Public Hearing - Minimum Planning Requirements

A Public Hearing for "Updated Approach to Amending Planning Documents for Provincial Minimum Planning Requirements" will be held at Regional Council, on Thursday December 11, 2025 at 1:00 p.m.

The "Updated Approach to Amending Planning Documents for Provincial Minimum Planning Requirements" Public Hearing start time, registration process, and written comments deadline have been customized due to the expected high number of speakers. Are you looking for information about a different Public Hearing?

Public Hearings are open for anyone to speak at or to submit written comments to.

When will the public hearing be held?

The Public Hearing is scheduled to start at 1:00 p.m. on Thursday, December 11, 2025.

Where will the public hearing be held?

The Public Hearing will be held in-person at Halifax City Hall, 1841 Argyle Street, Halifax, in the Council Chamber. Learn about attending in-person meetings in City Hall.

How do I sign up to speak at the public hearing?

Due to the expected high volume of speakers, we encourage all speakers to register in advance as early as possible.

For virtual speakers (Zoom): Pre-registration is required. Please register by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 11, 2025.

For in-person speakers: Pre-registration is recommended, and is open until 10:00 a.m. Thursday, December 11, 2025. After the pre-registration deadline there are other ways to speak; details are below.

When registering you can only add your own name to the list and not the name of another person.

There are three ways to register:

1. Contact the Clerks Office by email, phone, or fax by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday December 11

Send an email to clerks@halifax.ca. If you’re signing up via email and you don’t receive a response from us within 1 business day, please phone our office at 902-490-4210 to confirm receipt. Please ensure you check your email’s junk/spam folder regularly.

Call 902.490.4210 (Mon-Fri, 8:30am-4:30pm)

Send a fax to the Clerk's Office at 902.490.4208 and include a call back phone number or email.

Please include:
-your first and last name
-your community of residence OR business/organization that you are representing
-that you wish to speak at the Public Hearing for "Updated Approach to Amending Planning Documents for Provincial Minimum Planning Requirements"
-a phone number you can be reached at
-whether you wish to speak in person or using Zoom

If you’d like, you can let us know how to say your name using simple, sound-it-out spelling. (For example: for Leila Nahirah say “Lay-ah Nah-HEE-rah”).

2.Sign up in-person on December 11, 2025

On December 11, a sign-up station will be available in the main lobby of City Hall, starting at noon. Anyone who would like to speak may add their name to the list in person.

3. During the meeting, add your name after speakers on the list have spoken

If you don’t register in advance, there is still an opportunity to speak. After all the names on the list have been called, the Chair will call three times for any additional speakers. If you are present in the Council Chamber you can indicate your wish to speak at that time.

What happens if I sign-up in advance but miss my turn to speak?

If your name is called during the hearing and you aren’t present to speak, you will be given a second opportunity after all other names on the list have been called. Once the Public Hearing has been closed, there will be no further opportunities to speak.

How do I submit written comments?

You may submit written comments to the Municipal Clerk's Office. Your comments must be received by 10:00 a.m. on Thursday, December 11, 2025. Comments received after this time will not be distributed.

Your comments must include at least your first initial, last name and a contact method (e.g. email address). Anonymous submissions will not be distributed.

Email (clerks@halifax.ca) is the preferred method, but submissions can also be sent via mail (please allow sufficient time for delivery) and fax.

Mailing Address:
Municipal Clerk’s Office
Halifax Regional Municipality
PO Box 1749
Halifax, NS
B3J 3A5

Fax:
902.490.4208 (please include a call back phone number or email)

What will happen to my written comments?

Your written comments will be distributed to members of Regional Council and relevant staff. They will be kept on file as part of the official public record.

As part of the public record, your comments will be distributed to other members of the public on request. Your signature and contact information will be removed before your comments are distributed to the public; however, your full submission may be viewed by request in the Municipal Clerk's Office.

What will happen during the public hearing?

Staff will begin the hearing by giving a presentation outlining the topic of the hearing, the process that has been undertaken to this point in the process, and an assessment against all relevant Municipal policies or by-laws.
Staff will answer any questions members of Council may have based on the presentation they just received.
The public hearing will be open.
Public Hearing speakers will then be called in the order they signed up. Speakers will have 5 minutes each to state their opinions on the proposed change which is the subject of the hearing.
The public hearing will close.
Staff may be asked questions of clarification as a result of the hearing from members of Council.
Council will deliberate. They may make their decision at that time, or they may defer it to a future date. They will not hear any further speakers or accept any further written comments on the topic.