Halifax councillors are questioning why the budget for the mayor’s office has risen in a tough financial year when the mayor himself has urged all departments to find cuts and do more with less.

Across Wednesday and Thursday, staff in Mayor Andy Fillmore’s office answered questions from councillors on the budget committee about their 2026-27 budget.

The office’s budget has increased about 16 per cent over last year, to hit about $1.1 million. Part of the $156,000 increase was for a new communications and digital co-ordinator position, bringing the office from six to seven people.

Deputy Mayor Patty Cuttell was among multiple councillors who questioned those optics.

“We’ve had so much discussion around the table, particularly led from the mayor’s office and the mayor himself, about this needing to be a year where we tighten our belts,” Cuttell said.

Coun. Sam Austin said there are two different messages coming from the mayor’s office.

“All the discussion about, ‘Well, we have to focus on core services and not do nice-to-haves.’ It’s really hard to kind of square that with growing the mayor’s office at the same time,” he said.

Halifax is facing a possible 10.9 per cent average residential property tax increase. So far this budget season, Fillmore has urged every department to find cuts, supported considering a hike to paid parking fees and transit fares, as well as cutting grants by 10 per cent, and examining the impact of a hiring freeze.

Fillmore’s chief of staff, Joanne Macrae, told the committee the office spent about $91,000 on a consultant to work alongside Halifax human resources on a reorganization for the mayor’s office.

She said that study showed a need for a seventh person in the office to handle the workload as the city’s population boomed. Macrae said the office gets about 100 emails a day, and the need has also grown to respond to residents via social media, as many residents are now sharing their concerns online.

Coun. Laura White and Austin asked whether staff in the mayor’s office help with personal communications from Fillmore that might not align with the rest of council, like his push for the Halifax Forum redevelopment to be stopped.

“How does that benefit taxpayers? Why is this something that we should be billing taxpayers for?” White said.

Macrae said multiple staff in the office work with Fillmore on his posts and communications, including the one last month about the Forum project.

“The communications role is to ensure that residents are receiving timely information, and it’s transparent and responsive. So I think having these roles helps do that,” Macrae said.

Macrae said former chief administrative officer Cathie O’Toole had approved the seventh position being hired last summer because there was enough room in the 2025-26 budget. Human resources staff said that took place, but was done with the requirement that “there would need to be a budget increase approved by council” this year.

The mayor’s office still represents 0.1 per cent of the overall city’s operating budget, Macrae said, a share that has remained consistent over the past decade.

Fillmore said his office is already “leading the charge” of fiscal responsibility. By adding one position, the office has only grown about 20 per cent over the past decade. He said that is far lower than the 53 per cent increase over the same time for the entire Halifax operating budget.

Fillmore says focus should be on larger items

“This is the kind of success we should be reinforcing, not penalizing,” Fillmore said.

Fillmore said his budget increase represents such a small percentage of the overall city budget, and “we need to be looking at the larger dollar items” to help bring the tax increase down.

But multiple councillors said the budget committee has been scrutinizing every department the same way. 

“I think this is important to look at every stone. Flip ’em over, can we save any money?” said Coun. Shawn Cleary.

Cuttell said all options are being considered.

“We’re looking at $40,000 here, cuts to arts funding there, snow shovelling — like we are really scraping the bottom of the barrel,” Cuttell said.

This is the first year the mayor’s office has become a standalone business unit like the municipal auditor general’s office, and some councillors said that was another reason to take a closer look at its expenses.

Last summer, Fillmore repeatedly said he had issues with Halifax’s governance system, including how his office reported to the chief administrative officer’s department in the Halifax organizational chart. 

O’Toole, CAO at the time, suggested the mayor’s office should become an independent office and “remove any possible friction or perception of friction between the CAO’s office and mayor’s office.”

Macrae said Thursday the mayor’s office never made an “explicit direct request to the CAO to be removed” from their business unit.

Coun. Becky Kent said she wanted to be clear that the change stemmed from Fillmore’s concerns, and it is not OK to “shove that back at the CAO at the time.”

“I think there was a lot of ugliness around all of that in general, and I think that’s why we’re here now with this … deep dive into all of the expenses,” Kent said.

A motion to have the removal of one full-time position from the mayor’s office added to the list of possible budget cuts passed 11-5. Fillmore, and councillors David Hendsbee, Trish Purdy, Billy Gillis, and John Young voted no.

Budget cuts — and additions — will be decided next month before the overall budget is passed in late March.

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Animal protection officers with the P.E.I. Humane Society have seized another large number of animals, this time involving 57 reptiles and exotic species.

The shelter posted on social media Thursday that the Feb. 18 seizure was made under the provincial Animal Welfare Act. The society said it is caring for the animals along with its foster network while an investigation takes place.

