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Home My Public Portal About2020-03_MunicipalInsight-compressedIn the Municipality of the District of Chester this winter/spring... Change of Space The Good Old Hockey Game Provincial Ban on Some Plastics We have moved some Support PRO Kids and Learn more about the things around. Get the have a time! All of the upcoming ban on single- lowdown on Page 3. details are on Page 4! use plastics on Page 6. ANOTHER SUCCESSFUL SHOWDOWN The Gold Bean Café wins the Golden Ladle with best chowder When we got together with the great team at Oak Island Resort & Conference Centre in January of 2019, our mission was sim- ply to ensure we’d have something on the go during the South Shore Tourism Cooperative’s (SSTC) Lobster Crawl Festival last February. So, we created an event with the goal of celebrating ALL that the Municipality of Chester has to offer. Back then, we had a mere month to make it happen, and we did just that ... with pretty good results. The buzz on the day was a fine one, and folks were keen to have it continue, but we could see where there was room for improvement. With a full year to plan, we were confident we could make For the Love of Lobster 2020 bigger and better! Now as luck would have it, our planned expan- sion coincided with the SSTC’s plans to expand and re-brand in 2020. Now known as the Nova Scotia Lobster Crawl and running the full month of February, the Festival includes over 150 ex- periences and packages all the way down the South Shore, from picturesque Peggy’s Cove to the Lobster Capital of Canada - Barrington, NS. There was another coincidence we hadn’t anticipated. That coincidence was finding our- selves without a venue as February would see Oak Island Resort being closed and in the midst of a wonderful renovation project (and yes, re- opening again this spring – stay tuned!) Fortu- nately, we found the perfect replacement for all the festivities as Forest Heights Community School in Chester Basin became the place to be Sunday, February 9 complete with oodles of lob- ster-infused fun. This year’s Vendors' Market doubled, which meant more gifted artisans, makers and creators could show off their amazing work. The number of community groups and charitable organiza- tions tripled, which meant more awareness and support could be raised for their efforts. Our fun for the "little" crowd grew too and in- cluded En Pointe’s After School Progam Make & Take Craft Room and face-painting, plus hands- on, old-timey toy making with Ross Farm Mu- seum, and an all new Lobster Pound Playground hosted by the crew from Charles E. Church Park. There was even the added bonus of En Pointe’s Competitive Dance Teams performing for folks to enjoy. Without question though, the tastiest form of an increase came in the number of restaurants competing in our 2nd Annual Lobster Chowder Chowdown Showdown, which meant more folks could discover just how delightfully delicious things are here in the Municipality as well. Our 2020 competitors included Chester’s Café, the Chester Golf Club Restaurant, The Deck Res- taurant & Convenience Store, The Fo’c’sle Tav- ern, The Gold Bean Café , Island View Family Restaurant & Bakery, Oak Island Resort Restau- rant and The Savary Plate (formerly 4-Way Stop Pizzeria). Taste testing passports sold for just $11, allowing guests to sample all eight compet- ing chowders, vote on their favourite, and enter for a chance to win $200 worth of lobster. And, on that subject, congratulations to Roger Gagne whose ballot was chosen in the random draw. Mr. Gagne and his wife are from Alberta and just retired in Chester Basin this past summer – and talk about your coincidences, Sunday was Rog- er’s birthday! Cheers to you Mr. G. Cheers to our LOB-STARS of the day: coming in 3rd was The Deck in Blandford, 2nd place went to the Chester Golf Club Restaurant, and taking 1st place in the People's Choice poll of the Best Lobster Chowder - The Gold Bean Café in Gold River, who now have the Golden Ladle trophy proudly on display in their cafe. Be sure to pop in and see for yourself! On behalf of Tourism Chester and our co- presenting partners, Oak Island Resort & Con- ference Centre, we're grateful to everyone who came together to make this event so special with shout outs to Foodland Chester for the profuse amount of free popcorn they provided and to Peter Richardson of Peggy’s Cove Boat Tours who was kind enough to give our marvel- lous mascot, Lovey the Lobster, the day off so he could join in the celebration. Finally, a huge thanks to the big crowd that came to take it all in as well – oh yes, our atten- dance more than doubled in 2020 too! Indeed, our hearts are happy, our bellies are full, and we're counting down the days 'til the bigger and better For the Love of Lobster 2021! For more information on this yummy event and all of the other amazing experiences to be enjoyed here in the Municipality of Chester, visit tourismchester.ca and be sure to follow @tourismchester on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter. municipal insightmunicipal insight “ “Keeping you informed about March/April 2020Keeping you informed about March/April 