The Rural Active Transportation Program, approved by Halifax Regional Council on February 8, 2022,added 17 rural communities to the Active Transportation Priorities Plan. Administrative Order AO 2022-008-ADM was introduce to establish a process and a funding mechanism. The program focuses on building sidewalks and multi-use pathways in rural centers to improve safety, accessibility, and community connections. The first five prioritized communities were Hubbards, Lucasville, Musquodoboit Harbour, Upper Tantallon, and Porters Lake, selected based on population, safety, equity, planning, advocacy, and destinations.
Between January 22, 2024, and May 12, 2024, HRM hosted public engagement in five rural communities. The purpose was to determine community support for the possibility of adding an area tax rate to support implementing and maintaining new sidewalk or multi-use pathway infrastructure along the mainstreet of their community.
In general, there was strong and broad opposition to HRM’s initial approach that eligibility for sidewalks was the main differentiator in level of services between rural and urban HRM and also that the area rate should be calculated as the difference between the urban and suburban/rural tax rates.
Based on this feedback, Regional Council moved away from setting the rate as “the difference between the general tax rate and service delivery in the urban tax boundary and suburban and rural tax boundary” and toward an approach where the rate is intended to cover maintenance and repairs costs of the infrastructure.
Support was received from Regional Council and the Administrative Order was updated with a new area tax rate of $0.021 per $100 or taxable property assessment.
These are the next steps for the AT Rural Program:
- Round two of community engagement in Musquodoboit Harbour and Lucasville on the new area rate
- Return to Community Councils and Regional Council on Musquodoboit Harbour and Lucasville following more engagement.
- Begin functional planning and design for sidewalk facilities in Hubbards. Regional Council approved the area rate of $0.021 per $100 of taxable property assessment following community engagement results showing that the community of Hubbards supported the area tax rate being added to property tax bills in Hubbards community boundary after substantial completion of the priority segment.
- Discontinue consideration of an area rate and sidewalks in Porters Lake and Upper Tantallon.
Rural Active Transportation Program approved by Regional Council February 8, 2022, follows recommendations from the Integrated Mobility Plan and Active Transportation Priorities Plan.
Included in Regional Council's approval was the addition of 17 new Candidate Rural Communities to the Active Transportation Priorities Plan. Regional Council also adopted a new Administrative Order Respecting the Implementation of Area Rates to Fund Sidewalks Outside of the Urban Tax Area in the Halifax Regional Municipality (AO 2022-008-ADM) to direct the implementation of the Active Transportation Rural Program.
The priority under the program is the construction of sidewalks or multi-use pathways (wider paved pathways) in rural community centers to provide safer and more accessible options for those who walk, cycle and roll - creating improved connections that help support overall community development.
The first five communities prioritized (listed in alphabetical order) out of the 17 added to the Active Transportation Priorities Plan include:
- Hubbards
- Lucasville
- Musquodoboit Harbour
- Upper Tantallon
- Porters Lake
These communities were prioritized based on criteria such as population density, safety, equity, community planning and advocacy, and number of local or regional destinations. Information received through the engagement process will be submitted to Regional Council for final decision on implementing the area tax rate and area rate boundary. Approved candidate rural communities will then enter planning, design and construction of the sidewalk or multi-use pathway. Construction is conditional on available budget. Construction is planned to be completed by 2032. Maintenance will be on-going.
Example: Multi-use pathways and sidewalks in a rural community centre. (Hubbards Community Plan, p. 115)
Area Tax Rate
Pending Community Council and Regional Council approval, an area tax rate of $0.021 per $100 (or $21 per $100,000) of taxable (capped) assessed property value will be applied annually to property owners starting in the fiscal year after the sidewalk or multi-use pathway is substantially completed to cover cost associated with maintenance and repairs of the infrastructure.
Example of change to the Property Tax Bill:
| Taxable (Capped) Assessed Property Value | Area Rate Applied to Property Bill Annually |
|---|---|
| $100 - $100,000 | $0.021 - $21 |
| $100,000 - $200,000 | $21 - $42 |
| $200,000 - $300,000 | $42 - $63 |
| $300,000 - $400,000 | $63 - $84 |
| $400,000 - $500,000 | $84- $105 |
| $500,000 - $1,000,000 | $105 - $210 |
| $1,000,000 - $2,000,000 | $210 - $420 |
Area Rate Boundary
The AO 2022-008-ADM Administrative Order the Implementation of Area Rates to Fund Sidewalks Outside of the Urban Tax Area in the Halifax Regional Municipality specifies that the boundary for the area rate will be the community area, but that it could extend into neighbouring rural communities if they are deemed to benefit from the implementation of the sidewalk or multi-use pathway. The inclusion of neighbouring communities is considered if the destinations in the community with the sidewalk or multi-use pathway were used by residents from other communities (e.g., large grocery stores, regional public services, schools, etc.).
The preliminary area rate boundary maps for public feedback for the five priority communities are located to the right in the Public Engagement Materials Tab.
Regional Council Decisions
Regional Council Meeting November 18, 2025
15.3.1 Hubbards Rural Sidewalks Area Rate and Boundary
Motion by North West Community Council:
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. Approve the community boundary of Hubbards, as shown in Attachment 1 of the staff report dated September 10, 2025, for an area rate of $0.021 per $100 of taxable property value, to be charged after substantial completion of the AT facility, consistent with the process outlined in Administrative Order 2022-008-ADM, the Rural Sidewalk Area Rates Administrative Order.
