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Andy Fillmore

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His Worship
Andy Fillmore
Fillmore in 2024
4th Mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality
Incumbent
Assumed office
November 5, 2024
Preceded byMike Savage
Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Democratic Institutions
In office
January 30, 2017 – November 20, 2019
MinisterKarina Gould
Preceded byMark Holland
Succeeded byPosition abolished
Chairman of the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs
In office
February 4, 2016 – January 27, 2017
Preceded byBlake Richards
Succeeded byMaryAnn Mihychuk
Member of Parliament
for Halifax
In office
October 19, 2015 – August 31, 2024
Preceded byMegan Leslie
Succeeded byShannon Miedema
Personal details
Born (1966-04-25) April 25, 1966 (age 59)
Bloomington, Indiana, U.S.
Political partyLiberal
Residence(s)Halifax, Nova Scotia, Canada[1]
Alma materTechnical University of Nova Scotia
Harvard Graduate School of Design
ProfessionCity planner, urban designer

Andy Fillmore (born April 25, 1966) is an American-born Canadian politician who has been the mayor of the Halifax Regional Municipality since November 5, 2024.[2] He previously served as a Liberal Party of Canada Member of Parliament for the riding of Halifax from 2015 until 2024.[3]

Early life and education

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Born in Bloomington, Indiana to Atlantic Canadian parents studying abroad in the United States, Fillmore returned to the family's native Nova Scotia at the age of four. In Halifax he attended Tower Road School, Halifax Grammar School, Gorsebrook Junior High, and Queen Elizabeth High School. He began his post-secondary studies in engineering at Acadia University but transferred to the Technical University of Nova Scotia (since merged into Dalhousie University) where he completed an undergraduate architecture degree in 1990, followed by a graduate degree in urban and rural planning in 1992. He was awarded a graduate degree in Design Studies (specialty in Urban Design) from the Harvard Graduate School of Design in 1995.[4]

Planning career

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An urban planner and urban designer by profession, Fillmore began his career in Boston, Massachusetts working on the Big Dig project as an intern urban designer from 1992 to 1994. He then joined the architecture and planning firm Arrowstreet Inc. In 2001, he moved to Maine where he was the Town Planner in Cumberland, Maine, and then in 2003 founded the architectural design and town planning firm Interurban Planning & Design. In 2005, he returned home to Halifax, Nova Scotia to serve as the first-ever Manager of Urban Design for the City of Halifax, leading the implementation of the "HRM by Design" Downtown Halifax Plan.[5] He then briefly served as director of the Dalhousie University School of Planning from July 2012 to February 2013, when he left to become vice president of planning and development at the Waterfront Development Corporation Limited, a Crown corporation charged with revitalizing prominent post-industrial waterfronts in Nova Scotia, until his election in October 2015.

Member of Parliament

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On November 2014 Fillmore won the Liberal party's nomination for Halifax[6]. On October 19, 2015, after the longest official campaign in over a century, Justin Trudeau led the Liberals to a decisive victory in the federal election, during which Fillmore defeated Megan Leslie, an NDP MP who had represented Halifax for two terms.

As Member of Parliament for Halifax, Fillmore held a number of additional responsibilities in the House of Commons and in the Government of Canada. Beginning in January 2017, Fillmore was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Democratic Institutions, Karina Gould. Beginning September 2018, Fillmore was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Canadian Heritage and Multiculturalism, Pablo Rodriguez. Following his reelection to the House of Commons for the 43rd Canadian Parliament in the October 2019 federal election, Fillmore was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to Canada's Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, Catherine McKenna. Following his reelection to the House of Commons for the 44th Canadian Parliament in October 2021, Fillmore was appointed Parliamentary Secretary to Canada’s Minister of Innovation, Science and Economic Development, Francois-Philippe Champagne. During his nine years as a Parliamentarian Fillmore also sat on a number of House of Commons standing committees. These included chairing the Standing Committee on Indigenous and Northern Affairs,[7][8] and membership on the Procedures and House Affairs Committee (PROC); membership on the Canadian Heritage Committee (CHPC), Membership on the Veterans Affairs Committee (ACVA), membership on the Transport, Infrastructure and Communities Committee (TRAN); membership on the Industry and Technology Committee (INDU), and; membership on the National Defence Committee (NDDN).

