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“ “Keeping you informed about November/December 2022Keeping you informed about November/December 2022
your municipal government” your municipal government”
Community Wheels is celebrating! They
have 15 years of community-based
transportation under their belt and don't appear
to be slowing down any time soon.
For those not familiar, Community Wheels is
a non-profit organization serving all residents in
the Municipality of Chester by providing a 'pay-
what-you-can' option for people who need a
drive.
Community Wheels had their modest
beginnings in August of 2007. The Municipality
of Chester Transportation Society was granted
a licence to transport patrons only within the
boundaries of the Municipality of Chester with a
used bus from the Chester Clippers.
Within their first three years, they received a
full licence, an official logo (designed by Kevin
McGrath), and funding for a 14-passenger bus
(costing $104,665). A year later, a bike rack
was installed on the front of the bus. A year
after that, the Transportation Society added a
4-passenger van to its fleet to accommodate
smaller groups. Trips with only one or two
passengers are common and using the bus just
wasn't economical.
Sponsored by the Municipality of Chester
Transportation Society, Community Wheels
offers a door-to-door service. Some examples of
how residents and groups use the service are:
• Day cares have used the bus to take road
trips;
• Recreation & Parks Services have used it to
transport participants to seniors' programs;
• Shopping and errands;
• Social outings and events;
• Medical appointments;
• Transporting students to extra-curricular
activities; and
JOY RIDE
Fifteen years just cruised by!
In the Municipality of the District of Chester this fall...
Islands in the Sun New face of Vale Packaging Coats and boots needed!
Two more islands Business spotlight is on Families are in need of
on preservations list Vale Packaging. See winter wear. Please donate.
thanks to MICA (pg 2) page 3 for details. Read more on page 5.
• Going to the laundromat or pharmacy.
While most drives don't follow a specific
schedule, Community Wheels usually has a
vehicle that comes from New Ross into Chester
on Thursday mornings and travels to the Dickson
Centre in Halifax on Mondays, Wednesdays, and
Fridays at 11:00 a.m.
Every year, thousands of travel hours and
kilometres are logged. Michele Haddal, the
Transportation Coordinator, takes hundreds of
appointments and dispatches to four drivers,
one of whom is the organization's first female
driver. Each driver requires professional driving
qualifications, vulnerable sector clearance,
first aid, and Workplace Hazardous Materials
Information System (WHMIS) training. However,
the best qualification is kindness and personal
interest. Drivers take a personal interest in the
riders, creating relationships and building trust.
You may be wondering how Community
Wheels can afford to keep operating. Funding
has come from multiple sources over the years:
federal and provincial governments, local non-
profits and businesses, and ourselves (MOC).
Taxpayers, through Municipal funding, contrib-
ute an operating grant every year and have con-
tributed towards capital expenditures, such as
the 14-passenger bus in 2010.
However, making ends meet is always a
concern. The service is regulated by the NS
Public Works Department and licensed by the
NS Utility and Review Board, which does not
allow fare to be charged. The pay-what-you-can
model keeps Community Wheels affordable for
those who need it the most but also provides an
important revenue stream that helps with the
rising costs of owning vehicles: fuel, insurance,
maintenance, etc.
Community Wheels is managed by a volunteer
Board of Directors, representing stakeholder
groups in the Municipality, such as members of
the community, the Municipality of the District
of Chester, Aspotogan Heritage Trust, Acadia First
Nation, Our Health Centre, South Shore Com-
munity Services, and New Ross Family Resource
Centre. Community Wheels is also a part of the
Rural Transportation Association (RTA), an orga-
nization that provides information to the public
and networking opportunities for providers simi-
lar to Community Wheels throughout the prov-
ince. Visit their website at www.ruralrides.ca.
We are pleased to support this invaluable com-
munity service and invite you to find out more
about Community Wheels on their website at
https://communitywheels.ruralrides.ca or by
contacting our staff liaison, Jody Conrad, Com-
munity School Coordinator, at 902-275-2712.
Need a ride? Book with Michele Haddal by
calling 902-273-2240. Please give 24 hours no-
tice for either a booking or cancellation. Office
hours are Monday to Thursday from 8:00 a.m.
to 3:00 p.m. Masking is required inside vehicles.
COUNCIL & GOVERNANCEMessage from
the Warden
Well, I am back. sorry I wasn't able
to provide a message in the edition of
Municipal Insight - just a lot going on,
which is good!
