The question, of course, is why?
According to the latest CityThink survey—conducted for Metro Halifax and the Greater Halifax Partnership—91 per cent of us are pleased as punch to live in our awkwardly named Halifax Regional Municipality. Forty-two per cent of us, in fact, are very smug about it.
Why?
Consider that this particular poll was conducted from April 13-23, deep in the trough of the never-ending annual rite of rain that is our spring, a stretch season that will drearily continue, with occasional one or two-day sunshine teases, until sometime in late July when our briefest of brief summers unofficially begins.
That can’t be the reason—to quote reporter Aly Thompson quoting songwriter Joel Plaskett—“I love this town.”
Nor can it be—please, no—the fact we keep electing vision-less Peter Kelly as mayor of us all, along with his barking dog’s breakfast of municipal councillors endlessly debating cat bylaws and memos on councilor decorum.
Keep in mind this city we love so dearly—and which an equal percentage of us see ourselves living just as happily in for the foreseeable future—spent $330 million-plus to build a harbour-solutions sewage solution that is only a solution when the sun shines. (See paragraph 4; see outside your window.)
This is also—remember—the city that recently secretly funneled millions of our tax dollars into the pockets of multi-millionaire entertainers because we wouldn’t spend our own non-tax dollars to buy tickets to watch them perform.
This is a city that can’t decide whether to build a new convention centre, a new stadium, both, or neither; have an historic downtown, a high-rise downtown, both, or neither… what it will be when it grows up.
So why do we—me included—love it so much?
Could it be that intoxicating—if occasionally fragrant and floatable-filled—co-mingling of salt water and sea air?
Our accidental-but-it-works, muddled mess of old and new, art and commerce, busy and bucolic?
Or perhaps, to steal another random line from the same Joel Plaskett song: “it’s not what you think”?
Perhaps it’s Joel Plaskett?
Sure. Why not? There’s got to be a rational reason that I love this town.
STEPHEN KIMBER, a Professor of Journalism at the University of King's College in Halifax and co-founder of its MFA in Creative Nonfiction Program, is an award-winning writer, editor and broadcaster. He is the author of two novels and eight non-fiction books. Buy his books 
Actually, I was mulling this very same question after my recent trip to Charlottetown. Every other canadian city I’ve visited so far leaves me pleased that I’ve adopted (or been adopted by) Halifax as my current place of residence. Who knows what will happen in the future, but so far, so good.
http://thenewcomer.wordpress.com/2011/07/04/best-city/
Because it is not Toronto, nor Vancouver mostly Vancouver. Halifax is steep in Canadian History where 100’s of thousands of Canadians left a friendly port to go off to war. Those that returned remember Halifax with fondness years after perhaps always wanting to return to remember those spirited early days of marching off to war and returning home via PIER 21. Halifax was the first step on land to start a new adventure as war brides came ashore with kids in hand to settle into a new life. Halifax has a gentle spirit all in itself that is felt around the world. Two American aircraft carrier crews have chosen Halifax for their first and last port of calls coupled to many other country’s navies who’s crews think of Halifax as a second home. I read recently Halifax is now one of the world’s top 20 cities, heck I have known this for years … as an old sailor I have often stated, “I have traveled the world and Halifax by far has some of the most beautiful women on earth” and should that rain ever go away I just might take a walk downtown to refresh my memory.
One reason I love HRM is because every outing – whether a trip to the grocery store, the doctor’s office or even waiting at the bus stop is a social event. There are always people willing to engage in conversation and to share a laugh with you! This level of camaraderie without measure does not exist in other Canadian cities.