The majority of Haligonians consider the economic, residential and commercial growth over the last decade a boon to the municipality, according to the CityThink poll.
Sixty-seven per cent of respondents in the survey said economic growth over the last 10 years has been beneficial to HRM. The numbers were similarly high for residential and commercial growth — with 69 per cent and 70 per cent, respectively.
“That positive nature, that confidence that people have in the future and the growth that’s occurred … is quite important,” said Fred Morley, senior vice-president of the Greater Halifax Partnership. “That feeds into the economy.”
Craig Wight, senior vice-president of Bristol Omnifacts Research, said the results were a strong indication Haligonians by and large support the direction their city is going.
But the enthusiasm was not unanimous.
Ten per cent of respondents said recent residential growth has been bad for the city, and six per cent said the same of commercial growth.
“The people who weren’t happy with the growth said the city’s different, it’s expanded too fast, those kind of things,” said Wight. “But (they were) clearly in the minority.”
According to Wight, one of the benefits of the survey is that a cross-section eliminates the interests of the “vocal minorities” that dominate the issue, whether for or against.
