News Release
Harbour Solutions Draft Agreements Approved in Principle
(Tuesday, May 7/2002)- The draft agreements between Halifax Regional Municipality and a private consortium-- the Halifax Regional Environmental Partnership (HREP)-- to undertake the Harbour Solutions Project were formally approved in principle by Regional Council tonight.
Mayor Peter Kelly and Councillors were given a final presentation by Harbour Solutions staff on the terms of the draft Project Agreements during an in-camera meeting this afternoon. A motion was later passed to forward the draft Agreements to Council for approval in principle at its regular meeting this evening.
Council members met privately with staff on several occasions during the past few weeks, seeking clarification on questions they had regarding the terms of the draft Project Agreements.
Last December, Regional Council accepted in principle the recommendations of the Proposal Selection Committee of the Halifax Harbour Solutions Project. A team was later established to negotiate the terms and conditions of the Project Agreements with Halifax Regional Environmental Partnership (HREP), including any amendments necessary due to changes in sites available for the treatment plants, financial and other outstanding issues. The following are some of the highlights of the negotiations:
1) The HRM team was instructed to explore with HREP, the terms for "off-ramps" for HRM to assume the operation of the treatment plants at years six(6) and twelve(12), in addition to the off-ramps at years fifteen(15) and twenty(20) already provided for in the Request for Proposals (RFP).
2) After additional information was provided by staff on February 26 , 2002, Council re-confirmed approval of the HRM-owned site at the corner of Cornwallis and Barrington Streets as the location of the treatment plant on the Halifax side of the Harbour.
3) Over the course of negotiations, additional information was also requested by Council on the feasibility of using Solar Aquatics on one Project outfall. Following a review of the additional information presented by staff, Council agreed not to proceed with the use of Solar Aquatics as part of this project.
During the presentation to Council members, Harbour Solutions staff outlined and updated Councillors on the process to date; the next steps in the process; and the highlights of the Project Agreements, as well as information regarding Facility Sites, Easements and Budgets/Cost Sharing.
Following the presentation, Council approved in principle the Project Agreements with Halifax Regional Environmental Partnership, subject to the following:
1) approval under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act; and
2) advice from the Federal Government and the Province of Nova Scotia regarding HRM's funding requests.
The final form of the Project Agreements will be brought back at Council before officially being signed. The Agreements will not be effective until the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA) approval is obtained, and the Federal and Nova Scotia governments confirm cost-sharing arrangements on the Harbour Solutions Project.
Based on terms of the draft Project Agreements, it is proposed that the Halifax wastewater treatment system be built first over a 26-month period, and construction on the Dartmouth and Herring Cove phases of the system would follow.
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Mayor Peter Kelly
(902) 490-4010
George McLellan
Chief Administrative Officer
(902) 490-4026