A few editions back, I asked for your
patience as we were experiencing some
back logs in our workload related to staff
shortages and new people coming on
board. I am please to say that most of the
staff positions have been filled, and new
staff are getting up to speed, which will
better help us meet your needs in a more
timely manner. Welcome aboard to all of
the newcomers!
You may have noticed that the long-
awaited repaving and paved shoulder
work has begun on Highway #3 from
Route #12 to Western Shore. This should
improve safety for all users of this section
of the road.
With the exception of Hurricane Fiona
(and even then, we got by without much
damage), the Fall season has gotten off
to a great start - 200C in November! This
has enabled ourselves and community
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
2
groups to continue work and fun-related
activities for the community.
You may have noticed islands added
to the 'public' list. This is something we
feel is important to who we are and our
lifestyle, and I would like to take the
opportunity to thank Syd Dumeresq, a
local boy, for the time and effort he puts
in to making projects such as this one,
and many others, possible. Thank you.
We are getting close to the end of this
fiscal year and beginning discussions
on municipal priorities and the fiscal
resources required to meet our
objectives, both short- and long-term.
There are, and will be, opportunities for
public input on the services we provide
and the community you want to be, and
we look forward to your feedback and
guidance. All the best,
ISLANDS ADDED TO 'PUBLIC' LIST
Conservation group secure two islands in local waters
At the September 15, 2022, Committee of the
Whole meeting, Syd Dumeresq (pictured
above), John Meisner, and Brian Palfreyman, rep-
resenting the Mahone Islands Conservation As-
sociation (MICA), presented the Municipality of
Chester with two plaques.
The plaque on the left depicts Birch Island and
indicates that the island was acquired by MICA in
March 2022 in partnership with the Province of
Nova Scotia with significant support from the Mu-
LEADERSHIP FUN'd
On November 5, enthusiasts gathered at Ches-
ter District School to celebrate the memory of
our beloved fitness leader, Gwen Hamm. Along
with previous in memoriam donations, around
$2000 was raised for the MOC Leadership Fund.
This money will be used to train future fitness/
recreation leaders here in our Municipality.
Thanks to all who took part and who helped or-
ganize. Thank you also to those who donated
in Gwen's memory. We and Gwen’s family are
appreciative of your generous acts of kindness,
caring, and show of support for Gwen. This has
been a great way to remember Gwen’s contri-
butions to our community.
Syd Dumeresq (left) and Warden Allen Webber (right) hold the
plaques presented to the Municipality by MICA.
nicipality of Chester.
The plaque on the right depicts an aerial of
Squid Island. It was acquired in 2015 by MICA,
once again in partnership with the Province with
support from the Municipality.
Both purchases ensure that the islands will be
conserved and remain available for public use.
Thank you, MICA, for your ongoing conservation
efforts of the islands in our beautiful Mahone Bay.
LEST WE FORGET
These banners can be seen throughout New
Ross, honouring our past and present Veter-
ans and serving as a reminder of the sacrifices
made for us.
Royal Canadian Legion, Br. 79 in New Ross coor-
dinated the effort with special thanks extended
by Legion President Roland Walker to the fami-
lies and community members who purchased
banners and to the organizations who contrib-
uted towards the mounting hardware:
• Royal Canadian Legion, Br 79, New Ross
• New Ross Development Society
• New Ross Historical Society
• Mr. Mike Byrne
• East Coast Power Lines, who put up the
banners with NS Power's cooperation
We hope to continue this act of remembrance
for years to come or until we run out of tele-
phone poles. They will also be mounted during
special events.
3
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Best Of Nova Scotia in one place... www.investchester.ca
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
Located in beautiful Mill Cove, Vale Packaging has
been an employer in our Municipality for over 20 years
and has experienced some exciting growth recently.
Our Senior Economic Development Officer, Erin Lowe,
sat down with co-owner, Uriel Guerrero, to learn a bit
more about this great local company.
Q: Can you tell me a bit about Vale for those
who might not be familiar with the company?
A: Ed Baker and Carla Rafuse started Vale Packaging
Ltd. 22 years ago, and it was originally started to manu-
facture and sell thermoforming machinery. They came
to realize that it was much better to produce packages
than to produce the machines because it was taking
too long to sell the machines.
Approximately 95% of Vale’s plastic packaging is
produced for the food industry. Types of packaging
include such items as bowls, cake domes, meal trays,
etc. (see above, last photo). Vale can create anything
that you would see in a supermarket that is in a plastic
packaging.
Vale produces almost everything from PET due to it
being highly recyclable. Vale operates a zero-discharge
facility as well. All the plastic scraps get ground up and
re-packed and sent back to the original manufacturers
of the plastic to reuse it. As a result, no plastic goes
into the landfill.
