'I'm very concerned': N.S. government to intervene in Halifax Water rate hike case

Taryn Grant · CBC News

· Posted: May 15, 2025 2:28 PM EDT | Last Updated: 13 minutes ago

The Nova Scotia authorities says it volition wade into the regulatory reappraisal of Halifax Water's projected complaint hikes with concerns astir affordability.

Municipal Affairs Minister John Lohr said the state volition intervene successful the reappraisal that's underway with the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board.

"We conscionable deliberation this is simply a clip erstwhile affordability and cost, household costs are significant, and truthful we'll beryllium conscionable bringing that connection to the regulatory and appeals board," Lohr told reporters Thursday successful Halifax pursuing a furniture meeting.

Halifax Water applied to the committee this period for 2 complaint increases. The archetypal would rise the mean household h2o measure by 16.2 per cent this fiscal twelvemonth and the 2nd would rise the mean household measure an further 17.6 per cent adjacent fiscal year.

Halifax Water has said the complaint hikes are indispensable successful the look of a increasing shortage and inflation. The inferior has respective ample infrastructure projects successful the works.

Will effort to 'soften the blow'

"I'm precise acrophobic by this," said Scott Armstrong, curate of opportunities and societal development.

Armstrong said his section volition look for ways to "soften the blow" for Halifax Water customers, should complaint increases spell ahead.

"We bash person programs successful spot and if those programs aren't sufficient, we'll person to look astatine being flexible and putting things successful spot that volition assistance support radical attached to housing. That would beryllium 1 of our highest priorities," Armstrong told reporters Thursday aft cabinet.

An manufacture radical representing landlords is besides intervening successful the case. The Rental Housing Providers of Nova Scotia told CBC News earlier this week that higher h2o rates would pb to higher rents.

Opposition calls for much enactment for utility, customers

Interim Liberal Leader Derek Mombourquette said the projected complaint increases are "pretty alarming."

"The authorities is going to person to look astatine immoderate enhancement of programs to assistance people," helium said.

Mombourquette said the state should beryllium "strategically investing money" to instrumentality immoderate of the unit disconnected Halifax Water.

Lohr said the state has already "invested heavily" successful h2o and sewer projects crossed the province, and "we proceed to bash much each the time."

NDP MLA Susan LeBlanc said she'd similar the state to see implementing a low-income h2o rate.

"People conscionable can't spend more," she said.

"We bash person large infrastructure needs, our h2o infrastructure is aging, truthful the authorities could travel successful astatine that level and assistance with the projects truthful that rates don't person to increase," she added.

The lawsuit volition spell to a nationalist proceeding earlier the regulatory and appeals committee successful September.