Inverness County to Celebrate Volunteers in May
INVERNESS COUNTY, N.S. – The Municipality of the County of Inverness is calling for residents to nominate dedicated volunteers that deserve recognition during its annual Volunteer Appreciation Dinner to take place on May 13th, 2020.
Organizations and individuals are encouraged to nominate deserving volunteers who have made a significant impact in service of their community this past year. The early-bird deadline for nominations is February 21st, but nominations are accepted until April 24th. Names of all early-bird nominees will be put in a draw to have a chance to represent Inverness County at the Provincial Volunteer Recognition Ceremony in Halifax on April 27th, 2020.
“Every community across the County has seen volunteers accomplish some extraordinary work this year,” said Betty Ann MacQuarrie, Warden of the Municipality of the County of Inverness. “From selflessly helping others in the aftermath of Hurricane Dorian, to organizing countless festivals and events that draw visitors from around the globe and everything in between, volunteers make Inverness County such a great place to live.”
55 volunteers were recognized last year, and the Municipality hopes to celebrate as many or more in 2020. To nominate someone today, visit https://invernesscounty.ca/eservices/forms-a-z/ or contact Lisa Organ at lisa.organ@invernesscounty.ca.
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Municipality to Contract Solid Waste Collection
INVERNESS COUNTY, NS – The Municipality of the County of Inverness Council passed a motion at the December 5th regular Council meeting to contract solid waste collection. Green For Life Environmental (GFL) has been awarded the contract based on the company’s detailed submission to the Municipality’s request for proposal for curbside solid waste collection.
“GFL has the experience and capacity to ensure a consistent high level of service,” says CAO Keith MacDonald. “This partnership will be beneficial for both residents concerned about garbage collection and the Municipality.”
Staff completed a detailed review of the proposal submitted by GFL in Spring 2019. GFL is a North American leader in solid waste management and other environmental services. They are known for their commitment to safety, customer service and cost-effective solutions. Along with their 8 regional offices in Nova Scotia and New Brunswick, GFL has a bilingual community concerns line, will follow and enforce any Municipal by-law changes, and has in-house maintenance capabilities, among other value-added assets.
Residents should expect the new service to begin by April 1st, 2020. Any modifications to the current pickup schedules will be published in advance.
Full-time Municipal employees affected by these changes will have the option of continuing their work through GFL or being relocated to another Municipal department. The current Municipal fleet will be purchased by GFL at fair market value.
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Media contact:
Karolyn Aucoin
Communications and Community Engagement Specialist / Spécialiste en communications et engagement communautaire
Municipality of the County of Inverness / Municipalité du Comté d’Inverness
375 Main Street, Port Hood, NS B0E 2W0
Ph: 902-787-3517
Cell: 902-258-7513
www.invernesscounty.ca
Municipality Thanks Dorian Volunteers
INVERNESS COUNTY, NS – Hurricane Dorian passed through Inverness County on September 7th and 8th and had major impact on Municipality of the County of Inverness communications and electrical power infrastructure, as well as widespread property damage. Many residents were left without power for over a week and relied on neighbours and community comfort centres for support.
The Municipality wishes to thank the countless residents who volunteered their time to work at comfort centres, donated food and supplies, checked in on seniors and other vulnerable residents to make sure they were safe and opened their homes for neighbours.
“It’s times like these we really see the strength of our communities and the resilience of the people who live in them,” said Betty Ann MacQuarrie, Warden of the Municipality of the County of Inverness.
“Municipal staff worked diligently to restore water and wastewater services and support the operation of comfort centres that were set up to help residents,” she added.
“The efforts residents made to assist their fellow community members were outstanding and should be commended.”
Please keep in mind those that stepped up in this time of need by nominating them for Municipal Volunteer Awards. Nominations will open in late Winter and the awards ceremony will be held in the Spring.
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La Municipalité et le Partenariat du Cap-Breton lancent un sondage sur le logement à Chéticamp
POUR DIFFUSION IMMÉDIATE / FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
October 1st, 2019
La Municipalité et le Partenariat du Cap-Breton lancent un sondage
sur le logement à Chéticamp
CHÉTICAMP, N.-É. – La Municipalité du comté d’Inverness et le Partenariat du Cap-Breton ont collaboré au lancement d’un sondage visant à recueillir des données sur le marché de l’habitation et de la location à Chéticamp.