Q: How did you come to co-own Vale with your
business partner?
A: Last year Jim (Cox), and I took over the company.
Ed Baker and Carla Rafuse continue to be very integral
to the operations of the company. Jim and I met while
working in the oil and gas industry in Alberta and we
both have ties to Atlantic Canada: Jim is originally from
Stewiacke, and I lived in Newfoundland for four years.
We were looking for an opportunity to do something
different; something where we could have our own
sense of purpose and have more impact on our com-
munity. We were fortunate that Ed was ready with a
succession plan and was looking for someone that was
willing to grow the company and keep it going for as
long as possible. Both Jim and I have young families
and we made the decision to move out here for the
long haul. We saw this as a great place to not only own
a business but to raise our families as well.
Q: It’s exciting times with the growth you have
been experiencing, what has that been attribut-
ed to?
A: We are experiencing this growth because of the
effects of COVID. It shone a light on many problems
with the supply chain, such as the dependency on a lot
of foreign goods, especially things like packaging. A lot
of companies had to stop production because of sup-
ply chain disruptions. This is not just impacting those
companies who import from China, it’s also those Ca-
nadian companies who import from the United States;
many companies from the US decided to prioritize
their local market which meant many Canadian com-
panies were left hanging. As a result, companies have
realized that having a local partner is a safer approach.
All through COVID, we didn’t miss a single shipment
to our customers. We had to take an extra cost by in-
creasing inventory dramatically, but our ability to de-
liver to our customers reflected very positively in the
industry.
Q: Can you tell me about your expansion plans
for Vale?
A: We acquired an 18,000 sq ft building located next
to our existing facility in order to increase production
and warehousing.
We are also purchasing new machines that will give
us some extra capabilities to process biodegradable
plastics and do some new designs that we have not
able to do to date. The machines will be more modern
and energy efficient and will incorporate more innova-
tive technology.
We are also expecting to hire about five additional
staff as machine operators; we currently have 20 em-
ployees so, that would represent a 20% increase in the
number of roles, which is decent growth for us. We
would like to employ local workers; a lot of our staff
have been here for 10-15 years.
Q: What makes Vale Packaging unique?
A: Two things make Vale unique:
One, we are a very innovative company that can pro-
duce custom packaging. We can take something from
an idea to prototyping samples, right through to com-
mercialization. Many companies work with a distrib-
uter where every product looks the same which makes
it difficult to differentiate your product from your com-
petitors. When you have something that is designed
for your purposes you reduce waste and your product
stands out from the competition.
Two, our customer service. We always answer the
phone and make sure that we solve the questions that
our customers have. That’s what makes us different
than the other bigger companies.
Q: What do you love about having your busi-
ness located here in the MOC?
A: I love everything about it here. I love the place.
I love the area. I love the drive. The drive to work
every morning is along the ocean, and I just take in,
every morning, how beautiful it is. I love the people I
work with. Pretty much everyone is from the commu-
nity; makes it a special place because everyone knows
everyone, and we care for each other. Everyone is a
neighbour, and that is a nice feeling.
Q: What makes Vale a great place to work?
A: We are a flexible company, have a clean facility,
and nice environment for working. We have a great
culture and great people, we care for each other – al-
most like a family-owned company. We have flexible
hours – no hard shifts and can always work around
what people need. Fifty percent of our staff are wom-
en. This is significantly higher than average for manu-
facturing companies, which is around 20 - 30%. That is
a huge difference when compared to other manufac-
turing firms, which speaks to our great culture.
Q: What’s next for Vale?
A: We want to continue to provide great service and
continue to grow. We are looking at where the indus-
try is going in terms of packaging and want to keep
up with societal and technical innovations as well as
provide the best materials that are sustainable for the
planet.
We are taking a trip in October to Europe and the US
to look for technology and to understand where the
packaging industry is moving. Europe is usually ahead
of us when it comes to sustainability and innovation,
and we want to tap into the market and the technol-
ogy associated with that to make sure that we keep
Vale at the front of those technology changes.
The other big thing we are looking at doing is receiv-
ing PacSecure Certification for the plant – this certifica-
tion guarantees that packaging is done of the highest
quality. This is an international certification that once
received will open up new markets for us.
For more information on Vale Packaging, check out
their website at www.valepackaging.ca, or find them
on Facebook and LinkedIn @valepackaging.
