Audit finds Halifax unaware of condition of many municipal buildings
A performance audit by the Halifax Regional Municipality's auditor general found that 96 municipal buildings have never been assessed, with significant gaps in preventative maintenance and facility management planning.
A new report from the auditor general has revealed that the Halifax Regional Municipality does not know the condition of many of its buildings. The performance audit examined municipally owned facilities over a two-year period from April 2023 to March 2025.
According to the findings, the conditions of 96 buildings have never been assessed. Of those, 43 are more than 25 years old. Management noted that the last major building assessment was conducted in 2013.
The audit also identified shortcomings in upkeep, finding that 25 per cent of tested building equipment missed preventative maintenance schedules. These gaps raise concerns that significant building deficiencies may not be detected, potentially leading to increased reactive maintenance, unexpected replacement costs, safety concerns, and a greater risk of unexpected disruptions resulting in costly repairs.
Halifax’s Property Fleet and Environment Management department does not have a facility management plan or documented processes, relying instead on informal practices. Management stated that having a plan for facility maintenance has not been possible due to resource constraints.
In 2024, Halifax developed a facility asset management policy and started implementing it after the audit period concluded. However, the audit criticized the new policy for lacking clear objectives and comprehensive coverage.
The audit made 12 recommendations in total. Among them is a proposal to fast-track an eight-year strategy to assess all Halifax-owned facilities.