Media Room

News Release

Community Group to be Asked to Vote on Integration Fund

(Wednesday, June 16/04)-- The Halifax Community Liaison Committee (CLC) of the Harbour Solutions Project has scheduled a meeting for early next week to enable area residents to vote on a proposal for use of the $1 million Community Integration Fund.

Residents living or working in the area bounded by North and Cogswell Streets, North Park and Agricola Streets and Barrington Streets will be eligible to vote on the proposal, which calls for the eventual establishment of a Community Development Corporation.

The CLC is recommending that a study be conducted using a community-based planning model to determine the community's needs. Once these needs are identified, it is proposed that a Community Development Corporation be established, which would be funded by the Community Integration Fund. At this stage, the Halifax CLC is still soliciting support from the community for this proposal.

District 12 Councillor Dawn Sloane and Craig Walkington, Chair of the Halifax CLC, reiterated today there seems to be some confusion by some in the community now that small businesses and individuals wanting to go into business could access the funds at this time.

In an article published by The Chronicle Herald on May 17, 2004, Councillor Sloane and Mr. Walkington discussed various options on how the Community Integration Fund could be spent.

Mr. Walkington said today "These statements may have given the impression that decisions had been made that portions of the $1million fund could be spent on supporting small business in the Gottingen Street area through improvement grants."

There are two areas regarding the statements in the article that require clarification.

• In accordance with Section 57(2) of the Municipal Government Act, it is not possible for a municipality to grant a tax concession or other form of direct financial assistance to a business or industry. As such, the grants referred to in the news article would not be possible at this time.
• The basic process for spending the CIF is that the Community Liaison Committee, with input from the community, decides what to spend the money on and must submit a report with recommendations to Halifax Regional Council.
• Regional Council is the final approving authority on these recommendations.

Councillor Sloane said "Only if Regional Council approved the recommended use of funds, and only if a Community Development Corporation were established, could any funds from the Community Integration Fund be used for that purpose.

The meeting will be held on Monday, June 21, 2004, at the George Dixon Centre, beginning at 6 p.m. It will be followed by a free BBQ for the community participants.

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Councillor Dawn Sloane
9902) 488-4812

Craig Walkington
Chair, Halifax CLC
(902) 420-2751