VALE PACKAGING
Mill Cove, Nova Scotia
Vale Packaging facility (top) and the newly
purchased building next door (below).
Mill Cove NS
Safety first! Erin and Uriel prepped for the
'behind-the-scenes' tour of the facility.
COMMUNITY INTEREST
4
SOME COMMUNITY IN THE GARDEN
Grade 4's visit the Growing Friends Community Garden in Chester
After another successful year of matching gar-
deners with growing spaces, the highlight was
definitely a 'Harvest Day' with the Chester District El-
ementary School (CDES) Grade 4's on Wednesday, Sep-
tember 21.
Led by resident gardener extraordinaire, Lisa Aiken,
a teaching assistant at the school, the group wrapped
up the growing season by picking remaining vegeta-
bles in the boxes assigned to CDES. The vegetables will
be used in the school's cafeteria.
Don't worry, the students were paid for their labour.
They each earned a valuable lesson in food security, a
snack, and an individually-wrapped packet of marigold
seeds of their own. Warden Allen Webber was even on
hand to offer fresh plums from a staff member's gar-
den and a Municipality of Chester pin to each student.
Special thanks to volunteers Charlotte, Gloria, Chantel
and Jasmine.
The community garden, located on the Municipal
Office grounds in Chester, is a team effort between the
Municipality and the Growing Friends project, spon-
sored by St. Stephen's Church, in partnership with Our
Health Centre. Growing Friends promotes food sus-
tainability through coordinating garden beds and nu-
tritious, inexpensive, and delicious plant-based meals.
The beds are free to residents of the Municipality who
would not have the opportunity to access fresh garden
vegetables otherwise, whether through mobility chal-
lenges (we have eight accessible beds) or circumstanc-
es that prevent installing a bed of their own.
Growing Friends will host a luncheon at 12:30 p.m.
on Sunday, November 20 in Tuck Hall, St. Stephen's
Church. Please email growingfriendschestermun@
gmail.com for tickets or if you'd like to volunteer at a
meal, or in the community garden! Growing Friends
has recently expanded their program to New Ross,
Blandford, and the Chester Train Station!
To complement this wonderful program, the Mu-
nicipality has a portable garden program for residents
who cannot have a garden of their own or access a
community bed. Pre-planted containers are delivered
at the beginning of the season and collected for stor-
age at the end.
For information, please contact Jennifer Webber at
902-275-4107 or communications@chester.ca.
The CDES Grade 4's spend part of their morning
finishing the harvest at the Growing Friends
Community Garden - photos contributed by Lisa Aiken
The Provincial Government provides many services to Nova Scotians.
It's not always easy to find contact information, so we have composed a
list of common telephone numbers for departments for your reference.
Call 211 or visit www.ns.211.ca for a listing of all residential programs
and services, such as emergency funding, credit counselling,
employment, support groups, housing, pension, and much more.
Department of Community Services 1-877-424-1177
Child Abuse Registry checks for volunteers .............902-424-6798
Child Welfare Services .............................................902-543-4554
Income Assistance ...................................................902-543-4554
Department of Education 902-424-5168
South Shore Regional Centre for Education ............902-541-3000
Department of Finance and Treasury Board 902-424-5554
Consumer complaints ..............................................902-424-5613
Insurance enquiries .................................................902-424-6331
Pension regulation ...................................................902-424-8915
Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration 1-844-424-5301
Apprenticeship Program (Bridgewater) ...................902-943-3699
Employment rights ..................................................888-315-0110
Labour Standard ......................................................902-424-4311
Occupational Health & Safety .................................800-952-2687
Technical Safety ......................................................902-424-5400
Workplace Innovation Incentive .............................844-850-2030
Youth Employment Programs ................................800-424-5418
Department of Municipal Affairs and Housing 902-424-6642
Emergency Management Office ..............................902-424-5620
Office of the Fire Marshal ........................................902-424-5721
Department of Natural Resources & Renewables 902-634-7555
Wildlife, forestry, energy efficiency and development, Crown land,
burning, geoscience, provincial parks, off-highway vehicles, etc.
Department of Seniors and Long-Term Care 844-277-0770
Office of Equity and Anti-Racism Initiatives 902-424-4415
Nova Scotia Environment & Climate Change 902-543-4685
Blue-green algae, drinking water, pollution, water testing, private
wells, hazardous materials, food safety, groundwater, etc.
PROVINCIAL CONTACTS
5
COMMUNITY INTEREST
Saturday, Nov. 19 Annual Christmas
Craft Fair
Chester Basin Legion, 10am-2pm. Call 902-
275-8391 for tables.
