Halifax is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in Canada. The population in the city’s downtown core increased by 26% between 2016 and 2021, and the Province of Nova Scotia has set the target to double the province’s population to two million by 2060.
New growth brings new opportunity, but it also brings challenges—particularly in relation to issues like transportation and infrastructure. To help address these challenges, the provincial government established the Joint Regional Transportation Agency (JRTA) in 2021. The JRTA is a provincial Crown corporation tasked with strategic transportation planning for Halifax and the surrounding communities.
Mark Peck, President and CEO of the JRTA, knows there are pain points when it comes to the flow of people and goods around Halifax. “The system as it exists today has limited resiliency, with the movement of goods and people competing for the same space,” says Peck. “We also have a system where there are few options to get around outside of a private vehicle for much of HRM and surrounding communities.”
Change requires cooperation between all levels of government and input from experts and stakeholders. “The good news is that the JRTA has brought together all the major transportation infrastructure owners and operators to tackle these issues as we plan for the future of the transportation network,” says Peck.
Partners working with the JRTA include the Nova Scotia Department of Public Works, Halifax Regional Municipality, Halifax Harbour Bridges, Halifax Port Authority, Halifax International Airport Authority, Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency, and associate member CN. Each partner brings a nuanced perspective and expertise, and their collaboration highlights the multi-faceted nature of travel and transportation in the region.
Tony Wright, Chief Executive Officer for Halifax Harbour Bridges, points to the critical role the bridges play in the movement of people and goods in Halifax. “A total of more than 32 million vehicles cross the bridges each year,” says Wright. “A recent study commissioned by Halifax Harbour Bridges shows that the MacKay Bridge alone contributes to over $100M in economic activity to the province.”
Efficient movement around the harbour also relies on rail service, says Tom Bateman, Public Affairs Manager for CN. “Growth in trade through the port plays a direct role in growing Nova Scotia’s economy and making Halifax an even more attractive place to do business,” says Bateman. “Our rail service is a critical link in the supply chain that quickly connects North American markets to the world through the Port of Halifax’s natural deep harbour and dedicated workforce.” CN transports over 300 million tonnes of goods every year throughout North America, adds Bateman.
Air access is crucial for national and international travel to and from Atlantic Canada, says Joyce Carter, President and CEO of the Halifax International Airport Authority (HIAA). “While air service to most domestic, U.S., and international destinations has made a significant recovery since the pandemic, regional air connectivity within Atlantic Canada still remains limited,” she adds. “This includes the ongoing absence of non-stop flights between Nova Scotia’s two largest municipalities, Halifax and Sydney.”
Carter explains that smaller aircraft were able to service more regional routes pre-pandemic, but airlines are now prioritizing larger aircraft and larger markets. “Our air service development team is firmly focused on re-establishing air links within the Maritimes,” says Carter. “We are actively working with other airports and stakeholders to present strong business cases to regional carriers with appropriately sized aircraft to serve these smaller markets, including Sydney.”
Matching growth to infrastructure
From July 2022 to July 2023, Nova Scotia’s population grew by over 33,000. Over 19,000 of those people settled in Halifax. The premier’s goal is to double Nova Scotia’s population by 2060, and most of that growth is expected to continue in Halifax.
Continued and sustainable population growth requires investing in new infrastructure as well as rethinking how we use existing infrastructure. “While new infrastructure projects are needed, we know that no one single solution will fix the system,” says Peck.
For example, shifting traffic patterns on the harbour bridges demonstrate that transportation is not impacted by population growth alone. “In 2019, traffic across the MacKay and Macdonald bridges reached an all-time high, with almost 33 million vehicle crossings that year,” says Wright.
In 2020, traffic reduced dramatically in response to restrictions from the COVID-19 pandemic. “Within a month of those restrictions going into effect, bridge traffic dropped by more than 50 per cent,” says Wright. “Crossings were down by more than six million that year.”
Since pandemic restrictions were lifted, there has been a slow but continuous increase in vehicle crossings. “This past fiscal year saw traffic return to almost the same level it was pre-pandemic,” says Wright. “However, there is a noticeable change in the traffic pattern. We see fewer busy days—when traffic exceeds more than 100,000 vehicles on the bridges—and even on those busiest days, we don’t get the numbers of vehicles we had in 2019.”
Wright adds that our record population growth may have led to increased traffic on the harbour bridges during the weekends, but “the morning and afternoon weekday rush hours now extend over a longer period than before the pandemic, which may be the result of people working from home and having more flexible work schedules.”
Given the complexity of our changing transportation habits, improving connectivity is key to supporting sustainable growth, adds Peck. “Making it easier for people in suburban and rural areas to access jobs, education, healthcare, and other services ensures that the region remains a great place to live,” he says.
To improve connectivity, we need to improve how we collaborate, especially at the start of projects, says Peck. This can mean integrating transportation with land use and considering transportation needs when locating new schools, developments, and hospitals.