Ashley Travis, development and communications co-ordinator for the P.E.I. Humane Society, would not comment on the specific species or breeds or where they were seized from.

She said the reptiles require need specialized enclosures or tanks with heat lamps, and they have very specific nutritional needs.

She said the shelter is providing equipment to some of the foster homes that need it, and is covering the cost of needs like food and bedding.

“There’s quite an expense with stuff like this, but it is part of the work we do to help protect these animals,” Travis said.

She said it’s too early to know if the animals will be put up for adoption.

“Like with a lot of investigations, this is a process and there is … rules and regulations and legislation in place to help protect the rights of the owner of these animals as much as the rights of us as animal protection and as an animal shelter,” Travis said.

“We have to go through that process and that will take a while. If the animals do go up for adoption, they will do so through our agency, though.” 

Exotic animals tend to stay at the shelter longer than more traditional pets because they require specialized housing, she said.

“They require somebody who has knowledgeable care and they require access to a veterinarian who has training in exotics,” she said. “It is a little bit more challenging to place those animals in homes more so than it would be a cat or a dog.” 

This is the second large seizure of animals this month. A seizure on Feb. 5 resulted in 43 dogs coming under the care of the society in another ongoing case. 

“I won’t lie to you and say that it’s all sunshine, roses and smiles at the shelter right now. It’s a lot of work,” Travis said. 

“We have had some very, very, very long days at the humane society over the last month. So I have appreciated anyone who’s shown up with a coffee for our team or some folks have shown up with donuts.”

B.C.’s most populous city is now part of a growing trend of crime where perpetrators threaten residents and businesses with violence in exchange for money.

The Vancouver Police Department (VPD) said on Wednesday it is actively investigating four extortion files — the first cases reported to police in the city.

“I can confirm that these four are the first four that we’re aware about in Vancouver,” said Const. Darren Wong in an email to CBC News.

The force is offering few details about the cases. It has not said if they involve shootings, as have been common in other jurisdictions with far more extortion, such as Surrey, Delta and Abbotsford.

VPD has also not said when the cases were reported but that arrests have been made.

“While I cannot comment on specifics about these four investigations as they are all in different stages, I can confirm that we have executed search warrants and arrests and are in the process of collecting more evidence in order to have charges laid,” wrote Wong.

The force said the victims all reside in Vancouver, but have businesses in the Fraser Valley.

It also said that of the four investigations, VPD has worked with the Surrey Police Service and the B.C. Extortion Task Force on two of them.

Police say it’s possible there are other cases in Vancouver and the force is asking victims to come forward to report the crime.

Surrey up to 53 extortion cases this year

Meanwhile, in Surrey, police say there have been 53 extortions reported to the force so far this year, up until Feb. 16, as well as 11 related shootings and two related arsons. They have targeted 31 victims, 17 of whom were previously targeted.

Surrey has been ground-zero for extortion in the region with the first cases popping up in November 2023.

Since then, the Surrey Police Service, along with other police agencies and various levels of government, have scrambled to try and keep up with the pace of the crime.

On Thursday, the federal government announced dedicated financial intelligence experts who will focus on extortion crime targeting Canadian businesses and households as part of the multi-jurisdictional strategy to try and combat the problem.

“Our message to criminals is both powerful and simple: Enough is enough,” said federal Finance Minister François-Philippe Champagne speaking from Mississauga, Ont., another extortion hotspot.

“We’re going to make their life miserable.”

Champagne announced that the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) will work closely with local law enforcement and prioritize receiving more timely and relevant financial intelligence to identify criminal networks and support investigations.

In a news release Thursday, the government also announced the launch of a partnership between FINTRAC and Canadian banks, credit unions and financial service providers, including cryptocurrencies, to enhance information sharing and provide clear guidance on how to detect extortion transactions. 

FINTRAC will also be publishing intelligence on how criminals launder proceeds, the news release said.

Surrey police said they are reviewing the announcement and how it will be implemented.

“Generally, however, we can say that any additional tools, resources, or involvement of agencies to assist in combatting extortions and crimes in Canadian communities is welcome,” said Staff Sgt. Lindsey Houghton.

PM meets with police in Surrey

Also on Thursday, Prime Minister Mark Carney was in Surrey meeting with local law enforcement to review changes his government is making to help tackle extortion.

That includes 80 amendments to Canada’s Criminal Code, tightening immigration laws to prevent extortion suspects from claiming asylum in Canada and resources to help victims of the crime.

“We are in the process of addressing this issue collectively with law enforcement, with our prosecutors, with our municipalities, with the provinces, with the federal government,” said Carney.

“We are going to stamp out extortion.”

An AI rendering of what the decommissioned Pattullo Bridge would look like as a pedestrian walkway has attracted plenty of social media attention and even some support from local politicians — but the provincial government says it’s a non-starter.

