Media Releases
October 26, 2026 Amherst Town Council Highlights
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Election of New Deputy Mayor
The term for Amherst’s Deputy Mayor expires annually on October 31. Kathy Wells was elected as Amherst’s new Deputy Mayor – effective November 1, 2026 to October 31, 2027.
Council Committee Appointments
Council approved the following committee appointments effective November 1, 2026 to October 31, 2027:
- Mayor Small has been re-appointed to the North Tyndal Wellfield Advisory Committee;
- Councillor Chambers has been re-appointed to the Planning Advisory Committee, and will continue to sit on the Amherst Board of Police Commissioners through October 31, 2027;
- Councillor Davidson has been re-appointed to the Accessibility, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee, and re-appointed to the Amherst Board of Police Commissioners for a term ending on October 31, 2028;
- Councillor Furlong has been re-appointed to the Northern Region Solid Waste Committee and Regional Emergency Management, and will continue to sit on the Amherst Board of Police Commissioners through October 31, 2027;
- Councillor McManaman has been re-appointed to the Planning Advisory Committee, and the North Tyndal Wellfield Advisory Committee;
- Councillor Ripley has been appointed to Regional Emergency Management, and re-appointed to the Planning Advisory Committee, the Intermunicipal Tourism Committee, the GFL Community Liaison Committee; and,
- Councillor Wells has been re-appointed to the Accessibility, Inclusion, Diversity and Equity Committee, will continue to sit on the YMCA Board of Directors, and will join the Cumberland Public Libraries Board.
Town of Amherst Audit Committee
Jim Prince was re-appointed for a two-year term expiring on October 31, 2028. And, the after repealing the previous Audit Committee Terms of Reference, new Terms of Reference were approved that simplifies committee requirements by referring to provincial legislation.
Additional Policy Review
Council approved the Overtime Policy for Non-Union Employees as reviewed with no amendments; the North Tyndal Wellfield Advisory Committee Policy was approved with no amendments; and, Council repealed the Adopt-A-Garden Policy and adopted the new Community Green Space Partnership Policy, to help increase flexibility and so that responsibilities of the Town and participating groups are clearly understood.
Decisions on Bylaws
With the aim of encouraging tourism by bringing visitors into our community to support local businesses, the Road Trails Designation Bylaw was adopted after second reading. And, second reading was also given to the Regional Emergency Management Organization (REMO) Bylaw, formalizing a number of required frameworks, duties, relationships and responsibilities to govern operations during an emergency.
Land Use Bylaw and Municipal Planning Strategy
Council gave first reading to proposed amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw concerning emergency shelters, wet sites and supervised consumption sites, which are not currently defined or explicitly regulated in the Town’s planning documents. The proposed amendments would establish definitions for these uses, introduce a 150-day moratorium to allow further study of appropriate regulations, and the CAO was directed to seek clarification from the province regarding potential zoning impacts. A public hearing has been scheduled for March 8, 2027, at 5 p.m. in Council Chambers.
Male Arrested for Break and Enter and Breach of Conditions
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Amherst Police Department
A 44-year-old Amherst NS male has been arrested and is facing numerous charges after Police received a report of a break and enter in progress at a property located on Clinton Street.
At approximately 3:45pm, October 24th, 2026, Amherst Police responded to a complaint of a person removing boards from a building located on Clinton Avenue and provided a description of the person responsible. Police located a person who was allegedly in the process of removing items from the building. The person was arrested and remanded into custody.
Ian Morrill, aged 44 years of Amherst NS has been charged with
- Section 348(1)(a) Criminal Code – Break and Enter
- Section 351(1) Criminal Code – Possession of Break in tools
- Section 430(4) Criminal Code – Damage to Property
- Section 733.1(1) Criminal Code – Failure to Comply with Probation Order
- Section 145(5)(a) Criminal Code – Failure to Comply with Release order conditions
Morrill had been arrested on October 20th, 2026, and had been released on numerous conditions by the courts in relation to various charges that included break and enter, possession of break in tools, breach of probation and drug charges.
Morrill was held in Police custody and made an appearance in court on October 26th, 2026, and released by the courts. He is scheduled to appear in court again on November 30th, 2026, on his pending charges.
APD Media Contact:
Insp. Tom Wood
902-667-8600
Male Arrested and Facing Numerous Charges
- Details
Amherst Police Department
A 44-year-old Amherst NS male has been arrested and is facing numerous charges after Police received a report of a suspicious person at a local residence.
At approximately 6:30am on October 20th, 2026, Amherst Police responded to a complaint of a suspicious person at a residence in the East Victoria Street area. The male was not known to have any association to the property. Police arrived and located a male who was leaving the area. Further investigation resulted in the arrest of the male and the subsequent search of his person incident to arrest resulted in the seizure of a quantity of tools and pills.
