Stop the Madness
Stop the Property Tax Hike
Stop the Tax Hike is a community-focused campaign powered by neighbours, families, small businesses, and renters standing together to stop the fiscal madness at City Hall.
The Halifax Regional Municipality’s proposed property tax hike - on top of rising water and power rates - is a breaking point. The current budget trajectory points to a staggering 40-50% increase in your property taxes over the next five years. For too long, residents have been asked to pay more while City Hall lives beyond its means.
Right now, these hikes are staff recommendations. Our Mayor and Council have the power to debate, cut, and decide the final rate before the budget is finalized in April. It is time to demand they prioritize an “Affordability Lens” over bureaucratic bloat.
Taxes cannot keep going up when the people paying them are struggling to make ends meet. It’s time for those elected to City Hall to stop the disconnected spending and realize what residents and businesses are feeling on the ground.
Your voice matters. If Council continues to price residents out of their homes, they will eventually price themselves out of their jobs.
See what your neighbours are saying
We surveyed residents for their thoughts on the top issues facing Halifax. They spoke loud and clear.
Press Releases
Halifax residents want council to cut programs to limit tax increases
RHPNS Media Release - February 4, 2026
Hundreds sign up in campaign to stop Halifax’s property tax hike
RHPNS Media Release - February 4, 2026
What’s at Stake for Halifax
The 5-Year Warning: This isn't a one-time increase. The draft budget presented by city staff recommends a tax increase of approximately 10.9% each year for the next five years just to maintain current spending levels. We must stop this trajectory now.
The Ripple Effect on Renters: Property tax is a primary cost for housing providers. These hikes put immediate upward pressure on rents in an already tight market, making it harder for tenants to stay in the communities they love.
Small and Local Businesses: Commercial taxes are already punishing. Another double-digit increase threatens the thin margins of our local shops and restaurants, jeopardizing the jobs our neighbourhoods depend on.
Disconnected Priorities: While families cut back on essentials, City Hall continues to say "yes" to everything—from expensive bike lanes and new ferries to $110 million rink renovations that cost more than building new. We need a return on investment, not a blank cheque.
The Procrastination Tax: We are paying for City Hall’s inability to make a decision. Projects like the Halifax Forum blossomed from $38M to $126M because Council delayed for seven years. Now, they want to fill that $88M gap with your property taxes.
Halifax Needs Transparency and Solutions; Not More Hikes
This campaign is about demanding that City Hall adopts an "Affordability Lens." While we support our city, we cannot ignore an operating budget that has grown 53% over the last decade, far outpacing inflation.
We are calling on Council to:
Fix-It-First: Prioritize maintaining our existing roads and facilities before committing to new, debt-intensive capital projects.
Stop the Procrastination: No more "In-Camera" secrets. We need a full, third-party audit of major project cost overruns—like the Halifax Forum—before any tax increase is approved.
Live Within Your Means: If Halifax families and businesses have to balance their budgets, City Hall must do the same. This means a municipal hiring freeze and a search for bureaucratic efficiencies.
Exercise Fiscal Responsibility: Council must remember they serve the people, not the bureaucracy. Fiduciary responsibility means knowing when to walk away from a bad deal to protect the financial survival of your constituents.
A better way forward ensures that residents are not left to fund "nice-to-have" projects while they struggle to pay their own bills.
Your voice helped stop the water hikes from being worse... Now it’s time to stand up again and stop the madness at City Hall.
Sign up for our campaign and use our email tool to contact the Mayor and your City Councillor. Tell them to stop the disconnected spending and realize that a 10.9% hike is unaffordable and unacceptable.
