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News & Events

News release: Municipality Adds Electric Vehicles to Fleet

Details: Published: Thursday, 24 March 2022 09:51

MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF LUNENBURG, NOVA SCOTIA – The Municipality of the District (MODL) is pleased to announce that it has purchased its first two electric vehicles. MODL declared a climate emergency in October 2019 and pledged to fight climate change by reducing greenhouse gas emissions from municipal operations by 40% below 2019 levels by 2030.

As part of this commitment, MODL has replaced two aging gasoline vehicles from its municipal fleet with electric vehicles. The first vehicle is a used 2021 Ford Mach-e, which was purchased locally at a cost of $69,002.94. The second vehicle is a new 2022 Volvo XC-40, purchased from a dealer in Halifax at a cost of $79,689.50. The Municipality expects to slowly replace gas powered municipal vehicles with electric vehicles over the next few years. These vehicles are predominately used by staff for park and trail maintenance, as well as fire and building inspections.

Electric vehicles provide many benefits, which include:

Savings on fuel costs, as the cost of electricity is much lower than the cost of gas. MODL expects to save approximately $4,200 annually on fuel costs by switching two vehicles from gas to electric.
Savings on maintenance costs, as electric vehicles have fewer parts to service and there is no need for spark plugs or oil changes with electric vehicles.
Driving more efficiently because of regenerative braking. Electric vehicles generate energy when slowing down in comparison to regular gasoline vehicles that waste energy while slowing down.
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions and creating a healthier environment for everyone in our community by releasing zero tailpipe emissions into the air that we all breathe

“Transitioning to electric vehicles is an important part of meeting our municipal goals on climate change,” says Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson. “Switching from gasoline vehicles to electric vehicles is a big leap, and MODL is leading the charge.”

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Media contact:

Sarah Kucharski
Communications Officer
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(902) 541-1328

News release: Municipality Opens Fourth Round of Emergency Assistance Funding for Non-for-Profits; Keeps User Fees Unchanged

Details: Published: Thursday, 10 February 2022 09:44

MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF LUNENBURG, NOVA SCOTIA – At the February 8, 2022, Council meeting, Council passed two motions designed to alleviate community financial burdens.

Council approved a fourth round of funding support for not-for-profit organizations that operate community facilities impacted by COVID-19 cancellations.
Applicants can apply for emergency assistance for fundraising events and activities that were scheduled to take place October 1, 2021, to March 31, 2022, but that had to be cancelled because of the Covid-19 restrictions. This includes annual and weekly events that had previously been but were cancelled or have not been planned because of the Covid-related public health restrictions. The Application Deadline is 4:30 pm on Tuesday, March 1, 2022. All applications must be received at the Municipal Office before the Application Deadline. For guidelines and an application form, please visit https://www.modl.ca/grants.

Council also reviewed the Fees Policy, which is intended to be updated every three years with fee increases that reflect the 3-year cumulative Consumer Price Index (CPI). While the Nova Scotia 3-year CPI is 6.0%, Council decided to not to raise the current fees. These are user fees for things such as development permits, ballfield rentals, NSF cheque fees, and tax certificates.

“We know that Covid restrictions continue to create significant financial challenges for our residents, businesses, and community organizations,” says Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson. “By keeping fees the same, we acknowledge that even small increases can have a large impact on a household or business budget. On a larger scale, since introducing the emergency funding for community organizations program, MODL has donated a total of $322,406 to our community organizations that operate community facilities.

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Media contact:

Sarah Kucharski
Communications Officer
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(902) 541-1328

News release: MODL Launches Interactive Road Plowing and Maintenance Map

Details: Published: Tuesday, 08 February 2022 15:05

MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF LUNENBURG, NOVA SCOTIA – The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg (MODL) has launched an interactive winter maintenance and repair road map to help residents direct concerns or questions about road plowing, repair, or maintenance to the correct agency.

“While the majority of public roads in the Municipality are owned and maintained by the Province of Nova Scotia, roads continue to be a major priority in our Municipality. We know that well maintained, good quality roads are essential for our communities,” says Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson. “We understand that residents are sometimes frustrated by road conditions, especially after storms. To alleviate confusion, we’ve created a user-friendly tool to help residents understand where they can report road issues.”

Using the new interactive map, users can search by address or by zooming in on the map. Once they have selected a road, a pop-up window will show contact information for the agency responsible for plowing, repairing, or maintaining the road.

