Life in Halifax

A growing population and a thriving economy. Affordable housing and superior health care and educational facilities. There are countless reasons why Halifax is an enviable place for a growing number of people to work and live.

Lifestyle
Halifax is the business, financial, educational, social, and cultural centre for Canada's East Coast.

Health Care
Halifax is a Canadian centre for excellence in health care.

• Rated #5 for health care in North America (Places Rated Almanac, 2000)
• Only tertiary care facility in Canada's East Coast
• North American leader in health care for children and maternity
• One of the most comprehensive and responsive 911 systems in Canada

There are countless reasons why Halifax is an increasingly popular place for people to work and live. A growing population, a thriving economy, affordable housing, superior health care and educational facilities are just a few of those reasons.

Halifax is the business, financial, educational, social and cultural centre for Canada's East Coast. There are:

• Six degree-granting institutions
• Vibrant arts and culture environment - symphony, theatre, art galleries, museums, historic sites, major junior hockey
• Variety of recreation - parks, beaches, hiking, boating, golf
• Countless dining establishments and exciting nightlife
• Median commute - 6.3 km or 3.9 miles
• Over 20% of Halifax workers walk or bike to work

Halifax is a Canadian centre for excellence in health care.

• Only tertiary care facility in Canada's East Coast
• North American leader in health care for children and maternity
• One of the most comprehensive and responsive 911 systems in Canada

For more detailed economic data for Greater Halifax, see Facts & Figures

Thanks in part to the Gulf Stream waters, Halifax is blessed with idyllic summer days that give way to leisurely falls, mild winters, and vibrant springs. Our climate provides us with negligible risk of business disruption from extreme weather conditions such as hurricanes, tornados, and earthquakes.

All emergency services in the Halifax Regional Municipality, and in Nova Scotia, are accessible through our 911 system administered by the Nova Scotia Emergency Management Office (EMO). EMO is responsible for integrated emergency planning, response, preparedness training, and search and rescue operations throughout our province. The structure of the Halifax Regional Municipality’s EMO service is outlined in a municipal by-law.

Our 911 system proved itself to be among the most effective and best coordinated in the world in 2003 when Hurricane Juan resulted in the greatest emergency response effort in Nova Scotia since the Halifax Explosion of 1917.

Police Service
Halifax Regional Police provide general policing services in the Halifax Regional Municipality’s urban core - Halifax, Dartmouth, and Bedford. They also provide business services such as Business Safety Programs and a Business Watch program modeled after the successful Neighbourhood Watch program.

Greater Halifax is also the headquarters location for the Royal Canadian Mounted Police H Division that serves all of Nova Scotia. The RCMP provides general policing services for suburban and rural areas of the Halifax Regional Municipality including Halifax Stanfield International Airport.

Fire and Emergency Services
Greater Halifax is home to Canada’s oldest organized fire fighting service. In 2004, Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Services celebrated its 250th anniversary of protecting our community. Each year, Halifax Regional Fire and Emergency Services responds to more than 12,000 calls including fires, rescues, medical emergencies, accidents, and hazardous materials incidents.

Our municipality is divided into two broad areas for fire and emergency services. The urbanized core area includes Halifax, Dartmouth, Cole Harbour, Eastern Passage, Westphal, Bedford, and Sackville and is served by 17 stations. The non-core area is served by 42 stations and staffed by a mix of volunteer and career firefighters all coordinated by a central dispatch system.