Municipal Budget 2026/2027

Council is committed to a robust Budget meeting process as they develop the 2026/2027 Budget, and the public is invited to get involved.

• Follow the project website at https://engage.modl.ca/budget26-27 (sign up for direct email updates in the Stay Informed widget).
• All budget presentations will take place at meetings of the Finance Committee or Council and streamed on YouTube to ensure information is easily accessible.
• An expanded Public Input Session will be held at five of the six budget meetings.

At the first five meetings (see dates and times below), Council will receive budget-specific presentations. After the presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to address Council, with a maximum five minutes per person, in a Public Input Session.

At the final meeting on Tuesday, March 31, Council will follow the standard 15-minute Public Input Session, with the time divided by those wishing to speak.

For those who cannot attend in person, the presentations will be recorded and available on YouTube at: https://www.youtube.com/@modlnovascotia.

Each presentation will be available the Thursday or Friday prior to the Tuesday meeting, and the documents will be linked on the https://engage.modl.ca/budget26-27 page.

Budget Schedule

Tuesday, November 25, 6pm in Council Chambers

1. The Director of Finance will present the Draft Capital Budget.
2. After the Draft Capital Budget presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to address Council in a Public Input Session, with a maximum five minutes per person.
3. Council will then deliberate on the staff content and public input.

Tuesday, January 13, 6pm in Council Chambers

1. The Director of Finance will present the updates to the Draft Capital Budget.
2. After the Draft Capital Budget presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to address Council in a Public Input Session, with a maximum five minutes per person.
3. Council will then deliberate on the staff content and public input.

Tuesday, February 10, 6pm in Council Chambers

1. The Director of Finance will present the Draft Operating Budget.
2. After the Draft Operating Budget presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to address Council in a Public Input Session, with a maximum five minutes per person.
3. Council will then deliberate on the staff content and public input.

Thursday, March 3, 6pm in Council Chambers

1. The Director of Finance will present the updates to the Draft Operating Budget.
2. After the Draft Operating Budget presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to address Council in a Public Input Session, with a maximum five minutes per person.
3. Council will then deliberate on the staff content and public input.

Tuesday, March 24, 9am in Council Chambers

1. The Director of Finance will present the revised Draft Operating and Draft Capital Budgets.
2. After the Draft Operating and Draft Capital Budget presentation, attendees will have the opportunity to address Council in a Public Input Session, with a maximum five minutes per person.
3. Council will then deliberate on the staff content and public input.

Tuesday, March 31, 6pm in Council Chambers

1. The meeting will open with our standard 15-minute Public Input Session, with the time divided by those wishing to speak.
2. The Director of Finance will present the final Operating and Draft Capital Budgets.
3. Council will then vote on the Operating and Draft Capital Budgets.

Municipal-wide Land Use Planning - Direction Report #1

On October 27, staff presented a What We Heard Report to Council on the public input on Draft 1 of the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law. You can read the report, or watch the presentation at https://engage.modl.ca/modl2040.

Three Council Direction Reports will be coming to Council in November and December. The first meeting is this Tuesday, November 25, 2025 at 1pm. You can read the report in the Council agenda package agenda here: https://modl.ca/index.php?option=com_docman&view=download...

This first Council Direction Report provides an overview of several key topics that generated notable public feedback, either contentious or strongly supported, during the engagement period. Each section includes an overview of the issue, a summary of public, stakeholder, and Council feedback (from previous discussions), and policy direction options for Council’s consideration.

This report covers the following topics:

• 󠁯Livestock Operations
• Agricultural Land Protection
• Home-Based Businesses
• Recreational Vehicles
• Campgrounds and RV Parks
• Inland Watercourses
• Inland Wetlands

In the coming weeks, two additional Council workshops will also be held, discussing other topics that focus on zoning and other land-use related issues. The purpose of these reports is to support informed decision-making by identifying where policy adjustments may be warranted before preparing Draft 2 of the MPS and LUB.

Staff have outlined several options for each topic from which Council may provide direction to guide the preparation of Draft 2, anticipated for release in February 2026. This will be followed by a final round of public information sessions prior to adoption and submission to the province for final approval.

Fill out our survey on Land Conservation

We're developing a Land Conservation Strategy and want to hear from you!

The Strategy will guide how we identify, care for, and expand protected natural areas so that nature and people thrive, with a goal of conserving 20% of municipal lands by 2030. Our Land Conservation Strategy will combine local knowledge and science to map high-priority areas and outlines tools we can use such as purchasing land, accepting donations of land, applying conservation easements, partnering with land trusts, entering stewardship agreements, and developing supportive land use policies. We are engaging residents to ensure the Land Conservation Strategy reflects local priorities, lived experience, and the places people value.

We want to understand the social, cultural, historical, and community benefits provided from and current barriers of accessing land and water for people across the municipality, alongside ecological science. Fill out our survey today! https://engage.modl.ca/conservation

Special Council Meeting - Nov 25, 2025

A Special Council meeting will be held on Tuesday, November 25, 2025 at 6:00 p.m. to review the first draft of the capital budget.  This is an open meeting and the public is invted to attend.