2. Pending approval of the area rate in Hubbards:
a. Direct the Chief Administrative Officer to direct staff to explore external funding opportunities with other orders of government to support the active transportation facilities in Hubbards; and
b. Authorize the Chief Administrative Officer, or their designate, to negotiate and enter into one or more agreements, and any amendments to those agreements, with the Province of Nova Scotia respecting the construction, operation, and maintenance of AT facilities in the provincial right-of way.
Motion approved on Consent Agenda.
_____________________________
Regional Council Meeting July 8, 2025
Motion moved by Councillor Purdy, seconded by Councillor Hendsbee
That Halifax Regional Council:
1. adopt the amendments to Administrative Order 2022-008-ADM, the Sidewalk Area Rates Administrative Order, as set out in Attachment B to the staff report dated June 27, 2025.
2. amend the rural sidewalk area rate for the community of East Preston approved on July 11, 2023, to $0.021 per $100 of taxable property value to all residential, resource, and commercial properties located within the Tax Area Rate Boundary Map as set out in Attachment C to the staff report dated June 27, 2025, and;
3. adopt the Resolution for Approval of the Area Rate for East Preston for fiscal year 2025/2026 as set out in Attachment D to the staff report dated June 27, 2025.
Motion put and passed unanimously.
This is the amended Administrative Order 2022-008-ADM, the Rural Sidewalk Area Rates Administrative Order.
______________________________
Regional Council Meeting May 13, 2025
Motion moved by Councillor Hendsbee, seconded by Councillor Young
That Halifax Regional Council direct the Chief Administrative Officer to direct staff to:
1. Prepare amendments to Administrative Order 2022-008-ADM, the Rural Sidewalk Area Rates Administrative Order, to implement a fixed area rate of $0.021 per $100 of taxable property value for sidewalks in rural communities and come back to Council for approval.
2. Pending adoption of the amendments to Administrative Order 2022-008-ADM, conduct further public engagement in Musquodoboit Harbour and Lucasville to understand their position on a new approach to an area rate.
3. Begin functional planning for the priority segment of sidewalk in Hubbards and return to North West Community Council with a recommendation on area rate and an area rate boundary for the community of Hubbards.
4. De-prioritize planning for sidewalks in Upper Tantallon and Porters Lake in response to the community engagement feedback.
Motion put and passed unanimously.
Lucasville
Online survey - Closed on May 12, 2024
Paper version of the survey - Closed on May 30, 2024
In-person engagement scheduled for Thursday, April 25, 2024
Whether attending the in-person engagement session or not, Lucasville residents were encouraged to complete the survey available at the bottom of the page.
Access key dates and Lucasville information on the side panel.
Hubbards
Online survey - Closed on April 15, 2024
Paper version of the survey - Closed April 30, 2024
In-person engagement scheduled for Monday, March 4, 2024 and March 25, 2024
Whether attending the in-person engagement session or not, Hubbards, Queensland and Black Point residents and property owners are encouraged were encouraged to complete the survey available at the bottom of the page.
Access key dates and Hubbards information on the side panel
Upper Tantallon
Online survey - Closed on April 21, 2024
Paper version of the survey - Closed April 30, 2024
In-person engagement scheduled for Tuesday, March 19, 2024 and Thursday March 21, 2024
Whether attending the in-person engagement session or not, Upper Tantallon, Tantallon, Head of St Margaret's Bay, Stillwater Lake and Lewis Lake residents and property owners were encouraged to complete the survey available at the bottom of the page.
Access key dates and Upper Tantallon information on the side panel.
Porters Lake
Online survey- Closed on February 29, 2024
Paper version of the survey - closed on February 29, 2024.
In-person engagement schedule:
NEWLY ADDED: In-person engagement session: February 12, 2024
CANCELLED DUE TO WINTER STORM: In-person engagement: February 5, 2024.
Monday, January 22, 2024.
Whether attending the in-person engagement session or not, Porters Lake residents were encouraged to complete the online survey available at the bottom of the page.
Access key dates and Porters Lake information on the side panel.
Musquodoboit Harbour
Online survey - Closed on February 29, 2024
Paper version of the survey - Closed February 29, 2024
In-person engagement schedule:
Wednesday, January 31, 2024, with a backup date of February 7, 2024, in case of inclement weather.
Whether attending the in-person engagement session or not, Musquodoboit Harbour residents were encouraged to complete the online survey available at the bottom of the page.
Access key dates and Musquodoboit Harbour information on the side panel.
Halifax Regional Municipality is conducting community engagement on the implementation of Lucasville Greenway multi-use pathway and other active transportation infrastructure on Lucasville Rd through the Rural Active Transportation Program.
Following public feedback from 2024, Regional Council approved on July 8, 2025 a new area rate of $0.021 (reduced from $0.033) per $100 of taxable property assessment to cover costs for maintenance and repairs of the infrastructure built through the Rural Active Transportation Program.
The Municipality received Federal and Provincial funding to offset up to 73% of the costs associated with building Lucasville Greenway - Segment 2 between Bryanston Rd (at the Wallace Lucas Community Centre) and Waterstone Run (at the Wilson’s Family Farmers Market). The remainder of construction costs would be covered under the HRM’s General Tax Rate. Recent estimates show total construction costs for this segment at $7,690,000.
If the community’s feedback and survey responses indicate support for this project, the area rate, and area rate boundary, Regional Council can approve Lucasville Greenway to be built under the Rural AT Program. As a result, the construction of Segment 2 could start as soon as 2027.
When additional funding from Federal Government and Provincial Government becomes available, HRM could complete the other segments of Lucasville Greenway and consider other active transportation infrastructure with no additional area rate.