2020 your municipal government” your municipal government” Are you prepared for 72 hours? www.chester.ca/72-hours COUNCIL & GOVERNANCE Follow @chestermun on Twitter for live tweets from Council meetings! Message from the WardenWell, we made it to the end of February, the days are starting to get a little longer, and hopefully, it will start to warm up a bit. It's been a busy fall and winter. We finally made it through the Plan Revision, and I would like to take this opportunity to thank all of the Citizen's Planning Advisory Committee members for their commitment to the process. I also want to thank the citizens who shared their thoughts on what should be the desired outcome. Land use planning is complex with varied opinions, to say the least, but with your help, we produced a document that aids in guiding development for years to come. Thank you. We have just begun the annual capital and operating budget process for the upcoming year. It is too early to give details, but I know it is the intention of Council to maintain a high level of service to meet our communities' needs and to avoid any increase in the tax rate if possible. We are optimistic that this can be achieved in this fiscal period. We are fortunate to share that we have partnered with Our Health Centre in applying for provincial funding to begin a process for You can contact the Warden by calling the Municipal Office at (902) 275-3554, calling his home at (902) 275-2536, or emailing awebber@chester.ca District Grants: Council approved a District Grant in the amount of $500 for New Ross Consolidated School. Church Memorial Park also received a District Grant for $1,000, which will be used towards their 50th Anniversary celebrations. Other District Grants were awarded. One to Aspotogan Recreation Association for $1,000 and another to Heritage Handwork for $500. Trail Near Church Memorial Park: Speaking of The Park, one of the projects they are embarking upon is developing an already travelled trail into a surfaced area between Shoreham and CMP. Council agreed to assume responsibility for a small section of property owned by the adjacent school and then enter into an agreement with CMP to use the land. Truck Tender Awarded: Council awarded the tender of a 4x4 diesel 3/4 tonne to GW Mosher Motors in the amount of $47,710 plus tax ($5,424 below budget). Letter to NSTIR: Council will forward a letter to the NS Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal requesting: a) extra "winter care" on Wake Up Hill Road and Highway 14 where it is open to motorists; b) stabilization of the earth on the roundabout so it doesn't wash out onto Highway #3; and c) access from Wake Up Hill Road to Highway #3 to turn right only. Thank you CPAC: After five years, the work of the Citizens Planning Advisory Committee has come to an end. We would like to extend a heartfelt thank you to members and acknowledge their contributions toward improving their community's quality of living. We are grateful for your steady commitment, and value the time and effort you gave during the Plan Review and the advisory role you accepted. Thank you for everything. IN BRIEF... 2 physician attraction and retention doctors in our community. Hopefully, by the time this newsletter comes out, we will have heard a positive result. This is an issue that affects many in our community and has become a challenge. By working in partnership with Our Health Centre and other community organizations, we hope to make a positive difference moving forward. I hope you had the opportunity to participate in the Lobster Crawl event at Forest Heights Community School last week. It was a great event, was well attended, and had lots of delicious seafood chowder. Congratulations to the winner of Best Chowder - the Gold Bean Café in Gold River! Way to go! Thank you for your continued support and involvement in community and civic events. All the best, Do you qualify for a property tax exemp- tion? You may if ALL of the following applies to you: • The total income from all assessed own- ers, including spouses and common law spouses, residing at the property, and total income from those persons who hold an interest in the property and contribute to the household income together is less than $21,698.00 in the 2018 calendar year; and • Exemptions are only for residential property tax on the principal residence. Although all owners do not have to live in the residence, it must be a principal dwelling of one of the owners. Proof of income is required. Please bring your Notice of Assessment from Revenue Canada with you. The deadline is March 31, 2020. Please see P-25 Tax Exemption Policy for more details or call Finance & Information Services at 902-275-3554. PROPERTY TAXEXEMPTION Didn't get a 2020 calendar? Call 902-275-2330! WE OUR VOLUNTEERS A big shout out to all of the volunteers who were nominated this year! Below you will find a list of the nominees and who they were nominated by. They will be celebrated at our Municipal Volunteer Reception on Wednesday, April 22 at the Hubbards Fire Hall at 7:00 p.m. Our Provincial Volunteer Representative is Patricia (Pat) Bates, and she will represent all volunteers