Complete Communities

HRM is growing at a slower rate than the rest of Canada, with a 3.3% population increase against the national increase of 5.0% between the 2011 and 2016 censuses.

At the same time, the census showed that within metropolitan Halifax, certain suburban areas grew by much greater margins than did the regional centre: for example, Halifax West saw a population increase of 10.3%.

Growth is happening so the tax base is naturally increasing. Growth is good, but not if the growth costs more than it earns in taxes.

Research done in 2013 by Sustainable Prosperity showed that the cost of servicing suburban households is more than double the cost of servicing urban households.

This means that we’re building communities where the taxes do not pay for the needs of the community, like transit, sidewalks, community centres, soccer fields.

If we concentrate growth in existing communities to increase density and lower the costs of servicing these communities, it will help to stabilize tax rates.

By directing growth to the right places and building dense, complete communities that do not cost the taxpayer more than they provide in revenue, we also improve the amenities that people have close to their own neighbourhoods, like transit, small businesses, parks, and community centres.

If tax rates stabilize or decrease, more people will be able to afford to live here, thus helping to boost the population growth. A Greenbelt and a plan for good Growth are both key to stabilizing municipal costs, because a Greenbelt directs growth away from the costly outskirts of the city and a Growth Plan directs growth into the existing communities that need more economic activity.