Saturday, Nov. 26 Lions Club Fish Fry Hubbards Area Lions Club, 3:30-5:30pm.
Call 902-857-9714 to pre-order by Nov. 23.
Saturdays, Nov.
26, Dec. 3 & 10
Christmas at the
Hubbards Barn
Hubbards Barn (57 Hwy 3), 9am-1pm. Visit
www.hubbardsbarn.org.
Saturday, Nov. 26
Sunday, Nov. 27
Christmas at the
Village Hall East River Village Hall, 9am-3pm.
Sunday, Nov. 27 Dollar Auction East Chester Recreation Hall (3292 Hwy 3),
10am-2pm.
Living in Nova Scotia, we're used to dealing with
winter, and we all have our own individual ways
we prepare in case of a power failure or other
emergency. For some, "roughing it" for a couple
days is inconvenient, but not the end of the world.
For others, being without power in the middle of
winter during a cold snap for more than a day is
impossible.
Preparing for storms
There are a few lists out there that can help pre-
pare you to "shelter in place" for 72 hours. They
generally include lists of supplies, potential risks,
and steps to help you avoid or mitigate those risks.
After 72 hours, depending on the emergency of
course, a wider spread disaster plan could kick in.
We have included a list in our Waste Collection
Calendar for you to reference. The same list is on
our website at www.chester.ca/72-hours. Or, you
can research your own.
Check in with your neighbours. Perhaps you can
share resources, or ask for or offer help.
How we can help
When a storm is on the horizon, municipal staff
and Council are usually already talking about it.
We assess the potential impacts on our own in-
frastructure, determine the triggers for activating
emergency management processes, review our
communications channels between each other
and with you, and make sure all of our procedures
are in place.
We are responsible for:
• making sure we have access to our sewer
treatment plants and pump outs, which
means plowing and shovelling;
• manually pumping out pump stations that
don't have generators when we lose power;
• clearing obstructions on municipal property
that impact the restoration of power;
• coordinating emergency response with the
Regional Emergency Management Organiza-
tion to put resources where they are need-
ed (prioritizing power restoration based
on medical or emergency need, flagging
downed trees or road obstructions, contact-
ing Red Cross, etc.);
• public communications; and
• working with communities to open comfort
centres, if needed (Councillors).
Useful information
Here are some resources that could be useful
during a winter storm:
Municipality of Chester updates
• social media (see back page)
• www.chester.ca
• Comfort Centres: check social media or web-
site or call your Councillor (see back page)
• CKBW 98.1 FM for emergency announce-
ments (ex. evacuation situation)
• After hours central sewer emergencies:
1-888-664-6998
• Municipal sidewalks and municipal roads are
cleared when storms have ended. Municipal
roads are: Captains Way, Commodore Drive,
Parkwood Drive, Foxwood Drive, Endeavour
Avenue, and Landing Drive West. If you have
a concern related to conditions, call our In-
frastructure & Operations Department at
902-275-1312.
Regional Emergency Management (Lunenburg
County) updates
• /LunenburgREMO on Facebook and Twitter
• www.lunenburgremo.ca
NS Department of Public Works (snow plowing,
salting, sanding, downed trees)
• Call 1-844-696-7737 to report issues about
these roads/streets:
◦All streets and side streets within the Vil-
lage of Chester
◦Highway 3
◦Highway 329
◦Trunk 12 (road from Chester Basin to
New Ross)
◦Trunk 14 (road from Marriotts Cove to
Sherwood aka Windsor Road)
◦All public, provincial roads (green sign)
• Track the snowplow at https://novascotia.
ca/tran/winter/plowtracker.asp
• Priority schedule for plowing: https://novas-
cotia.ca/tran/winter/WinterMaintenanceS-
tandards.pdf
Nova Scotia Power (downed power lines)
• 1-877-428-6004
• Outage map: http://outagemap.nspower.
ca/external/default.html
PREPARING FOR WINTER
Winter is a lovely (but trying) season. Before the snow flies...
Saturday, Dec. 3
Sunday, Dec. 4
Christmas at the
Village Hall
East River Village Hall, 9am-3pm. Pre-order
for takeout lobster roll luncheon by Dec. 1.
Call 902-275-7600 or 902-275-5720.
Saturday, Dec. 3 Chester Community
Market
Chester Legion (14 Union St, Chester),
10am-2pm.
Mondays Coffee Social New Ross Legion, 9-11am
Auction 45s Western Shore Legion. Call 902-627-2570.
