Official Opposition Push PCs for Action on Traffic, Road Conditions

HALIFAX – On Thursday afternoon, NSNDP Leader Claudia Chender questioned the government about traffic conditions in the Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM). Halifax has the third worst traffic congestion in Canada, behind only Vancouver and Toronto. In 2025, Halifax drivers lost more than 111 hours of their lives to rush hour traffic: that’s more than four and a half days.

Outside of HRM, Nova Scotians frequently report that roads and highways are in poor condition, and potholes aren’t fixed fast enough. Today the NSNDP have launched a new website, www.worstroadns.ca, that asks Nova Scotians to share their feedback and struggles travelling throughout their communities. These stories will be used to inform policy and suggest more meaningful action that can be taken to improve our roads and commutes.

“Getting to work, school, or travelling into Halifax for a medical appointment or meeting costs Nova Scotians their valuable time—and as gas prices soar–more of their hard-earned money.

“In communities across the province, many people are also paying out-of-pocket to repair damage to their vehicles from roads that aren’t being maintained properly,” said Chender. “People aren’t asking for a lot. They just want to get where they’re going safely and efficiently. They’re looking for this government to have a plan to make some real changes.”

The Houston government has actually made the problem worse by refusing to fund Halifax’s Rapid Transit Strategy, ordering civil servants back to their offices in the downtown core, and failing to ensure new areas of housing have adequate transit. They even proposed deep cuts to the Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) student bus pass program in the Spring budget – cuts the NDP had to pressure them to walk back.

“Even with the changes announced by the government, people are still sitting in grid-lock,” said Chender. “Commuting in and between communities to get where you need to go everyday has a huge impact on people’s lives.

“Today we asked the government about their plan to address congestion. If Nova Scotians don’t start seeing solutions people are going to waste more time in traffic, spend more money and be even more frustrated.”

-30-