Halifax cracking down on residents filling in local waterway

Nancy Anningson likes what she sees when she looks out over the Northwest Arm in Halifax and she doesn't want it to change.

“In my mind, the perfect solution would be no infilling in the Northwest Arm as a start,” says Anningson, who is with the Ecology Action Centre.

A new proposal from Halifax city staff comes close to doing just that.

“It’s overdue, it’s taking a long time to get to this point,” says councillor Patty Cuttell.

The public was preparing Tuesday to voice their feelings on an amendment to the municipal planning strategy that would prohibit infilling the 155 water-lots along the arm.

“The Northwest Arm is used for recreation by kayakers, canoes, sailors even swimmers,” Cuttell says. “It’s a common area and protecting it from infill protects the public interest in being able to use that space.”

A sign outside a home along the Northwest Arm in Halifax. (Source: Jonathan MacInnis/CTV News Atlantic)

Anningson was concerned property owners would be permitted to infill if they needed to build a retaining wall to protect their property.

“We have to do that really well because people are really good at exploiting land use bylaws and finding soft spots,” she said.

Halifax councillor Shawn Cleary was confident that wouldn't happen and he said the amendments were coming just in time.

“Thankfully, there’s only been a few applications that have come in and have been infilled, but there are two in the hopper right now on the minister's desk as I understand it, and there could be many more,” he said.

Halifax city council voted Tuesday night to permit infilling only to reinforce walls on private properties and for public uses such as the protection of historic sites or the creation of ferry terminals.

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