Wednesdays Auction 45s Little Red School, 7:30pm.
Thursdays Bingo New Ross Legion, 7-10pm. 902-689-2650
PROPERTY SERVICES
6
Dear Shabby,
Is there anything new I should know about put-
ting waste out in the winter? I mean I already
know to line my green cart with paper and mini-
mize moisture to keep it from freezing and sticking;
I will put my Christmas tree out as a bulky item
during regular collection; and if it snows (please
please please), I will make sure my collection area
is clear and my private road is plowed and salted/
sanded. I can't wait to get my 2023 Waste Collec-
tion Calendar! Yay winter!
~ signed Excited for Winter in Gold River
Dear Shabby
Friendly waste disposal advice
GIVE ME A BREAK... ON TAXES!
Do you qualify for an exemption or reduction on property taxes?The Municipality has set the income lev-
els and exemption amounts for 2022/2023
property tax exemptions. You may qualify if ALL of
the following applies:
1. The total 2021 income from all assessed
owners, 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
$29,590.
2. Although all owners do not have to live in
the residence, it must be a principal dwell-
ing of the owner applying for the exemption.
Exemptions are applied against the residential
property tax portion of your current property
tax on your principal residence. The exemption
amount is determined at the Municipal Office
upon applying. Eligible residents can receive up to
$813 off their tax bill. Proof of income is required,
so you will need a copy of your 2021 Notice of As-
sessment from Revenue Canada.
Please contact the Municipal Office at 902-275-
3554 for more information or to arrange a time
to come into the office to apply for an exemption.
Applications for this exemption will be accepted
until March 31, 2023.
Provincial Seniors Property Tax Rebate
This program is administered by Service Nova
Scotia and designed to help eligible seniors re-
main in their homes by providing them with an
annual rebate on their municipal property taxes.
The rebate provides eligible homeowners with a
50% rebate of their municipal property taxes paid
the previous year, up to a maximum of $800. The
deadline to apply is December 31, 2022.
You must meet the following conditions to qual-
ify under this program:
• 2021/22 property taxes must be paid in full.
• At the time of application, applicants must
be an owner of - and regularly reside at -
the property for which the rebate is being
claimed.
• Applicants must be on Old Age Security or
Guaranteed Income Supplement (or eligible
as of January 2022).
For more information or to see if you qualify,
please call 1-800-277-9914.TOP55 Our Administration Office (part of the Depart-
ment of Finance & Information Services) often
gets phone calls, emails, and visits from residents
with questions that we can't help them with.
In case you have similar questions or requests,
perhaps this list of 'Top 5 Most Common Inquiries
and Their Solutions' can help you, too.
1. Property Assessments - The Property Valu-
ation Services Corporation (PVSC) assesses
the value of all properties in Nova Scotia
and then sends municipalities a Tax Roll that
lists those values. We use the Tax Roll when
applying property tax rates. Sometimes
property owners call us with a question or
concern about the assessment itself, but we
cannot help and need to refer them to PVSC.
2. Land Deeds - Changes to deeds or proper-
ty descriptions go through the Registry of
Deeds.
3. COVID tests - We don't have test kits at the
Municipal Office. You can pick one up at
Danielle Barkhouse's office (MLA for Ches-
ter-St. Margaret's) at 4080 Hwy 3, Chester.
4. Tree Cutting - If you need a tree cut down in
your yard, there are several private arbour-
ists or general contractors that can do that
work for you.
5. Moorings - You need a permit from Natural
Resources to place a mooring on Crown land
submerged in the ocean.
PVSC 1-800-380-7775
NS Natural Resources 902-634-7555
Since our last report, we received these online
inquiries.
Overflowing garbage: Waste in bins at the ferry
wharf in Chester were reported to be overflowing.
Thanks for letting us know! The bins were emptied,
and we will keep our eye on them.
Trail: A concerned resident requested that the trail
between Hubbards and East River be maintained. Our
spring maintenance schedule was delayed, but trail
work has commenced.
A report of overgrown brush was also made. The
brush was obscuring a stop sign on the trail, which
could cause a potential accident. We cut it back.
An unwanted connection from a section of trail was
made to allow ATVs access to a private road. Municipal
staff reinforced the existing blockades to discourage
the potential for unsafe and illegal road access.
Missing swing gate: A swing gate was reported
missing on the trail in Martins River. We located it and
made plans for reinstalling it.
Mill Lake waste area: The waste
collection area that the Municipality
established for property owners in Mill
Lake is in bad shape again. Between illegal dumping
from non-residents and waste not being placed inside
properly, the area is unsightly. Without cooperation, it
will continue to become disgusting despite efforts to
clean it up, which we will continue to do.
