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“ “Keeping you informed about March/April 2022Keeping you informed about March/April 2022
your municipal government” your municipal government”
In the Municipality of the District of Chester this winter/spring...
Well, whaddya know... Best Of Chester Municipality Is any preventing first responders?
Wondering where Nominations will soon be First Responders need to
to find important accepted for Best Of. know where you are to
info? See Page 2. Get your list ready! Pg 3. help. Be visible (Page 6).
With plenty of winter left, some of us are
already wearing our "another storm...
seriously?" faces. Having run the gamut, includ-
ing snow, sleet, ice, and downpours of rain, the
weather has tested our patience and our self-suf-
ficiency skills.
As Nova Scotians, 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.
Another way to prepare is to check in with your
neighbours. Perhaps you can share resources, or
ask for or offer help.
IT WAS A DARK AND STORMY NIGHT Winter storms continue to cause problems for residents and us
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 for emergency announcements
(ex. evacuation situation)
• After hours central sewer emergencies:
1-888-664-6998
• Municipal sidewalks are cleared when
storms have ended. If you have a concern
related to sidewalk conditions, call our Infra-
structure & 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)
• 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
Stay safe by preparing, keeping off the roads in
bad weather, and checking in if you need help.
Only a few more weeks 'til spring... only a few
more weeks.
Recreation & Parks Services is searching for students
who would like to be part of their summer staff
team. Specifically, we are looking for our Summer
Supervisor and Special Events Coordinator (both
starting early May) as well as four Youth Leaders
(starting late June). If you are creative, energetic,
organized and enjoy working with youth and the
public, submit your resume to:
Municipality of Chester
Recreation & Parks Services
ATTN: Mr. Jody Conrad
186 Central Street P O Box 369
Chester NS B0J 1J0
email: jconrad@chester.ca
phone: (902) 275-2712
fax: (902) 275-3630
Deadline to apply for post-secondary positions is March 4.
For high school positions, the deadline is April 15.
NEED A NEED A JOB THISJOB THIS SUMMER?SUMMER?
Road conditions facing staff during a
recent storm (left) and a downed tree
on our trail.
COUNCIL & GOVERNANCEMessage from
the Warden
Things are looking up because of the
commitments of all Nova Scotians. Most
of the COVID restrictions have been
lifted.
We anticipate being able to get back
to a more normal routine during the
spring and summer. I know that staff and
community organizations are starting
to plan programs and events for the
coming months. We have all missed the
activities that help make our lifestyle
enjoyable and our communities such
great places to live.
We have also had considerable success
in attracting some new employees,
both to fill vacancies and to increase
our capacity to provide service to our
residents.
There has been considerable interest
recently on the economic front in
investing in our municipality. Although
I cannot provide a lot of detail at this
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
point, I am optimistic we are heading in
the right direction in both job creation
and on the housing front.
We have been advised by the Province
that the repaving of Highway #3, along
with paved shoulders, from Chester
Basin through to Vaughns Road in
Western Shore is back in their capital
budget for this year. Also good news.
We are early in the stages of budget
developent for this year and, although it
is not complete, I do not anticipate that
an increase in our tax rate will be required
to fulfill our needs or obligations.
Again, thanks for all you do to support
your community. All the best,
Drop-off Boxes: If you prefer to drop off your
applications, plans, payments, etc. during or af-
ter regular office hours, we have three drop-off
boxes to choose from. They are located outside
of the front entrance of the Municipal Building
(151 King St.), Recreation Services (186 Central
St. back parking lot), and Community Develop-
ment (186 Central St. front entrance).
E-transfers: We now accept e-transfers! Pay
taxes, PRO Kids donations, program registra-
tion, permit applications, invoices, etc. Include
a description of why you are sending your pay-
ment (tax account number, name of program,
etc.) and send to payments@chester.ca.
Staff Changes: Sadly for us, Robin Kaizer from
Infrastructure & Operations has taken a posi-
tion at another organization. Even though we
will miss you, Robin, we wish you the best of
luck in this new chapter!
We have three new employees. We are excit-
ed to announce that Olivia Corkum joins us as
Community Economic Development Officer!
