hidden halifax traffic report latest in pattern of secrecy from houston: ndp
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premier tim houston speaks to reporters at province house in halifax on wednesday, june 25, 2025.
francis campbell
/
the chronicle herald
the opposition ndp says the provincial progressive conservative government continues to withhold information from nova scotians.
the long-awaited transportation report that would pave the way for less traffic congestion in halifax is the latest example, the ndp says.
“(premier) tim houston has a report that outlines how to deal with traffic congestion, but he’s choosing to keep it secret,” ndp leader claudia chender said in a news release wednesday.
“this pattern of hiding information that could lead to real solutions, whether it’s about traffic and transportation, health care, or the environment, only makes the problems worse, and certainly doesn’t serve nova scotians,” she said.
traffic battles and the traffic report
public works minister fred tilley, speaking to reporters after a cabinet meeting less than a week ago, said his department is working on the jrta (joint regional transportation agency) report.
“we’re looking at contextualizing that, looking at what can be done in the short term, medium term, long term, that we can provide what the government’s response is,” tilley said.
“that’s where we are with the jrta report.”
the jrta, now link nova scotia, is a crown corporation initially tasked with long-range strategic planning for halifax and surrounding communities. when it morphed into link nova scotia, its mandate expanded to a cross-nova scotia transportation plan.
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despite the report not having been released, the provincial government has often weighed in on traffic in hrm and what should be done to ease congestion.
the houston government eliminated tolls on the macdonald and mackay bridges that span halifax harbour on march 17, fulfilling an election campaign promise from the previous fall.
on july 17, houston assailed halifax regional council for its decision to make morris street in the downtown halifax area a one-way street to accommodate a bike lane.
the premier wrote an open letter to halifax mayor andy fillmore, halifax regional council and cao cathie o’toole voicing great concern about the plans to reduce morris street to one lane.
“eliminating one lane to add bike lanes will contribute to traffic congestion, create unnecessary public safety risks and potentially jeopardize port activity,” he wrote.
after a late-night debate earlier this month, regional councillors voted 13-4 to go with the original design for a bikeway that would turn the busy downtown street into a one-way road with a two-direction bikeway despite a request by fillmore for staff to dig deeper into alternative proposals that would keep two-way traffic.
opposition leader claudia chender speaks to media at province house in halifax on monday, june 23, 2025.
francis campbell
/
the chronicle herald
a deadline from houston
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houston reminded council in his letter that the provincial government had passed bill 24 in the spring session of the legislature. the bill, not proclaimed until after the houston letter, provides the provincial government with sweeping powers over transportation and transit decisions that include doing anything necessary to ensure the smooth movement of people and goods.
those powers would include the power of the public works minister, tilley, to order a municipality to build or remove infrastructure or not to proceed with the morris street plan.
in his letter, houston gave council until aug. 6 to reverse the decision or to have the province use the powers of bill 24 to override council’s decision.
questioned earlier this month about the release of the jrta report, tilley appeared to tie that release to the proclamation of bill 24.
“as soon as we’ve gotten the work done,” tilley said last week about the release of the transportation report.
“we’re currently meeting with all hrm mlas, discussing traffic in their particular area, things that could maybe be implemented. we will get that out as soon as it’s ready.
“with regard to proclamation, situations change and so the act is proclaimed.”
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tilley said morris street is an example of how the override provision in the act could be used.
“if the government is going to act on that act, it has be be proclaimed,” he said. “it’s a tool in the toolbox but until it’s proclaimed, it can’t be in the toolbox.”
traffic responsibilities?
tilley said regional council has a meeting coming up next week to discuss morris street.
“we hope they make a common sense decision on that,” tilley said. “the premier has been very clear on the issue.
“i would say the province has a responsibility to fix traffic. anything that is going to hamper the fixing of traffic and reducing that level is something that is absolutely in the purview of the province.”
the ndp said wednesday that it does not add up that the premier is fighting with municipal councillors and threatening to bring in strong mayor powers while refusing to release the jrta report, which is the result of two years of study about how to move people and cars in and out of hrm and deal with congestion.
chender said it is yet another example of the houston government withholding critical information that could improve nova scotians’ lives.
the ndp referenced other recent examples of government secrecy, including burying the report on environmental racism, a report the party says is crucial to address the province’s environmental legacy and ensure proper stewardship in the future.
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the ndp say the houston government has also withheld the doctor waitlist numbers that accurately show exactly who is still waiting for attachment to primary care and it scrapped the annual emergency department closure report, making it impossible to track the ongoing challenges in rural communities.
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