Alternative route for ATVs: The trail bridge in Gold
River is still closed. We issued a Request for Proposals
and the design work has since been awarded. Once
a design is created, recommendations will follow for
construction.
Requests: We received some other online requests
that are more routine, including
• green cart replacement/repair x 49
• civic address number x 2
• property information x 5
• information request re general by-laws
• information requests re Building Code
• Address change
• recreational programming
• snow removal on municipal road
REGISTER A COMPLIMENT OR COMPLAINT BY:
Calling 902-275-3554. Leaving your name is
optional.
Emailing the Clerk at pmyra@chester.ca
Filling in our online form on our website at www.
chester.ca/uhoh
Coming to see us at 151 King Street in Chester.
BOSSBOSS oror BUSTBUST Sometimes we receive requests that belong to
other organizations so we do not have authority to
act. We generally recommend reaching out to those
organizations. We had these requests:
• Bush cutting (NS Department of Public Works)
• Directional road signs confusing (NS Department
of Public Works)
• Condition of provincial roads (NS Department of
Public Works)
• Exposed rock at Lordly Park (Heritage Society)
• No accessible washroom in private establishment
(owner)
• Concerns over culverts on a private road (owner)
Dear "Excited":
Nothing new! Also, are you gunning for my job?
***********************************************
Dear Shabby,
I downloaded the R6RECYCLES app on my phone
so I could see all of my waste disposal information.
Problem is, my address isn't showing up.
~ signed Do I Even Exist? in Harriston
Dear "Exist":
Apologies! This happens on occasion. If your civic
number is new, it might not show up. Or, it could
just be a mistake. Send us your civic number at solid-
waste@chester.ca, and we will add it!
***********************************************
PUBLIC NOTICE
If you are still using plastic-like, compostable bags in
your green bin or mini-bin, please stop. The facility
that processes our household compost asked users to
stop using these products a few years ago because
they mess up the equipment.
PROPERTY SERVICES
7
Recyclable paper is like warm water.
Clean plastic is like cotton candy.
The two don't mix.
(hint: put your clean paper in a separate
recycling bag)
RECOVERING FROM AN EMERGENCY
Information from our Regional Emergency Management Organization
In the case of a house fire, wildfire, car acci-
dent, or hurricane, insurance is the best way to
recover following the unexpected events.
Whether you are a homeowner, business, ten-
ant, landlord, or recreational owner you can suf-
fer devastating losses due to an emergency. Insur-
ance isn’t meant to cover predictable events like
regular home maintenance. It is there to help you
cope with the financial burden of unpredictable
events that are sudden and accidental.
Some insurance tips:
• Not all policies are equal. Coverage options
vary, some may be less expensive however
compare the policies to ensure your prop-
erty is adequately covered.
• If you are evacuated from your home and
need to stay at a hotel and get food and
clothes, most insurance policies provide Ad-
ditional Living Expense (ALE) coverage that
can assist with these additional costs. Ask
your insurance company in advance what
they need when you file a claim. Do they
need receipts that you must keep through-
out the year, a video of your belongings and
property, replacement items purchased for
reimbursement? Knowing this in advance
helps prepare for a claim.
• Review your insurance at least annually or
anytime you make a substantial change to
your property, like a renovation. This helps
ensure you have appropriate and adequate
insurance coverage for your home, business,
and family's needs.
• Some coverages, like sewer back-up and
overland flood, are optional. Check your pol-
icy or speak with your insurance rep if you
want to add these to your policy.
• Keep copies of your policies and insurance
company claims contact information in your
emergency kit.
• The Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) has
information on home, auto, and business in-
surance. Contact IBC at 1-844-227-5422 or
visit their website at www.ibc.ca.
Definitions of common types of insurance:
Homeowner: Covers the dwelling, outbuildings,
contents, and personal liability of your family.
Consider the rebuilding costs, replacement value,
and coverage for all your belongings.
Businesses: Protects you from losses that may
pose a significant threat to your business opera-
tions. There are many different factors to consider
for businesses, such as coverage, deductibles, and
policy limits.
Tenants: Covers the cost to replace your belong-
ings due to theft, fire, or water damage after a
loss. The landlord insures the building, and you in-
sure your belongings. Insurance also protects you
if someone gets hurt or someone else’s property
is damaged because of your negligence.
Landlords: Landlord insurance can help cover
the cost of damage to your property as well as re-
place rental income.
