Deny Sullivan
@denysullivan.bsky.social
I make charts. Blogs @ deny.substack.com
Halifax
Halifax
Did Janet Steele read the blog?
December 2, 2025 at 9:02 PM
Did Janet Steele read the blog?
Backroom deals are the alternative to upzoning. Some politicians like the backroom deals more
In apparent violation of public meeting rules, Mayor Andy Fillmore hosted secret meeting with councillors and Construction Association of Nova Scotia to talk regional plan
Story by me
www.halifaxexaminer.ca/government/c...
Story by me
www.halifaxexaminer.ca/government/c...
In apparent violation of public meeting rules, Mayor Andy Fillmore hosted secret meeting with councillors and Construction Association of Nova Scotia to talk regional plan - Halifax Examiner
Coun. Sam Austin expressed concerns with that meeting, saying while he thought the intentions were "good," he asked if the invitation was the "epitome of a backroom meeting?"
www.halifaxexaminer.ca
December 2, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Backroom deals are the alternative to upzoning. Some politicians like the backroom deals more
For context, 26,000 homes is roughly the housing shortage in Halifax, NS alone. Population ~500k.
Not to scale
Not to scale
New PBO report out today, that finds that in the first 5 years of the Build Canada Homes program, it's will have $7.3 billion of spending on an accrual basis ($13 billion on a cash basis) and lead to fewer than 26,000 homes being built.
Read here: www.pbo-dpb.ca/en/pu...
Read here: www.pbo-dpb.ca/en/pu...
December 2, 2025 at 3:16 PM
For context, 26,000 homes is roughly the housing shortage in Halifax, NS alone. Population ~500k.
Not to scale
Not to scale
Calgary NIMBYs for centralized land planning!
December 1, 2025 at 7:12 PM
Calgary NIMBYs for centralized land planning!
This would be a fantastic undergrad / masters thesis topic, I believe all the necessary data is publicly available
December 1, 2025 at 6:13 PM
This would be a fantastic undergrad / masters thesis topic, I believe all the necessary data is publicly available
Good illustration of the casualness that many bring to traffic discussions. Rarely do they interact with the fundamental problem of geography: cars need a lot of space.
Opinion: Halifax traffic isn't going anywhere, so keep it moving www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...
Opinion: Halifax traffic isn't going anywhere, so keep it moving
I believe we have to reassess transit and many other issues, specifically on the peninsula, writes D.A. Burns.
www.saltwire.com
November 28, 2025 at 4:14 PM
Good illustration of the casualness that many bring to traffic discussions. Rarely do they interact with the fundamental problem of geography: cars need a lot of space.
1-bed units downtown for $1660 is equivalent to $1375 pre covid. Not bad?
November 27, 2025 at 5:39 PM
1-bed units downtown for $1660 is equivalent to $1375 pre covid. Not bad?
New blog talks Nova Scotia's tax problem
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/n...
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/n...
Number 60 Series: Taxing work less
and taxing property more, a lesson from the Lone Star State
open.substack.com
November 27, 2025 at 4:44 PM
New blog talks Nova Scotia's tax problem
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/n...
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/n...
This has been a long time coming!
New sidewalk open and looking good next to the new Shannex building at Quinpool & Robie.
November 27, 2025 at 2:41 PM
This has been a long time coming!
Dalhousie should be allowed to buy up and redeveloped the trash bungalows that surround campus if it cannot redevelop campus buildings. HRM wants to block both, and there’s no consideration for what to do instead
Halifax looking to give heritage status to 22 Dalhousie-owned buildings
www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...
www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...
