Halifax is loud lately. If you’ve walked down Barrington Street or tried to find a parking spot near Lake Banook recently, you know exactly what I mean. The city feels like it’s bursting at the seams, and honestly, the headlines from this first mid-January stretch of 2026 are reflecting that tension perfectly. We aren't just talking about the usual "slow-moving Maritimes" vibe anymore. Things are moving fast.
People are stressed. You can see it in the Reddit threads and hear it in the line at Java Blend. Between a looming 10.5% property tax hike and a housing market that feels like a game of musical chairs where the chairs are made of gold, the news in Halifax Nova Scotia has become a daily survival guide for residents.
The Tax Tug-of-War: Fillmore’s First Big Test
Mayor Andy Fillmore is currently staring down a barrel. The proposed 10.5% property tax increase for the 2026-2027 budget is, frankly, a massive pill for homeowners to swallow. Fillmore has been vocal about "cutting the fat," but where do you actually cut when the city is growing this fast?
He told CTV News earlier this month that we’re in an "affordability crisis." No kidding. But then you look at the wishlist: more ferries, better transit, and the massive $440 million electric bus garage that’s still eating up capital. It’s a classic Halifax standoff. Do we pay more for the services a modern city needs, or do we freeze spending and watch the potholes swallow our Honda Civics whole?
Water Rates Are Joining the Party
It’s not just the city hall bills. Halifax Water originally pitched a terrifying 35.6% rate hike. They’ve since walked that back to a 17.6% proposal, which is better, I guess? But for a family in Dartmouth or Spryfield already dealing with grocery prices that feel like a personal insult, another twenty bucks a month on the water bill is a big deal.
The Missing Middle and the Great Stairway Debate
There’s this weird quirk in the Nova Scotia Building Code that almost nobody talked about until this week. Right now, if you want to build anything over two storeys, you basically need two separate stairways for fire safety. Sounds reasonable, right?
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Well, Councillor Sam Austin and others are pointing out that this "two-stair rule" is actually why we only see giant, ugly "box" apartments or single-family homes. It makes small, cool apartment buildings—the kind you see in Montreal or Europe—economically impossible to build.
- The Problem: You can't fit two staircases and a hallway into a small lot and still have room for actual living space.
- The Result: Developers just buy up four lots, knock down the old houses, and build a massive "luxury" block.
- The Push: Council is looking for "objective-based solutions"—basically using better sprinklers and fire-resistant materials so we can build smaller, denser "missing middle" housing without the second staircase.
It’s technical, but it’s probably the most important housing news of the year. If they fix this, your neighbor’s empty lot might actually become a nice four-unit building instead of a weed-filled eyesore or a six-storey glass monolith.
Transit, Taxis, and the Uber Conflict
If you’ve tried to get a cab on a rainy Friday night in Halifax, you know the pain. Regional Council is currently debating new oversight for ride-hailing companies like Uber.
The goal? Level the playing field. The city wants Uber drivers to follow the same licensing rules as taxi and limo drivers. Uber is, predictably, saying this will lead to higher fares and less service. Honestly, it’s a bit of a "pick your poison" situation. Do we want a regulated, stable industry, or do we want the convenience of an app even if it means the drivers are squeezed and the local taxi companies go under?
Ferries are the Future (Maybe)
Mayor Fillmore is obsessed with the harbour. He calls it an "untapped resource" because there are "no potholes and no congestion" on the water. He’s pushing for more ferry routes, which sounds great in a brochure. But critics on social media are pointing out the obvious: we can't even staff the current ferries because the wages are too low. Adding more boats won't help if there’s nobody to drive them.
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What’s Actually Happening This Weekend?
If you need a break from the budget talk, there’s actually stuff to do.
The Cory Tetford Trio is at The Carleton tonight (January 16). If you haven't seen Cory play, he’s one of those musicians who makes you wonder why you even bothered picking up a guitar in the first place. Over at 2 Crows Brewing, they’re doing a fundraiser show called "Songbirds" for NOVAFest. It’s a good vibe for a Friday night.
Looking further ahead, 2026 is actually going to be a huge year for sports here. Council just approved $90,000 for the U SPORTS Men’s University Cup in March and a whopping $1 million for the ICF Junior and U23 Canoe Sprint World Championships at Lake Banook in July.
Lake Banook is basically the soul of Dartmouth. Seeing world-class athletes there is always special, even if it means the parking is going to be a nightmare for a week.
The Reality of the "New" Halifax
We have to talk about the "jobless expansion" worry. Some economists, like those at the Conference Board of Canada, are watching Halifax closely. The population is still growing, but hiring is starting to tilt toward very specific sectors: healthcare, hotels, and government.
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Large private industries have actually been shedding some jobs lately. There’s a fear that AI and automation are starting to eat into the entry-level office roles that used to sustain the downtown core.
Real Actions for Halifax Residents
- Challenge your assessment: If you're a homeowner, the deadline to appeal your property assessment is usually in February. Given the 10.5% tax talk, now is the time to make sure your "market value" isn't inflated.
- Check the "HAF" progress: The Housing Accelerator Fund (HAF) is supposedly on track to hit 77% of its goals. Keep an eye on your local planning meetings—this is where the rezoning for your specific street is happening.
- Support local venues: Places like The Carleton and 2 Crows are the backbone of the city's culture. If we want a city that’s more than just condos and traffic, we have to actually go to the shows.
Halifax is in a weird puberty phase. We’re growing too fast for our clothes to fit, and it’s making everyone a little cranky. But between the building code reforms and the push for better water transit, there’s at least a plan. Whether that plan survives the 2026 budget deliberations is another story entirely.
Keep an eye on the Council minutes for the next two weeks. That’s where the real "cutting" is going to happen, and it’ll determine exactly how much more we’re all paying by summertime.
Check the Halifax Regional Municipality's official website for the latest staff reports on the "Missing Middle" housing changes if you want to see exactly how your neighborhood might change this year.