“There’s no point in keeping a door open and creating false hope on something that isn’t going to happen,” said Transportation Minister Mike Farnworth.

The proposal would see the bridge between New Westminster and Surrey preserved and refurbished, upgraded with greenery and benches, with the idea of it becoming a public space and attraction similar to New York City’s High Line, or the types of pedestrian walkways common in the centre of cities in South America, Europe and Asia.

It comes after a weekend where people were allowed to take a walk on the bridge before it was fully shut down, bringing out thousands of people and sparking plenty of nostalgia and hopes that the bridge could be preserved.

“The Pattullo Bridge could become our regional version of The High Line. Taking a look at how to keep it and turn it into something everyone could enjoy is definitely worth looking at,” said Surrey councillor Linda Annis, who is running for mayor with her Surrey First party.

“There’s definitely lots of questions, but if there’s a chance to create a major attraction that would have a positive impact on both sides of the Fraser River, it’s definitely worth considering,” added Annis.

New Westminster councillor Paul Minhas also voiced his support for refurbishing the Pattullo.

“Reusing existing infrastructure is not radical — it is responsive,” he wrote. “And most importantly, it respects the people who paid for this bridge in the first place.”

But there are plenty of reasons why the government is reticent.

WATCH | Justin McElroy explains the reasons the government is against the idea:

Why viral proposal to save Pattullo Bridge won’t happen

An AI rendering of what the Pattullo Bridge could look like if it was saved and converted to a pedestrian walkway is getting lots of talk. But the CBC’s Justin McElroy explains why there’s virtually no chance of it happening.

Old, unsafe, unsuitable, says minister

Farnworth outlined three major issues with keeping the Pattullo and turning it into a public space: its age, its seismic instability, and the need to get rid of the off-ramps for the Pattullo so the new Stal̕əw̓asəm bridge can integrate with Surrey and New Westminster as intended

“There’s a whole range of reasons why the bridge has to come down, and that’s unfortunate,” he said.

Farnworth said the amount of money the province would have to spend to make it safe wasn’t worth the investments it could make for transportation and public spaces elsewhere in the region, including areas closer to where there are higher concentrations of people than the end points of the Pattullo.

The government has long said the Pattullo bridge is seismically unsafe, and while many proponents of the AI rendering have argued it would be mitigated without cars on it, Farnworth disagreed.

“It’s nice to see people being creative, but at the end of the day, safety comes first.”

New Westminster Mayor Patrick Johnstone has long championed pedestrian walkways, but he also felt resigned to the difficulties of the proposal — though hoped people would stay enthusiastic about the concept of people-first public spaces.

“I’m all for spending money on good urbanism and good spaces, I just don’t think that’s the best investment,” he said.

“I think the new bridge is going to have nice pedestrian and cycling access on either side of it … but there are other places to put priorities right now other than upgrading a really, really old bridge that has some serious structural challenges for the long term.”

Ви знаєте свою кішку краще за будь-кого, а це означає, що ви добре розумієте, коли вона не в собі. Якщо ваш пухнастий член сім’ї останнім часом пережив якісь події, то цілком природно замислитися, чи не сумує ваша кішка, пише Parade Pets.

В статті зазначається, що, на жаль, кішка не може просто сказати вам, що вона засмучена. Проте вона все одно ділиться своїми почуттями, вам просто потрібно знати, на що звертати увагу.

Кожна кішка по-різному виявляє емоції, тому важко сказати, чи страждає вона від смутку. 

“Кішки спілкуються дуже тонко. Будь-які зміни в їхній поведінці можуть бути ознакою того, що щось не так фізично або психічно. Насправді, помітні зміни можуть свідчити про те, що ваша домашня тварина перебуває у стресовому стані, має поганий настрій або навіть має фізичні проблеми, які впливають на її психічний стан”, – поділилася ветеринар Еймі Уорнер.

Щоб допомогти вам краще зрозуміти свою кішку і розшифрувати, як пухнастики спілкуються, ветеринари зібрали 6 ознак того, що ваша кішка сумує:

1. Їхній розпорядок дня змінився

Іноді котам просто подобається змінювати звичний порядок речей. Однак ветеринар Гілларі Хамм-Бітті зауважила, якщо пухнастик почав спати в незвичайний час або пропускати звичні процедури, які ви знаєте і любите, це може бути ознакою того, що ваш кіт почувається пригніченим.

Щоб домашній улюбленець повернувся до звичного життя, ветеринар радить заохотити його це зробити за допомогою коротких ігор, затишного місця для сну або додаткових ласощів у звичний час, оскільки передбачуваність може допомогти підняти їм настрій.