at the Provincial Awards Ceremony in Halifax on Monday, April 27. Patricia (Pat) Bates, Windsor Road Nominated by Shoreham Village Senior Citizens Association Cynthia Spraggs, Chester Nominated by Chester Garden Club Deanna Burns, Hubbards Nominated by Hubbards & Area Lions Club Robert Gates, New Ross Nominated by Forties Community Centre Vernon & Brenda Keddy, New Ross Nominated by New Ross Historical Society Jacqueline Leppard, Hubbards Nominated by Hubbards Barn Association Betty Hughes & Paul Wheeler, Chester Basin Nominated by RCL Br. #88, Ladies Auxiliary Dan & Wendy Moscovitch, Marriotts Cove Nominated by Aenon Baptist Church Michael O'Connor, Chester Nominated by Church Memorial Park Aspotogan Heritage Trust Board Nominated by Aspotogan Heritage Trust William Rafuse, Gold River Nominated by Lunenburg County Crime Prevention Association Congratulations! Check our "News" page often at www.chester.ca for announcements, or sign up for automatic notifications.3 COUNCIL & GOVERNANCE Since the last report, we received three complaints. • The first complaint was about our website. The user was unable to find what they were looking for and suggested that we use a contractor that understands what our users want. We agree. The developer we used the last time designed our web- site based on our analytics. Analytics is data on what our users look at the most. The other content is placed according to COUNCIL REVIEWS DRAFT BUDGET As year-end approaches, budget meetings take priority At their last meeting, Municipal Council dis- cussed a proposed Capital Budget. What is a Capital Budget? A capital budget is a budget specific to proj- ects related to adding to or extending the life of municipal infrastructure (a publicly-owned structure or facility managed by the Municipal- ity). Examples of infrastructure are our trail sys- tem or landfill. Items in a capital budget don't include operat- ing costs, such as employee salaries, supplies or day-to-day functions. So, replacing a clarifier at a sewer treatment plant is a capital project, but inspecting a sewer hook-up is operating. What Projects are MOC Looking at? For now, the proposed budget consists of categories that the devel- oper has researched specifi- cally for municipal govern- ment and, in their experience, tend to be the most intuitive. • The second complaint was about a resi- dent's green cart being missed on waste collection day. We would have gotten it the following week, but there was a storm. The resident contacted us and kindly said that we could wait until regular pick up. • The last complaint was also about a green bin. The resident's green cart was hit by a snow plow. We fixed the cart. projects that staff have identified, annual proj- ects, and projects carried forward from the 2019/2020 fiscal year. Some of the projects included in the draft budget are, • trail bridge evaluations • trail surfacing and parking upgrades • leachate treatment plant upgrades • improvements to public drop-off and scale house • coastal floodplain modeling • J-class road improvements • manhole repairs • upgrades to clarifiers and lift station pan- els REGISTER A COMPLIMENT OR COMPLAINT BY: Calling 902-275-3554. Leaving your name is optional. Emailing the Municipal Clerk at pmyra@ chester.ca Filling in our online form at www.chester.ca under "Contact" or https://webfiche.district. chester.ns.ca/Forms/CCRegister Coming in to see us at 151 King Street in Chester. BOSSBOSS oror BUSTBUST • sewer pump replacement and generators for two pump stations • UV disinfection system for Chester treat- ment plant • repairs to municipal buildings • fire protection system in Mill Cove Council and staff will have met by the time this newsletter is delivered to talk about the Municipality's strategic priorities. As outlined in the last edition, Council considers community needs, current trends in other levels of govern- ment, infrastructure, and the Municipality's vi- sion in the long- and short-term to identify proj- ects and programs for the upcoming fiscal year. And Then? Once priorities are set, the proposed capital budget is reviewed to ensure it is aligned and then Council will discuss it again at a Council or Committee of the Whole meeting (Thursdays at 8:45am. Check the website for exact dates). If the capital budget is approved, the operating budget will follow suit. Have a Question? Reach out to us to have a conversation about the Budget. Call your Councillor (contact infor- mation on the back of the newsletter) or the Municipal Office at 902-275-3554, or drop in from Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 4:30pm. If you have visited the Municipal Offices on King or Central Streets lately, you may have noticed a few things that are out of the ordinary. We are doing some renovations to accommo- date an organizational refresh that we hope will create a more efficient way to deliver service. While changes aren’t expected to affect exist- ing service delivery to residents and businesses, we have combined some departments,which means some staff and departments have changed locations. Below is a list of departments now along with their locations and services. • Community