Deny Sullivan
@denysullivan.bsky.social
I make charts. Blogs @ deny.substack.com
Halifax
Halifax
Municipal government complaining about lack of tax revenue should raise their taxes
Charts in the Toronto budget presentation that drive Damien insane pt. 1: it is not a problem that the federal and provincial governments receive more tax revenue than municipalities, they do way more stuff.
January 8, 2026 at 8:02 PM
Municipal government complaining about lack of tax revenue should raise their taxes
New blog on the economic effects of the building boom in Halifax
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/n...
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/n...
No recessions in a building boom
A big tailwind for 2026
open.substack.com
January 8, 2026 at 2:39 PM
New blog on the economic effects of the building boom in Halifax
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/n...
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/n...
Nova Scotia Power profits will be $200 million by 2027? Thats not much money, folks
January 7, 2026 at 9:27 PM
Nova Scotia Power profits will be $200 million by 2027? Thats not much money, folks
It should be a core mission of people who care about Halifax to extend the usable waterfront. And I’d include displacing industrial sites
Allnovascotia is reporting that the casino is leaving the waterfront, satisfying my desire to blow up the building. I hope we can take the two parking garages out, too.
January 7, 2026 at 7:28 PM
It should be a core mission of people who care about Halifax to extend the usable waterfront. And I’d include displacing industrial sites
The BC government will literally send you a cheque for owning a $2M home. I don’t think owners of $2M assets need property tax relief
This year the BC government set the wealth test for the HOG at above $2M, while renters get income tested at around $65k (adjusted net family income) for the full tax credit and get less money than the HOG for e.g. my condo.
(Yes, this is my annual call to get rid of the HOG)
(Yes, this is my annual call to get rid of the HOG)
January 7, 2026 at 1:03 PM
The BC government will literally send you a cheque for owning a $2M home. I don’t think owners of $2M assets need property tax relief
Only the shameless @fcm.ca could make this chart showing property taxes falling in real terms and blame everyone else for their members austerity crusade
January 6, 2026 at 11:10 PM
Only the shameless @fcm.ca could make this chart showing property taxes falling in real terms and blame everyone else for their members austerity crusade
HOV lanes can be good, but are often under-used and are poor filter for urgency. That's why cities are moving more to HOTs (High Occupancy-Toll) or express lanes. They make money too.
My @thestar.com column this week: The good news about Toronto’s new traffic czar? He helped push for the tough choices that led to the only Toronto traffic fix that ever worked.
Here’s what we should remember about the 2015 Pan Am Games transportation plan.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Here’s what we should remember about the 2015 Pan Am Games transportation plan.
www.thestar.com/opinion/cont...
Matt Elliott: Toronto’s new traffic ‘czar’ once unjammed this notoriously traffic-jammed city. Here’s how he did it
City hall may have hired the right guy for the right job, given Andrew Posluns’s track record.
www.thestar.com
January 6, 2026 at 8:22 PM
HOV lanes can be good, but are often under-used and are poor filter for urgency. That's why cities are moving more to HOTs (High Occupancy-Toll) or express lanes. They make money too.
Reposted by Deny Sullivan
NEW POST
While cities across North America struggle with housing shortages, Edmonton is proving that zoning reform works.
In 2025, for the first time in history, the number of homes permitted in 5-8 unit rowhomes surpassed detached homes. 🧵
#yeg #yegcc #yimby
www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/zb...
While cities across North America struggle with housing shortages, Edmonton is proving that zoning reform works.
In 2025, for the first time in history, the number of homes permitted in 5-8 unit rowhomes surpassed detached homes. 🧵
#yeg #yegcc #yimby
www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/zb...
2025: The year Edmonton built the missing middle – Jacob Dawang
Edmonton’s zoning reform is working. In 2025, newly legalized eight-home rowhomes drove a record increase in homebuilding, achieved by redeveloping only 0.39% of properties in mature neighbourhoods.
www.jacobdawang.com
January 5, 2026 at 5:00 PM
NEW POST
While cities across North America struggle with housing shortages, Edmonton is proving that zoning reform works.
In 2025, for the first time in history, the number of homes permitted in 5-8 unit rowhomes surpassed detached homes. 🧵
#yeg #yegcc #yimby
www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/zb...
While cities across North America struggle with housing shortages, Edmonton is proving that zoning reform works.
In 2025, for the first time in history, the number of homes permitted in 5-8 unit rowhomes surpassed detached homes. 🧵
#yeg #yegcc #yimby
www.jacobdawang.com/blog/2026/zb...
Was hoping detailed assessment rolls would be available for 2026 by now...
January 6, 2026 at 7:05 PM
Was hoping detailed assessment rolls would be available for 2026 by now...
Icymi
January 4, 2026 at 10:38 PM
Icymi
Why is municipal politics so dysfunctional? Partially because mayors can get away with answers like this. « Halifax Water is crucial to solving the housing crisis and I want to starve it dead ».
January 3, 2026 at 4:03 AM
Why is municipal politics so dysfunctional? Partially because mayors can get away with answers like this. « Halifax Water is crucial to solving the housing crisis and I want to starve it dead ».
« Congestion pricing won’t work here » often misses that there isn’t a fixed number of trips, and not all trips need to shift to transit 1:1
www.ibtta.org/sites/defaul...
www.ibtta.org/sites/defaul...
December 31, 2025 at 9:09 PM
« Congestion pricing won’t work here » often misses that there isn’t a fixed number of trips, and not all trips need to shift to transit 1:1
www.ibtta.org/sites/defaul...
www.ibtta.org/sites/defaul...
Though to translate Mayor Fillmore’s words into actual policy moves because of his tendency to…hold contradictory positions.
