News

2024 Municipal Election

Details
Published: Monday, 24 June 2024 12:39
2024 Municipal Election

Municipal Elections in Nova Scotia will be held on October 19, 2024.

Returning Officer Josephine MacDonald will manage the election for the six municipalities in Pictou County. Her office is now open by appointment only. Regular office hours will be announced when they are set up.

How to Become A Candidate

If you are interested in running for office in the Town of Trenton, Town of New Glasgow, Town of Stellarton, Town of Westville, Town of Pictou or the Municipality of Pictou County, please contact Returning Officer Josephine MacDonald by email at  or by phone at 902-485-2241.

The final day to register to become a candidate is September 10, 2024.

Visit the Become a Member of Council section to learn more.

How to Vote

All voting in the upcoming October 19th election will be electronic. Voters will have the option to vote online or by phone. Voter cards and more information on how to vote will be announced in future correspondence.

There will be two advance polls on October 12, 2024 from Noon to 8:00pm and October 15, 2024 from Noon to 8:00pm. For advance polls there will be kiosks set up in each municipality where voters can have assistance with electronic voting.

Residents will be able to cast their electronic ballots between midnight on October 6, 2024 and October 19, 2024 at 7:00pm. This can be done with any electronic device or at a kiosk on Election Day.

Returning Officer

Josephine MacDonald
Phone: 902-485-2241
Email:  
46 Municipal Drive, Pictou, NS B0K 1H0

Visit the Elections Pictou County website for updates and information about the 2024 Municipal Election!

Upgrades Announced for Outdoor Recreation Facilities

Details
Published: Friday, 21 June 2024 11:55

Announcement 2024 06 21

Hon. Pat Dunn, MLA for Pictou Centre, was in Trenton recently with Councillors Nicole LeBlanc, VJ Earle and Steven Cotter, Chief Administrative Officer Alanna Grover, and Recreation Director Craig Murray for the exciting announcement.

Upgrades Announced for Outdoor Recreation Facilities!

The Town of Trenton is thrilled to announce the upgrading of three outdoor recreation facilities thanks to a one-time contribution of $650,000 from the Province of Nova Scotia’s Department of Communities, Culture, Tourism and Heritage. The upgrades will include a new skateboard park, pickleball court and multisport court equipped with nets for both basketball and road hockey. These upgraded facilities will be located on the corner of Main Street/First Street and Duchess Avenue, down from the future home of the Pictou County Sports Heritage Hall of Fame.

In addition, Scotia Park Ball Field (Strickland Avenue) will be reviewed for necessary upgrades.

The Town understands that our recreational infrastructure plays an important role in our residents’ quality of life, as well as our ability to attract visitors and new residents to our community. We continue to work diligently at promoting a healthier community, improve infrastructure and foster economic growth to create a Town where our residents’ can live, work and play.

Work is anticipated to be completed in fall 2024.

2024 Trenton FunFest

Details
Published: Thursday, 20 June 2024 10:46

2024 Trenton FunFest
July 9-14, 2024

Over 35 years of small town summertime fun!

Vist the Trenton FunFest section for full details.

Public Notice - Open Houses for Plan Review 2024

Details
Published: Monday, 10 June 2024 14:29

Towns of Pictou, Stellarton & Trenton
Inter-municipal Planning Strategy, Secondary Planning Strategies, and Common Land Use Bylaw

Public Notice:
Open Houses for Plan Review

The Councils of Pictou (town), Stellarton, and Trenton have begun the process of reviewing their Planning Documents, specifically the existing Inter-Municipal Planning Strategy, Secondary Planning Strategies, and Common Land Use By-law. The three towns have decided to maintain a “sub-regional” land use and development plan to guide future growth in these three municipal units in Pictou County. The towns have agreed to undertake a review of their “Inter-municipal Planning Strategy” (IMPS) to continue to bring a cohesive and a “sub-regional” vision to the area’s planning process.

Under Part VIII of the Municipal Government Act of Nova Scotia, the towns intend on drafting and eventually adopting one revised planning policy document (IMPS) that would outline common developmental policies in all three towns. Each town would also update and adopt a “Secondary Planning Strategy” (SPS) that would reflect the policies unique to each municipal unit. The administrative mechanism for these two sets of policy documents would be outlined in a revised uniform Common Land Use By-law, to be administered for all three towns. This review process is an amendment to the existing document, which will only include these three towns, and not all five towns of Pictou County, as is currently the case.

For a diagram which may help explain the intended relationship between the IMPS and the SPS’s, please view the  pdf official notice (154 KB) .

