VETERANS’ WEEK OBSERVATIONS
Each year, from November 5 to 11, hundreds of commemorative ceremonies and events will take place across our country to commemorate Veterans’ Week. These will be opportunities for all Canadians to recognize the contribution our veterans and military personnel have made and to honour those who made the ultimate sacrifice on behalf of Canada. Please remember them at the 11th hour, on the 11th day, of the 11th month in your own special way. Be sure to buy a poppy and pause to observe a two-minute moment of silence. We Shall Remember Them! Lest We Forget!

23rd HRM VOLUNTEER CONFERENCE
The Volunteer Conference is a celebration of the tremendous contributions of volunteers throughout our region. It gives residents an opportunity to participate in training, networking and learning that help them become more effective in their work and provide strong volunteer capacity in the municipality. This year marks the 23rd year of the annual Volunteer Conference hosted by HRM.

When: Friday, November 17, 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Where: Delta Hotel, 240 Brownlow Avenue, in Dartmouth (Cost: $35.00)

Register online at www.halifax.ca/myREC using course code 00077457 or call the registration line at 902.490.6666. Find more details at
www.halifax.ca/volunteerconference 

2024 VOLUNTEER AWARDS NOMINEESS
Each year the municipality recognizes the extraordinary contributions of individuals and groups who volunteer their time and skills to provide services and programs in our communities. Nominations are now being accepted for the 2024 Volunteer Awards in three categories: adult, youth (ages 13-19) and community group. Successful nominees will be notified in March 2024. An awards ceremony will coincide with National Volunteer Week (April 14 to 20, 2024). The deadline for nominations for the 2024 awards is Friday, January 5.

To find out more information about the awards, nomination criteria and to nominate someone in your community, visit www.halifax.ca/about-halifax/volunteering/volunteer-awards or by Fax 902-490- 4535 or by regular post to PO Box 1749, Halifax, NS B3J 3A5. Please note that a volunteer cannot have received this award in the last five years. To find out if nominees have received this award in the past, please contact Meaghan Dalton at meaghan.dalton@halifax.ca by telephone: 902-456-9683 or by emailing volunteerhelp@halifax.ca 

TAX EXEMPTION FOR LOCAL GROUPS
The municipality can help some local non-profit organizations reduce their property tax payments through the Tax Relief for Non-Profit Organizations Program. Applications must be filed by November 30, 2023. There are various types of tax reduction programs including Commercial to Residential Tax Rate Conversion, or to tiered level tax rate with 25%, 50%. 75% or 100% tax exemption.

For more information about this tax relief program can be found at www.halifax.ca/business/doing-business-halifax/tax-relief-non-profit-organizations 

Application forms can be retrieved online at https://cdn.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/business/grants/application-form-fillable_0.pdf 

Applications with all relevant documentation should be sent to HRM Grants Program: Non-Profit Tax Relief c/o HRM Finance & Asset Management PO Box 1749, Halifax, NS, B3J 3A5. Or drop it off at the HRM Customer Service Centres in Musquodoboit Harbour and Alderney Landing in Dartmouth.

For assistance, contact the Grants & Contributions office at 902-490-7191 or by emailing nonprofittax@halifax.ca

NS HUMAN RIGHTS NOMINATIONS
The NS Human Rights Commission (NSHRC) is seeking nominations for the 2023 NS Human Rights Awards. People and groups who are committed to advancing human rights in our Province can be nominated until November 3. Nominees are being sought in the categories of youth, individual and group/organization. The 2023 NSHR Awards will be presented on the United Nations International Human Rights Day, December 10. For more details and to submit a nomination, visit the NSHRC website at https://humanrights.novascotia.ca/ 

