Letter to HRM

Spryfield Community Association recently sent a letter to HRM regarding some important issues. Here is a copy of the letter.

June 8, 2020

From: The Spryfield Community Association

To: Halifax City Council and Staff

The Spryfield Community Association recognizes the long history of racism in Halifax and the need for real change and more action by policymakers. We are urging the city of Halifax do more to fund community-based organizations, especially Black, African Nova Scotian and Indigenous organizations, that provide food security, recreation, mental health, educational and cultural support.

We want HRM to recognize that Halifax cannot police its way out of poverty, hunger, or illness. Change needs to happen to how we allocate our tax dollars.

The SCA is a volunteer run organization, but Halifax cannot rely so heavily on volunteers to keep this city together without more support. Adequately funded organizations who can afford to pay for necessary services, staff, and materials are needed to keep our communities healthy, safe, fed, and housed.

There are so many organizations all over the city, working hard in severely underfunded conditions, these groups should be given guaranteed annual funding so that they can plan long-term solutions and help create a healthy city.

We urge HRM to take the following actions:

  • Increase the budget for the Parks and Recreation department.
  • Make strong, clear, and defined commitments to increasing funding AND support for inclusion, health, and culture, long-term.
  • Support a city-wide initiative to allow local communities to create their own “community plans” that include not just development and infrastructure, but food security, poverty reduction, secure housing, etc.

Thank you,

The Spryfield Community Association.

www.myspryfield.org