Her background and enthusiasm are a great ad-
dition to our organization!
Warm welcome to Shannon Lantz, our Finan-
cial Analyst! Shannon is responsible for a whole
host of things, including financial reporting and
modelling, cash flow projections, and analysis
of operations.
Tammie Bezanson fills the Certified Engineering
Technician position in Infrastructure & Opera-
tions, bringing a wealth of experience and skills
with her. Happy to have you aboard, Tammie!
IN BRIEF...
FYIFinding Your Information
Wondering where to find municipal infor-
mation that's important to you? It's some-
times difficult to know where to look and when or
even what to look for.
We often use different, and sometimes specific,
platforms (newspaper, social media, newsletters)
depending on the information we are trying to get
out there. Below is a list of our usual channels and
what info you can expect to see from them.
When sending out updates, we generally cross-
post online to social media and website. If the tim-
ing works, we will also post it in this newsletter.
Website (www.chester.ca)
• Regular, everyday program and service in-
formation
• Routine Access documents (by-laws/poli-
cies, minutes, forms, newsletters, etc.)
• Municipal announcements (under News)
• Business directory
• Events calendar
• Access to email subscriptions (see below)
• Service complaints, compliments or re-
quests (www.chester.ca/uhoh)
Email Notifications
Get topic-specific updates directly to your email
inbox by subscribing to our notifications at https://
chester.ca/contact/municipal-notifications
• Council agendas and meeting information
• Explore Life - quarterly recreation guide
• Municipal Insight - digital copy of newsletter
• Regulatory changes - Public Hearings,
amendments or By-Laws/Policies creation
• Municipal Plan Review updates
• Waste collection notices
• Closures and cancellations (auto-generated
through website changes)
• All News (auto-generated through website
changes)
Social Media
• Facebook
◦/ChesterMunicipality for most general
municipal updates
◦/ChesterRecParks for recreation-related
updates
◦/TourismChester for tourism updates
• Twitter
◦/Chestermun for municipal updates
◦/TourismChester for tourism updates
• YouTube
◦/modcvideo for live Council meetings or
promotional videos
◦/ChesterRecreation for recreation-relat-
ed content
• Instagram
◦/Chestermunicipality for posts related to
economic development/investment and
events
◦/TourismChester for events and features
• LinkedIn
◦/Municipality of Chester for economic de-
velopment and employment content
Print
• Municipal Insight - usually every two months
with general municipal content
• Explore Life - quarterly guide to recreation
programming and topics of interest.
• Advertisements for public meetings, public
hearings, employment opportunities, by-
law and policy amendments, etc. These are
usually in local newspapers.
• Miscellaneous - Sometimes we put out infor-
mation through direct mail or unaddressed
admail that is specific to a project or speical
event. Sometimes we also use local commu-
nity newsletters as well.
Other Websites
• www.voicesandchoices.ca (public engage-
ment website that hosts some of our larger
projects. Leave a comment or question!)
• www.tourismchester.ca
• www.investchester.ca
• www.chesterfire.ca
• www.lunenburgremo.ca (affiliated emer-
gency management website)
• www.lovewhereuwork.ca (affiliated micro-
site for the retention of doctors)
We are always available by telephone, email, or
in person during regular hours, which are Monday
to Friday from 8:30 am to 4:30 pm. Our contact
information is on the back page or on our website
at https://chester.ca/government/administration.
All of our documents (with the exception of per-
sonal info, personnel records, intellectual prop-
erty of outside businesses and organizations, and
some records related to contractual agreements)
are available to the public. Many of the old records
are digitally stored or kept by the NS Archives.
Many routinely requested records are avail-
able on our website at https://chester.ca/govern-
ment/records. Others are available upon request
through our Office or through our Freedom of In-
formation and Protection of Privacy (FOIPOP) pro-
cess. You can contact our FOIPOP Officer by calling
902-275-4108 or emailing foipop@chester.ca.
If you have any suggestions on how we can bet-
ter communicate, please reach out to our Com-
munications Officer at 902-275-4107 or email
communications@chester.ca
3
COUNCIL & GOVERNANCEEQUITY, DIVERSITY, INCLUSION
What it means to us and what we hope it will mean for residents.
