Featured Guest
You’ll find this guest among our growing roll of Urban Champions.
Mike Savage
Mayor of Halifax
5 Key
Takeaways
A roundup of the most compelling ideas, themes and quotes from this candid conversation|
Additional Reading
& Resources
1. Keep the buses running
Cities are going to have to make some hard decisions in terms of finding efficiencies and cutting services. But transit service is non-negotiable. Mayor Savage shared his emphatic opinion that if Halifax had stopped transit service when the crisis first broke, the city would have stopped functioning – it’s as simple as that. Essential workers – such as cleaners, sanitary workers, home-care workers, and supermarket clerks – continued working, and a lot of these workers depend upon public transit. At a loss of $3 million per month to the city’s coffers, it’s the cost of doing business and having universal access.
2. Floating new ideas for mobility
In the spirit of thinking outside the box, Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) has an integrated transport plan aimed at “future-proofing” the city, that will build on the lessons learned from COVID-19. In addition to looking at the redesign of buses and routes, they are doubling down on bolstering cycling as a commuter option, and importantly, looking at options that more fully utilize the vast harbour and abundant waterways that connect the region. The Mayor said that federal recovery funds must invest in sustainable municipal transportation systems. “This should not be seen as bailout, but a viable tool for investing in the future of cities,” the mayor said.
3. Take off the handcuffs
Municipalities are bound by legislative and financial frameworks that no longer make any sense. There were challenges with other levels of government pre-COVID, and now they are stark and irrefutable. Municipalities can’t borrow to cover operational expenses — they only collect about 10 per cent of taxes while providing much more in services that are very expensive such as transportation, and police and fire. “Give us a charter that contains exclusions, instead of permissions, so as to not restrict, but enable,” Mayor Savage said.
4. Paying it forward
Mayor Savage predicts the costs associated with COVID-19, and the recovery process, will take a generation to pay back. He strongly believes that government at all levels have the best interests of cities at heart. The response to COVID-19 has shifted the orders of government into windows of collaboration and cooperation. However, “coming back to life will be done in the cities, therefore, it is imperative to allow cities more independence and flexibility,” Mayor Savage continued. Cities don’t have access to the revenue tools that they need, and financial problems with liquidity and revenue are anticipated.
5. Stronger together
Cities are not only looking for money, but they want to be part of the solutions going forward. Pre-COVID, Halifax was undergoing a growth phase, with a strong environmental influence. An expansive geographic region, HRM covers 55 sq. km and includes 900 parks and trails. Halifax had the foresight to invest in an urban wilderness reserve and strong policies that protect farmland within the city limits. “We will learn from this for a long time,” stated Mayor Savage. He concluded by calling for better cooperation and recognizing that we’re “stronger together.”
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Full Panel
Transcript
Note to readers: This video session was transcribed using auto-transcribing software. Manual editing was undertaken in an effort to improve readability and clarity. Questions or concerns with the transcription can be directed to events@canurb.org with “transcription” in the subject line.
Full Audience
Chatroom Transcript
Note to reader: Chat comments have been edited for ease of readability. The text has not been edited for spelling or grammar. For questions or concerns, please contact events@canurb.org with “Chat Comments” in the subject line.
12:01:04 From Sue Hallatt, CUI Staff: Please be sure to toggle your CHAT to ALL PANELISTS and ATTENDEES.
12:01:52 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Today’s conversation is with Mike Helps, Mayor of Halifax, NS.
https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/mayor-mike-savage
12:02:05 From Jayne Engle to All panelists: Hello Mayor Mike Savage! Wonderful to see you.
12:02:37 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Today’s conversation is with Mike Savage, Mayor of Halifax, NS.https://www.halifax.ca/city-hall/mayor-mike-savage
12:02:43 From Canadian Urban Institute to All panelists: covidresponse@canurb.org
12:02:54 From Canadian Urban Institute to All panelists: #citytalk
12:04:37 From Canadian Urban Institute to All panelists: You can find a recording and transcript of this webinar later today at canurb.org/citytalk
12:04:50 From Jayne Engle to All panelists: Good to see Mary too ; )
12:05:02 From Canadian Urban Institute: covidresponse@canurb.org
#citytalk
You can find a recording and transcript of this webinar later today at canurb.org/citytalk
12:09:38 From Tessy Britton to All panelists: Hi Mary and Mike — lovely to see and hear you – Tessy here – from Participatory City
12:11:35 From Shaune MacKinlay to All panelists: Hi Tessy and Jayne, nice that you’re “here”
12:14:01 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Please be sure to toggle your CHAT to ALL PANELISTS and ATTENDEES.
