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CBRM News
Mayor and Council going to Halifax to oppose Bill 340
October 20, 2023
Mayor and Council going to Halifax to oppose Bill 340
- Nova Scotia’s second largest municipality says province has failed to negotiate a fair deal with CBRM
- Mayor and Council say Houston government has no solutions for housing and transit crisis
SYDNEY, NS - - The Mayor and City Council members of Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) have taken a firm stance against the provincial government's proposed Bill 340, the Municipal Reform Act. They will be speaking at the Law Amendments Committee meeting in Halifax on Monday to voice their concerns about the legislation and a proposed new deal with municipalities that threatens to reduce CBRM's equalization funding.
Speaking at a press conference held at City Hall in downtown Sydney, Mayor Amanda McDougall and Council members expressed their strong opposition to the proposed reforms and the government's handling of critical issues, particularly housing and transit.
"We are grappling with a pressing housing and transit crisis that need significant solutions, but the province's response has been anything but adequate," stated Mayor McDougall. "The Premier pledged a better deal for CBRM, but his proposed plan leaves us with less."
Mayor McDougall and the Council say they cannot accept a deal that leaves their municipality with a diminishing equalization formula, especially in the midst of a period of unprecedented population growth. They highlighted the staggering growth in transit ridership, surpassing 400 per cent, and the worsening housing crisis in CBRM, emphasizing that the provincial government has not constructed new housing units in the region for over 30 years.
"Housing is a provincial government responsibility, but they have dropped the ball and, simultaneously, are reducing funding to those of us seeking solutions," Mayor McDougall added. She highlighted the municipality's ongoing collaboration with developers and organizations on projects to create 1,000 new housing units in CBRM.
"The proposed Bill 340, the Municipal Reform Act, and the Memorandum of Understanding is not in the best interests of CBRM, yet they are attempting to impose it upon us," McDougall continued. "We require a distinct agreement with the province that reflects our unique circumstances and path forward," emphasized the Mayor. CBRM is the second-largest municipality in Nova Scotia and is ten times bigger than the next largest town.
In an effort to hold the government accountable for its election promise to double the region's equalization funding, the municipality has launched an advertising campaign.
"We call upon Premier Tim Houston to keep his promises to the residents of CBRM," Mayor McDougall concluded.
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