Halifax County, Nova Scotia

Halifax County (Template:Langx, Template:Langx) is a county in the Canadian province of Nova Scotia.

History

Deriving its name from George Montagu-Dunk, 2nd Earl of Halifax (1716–1771), Halifax County was established by order-in-council on August 17, 1759. The boundaries of four other counties – Annapolis, Kings, Cumberland and Lunenburg – were specifically defined at that time, with Halifax County comprising all the part of peninsular Nova Scotia that was not within their limits.

Following the end of the Seven Years' War in 1763, Cape Breton Island was formally annexed to Nova Scotia until 1784 when it became a separate colony. From 1763 to 1784, Cape Breton Island formed part of Halifax County.

Cape Breton Island ceased being a separate colony and was reannexed to Nova Scotia in 1820. The boundary of Halifax County was further modified in 1822. That part of St. Mary's Township (established in 1818) which had been in Halifax County was annexed to and included within Sydney County; "Sydney County" was a historic county that included all of Cape Breton Island and present-day Antigonish and Guysborough counties.

The dividing line between the Districts of Halifax and Colchester, within Halifax County, was confirmed and established on May 3, 1828. In 1835, Halifax County was divided and the counties of Colchester and Pictou were created out of parts of what had previously been Halifax County. Eventually in 1880 the boundary between the Counties of Halifax and Colchester was fixed.

Governance

Municipal government at the county level in Nova Scotia dates to proclamation of The County Incorporation Act on April 17, 1879, which saw the establishment of the Municipality of the County of Halifax.

The Municipality of the County of Halifax was the municipal government of Halifax County, apart from the separately incorporated towns and cities therein as well as several First Nation reserves. The county municipality was dissolved on April 1, 1996, together with those town and city municipal governments, and all were amalgamated into the Halifax Regional Municipality.<ref>Template:Cite web</ref>

The boundaries of Halifax County and the Halifax Regional Municipality are approximately the same. The county, however, also includes five First Nations reserves.

Halifax County continues to exist as a county in Nova Scotia, but all municipal government and service delivery is provided by either the Halifax Regional Municipality or the respective First Nations, with no additional county level government or administration.