Bateman agrees that the city’s challenges can be met with good partnerships. “Like many places in Canada, Nova Scotia is growing rapidly,” he says. “We know that in places like Halifax, space is limited and there are challenging geographic aspects that limit how communities can grow around our infrastructure. CN strives to be a good neighbour, and we collaborate closely with municipal planners, developers and other organizations to develop proximity guidelines.”
Sustainability and accessibility
In their most recent report, the JRTA shared the feedback gained from members of the public on issues related to transportation. “We’re hearing from more Nova Scotians during our engagement that they want more transportation options, but that they need to be realistic—reliable, affordable, and frequent,” says Peck. “We also need to do better for vulnerable users of the system. Nearly two in five Nova Scotians live with a disability. For some, driving is simply not an option.”
Halifax Harbour Bridges play a key role in providing active and public transportation infrastructure in the region. “The shortest continuous route between Halifax and Dartmouth for cyclists and pedestrians is across Halifax Harbour via the Macdonald Bridge,” Wright points out. He adds that there are currently over 800 bus crossings of the MacKay Bridge and 200 crossings of the Macdonald daily. Halifax’s “Integrated Mobility Plan sees those numbers continuing to rise.
Reevaluating transportation infrastructure also means incorporating serious considerations related to environmental sustainability. “We know there is an opportunity to help meet the province’s goal of net-zero by 2050 through more sustainable transportation options,” says Peck.
Rail service is one such option, especially when it comes to the transport of goods. “Opting for rail transport can lead to a 75% reduction in greenhouse gas emissions compared to long-haul truck transportation,” says Bateman. “It also reduces the amount of trucks travelling on the road.”
In addition to reducing emissions, creating sustainable infrastructure now requires managing the effects of a changing climate on the landscape. “We are working hard to ensure our infrastructure can accommodate the threat of flooding or erosion that comes with more frequent extreme weather events, and that we have the resources to help protect our employees, customers, and the communities we serve,” says Bateman.
Like the province, the Halifax International Airport Authority has set the goal of achieving net-zero carbon emissions by 2050. “We are fully dedicated to minimizing our environmental impact and promoting sustainability through a variety of initiatives and measures,” says Carter. “With our robust Environmental Management System, we aim to enhance environmental efficiency and decrease carbon emissions in the aviation industry, collaborating with other airports worldwide.”
HIAA’s new Strategic Plan also includes a five-year target to reduce carbon emissions by 30% compared to 2019 levels, and progress has already been made. “In 2023, we achieved Level 3 Airport Carbon Accreditation, which required us to expand the scope of our carbon footprint to include emissions from landing and take-off cycles and third-party ground service equipment,” says Carter. “This accreditation also involved engaging and supporting key airport stakeholders in decarbonizing their emissions sources, making us one of 25 airports in Canada participating in this program.”
On the ground, the HIAA is working to reduce their carbon footprint through energy conservation and efficiency measures, like installing more efficient LED lighting, as well as creating new infrastructure for electric vehicles. “Over the past year, we have focused on electrifying our light-duty fleet and installing electric vehicle charging infrastructure at the airport for travellers and our airport partners,” says Carter. For travellers using the airport parkade, there are now 125 electric vehicle charging stations available.
HIAA is also focusing on promoting anti-idling practices. “In 2023, we constructed a new taxiway to Runway 14, which will help reduce aircraft engine idling,” says Carter. “This project, supported by over $14.7 million from Transport Canada’s Airport Critical Infrastructure Program, is part of our broader efforts to improve airfield infrastructure and sustainability.”
Looking ahead
CN is preparing for continued population growth in Nova Scotia by making more investments in the region. “We are poised to accommodate growth in Atlantic Canada, and we are working with our port partners to realize this potential,” says Bateman. “Our network has tremendous capacity to move more volume through this region, which will come with more jobs, a stronger economy and better trade options for Atlantic Canadians.”
Wright recognizes how the Halifax Harbour Bridges impact the way we move through the region. “With so many people relying on the bridges, it’s essential that traffic flows as smoothly as possible,” he says. “When a bridge closes or traffic is delayed because of accidents and reduced lanes, there are repercussions and traffic tie-ups all over HRM.”
Repairs, maintenance, and safety are current focus areas for Wright, along with the long-term plans for the MacKay Bridge. “Looking to the future, we will need a transportation system that can support the doubling of the population by 2050,” he says. “We’re doing everything we can to keep these bridges safe and operational.”
In 2015, the Big Lift project at the Macdonald Bridge removed and replaced the deck sections, extending its service life by 75 years. “A similar project may not be feasible on the MacKay,” says Wright. “We are nearing the point that a decision will have to be made on whether we rehabilitate the MacKay or replace it altogether.
Following more engagement later in the year, the JRTA plans to propose the Regional Transportation Plan to government. In the meantime, says Peck, “We will continue with the collaborative approach we’ve been taking, working together with our partners, municipalities, and the province to improve the transportation system for Nova Scotians.”
< Back to Articles | Topics: Cover story