The Halifax Regional Municipality is advising residents of the following municipal program and service level adjustments for the upcoming 2021/22 holiday season:

Solid Waste Collection and Facility Hours

Garbage, organics and recyclables collection services will not be affected by the holidays. Residents are reminded that collection services can begin as early as 7 a.m.; to ensure collection, materials may be placed curbside the evening prior to collection day.

The Household Special Waste (HSW) Depot will be closed on Saturday, Dec. 25 and Saturday, Jan. 1, reopening on Saturday, Jan. 8 from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m.

The Otter Lake Waste Facility, the municipal recycling plant and the composting facilities will be closed on Saturday, Dec. 25, Sunday, Dec. 26, Saturday, Jan. 1 and Sunday, Jan. 2, but will be open on Friday, Dec. 24 and Friday, Dec. 31 for regular business hours.

To learn more about solid waste facility holiday hours, click here. Sign up for weekly collection reminders and service alerts, or print a calendar customized for your address here. For a complete HSW schedule, click here.

Halifax Transit Bus & Ferry Services

Halifax Transit buses will be operating on holiday service (Sunday) schedules on Saturday, Dec. 25, Sunday, Dec. 26 and Saturday, Jan. 1. Detailed holiday service schedules for conventional buses can be foundhere. 

The Alderney and Woodside ferries will not be operating on Saturday, Dec. 25 or Saturday, Jan. 1. Ferries will be operating on holiday service (Sunday) schedules on Sunday, Dec. 26. See the holiday service schedule for ferries here.

In support of M.A.D.D. Halifax Regional Chapter, Halifax Transit will be offering free extended bus and Alderney Ferry service on New Year’s Eve, Friday, Dec. 31, beginning at 6 p.m. For further details on the free and extended New Year’s Eve bus and Alderney Ferry services, click here.

Residents are reminded that based on current staff availability, Halifax Transit anticipates that conventional bus and ferry services will be impacted for approximately the next two weeks. On weekdays, the Alderney Ferry will only have 15-minute service between 7 a.m. and 2 p.m., and 30-minute service between 2 p.m. and 11:30 p.m. A full list of cancelled trips can be found here. Access-A-Bus service is expected to continue as usual.

Staff are working diligently to minimize service loss, and will provide as much notice as possible to passengers. For the most up-to-date information on service disruptions, residents can visit halifax.ca or follow@hfxtransit and @hfxtransitalert on Twitter.

Recreation Facilities, Programs & Services

Many recreation facilities will be operating on irregular schedules between Friday, Dec. 24 and Monday Jan. 3. Please call ahead to your local facility in advance to confirm complete holiday operating hours. Recreation facility contact information can be found here.

The Emera Oval will be tentatively opening for the 2021/22 winter season on Wednesday, Dec. 22, weather depending. Holiday skates will tentatively be held on Friday, Dec. 24, Sunday, Dec. 26, Friday, Dec. 31 and Saturday, Jan 1. For more information, click here.

Residents are invited to visit the Halifax Public Gardens Holiday Lights, a festive trail of holiday lights and music display, as part of Nova Scotia’s Evergreen Festival. This free experience will be open from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m. each night, until Saturday, Jan. 1, 2022. For further information, click here.

Further information on municipal services during COVID-19 can be found here.

Customer Contact Centres

The 311 Contact Centre will be closed for general inquiries on Saturday, Dec. 25 and Saturday, Jan. 1, however, residents may call 311 for urgent concerns regarding transportation, municipal operations, facilities, animal services and illegally parked vehicles. 

The 311 Contact Centre can be reached either by phone or email at contactus@311.halifax.ca. The three in-person Customer Service Centres will be closed on Monday, Dec. 27, Tuesday, Dec. 28 and Monday Jan. 3. For more information, click here. 

The Planning & Development counter at the municipal Customer Service Centre, located at 7071 Bayers Road, will be closed from Friday, Dec. 24 until Tuesday, Jan. 4, 2022. Residents are reminded that they may apply for permits online at any time.  

Parking

On-street parking will be free on Monday, Dec. 27, Tuesday, Dec. 28 and Monday, Jan. 3, however, motorists must abide by other posted signage, such as accessible parking, fire hydrants and no-stopping. Residents are reminded that parking is free on weekdays after 6 p.m., and on weekends and holidays. For more information on parking, click here.

A reminder that the winter parking ban is in effect annually from December 15 to March 31, however, vehicles can be towed at any time, any day of the year, if they are interfering with snow-clearing operations, as per Section 139 of the Nova Scotia Motor Vehicle Act.

Civic Events

Municipal New Year’s Eve celebrations will take place virtually this year to allow residents to ring in the new year safely. More details will be available in the coming days.

Have a safe and happy holiday season.

Source: Release