2. Вони не доглядають за собою так, як зазвичай

За звичайних обставин коти проводять багато часу, доглядаючи за собою з гігієнічних міркувань, для зняття стресу та з багатьох інших причин. Якщо ви помітили, що ваш кіт різко скоротив час, який він приділяє догляду за собою, або взагалі припинив це робити, Хам-Бетті розповіла, що це свідчить про те, що кіт не почувається добре.

3. Вони більше сплять

Звички вашої кішки щодо сну та стиль обіймів можуть багато розповісти про її психічне здоров’я.

“Кішки менше сплять, коли відчувають психічне збудження та комфорт. Більше сну може свідчити про емоційне відсторонення, нудьгу або стрес, особливо після таких змін, як поява нового вихованця, переїзд або зміна щоденного розпорядку”, – зауважила ветеринар Еймі Уорнер.

Водночас, ветеринар додала, що це також може бути способом, яким організм вашої кішки відновлюється або зберігає енергію, коли щось не так.

4. Вони не хочуть гратися

Однією із ознак сумної поведінки котів є небажання гратися та бігати. Кожна кішка має різний рівень грайливості, але господар знає, що є типовим для його улюбленця.

“Втрата інтересу до ігор є дуже показовим знаком, оскільки ігри є індикатором розумової стимуляції. Кішки, які перестають гратися, можуть відчувати тривогу або нудьгу”, – пояснила Уорнер.

Ще коти можуть перестати гратися, коли є фізичне захворювання, тому важливо стежити за змінами в стані здоров’я тварини та помічати, чи немає у неї ознак депресії.

5. Вони не мають апетиту

Ще одна ознака незадоволеності кота пов’язана з його харчуванням. Якщо ваша кішка не їсть стільки, скільки зазвичай, це може бути винятком. 

Проте Хамм-Бітті радить, якщо кішка стала постійно їсти менше, ніж зазвичай, варто б звернутися до ветеринара.

“В еволюційному плані коти розвинули здатність приховувати ознаки хвороби, щоб захистити себе в дикій природі. Домашні коти зберегли цю рису і дуже добре приховують свою хворобу. Часто, коли власник тварини помічає такі ознаки, як зниження апетиту, кіт вже хворіє кілька днів або довше і потребує негайної ветеринарної допомоги”, – попередила вона.

6. Вони втрачають вагу

Однією з важливих ознак депресії у котів, на яку слід звернути увагу, є несподівана втрата ваги. 

“Коти можуть перестати їсти через стрес або нещастя, але часто причиною є фізичні проблеми, такі як проблеми з травленням, хронічні захворювання або проблеми із зубами”, – поділилася ветеринар.

Відстеження змін в апетиті, поведінці та стані тіла може допомогти вам розпізнати ранні ознаки того, що ваша кішка сумна, стресована або хвора.

Інші факти про котів

Раніше УНІАН повідомляв, що ветеринари перелічили можливі причини, чому кіт любить сидіти на клавіатурі та чи можна з цим впоратися.

Також ми писали, що власники пухнастиків знають, що коти люблять залазити в коробки. Ветеринари пояснили, чому коти так люблять закриті простори.

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York Regional Police are investigating a hit-and-run in Markham on Thursday that left a female with life-threatening injuries.

Emergency crews were called to the Denison Street and Featherstone Avenue area at around 3:41 p.m.

Investigators say a female pedestrian was crossing Denison when she was struck by a vehicle. The driver fled the scene in a dark-blue sedan with silver trim around the windows.

The injured female, whose age was not released, was rushed to a trauma centre with life-threatening injuries.

The intersection remains closed for an investigation.

More to come

The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott:

Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau met with Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet today in Washington, D.C. on the margins of the Board of Peace meeting. Deputy Secretary Landau and Prime Minister Manet commended the growing U.S.-Cambodia bilateral partnership and discussed a range of topics, including the Cambodia-Thailand border, combatting online scam operations that target American citizens, defense and security cooperation, as well as trade and investment opportunities.  Deputy Secretary Landau expressed appreciation for Prime Minister Manet’s decision to join the Board of Peace as a founding member and contribute to the international community’s efforts to promote peace in Gaza and elsewhere.

The below is attributable to Principal Deputy Spokesperson Tommy Pigott:

Today, Secretary Marco Rubio met with Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in Washington, DC.

Secretary Rubio thanked Pakistan for its ongoing support of President Trump’s Peace Plan for Gaza and for participating in the inaugural meeting of the Board of Peace as a founding member. He offered his condolences for the horrific January 31 attacks in Balochistan and the devastating February 6 bombing in Islamabad, reaffirming the importance of our continued partnership in the fight against terrorism.

The Secretary welcomed Pakistan’s participation in the recent Critical Minerals Ministerial in Washington. The officials discussed critical minerals and energy sector development, as well as commercial investment opportunities for American companies.