In preparation for the Province of Nova Scotia’s annual celebration of volunteers nominated by organizations and communities, Council nominated Dale Fawthrop as Amherst’s Volunteer of the Year and Leah Brunt as Youth Volunteer of the Year.
In January of 2025, the Town made a public call for nominations of volunteers who deserve special recognition, resulting in 53 applications. All nominated individuals will be recognized in person at the Amherst Volunteer Reception on May 6, 2025.
Operating and Capital Budgets Approved
Amherst Town Council passed a motion on Monday night approving a 2025-2026 General Operating Budget for the Town of $23,502,455, and a Water and General Capital Budget of $6,557,564. A separate media release will be issued in the near future providing more detail on the 2025-2026 Operating and Capital Budgets.
Three Development Agreements
112 West Victoria Street – Council gave First Reading of the development agreement for 112 West Victoria Street to permit the construction of two 16-unit and three 8-unit apartment buildings. A public hearing was scheduled for Wednesday, May 14, 2025 at 5:00 p.m. in Town Hall council chambers.
3 Robie Street – On Monday night, Council gave Second Reading of the development agreement for 3 Robie Street, to permit the conversion of an existing community hall into an 8-unit apartment building.
91 Rupert Street – Council gave Second Reading of the development agreement for 91 Rupert Street, to permit the construction of an 18-unit apartment building.
For more information on the Town of Amherst’s six-step development agreement process, please visit the Development Applications page of our website.
APD Workplace Stability and Attrition Management Policy
The Amherst Police Department continues to experience staff shortages due to ongoing employee absences. As it is anticipated that this will remain an ongoing issue, staff have developed a policy to address how we will maintain workforce stability at the police department going forward. The policy aims to present a staffing approach that anticipates vacancies and attrition due to ongoing staff absences. Council approved the addition of $150,000 in the 2025/26 operating budget, to be funded from reserves, as a temporary overstaffing allowance for the Amherst Police Department. And further, approved the new Workforce Stability & Attrition Management Policy.
Public Participation and Notification Policy
The Municipal Government Act (MGA) was recently amended to require engagement with abutting municipalities prior to the adoption of planning documents (Municipal Planning Strategy, Land Use Bylaw, Subdivision Bylaw). Amendments to the Public Participation and Notification Policy reflect this change.
Other MGA amendments removed the requirement to publish notice of proposed new or amended planning documents in a local newspaper, and allowed the option to provide notice via the Town’s website, which is also reflected in the changes to the subject procedure.
Council approved amendments to the Public Participation and Notification Policy on Monday night.
Train Station Alteration
The owner of the Train Station, a municipally registered heritage building, has applied to replace a second storey window with a door and a new exterior staircase to access it. The removal of character-defining features is minimal and the Heritage Advisory Committee recommended approval of the alteration. Approval would also require approval in principle of the sale or lease of a portion of Town-owned property to accommodate the staircase. At Monday night’s meeting, Council approved the alteration of the Train Station and further approved in principle the sale or lease of a portion of Town property to accommodate the staircase.
AIDE Committee Appointments
At their regular meeting in March 2025, Council approved a new Accessibility, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Strategic Plan, and a new Accessibility, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee Terms of Reference. On Monday night, Council appointed Victoria Vance, LJ Barquilla, Jim Pendergast, Clifford Pinchbeck, Vanessa Jones, Tammy Gero, and Marina Godfrey as citizen appointees to the new Accessibility, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee for a term ending March 31, 2027. Deputy Mayor Davidson and Councillor Wells were confirmed as the two Council appointments for a term ending October 31, 2025. And further, Amherst Youth Town Councillor Leah Brunt was invited to attend the meetings as a non-voting member until an Amherst Youth Town Councillor is appointed to this committee in September.
Community Support Grants
An annual budget is allocated for community support grants in accordance with Council’s Community Support Grants Policy, so that the Town provides assistance in a fiscally responsible manner to organizations that qualify under the criteria set in the policy.
Council approved the following grants under the Community Support Grants Policy (totalling $125,246) and Social Equity Fund (totalling $71,500): Amherst Little League Baseball Association: $10,000 (Year two of three); Cumberland County Transition House: $10,000 (Social Equity); After the School Bell Food Program: $10,000 (Social Equity); Food Assistance Network: $10,000 (Social Equity); Society of Saint Vincent de Paul: $5,000 (Social Equity); Autism Nova Scotia Cumberland Chapter: $4,500 (Social Equity); Bordertown Biker Bash: $10,000; NSCC: $15,000 (Social Equity); Amherst 50+ Club: $5,000; LA Animal Shelter: $50,000 (Year three of three); Fibre Arts Festival 2025: $2,000; CANSA: $5,000 (Social Equity); CANSA Marathon: $1,000 (Social Equity); Cumberland Pride: $1,000 (Social Equity); Fundy Winds: $5,000; Great Amherst Cultural Society (Esther Fest): $5,000; Amherst Preschool (one time grant): $10,000 (Social Equity); Cumberland County Genealogical Society: $9,396; Amherst Curling Club: $8,000; Amherst Wesleyan Church: $12,850; Chignecto Arts Council: $1,000; Tantramar Quilts: $1,000; The Travellers: $1,000; Cumberland County Museum: $5,000.
There are a small number of additional requests that are still under consideration. Decisions on these applications will be made soon.
Community Navigator Position Extension
The Community Navigator acts as the primary touchpoint between the community, local physicians, allied health professionals, and businesses to engage, support, and encourage physician integration and retention in the Cumberland region. The Navigator has been an employee of the Town of Amherst and is funded jointly by the Town of Amherst and Municipality of the County of Cumberland. During the initial two-year agreement (from 2023-2025), the position was fundamental in assisting the Nova Scotia recruiters in attracting several physicians and healthcare providers to Amherst and Cumberland County.
Council approved a motion extending the Community Navigator position for two years (April 1, 2025 to March 31, 2027), funded out of the Operating Reserve, and authorized the Mayor and CAO to sign the contribution agreement on the Town’s behalf.
Tax Reduction Policy Amendment
Council approved that the Tax Reduction Policy reduction remain at $450, while the cut-off amount be increased from $28,000 to $30,000. This policy helps reduce the taxes for those homeowners in most need.
Tax Exemption Policy Amendment
The Tax Exemption Policy either 100% exempts certain charitable organizations from paying property taxes or allows organizations that are assessed as taxable commercial to be reduced to the tax that would otherwise be payable if the property were assessed as residential.
Per a recent request, Council approved the amended Tax Exemption Policy, adding Cumberland Homelessness and Housing Support Association to Appendix A for 100% tax exemption.
2 Pearl Place Minimum Bid
The property at 2 Pearl Place had been vacant since January 2014 and was deemed unsightly and unsafe. Demolition of the property was completed in June 2024. The property was included in the public auction tax sale held on February 11, 2025. No bids were received.
The current balance outstanding on the account is $56,095.28 and consists of outstanding property taxes from 2022 to interim 2026 taxes, in addition to dangerous and unsightly charges and interest charged on overdue amounts.
Given that the size of the lot is suitable for a residential dwelling, and considering assessed value and recent comparable property sales, Council approved a minimum bid of $15,000 for the pending July 3, 2025 tax sale.
pdf A PDF version of this media release is available for download here(164 KB) .
Direct enquiries to:
Sean Payne
Corporate Communications Officer
902-694-6265
