Halifax’s mayor says the way the government structure stands now in Nova Scotia, the platform that he was elected to office for is not getting executed.
Andy Fillmore’s comments to our newsroom come just hours before strong mayor powers will be discussed at Halifax Regional Council, Thursday.
“I was elected with a very strong mandate by the people of HRM to address issues of affordability, housing, of congestion, of transit,” says Fillmore.
He says doing his job is proving difficult with the system that we are operating now.
What are strong mayor powers?
The mayor would have the authority to hire or fire staff, veto council decisions, and fast-track certain proposals with limited council support.
Fillmore says he has not directly asked for these powers but has been in discussions regarding them with the province, especially when it comes to his key priorities.
“It’s very clear to the province that HRM is not delivering in an efficient and partner-like way to the provincial government,” says Fillmore.
He adds, that’s why Nova Scotia has intervened in various ways, particularly when it comes to planning.
Councillor to table motion for consultation
Thursday, Dartmouth Councillor Sam Austin will table a four-part motion about strong mayor powers that will include sending a letter to the province requesting a discussion on the matter.
Fillmore says, it’s not surprising there is hesitancy around the idea, but we are in a moment of “significant change”.
“The growth that we are experiencing, the economic storm clouds that are on the horizon, the shifting pattern of federal funding for our infrastructure that have been talked about at the federal level in the last several days,” notes Fillmore.
“This is real, and we need to react.”
However, despite some pushback from his colleagues, Fillmore says he respects them very much.
“They’ve got experience in different ways from their careers, but my job right now is to make sure all our heads are turned in the same direction toward delivering for the residents that put us in those seats,” says Fillmore.
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