Uniform Land Use By-law

Aside from the maintaining a “sub-regional” approach, several new planning initiatives are being proposed to, hopefully, allow for easier and clearer administration of planning and development in the towns. These include:

  • Allowing for more development by site plan approval in certain instances, instead of development agreements, and allowing for quicker and more streamlined development approvals through more and clearer “as of right” zoning for permitted land uses;
  • Up to date and uniform definitions of terms that would apply to all towns;
  • Standardization of rules concerning swimming pools, accessory buildings, and other developments throughout the towns;
  • New standards for “tiny homes” and other forms of innovative housing to allow for more affordable housing opportunities;
  • Allowance for more diverse housing options in our changing economy and environment;
  • Addressing other matters such as coastline protection, climate change initiatives, brownfield development, and other issues;

Section 204 of the Municipal Government Act requires the Town Councils to adopt a public participation program concerning the preparation of planning documents. The Towns are also required to engage with neighboring municipalities in this process.

There are many other issues not listed here that members of the public may wish to raise during the course of the Plan Review and amendment process, and all are encouraged to attend any of the open houses scheduled for each town:

TOWN OF TRENTON
Monday, June 24, 2024
Trenton Rink Annex
75 Park Road, Trenton NS
2:00pm – 5:00pm and 6:00pm – 8:00pm

TOWN OF STELLARTON
Tuesday, June 25, 2024
Stellarton Community Centre
120 Leo Fahey Way (by Allan Park), Stellarton, NS
2:00pm – 5:00pm and 6:00pm – 8:00pm

TOWN OF PICTOU
Wednesday, June 26, 2024
Pictou Town Council Chamber
Old CN Train Station
71 Front Street, Pictou NS
5:30pm – 6:30 pm

We realize that the proposed meeting dates may not be suitable to all who may wish to participate. For that reason, questions, comments, or submissions should be directed to:

Roland Burek, MCIP, LPP
Acting Planner/Development Officer (Towns of Stellarton, Trenton and Pictou)
Tel: 902-752-4476
 

 

2024-25 Budget & Tax Rate

Details
Published: Thursday, 16 May 2024 13:40

TOWN OF TRENTON NOTICE
2024-2025 Budget & Tax Rate


At the Town Council meeting on Tuesday, May 14, 2024, Council approved, accepted, and adopted the General Operating Budget of the Town of Trenton for the fiscal year from April 01, 2024, to March 31, 2025, in the amount of $5,551,670.00. 

After careful consideration by Council, we have approved the Town’s tax rates to remain unchanged from the previous fiscal as follows:

  • Residential & Resource property tax rate to stay at $2.04 per $100 of assessment
  • Commercial property tax rate to stay at $4.10 per $100 of assessment
  • Fire Protection rate to stay at $0.145 per $100 of assessment
  • Solid Waste (garbage collection) annual user fee rate of $146.00 per dwelling unit

Dependent on property assessments, property owners should see no change in their final tax bills set to be issued in September 2024.

Each year, the Town of Trenton aims to build a budget that balances setting a reasonable tax rate and delivering quality services while planning for significant infrastructure needs. Council has faced many difficult decisions over the past four years and continues to be committed to making fiscally responsible decisions in the best interest of our community. We are confident Trenton is on track for a sustainable and vibrant future.

Respectfully,

Mayor Donald Hussher & Town Council

 

Related Documents:

Fisheries Act Violation Details

Details
Published: Tuesday, 20 February 2024 15:31

Message from Mayor, Council & Chief Administrative Officer


Dear Residents,

In December 2023, the Town of Trenton pled guilty to an offence under the federal government’s Fisheries Act. The Town was sentenced on February 15, 2024.

The plea is connected to the Town’s lack of action to address a blocked sewer pipe, discovered in the fall of 2017, which caused the backup of untreated sewage into the Park Road manhole, which then over-flowed through an outfall pipe before discharging into the discharge path leading to Lowden Brook.

The situation was not addressed until January 2020, following a citizen complaint to the federal Department of Environment and Climate Change (ECCC). In response to the results of testing, which indicated the untreated sewage effluent flowing through the pipe constituted a “deleterious substance,” and therefore, a violation of the Fisheries Act, the Town took immediate action, replacing 200 feet of sewage pipe over the course of two days.

There was no indication of environmental harm to the impacted fish habitat as a result of the deposit of the untreated sewage effluent into the Lowden Brook and East River.

While the issue was addressed in January 2020, this matter has just recently been heard by the court. The Town pled guilty to the violation. We have been working with Environment and Climate Change Canada (ECCC) and will fully comply with the terms of our court order. We are focused on meeting the requirements of the order, which includes training, public notification requirements, and testing and reporting requirements.

The Town has three years to pay the fine of $100,000 and at this time it is not expected to have an impact on residents’ taxes, programs, or services.

