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Municipal Boundary Review

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Consultation has concluded

The Municipal Government Act requires all Councils in Nova Scotia to conduct a Municipal Governance & Electoral Boundary Review every eight years. This process, including the final decision on any recommendations that result from the Review, is directed by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB). Any changes that result from the Review will not come into effect until the 2024 Municipal Election.

Representation is essential to how municipal government functions, with councillors elected from polling districts to serve the interests of those specific areas as well as the Municipality as a whole. In a way, the Review provides a local democracy “health check” of Council’s governance structure, the number and boundaries of polling districts, and the number of councillors representing those polling districts. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure the voting power of electors is effective, fair, and representative.

Municipal staff are conducting the Review and will prepare a study that considers relevant data, Council’s recommendations, and feedback from residents during a community consultation process. After the study is completed, the Municipality must submit an application to the NSUARB by December 31, 2022 with a recommendation and rationale for confirming or changing the number of councillors and the boundaries of polling districts. The NSUARB will then hold a public hearing to allow members of the public to comment before making a decision on the application.

If you’re interested, you can subscribe for updates on this project as they are posted here.

The Municipal Government Act requires all Councils in Nova Scotia to conduct a Municipal Governance & Electoral Boundary Review every eight years. This process, including the final decision on any recommendations that result from the Review, is directed by the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB). Any changes that result from the Review will not come into effect until the 2024 Municipal Election.

Representation is essential to how municipal government functions, with councillors elected from polling districts to serve the interests of those specific areas as well as the Municipality as a whole. In a way, the Review provides a local democracy “health check” of Council’s governance structure, the number and boundaries of polling districts, and the number of councillors representing those polling districts. Ultimately, the goal is to ensure the voting power of electors is effective, fair, and representative.

Municipal staff are conducting the Review and will prepare a study that considers relevant data, Council’s recommendations, and feedback from residents during a community consultation process. After the study is completed, the Municipality must submit an application to the NSUARB by December 31, 2022 with a recommendation and rationale for confirming or changing the number of councillors and the boundaries of polling districts. The NSUARB will then hold a public hearing to allow members of the public to comment before making a decision on the application.

If you’re interested, you can subscribe for updates on this project as they are posted here.

Consultation has concluded

  • 2022 Municipal Governance & Electoral Boundary Review Study Submitted

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    On December 23, 2022, Municipal staff submitted the 2022 Municipal Governance & Electoral Boundary Review Study to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (NSUARB). The study included Council's application to confirm the current number of councillors and the current number and boundaries of polling districts.

    The next step will be for NSUARB to contact the Municipality to schedule a public hearing, for which there will be a Public Notice. NSUARB will then issue a written decision within 60 days following the hearing.

    More information when available.

  • Resident Survey Now Closed

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    After a participation window from September 8 to October 28, both online here on Voices & Choices and in print via our Municipal Insight newsletter, the Governance & Electoral Boundary Review Resident Survey is now closed. As noted, the intent of the Resident Survey was to gather a representative sampling of electors' thoughts on the effectiveness and efficiency of the existing governance structure and of the proposed adjustments to polling district boundaries.

    The next step is for staff to bring a report to Council at its November 24, 2022 meeting. This report will outline what we heard from community consultation and include draft recommendations concerning the number and boundaries of polling districts in the municipality, their fairness and reasonableness, and the number of councillors. Council's review and discussion of this draft report will inform the formal application and study to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

  • Welcome!

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    Every eight years, all Councils in Nova Scotia are legally required to conduct a Municipal Governance & Electoral Boundary Review. More information about what constitutes a Review, what is required, and why it is required is available in the Background document available on this project page and via the link to Nova Scotia and Utility Review Board's (NSUARB) Municipal Boundaries User Guide.

    The Municipality of Chester's 2014 Review, approved by NSUARB, recommended no changes to the size and structure of Council or to the polling district boundaries.

    So far for the 2022 Review process, Council reviewed and discussed available data regarding:

    1. No changes to the size and structure of Council.
    2. Possible minor adjustments to the boundaries of Polling Districts 1, 2, and 3 to meet NSUARB direction on relative parity of voting power among districts. (More information as to what relative parity of voting power means and why it's important is available on this Voices & Choices project page.)

    The next step is community consultation. NSUARB states that "consultation should be of a type and degree which allows members of the public an opportunity to express their views on the size of their council [and] upon the location of boundaries for town wards or municipal polling districts" (Municipal Boundaries User Guide). To that end, Council invites all electors in the Municipality to complete a brief Resident Survey available on this project page or, for those who prefer print, available in the September/October issue of Municipal Insight. The Survey closes October 28, 2022.

    The intent of the Resident Survey is to gather a representative sampling of electors' thoughts on the effectiveness and efficiency of the existing size of Council and of the proposed adjustments to polling district boundaries. This consultation will provide Council with an understanding of the expectations of constituents before providing direction for the formal application and study to the NSUARB.

    Feel free to post any questions on this project page or to contact jmeakin@chester.ca directly.