The Equity, Diversity & Inclusion (EDI) Ad-
visory Committee is up and running with a
couple of meetings under its belt. We are in the
early stages but things are going well.
Council approved this Committee in August
2021 and then positions for community members
(six in total) were advertised. In a rare occurrence,
we had more applicants than seats. Our Nominat-
ing Committee selected six members and then, af-
ter the District #3 Special Election, appointed two
Councillors. The first meeting was January 25.
By definition, equity is "freedom from bias or fa-
vouritism". It means treating someone fairly and
with respect.
Diversity is "the inclusion of people of different
races, cultures, etc. in a group or organization." It
is more than race, ability, sexual orientation, lan-
guage, gender, or any other descriptive category.
It's also understanding and accepting different
views, ideas, life experiences, skills and knowl-
edge.
The definition of inclusion on the Canadian Cen-
tre for Diversity and Inclusion's website reads, "In-
clusion is about the collective. It is about creating
a culture that strives for equity and embraces, re-
spects, accepts, and values difference." Practicing
inclusion eliminates barriers and supporting the
community so that all its members can fully par-
ticipate in and contribute.
These are qualities that the Municipality be-
lieve in and want to encourage in our workplace
and beyond. Currently, the EDI Committee is re-
viewing an Action Plan designed to help us affect
change within our own organization, raise aware-
ness about social issues, and cultivate a respectful
and open-minded environment.
If you want to follow along, approved minutes
will be posted on our website once our EDI page
is ready. We will also post updates and opportuni-
ties on that page. We are excited to be meeting
and discussing issues important to many of our
residents, neighbours, and friends and hope that
you are too!
If you have any questions about the EDI Advisory
Committee, send them along to communications@
chester.ca, call 902-275-4147, or visit https://
webfiche.district.chester.ns.ca/WebLink/Browse.
aspx?id=1139428&dbid=0&repo=CHESTER
to view the Committee's Terms of Reference.
UPDATE ON ACCESSIBILITY PLAN
Joint Accessibility Plan guides Lunenburg County towards 2030 goal.
The Province of Nova Scotia passed the Acces-
sibility Act in 2017 with the goal of making
Nova Scotia accessible by 2030. As part of our re-
sponsibilities under this Act, the Municipality of
Chester partnered with the other municipal units
in Lunenburg County to create the Lunenburg
County Accessibility Plan.
We heard from community members across
Lunenburg County who helped to identify some
of the barriers that persons with disabilities face
when they visit municipal facilities, communicate
with our staff, register and attend programs, ac-
cess services, get around the community, and
look for work. This feedback helped to shape the
broad commitments made in the Plan about how
the municipalities in Lunenburg County will iden-
tify, prevent, and remove barriers to accessibility.
The Plan, outlining these commitments, was
submitted to the Province, and now each munici-
pality is working on the specific actions it will take
to meet those commitments. The five municipali-
ties in Lunenburg County have hired an Accessibil-
ity Coordinator to help with this process.
To read the Lunenburg County Accessibility Plan,
go to www.accessiblelunenburgcounty.ca. If you
have questions or feedback about accessibility in
municipal programs, services or infrastructure in
the Municipality of Chester, Municipality of the
District of Lunenburg, Town of Bridgewater, Town
of Mahone Bay or Town of Lunenburg, you can
contact the Accessibility Coordinator, Ellen John-
son at 902-277-0456 or by email at ejohnson@
chester.ca.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The annual Ag Day conference is a celebration of small-scale farming and
agricultural enterprise along the South Shore. Ag Day is presented as a col-
laboration between the Municipality of Chester, Municipality of Lunenburg,
and the Region of Queens Municipality, together with the Nova Scotia De-
partment of Agriculture and Nova Scotia Business Inc., supported by South
Shore Opportunities CBDC.
The event blends together some of the best current thinking on agricul-
ture topics, with inspirational stories of success and development in the sec-
tor, ready to be applied by you, right here!
Our area has affordable, available agricultural lands and an increasing de-
mand for locally grown produce. If you are currently farming, or are looking
forward to a future home- or farm-based lifestyle, Ag Day is for you. The
event is free to attend, but we ask that you register by email to registra-
tion@growsouthwestnovascotia.ca .
