‘Not unheard of’: Sinkhole repaired in downtown Halifax

A sinkhole is pictured on the corner of Hollis Street and Prince Street in downtown Halifax on July 17, 2025. (Carl Pomeroy/CTV Atlantic)

Emergency repairs on a sinkhole in downtown Halifax are complete.

Halifax Regional Police said they responded to a “roadway hazard” on Hollis Street around 7:40 a.m. Thursday.

Police confirmed the hazard was a sinkhole just before 8:30 a.m.

Halifax Water crews also responded to the scene near the intersection of Hollis Street and Prince Street.

The utility estimates it was 10 inches in diameter and two feet deep. None of the utility’s infrastructure was damaged.

Some lane reductions and street closures were in place while repairs were underway.

Halifax Water said the repairs were done just after 11 a.m. and Hollis Street has reopened to traffic.

Brittany Smith, a senior communications advisor with Halifax Water, says sinkholes aren’t that common.

“But it’s not unheard of, we have an aging city with aging infrastructure, so not something we do often but it’s not completely unheard of,” she told CTV Atlantic.

The cause of the sinkhole is under investigation by the Halifax Regional Municipality.

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