Mayor of Halifax Regional Municipality

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On July 3, 2024, he announced his candidacy for mayor of Halifax in the 2024 municipal election,[9] and resigned his position as the Member of Parliament for Halifax on August 31, 2024.[10] He was elected mayor on October 19 with 42.4 per cent of the vote, defeating three-term councillor Waye Mason.[11]

Fillmore was sworn in as mayor along with the rest of regional council on November 5, 2024.[12]

Housing

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During his election campaign, in the context of an ongoing housing shortage affecting Halifax and Nova Scotia, Fillmore suggested that the Canada Post sorting and distribution plant on Almon Street in Halifax be redeveloped as housing.[13] In response, a spokesperson for Canada Post stated that the facility was "central to mail service in Atlantic Canada" and that the Crown corporation had no plans to relocate it.[14]

Fillmore also pledged, if elected, to remove tents erected by homeless people outside designated encampment sites within 24 hours. He claimed that Halifax's designated outdoor encampment sites, sanctioned by the municipality in an attempt to manage homelessness, were attracting unhoused people to Halifax from across Canada. Homelessness workers responded that Fillmore's comments were inaccurate. Waye Mason, an incumbent councillor also running for mayor, commented that municipal data indicated that 61 per cent of homeless people had resided in Halifax for more than a decade, while another 39 per cent had been in Halifax for over five years, making Fillmore's claims "provably untrue". Federal housing advocate Marie-Josée Houle stated that Fillmore's promise to forcibly remove tents would violate the human rights of unhoused people.[15][16]

Fillmore also argued against expanding the number of approved encampment locations. During his first in-chamber council meeting on November 12, 2024, Fillmore put forward a motion to remove nine locations from the municipality's list of potential future encampment sites, arguing that there existed sufficient indoor shelter capacity.[17] The motion was debated at council on December 3, 2024 and defeated.[18][19] Fillmore commented that he believed the "worst of the housing crisis" had passed, contradicting the municipality's own director of housing and provoking critical responses from housing organizations.[18][20]

Transportation

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While campaigning for mayor, Fillmore highlighted worsening traffic in Halifax and pledged to fix potholes, reduce congestion, and make transit reliable.[21] He also campaigned against a section of multi-use pathway to be constructed on Coburg Road as part of the Halifax Urban Greenway project.[22][23]

On June 10, 2025, Fillmore put forward a motion to pause the awarding of bike lane design and construction contracts, citing worsening traffic congestion, "a lack of system-wide planning", and escalating costs.[24] Sustainable transportation advocates organized a rally in opposition that morning at the Grand Parade, commenting that cycling infrastructure constituted only a small proportion of the overall roads budget.[25] Fillmore's motion was defeated with 12 voting against and 5 in support. Councillors who voted against the motion stated that bike lanes were not the cause of congestion and that the motion was not aligned with the municipality's strategic plans, while those in support commented that bikeway plans warranted a "sober second look".[26][27][28] Multiple councillors stated that Fillmore's claims about bike lanes worsening congestion lacked substantiating evidence.[29] Fillmore put forward a follow-up motion that passed, 11 to 6, requesting a staff report about the design of the planned Morris Street bike lane.[27]

Electoral record

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2024 Halifax municipal election
Mayoral candidate Vote %
Andy Fillmore 52,413 42.43
Waye Mason 30,906 25.02
Pam Lovelace 19,745 15.98
Jim Hoskins 7,220 5.84
Darryl Johnson 4,667 3.78
Greg Frampton 2,644 2.14
Riley Murphy 1,337 1.08
Andrew Goodsell 855 0.69
Ross Rankin 854 0.69
Nolan Greenough 607 0.49
Alex Andreas 540 0.44
David Boyd 486 0.39
Bob Anders 448 0.36
Zoran Jokic 404 0.33
Ryan Dodge 229 0.19
Sean Dibbin 174 0.14


2021 Canadian federal election: Halifax
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Andy Fillmore 21,905 42.74 +0.27 $103,501.55
New Democratic Lisa Roberts 20,347 39.70 +9.66 $90,503.01
Conservative Cameron Ells 6,601 12.88 +1.30 $2,924.56
Green Jo-Ann Roberts 1,128 2.20 –12.17 $12,448.57
People's B. Alexander Hébert 1,069 2.09 +0.95 $3,500.64
Communist Katie Campbell 198 0.39 – $0.00
Total valid votes/expense limit 51,248 99.38   $108,761.04
Total rejected ballots 322 0.62 –0.02
Turnout 51,570 66.06 –6.96
Registered voters 78,065
Liberal hold Swing –4.70
Source: Elections Canada[30]
2019 Canadian federal election: Halifax
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Andy Fillmore 23,681 42.48 −9.25 $77,935.01
New Democratic Christine Saulnier 16,747 30.04 −6.09 $92,096.82
Green Jo-Ann Roberts 8,013 14.37 +11.08 $46,730.72
Conservative Bruce Holland 6,456 11.58 +2.97 none listed
People's Duncan McGenn 633 1.14 – none listed
Animal Protection Bill Wilson 222 0.40 – $2,719.51
Total valid votes/expense limit 55,752 99.36   $102,876.75
Total rejected ballots 361 0.64 +0.16
Turnout 56,113 73.02 +0.40
Eligible voters 76,843
Liberal hold Swing -1.58
Source: Elections Canada[31]
2015 Canadian federal election: Halifax
Party Candidate Votes % ±% Expenditures
Liberal Andy Fillmore 27,431 51.73 +26.08 $134,528.53
New Democratic Megan Leslie 19,162 36.13 –15.49 $169,615.12
Conservative Irvine Carvery 4,564 8.61 –9.41 $22,288.40
Green Thomas Trappenberg 1,745 3.29 –1.10 $692.58
Marxist–Leninist Allan Bezanson 130 0.25 -0.09 –
Total valid votes/expense limit 53,032 99.51   $204,329.68
Total rejected ballots 259 0.49
Turnout 53,291 72.62
Eligible voters 73,379
Liberal gain from New Democratic Swing +20.78
Source: Elections Canada[32][33]