Ag Day 2022 will be a virtual event. Stay tuned for details at the event page
on Facebook: https://fb.me/e/1v3UsEnqw or at https://www.growsouth-
westnovascotia.ca/
We would be remiss if we didn't mention that Screen Nova Scotia hosted its
7th Annual Awards Gala on November 25. The Gala celebrates the incred-
ible talent, creativity, and passion that are the trademarks of Nova Scotia’s
screen industry. Notable awards include the ACTRA Awards for Outstand-
ing Performances, the Film Crew Excellence Award, the Women in Film &
Television Atlantic Award, and the Community Recognition Award, along
with the Screen Nova Scotia Awards for best television, film, and animation.
The 2021 Community Recognition Award went to our Warden, Allen Web-
ber for his efforts to consistently ensure that Chester is a welcoming com-
munity for film and TV production. Recent productions filmed in Chester
include feature film The Good House, starring Sigourney Weaver and Kevin
Kline, and the USA Network series The Sinner, starring Bill Pullman.
Congratulations, Allen!
And the award goes to...
COMMUNITY INTERESTIT'S VOLUNTEER TIME
Volunteer Week is coming up in April. Time to celebrate!
Volunteers and local non-profit organiza-
tions are a valuable piece of our community.
Volunteers organize community events, put on
community breakfast and suppers, coach sports
teams, visit the elderly, and help those in need. In
the Municipality of Chester, we have a long list of
community groups and an even longer list of hard
working volunteers that give freely of their time
to benefit the community.
The last two years have been particularly diffi-
cult for community organizations and volunteers.
The pandemic challenged us to find new ways to
connect and to navigate through restrictions and
outbreaks. Many groups and volunteers met those
4
PLEASE do not come to second floor Walk-in Clinic
if you do not have an appointment.
Please make a same-day appointment by calling
902-273-2098. Pre-booking is no longer available.
Phone line is open one hour before each shift.
Please remember that you must wear a mask, so
please bring one with you.
Wednesdays 5:00 - 9:00pm
Thursdays 9:00am - 1:00pm & 4:30 - 8:30pm
Fridays 9:00am - 2:00pm
Saturdays March 5 & 19 9:00am - 1:00pm
If you’re over 65, the Seniors
Care Grant may be able to help.
With the Senior’s Care Grant,
you can get up to $500 towards
household chores.
1-800-670-4357
www.novascotia.ca/
seniorscaregrant
Applications close May 31.
challenges and showed us new, creative ways to
bring together communities. The resiliency of our
volunteers is outstanding and a tribute to their
commitment to us (and our mental health!).
We believe strongly in celebrating the great
work done by our local volunteers. Every day vol-
unteers give of their time and energy to the com-
munity, and it is these volunteer efforts that make
our communities strong and vibrant. Each year
during National Volunteer Week, we recognize
and thank our volunteers, and this year is no dif-
ferent. National Volunteer Week is April 24 to 30,
2022, and will hopefully look quite a bit different
than the last two years!
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Fresh from a new studio makeover, our Senior Econom-
ic Development Officer had an opportunity to have
a one-on-one with local entrepreneur, Jay Hiltz, Owner of
Nor'easter Apparel. Jay shares his story with us.
Q: How did Nor'easter Apparel start?
A: E-commerce was not a business model I had tried in the
past but always wondered how it could be. I feel like self-
employed people are often chasing a dream: What business
model will let me make money while sitting on the beach? E-
commerce seemed as likely as any. Let it be known, I haven't
sat on any beaches yet—it all takes a lot of work.
I'm on a mission to prove to myself and anyone who will
listen that you can build the life you want without com-
promising where you live to do it. I hoped that Nor'easter
could become an example of that—growing something big
(starting with nothing) out of a small town. I did not receive
grants or loans; I invested 5K of my own money. Every pen-
ny earned went right back into the business, buying more
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
5
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
products, selling more products, etc. It went from there to
where we are now.
Q: What makes Nor'easter Apparel unique?
