FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
JANUARY 27, 2026
HALIFAX RESIDENTS WANT COUNCIL TO CUT PROGRAMS TO LIMIT TAX INCREASES
Affordability is top of mind
HALIFAX – Nearly three-quarters of Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) residents want regional council to limit year-over-year property tax increases even if it means cutting services and programs, according to a new survey sponsored by Rental Housing Providers Nova Scotia (RHPNS).
A full 74 per cent of residents want to limit tax increases. To get there, 71 per cent of the residents called on council to consider cutting staff positions and another 48 per cent identified cutting major projects, including the Halifax Forum renovation and the Bedford ferry. Very few (13%) supported cuts to fire and police services.
These results come as HRM Council is to begin its budget deliberations Wednesday, January 28, 2026, with a draft budget package from staff proposing a 10.9 per cent property tax increase.
“People are overwhelmingly saying: enough is enough. We can’t afford another round of punishing tax hikes,” said Kevin Russell, Executive Director of RHPNS. “Water, power and taxes – hard working people need governments to step up and protect them from these skyrocketing costs.”
The survey revealed a disgruntled electorate with more than half, or 56 per cent of respondents, not happy with the direction of council. Only 17 per cent said the council was representing their needs with the remaining not certain.
When it comes to municipal performance, HRM residents are most dissatisfied with the municipal government when it comes to the following issues:
– traffic congestion (75%);
– housing issues (74%);
– property taxes (69%); and
– water costs (64%).
A large number of residents, 68 per cent, believe the city should reduce spending on bike lanes while only 32 per cent believe bike lanes decrease congestion and should be expanded.
Three quarters of residents, 76 per cent, believe more funding should be directed into transit initiatives as transit is seen as crucial to move people around the city.
With the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board recently approving Halifax Water’s 18.1 per cent increase over the first four months of 2026, Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore has called for the Auditor General of Nova Scotia and the HRM Municipal Auditor General to conduct an audit of the municipally owned, provincially legislated and regulated Halifax Water. The survey showed that 78 per cent of residents support the two offices cooperating on a full audit of Halifax Water.
“Residents are telling the council to stop spending and work collaboratively to make our municipality more affordable,” added Russell. “We can do so much better if Halifax Regional council is prepared to make some tough decisions about spending to limit tax increases.”
A representative sample of four hundred Halifax Regional Municipality adult residents, participated in an online survey conducted between December 29, 2025, and January 12, 2026. The survey for the not-for-profit organization that represents residential rental housing property owners was carried out by Crestview Strategy. Data was weighted based on the 2021 Census, by gender, age and region to reflect actual population distribution. A probability sample of this size would provide a margin of error of plus or minus 4.9 percentage points.
Rental Housing Providers Nova Scotia (RHPNS) has been the positive voice of residential rental property owners since 1978. RHPNS members collectively have more than 50,000 residential housing units under management across Nova Scotia.
Download survey at: Halifax Regional Municipality Municipal Issues Survey
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Media Contact
Kevin Russell
T: 902.789.0946