SENIOR SNOW REMOVAL PROGRAM
There is a snow removal program available to seniors (65 years of age or older) and for persons with disabilities throughout all areas of HRM. Its mandate is to provide a resource to clients for the removal of snow for safe access. The program offers assistance to clear snow from front steps and walkways, ramps and access to fuel tanks and/or firewood. The program does not apply to the clearing of driveways. You must reside in a single dwelling home that you own or rent. The program is limited to those households with a combined total income not exceeding $32,000. The program is NOT available to landlords. For more details, please call 311 HRM Contact Centre, the YMCA at 902-483-3678, or visit these websites for further details, visit www.halifax.ca/transportation/winter-operations/senior-snow-removal  or https://ymcahfx.ca/snowremoval/ 

Registration deadline is December 1 or sooner, depending upon the demand. All previous year’s clients will be called directly to ensure their renewal in the program. Be advised that this is a first come first served process, once we meet our maximum capacity, then the program will be closed, and new applicants will be placed on a waitlist. All applicants placed on the waitlist will be contacted if a space opens for them in the program. It is important to note that only applications with proper documentation will be considered for the program. Completed applications may be faxed to 902-423-8530 or e-mailed to ssr@halifax.ymca.ca or can be mailed or dropped off in person to: YMCA Senior Snow Removal, Community YMCA, 2269 Gottingen Street Halifax, NS B3K 3B7. Download forms at http://ymcahfx.ca/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/SRP-Details-and-Application-Form-2022-2023-2.pdf 

COASTAL PROPERTY CONSULTATION
The Province is contacting people who own coastal property in Nova Scotia and inviting them to provide input on how to plan and adapt development along the coastline in response to climate change. This will be the first time the Province is contacting coastal property owners directly to ask for their input on how to protect coastal structures and ecosystems, and keep people safe.

Property owners will be mailed a postcard with information about the consultation and how they can share their input online at https://novascotia.ca/climate-change-coastal-protection-consultation/ by email to coastalconsultation@novascotia.ca or by mail to Nova Scotia Environment and Climate Change, ATTN: Climate Change Division, P.O. Box 442, Halifax, N.S., B3J 2P8.

The deadline for submissions is November 7. For more information about the Provincial Plan: Our Climate, Our Future: Nova Scotia’s Climate Change Plan for Clean Growth, visit https://climatechange.novascotia.ca/sites/default/files/uploads/ns-climate-change-plan.pdf . Learn about the NS Coastal Protection Act by visiting https://nslegislature.ca/legc/bills/63rd_2nd/3rd_read/b106.htm 

COMMUNITY HAZARD RISK VULNERABILITY ASSESMENT (HRVA) SECOND SESSION
There was an initial HRVA meeting for District 2 held on Thursday, September 14 at Eastern Shore Community Centre Rink. An additional HRVA engagement session will be held on Tuesday, November 14, from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Sheet Harbour Lions Centre. You can also provide your input via an online survey at https://www.shapeyourcityhalifax.ca/hrva/survey_tools/hrva-survey-2023  More information about the HRVA engagement process can be found by visiting www.shapeyourcityhalifax.ca/hrva 

GSAR TEAMS ANNUAL HRM GRANTS
There are four Volunteer Ground Search and Rescue (GSAR) teams in HRM that provide assistance to all three levels of government in the event of a missing person search, an evacuation, natural or man-made disaster, or evidence search. HRM Operating Grants are based on an average of three years of core recurring operating expenses and exclude search call-out claims that are reimbursed by the agent of jurisdiction. Here are the 2023-24 Operating Grant awards:

• Eastern Shore GSAR - $31,046.00
• Sheet Harbour GSAR - $33.352.23
• Musquodoboit Valley GSAR - $52,865.55 

• Halifax Regional GSAR - $82,601.00

MUNICIPAL ARCHIVES DONATIONS
The Halifax Municipal Archives gladly considers donations of records that should be preserved and made accessible to the public, including documents, photographs, maps, plans, books, sound recordings, and film created by individuals, families, businesses or community organizations active within the municipality. Grassroots community organizations are not adequately represented in Canadian archives, and HRM intends to offer advice to community groups on caring for their historical records either in-house or through donating to an established archive. HRM Archives encourages community groups to use this Guide at https://cdn.halifax.ca/sites/default/files/documents/about-the-city/archives/GuideToArchivingForCommunityOrgs.pdf