Villages are NOT "toast" in Nova Scotia

You may have heard that "the Government [or the province] has decided to do

away with villages in Nova Scotia." That is not true.

What actually happened is this: A committee formed two years ago just submitted

a Report with 43 Recommendations to the Dept. of Municipal Affairs. One of them

is that no new villages be formed, and another is that all existing villages be

dissolved.

On December 8, the Minister of Municipal Affairs announced that he had received

the Report, and made the Report public. He did not say that he agrees with any of

its recommendations. Quite the contrary He noted that the committee was formed by the previous Government (not his), that the present Government "has not accept"or endorsed the recommendations," that the Dept. of Municipal Affairs would "do an analysis" of the" Report, that they are just beginning the process of looking at the Report, and that there is "no timeline" as to when they

will finish. In other words, they are going to take plenty of time figuring out what

to do with a very hot potato.[Keep in mind that nearly 50,000 Nova Scotians

who live in our 22 villages (10 % of our rural population) really like their

villages...]

Bottom line: The staff of the Department of Municipal Affairs have not made a

decision on the village issue; they have not made a recommendation to the

Minister, who has not made a recommendation to Cabinet which has not drafted a

Bill to terminate our villages, and has not introduced any such Bill into the

Legislature, which has not passed any such Bill, and the Lieutenant Governor has

not signed any such Bill. All of which would have to happen before villages would

be "toast" in Nova Scotia. 

In short, what you heard is just another "urban legend''. The existing Municipal

Act is still in force, and that is the Legislation under which the Utility Review Board

is legally obliged to operate when they decide on Hantsport's future. The Act still

states that if a Town dissolves it can become a Village. Our 22 Nova Scotia villages

are still thriving; and it is entirely possible that the Board, upon reviewing the

evidence, will decide that Hantport will become the 23rd Village in Nova Scotia.

And, oh yes, don't forget: it is the Board, not the Government who will decide.

They are the judge and jury in this case, and there is no appeal; the Government

cannot reverse their decision which is why the hearings which begin on March 23

are very important to the citizens of Hantsport.

Joe Foy