The meeting will be held at the Municipal Services Building at 10 Allee Champlain Drive, Cookville.

Click on  pdf Public Notice(426 KB) to view it in its entirety. 

Indian Falls Park Closure

Please be advised that Indian Falls Park will remain closed for the remainder of the season to allow for ongoing capital upgrades work. The park will re-open again in Spring 2026.

The capital upgrades include:

• Constructing accessible pathways to the look off area
• Creating an accessible picnic area near the grassy area and look off
• Improving the trail leading to the river to improve accessibility
• Installing accessible vault washrooms

There will be no access to the park during this time. Thank you for your cooperation as we make exciting new improvements to this park!

Water Fill Station Moved Indoors

With the impending cold weather, the water fill station has been moved into the Municipal Services Building. Unfortunately, this means the station is only accessible Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Members Needed: Sawpit Wharf Park Advisory Committee

Call for members for a 3-year term on: Sawpit Wharf Park Advisory Committee

What the Committee does: Provides input on the operation, policies, and by-laws relating to the Sawpit Wharf Park.

For more information, please call the Recreation Department on 902-541-1343 or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. 

An application form can be found here:  pdf Committee Position Application Form (135 KB)(126 KB)   and the Committee's Terms of Reference  pdf here(77 KB) .

Applications accepted until Friday, November 28^th, 2025

Public Statement re: Sawpit Wharf

Following a recent inspection, the wharf structure at Sawpit Wharf has been found to be structurally unsafe. After receiving legal advice, the District of Lunenburg has decided to close the wharf. Please do not walk on the wharf or tie boats to it.

Sawpit Wharf Park remains open. The boat launch and park space at Sawpit Wharf remain open and available for use.

We appreciate your cooperation as we work to ensure public safety.

Notice of Approval - By-law 018 Building Code By-law

On September 23, 2025, Municipal Council conducted Second Reading and passed a motion to repeal and replace By-law 018 Building Code By-law with a new By-law 018 which will remove Schedule A – Fees from the by-law, add location certificate requirements, and add a new section regarding expiry of permits. The effective date of this new By-law will be January 1, 2026.

Read the pdf new By-law, effective January 1, 2026(73 KB) .

Reposted: Nov 3, 2025

Posted: September 23, 2025 2:00pm

Special Council Meeting - Nov 4

An In Camera Special Council meeting is scheduled for Tuesday, November 4, 2025 immediately following the Finance Committee meeting.  Council will discuss two items related to Contract Negotiations, as permitted under Section 22(2)(e) of the Municipal Government Act. 

Please note that In Camera meetings are closed to the public due to the confidential nature of the discussions.  This notice is being provided for informaiton only.

Tax Bills Mailed

At the October 14 Council meeting, Council approved 0% interest on the final tax bills until November 30, which will be the revised due date of taxes.

The tax bills will be mailed this week, though their delivery may be delayed due to the rotating postal strike.

Please pay your bill through your online banking, at a bank branch, or visit the office to pay your tax during regular business hours, or by using our after-hours drop-off.

Land Conservation Strategy Public Engagement

The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg (MODL) is developing a Land Conservation Strategy and wants to hear from you! The Strategy will guide how MODL identifies, stewards, and expands protected natural areas so that nature and people thrive, with a goal of conserving 20 percent of municipal lands by 2030.

A Land Conservation Strategy is a roadmap that shows which natural places matter most and outlines the practical ways to look after them. MODL’s Land Conservation Strategy will combine local knowledge and ecological science to map high-priority areas and will outline various tools the municipality can use to protect land such purchasing or accepting donations of land, applying conservation easements, partnering with land trusts, entering stewardship agreements, and developing supportive land use policies.

MODL has hired CBCL Limited to help prepare its Land Conservation Strategy. The final document will include clear criteria that consider the ecological value of land along with its social, cultural, and community benefits. The Strategy will also outline practical ways MODL can conserve land and will describe implementation pathways with estimated costs and timelines so Council and residents can see how conservation actions go from being an idea to reality.

Clean Foundation’s Community Climate Capacity program team is assisting with public engagement to understand the cultural, historical, and social values related to conservation that matter to residents.

MODL is engaging residents to ensure the Land Conservation Strategy reflects local priorities, lived experience, and the places people value. We want to understand the social, cultural, historical, and community benefits that land and water provide people across the municipality, alongside ecological science.

Municipal staff and Clean Foundation have developed an initial set of conservation criteria focused on the ecological value of land. With your input, we will expand these criteria to include the cultural, historical, and social values that matter to residents.

Your feedback will also inform our maps and scoring system. When you identify important places, that knowledge is combined with scientific data to refine how MODL ranks and selects high-priority areas for conservation. This helps ensure decisions are transparent, repeatable, and grounded in community insight and scientific evidence.

CBCL Limited will use the results of public engagement to help draft the Land Conservation Strategy.

Learn more at https://engage.modl.ca/conservation