HomeMy Public PortalAbout2023-02_MunicipalInsight (2)-compressedmunicipal insightmunicipal insight
“ “Keeping you informed about February/March 2023Keeping you informed about February/March 2023
your municipal government” your municipal government”
Over the last three years, Build Nova Scotia
(formerly Develop Nova Scotia) has led
investment throughout Nova Scotia to provide
residents, businesses, and organizations with
access to high speed internet service. The
mandate of Build Nova Scotia, through its
Internet for Nova Scotia Initiative, is to ensure
that as close to 100% as possible of Nova Scotian
homes & businesses will have access to minimum
internet speeds of 50 Mbps download/10
Mbps upload for wired connections, and 25
Mbps download/5Mbps upload for wireless
connections with a demonstrated plan to reach
50 Mbps. These minimum service speeds are
established by the Canadian Radio-television and
Telecommunications Commission (CRTC).
As residents know well, beginning with the ini-
tial ‘Phase 1’ Bell fibre service area project in New
Ross, which was announced in February 2020 and
completed in November 2020, Build Nova Sco-
tia has announced numerous projects of varying
scope in our Municipality. Details about all inter-
net projects in our communities are available on
the Build Nova Scotia website, on our Voices &
Choices Rural Internet project page (https://www.
voicesandchoices.ca/ruralinternet), or by contact-
ing Jonathan Meakin at the Municipal office at
jmeakin@chester.ca or 902-275-4122.
Of the Build Nova Scotia/Bell partnership proj-
ects announced in the Municipality of Chester, the
following are now complete: fibre service areas in
INTERNET
Updates on projects in MOC
In the Municipality of the District of Chester this winter...
Truck O' the Irish! Winter not your thing? Assessments are out...
There's a new truck Maybe Rec & Parks can Did you receive your
in town! Get all of the inspire you with their property assessment?
delish details on pg 3. loan program (pg 4). Questions? See page 6.
Internet project on Mill Road, New Ross (2020).
- Photo contributed by Vernon Keddy
Chester Municipal Grant Programs.
“Fun”ding communities.
Every year, the Municipality of Chester improves communities by funding many non-profit
community groups and youth through our grant programs.
• Small Capital Grant - application deadline is January 31 (date passed).
• Major Capital Grant - application deadline is January 31 (date passed).
• District Grant - contact your district Councillor. Applications received all year round.
• Operating Grant - application deadline is April 30.
• Recreation Grant - application deadline for 2023 is October 6.
• Economic Development Sponsorship - contact Economic Development at 902-275-4138.
• PRO Kids - applications received all year round.
• Youth Sponsorship Grant - applications received all year round.
• Leadership Training - applications received all year round.
All grant programs have eligibility requirements. Download the guidelines and applications at
www.chester.ca/government/grants-and-sponsorship or telephone 902-275-3490 and let us
help you choose the grant program that’s right for you.
New Ross, Aaldersville, Canaan, New Russell, Sef-
fernville, Chester Grant, in the Millet Lake area,
and throughout the Aspotogan peninsula. Other
Build Nova Scotia/Bell fibre service area expan-
sions still in progress include those in Hubbards
(including Mill Lake and Fox Lake), as well as ser-
vice expansions to connect additional, origainlly
difficult-to-access properties in Aaldersville, Ches-
ter Grant, East Chester, and Martins Point. Build
Nova Scotia has also partnered with Eastlink for
service area expansion projects at The Lodge and
Borgalds Point. All of these remaining projects will
be completed this year.
In addition to wired service solutions, Build Nova
Scotia offers an incentive program with Starlink
for satellite high speed service. This Satellite In-
ternet Service Rebate Program provides a rebate
to cover the one-time costs for eligible homes
and businesses to set-up satellite internet, includ-
ing hardware, taxes, shipping and installation, up
to a maximum of $1,000. Initially, this program
was made available to homes and businesses for
which no feasible wired or wireless internet solu-
tion has been identified, but has since been ex-
panded to include properties in Build Nova Sco-
tia project areas not yet complete. Details about
the Satellite Internet Service Rebate program, as
well as an address search tool to verify whether
or not a property is eligible for the program, are
available on the Build Nova Scotia website here:
https://internet.buildns.ca/satellite/
Given all this investment in internet infrastruc-
ture throughout the Municipality of Chester, bar-
riers to accessing reliable, high speed internet
have largely been addressed. However, there may
be isolated cases of homes still unable to access
internet service speeds that meet CRTC standards.