A: I have been very inspired and influenced by Zita Cobb
(founder of Fogo Island Inn) and her ethos of having a strong
sense of 'place'. I 110% love where I live. Ok, the % is prob-
ably higher than that.
I love Nova Scotia and the many things that define our
unique culture. All of the little nuances, born out of hard-
working Maritimers working the land, fishing the seas, and
building entire industries
that had not existed before.
I know that Maritimers
have a deep connection to
'home' where ever they go.
I thought, how can I cel-
ebrate that sense of 'place'
in a funny and meaningful
way? Slang catchphrases
are where I landed. We put
them on clothing and on tea
towels and our customers
love it! I think that is what
makes us unique right now
in the marketplace amidst
a very large body of young
startup clothing lines. (The
pandemic has influenced
100s of Canadian's to start
their own clothing line,
haha).
All the quirky East Coast
slang expressions are very
well known but no one has
seen them before on products they can buy, wear or give
away as gifts. And these expressions instantly remind peo-
ple of 'home'. I hear repeatedly: Your clothing line is SO East
Coast... without saying 'East Coast'. I love that.
The second thing that probably makes us unique is our
soft fabrics. I mean, they're really really soft. ha. I'm dedicat-
ed to quality and when I was first creating our brand, I came
up with two hashtags that I thought would reflect what I
wanted our apparel to stand for: #ferociouslycomfortable
and #wildlystylish
Q: Why do you love Martins Point as the location for your
business?
I love operating out of Martins Point. It's my home town.
My great grandparents were church planters and settled
here in the early 1900s. They were movers and shakers and
built the first Pentecostal Church in Nova Scotia. Now our
business operates out of the very church that they built.
While it's sad seeing one era end, it's very important to me
to honour their legacy by creating something new with what
they built. I'm not exactly hosting church services, but I'm
keeping the lights on and filling their space with dreams and
we're serving the community in a different way!
Creating jobs in my hometown has become very impor-
tant to me and it's been more rewarding than I could have
ever imagined. My hope is that no matter how big we get,
Martins Point will always be our home and headquarters!
Q: What is your favourite part of the new shop makeover?
A: In February 2020 we ended up buying Small Town Ink,
who had been printing our merchandise for us. That was
an unexpected purchase. Then Covid hit which was also
unexpected. We moved into the church that February and
the goal had always been to give it a fresh coat of paint but
things happen. Covid was a huge catalyst for launching our
brand to the next level, so honestly, we just didn't have the
time to stop for DIY projects.
I'm a perfectionist and have lots of visions. So it was al-
ways irking me that our space never matched the vision I
had for it. Customers would say: oh this place is cool. And I'd
think, ugh, it could look so much cooler!!
January 2022, we finally paused long enough to paint
the studio and bring it a bit closer to matching my vision. It
feels much more 'Jay' —I'm excited to have customers come
into the space because it is now a better reflection of the
Nor'easer brand. But this makeover is also a sign of growth.
We're making plans for where the next printing press is go-
ing to fit, and how we're going to configure the back storage
rooms for our "stock room". And that is what's most excit-
ing about the makeover... knowing that it's the next step,
towards the next step!
Q: What's next for Nor'easter Apparel?
So many things are in the very near future for us. We
bought a building in Halifax and it's going to be the home
of our first brick and mortar—but don't worry, we're going
to be expanding on the South Shore too. Halifax just made
the most sense for a list of reasons too long to explain. But
it's going to be a lot of fun! We're opening an espresso bar
within the space as well, which hasn't been announced yet,
so you're hearing it here first.
2021 we also launched the Martins Point Pop-up Mar-
ket, which is not technically part of Nor'easter but they are
very closely knit. They have been so successful and we have
plans to grow the market experience for our customers in
2022. So you can expect to see more from us on that front!
For more about Nor'easter Apparel visit them online:
https://www.noreasterapparel.com/
www.instagram.com/noreasterapparel
www.facebook.com/noreasterapparel
PROPERTY SERVICES
6
Dear Shabby,
I put my waste out yesterday at lunch time and it is
still at the bottom of my driveway. Well, I should
clarify... It's still at the bottom of my driveway, all
over the road, in my neighbour's driveway, and in
the ditch. The plow got to it. Now what?
