August 1, 2025 - Emancipation Day Ceremonies
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August 1, 2025 is Emancipation Day - officially proclaimed by Deputy Mayor Davidson on behalf of Mayor Small at this morning's ceremony. Tammy Gero - Vice Chair of the Board of CANSA - was then welcomed to the podium to speak about this day's significance.
To conclude this portion of today's ceremonies, everyone gathered around and the Pan-African Flag was raised.
Deputy Mayor Davidson and Tammy Gero were joined by community members and other elected officials to raise the Pan-African flag, in recognition of Emancipation Day.
Costcove Supermarket offers big-box store convenience in downtown Amherst
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The Town of Amherst is pleased to welcome Costcove Supermarket to our business community. The new store, located at the corner of Church and Victoria Streets, marks the company’s second location, following its successful launch in Summerside, Prince Edward Island.
Deputy Mayor Hal Davidson was recently joined by members of council, to present store owner Divyesh Patel and employee Meet Patel with a new business certificate, celebrating Costcove’s investment in Amherst and its role in providing downtown with much-welcomed access to grocery items.
“I love the community here. In downtown, there’s nothing like any such store nearby. Lots of new customers are coming in,” shared Patel.
Amherst receives federal funding to support new Mobile Outreach Program
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The Town of Amherst has received $364,837 from the federal Emergency Treatment Fund (ETF) to launch the Town of Amherst Mobile Outreach Program. This is a new, collaborative, community-led initiative aimed at addressing the ongoing toxic drug and overdose crisis in the region, through service delivery supported by a mobile response vehicle and full-time staffing.
Amherst is the only community in Nova Scotia to receive ETF funding, marking a significant step forward in addressing the complex needs of individuals struggling with substance use, housing instability, and mental health challenges.
The Town of Amherst Mobile Outreach Program will be operated through a partnership led by the Cumberland Homelessness and Housing Support Association (CHHSA), in close collaboration with the YMCA of Cumberland’s Community Development Program, the Amherst Police Department, Nova Scotia Mental Health and Addictions, and other community partners.
Trauma-informed, mobile supports will be offered to residents who are often underserved and living at the margins of traditional systems of care.
Historical home gets modern upgrade - CTV News Atlantic
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CTV News Atlantic reporter Josh Smith was in Amherst this week to visit a newly-renovated heritage property on Church Street. Check out the story here.
National Indigenous Peoples Day 2025 proclaimed in Amherst
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June 21 has been proclaimed as National Indigenous Peoples Day in Amherst, which is an opportunity for Canadians of all ages to learn more about Indigenous history and culture, to assist in creating harmony among all.
At a ceremony this morning, Mayor Rob Small welcomed members of the community, staff from Indigenous Services Canada, and Town staff, before reading the official proclamation.
Tammy Drew-Howse, Associate Director General with ISC Atlantic Region, spoke to all in attendance about the significance of National Indigenous Peoples Day and its importance in ongoing efforts towards reconciliation.
Together, the Every Child Matters flag was raised, which will fly over the weekend and the summer solstice, June 21 - National Indigenous Peoples Day.
Find more photos from this morning's ceremony on our Facebook page.
Celebrating Local Recipients of King Charles III Coronation Medals
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Earlier this week we hosted a reception at Town Hall to celebrate Amherstonians who were recently recognized for their outstanding contribitions to our community. This small group of dedicated individuals each received a King Charles III Coronation Medal at a ceremony in March, and we wanted to show them how proud we are of their achievements.
Mayor Small (right to left) and Councillor McManaman welcomed Dale Fawthrop, Nayo Upshaw, and Bonnie Quinn to council chambers, to celebrate that the trio was recently bestowed with King Charles III Coronation Medals, honouring their cntributions to our community.
Community Support Grants - June 4, 2025
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This afternoon we had the pleasure of presenting several community support grant cheques to representatives from Amherst organizations.
Mayor Small, Deputy Mayor Davidson, and Councillors Chambers, McManaman and Ripley were on hand to meet with recipients and provide their much-anticipated grants.
Recipients today included: Spring Street Academy Home & School Association, Bridge Adult Service Centre, Lillian Allbon Animal Shelter, Striders Running Club, Great Amherst Cultural Society, and Fundy Winds Marsh. A grant is also being issued to Westcumb Amateur Radio Club to support the purchase of a mobile communications trailer, but a representative was not able to attend today's event.
Please find more information on our community grants program here.