Should residents outside of announced project
service areas still not have access to reliable,
high speed service, they should first contact the
relevant service provider in their area and then
Build Nova Scotia directly if the issue is still not
resolved. Build Nova Scotia maintains a compre-
hensive internet service area map of the province,
so if there is a disconnect between their service
area mapping and the level of service a resident is
actually able to access, Build Nova Scotia will need
to know. Build Nova Scotia can be reached at 902-
422-6591 and info@buildns.ca.
As Build Nova Scotia moves into the later stages
of developing internet infrastructure in our prov-
ince, Municipality of Chester staff will continue to
provide updates on Voices & Choices concerning
local projects and other service solutions as they
are made available.
COUNCIL & GOVERNANCEMessage from
the Warden
I would like to starty by thanking so
many of you for showing up and sending
messages of congratulations to Mr.
Sehmbey for the recognition of service
to our community over the past 56 years.
He is not finished yet!
It was a privilege and an honour to be
able to recognize his contribution to us
and our children as well as his overall
contribution to our community.
Municipal staff will be reaching out
to community organizations across the
Municipality over the next few months
to determine if community wells are a
viable approach to helping to resolve
the ongoing water shortage that many
residents are experiencing in the summer
months. This is a problem that doesn't
seem to be going away any time soon.
We finally made it back to holding our
first Council meeting in a couple of years
at Forest Heights Community School.
It was great to have Student Council sit
in for the entire meeting and be able
to meet and interact with them. It has
always been important to our Council to
engage with Student Government and to
learn from each other.
We intend to go back again before the
end of the school year and to meet with
Student Government representatives to
further our engagement on moving the
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
Municipality forward with their insight
on the best approach to addressing the
needs of youth.
I expect most of you have received your
property assessment notices, and in most
cases, they have increased substantially.
That, in and of itself, is good news the the
Municipality. The problem is that costs
of operations have also - particularly the
cost of infrastructure projects and overall
operating costs. Although, we are still
early in the budgeting process, I think it
is safe to say that there will be no need to
raise the property tax rate.
You may have noticed that the Chester
Volunteer Fire Department has purchased
a new truck, which has a great mural
painted on it representing various parts
of our community. It looks great, and we
thank Chester and all of our fire services
for their commitment to keeping us safe!
In closing, thank you all for your
continued support and engagement for
our community and helping us move
forward in a positive way.
Respectfully,
Holiday Information: Municipal Offices and Kaizer
Meadow will close on Monday, February 20 to ob-
serve Heritage Day. Waste Collection is rescheduled to
Saturday, February 18.
Cancellations Information:
Community Schools - Cancellation decisions for eve-
ning programming at community schools in the Mu-
nicipality are made by 3:00pm. If school is cancelled
in the day because of weather, early dismissal, or in-
services, evening activities are not necessarily can-
celled as well. For events at Aspotogan Consolidated
Elementary School and Forest Heights Community
School, contact Jody at 902-275-2712. For events at
Chester Area Middle School, Chester District School,
and New Ross Consolidated School, contact Nadine at
902-275-8503.
Waste Collection - If waste collection is cancelled, it
will be posted under the 'News' section of our web-
site, on our Municipal Facebook page, announced
on CKBW radio, and a notification will be emailed to
subscribers. If you would like to subscribe to email no-
tifications, visit https://chester.ca/contact/municipal-
notifications
Office Closure - Non-essential Municipal Staff will be
asked to work from home during a storm closure. Es-
sential staff, such as those in the Infrastructure & Op-
erations Department are required to remove snow,
maintain wastewater systems, and check on faciltiies
and infrastructure for damage. Staff working from
home are available to the public by phone and email.
Staff continue to work on files and deliver services as
office staff are equipped with laptops and have access
to our file repositories (thanks to lockdowns).
Boundary Review: Municipal Staff submitted the 2022
Municipal Governance & Electoral Boundary Review
Study to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board
(NSUARB) in December. The study included Council's
application to confirm the current number of council-
lors and the current number and boundaries of polling
districts.