Development & Recreation This Department resides in both levels of the Annex Building with Recreation Services on the bottom level (access from the back parking lot). Planning, Development, Building and Fire In- spection services are on the upper level. Tele- phone numbers and email addresses - listed on the right - remain the same as before. • Corporate & Strategic Management The Municipality has a new Deputy CAO po- sition. She, the CAO, and the other staff in this newly formed Department will operate out of the space that used to be the Recreation Office (upstairs in the main building). Staff now in that space include CAO, Strategic Initiatives, Com- munications, Fire/Safety, and Economic Devel- opment along with Tourism. The Municipal Clerk is also in this Department, but her office will remain on the main level of the Municipal Office where it has always been. • Finance & Information Services Finance services will stay in the same location they have always been: the Tax Office on the lower floor of the main Municipal Office. Joined with them (in spirit, but not in location) is In- formation Services, including GIS and Records Management. All of these staff will stay where they were: in the office to the left of the main entrance to the Municipal Office. • Infrastructure & Operations The Public Works Department and Solid Waste Department are now combined to create Infra- structure & Operations. Staff will remain in the same locations, but the Director will now take on both departments and share her time be- tween Kaizer Meadow and Chester. If you have any questions, please never hesi- tate to make inquiries to 902-275-3554 or stop in at 151 King Street in Chester. Or, use any of the contact information below. Community Development & Recreation Building Services 902-275-3080 Fire Inspection Services 902-275-3080 Planning Services 902-275-2599 Recreation & Parks 902-275-3490 Corporate & Strategic Management This Department will have a new telephone number, which will be posted on our website. Until then please feel free to individually con- tact the person you usually deal with. Finance & Information Services General Inquiries 902-275-3554 Taxation Services 902-275-3554 FOIPOP Officer 902-275-3554 Infrastructure & Operations Public Works 902-275-1312 Solid Waste/Landfill 902-275-2330 Water/Wastewater 902-275-1312 MUNICIPALITY CHANGES THINGS UP New departments, same services. New Offices, same faces COMMUNITY INTEREST 4Follow us on social media for updates on employment opportunites, current events, project news, and much more. THINK TWICE BEFORE CUTTING TREES NSP cautions customers against trimming trees near linesAfter Hurricane Dorian, Nova Scotia Power dis- tributed information about trimming trees to lessen the likelihood of power outages. If you are concerned about trees around the lines near your home and are wondering if you should contact NSP, please read below taken from a notice received by MOC. NSP maintains trees within their rights-of-way, spending approximately $25 million per year on veg- etation management. When performing tree trimming, NSP generally does not clear trees from private property without property owner notification as it is the owner's re- sponsibility. However, during a severe storm, such as a hurricane, if a tree is causing a power outage or posing an imminent threat to cause an outage, NSP may decide to remove the threat, even if it would normally be the customer’s responsibility. Customer Requests Customers sometimes request that NSP trim trees on and around their properties. NSP will focus on re- quests for trees that are near dangerous power lines to ensure safety. NSP will try to complete these re- quests within 10 business days. NSP says that a tree that has 3 metres (10 feet) of horizontal clearance to a power line or utility pole is not a threat to the electrical system. This gives the tree enough room to sway with the wind or bend with the weight of snow and ice without threatening an outage. Nova Scotia Power Responsibility Electrical wires are high voltage and dangerous. It is NS Power’s responsibility to maintain safe clear- ance around these wires for the health of the electri- cal system. If you see a tree on or near these wires, please call NSP at 1-800-428-6230. A tree laying on a power line can cause flickering lights in the home or damage to a utility pole and equipment. If you see this kind of situation, please call NSP immediately at 1-800-428-6230. Customer Responsiblity In their information, NSP says that a low-voltage service wire brings electricity from the street power pole through to a metal mast on your house, which belongs to you. Trees around service wires could damage your mast and cause a power interruption to your home. Trimming is your responsibility, and qualified contractors can work around those ser- vice wires. NSP provides a list of local contractors on their website at: https://www.nspower.ca/en/ home/for-my-home/tree-trimming/tree-trimming- removal-contractors.aspx Communication wires (with black insulation around them) are the lower wires that run along the street and into your house, transmitting phone, cable and Internet signals. Also, support cables pro- vide physical support to utility poles. These are not electrical wires. Trees or bushes around these wires do not threaten the electrical system. Tree Planting Advice For a list of trees that are safe to plant near pow- erlines, see https://www.nspower.ca/en/home/for- my-home/tree-trimming/tree-planting-.aspx Tuesday, February 25 Pancake Supper Ocean Swells Community Centre, 4-6pm. Shrove Tuesday New Ross Legion, 4:30-6:30pm. Thursday, February 27 Free Drop-in Lunchtime Skates Chester Rink, 12:30-1:30pm. Call 902- 275-3490. Friday, February 28 Benefit Hockey Game & Auction for PRO Kids at Chester Rink, 7:30- 9:30pm. Free admission. 