~ signed Oof in East River
Dear "Oof":
Oof, is right. Okay, lots to unpack here. First, did
you put your waste out on your right waste col-
lection week? You can double check by looking
in the 2022 Waste Collection Calendar that you
should have gotten in the mail last December. If
you didn't get one, give me a call at 902-275-2330.
Dear Shabby
Friendly waste disposal advice
Second, you put your waste out too late. Sometimes,
the collector changes things up a bit depending on
their schedule. Maybe they have to collect an extra
route because of road conditions and they are start-
ing in a different area. We always recommend put-
ting waste out at 7:00 a.m. no matter what.
Third, if it's your collection day and your waste was
out on time, there are a couple of other reasons why
it wasn't collected. 1) If your road is too icy or not
passable, they can't collect. Check our website or so-
cial media channels for updates. 2) The truck may
have broke down. If it's not collected by the end of
the day, check our website, social media, or call me
at 902-275-2330.
Finally, if it's snowing, you're rolling the dice on
who will get there first: the snow plow or the col-
lection truck. If it's the end of the day and your
waste is still not collected, we recommend moving
it away from the road to be safe.
***********************************************
Dear “Eyeballs”:
I'm following up from your last correspondence
about your broken green cart. We received our
back order! If you haven't received a replacement
for your broken green cart, or had someone by to
repair it, it won't be too much longer. I can't tell
you how relieved I am to write this. Seriously.
Recyclable paper is like your bare foot.
Clean plastic is like a wet sneaker.
The two don't mix.
(hint: put your clean paper in a separate
recycling bag)
SNOW AND CIVIC NUMBER SIGNS
Make sure first responders can find you during winter weather
Seconds matter in an emergency. Without
clearly posted civic numbers to guide them,
emergency service respond-
ers can sometimes have diffi-
culty locating the address of a
911 emergency.
Civic number signs can
get buried under snow or
knocked over by a snowplow.
Please make sure that your
civic number sign is visible
and cleared of snowbanks.
Emergency services are most familiar with, and
prefer, the clearly visible blue and white reflective
civic number signs.
Did you know you can purchase these civic
number signs at the municipal
office? Order forms are available
on the Civic Addressing page
of our website. The signs cost
$14.00 (prepaid). If you would
like a sign mailed to you, please
add $3.00 to cover postage.
Contact Planning and Develop-
ment Services at (902) 275-2599
or email civicaddress@chester.
ca if you have any questions regarding your civic
address.
WINTER WASTE "MUST DO'S"
#2#2
#3#3
#1#1 During a storm, listen to CKBW 98.1,
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
• remove it from the road while the
snowplow could be operating;
• prevent freezing by using paper
bags or lining the bottom with
cardboard, straining excess liquid,
layering with bits of brush, or
spraying the cart with vegetable oil.
PUBLIC INFORMATION MEETING
Public opinion invited regarding proposed planning amendments
We will hold a Public Information Meeting
to provide information and solicit com-
ments and questions from residents on proposed
amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy.
The amendments will clarify the current process
and add policy to outline the process of engage-
ment with neighbouring municipalities as it re-
lates to the approval of Development Agreements,
amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy,
the Land Use By-law or the Subdivision By-law.The
meeting will be held on Tuesday, March 8, 2022 at
6:00 p.m. in Council Chambers, 151 King Street,
Chester.
The meeting is designed to provide informa-
tion on the proposed amendments and to allow
time for comments, questions, and ideas to be
shared. In addition, feel free to contact Planning
staff directly to ask questions or let us know your
thoughts on the project. You can call 902-275-
2599, email planning@chester.ca, or write the
Community Development Department, P O Box
369, 186 Central Street, Chester NS B0J 1J0.
Staff are currently finalizing the draft amend-
ments and related staff report. These will be
brought forward to the Municipal and Village
Planning Advisory Committees for a recommen-
dation. Council will then schedule a Public Hear-
ing to receive feedback from the public on the
proposed amendments. Following the Public
Hearing Council may vote to approve or reject the
amendments.