12:15:19 From Tessy Britton to All panelists: awesome Mike!
12:16:24 From paul mackinnon: During the recovery period there will need to be targeted and coordinated infrastructure investment. Any thoughts to reviving Urban Development Agreements to coordinate $$/goals from 3 orders of government?
12:17:38 From Abby S: Today Mayor Tory has begged people not to use the parks this weekend
12:18:10 From Abby S: mary is right…closing the streets would help resolve some of the congestion around walking
12:19:13 From Janna Levitt: Actually on CBC this AM Tory was musing that it would be ok to go to the parks this Sunday but keep your distance!
12:19:32 From Jayne Engle to All panelists: How are you thinking of retrofitting the city for covid in ways that would be beneficial longer term?
12:19:43 From Abby S: @Janna Mixed message,…
12:19:52 From Janna Levitt: Struck me as a bit of a misstep on his part.
12:20:01 From Abby S: you may be right…
12:21:45 From KIERON HUNT to All panelists: How is the downtown looking at public spaces and mobility? In particular, Halifax is a late-comer among comparable cities in North America to embrace changing the streets to allow for more physical space for cyclists and pedestrians.
12:22:20 From Canadian Urban Institute: Folks, please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
12:23:08 From robert Plitt: Love the question about Urban Development Agreements.. would love to hear the Mayor’s perspective.
12:23:39 From KIERON HUNT: How is the HRM looking at Downtown public spaces and mobility? In particular, Halifax is a late-comer among comparable cities in North America to embrace changing the streets to allow for more physical space for cyclists and pedestrians. If Winnipeg can do it, I’m sure Halifax can
12:25:41 From Amarjeet Sohi: Nice to see you mayor Savage. I love Halifax too! It is the second best city in Canada! You know which one is the first! LOL! On a serious note, how are you helping your most vulnerable, homeless residents, and do you think building more social housing be part of the economic recovery to provide permanent homes for people in need?
12:25:41 From Abby S: Only those who can afford alternatives will not take transit…some don’t have the choice and bikes are not necessarily the answer for some workers…whether shift (at night) or distance or just winter…
12:26:14 From Abby S: (not that I am against bike lanes!!!)-
12:26:26 From Abby S: It’s just not a panacea
12:29:38 From Sue Hallatt, CUI Staff: @Abigail – not a panacea – but models suggest 60% mode split is very doable – wouldn’t that lessen pressures on transit?
12:31:12 From Allison Ashcroft to All panelists: wouldnt it be better to get wage subsidy to munis so you can put staff to work providing services to residents and businesses instead of having them collect EO
12:31:14 From Allison Ashcroft to All panelists: O
12:31:36 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Please help CUI improve its CityTalk programming with a short post-webinar survey – https://bit.ly/2yfvA80
12:31:37 From Abby S: @Sue 100% We need fewer cars…I wonder where the shift occurs? Is it transit or cars/
12:31:56 From Allison Ashcroft: woulsnt it be better to provide munis with access to 75% wage subsidies so they can put staff to work supporting reaisnta and huanwas
12:32:58 From Abby S: Without a doubt bike lanes make cities more livable and safer for cyclists in general…just don’t want it to be used as an excuse to defund other non-auto modes.
12:33:34 From Shaune MacKinlay to All panelists: Tough balancing act, city is losing $3 million/month now on transit with elimination of fares. Have to be able to provide service for those who rely on it, including essential workers, while also providing for real safety concerns.
12:33:36 From Allison Ashcroft: oh my goodness sorry. trying to type from mobile. wouldnt it be better to keep city staff working for residents and businesses and preparing for recovery rather than at home collecting EI because cities are forced to do layoffs in order to manage cashflow issues
12:37:45 From Sue Hallatt, CUI Staff: @Allison – PeaceCorps / RecoveryCorps
12:38:51 From Abby S: @sue love recovery corps…we don’t have Americorps equivalent in Canada…it would be a nice outcome…for Recovery.