902-275-3490. Saturday, March 7 Firefighters' Breakfast Chester Basin Volunteer Fire Department, 7:30-10:30am. Mondays, Wednesdays & Fridays Elderfit Aquacize Oak Island Resort & Conference Centre, 10:30-11:30am. Call 902-275-4245 or 902-527-1887. www.elderfitlunenburg.ca Mondays Auction East Chester Recreation Hall, 1pm. Darts New Ross Legion starts Oct. 21, 8-10pm Tuesdays Auction 45s Card Night Western Shore Area Improvement Association Hall, 7:30pm. Bingo Chester Legion, 7pm. 902-275-3315. Thursdays Sea Cadets Meetings For ages 12-18 years at Chester Legion, 6:30-9:00pm. Call 902-857-1828. Bingo New Ross Legion, 7-10pm. 902-275-2650 Auction Captain Kidd Rodd & Gun Club, 7:30pm 45's Card Games District #1 Community Centre, 7:30pm. Fridays My Time Square Quilt Group Meeting 2nd and 4th Fridays, Chester Baptist Church, 10:30am-1:30pm. 902-980-0345 Friday Night Live Music New Ross Legion, 8:30-11:30pm. Call 902-689-2650. Saturdays Bingo East Chester Recreation Hall, 7pm. For more details on these events, please visit www.chester.ca/events or check out our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/ chestermunicipality/ COMMUNITY INTEREST Add your community event to the Municipality's website at www.chester.ca/events or email it to recreation@chester.ca 5 WALK-IN CLINIC SCHEDULE This schedule will be updated as soon as we have confirmed coverage for other days in March. Every Saturday 9 am to 1 pm (from February 29 to March 28) Wednesday, February 26 5 to 8 pm Wednesday, March 4 5 to 8 pm Tuesday, March 10 5 to 8 pm Wednesday, March 18 5 to 8 pm Wednesday, March 25 5 to 8 pm Registration begins one hour prior to all times listed above. Come to the second floor, take a number, and be seated. Remember to come early if you want to be sure to get a number. Website: ourhealthcentre.ca Facebook: ourhealthcentre Instagram: ourhealthcentre Twitter: @OurHealthCentre Call: 902-273-2098 or 902-275-3847 Regular walk-in clinic schedule will resume April 3. Thanks for your patience and understanding! Pen recycling update:Pen recycling update: Through a joint effort between Through a joint effort between the Parish of Blandford and the the Parish of Blandford and the Municipality of Chester, over Municipality of Chester, over 3100 old pens, markers, high-3100 old pens, markers, high- lighters and mechanical pencils lighters and mechanical pencils were recycled through the Sta-were recycled through the Sta- ples Canada Recycling Program.ples Canada Recycling Program. According to their website, over According to their website, over 2 million writing instruments 2 million writing instruments have been recycled so far!have been recycled so far! For information, For information, visit https://visit https:// www.terracycle.com/en-CA/www.terracycle.com/en-CA/ brigades/staples-en-cabrigades/staples-en-ca Thanks everyone!Thanks everyone! Subscribe to municipal email notifications and alerts at www.chester.ca on the homepage.6 This section of the newsletter is dedicated to business events and learning opportunities happening in Nova Scotia to help you connect and grow your business. Please read the listing below for information that could be valuable to you and your business. IT'S A PLEASURE DOING BUSINESS WITH YOU Innovation Leadership This course builds on the skills from the Innovator Mindset course. This course is ideal for any business leader, especially useful for those in technology, or asset-based consumer product development small businesses. Attendees will discover the powerful in- terpersonal and organizational patterns that define the difference between successful innovation and getting trapped in the status quo. Attendees will learn how to develop their skills to become innova- tive leaders, and strengthen their ability to foster in- novation in their organization. February 27, 9:00am to 3:00pm $45.00 Centre for Entrepreneurship, Education and Development, Bayers Road, Halifax www.ceed.ca/event Innovator Mindset Optimize your ability to create new value and be- come an elite innovator. Using the Innovator Mind- set tool, explore and experiment how mindset im- pacts your ability to create, adapt, invest solutions, develop powerful intuitions, test ideas, learn from experience, and gain new insights March 3, 9:00am to 3:00pm $45.00 Centre for Entrepreneurship, Education and Development, Bayers Road, Halifax www.ceed.ca/event Start Smart Explore local resources, be introduced to CEED's programs, and gain the tools and resources needed to make business ideas