Le sondage, qui s’adresse à la fois aux résidents actuels de Chéticamp et aux personnes susceptibles d’être intéressées à vivre dans le village de pêche rural acadien ou dans les environs, porte sur les préférences en matière de style de logement, les spécifications nécessaires pour le logement des aînés, les données démographiques et plus encore.
La Municipalité et le Partenariat du Cap-Breton croient que les résultats seront utiles pour les projets de logements publics et privés et espèrent réaliser des enquêtes similaires d’autres communautés du comté d’Inverness dans l’avenir.
Le sondage, qui sera ouvert jusqu’au 31 octobre 2019, est disponible en français et en anglais au https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2019CheticampHousingSurvey-web-FR.
Municipality & Cape Breton Partnership Launch Chéticamp Housing Survey
CHÉTICAMP, NS – The Municipality of the County of Inverness and the Cape Breton Partnership have worked together to launch a survey looking for data regarding the Chéticamp housing and rental market.
The survey asks questions about housing style preferences, necessary senior housing specifications, demographic information and more. It is targeted towards both current Chéticamp residents and people who may be interested in living in the rural Acadian fishing village or the surrounding area.
The Municipality and the Cape Breton Partnership believe the results will be valuable for both public and private housing projects. Additional surveys will be developed for other Inverness County communities in the future.
The survey, which will be open until October 31st, 2019, is available in both French and English at
https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/2019CheticampHousingSurvey-web.
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Media Contact:
Karolyn Aucoin
Spécialiste en communications et engagement communautaire / Communications & Community Engagement Specialist
karolyn.aucoin@invernesscounty.ca
902-787-3519 / 902-258-7513
New Manor Administrator to Begin Duties in August
INVERNESS, NS – The County of Inverness Municipal Housing Corporation has hired a new Inverary Manor Administrator following the retirement of long-time Administrator Joan MacLellan.
Stephen Doiron has over 25 years of proven leadership experience in the public sector, private sector, and not-for-profit sector. As President and Co-Owner of Change Management Professionals since 2000, he has assisted clients in improving service, efficiency, communication and cost management.
Mr. Doiron has led extensive organizational change in the culture change movement in Long Term Care throughout Nova Scotia. He successfully led the design and implementation of business transformation initiatives for seven not-for-profit long-term care homes, including the Inverary Manor, where he prepared leadership, staff and residents for transition to newly designed facilities using resident-centred approaches.
Throughout the past 10 years, Mr. Doiron has worked extensively with Administrators, Leadership Teams, RNs, LPNs, Continuing Care Assistants, Allied Services and Support Services Staff of long-term care facilities supporting the needs of residents and staff. At the 2018 Continuing Care Association of Nova Scotia Annual Conference, he delivered the keynote address ‘Embracing Readiness for Change’ as well as delivering the keynote ‘Becoming a Change Leader’ at the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency Leadership Conference in 2016, along with many other speaking engagements.
Stephen’s decades of service management and operational experience together with his expertise in People Leadership, Training, Coaching, Performance Management, Change Management and Strategic Planning provide him with the necessary skills to continue the enduring legacy of his predecessor and guide the future of the Inverary Manor and support its residents. He will commence the role of Administrator in late August.
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Municipality Hires Director of New Department of Infrastructure & Emergency Services
INVERNESS COUNTY – The Municipality of the County of Inverness has hired Commander David A. Coulombe as Director of the new Department of Infrastructure & Emergency Services (previously referred to as the Public Works Department).
Commander David A. Coulombe.
Commander David A. Coulombe is currently serving as a Special Projects Officer for Canada’s Naval Reserve. He has also worked as Marine Superintendent for SuperPort Marine Services Ltd, Commanding Officer of the Regional Cadet Support Unit for British Columbia, Commanding Officer for the Port Operations and Emergency Services at CFB Esquimalt, and the Operational and Emergency Planner at the Canadian Forces Joint Headquarters in Kingston, Ontario. Commander Coulombe has a wealth of experience in strategic orientation, team leadership for teams of over 1,300 staff, managing budgets of over $20 million a year, compliance with federal and provincial legislation, and additional senior project management responsibilities.