12:39:29 From Samira Farahani: I am wondering why its fundemental to keep transit.? wehn we say people to stay at home why there is a need for example to pay 3 M dollars a month to run transit for Halifax?
12:39:51 From Abby S: Not everyone has the luxury to work from home
12:40:36 From Janna Levitt: Mot people earning minimum or even middle clss wages depend on public transportation
12:41:51 From Abby S: Car bubble
12:42:38 From kathleen Llewellyn-Thomas: We need to keep transit going for essential trips, many people in cities depend on transit for their mobility. We need to provide nearly 80% of transit service to serve 20% of ridership so passengers and operators can keep physically distant
12:42:40 From Jayne Engle to All panelists: How about FDR and New Deal? And community dev financial institutions?
12:43:38 From Carolyn DeLoyde: What about green infrastructure – perhaps green infrastructure investment can also assist with climate change? thoughts?
12:43:41 From Jayne Engle to All panelists: New Deal for Cities
12:43:46 From Abby S: The reality is the majority of Canadians live in Cities
12:43:50 From Allison Ashcroft: agree re your nyc reference. I lives here almost 10 yrs and worked all over US. and transit and high ridership in NYC was absolutely what made NYers more aware of, support of, and advocates for taking action on equity, addoesability and wellbeing challenges and disparities
12:44:16 From Samira Farahani: good point Kathleen, regarding the percentage of transit for still far fewer riders
12:44:25 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Please change your chat settings to “all panelists and attendees” so everyone can see your comments.
12:45:07 From Abby S: Thank you Mayor Savage!
12:45:19 From Jayne Engle: New Deal for Cities — infrastructure for 21st century, including community development financial institutions
12:45:57 From Jayne Engle: … and retrofitting cities for cascading crises: public health, climate and inequality — housing, etc.
12:46:20 From paul mackinnon: Thank you Mayor Savage for your local leadership, and as a strong voice for cities, nationally. Keep it up!
12:46:47 From Allison Ashcroft: dont be too specific (project level) or too general (pure gas tax) but be directed and impact-driven towards major strategies ie climate action plans which are supported by deep local knowledge and evidence based modeling
12:48:29 From Janna Levitt: Thank you CUI and Mayor Savage. Another great conversation…looking forward to next weeks!
12:49:52 From Allison Ashcroft: from OECD Financing Climate Furitees
12:50:04 From Canadian Urban Institute: #citytalk
12:50:12 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Please help CUI improve its CityTalk programming with a short post-webinar survey – https://bit.ly/2yfvA80
12:51:22 From Allison Ashcroft: OECD Financing Climate Futures recommendation: Empower city governments to build low-emission and resilient urban societies, by developing capacity to more effectively plan and finance the right infrastructure, aligning national and local fiscal regulations with investment needs, and building climate-related and project finance capacity at the city level.
12:53:03 From Carolyn DeLoyde: This has been a wonderful session! Thank you so much Mary and Mayor Savage!
12:53:04 From robert Plitt: According to Future of Good over 70% of existing small business owners plan to exit their businesses in the next ten years. They make the case for transfer to new models of social purpose business and cooperatives
12:53:59 From robert Plitt: great session.. Thanks CUI
12:53:59 From Abby S: Thank you Mary and CUI, and Mayor Savage!
12:54:08 From Jayne Engle: Thank you Mayor Savage and Mary!
12:54:44 From James McCallan: Thanks again for another engaging discussion!
12:54:56 From Abby S: hahahah
12:54:57 From Canadian Urban Institute: We are looking for volunteers. If you can spare some time to help CUI with the great work we are doing please contact us at covidresponse@canurb.org
12:55:12 From Emily Wall, CUI Staff: Please help CUI improve its CityTalk programming with a short post-webinar survey – https://bit.ly/2yfvA80
12:56:00 From Abby S: Hearts to Halifax
12:56:11 From Tessy Britton to All panelists: thank you!
12:59:12 From Canadian Urban Institute: If you want to leave any final comments, please do so now. We will close the chat in a few minutes. Thanks again for a dynamic chat!