The next step is for a public hearing, which will be held
in Council Chambers (King Street, Chester) on March
7, 2pm. NSUARB will then issue a written decision
within 60 days following the hearing.
Water supply: Council asked staff to approach com-
munity organizations to determine interest in commu-
nity wells. We will also prepare a Request for Propos-
als for a hydrological assessment of the Middle River
area (proposed central water supply). Meanwhile, we
will continue to offer residents an affordable lending
option for upgrading their private water supply.
IN BRIEF...
Winter Parking Ban Regulations are in effect from December 15 to March 31. Until the parking ban ends, you
cannot park on municipal property or any street in Chester or Western Shore between 1:00 and 6:00 a.m. ALSO,
you cannot park on the street an hour after a storm starts until two hours after it ends.
Your vehicle can be towed (at your expense) if you obstruct winter maintenance (like plowing, salting, sanding,
etc). Incidentally, if you plow driveways, it’s illegal to plow snow across a street or onto a sidewalk.
Call the Nova Scotia Department of Public Works to receive or report information on local roads. Their phone
number is toll free: 1-844-696-7737 or email dpw-occ@novascotia.ca. You can also access all of this information
(plus more) on their website: http://novascotia.ca/tran/winter
SNONOW PARKINGPARKING
If you own and/or drive a vehicle in If you own and/or drive a vehicle in Nova Scotia, there are a few things you Nova Scotia, there are a few things you need to know this winter.need to know this winter.
way cameras, and which roads are plowed and when
(road priority list). There is also some safety informa-
tion including road conditions and a winter travel safe-
ty pdf.
You are responsible for
• following the Winter Parking Ban Regulations;
• maintaining your own road if it is private;
• clearing your own driveway entrance after the
plow has passed by;
• reporting uncleared or messy sidewalks by call-
ing us at 902-275-1312;
• reporting road conditions to NSDPW; and
• using caution when winter traveling, whether
walking, driving or biking.
Snow removal in the Municipality of Chester (and
pretty much in all municipalities) is a shared effort
between us, the NS Department of Public Works
(NSDPW), RCMP, and citizens.
The Municipality is responsible for our own roads:
• Captains Way, Aspotogan
• Commodore Drive, Aspotogan
• Foxwood Drive, Mill Cove
• Lake Road, Mill Cove
• Landing Drive West, East River
• Endeavour Avenue, East River
• Millennium Drive, Chester
• Parkwood Drive, Mill Cove
We are responsible for plowing our own municipal
properties and infrastructure, including sewer plants
USUS
SNOW REMOVAL...us, them or you?
902-275-1312 office
and sidewalks. Our sidewalks are in Chester Basin,
Chester Village, Hubbards, Mill Cove, New Ross, and
Western Shore. We contract snow clearing.
NSDPW is responsible for all provincial roads, includ-
ing highways, routes, and all roads represented by a
green road sign. Examples are Highway #103, Route
#14 (Windsor Road), and Chester Grant Road and most
Village roads.
To make plowing easier for NSDPW, Winter Parking
Ban Regulations are in effect from December 15 to
March 31 (see above), which the RCMP enforce.
You can also visit http://novascotia.ca/tran/ and
check out cool things like NSDPW's Plow Tracker, high-
THEMTHEM 511 information1-844-696-7737 Contact Ctr YOUYOU
3
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
The Best Of Nova Scotia in one place... www.investchester.ca
Own a business in Own a business in the Municipality the Municipality of Chester?of Chester?
Register with our Business Directory at chester.ca/business-directory and have access to thousands of views per month! Call 902-275-4161 for information.
If you frequented in and around
Chester Village this past summer,
you may have noticed a bright
green, Irish-themed food truck
dishing out delicacies inspired by
the Emerald Isle.
Owner and Chef of Mickey Finn’s
Food Truck O’ The Irish, John Saun-
ders, started this business as a sea-
sonal investment and retirement
venture. The food truck is cheer-
fully branded with images of lep-
rechauns, shamrocks, and pots of gold
adorning the sides – illustrating the joy
Saunders receives from creating food.
“I want to cook food people like,
when they order it, so it’s at its best”
says Saunders. Some of his most popu-
lar dishes are the Blarney Fries – con-
sisting of gravy, seasoned fries, loose
ground beef, cheddar shredded cheese
– Fish & Chips, and the Dublin Bacon
Double Cheeseburger.