Ian Morrill, aged 44 years of Amherst NS has been charged with:
- Section 348(1)(a) Criminal Code – Break and Enter
- Section 351(1) Criminal Code – Possession of Break in tools
- Section 733.1(1) Criminal Code – Failure to Comply with Probation Order X 3
- Section 4(1) Controlled Drugs and Substances Act – Possession of Schedule I substance
Arrest Made in Break, Enter and Theft
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A 40-year-old male was arrested overnight in relation to a complaint from a local company regarding someone who had illegally accessed their property and stole a quantity of copper wire.
September 28, 2026 Amherst Town Council Highlights
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Town Council held its regular September meeting on Monday night to address items including:
Amherst Youth Advisory Committee Appointments
The Amherst Youth Advisory Committee provides Council with a youth perspective, empowering young people to be active participants in the community. Council appointed 11 applicants to the AYTC: Emily Stonehouse; Abby Short; Callum Taylor; Lamya Saify; Ava Tooley; Kawthar Alchehade; Avery Hoeg-Burbine; Ava Crocker; Isla Crocker; Allison Jones; and, Hannah Brunt.
Stadium Canteen Concession Agreement
Council approved a one-year extension to the existing Stadium Canteen Concession Agreement and directed staff to issue an RFP for Canteen Services next fall, to be effective September 1, 2028.
Variance Appeal – 69 Lower Laplanche Street
The variance to reduce the minimum required lot area by 7.5% was upheld, permitting the construction of a nine-unit apartment building at 69 Lower Laplanche Street. Staff’s review concluded that the requested variance was reasonable, given parking and amenity space, area infrastructure, and ability to accommodate pedestrian and vehicular traffic.
Regional Emergency Management Organization Bylaw and Agreement
First reading was given to a new bylaw developed and recommended by the Department of Emergency Management, with changes incorporated to fit the Town of Amherst. This will provide a framework for the creation of the Regional Emergency Management Organization, the Regional Emergency Management Advisory Committee, the Regional Emergency Management Planning Committee, the Regional Emergency Management Coordinator Position – and other important duties, protocols, agreements, and powers during an emergency. The Intermunicipal Service Agreement was also approved, outlining how the local Regional Emergency Management Organization will be run between the three participating municipal units.
2025/26 Audited Financial Statements and Appointment of Auditor
Recommendations of the Audit Committee were accepted, including that Town of Amherst Consolidated Financial Statements be approved for the year ended March 31, 2026 – which were audited by the firm McIsaac Darragh Inc. – and that the same firm be appointed as the municipal auditor for auditing services during the 2026/27 fiscal year.
Community Support Grant
To provide better comfort for museum visitors, the Cumberland County Museum and Archives has been provided with a Community Support Grant in the amount of $3,557 towards updating the heritage building’s heating and cooling systems.
Financial Transfers, Adjustments, and Amendments
- Year End Capital Financing Adjustment: Water operating capital from revenue was increased from $40,000 to $144,000 because of a surplus in the Water Operating Budget, which will allow funding of future projects from the Water Depreciation Fund.
- Year End Operating Reserve Transfer: A deficit in the Solid Wase Education department for the 2025/26 fiscal year will be covered by a transfer from the Operating Reserve to General Operating. Per the Intermunicipal Solid Waste Contract, Amherst will fund $16,881.14, with the remaining 62% of the deficit to be funded by the Town of Oxford and the Municipality of the County of Cumberland.
- Water Capital Budget Amendment: $30,100 in non-recoverable HST expenses for the North Tyndal Wellfield land trade with JDI will be covered by the Water Depreciation Fund.
- Capital Budget Amendment – Land Purchase: Capital Reserve funds totalling $87,000 will cover the purchase of land at 141/143 East Pleasant Street.
- Capital Budget Amendment – Library Heat Pump: Recent emergency repair work to the library’s geothermal heating and cooling system required an amendment to the 2026/27 capital budget in the amount of $15,000 – to be funded from the Operating Reserve.
- Capital Budget Amendment – Fire Truck: Significant engine repairs were completed on Engine 3 at a cost of $76,000, which will be funded from the Operating Reserve.
Amherst Fire Chief announces departure
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The Town of Amherst has received a letter of resignation from Fire Chief Greg Jones, who will be leaving the Amherst Fire Department effective September 25th to pursue a new opportunity.
Chief Jones has served as Amherst’s Fire Chief since 2014 and has been a member of the Amherst Fire Department for 26 years.
“Chief Jones has demonstrated tremendous loyalty and dedication to the Amherst Fire Department and to the community throughout his years of service,” said the Town of Amherst’s Chief Administrative Officer Jason MacDonald. “On behalf of the organization, I want to thank him for his contributions and wish him every success as he begins this next chapter.”
Mayor Rob Small also thanked Chief Jones for his service to Amherst.
“Chief Jones has given many years of dedicated service to the Amherst Fire Department and our community,” said Mayor Small. “We are grateful for his leadership and commitment to keeping Amherst residents safe, and we wish him all the best in his new opportunity.”
The Town will provide further information regarding leadership of the Amherst Fire Department and next steps when details are available.