a reality. Gain knowledge around community resources for entrepreneurs, discover a simple approach to business planning, receive a business plan guide (upon request), ex- plore financing options, learn more about the Plan to SucCEED program, and have the opportunity to ask questions about your business idea or existing business. March 5, 5:00 to 6:30pm FREE Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development, Bayers Road, Halifax www.ceed.ca/events Computer Training: LinkedIn In this hands-on comprehensive course, you will learn how to • identify file types and folders; • open, save, and close files, and create folders; • save documents to various locations; • create and print documents, such as assign- ments and resumes; and • save and attach photos to documents and emails. You will also practice • basic computer functions and how to navigate the internet; • basic formatting, such as font, font style, align- ments, cut, copy and paste; and • using the internet and different web browsers. March 11, 12:30 to 3:30pm FREE Immigrant Services Association of NS 6960 Mumford Road, Halifax computerskills@isans.ca Financial Modeling These two workshops introduce the underlying con- cepts of using an assumption sheet to drive balance sheet, income statement and dashboard to inform the decision maker. Develop a financial model that will inform future plans and quantify, in dollars, the impact of decisions. March 11 and 12, 9:00am to 4:00pm $259.00 Centre for Entrepreneurship Education and Development, Bayers Road, Halifax www.ceed.ca/events Juniorpreneur Student Camp Over the week, campers will engage in teamwork, in- novation, critical-thinking, risk-taking and leadership as they work towards running their own business for half a day. They can earn revenue, calculate costs, and enjoy the rewards of their hard work. Guest speakers engage the youth with words of inspira- tion and motivation, and a visit to a local business allows the campers to see first hand what is involved in being your own boss! The week ends with a pitch- ing competition as they present to local entrepre- neurs followed by a presentation of certificates and awards. Ages 8 to 14 years. March 16-20, 8:30am to 4:00pm 180.00 Centre for Entrepreneurship, Education and Development, Bayers Road, Halifax www.ceed.ca/event 7th Annual Southwest Nova Scotia Agriculture Day This full-day event brings together farmers, interest- ed farmers and the general public for a day of net- working and learning. March 21, 8:30am to 4:00pm FREE Fire hall and Business Centre 9793 Highway 8, Caledonia www.growsouthwestnovascotia.ca Jobs Canada Fair Looking for work? New career? Immediate hiring? Direct interview? Meet face to face with hiring com- panies in Halifax. Free admission for job seekers. On- line registration required. March 26, 1:00 to 3:00pm FREE Four Points by Sheraton, 1496 Hollis St., Halifax https://www.eventbrite.ca/e/halifax-job-fair-march- 26th-2020-tickets-35881010067?aff=ebdssbdestsearch OUR ONLINE BUSINESS DIRECTORY RECEIVES AN AVERAGE OF 150 HITS PER MONTH. If you're in business in the Municipality of Chester, register it with our Business Directory at https://chester.ca/business-directory for FREE! Log in to upload photos, videos, hours, menus, social media links, map, and even your TripAdvisor review! Edit your listing at any time. Call 902-275-4138 for info. BUSINESS WASTE "MUST DO'S" IN WINTER #2#2 #3#3#1#1 During a storm, listen to CKBW, check our website or call 902-275-2330 in case collection is cancelled. Plow and salt/sand your private road and shovel out your collection area. If collector can't access your waste, they can't pick it up. Avoid green cart issues by • removing it from the roadside while the snowplow could be operating; • using paper bags for compost or for lining the cart bottom with cardboard so it won't freeze; • straining excess liquid from compost, layering it with bits of brush in your cart, or spraying your cart with vegetable oil in freezing weather. Ban on Single Use Plastics Coming Plastic Bags Reduction Act slated to take effect this FallThe days of plastic bags are numbered in the province of Nova Scotia. The Provin- cial Government has enacted the Plastic Bags Reduction Act that will ban businesses from providing customers single-use plastic bags at the checkout beginning in October 2020. As an alternative, customers can bring their own bags to the store, or some businesses may have reusable (not biodegradable or compostable) bags to purchase. There are a few exceptions to the "no plas- tic" rules though. Plastic bags can still be used for: 1. bulk food 2. food that isn't pre-packaged 3. small hardware items (nails, bolts, etc.) 4. frozen foods, meat, poultry or fish 5. prescription drugs 6. products that can't fit in a reusable bag 7. drycleaning 8. medical supplies/health services 9. wrapping flowers or potted plants 10. tires 11. transporting live fish For information about the single-use plastics ban, call Solid Waste at 902-275-2330 or visit the Province of Nova Scotia's website https:// novascotia.ca/single-use-plastic-bag-ban/ We may not be available 24/7, but our website is. Visit us at