Halifax looking to give heritage status to 22 Dalhousie-owned buildings
New process looking to balance preservation with university expansion
www.saltwire.com
November 26, 2025 at 10:28 PM
Dalhousie should be allowed to buy up and redeveloped the trash bungalows that surround campus if it cannot redevelop campus buildings. HRM wants to block both, and there’s no consideration for what to do instead
Change in dwellings 2016-2021. The peninsula cannot be allowed to stay stagnant. Not while the outer suburbs boom
November 26, 2025 at 1:16 AM
Change in dwellings 2016-2021. The peninsula cannot be allowed to stay stagnant. Not while the outer suburbs boom
Not to jump ahead, but IMO the way to do this is to cap the CAP, limit the gap between taxable and market assessments at some dollar value, like $200,000 to start, and then you could scale that down if you want. Hits all the high value properties while limiting impacts on low value homes
Janet Steele working on a motion to ask Nova Scotia to phase out assessment cap
By @suzannerent.bsky.social
By @suzannerent.bsky.social
Janet Steele working on a motion to ask Nova Scotia to phase out assessment cap - Halifax Examiner
Steele spoke about her upcoming motion during council's budget committee meeting on Friday.
www.halifaxexaminer.ca
November 25, 2025 at 3:14 PM
Not to jump ahead, but IMO the way to do this is to cap the CAP, limit the gap between taxable and market assessments at some dollar value, like $200,000 to start, and then you could scale that down if you want. Hits all the high value properties while limiting impacts on low value homes
Reposted by Deny Sullivan
Janet Steele working on a motion to ask Nova Scotia to phase out assessment cap
By @suzannerent.bsky.social
By @suzannerent.bsky.social
Janet Steele working on a motion to ask Nova Scotia to phase out assessment cap - Halifax Examiner
Steele spoke about her upcoming motion during council's budget committee meeting on Friday.
www.halifaxexaminer.ca
November 25, 2025 at 12:35 PM
Janet Steele working on a motion to ask Nova Scotia to phase out assessment cap
By @suzannerent.bsky.social
By @suzannerent.bsky.social
Reposted by Deny Sullivan
The posting to policy pipeline lives and gives me hope.
Cc @denysullivan.bsky.social @landofsticks.bsky.social
Cc @denysullivan.bsky.social @landofsticks.bsky.social
November 24, 2025 at 9:28 PM
The posting to policy pipeline lives and gives me hope.
Cc @denysullivan.bsky.social @landofsticks.bsky.social
Cc @denysullivan.bsky.social @landofsticks.bsky.social
That’s some induced pedestrian demand @andyfillmorehfx.bsky.social, we could do this more than twice a year
November 23, 2025 at 10:50 PM
That’s some induced pedestrian demand @andyfillmorehfx.bsky.social, we could do this more than twice a year
Leading candidate for worst budget article this season.
- Unnamed person about to lose home
- no mention of CAP
- mention of new buyers struggling with assessments but again without mentioning the CAP that drives unfair taxation of young families
globalnews.ca/news/1153504...
- Unnamed person about to lose home
- no mention of CAP
- mention of new buyers struggling with assessments but again without mentioning the CAP that drives unfair taxation of young families
globalnews.ca/news/1153504...
‘May have to lose my house’: Concern as Halifax considers double-digit property tax hike | Globalnews.ca
Halifax councillors say they're getting an earful from residents who are concerned about a possible double-digit hike in property taxes in the next budget.
globalnews.ca
November 21, 2025 at 3:39 PM
Leading candidate for worst budget article this season.
- Unnamed person about to lose home
- no mention of CAP
- mention of new buyers struggling with assessments but again without mentioning the CAP that drives unfair taxation of young families
globalnews.ca/news/1153504...
- Unnamed person about to lose home
- no mention of CAP
- mention of new buyers struggling with assessments but again without mentioning the CAP that drives unfair taxation of young families
globalnews.ca/news/1153504...
This is nonsensical @thechronicleherald.bsky.social, if anything having more renters in apartments means fewer capped properties, and more property tax revenue. Also, no mention of the cap??
November 20, 2025 at 9:27 PM
This is nonsensical @thechronicleherald.bsky.social, if anything having more renters in apartments means fewer capped properties, and more property tax revenue. Also, no mention of the cap??
Blogging about CBU again
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/c...
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/c...
CBU's needs a bailout
In cash, quotas, or in cuts — CBU faces a cash crunch
open.substack.com
November 20, 2025 at 4:35 PM
Blogging about CBU again
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/c...
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/c...