To access the online map, visit modl.ca/roadmap

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Media contact:

Sarah Kucharski
Manager, Corporate Services & Communications
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(902) 541-1328

News release: MODL Invites Residents to Attend a Virtual Public Meeting on Climate Change Action Plan

Details: Published: Friday, 21 January 2022 12:12

MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF LUNENBURG, NOVA SCOTIA – The climate of the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg (MODL) is changing and the need to respond to climate change is urgent. MODL is developing a Local Climate Change Action Plan to reduce our use of fossil fuels and associated greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as prepare the municipality for the impacts of a changing climate.

The 10-year Plan is being built around a central vision that MODL will be a low carbon community, with the long-term goal of becoming a sustainable, climate-resilient, and net-zero community. The draft Plan has identified 9 Main Categories and proposed several key action items that will be delivered over the next 10 years. MODL is holding two virtual Public Information Sessions in February and invites residents to attend to learn more and provide their feedback.

“This will be a community plan and we want to hear from residents, farmers, local businesses, community groups and youth on how we can address climate change, and ensure MODL continues to be a great place to live,” says Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson. “We’re hosting two virtual public engagement sessions that will feature an overview of the project followed by a public Q&A with the project team. The feedback received from the public as well as various stakeholders during these virtual engagement sessions will help guide the plan development.”

Virtual engagement sessions will be hosted via Microsoft Teams on the following dates:

February 9, 2022, 11am-12pm (AST)

February 10, 2022, 7pm-8pm (AST)

Registration is required–visit https://engage.modl.ca/local-climate-change-action-plan to register.

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Media contact:

Sarah Kucharski, Manager, Corporate Services & Communications
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(902) 541-1328

News release: MODL Invites Residents to Attend a Virtual Public Meeting on Osprey Village Development

Details: Published: Wednesday, 19 January 2022 10:18

MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF LUNENBURG, NOVA SCOTIA – We’re growing! Osprey Village will be home to at least 926 residents in the next five years. The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg (MODL) expects it to become one of the largest communities in MODL.

MODL is holding a virtual Public Information Session on By-law 020E (Osprey Village Plan Review 2022) on Thursday, February 3 at 6:30 p.m. on their Facebook Page, and invites residents to attend.

“We know residents are very concerned about housing affordable on the South Shore,” says Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson. “Council is conducting a plan review for Osprey Village Planning Area to accommodate the recent demand for high-density development. This review intends to promote affordable and attainable housing, as well as to foster economic development in Osprey Village by Exit 12. We hope residents will attend this virtual public information session on February 3 to learn more and add their comments.”

Residents are invited to participate in the Public Information Session by:

(a) joining us online on February 3 at 6:30 p.m. on facebook.com/MODLns
(b) writing a comment on a Facebook post;
(c) sending an e-mail at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.;
(d) sending a letter at 10 Allée Champlain Drive, Cookville, NS, B4V 9E4.

To learn more, visit https://engage.modl.ca/osprey-village-2022

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Media contact:

Sarah Kucharski
Manager, Corporate Services & Communications
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(902) 541-1328

News release: MODL Launches Interactive Property Zoning Map

Details: Published: Tuesday, 11 January 2022 09:04

MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF LUNENBURG, NOVA SCOTIA – The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg (MODL) has launched an interactive property zoning map to help current and future property owners better understand current zoning regulations.

While the majority of MODL is currently unzoned, MODL does have eight planning areas: Hemford Forest, Princes Inlet, Oakland, Blockhouse, Riverport & District, Hebbville, Osprey Village and Lunenburg Municipal Industrial Area.

Using the new interactive map, users can search by address or by unique property identifiers such as Parcel Identification Number (PID) or Assessment Account Number (AAN). Once they have selected the property, a pop-up window will show the zoning name and label, as well as a direct link to the section of the Land Use Bylaw that is applicable to the zone.

“This user-friendly tool provides zoning and planning-related information for landowners, property buyers, realtors and others seeking property information with just a few clicks,” says Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson. “We are always seeking to make information more accessible to the public, and believe this step is an important one, especially as we move towards municipal-wide planning as part of our MODL2040 project.”

To access the online map, visit modl.ca/zoningmap

To learn more about MODL2040, visit engage.modl.ca/modl2040

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Media contact:

Sarah Kucharski
Manager, Corporate Services & Communications
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(902) 541-1328

News release: MODL Seeking Input on Climate Change Action Plan

Details: Published: Wednesday, 15 December 2021 12:56

MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF LUNENBURG, NOVA SCOTIA – The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg needs help from residents to build our Local Climate Change Action Plan. This 10-year plan is being built around a central vision that MODL will be a low carbon community, with the long-term goal of becoming sustainable, climate-resilient, and net-zero community. The plan will outline a set of strategies, actions, and targets to guide the municipality and the community, to work together to reduce our greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, as well as increase our resilience to climate change.

