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We’ve switched to biennial data gathering for the city profiles — The data available here was collected in early 2022 and originally published in last year’s Canadian City Parks Report.
City Profile
Halifax
2022
Nova Scotia
Population: 439,819
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  • Halifax has the fourth most hectares of parkland relative to population with 13 hectares per thousand people.
  • Halifax is above average for percentage of parkland that is natural area at 73%.
  • Halifax is one of 63% of cities that has an accessibility strategy that includes parks.
  • The municipality is working with Parks Canada to assess the possible designation of the Blue Mountain-Birch Cove Lakes area as a National Urban Park, in partnership with the Province of Nova Scotia and the Nova Scotia Nature Trust.
  • Halifax’s Cornwallis Park, originally named after the city’s founder, was renamed Peace and Friendship Park last summer in recognition of the founder’s mistreatment of the Mi’kmaq. The process was initiated in 2014, and Cornwallis’ statue was removed from the park in 2018.
  • A multi-level highway interchange will be redeveloped into the Cogswell District, a 6.5-hectare neighbourhood complete with four new parks, a transit hub, affordable housing, 500 trees and more. The neighbourhood strives to meet Rick Hansen gold certification in accessibility and will feature Mi'kmaw and African Nova Scotian culture and heritage through art and storytelling.
13.0
ha of parks & green space / 1000 people
Total parks and green space

Total hectares of parkland and green space that is publicly accessible and owned, leased, or under a management agreement by the municipality. This number should capture all parks and green spaces that are perceived/used by residents similarly to parkland.

Specifically, it should include:

  • Actively managed parkland
  • Natural parkland/areas
  • Other municipally owned, managed, or leased open spaces that are used as public green space

Excludes:

  • Golf courses
  • School yards, if owned/maintained by the municipality
  • Active (open) cemeteries
  • Sports stadia
  • Parking lots
  • Institutional and other publicly owned green space
  • Other parks/green spaces that are not owned, managed or leased by the municipality (e.g. privately owned public spaces)
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5,721 ha total

73%
2019 data
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of parkland is natural area

4,185 ha total

1%
75% of the area is undeveloped, containing vast areas of crown land and lakes, which yields a very small percentage of parkland.
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of total city land is parkland

592,700 ha of total city area

39
Includes dedicated seasonal off-leash areas.
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Dog parks
Off-leash dog areas

Includes both standalone dog parks and off-leash dog areas within parks.

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27
Community gardens/urban farms
Community gardens/urban farms

Community gardens/urban farms are food-growing gardens available for the public to use that may require membership. This includes community orchards.

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407
Playgrounds
Playgrounds

A playground refers to an area with purpose-built children’s playground equipment present, and may have just one single item of equipment or several items located together.

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21
67 additional portable washrooms are available in parks.
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Public washrooms

4 winterized public washrooms

$29
Parks operating expenditures / person
Operating expenditures (actuals)

Direct operating expenditures (not including revenues) for 2021 for maintaining parks and natural areas. This number will be used with your current year population to understand operating budget spent per person.

Includes:

  • planting and maintenance of trees in park/natural areas
  • graffiti & vandalism repair
  • management, administration & operational staff salaries
  • consultant/contractor costs
  • parks horticultural plantings
  • maintenance of closed cemeteries if carried out from the parks operating budget
  • parks litter pickup & waste disposal
  • inspection and maintenance of splash pads, playgrounds & outdoor fitness equipment
  • maintenance & replacement of park furniture
  • public toilets where maintained from parks budget
  • sports field maintenance
  • snow clearing and ice control for parks & natural areas
  • any other parks/green space maintenance costs except cemetery costs where the cemetery is "active"

Excludes: golf courses, swimming pools, indoor recreation facilities/halls, forestry, and zoos.

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$12,876,000 total

$10,010,000
2021-2022 approved budget, not actual expenditures. Excludes recreation buildings such as washrooms.
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Parks capital expenditures
Capital expenditures (actuals)

Capital expenditure for all capital items related to land improvement works completed during the 2021 financial year.

It includes:

  • Both new and renewal work
  • Capital items carried forward from previous years
  • Salaries and wages for all staff involved in the design, planning and delivery of capital projects.
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