Reposted by Deny Sullivan
"We can't pedestrianize Bedford Row"
Bedford Row back in the day:
Bedford Row back in the day:
November 16, 2025 at 9:40 PM
"We can't pedestrianize Bedford Row"
Bedford Row back in the day:
Bedford Row back in the day:
It's always blanket rezoning when it's really undoing blanket low-density zoning
The NIMBYs that won Calgary's municipal election last month are going to roll back last year's new zoning by-law.
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
www.cbc.ca/news/canada/...
Push to repeal blanket rezoning in Calgary takes next step Monday | CBC News
Six councillors and Calgary's mayor have sponsored a motion to repeal blanket rezoning, a policy that has proved divisive since it was passed by the last council. The executive committee will hear the...
www.cbc.ca
November 17, 2025 at 3:09 PM
It's always blanket rezoning when it's really undoing blanket low-density zoning
Reposted by Deny Sullivan
I did a comparable map for the Halifax peninsula out of curiosity
November 16, 2025 at 1:29 AM
I did a comparable map for the Halifax peninsula out of curiosity
Change dot org petition to have articles mention the existence of the CAP. Tax bills for 80% of property owners rose 1.5% last year, not 5.2%
Halifax property tax bills projected to increase by 10.5 per cent
www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...
www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...
Halifax property tax bills projected to increase by 10.5 per cent
Budget direction drafted by city staff shows a $88.9 million increase
www.saltwire.com
November 15, 2025 at 1:37 PM
Change dot org petition to have articles mention the existence of the CAP. Tax bills for 80% of property owners rose 1.5% last year, not 5.2%
I’m in the Grand Parade this week — about an early look at how the HAF reforms are panning out
New paper is out today!
On the front @denysullivan.bsky.social looks at the Housing Accelertor Fund and explains how council made the housing crisis worse.
On the back @landofsticks.bsky.social updates on Community Council & Advisory Ctee meetings. Public hearings = scheduled, homlessness = bad.
On the front @denysullivan.bsky.social looks at the Housing Accelertor Fund and explains how council made the housing crisis worse.
On the back @landofsticks.bsky.social updates on Community Council & Advisory Ctee meetings. Public hearings = scheduled, homlessness = bad.
November 10, 2025 at 3:33 PM
I’m in the Grand Parade this week — about an early look at how the HAF reforms are panning out
Reposted by Deny Sullivan
Unintentionally[?] brutal review IMO.
Nov. 4 is the first year anniversary of this Halifax regional council meeting.
I have been trying since December to get an interview with Mayor Andy Fillmore. Three tries with no luck. But I wrote about reporting on Fillmore and some of his motions:
www.halifaxexaminer.ca/arts-and-cul...
I have been trying since December to get an interview with Mayor Andy Fillmore. Three tries with no luck. But I wrote about reporting on Fillmore and some of his motions:
www.halifaxexaminer.ca/arts-and-cul...
Going through the motions of Andy Fillmore's first year as Halifax's mayor - Halifax Examiner
While I wait for a face-to-face interview with Fillmore, here are thoughts on the last year of reporting on City Hall.
www.halifaxexaminer.ca
November 6, 2025 at 11:17 PM
Unintentionally[?] brutal review IMO.
Good write up of Mayor Fillmore’s first year. And “good” as in it highlights the mayor’s lack of action on HRMs big issues of housing, transportation and austerity
Nov. 4 is the first year anniversary of this Halifax regional council meeting.
I have been trying since December to get an interview with Mayor Andy Fillmore. Three tries with no luck. But I wrote about reporting on Fillmore and some of his motions:
www.halifaxexaminer.ca/arts-and-cul...
I have been trying since December to get an interview with Mayor Andy Fillmore. Three tries with no luck. But I wrote about reporting on Fillmore and some of his motions:
www.halifaxexaminer.ca/arts-and-cul...
Going through the motions of Andy Fillmore's first year as Halifax's mayor - Halifax Examiner
While I wait for a face-to-face interview with Fillmore, here are thoughts on the last year of reporting on City Hall.
www.halifaxexaminer.ca
November 6, 2025 at 11:19 PM
Good write up of Mayor Fillmore’s first year. And “good” as in it highlights the mayor’s lack of action on HRMs big issues of housing, transportation and austerity