But I look forward to BRT in the year of our cuts 2026
But I look forward to BRT in the year of our cuts 2026
Military spending in Halifax in 2026 and beyond could be ‘very big numbers’: Mayor www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...
Military spending in Halifax in 2026 and beyond could be ‘very big numbers’: Mayor
Halifax Mayor Andy Fillmore sits down to talk about 2025 regrets, affordability and housing in 2026
www.saltwire.com
December 31, 2025 at 3:10 PM
Though to translate Mayor Fillmore’s words into actual policy moves because of his tendency to…hold contradictory positions.
But I look forward to BRT in the year of our cuts 2026
But I look forward to BRT in the year of our cuts 2026
Halifax urbanism meeting on Via with @kwilsonhfx.bsky.social
December 29, 2025 at 8:01 PM
Halifax urbanism meeting on Via with @kwilsonhfx.bsky.social
Reposted by Deny Sullivan
The last couple of weeks were busy for HFX by Bike, so here are some videos you might have missed:
A trip through one of Halifax's newest neighbourhoods (Bedford West):
youtu.be/7IH3UcHMUIs?...
A trip through one of Halifax's newest neighbourhoods (Bedford West):
youtu.be/7IH3UcHMUIs?...
Stonington Park to Move East (Bedford South)
YouTube video by HFX by Bike
youtu.be
December 23, 2025 at 10:34 PM
The last couple of weeks were busy for HFX by Bike, so here are some videos you might have missed:
A trip through one of Halifax's newest neighbourhoods (Bedford West):
youtu.be/7IH3UcHMUIs?...
A trip through one of Halifax's newest neighbourhoods (Bedford West):
youtu.be/7IH3UcHMUIs?...
Massive opportunity for Nova Scotia, have it all generating by 2028 and sell it back to them for a profit
Burgum: "Today we're sending notifications to the 5 large offshore wind projects that are under construction that their leases will be suspended due to national security concerns ... the Dept of War has come back conclusively that these large offshore wind programs create radar interference"
December 22, 2025 at 7:28 PM
Massive opportunity for Nova Scotia, have it all generating by 2028 and sell it back to them for a profit
Just got the feeling that the public is getting better at understanding housing issues (eg, importance wood vacancy), anyone else feel that way?
December 22, 2025 at 7:21 PM
Just got the feeling that the public is getting better at understanding housing issues (eg, importance wood vacancy), anyone else feel that way?
Huh — is this the same mayor stepping out of his lane to stop Halifax Water from doing its job to enable more housing?
“Fixing Halifax Water is crucial if the municipality wants to build more housing in outlying areas, says Mayor Andy Fillmore.”
Andy…outlying areas aren’t on city water. Also weren’t you just days ago arguing we shouldn’t give Halifax Water more money to fix their infrastructure? Please make sense
Andy…outlying areas aren’t on city water. Also weren’t you just days ago arguing we shouldn’t give Halifax Water more money to fix their infrastructure? Please make sense
Halifax Water's infrastructure problems slowing housing construction, says mayor
Utility struggling to maintain and build infrastructure
www.saltwire.com
December 18, 2025 at 7:33 PM
Huh — is this the same mayor stepping out of his lane to stop Halifax Water from doing its job to enable more housing?
New blog on the rental market in Halifax
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/t...
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/t...
The Wile E. Coyote Rental Market
The last gasp of landlord leverage?
open.substack.com
December 18, 2025 at 3:00 PM
New blog on the rental market in Halifax
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/t...
open.substack.com/pub/deny/p/t...
NEW DATA: Nova Scotia's population growth plunge continues. Population fell by 1,388 in from Jul-Oct, a 0.5% reduction, the first since early 2020 and the largest quarterly decline since 1966. The decline comes from falling non-permanent resident population
December 17, 2025 at 3:26 PM
NEW DATA: Nova Scotia's population growth plunge continues. Population fell by 1,388 in from Jul-Oct, a 0.5% reduction, the first since early 2020 and the largest quarterly decline since 1966. The decline comes from falling non-permanent resident population
I don’t know, feels like Nova Scotians might want defending from the U.S. president threatening the country
Tim Houston fuels the politics of division and hate
Morning File by me
Morning File by me
Tim Houston fuels the politics of division and hate - Halifax Examiner
Every issue is framed as an "us simple and sane people" versus "those unserious evil people."
www.halifaxexaminer.ca
December 16, 2025 at 2:42 PM
I don’t know, feels like Nova Scotians might want defending from the U.S. president threatening the country
This fact would boggle the mind of the municipal government consensus, where seniors who have made huge tax-free profits simply *cannot* be asked to contribute any more to our cities
If you're not already following @mikepmoffatt.bsky.social he's a great source of data! And here he is demonstrating what we've been saying for over a decade: The deck is stacked against young Canadians! You can help us push for big, bold policy change that is needed: www.gensqueeze.ca/join
December 15, 2025 at 6:57 PM
This fact would boggle the mind of the municipal government consensus, where seniors who have made huge tax-free profits simply *cannot* be asked to contribute any more to our cities
This is good, but the "generational" investment here amounts to less than 10% of the units currently under construction across HRM. Just to show how far we are from a public housing boom
Feds, Nova Scotia announce $300 million for 930 homes in Shannon Park, 500 more for rest of province www.saltwire.com/nova-scotia/...
Feds and province announce $300 million for 930 homes in Shannon Park, 500 more for rest of Nova Scotia
The provincial and federal governments have promised a combined $300 million to subsidize the building of upwards of 1,400 homes across Nova Scotia.
www.saltwire.com
December 15, 2025 at 3:00 PM
This is good, but the "generational" investment here amounts to less than 10% of the units currently under construction across HRM. Just to show how far we are from a public housing boom