The Director of Infrastructure & Emergency Services’ duties will include leading the planning, organization, direction and integration of the Municipality’s emergency services; facility management; the operations and maintenance of the water distribution systems; solid waste management; buildings and grounds maintenance; sewer and water hook-ups; and municipal recycling.
Commander Coulombe’s appointment will bring additional leadership experience to the Municipality’s management team. His extensive knowledge will be invaluable as the Municipality works towards long-term infrastructure planning and emergency preparedness for the communities throughout Inverness County.
Commander Coulombe currently resides in Inverness County with his family and will begin his duties in October once he returns from Japan where he is currently serving as Canadian Task Force Commander for Operation NEON, advising the United Nations Security Council on sanctions imposed against North Korea.
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Former School Board Office For Sale
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
December 9th, 2019
PORT HASTINGS, N.S. – The Municipality of the County of Inverness is selling the former headquarters of the Strait Regional School Board (now the Strait Regional Centre for Education). Interested parties can view information on the build here: CLOSED
The 7,900 sq. ft. building, which sits on 7 acres of land in beautiful and friendly Port Hastings, was originally built in 1963 as a school and later converted into an office building complete with a large parking lot, a reception area and lobby, a large board room, two kitchenettes, a fully-functioning water heater and 15 office spaces. The building has full three-phase electrical hook-up as well as access to municipal sewer and water services and local community transportation services. It has been well-maintained throughout the years and requires minimal updating, with great potential for development.
Port Hastings is the main gateway to Cape Breton and is a central point for the Strait of Canso area of Nova Scotia. “It is an exciting time to live and work in Inverness County, and many businesses could thrive at the location in Port Hastings,” said Keith MacDonald, CAO of the Municipality of the County of Inverness. “It’s the iconic gateway to the rest of the Island.”
Inspection is by appointment only. To schedule an appointment and for more information, please call Debbie Nicholson at 902-787-3501.
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Media Contact:
Keith MacDonald, CAO
902-787-3501 / 902-258-5999
Keith.MacDonald@invernesscounty.ca
Municipality to Replace Water Meters
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
July 24th, 2019
Municipality to Replace Water Meters
INVERNESS COUNTY, N.S. – The Inverness County Water Utility will soon be conducting a water meter upgrade program to retrofit and/or install new water meters to customers on the Inverness County Water Utility.
The project will be completed in the fall and will improve accuracy of billing, facilitate leak detection, as well as make meter reading quicker and more efficient. Neptune Technology Group has been contracted by the Inverness County Water Utility to upgrade existing water meters and complete new installation of water meters where required.
Customers of the Inverness County Water Utility have been receiving a notification in their mail containing information on how to book their appointment. This is a mandatory program in accordance with Nova Scotia Utility and Review Boards Regulations for the Inverness County Water Utility. The upgrade procedure requires approximately 30-90 minutes to complete, during which time the water will be shut off for a brief period. There is no charge for the meter or the installation.
Customers of the Chéticamp Water Utility will be sent bilingual information, and a bilingual installer has been contracted to complete the water meter upgrades in the area.
For any questions, residents are invited to call Neptune’s toll-free number at 1-800-667-4387. Residents of Port Hood and Inverness are now able to book appointments by calling the toll-free number above. Appointments will open for other communities soon.
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Municipal Recreation & Tourism Summer Students Prepared for a Great Season
INVERNESS COUNTY, N.S. – Four Inverness County students have been hired by the Municipality for the 2019 summer season and will be travelling throughout the county promoting festivals, events and outdoor recreation.
As Trail Ambassadors, Colby MacLean and Regyn MacDonald will be hosting trail events and promoting outdoor recreation as well as facilitate free Multisport sessions for kids. Festival & Event Promoters Sophie Blondin and Leah Sauer will promote events across the County, manage Canada’s Musical Coast social media accounts, and develop marketing material for the Recreation & Tourism Department. These young ambassadors began their summer employment the first week of July and received social media and recreation training before starting their work.