A survey is available at https://engage.modl.ca/local-climate-change-action-plan.

“The survey will help us understand public awareness about the climate change impacts on MODL, identify public support for the proposed draft actions, and solicit new ideas for actions to reduce the community emissions and build a sustainable and climate-resilient community,” says Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson. “It’s also an opportunity for environmentally-minded residents to put their name forward to be part of a number of projects within the Action Plan.”

MODL is also holding Community Climate Conversations throughout MODL between now and February 28, 2022. To learn more about the Local Climate Change Action Plan, find a Community Climate Conversation event details, or to complete the survey, please visit: https://engage.modl.ca/local-climate-change-action-plan

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Media contact:

Sarah Kucharski
Manager, Corporate Services & Communications
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(902) 541-1328

News release: MODL Wins GFOA Distinguished Budget Award

Details: Published: Wednesday, 17 November 2021 08:58

MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF LUNENBURG, NOVA SCOTIA – The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg’s 2021/2022 Budget document has received the Distinguished
Budget Presentation Award from the Government Finance Officers Association of Canada and the United States (GFOA).

The award represents a significant achievement by the Municipality and is the first time that the Municipality has won the GFOA award. In order to receive the budget award, MODL satisfied nationally recognized guidelines for effective budget presentation. The 2021/2022 budget document was rated proficient in four categories: as a policy document, a financial plan, an operations guide, and a communications device.

“I am very proud of our team for creating a budget document that reflects the commitment of Council and staff to meeting the highest principles of governmental budgeting,” says Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson.

The Municipality’s Budget is available at modl.ca/Budget.

The GFOA is a non-profit professional association serving 17,400 government finance
professionals throughout North America.

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Media contact:

Sarah Kucharski
Manager, Corporate Services & Communications
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(902) 541-1328

News release: MODL Launches Community Hub Survey

Details: Published: Wednesday, 27 October 2021 13:27

MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF LUNENBURG, NOVA SCOTIA – The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg is exploring the feasibility of developing a Community Hub building in the Osprey Village development. A Community Hub is a building that provides shared indoor and outdoor spaces and amenities that can be used by community organizations, groups, and members. Some of the types of spaces that are being considered include: recreational spaces, meeting and event spaces, farmers market, retail space, a community garden and kitchen, café, and more.

This study will engage with community members to identify what spaces would be the most beneficial, will support the nearby development, and create a place for community enjoyment and gathering.

“We are asking residents to participate in a short survey that will gather information that will help us focus our attention on what the community needs and wants,” says Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson. “We need to know things like what types of amenities the community wants, their expectations around fees, and any other thoughts they might have about the proposed facility.”

Residents that complete the survey before November 12 will be entered to win a $200 gift card to Best Western Plus Bridgewater.

The survey is available at https://engage.modl.ca/community-hub

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Media contact:

Sarah Kucharski
Manager, Corporate Services & Communications
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(902) 541-1328

News release: MODL Celebrates Becoming Debt-Free

Details: Published: Tuesday, 26 October 2021 10:04

MUNICIPALITY OF THE DISTRICT OF LUNENBURG, NOVA SCOTIA – The Municipality of the District of Lunenburg has become one of just two municipalities in Nova Scotia to become debt-free.

This week, the Municipality made the final debt payment on an infrastructure loan that had spurred development in Osprey Village, including water and wastewater services. The decision to invest in infrastructure was a valuable one, contributing to significant growth in the area, which now has over $31 million in commercial assessment and provides employment and services to the region.

“This achievement is more than a decade’s worth of sound financial management by councils who truly understood the importance of wisely managing taxpayers’ dollars,” says Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson. “The Municipality has a track record of strong financial management, while continuing to meet the needs of residents. We are committed to using taxpayer dollars effectively and responsibly. We have maintained the tax rate despite cost pressures and have not increased the residential tax rate in 12 years, while the commercial rate has remained constant for nine years.”

“Being debt-free means that the Municipality is no longer paying for past infrastructure investments–these funds can now be re-invested in maintaining existing infrastructure like roads, parks, and wastewater treatment systems, or in developing new infrastructure to serve residents,” says Mayor Carolyn Bolivar-Getson. “Council is committed to wise and strategic investment to provide excellent service and support economic growth.”

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Media contact:

Sarah Kucharski
Manager, Corporate Services & Communications
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(902) 541-1328

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