We acknowledge, and regret, that the appropriate steps were not taken to address this issue at the time it was discovered. We are committed to making sure this does not happen again, through further work on our wastewater and storm water systems. We will provide regular updates on the status of these projects.

Respectfully,

Mayor, Council and CAO

 

Information will be posted here as it becomes available:

 

Reporting Public Works Emergencies

To report Public Works Emergencies (including but not limited to emergencies related to wastewater and storm water systems, water line breaks, leaking water meters, etc.), please contact:

Public Works Superintendent, Darryl Marcott
Available for calls during daytime office hours & for afterhours emergencies.
Tel: 902-752-6907

Town Administration Office
Available for calls Monday to Friday (excluding holidays) - 8:30am to 4:30pm
Tel: 902-752-5311

Accessibility Committee Accepting New Members

Details
Published: Wednesday, 24 January 2024 10:57

Accessibility Committee Accepting New Members

The Town of Trenton is committed to identifying, preventing, and eliminating barriers faced by people of all abilities including those who identify as having a disability, and ensuring our municipal programs, services, initiatives, and facilities in our Town are barrier-free.

If you’re interested in creating a more accessible and equitable community, and would like to become part of the Accessibility Committee, please reach out:


Phone: 902-752-5311 (Town Hall)
Email:

 

Helpful Links:

2024 Property Assessment Notices

Details
Published: Tuesday, 09 January 2024 13:59

2024 Property Assessment Notices have been mailed by Property Valuation Services Corporation (PVSC).

Did you know you can find more information about your 2024 property assessment online?

Log into My Property Report at www.pvsc.ca with the Assessment Account Number (AAN) and PIN on your 2024 Assessment Notice.

Still have questions?

Assessors are available by phone at 1-800-380-7775 or by email at  

Trenton Water Utility Water Rate Increase

Details
Published: Thursday, 06 April 2023 09:03

TOWN OF TRENTON PUBLIC NOTICE
Trenton Water Utility Water Rate Increases


The Town of Trenton, on behalf of its Water Utility, applied to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board for approval to amend its Schedule of Rates and Charges for Water and Water Services and its Schedule of Rules and Regulations. After due public notice, a hearing was held on December 14, 2022. The Schedule of Rates and Charges, including the public fire protection charge were approved by the Board, for Water and Water Services supplied on and after April 1, 2023, April 1, 2024, and April 1, 2025, respectively.

The average water bill in Nova Scotia is currently between $135 and $145 per quarter. In Trenton, the average water bill is currently $64 per quarter which equates to only $21 per month. The last water rate increase in Trenton was effective April 1, 2011, with no increase in 12 years.


Proposed increases for an average home (with four residents) are:

  • Effective April 1, 2023 – from $64.20 to $141.60 per quarter
    (Average increase of $309.60/year, $77.40/quarter, $5.95/week, or 85 cents/day)

  • Effective April 1, 2024 – from $141.60 to $165.47 per quarter
    (Average increase of $95.48/year, $23.87/quarter, $1.84/week, or 26 cents/day)

  • Effective April 1, 2025 – from $165.47 to $199.40 per quarter
    (Average increase of $135.72/year, $33.93/quarter, $2.61/week, or 37 cents/day


A large part of the increase, specifically in years 2 and 3, is the result of replacing the aging reservoir and upgrading the water pressure booster station and treatment plant. These improvements are essential for the delivery of safe drinking water.


 Approved increases are related to the changing provincial and federal environmental standards for drinking water, as well as the increases in costs for:

  • Power usage
  • Cost of chemicals and treatments supplies
  • Equipment
  • Transportation costs (fuel, insurance, repairs & maintenance)

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    Welcome Home to Pictou County Guide

    Details
    Published: Wednesday, 16 December 2020 14:45

    The “Welcome Home to Pictou County Guide: A community guide to the place we call home” was created through a partnership between Healthy Pictou County, the Destination Eastern and Northumberland Shores Tourism Association (DEANS), the Pictou County Regional Enterprise Network (REN), and the Pictou County Chamber of Commerce. It was also designed and printed locally by Advocate Printing. Funding was received from the Province of Nova Scotia for a large portion of this project, and we are excited to have it completed.

    This guide is a wonderful piece for people considering our area, those new to the area, and even those who grew up in Pictou County. Take a look, you might just find something new!

    Stop by the local Pictou-Antigonish Regional Library branches to view a hard copy of the guide they will have on reference or visit the Healthy Pictou County website for more information and to view the electronic version (also available below). Any questions or details on ordering your own print run, please email Nicole LeBlanc.

    Welcome Home to Pictou County Guide: a community guide to the place we call home

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