Halifax Seeks Study on Development Costs

HALIFAX — Halifax Regional Municipality has issued a request for proposals for a consultant’s study to examine how it should calculate and collect infrastructure charges for new developments.
Those charges, also referred to as capital cost contributions, refer to the amounts developers must fork over to cover the cost of laying new water and sewer pipes and adding municipal services.
“We’re hoping to have some advice on what the appropriate amount of charges may be, what the best use of those charges are and a recommendation on a schedule to implement those new charges,” said Peter Duncan, the municipality’s manager of growth analysis and development charges.
In November 2014, the province passed an amendment to the Halifax Regional Municipality Charter enabling the municipality to adopt infrastructure charges for an expanded range of services, including parks, playgrounds, trails, bicycle paths, swimming pools, ice arenas, recreation centres, fire departments and public libraries.
“Other provinces that collect infrastructure charges have dedicated legislation detailing how to calculate a charge. In contrast, the municipality has been given the broad power to collect charges, but no detailed methodology or framework,” says the request for proposals issued Wednesday.
The tender, which closes November 13, says regional council is expected to begin to adopt the new process for development infrastructure charges in 2016-17.
Earlier this year, council approved $200,000 in funding for a consultant’s study. Read the full story by Clare Mellor, Herald News, click here