Nova Scotia Power’s parent company will pay the municipality $1 million over 10 years to have its name on the skating oval on the Halifax Common.

Emera has had its name on the oval since 2011, when HRM sold the rights for $500,000 for five years. The company renewed for another five years at the same price, and HRM extended the deal through 2022 for an undisclosed sum.

Council approved a 10-year renewal of the naming rights in September 2022, but as the Halifax Examiner reported at the time, it kept the terms confidential.

On Monday, the municipality and Emera held an event at the oval marking the renewal. In a news release, Emera announced it’s paying $1 million for 10 years.

“Our renewed partnership will support ongoing operations and enable the Oval to invest in adaptive equipment for both winter and summer months, new technology to improve operations, and enhance free and inclusive events for residents,” president and CEO Scott Balfour said in the release.

Five people — three men and two women, stand in front of a brick building with the words Emera Oval on it. They're holding skates and wearing coats and blue mittens.
(L to R) Coun. Shawn Cleary; HRM chief administrative officer Cathie O’Toole; Emera president and CEO Scott Balfour; Mayor Mike Savage; and Emera executive vice president Karen Hutt at the oval on Monday. Credit: Twitter/Emera

This time around, the company is getting more for the same price.

In 2011, HRM sold the naming rights to the building at the oval to Molson Coors Canada. The beer company bailed after paying $400,000 its first five years. Emera’s new deal slaps its logo on the building, too.

When council approved the secret deal in September, it voted to keep an in camera report on the terms confidential until the deal closed.

The Examiner has requested a copy of the in camera report with the full terms. Municipal spokesperson Ryan Nearing said in an email Monday afternoon he was “still waiting on the declassified” report.

We’ll update this post when we get it.

Zane Woodford is the Halifax Examiner’s municipal reporter. He covers Halifax City Hall and contributes to our ongoing PRICED OUT housing series. Twitter @zwoodford

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  1. And who will actually pay this naming fee? I will give everyone three guesses and the last two won’t be needed.