September 29, 2025

Dear HRM Mayor Fillmore, Councillors and CAO,

Canada’s National Day for Truth and Reconciliation commemorates the children who died in the residential schools, supports Survivors, and calls for systemic change to create a healthier future for Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples. A Nov 2024 Point-in-Time (PiT) count found ~181 unhoused Indigenous people in HRM. That is 16% of HRM’s total of 1,132 homeless individuals. That is an extreme overrepresentation of Indigenous people who are only 3.8% of the HRM population.

The apartment building pictured here is at Charles and Robie Streets. It has seven newly, extensively renovated homes that housed seven First Nations families. Government recently used public money to buy the building to demolish it. The building now sits empty.

2536 Robie St, newly renovated 7-unit First Nations Apartment Building. Purchased by government for demolition.

The demolition is part of a $200m plan to purchase to demolish 12-14 buildings in the short section from North St to south of Charles St to widen Robie St to add a 2nd bus lane. Data shows widening roads, even for public transit does not reduce traffic or congestion. Overhead bidirectional signals are a simple cheap solution to optimize transit and protect 50 to 70 homes and 80 trees. 

Of the 94 calls for action for Truth and Reconciliation-none conform with your evicting, displacing and demolishing First Nations’ homes. This plan is unnecessary, harmful and must be stopped. Repopulate this and other empty buildings. 

Work to create a healthier future for Indigenous and non-indigenous peoples.

Yours truly, 
Peggy Cameron
Friends of Halifax Common