Meet the Municipality’s Recreation & Tourism 2019 summer students:
Regyn MacDonald, Trails & Recreation Ambassador
Community: Kingsville
Current school: Strait Area Education/Recreation Centre
Most looking forward to: Being outdoors and having lots of fun playing sports with kids
Favourite spot in Inverness County: Maple Brook Falls
Plans for the future: To be determined
Fun fact: I am a step dancer!
Colby MacLean, Trails & Recreation Ambassador
Community: Mabou
Current school: St. FX University
Most looking forward to: Running the Multisport kids’ camps
Favourite spot in Inverness County: West Mabou Beach
Plans for the future: Get a job close to home
Fun fact: I love playing basketball.
Leah Sauer, Festival & Event Promoter
Community: West Bay
Current school: Holland College
Most looking forward to: Being able to travel all around Inverness County and seeing all the wonderful events and local businesses
Favourite spot in Inverness County: Marble Mountain Beach & Look-off
Plans for the future: Travel internationally to events and festivals
Fun fact: I am a fluent in English, German and French.
Sophie Blondin, Festival & Event Promoter
Community: Dunvegan
Current school: Mount St. Vincent University
Most looking forward to: Exploring the County, getting to attend all the festivals and meeting lots of new people
Favourite spot in Inverness County: My grandparents’ house up the hill in Southwest Margaree – best place on earth
Plans for the future: After my bachelor I plan on moving to a fast-paced city and starting a career in Public Relations
Fun fact: I’m all about hanging out with friends, shopping sprees, travelling wherever I can and spending time with family!
Photos by Skylar Gillis of @daveyandsky.
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Media Contact:
Karolyn Aucoin
Communications and Community Engagement Specialist / Spécialiste en communications et engagement communautaire
Municipality of the County of Inverness / Municipalité du Comté d’Inverness
375 Main Street, Port Hood, NS B0E 2W0
Ph: 902.787.3519
karolyn.aucoin@invernesscounty.ca
Municipality Congratulates Graduates
INVERNESS COUNTY, N.S. – 118 students have received their grade 12 diplomas from École NDA, Cape Breton Highlands Academy, Inverness Academy and Dalbrae Academy following their school’s graduation ceremonies this past June.
Among these students were Kaylee Deveau (NDA), Emma MacKinnon (CBHEC/A), Skylar Kennedy (IEC/A) and Sarah Wilson (Dalbrae) who were each awarded a scholarship of $500 from the Municipality. The recipents were chosen for their exemplary work ethic and leadership skills coupled with academic success. They will also be pursuing education at a post-secondary institution of their choosing in the fall.
This year the Municipality was also proud to collaborate with Mitch MacDonald of Port Hood in launching a new award to graduating students at Dalbrae Academy. The Municipality made a $500 contribution that supported two students with aspiring musical abilities in either instrumental music and/or vocals who plan to continue their musical journey post-graduation receive a $1000 gift card each for Long & McQuade Musical Instruments under the Small Towns to Big Stages Award. Keigan MacLennan and Alasdair Cameron, who were awarded the prize, each submitted a video application to musician Mitch MacDonald, where they answered questions about their love of music and performed an acoustic piece of music of their choosing. While the pilot project, also presented with the help of the Clove Hitch Bar & Bistro and Long & McQuade, was available to Dalbrae students only, the intent is to work at making a similar award available to graduates at the other three County high schools next year.
“It seems the future is bright for all 118 graduates,” said Municipality of the County of Inverness Warden Betty Ann MacQuarrie. “Though they embark on a new, exciting journey, Inverness County will always welcome them home when they return.”
The Municipality would like to congratulate not only those awarded with scholarships but all graduates from Inverness County schools including Strait Area Education Recreation Centre and We’koma’q Mi’kmaw School for their academic and extracurricular success as well as wish teachers and school support staff a great and safe summer vacation.
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Media Contact:
Karolyn Aucoin
Communications and Community Engagement Specialist / Spécialiste en communications et engagement communautaire
Municipality of the County of Inverness / Municipalité du Comté d’Inverness
375 Main Street, Port Hood, NS B0E 2W0
Ph: 902.787.3519
karolyn.aucoin@invernesscounty.ca