References

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  1. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved January 23, 2021.
  2. ^ Cuthbertson, Richard (October 19, 2024). "Andy Fillmore has been elected Halifax's next mayor". CBC News.
  3. ^ Heide Pearson (October 19, 2015). "Liberal Andy Fillmore wins the Halifax seat, beating out NDP Megan Leslie". Global News. Retrieved October 20, 2015.
  4. ^ Wedge, Ben (November 22, 2012). "Andy Fillmore sees a bright future for Dal's Planners". The Sextant.[permanent dead link]
  5. ^ Zaccagna, Remo (March 21, 2016). "Halifax urged to foster niche housing". Local Xpress. Archived from the original on March 25, 2016. Retrieved March 23, 2016.
  6. ^ Smith, Amy (August 24, 2015). "Canada election 2015: Halifax and what's at stake". CBC News. Retrieved July 19, 2025.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link)
  7. ^ McGregor, Janyce. "Meet the Commons committees of the 42nd Parliament". CBC News. Retrieved February 1, 2016.
  8. ^ Minutes of Proceedings, February 4, 2016.
  9. ^ "Andy Fillmore, outgoing Liberal MP, officially running for mayor of Halifax | Globalnews.ca". Global News. Retrieved July 4, 2024.
  10. ^ Ryan, Haley (September 3, 2024). "Andy Fillmore resigns MP seat, becomes official candidate for Halifax mayor". CBC News.
  11. ^ Cuthbertson, Richard (October 19, 2024). "Andy Fillmore has been elected Halifax's next mayor". CBC News.
  12. ^ Ryan, Haley (November 6, 2024). "New Halifax council sworn in, predominantly women for first time". CBC.
  13. ^ Sampson, Andrew (February 22, 2024). "Halifax MP urges Canada Post to sell prime city land to make way for new housing". CBC.
  14. ^ Armstrong, Lyndsay (June 11, 2024). "Canada Post resists pitch to move Halifax sorting plant to allow for housing". Global News.
  15. ^ Armstrong, Lyndsay (September 26, 2024). "Andy Fillmore says Halifax attracts unhoused people, advocates say that's untrue". CBC. The Canadian Press.
  16. ^ Bousquet, Tim (September 25, 2024). "Andy Fillmore's despicable lie about Halifax's unhoused". Halifax Examiner.
  17. ^ Rent, Suzanne (November 13, 2024). "Mayor Andy Fillmore wants to remove nine sites from list of potential designated encampments". Halifax Examiner.
  18. ^ a b Rent, Suzanne (December 3, 2024). "Mayor Andy Fillmore: 'I believe that the worst of the housing crisis in HRM is behind us'". Halifax Examiner.
  19. ^ Lau, Rebecca (December 4, 2024). "Andy Fillmore, Halifax's new mayor, loses motion to scrap designated encampment site list". Global News.
  20. ^ Armstrong, Lyndsay (December 17, 2024). "Halifax is past the worst of its housing crisis, mayor says. Advocates disagree". Global News.
  21. ^ "Why I'm Running". Andy Fillmore for Mayor. Campaign for Andy Fillmore for Mayor. 2024.
  22. ^ Stickland, Matt (July 25, 2024). "Councillor Cleary backstops HRM's failed strategic plans". The Coast.
  23. ^ Rankin, Andrew (August 29, 2024). "Would-be Halifax mayors at odds over south-end multi-use path". The Chronicle Herald.
  24. ^ Moscovitch, Philip (June 6, 2025). "Andy Fillmore wants city to pause work on bike lanes". Halifax Examiner.
  25. ^ Rent, Suzanne (June 9, 2025). "Cyclists organize rally as Halifax councillors come out against Fillmore's bike lane motion". Halifax Examiner.
  26. ^ MacDonald, Glenn (June 10, 2025). "Halifax mayor's move to halt bike lane construction falls flat". The Chronicle Herald.
  27. ^ a b Ryan, Haley; Patil, Anjuli (June 10, 2025). "Halifax mayor's move to pause bike lane construction defeated". CBC.
  28. ^ Capobianco, Angela (June 11, 2025). "Halifax council defeats mayor's motion to pause bike lane construction". Global News.
  29. ^ Ahlstrand, Dan (June 11, 2025). "Halifax council rejects motion to pause bike lane construction". CityNews Halifax.
  30. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  31. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  32. ^ "Official Voting Results". Elections Canada. Retrieved December 24, 2024.
  33. ^ "Elections Canada – Preliminary Election Expenses Limits for Candidates". Archived from the original on August 15, 2015. Retrieved November 10, 2018.
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