Saunders, an experienced chef, in-
corporated elements of his family his-
tory in the physical design of the truck
to pay homage to his relatives, includ-
ing the silhouette of his grandfather, Ed
Finn, next to his 1950s Ford truck pic-
tured on the food truck. This exempli-
fies his focus on family.
"My great-great grandfather came
to Canada from Ireland. He landed in
Halifax, then went to Hinchinbrooke
– north of Kingston – in Ontario,” says
Saunders. “My family has been very
supportive as well – everyone has had
a part. Family is big!”
Saunders has advice for those looking
to start a business. He says, “Do your
homework. The reality of doing it ver-
sus what you thought it was going to be
are two separate roads … You’re not go-
ing to make it in a day.”
Mickey Finn’s Food Truck O’ The Irish
will be back in action this coming spring.
If you’re looking to add a bit of luck to
your event, Saunders is also available
for weddings and other gatherings. To
contact, please visit Mickey Finn’s Irish
Food Truck on Facebook and Instagram.
BUSINESS SPOTLIGHT
MICKEY FINN'S
Food Truck O' The Irish
Ph
o
t
o
c
r
e
d
i
t
s
:
In
s
t
a
g
r
a
m
@
m
i
c
k
e
y
f
i
n
s
s
_
i
r
i
s
h
f
o
o
d
t
r
u
c
k
JOB OPENING
Where: Our Health Centre
Position: Executive Director
Apply by: February 10, 2023
Our Health Centre has an opening for Ex-
ecutive Director. The ED is responsible for
ensuring OHC achieves its goals and finan-
cial objectives and will be the 'face' of the
organization. You will maintain relation-
ships with stakeholders and with a signifi-
cant level of autonomy. Self-management,
resourcefulness, and flexibility required!
If you are unflappable, adaptable, and a
proactive leader, please contact Lorraine
Burch via email at lburch@ourhealthcen-
tre.ca for a complete job description.
As a stakeholder, we would like to take this
opportunity to thank Lorraine for her com-
mitment to this position. She is a wonder-
ful person who meets challenges head on
with a level head and kind heart.
Tourism Chester is
headed to Saltscapes
Expo 2023 and we
would love to partner
with local businesses to
showcase MOC!
Please contact our Community Economic
Development Officer at
ocorkum@chester.ca or
(902) 277-1571 for more information.
COMMUNITY INTEREST
4
RECREATIONAL EQUIPMENT LOANS
Municipal Recreation and Parks Services has you covered!
Recreation Staff are passionate about the out-
doors. They are also passionate about mak-
ing you passionate about the outdoors! Besides
maintaining trails and parks, and other great out-
doors-y locations, Recreation and Parks Services
have equipment that they loan out to help on ac-
tive living and exploring journeys.
Items for loan include:
• binoculars
• GPS units
• 'Kelly Kettles' (for making hot drinks in
the outdoors with a simple twig fire)
• igloo making tool
• trekking skis
• natural history guide books
• kick sleds with or without a dog harness
• hiking poles
• ice grippers
• trail rider (an all-terrain wheelchair to
assist people with mobility challenges to
access more rough paths and wildner-
ness standard trails)
Our partnership with the Hubbards Area Recre-
ation Association also allows us to offer the Snow-
shoe Loan Program. This program offers the loan
of showshoes to residents for free on a first come,
first served basis (see the poster below).
Items will be loaned for a maximum of one week
per booking. Recreation &
Parks staff can also provide
you with a quick tutorial if
the item you are borrowing is
new to you. We have a great
intro video on our YouTube
channel at https://youtu.be/
hcNqpTYcIxY that you can
watch.
The Trail Rider listed on
the left is also available (for
free) to organizations that
have members with any kind
of mobility needs but would
love to reconnect with nature
and experience the thrill of a
trekking challenge together.
The chair relies on only one
hefty, cross-country tire in
the middle of the undercar-
riage, which means that the
unit is well-balanced for as
few as two people (called
shepherds) to navigate the
chair with one in the front
and one in the back. One
wheel makes it easier to piv-
ot around obstacles in tight
quarters. The rear shepherd
has a hand brake to help
control descents. In steeper,
more challenging terrain,
more than one shepherd can
be connected to the front of
to provide an extra pull.