www.chester.ca Recyclable paper is like the Sun. Clean plastic is like mayonnaise. The two don't mix. (hint: please put your clean paper in a separate recycling bag) 7 PROPERTY SERVICES Download theR6RECYCLES app and never miss another collection day. Create a personalized collection calendar Find out "What Goes Where" Receive notifications by email, text or phone Receive real time alerts on weather-related service disruptions Play our "What Goes Where" sorting game No smart phone or tablet? No problem! Visit https://chester.ca/ waste-recycling/r6recycles for the same features. WASTE COLLECTION CHANGES STARTED JANUARY 1, 2020 Look in your 2020 Waste Collection Calendar or visit www.chester.ca/collection-changes for more information on route changes and the new 7:00 a.m. start. Questions?Questions? Solid Waste Dept 902-275-2330 Email solidwaste@chester.ca www.chester.ca/ collection-changes reVISION Plan Review Completed! New Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-Law in EffectThe new Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law are now active and in ef- fect. The publication of these documents is the re- sult of 5+ years of work, reviewing and revising the policies and regulations for land use within the Municipality. These documents will shape the way that our communities develop over the next 20 years. The documents have balanced goals dealing with the environment, the econ- omy, heritage, community character, housing, and social and physical health. To download a copy of the new MPS and LUB visit the Municipal website at chester.ca/gov- ernment/plans-reports-and-strategies/munici- pal-planning-strategy. You may also purchase a paper copy of the new documents from Com- munity Development & Recreation. Additionally, a reminder that Municipal Coun- cil has reduced the fee to obtain a Development Permit. Council has amended the Fee Policy to reduce the fee for projects with a construction value over $5000 from $60 to $10. Projects with a construction value less than $5000 must still make application for a Development Permit but the fee has now been eliminated completely for these smaller projects. The new planning documents contain a large amount of information and staff are happy to discuss questions, ideas or projects that you have in mind. Staff members can assist in navi- gating the new planning documents by pro- viding specific information for your property. Please feel free to contact us at development@ chester.ca or 902-275-2599. Finally, staff are now preparing to review the Chester Village Secondary Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law. This work is expected to begin in 2020 with an expected timeframe of about two years. A new project page has been created for the Village Review. Please visit our online engage- ment site at https://www.voicesandchoices.ca/ villagereview for further information. Register to receive email updates and stay up to date as information regarding the Village Review is posted. Dear Shabby, I've been having a heck of a time so far this win- ter. The compost in my green cart is freezing sol- id and won't come out when the collector tries to empty it. What can I do to prevent that? ~ signed Up to Here in Chester Commons Dear “Up to Here”: You can do all kinds of things. Here's a list: • Use paper bags during the winter • Line the bottom of your cart with box- board or cardboard • Spray your cart with vegetable oil • Alternate layers by placing small amounts of brush over wet compost • Strain excess liquid from high-moisture compost before putting it in your cart Dear Shabby Friendly waste disposal advice Then sit back with a hot cup of tea and watch your compost drive away in the collection truck. *********************************************** Dear Shabby, What in tarnation is going on at the Landfill? I took a load of junk to get rid of, and I see the ce- ment curbs that used to be in front of the drop off area are moved way back. I have to carry my gar- bage over to the bin now. How is that helpful? ~ signed Too Farrrrrr in Hubbards Dear “Too Farrrrrr”: Yes, curbs are farther back then they were be- fore, but it can't be helped for the moment. Staff moved the curbs out because sometimes residents would pull up too close to the edge, stand on the tailgate of their truck overhanging the open bin, and fall in while throwing their garbage over. We asked that users not do that, but some still did. Thankfully, no one was seriously injured. To make sure it doesn't keep happening, the curbs were moved back. They seem further back than necessary, but the roof posts are in the way too. Is it a pain? Yes. Did anyone else fall in? No. We understand that it makes dropping off waste more difficult than it was before. It's the solution that made sense with what we have. If residents have a low-cost fix to this safety issues, please let me know by emailing shabby@chester.ca Oh, since we're talking about the public drop- off, if anyone is bringing paper to the Landfill, please bring it in a bag. If it's not bagged, it cre- ates litter when staff dumps the public drop-off container. Tweet of the Week Our most popular post for January... QR Code: Download