A History of Halifax Regional Arts & the Supplementary Fund

A History of Halifax Regional Arts & the Supplementary Fund

Students in Halifax Regional Centre for Education (HRCE) have access to world-class music, drama and visual arts experiences, as well as enhanced classroom and school supports, through something called the Supplementary Fund.

What is the Supplementary Fund?

For generations, the residents of Halifax Regional Municipality (HRM) have supported public education through supplementary education funding and/or area rates. This additional funding is above and beyond provincial funding, and the mandatory municipal contribution towards public education. It is designed to enhance learning opportunities for students beyond what core education funding provides.

In 1996, local municipalities and school boards were amalgamated into regional entities. Before amalgamation, some communities supported additional school programs, while others did not. This created an inequity within schools that existed until 2007 when HRM and the then Halifax Regional School Board approved a four-year joint agreement that removed geographic boundaries and harmonized the supplementary education tax rate across HRM. Subsequent multi-year agreements were signed in 2011, 2015 and 2019. HRM and HRCE are currently negotiating a new multi-year agreement.

Today, the Supplementary Fund continues to play an important role, supporting more than 200 staff positions, many of whom work directly with students to create meaningful opportunities for learning and connection. These programs offer free, accessible ways for students to explore their creativity, build confidence, and feel connected at school.

Over time, the Supplementary Fund has supported a wide range of programs and services that benefit students and families, including:

  • Fine arts opportunities, such as All-City Music (band, choir, and strings), with roots going back more than 50 years
  • Additional teachers to help reduce class sizes and expand programming in areas like music, French, visual arts, and physical education
  • Student support services, including guidance counsellors, psychologists, speech-language pathologists, and resource teachers
  • Support staff, such as library specialists and program assistants
  • Special initiatives, including early learning programs and enhanced classroom resources

More than 97 per cent of this funding supports salaries and benefits for staff who work directly with students, highlighting its impact in classrooms and school communities every day.

Today, many Halifax Regional Arts programs continue to grow from this long-standing investment in creativity and student voice.

In the early years, funding levels varied widely between former municipalities, making it challenging to provide equal access to programs across all communities. Over time, steps were taken to create a more equitable, region-wide approach, ensuring more students could benefit, no matter where they live.

Since the mid-2000s, agreements between HRM and the school system have focused on:

  • Standardizing funding across the region
  • Expanding access to arts programming
  • Supporting students in communities with fewer resources

Conversations about the Supplementary Fund have continued, often centred on how funds are allocated, what qualifies as an “enhancement,” and how to ensure fair access for all students.

In recent years, the Supplementary Fund has helped expand Halifax Regional Arts programming in exciting ways, including:

  • More regional arts specialists working directly with schools
  • Expanded fine arts spaces, such as pottery studios and art labs
  • Student-driven opportunities like drama, music, dance, and spoken word
  • Programs that reflect and celebrate the diversity of our communities, including African Nova Scotian and Mi’kmaq perspectives
  • Innovative supports, such as music therapy for students with special needs

Ongoing planning continues to focus on expanding access to fine arts programming across all communities in HRM.