Coun. Waye Mason has officially declared his candidacy for mayor of Halifax Regional Municipality.
Mason made the announced Monday at the Dart Gallery in his hometown of Dartmouth.
He now lives on the other side of the harbour and is the councillor for Halifax South Downtown, having been first elected to council in 2012.
Mason told reporters and supporters that housing affordability was a major priority.
“It matters a lot when neighbours in our community are hurting and people are worried they’re going to be left behind,” said Mason in his speech.
“It’s plain — people deserve an affordable place to live. It’s become clear to me as I’ve helped respond to the housing crisis in HRM, that the municipality must take a central role in developing housing solutions.”
Mason is the fifth to join the mayoral race, alongside fellow Coun. Pam Lovelace and political newcomers Nolan Greenough, Clay Bowser and Ryan Dodge.
Mason currently serves as a board member of the Halifax Partnership, is chairperson of the transportation standing committee and also serves as council’s Indigenous community liaison.
Before his time at city hall, Mason had a long career in the music industry, founding the Halifax Pop Explosion Association in 2001 and serving and its executive director until 2010.
He was also an instructor of music business at the Nova Scotia Community College from 2007 to 2012.