Recreational Owners: Seasonal or secondary
property insurance is different than home insur-
ance. Seasonal properties are primarily used for
recreation at certain times of the year. Don’t for-
get to consider the sheds, boats, and recreational
vehicles as well.
To learn more about insurance, visit our web-
site at www.lunenburgREMO.ca/insurance.html.
You can also follow us on Twitter or Facebook at
LunenburgREMO for more tips and updates.
~ contributed by the Regional Emergency Man-
agement Organization for Lunenburg County.
SPECIAL LEAF COLLECTION is on your regular collection day between
NOVEMBER 14 and NOVEMBER 25
Place an unlimited amount of leaves in clear, plastic bags out for collection during Special Leaf Col-
lection. Place other yard waste in your green cart (except for branches that stick out over the top or
are more than 2" in diameter). You can also place up to three paper yard waste bags alongside your
cart for twigs, clippings, trimmings, etc. The only thing you cannot place in paper bags is branches.
2
A time-saving tip from Building Services!
Our permit application intake has tripled! Make sure you start the Building Per-
mit application process 3 to 4 weeks before you begin construction. Planning
ahead will save valuable time.
Our staff are available to assist you with completing the application so you have
everything you need to complete your application. For more time-saving tips,
call Building Services at 902-275-3080 or email building@chester.ca.
Tweet of the Week
Our most popular post for September/October...
Good riddance, Hurricane Fiona!
LinkedIn: Find us on LinkedIn by searching "Municipality of Chester"
and get the latest updates on municipal careers, opportunities for
business and development, and community investment news.
Twitter: Search for @chestermun or @ChesterRecParks in your
Twitter account. Follow us and get updates and notifications about
municipal issues.
Facebook: Search ChesterMunicipality or ChesterRecParks 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 chestermunicipality 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!
District #1
East Chester, East River to Northwest Cove
Andre Veinotte 902-277-1409
District #2
Simms Settlement, Hubbards to The Lodge
Floyd Shatford 902-275-7868
District #3
Chester and part of East Chester
Derek Wells 902-277-2263
District #4
Chester Basin and Chester Grant
Allen Webber 902-275-8373
Municipal Districts and CouncillorsMunicipal Districts and Councillors
District #5
Gold River to Martins River, including
Beech Hill
Abdella Assaff 902-277-2765
District #6
New Ross
Tina Connors 902-277-1095
District #7
Middle River to Haddon Hill/Windsor Road to
Sherwood
Sharon Church 902-277-1301
Contact Us!Contact Us!
Community Development & Recreation
Building Services/By-Law 902-275-3080
Planning/Fire Inspection Services 902-275-2599
Recreation & Parks 902-275-3490
Finance & Information Services
General Inquiries 902-275-3554
Taxation Services (incl Rebates) 902-275-3554
FOIPOP Officer 902-275-3554
Infrastructure & Operations
Public Works/Wastewater 902-275-1312
Solid Waste/Landfill 902-275-2330
Corporate & Strategic Management
General Inquiries 902-275-4147
Communications 902-275-4107
Council Inquiries 902-275-4109
Economic Development 902-275-4138
WALK-IN CLINIC HOURS (November)
Mondays 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Tuesdays 5:00 - 8:00 p.m. (Nov. 8 only)
Wednesdays 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Wednesdays 5:00 - 9:00 p.m. (Nov. 9 only)
Thursdays 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. (two physicians on)
Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Nov. 12 & 26 only)
1-902-273-2098
• Call 30 minutes before
each shift
• appointment required
• wear a mask
Check out the other amazing programs and services at Our Health Centre at www.ourhealthcentre.ca, or drop in and pick
up a copy of the monthly newsletter, The BUZZ. We are located at 3769 Highway #3, Chester.
Administration Offices are observing the following holiday schedule:
Friday, December 23, 2022 CLOSING at noon
Monday, December 26, 2022 CLOSED for Boxing Day
Tuesday, December 27, 2022 CLOSED in lieu of Christmas Day
Wednesday, December 28, 2022 CLOSED
Thursday, December 29, 2022 CLOSED
Friday, December 30, 2022 CLOSED
Monday, January 2, 2023 CLOSED in lieu of New Year’s Day
Tuesday, January 3, 2023 OPEN for regular hours
The Kaizer Meadow Environmental Management Centre (Landfill) schedule
over the holiday season is:
Monday, December 26, 2022 CLOSED for Boxing Day
Waste collection will not be impacted over the holidays.
Happy Holidays
from Council
and Staff