Your Voice Matters: Two Weeks Until the Nova Scotia Quality of Life Survey Closes
NOVA SCOTIA — The Nova Scotia Quality of Life Survey is still active in communities province-wide for two more weeks. While over 10,000 surveys have been completed online and submitted by mail, Engage Nova Scotia expects there are a number of people who have intentions to fill it out and may need an extra prompt—Survey participation closes on July 5, 2019.
With this survey, you are helping to build a more complete picture of what matters to Nova Scotians. In the Fall of 2019, a Quality of Life Report will be created for your unique region of the province. By filling out the survey you are helping to ensure that issues most important to the health and wellbeing of you, your family and your community receive better attention.
Danny Graham, Chief Engagement Officer of Engage Nova Scotia explains, “Traditionally, much of the information we use to make decisions that affect our daily lives are based on economic data. Those data are not wrong – they are just incomplete.” He continues, “With this survey, you are helping us build a more complete picture of what matters to Nova Scotians.”
If you would like help filling it out, access to a computer, or if you did not receive an invitation and you would like an online code or paper copy, all of these resources are available at your local library. Similarly, the Strait Area NSCC campus has surveys and supports available, as well as La Société Saint-Pierre in Chéticamp, which has French copies.
Engage Nova Scotia hopes people will encourage anyone who has received an invitation to complete the survey to do so before the closing date. If you did not receive a survey invitation and would like to participate, please contact Engage Nova Scotia at 902-407-2582 or survey@engagenovascotia.ca. After completing the survey you can enter for a chance to win one of 25 Sobeys gift cards (valued at $400 each!).
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 to Host Regional Early Years Coalition Gathering
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 13th, 2019
Municipality to Host Regional Early Years Coalition Gathering
PORT HOOD, N.S. – The Municipality of the County of Inverness, in partnership with Raising the Villages – Mawiomi w’jit Mijuwajijk, will be hosting a gathering on Wednesday, June, 19th 2019 at 6:30pm in Municipal Council Chambers in Port Hood for all those who support early childhood across Victoria and Inverness Counties, the Town of Port Hawkesbury, and Wagmatcook and We’koqma’q First Nations. Snacks and refreshments will be provided.
Raising the Villages – Mawiomi w’jit Mijuwajijk was formed in 2017 as a response to the One NS Coalition’s 2015 report, recognizing the early years – ‘Starting Strong’ – as the number one priority for the province to act on to improve collective health and prosperity. The Municipality of the County of Inverness and Raising the Villages are therefore inviting all who are involved in the healthy development of children, such as family doctors, pre-natal support workers/doulas, midwives, Early Childhood Educators, Early Interventionists, Speech and Language Pathologists and Therapists, and teachers, to join this Regional Early Years Coalition and to discuss the current state of early years support in the area, from pre-natal support onwards to school entry.
The Municipality of the County of Inverness District 3 Councillor, Jim Mustard, has been involved in the Raising the Villages’ movement since its inception and will be present at the upcoming gathering. “What does the One Nova Scotia report mean for children here in western Cape Breton? What’s working, what’s not, and what more is needed?” he asks. Councillor Mustard says the meeting will allow those present to collectively look at what is needed for the future of early childhood support services.
For more information regarding the Regional Early Years Coalition gathering or Raising the Villages, please visit www.raisingthevillages.webs.com or contact Councillor Mustard at 902-295-0974, or by email at jim.mustard@invernesscounty.ca.
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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
Inverness County Partners Receive Rick Hansen Difference Maker Award
Photo: Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 11th, 2019
Inverness County Partners Receive Rick Hansen Difference Maker Award
TRURO, N.S. – During the 2019 Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities Spring Conference, the Municipality of the County of Inverness was awarded the Rick Hansen Difference Maker Award, presented in person by Rick Hansen.
The Inverness Development Association (IDA) and the Inverness Accessibility Committee in partnership with the Municipality of the County of Inverness and the community of Inverness as a whole, has been recognized nationally for its work in making the popular Inverness Beach more accessible, by building ramps, washrooms and parking spaces, installing mats along the beach, and making two beach-friendly wheelchairs available to visitors along with floating chairs that allow people to go in the water safely.
