Council is set to meet Tuesday to debate, among other things, an Environment Committee recommendation for a by-law regulating flyers.

HALIFAX – Regional Council will debate a proposal during Tuesday’s upcoming meeting that if approved, would see city staff draft a by-law to regulate how flyers are delivered within the municipality.

The recommendation comes from the Environment and Sustainability Standing Committee, who recommend Council draft a by-law that includes delivery standards and a requirement for distributors to not deliver flyers to those homes with proper signage posted.

The Environment Committee also recommends a mandatory ‘opt-in’ only delivery option not be part of the proposed by-law, while staff also work with distributors and publishers on a new pilot project that would see door-to-door flyer deliver eliminated in rural areas in favour of ‘flyer boxes.’

As it stands right now, flyer distribution in the province is regulated on a strictly volunteer basis by an agreement between newspaper publishers, municipal waste officials and the Nova Scotia Department of Environment.

Citing a 2016 study from the Ecology Action Centre, a staff report notes that homes that don’t receive flyers save about 25 lbs. of paper waste each year.

While the recommendation has already come from committee, several attempts at a similar program to curb flyer delivery in HRM over the past decade have failed.

Agreement for soccer stadium at Wanderers Grounds comes back to council

After approving the negotiation of a lease for a temporary professional soccer stadium at the Wanderers Grounds last June, the deal will need to come back to Regional Council during Tuesday’s meeting because of proposed changes to the lease agreement by Sports Entertainment Atlantic.

The potential team proposed by SEA was originally supposed to join the Canadian Premier League in 2018 but delays have pushed that back, meaning no soccer games will be played at the Wanderers Grounds this season.

HRM originally signed a one-year lease agreement as a test for 2018 to see the impact on the site before a new lease would be signed for three years after that. But with no planned games during the 2018 season, SEA is asking for permission to host eight events at the site between June 1 and Oct. 26 including rugby, soccer and football but no concerts.

HRM would maintain control of the field and the scheduling of events, while SEA would be responsible for all the costs associated with the design, constructions, installation and maintenance of the stadium seating, which is expected to total around 6,000 plus seats. All events would also have to conclude by 8 p.m.

A staff report notes the eight events would be the only “full stadium ticketed events at the Wanderers Grounds in 2018…to ensure the condition of the playing field is not negatively impacted.”

The original lease agreement would need to be rescinded with a two-thirds majority vote at Tuesday’s meeting before an altered lease agreement could move forward.

If SEA is successful in attracting a CPL franchise for the 2019 season, HRM would then begin the negotiation of a new three-year lease based on what was learned during the so-called ‘test year.’

Potential extension of municipal water services to Harrietsfield

After the federal government announced $828 million in infrastructure spending for Nova Scotia this week, Spryfield Councillor Stephen Adams will put forward a motion at Tuesday’s meeting asking staff to look the possibility of using part of that funding to extend municipal water service to Harrietsfield.

Adams’ motion that will be tabled Tuesday says the Harrietsfield area has dealt with contaminated water since the 1970’s, so he’s asking staff to consider the project under the new federal funding program.

Adams said he’s proposing it be looked at now because it’s expected consideration of projects for the program will be needed by this September.