Specific dates of future meetings are yet to be
determined. Notices with the date, time and loca-
tion of meetings will be posted in a local newspa-
per, on our website, and notices will be posted at
the Municipal Office. You may also subscribe to di-
rect notifications by visiting our website at www.
chester.ca/contact/municipal-notifications.
Waste Collection starts at 7:00 a.m.
PROPERTY SERVICES
7
GIVE ME A BREAK... ON TAXES!
Do you qualify for an exemption or reduction on property taxes?
Do you qualify for a property tax exemption?
You may if both of the following apply:
1. The total 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 house-
hold income together is less than $27,203 in
the 2020 calendar year.
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 only for the residential and
waste collection portion of your current property
tax on your principal residence.
The maximum exemption amount is $771 based
on total income and determined at the Munici-
pal Office. The exemption for the current fiscal
year (April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022) will expire
on March 31, 2022. Proof of income is required.
Please bring your 2020 Notice of Assessment from
Revenue Canada with you.
Please contact the Municipal Office at 902-275-
3554 to see if you qualify.
Provincial Seniors Property Tax Rebate
This program has ended for the 2020-21 prop-
erty tax years.
Since our last report, we received nine complaints.
Green cart woes: A resident's green cart went
missing after collection. Since we don't know where it
is, we will deliver a new one to the property.
A second resident reported that their green cart
was broken. The long wait is over, and our anticipated
order of green carts has finally arrived! If yours hasn't
been delivered yet, it will be soon!
Community name change request: A resident
requested that their community name be changed.
The request was sent to Council for discussion.
Age not relevant: A complaint was received about
posting a maximum age limit on recreation programs
in our recreation guide. While we need to have age
limits for many of our youth programs, we agree that
an age limit for adults is not needed and one will not
be included in the future.
Barking Dogs: Our Animal Control
Officer is available by calling 902-275-
0017.
Unauthorized vehicle on trail: Lock and pins to some
of our trail gates were stolen and a vehicle was reported
to be driving along a section of the trail. So, two things:
theft and vandalism is illegal and driving unauthorized
vehicles on municipal trails is not permitted. We have
ordered replacement parts for the gates. As for the
unauthorized vehicle, secure gates will hopefully deter
that from happening again as well as involving the
RCMP.
Sometimes we receive complaints that belong to
other organizations as we do not have authority to
act. We generally recommend reaching out to those
organizations. These complaints were:
• Downed tree (NS Department of Public Works
and NS Power)
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 on our website at
www.chester.ca/uhoh
Coming in to see us at 151 King Street in
Chester.
BOSSBOSS oror BUSTBUST • Snow clearing on public road (NS Department of
Public Works)
• Driveway washout (NS Department of Public
Works)
• Gas leak (NS Deptartment of Environment)
SERVICE DELIVERY
ATTENTION BUSINESS OWNERS IN THE HUBBARDS AREA:
If you are planning to replace your business sign, or put one up for the first
time, the Municipality of Chester is starting a uniform signage pilot project in
that area. Before purchasing and erecting a new sign, please call Erin Lowe at
902-275-4138 to discuss your options.
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 alerts on 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.VILLAGE PLAN REVIEW UPDATE
MOC launches Built Form and Character Study in support of Review
The Village of Chester, like many South Shore
communities, has a character that reflects its
history. Character-defining features most often in-
clude "built forms", such as:
• The external architecture of buildings;
• The historical or cultural importance of
buildings and places;
• Views and streetscapes; and
• Site features, such as trees, hedges, land-
scaping, walls and fences.
The Municipality of Ches-
ter is working with FBM,
Novita Interpares, and
CBCL on a Chester Village
Built Form and Character
Study.
The Study work will in-
form the review of Ches-
ter Village Planning docu-
ments, including the Land
Use By-law, which contains
regulations that apply to
new developments and
building renovations.
In the coming months,
we will conduct research of comparable commu-
nities elsewhere in Canada and the US and de-
velop a photo inventory to document built form
and character defining elements in the Village.
We also expect to hold community engagement
events in the spring, in line with the public health
measures in place at that time.
