COVER STORY
DOWNTOWN CORE, UPWARD TRENDS Transforming, expanding and improving Halifax by Mina Atia
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ousing the entertainment sector with Neptune Theatre, the Halifax Convention Centre, Scotiabank Centre and 200 restaurants and bars, downtown Halifax represents more than a billion dollars of property assessment.
“From an economic standpoint, there is no question that just as Halifax is the heart of Nova Scotia’s economic prosperity, downtown is the heart of Halifax’s economy,” says Paul MacKinnon, Chief Executive Officer of Downtown Halifax Business Commission.
Home to NSCAD University and within close range of Saint Mary’s and Dalhousie Universities, the area is inhabited by an influx of students annually and more than 15,000 office workers (pre-pandemic). It also boasts the most visited tourist sites in the province: the Halifax Waterfront and Halifax Citadel National Historic Site.
The downtown core is key to the economic growth and prosperity of our city with its undeniable appeal as a destination for people to visit, gather, shop, discover and in turn, spend.
Filled with unique and vibrant attractions, most of which are locally owned, downtown brings life to our city’s main streets––stretching all the way to the North End and across the bridge to Downtown Dartmouth. Together, this collective makes up the downtown core area offering exciting eatery, touring, and shopping experiences. It brings in tourists year after year while keeping the interest of locals.
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With 12 Business Improvement Districts across Nova Scotia collectively representing more than 4,000 businesses, the downtown core is supporting small business through economic recovery. “Small businesses truly are the backbone of our economy,” says Tracy Jackson, North End Business Association Executive Director. “Not only do they make up the lion’s share of employers in Nova Scotia, but they also provide innovation, inspire growth and keep money close to home in our neighbourhoods and communities.”
BUSINESS VOICE