We are looking to recruit a team of trail shep-
herds who would make themselves available to
help other groups and families that may need the
support.
If you would like to book some of the equipment
mentioned, please contact Recreation and Parks
by calling 902-275-3490 or emailing recreation@
chester.ca.
5
COMMUNITY INTEREST
Saturday, Feb. 11 Erin Costelo Sings
Carole King
Presented by Chester Playhouse at Chester
Legion, 7:30pm. Call 902-275-3933 or visit
www.chesterplayhouse.ca for tickets.
Tuesday, Feb. 21 In Conversation:
Ann-Marie Kerr
Presented by Chester Playhouse online
via Zoom, 7pm. Call 902-275-3933 or visit
www.chesterplayhouse.ca for tickets.
Saturday, Feb. 25 Fish Fry Hubbards Area Lions Club, 3:30-5:30pm.
Pre-order at 902-857-9714 by Feb. 22.
Saturday, Mar. 4
Pancake Breakfast Hubbards Area Lions Club, 8-11am.
Comedy Night with
Joe Harfouche &
Friends
Presented by Chester Playhouse at Chester
Basin Legion, 7:30pm. Call 902-275-3933 or
visit www.chesterplayhouse.ca for tickets.
Friday, March 10 French Toast
Breakfast Hubbards Area Lions Club, 8:30-11:00am.
Friday, Mar. 24 Joce Reyome & Terra
Spencer
Presented by Chester Playhouse at Chester
Legion, 7:30pm. Call 902-275-3933 or visit
www.chesterplayhouse.ca for tickets.
Saturday, Mar. 25 Salisbury Steak
Dinner
Hubbards Area Lions Club, 3:30-5:30pm.
Call 902-857-9714 to pre-order by Mar. 22.
Saturday, Apr. 1 Breakfast with the
Easter Bunny Hubbards Area Lions Club, 8-11am.
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.
Fridays Friday Night Live New Ross Legion, 8:30pm.
Email events to recreation@chester.ca to have them included on our website, this
newsletter, our Recreation Facebook page, and in a weekly events coloum that is
published in a local newspaper.
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
Shortly after arriving in the Municipal-
ity, Mohinder Sehmbey embarked
on a career that would span 56 years and
result in a level of admiration and respect
that few experience.
Mr. Sehmbey began his teaching career
at Chester Municipal High School (now
Chester Area Middle School) in Septem-
ber of 1966. After retirement in 1994,
he continued substitute teaching at the
Middle School (CAMS) and Forest Heights
Community School (FHCS) as well as both
high schools in Bridgewater.
Since 2002, Mr. Sehmbey continues
to substitute almost daily at CAMS and
FHCS. In fact, on the day that Municipal
Council presented him with a certificate
of recognition (see photo on the left), Mr.
Sehmbey went to work afterward.
A+ TO TOP TEACHER
Beloved teacher recognized for decades-long career
On January 12, three days before his
88th birthday, Mr. Sehmbey sat among
his family, peers, and past students as
Council presented him with a certificate
of achievement while comments from
former students flashed on a screen in
the background. It was an event that
many of us will remember with great
fondness - not because of the crowd or
the words of praise, but because of the
man himself. Mr. Sehmbey is quite sim-
ply amazing. There isn't just one quality,
although many would pinpoint patience,
kindness, and understanding. He is all of
those things, but it's his entire being that
quietly exudes greatness, and three gen-
erations of students would agree.
Again, thank you Mr. Sehmbey for
teaching us in school and in life!
Left to right: Warden Allen Webber, Mr. Mohinder
Sehmbey, Councillor Andre Veinotte (District #1).
PROPERTY SERVICES
6
Waste Collection starts at 7:00 a.m.
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
Since our last report, we received these online
inquiries.
Financing for septic systems: A resident inquired
about finance options through the Municipality
to install a septic system. We do have a program to
finance systems for potable water, but not septic as
yet. Council will consider possible options this year.
Road sign: The road sign for private road Herring
Point Road is too bent to read. While we can coordinate
ordering private road signs, this request went to the
provincial government.
Littering: We received a complaint about littering on
Wake Up Hill Road. First, thank you to the resident kind
enough to consistently clean up this road. Littering is
difficult to enforce, and this is not an isolated issue.