The Rick Hansen Difference Maker Award acknowledges everyday people, organizations or communities who accomplish extraordinary things. They make positive change and a difference in the lives of others. Their efforts change the world, one good turn at a time. The recipient(s) could be anyone in the community who has removed a barrier, shown great courage and determination, and who has made a difference in their community. In doing so, the recipient(s) have demonstrated leadership, determination, courage and teamwork.
The Municipality of the County of Inverness was nominated for the Rick Hansen Difference Maker Award by Gerry Post, Executive Director of Nova Scotia’s Accessibility Directorate for the development of the most accessible beach in Atlantic Canada.
“This is a great honour for the Municipality of the County of Inverness and the community of Inverness,” said District 2 Councillor Laurie Cranton, who accepted the award on behalf of the working group who coordinated the project, and who was also recently named chair of the Province of Nova Scotia’s Built Environment Standard Development Committee, which will focus on the accessibility of buildings and public spaces. “This would not have been possible without the hard work and dedication of people like Councillor Jim Mustard, the Inverness Accessibility Chair Callum MacQuarrie, and the innumerable volunteers and supporters of this project. This is something everyone in Inverness and in the County can be proud of.”
“NSFM is proud to highlight the accomplishments of our members and their community partners,” said Waye Mason, president of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities and Halifax City Councillor. “The Municipality of the County of Inverness exemplifies the great work Nova Scotia municipalities are doing across the province to meet the needs of our citizens. They are one of three municipalities to have been awarded the Rick Hansen Difference Maker Award at the NSFM conference in May. Halifax Regional Municipality and the Town of Wolfville joined the Municipality of the County of Inverness in being recognized as leaders across the province on accessibility and inclusion for all our Nova Scotians.”
The Municipality of the County of Inverness wishes to extend sincere congratulations to all those involved in the Inverness Beach Accessibility project and for being an accessibility leader of in Nova Scotia.
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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 OHS Specialist Erin Gillis Wins Safety Award
Safety award honourees including Municipality OHS Specialist Erin Gillis (far right) at the 2019 Safety First in Cape Breton Symposium. Photo: Cape Breton Partnership
SYDNEY, N.S. – On May 15th, 2019, the Cape Breton Partnership in collaboration with the Nova Scotia Department of Labour and Advanced Education and the Workers’ Compensation Board of Nova Scotia welcomed over 200 delegates from all over Cape Breton Island to Cape Breton University in Sydney for the 7th annual Safety First in Cape Breton Symposium. Among the delegates was Municipality of the County of Inverness Occupational Health and Safety Specialist Erin Gillis.
Originally from Southwest Margaree, Erin has worked for several large-scale manufacturing firms in Alberta, Ontario and Nova Scotia, before returning to her roots and joining the Municipality of the County of Inverness team in 2018. Her dedication to ensuring the health and safety of her Municipal colleagues earned her the Engagement Ally Award at the 2019 Safety First in Cape Breton Awards. It also represents the first Safety First in Cape Breton award merited by a Municipality or an employee of a Municipality.
The Engagement Ally Award is given to ‘training providers or OH&S managers who have done a superior job educating clients or employees about the importance of creating a positive workplace health and safety culture [and] have created a culture where people feel valued, respected, and satisfied in their jobs while working in a safe and healthy environment’ (Safety First Cape Breton, 2019).
“Ms. Gillis embodies all these qualities and more,” said Keith MacDonald, CAO of the Municipality of the County of Inverness. “The occupational health and safety of team members is a priority at the Municipality of the County of Inverness, and the Municipality is proud to have a leader like Ms. Gillis on the team and wishes to congratulate her on being honoured with this well-deserved award.”
“The Cape Breton Partnership is very proud of the Safety First in Cape Breton Award winners, especially the Municipality of the County of Inverness’ own Erin Gillis,” said Carla Arsenault, President and CEO of the Cape Breton Partnership. “Though Ms. Gillis is at the beginning of her work in establishing inverness County as a standard in Municipal workplace health and safety, her dedication and passion for safety were noted in two separate nominations in support of this well-earned recognition. On behalf of the Cape Breton Partnership, and our partners at the Department of Labour and Advanced Education and the Workers Compensation Board of Nova Scotia, I wish to again congratulate Ms. Gillis and the Municipality on this award.”
The Cape Breton Partnership is Cape Breton-Unama’ki’s private sector-led economic development organization, and can be found at www.capebretonpartnership.com. For more information on the Safety First in Cape Breton Symposium and the award winners, visit www.safetyfirstcapebreton.com.
