re going safely. In this video, Sgt. Brian Palmeter shares tips that pedestrians and cyclists can use to help stay safe. This follows our first video in the series focused on tips for drivers. halifax.ca/RoadSafety

Warm enough today for my first turtle spotting of 2026 at Sullivans Pond

My Council blog from yesterday and a catch up on some other stuff I missed writing about during budget deliberations. HRM's new supplemental funding agreement with the HRCE, extra floors on Wyse Road and the M District redevelopment at Mic Mac Mall. My take here samaustin.ca/council-upda...

Today: It's a Council day. A relatively quiet meeting. Agenda here pub-halifax.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...

Today: News 95.7 to start, meeting with new commodore of Senobe and working on May my e-newsletter

April bike stats!

DFO has rejected Atlantic Roads infill application in Dartmouth Cove! @darrenfisherns.bsky.social

In Halifax free transit for kids led to 52.4% reporting using transit as one of their primary ways to get to school, & 75.8% using transit for non-school related travel at least once per week. Over 85% said the transit pass made them feel more independent. The PC government is cutting it anyways.

Exciting news! The Alderney Ferry will be FREE for March Break between 11 a.m. and 2 p.m. beginning Monday, March 16, until Saturday, March 21, 2026, courtesy of @DowntownHalifax Taking a connecting bus? Remember, children 12 & under ride for free, and transfers are valid for 90 minutes.

Why hello there! Spring!

My March E-News. Student transit pass program in jeopardy, Wyse Road bus lane, ferry maintenance woes, King's Wharf, Lancaster Roundabout, Robie Street widening, Dartmouth Cove court drama and more. Read it here samaustin.ca/e-news-march...

Bike count for February.

Today: A bit of a quiet one after the three all day budget marathons this week. Met with planning staff to start, CBC interview re student bus passes, tour of a development on Agricola to chat about single stair buildings. Capping the day off with Dartmouth High’s Sherlock Holmes production.

Today: it’s been a busy day at City Hall with budget deliberations and we’re not done yet. Some big decisions around transit and road safety. Still lots more to go through tonight and tomorrow

Today: It’s going to be a busy week at City Hall. Budget deliberations resume with the budget adjustment list. This week Council will decide on cuts, additional spending and set the tax bill. Lots of folks signed up for public participation today. Busy at security and gallery filling up

It's back! Signal timing should be adjusted to clear 3 buses at once and some bus drivers were still using the car lanes, but the Bridge bus lane is operational again! youtu.be/6evc0ZV6Fm8

My Council blog from this week's meetings. Budget deliberations, North Woodside Park Plan, Wyse Road development and M District public hearing scheduled. Read it here samaustin.ca/council-upda...

Good job by CTV putting voice to students that are potentially losing their bus passes www.ctvnews.ca/atlantic/vid...

Today: Transportation Standing Committee meets at 1:00 at City Hall. Emails and blog with the rest of the day www.halifax.ca/city-hall/st...

The Halifax Regional Municipality is advising residents that the bus lane on Wyse Road at Nantucket Avenue will reopen on Monday, March 2. Details: buff.ly/FPgteok

The student bus passes offer GR 7-12 kids independence and shapes their lifelong transportation habits. ❤️🚍 NS gov plans to withdraw financial support ($1.2M) for this program in the next fiscal year. You can contact the education minister & premier with your thoughts.

Free parking, remove tolls, back to work orders, remove student transit passes. What... what would you do differently if you were the province and wanted to create the maximum amount of traffic humanly possible?

What a dumb move by the province!

Provincial budget fallout begins... The Province is walking away from funding for the student transit pass program. This is creating a $1.2 million dollar hole in HRM's budget and means the program where students get transit passes may not continue

Today: Council resumes budget discussions, followed by Regional Council. A lot of District 5 on the agenda from Micmac Mall development, to Highfield bike lane, to extra floors illegally built at 168 Wyse and North Woodside Community Centre Park Plan pub-halifax.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...

Sorry for the snow folks. It my fault. I have had the same meeting rescheduled three times now because it’s always storming on that day. Mark your calendars for March 6. Guaranteed snow day. Better bet than any weather forecast

It’s really important that #Vancouver’s Downtown Business Association, who were originally against bike-lanes, are now among their most vigourous supporters, because of ACTUAL EVIDENCE that they’re better for downtown business than any street parking they replaced. Safe bike-lanes mean business.

Bike-lanes don’t cause traffic congestion. Car dependency, dumb land-use sprawl, too many (& bigger) cars being driven too much taking up too much space, highly subsidized driving costs, and not enough choices in how to get around, ALL cause traffic congestion. Think about it. THAT’S common sense.

A messy week at City Hall budget deliberations. My Council blog samaustin.ca/council-upda...

(Environment) "Proof! Eel Grass meadow verified in Dartmouth Cove!" ** Release waterfrontmediahfx.the902hxir.ca/103531-2

Today: Taking the corporate limo to City Hall for continued budget deliberations. Yesterday we concluded public participation and today we’re into department presentations. Mayors Office, Fiscal Services, Library, Corporate Services

Today: Budget deliberations resume at City Hall with a lot of public presenters! 33 signed up last I heard. I wrote about where we are budget wise here samaustin.ca/council-upda...

My Council blog from the last two weeks of budgeting. Austerity by surprise? Council will be considering major cuts on March 4. samaustin.ca/council-upda...

This is a very brave thing this family is doing by sharing this obituary. Condolences to everyone who loved Erica www.eastcoastmemorial.ca/obituaries/E...

Please join us to share your views about any business unit topic (not just the ones listed) on Wednesday.

Today: Budget deliberations continue with transit. Picking up where we left off with Councillor Hendsbee's motion to raise fares ($0.25 - $0.50), cancel free ferry on Canada Day/Natal Day, and eliminate special events support of free charter buses pub-halifax.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...

Bus lanes aren't empty

Today: Council budget deliberations will fill the day. Up for review today are the Transit and Public Safety budgets. This will no doubt spill into tomorrow, possibly Friday as well. Agenda and reports here pub-halifax.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...

Today: It's a Regional Council day. A relatively light meeting where Councillor/Mayor motions are the main items of debate pub-halifax.escribemeetings.com/Meeting.aspx...

Today: On my way to Transportation Standing Committee where Transit’s Core Service Plan, and microtransit are on the agenda. Harbour East Community Council meets tonight www.halifax.ca/city-hall/st...

Bike count for January. Despite the cold and snow, HRMs 11 counters still recorded 15,400 bikes over the month (Dartmouth Cove counter only gave partial results due to maintenance). Down slightly from last January, but still ahead of January 2024 @stats.hfx.bike

NEW VIDEO: The Bikeshare Dilemma Bikeshares and scootershares (also known as “Shared Micromobility) is one of the fastest growing forms of transportation on the planet today, but cities appear deeply divided on how to manage them. youtu.be/qfz6AsYycA8

Today: Budget deliberations continue with (1) Parks and Rec (2) Planning and (3) Property, Environment & Fleet

Today: Budget deliberations continue with operations departments. The roster for the next three days (1) Major Projects Office, (2) Strategic Infrastructure & Transportation Planning (3) Public Works (4) Parks and Rec (5) Planning (6) Property, Environment & Fleet