HALIFAX: Mayor Andy Fillmore is inviting residents to take part in a series of public engagement sessions across HRM as Regional Council prepares for the 2027/28 municipal budget.
Beginning Thursday, Oct. 1, the sessions will give residents an opportunity to speak directly with Mayor Fillmore about where City Hall should spend more when it can, where it should spend less when it has to, and how much residents should be asked to pay.
Residents continue to face significant affordability pressures while a growing municipality still requires investment in services and infrastructure.
With limited resources and competing priorities, Mayor Fillmore says the upcoming budget will require clear choices.
“Residents are facing higher costs everywhere they turn, but we still need to invest in the services and infrastructure our growing region requires,” said Mayor Fillmore.
“We can’t do everything at once, so we need to decide what matters most.”
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The engagement is already generating significant interest.
As of Sept. 28, 136 residents have completed the online survey. Early responses identify priorities including transportation and transit, roads and infrastructure, public safety, housing, and municipal services, along with concerns about affordability, taxes, and value for money.
Responses also reflect different views about the choices ahead, including calls for greater investment in services and greater emphasis on controlling costs.
“There isn’t one answer coming through in the feedback – and that’s exactly why these conversations matter,” said Mayor Fillmore.
“Before I decide what priorities I’m going to bring into the budget process, I am getting out of City Hall to hear directly from people in communities across HRM.”
The full schedule is as follows:
| Prospect Road Community Centre Thurs., Oct. 1 – 6 to 7 p.m. | Bedford-Hammonds Plains Community Centre Thurs., Oct. 8 – 6 to 7 p.m. |
| East Dartmouth Community Centre Tues., Oct. 13 – 6 to 7 p.m. | North Preston Community Centre Thurs., Oct. 22 – 10 to 11 a.m. |
| Halifax Central Common Multi-Purpose Room Thurs., Oct. 22 – 6 to 7 p.m. | Eastern Shore Community Centre Sat., Oct. 24 – 11 a.m. to 12 noon |
| Musquodoboit Valley Recreation Office Sat., Oct. 24 – 1 to 2 p.m. | Sheet Harbour Lions Club Sat., Oct. 24 – 3 to 4 p.m. |
| St. Andrew’s Community Centre Wed., Oct. 28 – 2 to 3 p.m. |
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Residents can participate by attending a session, completing the online survey at halifax.ca/mayor-budget-engagement, or sharing feedback directly with the Mayor’s Office at mayor@halifax.ca.
The engagement builds on work Mayor Fillmore has advanced over the past year to improve how HRM manages costs and makes budget decisions.
This work has included initiating a comprehensive review of municipal services, establishing a limit on the share of municipal revenues used to service debt, and securing Council’s support for a disciplined starting point for development of the 2027/28 budget.
The sessions and survey are a listening exercise led by the Mayor’s Office. Survey respondents are self-selecting and therefore not statistically representative.
The engagement is separate from HRM’s formal public participation on the annual budget, and residents are encouraged to participate in those opportunities as well.