Lack of accountability and ownership
lend to the problem. A neighbouring
municipality saw some success with a
large sign with an image of eyes "watching" litterers as
they committed the crime. That was until a vandal cut
the eyes out.
Sign blocking view: One of our signs is blocking the
view of a resident when pulling out of their driveway.
We are looking for a better location or other solution.
Trail width: We confirmed that a swing gate located
on the Martins River trail was the correct width. The
standard for gate widths on the trail is 66 inches.
Requests: We received some other online requests
that are more routine, including
• green cart replacement/repair x 25
• information request re Building Code
• information request re zoning x 2
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 • tax inquiry x 2
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:
• Blown streetlights (NS Power)
• Snowplowing provincial roads (NS Dept of Public
Works)
• Concerns over culvert (NS Dept of Public Works)
• Assessed value is determined each year by Property Valuation Services
Corporation (PVSC) and generally changes every year.
• Property tax bills are calculated based on assessed value of the property
multiplied by the tax rate.
• The tax rate for the Municipality of Chester has not changed since 2017.
• The window to appeal your assessment closes on February 9, 2023.
• By the time tax bills go out in April, there will no longer be an opportunity
to appeal assessments.
• If your have questions about the assessment process or the assessed
value of your property, or if your wish to appeal the assessed value,
please call PVSC at 1-800-380-7775 or email inquiry@pvsc.ca.
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.
A special message from the National Fire
Protection Association:
Downed utility lines, power company blackouts,
heavy snow falls or summer storms can all lead
to power outages. Portable generators are a tem-
porary solution to power appliances. It’s impor-
tant to know that portable generators emit car-
bon monoxide (CO) - a poisonous, deadly gas. Use
these tips to avoid CO exposure:
• Use portable generators outdoors in well-
ventilated areas at least 20 feet (7 metres)
from all doors, windows, and vent openings.
Measure the 20-foot (7 metre) distance
from the generator to the building.
• Never use a generator in an attached garage,
even with the door open.
• Place generators so that exhaust fumes can’t
enter the home through windows, doors or
other openings in the building. The exhaust
must be directed away from the building.
• Make sure to install carbon monoxide (CO)
alarms in your home. Follow manufactur-
er’s instructions for correct placement and
mounting height.
• Turn off generators and let them cool down
before refueling. Never refuel a generator
while it is hot.
• Store fuel for the generator in a container
that is intended for the purpose and is cor-
rectly labeled as such. Store the containers
GeneratorGenerator SafetySafety
outside of living areas.
When plugging in appliances, make sure they
are plugged directly into the generator or a heavy
duty outdoor-rated extension cord. The cords
should be checked for cuts, tears and that the plug
has all three prongs, especially a grounding pin.
If you must connect the generator to the house
wiring to power appliances, have a qualified elec-
trician install a properly rated transfer switch in
accordance with the National Electrical Code®
(NEC) and all applicable state and local electrical
codes.
FACT: Portable generator exhaust is toxic and
deadly. Do not stand or sit downwind of generator
exhaust. If you can smell exhaust, you are inhal-
ing it.
For more, visit nfpa.org/education
PROPERTY SERVICES
7
Dear Shabby,
I'm not sure if anyone has ever requested this or
not, but I need someone to reject my garbage. My
husband is h-o-r-r-i-b-l-e at recycling. It doesn't
matter what I say, how often I say it, what tone
of voice I use, positive reinforcement, shame - you
name it, I've tried it. Two days ago, I take my
rinsed plastic tray and tin can to the blue bag and
I find a dirty (but miraculously empty) diced to-
matoes can stuffed with the cellophane wrapping
and absorbent pad from a hamburger package.
For some reason, he knew the styrofoam from the
hamburger goes in the garbage, but somehow a
bloody absorbent meat tray pad is recyclable... I
just can't. If someone doesn't reject my garbage
Dear Shabby
Friendly waste disposal advice
Recyclable paper is like humidity.
Clean plastic is like frizzy hair.
The two don't mix.
(hint: put your clean paper in a separate
recycling bag)
CIVIC NUMBERS IN WINTERSeconds matter in an emergency. Don't let
time pass by as first responders look for your
civic address.
Without clearly posted civic numbers, first re-
sponders can sometimes have difficulty locating
the address of a 911 emergency. First responders
are most familiar with, and prefer, the clearly vis-
ible blue and white reflective civic number signs.
