'Halifax County' is a
county in the Canadian
province of
Nova Scotia.
The 'Municipality of the County of Halifax' was the municipal government of Halifax County, apart from the separately incorporated towns and cities therein. It was dissolved in
1996, together with those town and city governments, in their amalgamation into
Halifax Regional Municipality.
History
Deriving its name from
George Montague-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
Seven Years' War,
Cape Breton Island was formally annexed to Nova Scotia. For a time it formed part of Halifax County.
The boundaries of Halifax County were 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.
The dividing line between the Districts of Halifax and Colchester was confirmed and established on
May 3,
1828. In
1835, Halifax County was divided and the Counties of
Colchester and
Pictou County were created out of parts of what had hitherto been Halifax County. Eventually in
1880 the boundary between the Counties of Halifax and Colchester was fixed.
The boundaries of the county are also the boundaries of the
Halifax Regional Municipality, plus the Indian reserves of
Cole Harbour,
Sheet Harbour and
Shubenacadie.
Halifax County continues to exist as a legal place name in Nova Scotia, though all municipal government and service delivery is provided by either the
Regional Municipality or the reservations, and there is no additional county level government or administration.