Municipal Affairs Minister Mark Furey introduced amendments today, April 23, to prevent the creation of new towns or villages in the province.

The change to the Municipal Government Act follows several policy reviews that recommend structural change and less government.

“The amendments give us the foundation for governance structures that are strong and viable, and promote regional thinking,” said Mr.

Furey. “We need to look beyond our backyards and recognize current trends and realities to ensure our municipalities are sustainable.”

The change does not dissolve any existing towns or villages, it prevents towns from becoming villages and vice versa.

“Over the past year, I have met with all municipal governments and the topic of structural change has been part of those discussions,” Mr. Furey said. “We will not force dissolution or amalgamation, but we do support governance structures that result in efficiencies and the long-term viability of municipalities.”

Nova Scotia now has 28 towns and 22 villages. Many are facing financial challenges such as aging infrastructure, declining tax base, road and maintenance costs, increasing costs of services and a declining and aging population.

Source: Release