a QR Reader app on your mobile device (eg. iPhone). Hold it over the code while your device scans it, and it will open our website directly. Here, you will find all of the latest updates, minutes, tender information, and more. Twitter: Search for @chestermun or @ChesterRecParks in your Twitter account. Follow us and get regular updates and notifications about municipal issues, including live tweets from Council meetings. Facebook: Visit www.facebook.com/ChesterMunicipality and learn about events and stories happening in the area. If you have something to share, message us! We will post your event or photos! Instagram: Follow us at chestermuni to see photos of municipal events and daily life in the Municipality! Tag us in your pics! YouTube: Subscribe to modcvideo for our latest videos. We have a channel showcasing some of our outstanding attractions and businesses, and we are hoping to add more! If you have questions about…call this Department...at this number Animal Control (Dogs)Animal Control Officer 902-277-0017 Bandstand/Gazebo rental (Wedding)Community Development & Recreation 902-275-3490 Boat Launches Infrastructure & Operations 902-275-1312 Building Permits/Inspections Community Development & Recreation 902-275-3080 By-Laws Community Development & Recreation 902-275-3080 Civic Numbering Community Development & Recreation 902-275-2599 Composting Infrastructure & Operations 902-275-2330/902-275-1312 Council Meetings Corporate & Strategic Management 902-275-3554 (phone num- ber will change) Fire Inspections Community Development & Recreation 902-275-3080 Islands (use of)Community Development & Recreation 902-275-3490 Kaizer Meadow Infrastructure & Operations 902-275-2330 Municipal Sewer Infrastructure & Operations 902-275-1312 After Hours Emergencies 1-888-664-6998 Parks/Trails Community Development & Recreation 902-275-3490 Planning Areas Community Development & Recreation 902-275-2599 Recycling Infrastructure & Operations 902-275-2330/902-275-1312 Taxes Finance & Information Services 902-275-3554 Waste Collection Infrastructure & Operations 902-275-2330/902-275-1312 Wharves Community Development & Recreation 902-275-3490 Zoning Community Development & Recreation 902-275-2599 fax mail email 902-275-4771 151 King Street administration@chester.ca publicworks@chester.ca P O Box 369 building@chester.ca recreation@chester.ca Chester NS B0J 1J0 planning@chester.ca solidwaste@chester.ca Municipal Districts and Councillors #1 East Chester, East River to Northwest Cove Marshal Hector 902-277-2982 #2 Simms Settlement, Hubbards to The Lodge Floyd Shatford 902-275-7868 #3 Chester and part of East Chester Danielle Barkhouse 902-277-1624 #4 Chester Basin and Chester Grant Allen Webber 902-275-8373 #5 Gold River to Martins River Abdella Assaff 902-277-2765 #6 New Ross Tina Connors 902-277-1095 #7 Middle River to Haddon Hill, Windsor Road to Sherwood Sharon Church 902-277-1301 For exact district boundaries, call the Municipal Office at 902-275-3554. Provincial/Federal Contacts Nova Scotia Department of Environment ..........................................................902-543-4685 Labour ...................................................................902-543-0665 Lands and Forestry ................................................902-634-7555 Public Health .........................................................902-543-0850 Service NS ..........................................................1-800-670-4357 Transportation (Bridgewater) .............................1-844-696-7737 Property Valuation Services (Assessments) ...........1-800-380-7775 Bernadette Jordan, MP .............................................902-527-5655 ...............................................................................1-888-816-4446 Hugh MacKay, MLA ...................................................902-826-0222 ...............................................................................1-833-826-0222 Helpful services Health cards .......................................................1-800-563-8880 Social Insurance cards ........................................1-800-206-7218 Pharmacare ........................................................1-800-544-6191 Canada Pension Disability ..................................1-800-277-9914 Old Age Security .................................................1-800-277-9914 Child Tax Credit ..................................................1-800-387-1193 Government and community-based services ......................211 Health information and advice ..........................................811 Road conditions .................................................................511 Municipality of Lunenburg needed a rep from MOC to sit on the Sherbrooke Lake Park Stewardship Committee. Thank you Mike Morrison and Robin McAdam for volunteering! Mayfest 2020 Saturday, May 2 & Sunday, May 3 Yard Sale Weekend Planning a Mayfest event or yard sale? • Submit it using our online form at www.chester.ca/mayfest • Email recreation@chester.ca • Call 902-275-3490 The deadline to have your event included in the printed booklet is Friday, April 17. The deadline for our online listings is Friday, April 24.