During the winter time, civic number signs
can get buried under snow or knocked over by a
snowplow. Please make sure that your civic num-
ber sign is visible and cleared of snowbanks.
Civic numbers are available through the Munici-
pality for $14 (prepaid). Order forms are on our
website at https://chester.ca/planning-develop-
ment-building/civic-addressing. To have a sign
mailed to you, please add $3.00 to cover postage.
Contact Planning and Development Services at
(902) 275-2599 or email civicaddress@chester.ca
with your questions.
right now, my marriage is over.
~ signed Shaking my Head in Chester Basin
Dear "Shaking":
So, it's true - selective memory is a thing. Don't get
divorced. I can think of a hundred divorce-worthy
scenarios, but this isn't one of them. Tell you what,
visit our website at https://chester.ca/waste-recy-
cling and print our Sorting Guide, or look on page 10
of the Waste Collection Calendar. It has everything
on there. If it's not on there, call me at 902-275-2330,
and I'll walk him through it.
***********************************************
Dear Shabby,
I went to an estate auction last weekend, and I guess
I got caught up in the excitement of bidding because
I ended up buying seven taped up cardboard boxes.
In hindsight, I probably shouldn't have brought my
friend, the motivational speaker, with me. Anyway,
how do I dispose of a large amount of used (but
clean) plastic cutlery? I have seven boxes.
~ signed Fork Sakes, Windsor Road
Dear "Fork":
Uhmmm...okay. Well, if you don't plan on having a
lot of parties or an estate auction, you can empty the
boxes into clear or blue plastic bags and put them out
for collection. We will pick up 10 bags of recyclables
every two weeks (including paper and cardboard).
Following the adoption of a new Municipal
Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law for
all areas outside of the Village of Chester in 2020,
work has been ongoing on the Village of Chester
Plan Review. This project will involve creating and
adopting a new Secondary Planning Strategy and
Land Use By-law to regulate land use activity with-
in the Village boundary. The new documents will
replace the existing Secondary Planning Strategy
and Land Use By-law that were adopted in 2004.
The initial work on the Village Review included
visioning exercises and establishing goals and ob-
jectives for the plan. These align with the goals
and objectives in the Municipal Planning Strategy,
which provides high-level consistency in gover-
nance across the entire Municipality.
A key piece of any review is thorough and mean-
ingful public engagement. These efforts began in
2020 and have continued, despite limitations on
gathering limits and public health guidelines.
Highlights of Public Engagement to date:
2020
• Information, videos and polls posted to
Village Review Project Website (www.
voicesandchoices.ca/villagereview)
• Pop-up engagement at Picnic in the Park
(two sessions)
• Pop-up engagement at Playhouse on
Pleasant event
2021
• Village Resident Survey – paper copy sent
to every household in the Village. Wide
variety of topics covered through multiple
choice, ranked response and open-ended
questions. Response rate of 33% and over
250 completed surveys returned!
• Survey data collated and formatted for
reference use
2022
• FBM Architecture contracted to complete
“Built Form and Character Study” for Village
of Chester. This involved site visits, public
engagement session at Chester Legion and
a final report with policy recommendations
for the new Village Secondary Planning
Strategy and Land Use By-law.
• Highway 3 Public Workshop – led by plan-
ning staff and summer planning student,
this workshop was an opportunity to
discuss future development and regula-
tions along Highway 3. This area was not
included in the FBM study and staff felt that
due to differing character and development
pressure, more input from the public was
needed before proposing new regulations
for this part of the Village.
Next Steps:
Staff are preparing a report for Council to pro-
vide an update on the work completed to date.
Direction will then be sought as to how Council
would like the Village Review to proceed as staff
begin drafting the new planning documents. Once
staff receive this direction, the Project Website
will be updated with a revised timeline. Staff an-
ticipate a first draft of the Village of Chester Sec-
ondary Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law will
be available for public comment in mid-2023.
UPDATEVillage Review
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 (February)
Mondays 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Tuesdays 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (Feb. 7, 14 & 28)
Tuesdays 5:00 - 9:00 p.m.
Wednesdays 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Thursdays 9:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m.
Saturdays 9:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m. (Nov. 4 & 25 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.
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.