Region of Queens councillors want to try to find a way to resurrect the Coastal Protection Act. (File photo by Talla Corkum)

Region of Queens councillors want to work with other neighbouring municipalities to pressure the province to resurrect the Coastal Protection Act and possibly to come up with their own version.

The Nova Scotia government under Tim Houston killed the long-dormant Coastal Protection Act in February. Supporters of that legislation said it would beef up safeguards for coastal areas around Nova Scotia.

Instead, the province said it would pass that responsibility onto municipalities to come up with their own bylaws to protect the coast from development, climate change and other threats. It offered to create sample bylaws that municipalities could adapt.

But many municipalities say they don’t have the resources to enforce such wide-ranging rules.

District 3 Coun. Courtney Wentzell said he heard from a lot of residents during the municipal election campaign who were concerned about coastal protection. And he said it was clear from the recent provincial election that the province has no interest in taking it on.

He said he wants the Region of Queens to discuss banding together with other regions like the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg to come up with a common set of rules.

“Some of you might have witnessed the leadership debates where the government is not backing down on coastal protection, they’re leaving it to municipalities,” Wentzell said.

“The answers that I heard was that there is going to be assistance in the form of money or manpower to help municipalities create their own (bylaws). I think that’s the reality we’re dealing with. And I do think coastal protection is a big, big item with us. We all heard it on the campaign trail.”

The issue came up at a recent meeting of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities.

NSFM President Pam Mood, who is also the mayor of Yarmouth, called on the re-elected Houston government to institute provincewide rules and enforcement.

Mayor Scott Christian said working with the federation to pressure the province is a good first step.

“The NSFM is an augmented voice, so it’s a lot stronger. If we join forces with the NSFM and say we need resources and support to enact an effective approach to the Coastal Protection Act. It’s an avenue we can explore to be supported throughout it. It’s not the entirety of the picture, but it’s an important first step.”

Queens councillors decided to write a letter of support to the federation, and to meet with other municipal politicians to come up with ways to enhance coastal protections.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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COVID-19 has spurred home sales in Queens. Photo: Ed Halverson

The Region of Queens is looking to keep the property assessment CAP in place, for now.

Nova Scotia’s Capped Assessment Program is tied to the Consumer Price Index and limits how much property assessment can increase year over year.

The Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities, the organization that lobbies the provincial government on behalf of their members, has been pushing to eliminate capped assessment on homeowner’s property taxes.

Region of Queens Mayor Darlene Norman says council wants the federation to put aside their efforts to eliminate the CAP program.

She is concerned lifting the CAP during the hot housing market will price people out of their homes.

“That program was designed to protect low-income people from losing their properties and paying excessive tax. When we look at properties that have quadrupled and ten-folded in their value, average-income people are going to need that CAP to save them thousands and thousands of dollars in increased tax,” said Norman.

Property tax is one of the only ways municipalities can raise money.

The tax is set as a percentage of a property’s assessed value, so the higher the property is assessed, the more money the municipality will receive.

By asking not to lift the CAP, the Region of Queens is actually receiving less money.

For Mayor Norman, the income is not as important as keeping people in their homes.

“It’s not about less money in our coffers, it’s about looking after the people who we represent,” said Norman.

President of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities Emily Lutz says the CAP system has always disproportionately favoured higher income earners at the expense of those who make less.

Lutz says NSFM has proposed a phased approach to lifting the CAP, which would involve municipalities easing their tax rates.

However, Lutz says discussions around the CAP may become part of a larger conversation with the province.

She says the new provincial government is looking to overhaul their relationship with municipalities and that will include looking at how those units are funded.

“Our stance, at the current moment on CAP is that, we are sitting and waiting and seeing how discussions with the province around renegotiating the entire relationship between municipalities and the province goes because we are fairly sure it will be part of those discussions,” said Lutz.

In the meantime, Norman says the Region of Queens will be advocating keeping the CAP in place.

“Who would have ever assumed that everywhere in this province the increases in property assessments are going to be unrealistic. They’re going to be unheard of,” said Norman. “It’s just so important to keep that CAP, at least for now, to see where these land prices are going to go.”

E-mail: edhalversonnews@gmail.com
Twitter: @edwardhalverson

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