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Joan MacLellan to Retire from Inverary Manor After 32 Years
INVERNESS, N.S. – Craigmore native and current Margaree resident Joan MacLellan is to retire soon after a long, successful tenure as administrator of Inverary Manor in the community of Inverness.
A proponent of lifelong learning, Joan first graduated from St. Francis Xavier University in the early ‘70s and moved to Labrador City to teach before studying business to work as a Certified General Accountant in Newfoundland and Calgary, Alberta. She returned home to Cape Breton in 1980 when she began working as the administrator of Mary’s Hill Home in Mabou in 1980 while completing the Health Services Management Program through the Canadian Healthcare Association.
Shortly after the Municipal Housing Corporation assumed ownership of Mary’s Hill Home in 1984, Joan managed both the Home and the Inverary Manor simultaneously until 1989, when she moved on to work at the Manor full-time.
“I have had a truly amazing work life and have encountered wonderful people along the way,” Mrs. MacLellan said when asked about her impressive career. She plans to enjoy her retirement beside the Margaree River by spending time with her two young grandsons, volunteering with the Inverary Manor’s Auxiliary, enjoying walks and sunsets on Inverness County’s many local beaches, and continuing her lifelong learning by picking up new hobbies.
The Board of the Municipal Housing Corporation and the Municipality of the County of Inverness would like to sincerely congratulate Joan MacLellan and thank her for her tireless dedication and advocacy on behalf of Inverary Manor residents for over three decades, as well as wish her a very happy retirement.
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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 of the County of Inverness Recognizes National Day of Mourning
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 25th, 2019
INVERNESS COUNTY, N.S. – The National Day of Mourning, observed across Canada each year on April 28th, is an occasion to honour those who have lost their lives or suffered illness due to workplace-related injuries, hazards and accidents.
This year, the Municipality of the County of Inverness is asking all residents to take some time Sunday, April 28th, to remember victims of workplace accidents with a moment of silence at 11am. The Municipality also wishes to reaffirm its commitment to employees and their families that the health and safety of staff is always the first concern while they are at work.
“The National Day of Mourning is a day of reflection, but it’s also a day to contemplate workplace safety practices everywhere,” said Municipality CAO Keith MacDonald. “The Municipality’s team is always looking for ways to reduce or eliminate risk of accidents, wherever Municipality staff members are working.”
The Municipality of the County of Inverness wants residents to be confident that safety is a daily priority. To this end, the Municipality will host several engagement activities and learning opportunities for Municipal staff during this year’s North American Occupational Safety and Health Week from May 5th to 11th, 2019.
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Karolyn Aucoin
Communications and Community Engagement Specialist / Spécialiste en communications et engagement communautaire
375 Main Street, Port Hood, NS B0E 2W0
Ph: 902.787.3519
karolyn.aucoin@invernesscounty.ca
55 Inverness County Volunteers Recognized at Annual Appreciation Dinner
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
April 15th, 2019
PORT HOOD, N.S. – The Municipality of the County of Inverness celebrated the hard work of 55 volunteers hailing from all six districts at the St. Peter’s Parish Hall in Port Hood on Wednesday, April 10th.
As part of National Volunteer Week that took place this year Canada-wide from April 7th to 13th, the Municipality of the County of Inverness celebrated the volunteers who work to better the county and their communities every day.
Among the group of honourees was Helen Rollock, who was chosen to represent the Municipality at the Provincial Volunteer Awards in Halifax on April 1st. Helen was nominated by the board of directors of the Bayview Child Development Centre Association for her work in securing funding for the soon-to-be-built Bayview Child Development Centre in Port Hood.
“There can never be enough recognition nor words and expressions of gratitude for our volunteers,” said Warden Betty Ann MacQuarrie in her speech during the event. “This is why we have this special evening every year to show our appreciation for all [they] do.”
The Municipality of the County of Inverness wishes to sincerely congratulate and thank not only the 55 honourees, but all those who share their time, energy, knowledge and enthusiasm with their community through volunteerism. A complete list of the nominated volunteers can be found on the Municipality of the County of Inverness’ website and will be published in the Spring edition of the Participaper.
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Karolyn Aucoin
Communications and Community Engagement Specialist / Spécialiste en communications et engagement communautaire
375 Main Street, Port Hood, NS B0E 2W0
Ph: 902.787.3519
karolyn.aucoin@invernesscounty.ca