A preliminary timeline of the Study starts now
and continues until mid-summer. The project kick-
off and background review will begin this winter
along with a photo collage of case studies. Then as
we transition into spring, our partners will collect
feedback through our public engagement website
(www.voicesandchoices.ca) and culminate in an
information session and community walking tour
(virtual or in-person) and a spring photo collage.
In late spring, results will be given to Council in
a report. As we wrap up in the summer, a webinar
will be available publicly about architectural and
heritage design considerations for the Village. Fi-
nally, the process will end in a final report.
All of this information will be posted to our
public engagement website at https://www.voic-
esandchoices.ca/chester-village-built-form-and-
character-study. Once the project is up and run-
ning, you can comment, submit feedback, and ask
questions throughout the process.
If you cannot access our website or other online
resources, please let us know at 902-275-2599,
and we will be happy to assist.
Tweet of the Week
Our most popular post for December/January...
Community taking care of community in times of need.
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/Fire Inspection Services 902-275-3080
Planning 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
We live in a stressful world. Even before the
pandemic, it was stressful. Add COVID to the mix
and more people are finding it hard to cope.
The OHC Association has opened a new mental
health walk-in clinic to help. The service, called
Thrive, aims to serve people with mild to moder-
ate mental health concerns.
“Isolation, grief, loss, anxiety, depression, people
taking care of others and feeling overwhelmed.
There’s a lot of insecurity and isolation and the
pandemic has exacerbated it.” That’s Shauna van
Niekerk, a social worker with an extensive back-
ground working in the area of mental health and
addictions. “COVID added an extra layer where
people couldn’t get the support they wanted.”
The Thrive Mental Health Walk-In Clinic is every
Tuesday from 4:00 pm to 9:00 pm at Our Health
Centre. The phone line opens at 3:00 pm for ap-
pointments, and the voice at the other end of that
phone belongs to Erin Perry. She goes through a
series of questions to make sure clients are com-
ing to the right place. She also greets them at the
door when they come in. She says her 20-year
nursing background helps with the different dy-
namics of the people looking for help. “We’re try-
ing to be a safe, comfortable place for people to
come and receive mental health help, whatever
that looks like for them.” Clients have the option
to connect by phone, in person, or virtual session.
This is not an emergency service. It does offer a
supportive space where clients can discuss their
concerns, learn coping strategies, and if desired,
be connected with community services, resources
or additional mental health supports.
Those who have taken advantage of the service
so far range in age from pre-teen to late 70s and
come from all different backgrounds.
It’s difficult to get mental health service in the
Province. Mental health supports are at capacity,
which is one reason Shauna jumped at the chance
to work at this clinic. “It provides people with ac-
cessible care. It allows me to be available to peo-
ple who are really struggling, and it takes some of
the strain off the mental health system.”
Thrive is a free service supported in part by a
grant from the BELL Let’s Talk Community Fund.
To make an appointment, call Erin at 902-273-
2098, any time after 3:00 pm on Tuesdays.
Nova Scotians are less active than most
Canadians - a phenomenon that stretches
back before the pandemic. Sedentary be-
haviour has increasingly been cited as a
risk factor for poor health and the devel-
opment of chronic diseases among adults,
and as a risk for negative mental health
outcomes and reduced cognitive function.
The good news is that adding more
movement to your day can help you start
feeling better almost immediately. Moving
daily can contribute to improved physical
and mental health, and it can create con-
nections between us - all of which are crit-
ical as we continue in our “new normal.”
Research demonstrates that it’s not only
vigorous activity like running that produc-
es health benefits. Everyday movement,
such as walking to the mailbox, taking
the stairs instead of the escalator or do-
ing household chores, contributes to our
overall health and well-being.
The Healthy Tomorrow Foundation, cre-
ated by Doctors Nova Scotia, encourages
you to Make Your Move! Make Your Move
is a public awareness campaign to inspire
Nova Scotians to think about movement
differently and recognize that it’s easy to
do.
Visit www.makeyourmovens.ca for in-
spiring stories of Nova Scotians who are
making their move and simple tips on
ways you can easily add more movement
to your day.
Be kind to yourself this year, and remem-
ber: simple changes can have big impacts.
MAKE YOUR MOVE, NOVA SCOTIA!
Physical activity an important part of your everyday