Written by John Graham, Associate in Halifax. Effective August 30, 2024, Nova Scotia implemented amendments to the condominium development fee regime under the Condominium Act through O.I.C. 2024-289 (N.S. Reg. 150/2024). These changes restructured how registration and approval fees are calculated, shifting from a value-based system to a predictable per-unit model capped at 50 units. […]
Written by Kevin Latimer, KC, Partner in Halifax. Facing daunting capital and operational challenges, Cape Breton Regional Municipality (CBRM) has amended its wastewater discharge bylaw to allow for cost recovery of wastewater services through a user pay model. The municipality sees this as the first step in a larger transformation. Like many Canadian municipalities, CBRM […]
Written by Kevin Latimer, KC, Partner in Halifax. Four years after the consolidation of two Nova Scotia municipalities, it appears as if citizens of the new Regional Municipality of West Hants are reaping benefits. The former Municipality of West Hants and Town of Windsor had existed as neighbouring, but independent, municipalities for more than two […]
Renovations are necessary and important for landlords to maintain and improve their properties. Improvements also benefit tenants in the long run. In many cases, vacant possession is necessary to complete the work, which displaces the current tenants in an already difficult housing market. As such, the government regulates “renovictions” – evictions for the purpose of […]
Twelve years after the Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment introduced a Canada-Wide Action Plan for Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR), it’s time for Nova Scotia to consider shifting the burden of waste management from municipalities to producers. In a traditional waste management system, municipalities are responsible for operating waste collection and management. With EPR […]
A 10 year review of appeals of municipal planning decisions before the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board (UARB) shows that the UARB rarely overturns decisions of municipal councils and even more rarely if the appeal has been launched by interested citizens. Appeals by developers have been marginally more successful. But it would be wrong […]