Halifax cancels New Year's Day levee, uses funds to support homeless residents
'I do enjoy the levee very much — my heart just tells me that this year's a little bit different,' says mayor
The New Year's Day levee at Halifax's city hall has been cancelled this year in light of the ongoing homelessness crisis, with council agreeing instead to fund meals for people sleeping in tents.
Mayor Mike Savage announced his decision to cancel the annual event during regional council Tuesday evening.
The levee is one of many held around the city, and sees municipal councillors and the mayor welcome the public into city hall with food and drinks.
As of last week, more than a thousand people around Halifax are homeless. Just steps from city hall, more than a dozen people are sleeping in insulated ice-fishing tents in Grand Parade, with other encampments up around the region.
"Every night I think as I go to bed — is somebody gonna … freeze to death or burn," Savage said during the meeting, days after people escaped from a tent fire.
"I do enjoy the levee very much — my heart just tells me that this year's a little bit different."
Savage said he could cancel the levee on his own, but needed council's permission to donate $8,500 from his office to the North End Community Health Centre.
The organization supports people experiencing homelessness in various ways, and Savage said this donation will go toward at least one healthy meal a day for people living in Grand Parade over the coming weeks.
"This is really about the folks — our neighbours … human beings, not bad people, they just can't afford a place to live, making sure that they get a bit of food throughout the season," Savage said.
"It's not a lot of money but it does provide something."
Most councillors spoke in favour of the idea, saying while they'll miss the levee this seems like the right approach for this year.
Some said they plan to attend levees in their own districts on New Year's Day instead, or volunteer to serve free meals with soup kitchens or other non-profits.
"There's all kinds of places where we could be volunteering, and getting out there and serving the folks who need us," said Coun. Shawn Cleary.
Instead of cancelling, Coun. David Hendsbee suggested welcoming people sleeping rough into the levee, giving them food leftover from the event, or encouraging attendees to bring donations of food or socks "and give a gift as a part of the levee as a new tradition."
Hendsbee was the sole vote against the motion, which passed Tuesday.
As of Friday, the Nova Scotia lieutenant-governor's New Year's Day levee at Government House in Halifax is still going ahead. Donations of new, clean socks are being accepted to support outreach and foot care clinics from the North End Community Health Centre.
A spokesperson from the lieutenant-governor's office said sock donations have been a need identified by community members.
Melissa Goertzen said the office "is separate from offices working at the municipal, provincial, and federal levels, and does not have the authority to distribute funds in the same manner as the mayor, premier, or prime minister."
The annual New Year's Eve concert and fireworks has also been moved this year from Grand Parade to the Halifax Oval.
Municipalities elsewhere in Nova Scotia are also using their funds to help people in need this season.
A release from the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg on Friday said council recently decided to donate up to $1,000 each for four food banks. They also approved $3,000 each for the Souls Harbour Warming Centre and the overnight shelter operated by the South Shore Open Doors Association.
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