HALIFAX—Councillors are optimistic that flexible working hours for municipal staff, keeping them off the roads during peak times, could alleviate traffic congestion in the city.

Halifax regional council’s transportation standing committee voted Thursday in favour of a motion for a staff report exploring such a policy, which was recommended in the Integrated Mobility Plan (IMP).

The IMP, adopted in December 2017, is the municipality’s ambitious transportation plan aimed at reducing the percentage of Haligonians commuting by car every day. The plan recommended giving staff options for their daily work schedules (meaning not just 9 a.m. to 5 p.m.), compressed work weeks (meaning three or four days instead of five) and working remotely.

“Traditional transportation planning practices have led cities like Halifax to size road infrastructure to meet peak demand,” the IMP said.

“Since road network congestion is concentrated during the morning and afternoon peak hours, flexible work schedules can help alleviate some of the pressure.”

Thursday’s motion came from Councillor Lorelei Nicoll, the chair of the committee. Nicoll said she became a “champion” for flexible hours after consultant Rod McPhail presented the IMP “because I know that the widening of roads for two hours in the morning and two hours at supper could probably be addressed by giving people flexible hours and changing the time of the day that they go to work.”

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She said chief administrative officer Jacques Dubé supports exploring the idea.

Councillor Shawn Cleary said he urged some of the municipality’s larger employers to stagger their workers’ schedules during the Quinpool Rd. bridge closure in his district, and they asked him whether HRM has a policy of its own.

“It would be nice to actually have a policy around this so that when things like big construction projects happen, we can say, ‘Well, we’re doing it, you should do it too.’ It’s good for the economy, good for your employees and good for our infrastructure,” Cleary said.

Toronto adopted a similar policy in 2002, partly “because of the strain on public transit during peak hours in the downtown core.

“Traffic congestion and environmental issues are also a concern as more people travel further to work,” said a report to Toronto council.

According to a 2019 workforce report, Halifax Regional Municipality has 3,300 permanent staff.

With more than 200,000 people working in the municipality, according to 2016 census data, it’s a small percentage of the workforce. But the IMP said, as Cleary noted, that “leadership on this issue from employers such as the municipality can help initiate a culture change.”

A 1988 study in Honolulu, Hawaii, saw 3,500 employees — both government and some private-sector employees — in the civic centre work different hours from the rest of the 60,000 workers in the area.

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The study found there were benefits for people commuting at peak times, saving them a few minutes on their commutes.

“However, the effects were not uniform, and nonparticipants benefitted more than participants,” the study said.

“Many participants also experienced inconveniences associated with household activities. Project results suggest staggered work hours can improve travel conditions, but a permanent project should be as voluntary as possible to minimize problems of equity and inconvenience.”

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