Halifax

Halifax is an urban riding covering the Halifax Peninsula and surrounding communities in the southern part of Halifax Regional Municipality. It includes downtown Halifax, the historic North End and South End, the communities of Spryfield, Herring Cove, Sambro, Prospect, Purcell’s Cove, Harrietsfield, and Armdale. As part of the rapidly growing Halifax Regional Municipality (population 439,819 in 2021), the riding itself had a population of approximately 85,000.

Candidates

Andy Fillmore (Liberal) was the incumbent, first elected in 2015. Born in Bloomington, Indiana, to Atlantic Canadian parents, Fillmore returned to Nova Scotia at age four. He earned an undergraduate architecture degree from the Technical University of Nova Scotia (now part of Dalhousie University), a graduate degree in urban and rural planning, and a Master’s in Design Studies from the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Before politics, Fillmore had a distinguished career as an urban planner: he worked on Boston’s Big Dig project, founded the firm Interurban Planning & Design in Maine, served as Halifax’s first Manager of Urban Design, briefly directed Dalhousie’s School of Planning, and was vice president at the Waterfront Development Corporation. He was the first city planner elected to the House of Commons.

Lisa Roberts (NDP) was a former provincial MLA for Halifax Needham, elected in a 2016 by-election. Before entering politics, she spent five years as a journalist and broadcaster with CBC Radio’s Information Morning in Halifax, served as executive director of Veith House, and held a Master’s degree in Development Economics and a BA in International Development Studies from Dalhousie University.

Cameron Ells (Conservative) was a professional engineer, business owner, and environmental consultant. He had worked as a Dalhousie University environmental engineering instructor and coordinated a student science writing competition.

Jo-Ann Roberts (Green Party) was a veteran journalist with 20 years at CBC Radio and held a journalism degree from Carleton University and an MFA in Creative Nonfiction from the University of King’s College. She served as interim leader of the Green Party of Canada from November 2019 to October 2020. This was her third federal campaign.

B. Alexander Hébert (PPC) ran for the People’s Party of Canada.

Katie Campbell (Communist) ran for the Communist Party of Canada.

About the Riding

Halifax is the political, cultural, and economic heart of Nova Scotia and of Atlantic Canada. The Halifax Peninsula—home to the downtown core—experienced substantial growth between 2016 and 2021, with roughly 4,300 new residents and a 28 percent increase in downtown population. The riding hosts a concentration of universities and colleges—Dalhousie University, Saint Mary’s University, the University of King’s College, the Nova Scotia College of Art and Design (NSCAD), and the Nova Scotia Community College—giving it a large student population and a younger demographic profile than most of the province.

The riding’s economy is anchored by education, healthcare, government, technology, and the port. The Halifax Shipyard (Irving Shipbuilding), located in the riding, was awarded the $30-billion Canadian Surface Combatant contract and is a major employer. The Port of Halifax handles container and cruise ship traffic. The downtown core has seen a construction boom with new residential towers and commercial developments.

Housing affordability was the dominant issue in 2021. Halifax experienced some of the fastest rent increases in Canada, and vacancy rates fell to historic lows, disproportionately affecting students, low-income residents, and newcomers. Homelessness and encampments became increasingly visible. Climate policy, public transit expansion, and healthcare access were also significant concerns. The riding has a diverse population, including significant Black Nova Scotian communities in the North End with roots dating back centuries, as well as growing immigrant and refugee populations.