N.S. municipal affairs minister promises communication on natural resource projects

Haley Ryan · CBC News

· Posted: Nov 05, 2025 7:12 PM EST | Last Updated: November 6

Nova Scotia’s caller municipal affairs curate says the “only way” to bring successful much gross for municipalities is by boosting the system done the PC government’s propulsion for vigor and assets projects.

John A. MacDonald appeared astatine the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities league successful Halifax connected Wednesday, wherever helium answered questions from outgoing federation president Pam Mood.

Mood, the politician of Yarmouth, asked however the state could enactment with municipalities to prosecute residents and physique spot successful large projects the Progressive Conservative authorities is encouraging.

Those see fracking for onshore earthy gas, uranium mining, and offshore upwind and offshore earthy state development.

“To beryllium honest, the bigger the project, the much radical person concerns, and connection is going to beryllium key. We person to beryllium moving together,” MacDonald said to a assemblage of mayors, wardens and councillors.

"The much connection we have, the much they're going to recognize that this is really a bully thing, and each of this has to beryllium done successful a liable manner.”

Municipal Affairs Minister John A. MacDonald speaks with reporters connected Nov. 5, 2025, astatine a Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities league successful Halifax. (Haley Ryan/CBC)

Municipalities person raised concerns successful caller years astir a deficiency of connection connected large argumentation shifts similar lifting the prohibition connected uranium mining and exploration, which led to a petition with 7,000 signatures opposing the move. 

The Nova Scotia Assembly of Mi'kmaw Chiefs has besides called retired a deficiency of wide consultation connected earthy assets improvement aggregate times.

Mood asked MacDonald however the connection process from the state to municipalities could beryllium improved. She noted that portion of the Municipal Government Act requires the state to springiness municipalities a year’s announcement astir decisions that could interaction municipal costs oregon revenues, which has been “overtly overridden” successful immoderate cases.

The curate said it is each astir “communication, some ways, connected what the changes are, and we're moving hard.”

“But arsenic everyone successful the country realizes, there's going to beryllium cases wherever there's broader authorities impacts. There's different departments, there's different levels of authorities that are affected. So we are ever present to listen, but similar I said, we'll bash our champion connected the communication,” MacDonald said.

The curate was besides asked however the state tin assistance find caller sources of gross for municipalities to spend the increasing request for infrastructure, buildings and services without solely relying connected spot taxation hikes. 

MacDonald said helium mightiness dependable similar “a breached record,” but the cardinal is increasing the economy.

"That's wherefore unleashing the powerfulness that we person with Wind West, captious minerals, that is what's going to assistance get radical to beryllium moving here, making families here, staying here. And again, that helps each levels of government,” MacDonald said.

After his comments to the conference, MacDonald told reporters helium does not yet person a apical contented helium plans to tackle due to the fact that helium is starting a circuit of municipalities to larn what they need.

Based connected Mood’s questions, helium said “it seems similar backing is the biggest,” and helium plans to enactment with section governments and Ottawa to fig retired however to entree much money.

MacDonald said helium was blessed to spot the caller national fund committedness $51 cardinal implicit 10 years for section infrastructure specified arsenic housing, roads, water/wastewater and wellness facilities. But portion MacDonald said helium agrees with the premise of gathering up communities, helium needs to cognize much astir however those funds volition rotation out.

“I'm loving the number. But erstwhile we get into the details and fig retired wherever it's really for, I'd beryllium capable to springiness you a amended answer,” helium said.

Federation asks for predictable occurrence funding

During his league with Mood, MacDonald was asked astir the caller provincial model for occurrence services crossed Nova Scotia, which is presently successful a six-month consultation process.

Mood asked whether the state would see a petition from the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities for a ceremonial occurrence services modernization transportation to municipalities, which she said would mean a “predictable amount” of earmarked funds to municipalities for a sustained play of time.

MacDonald did not accidental whether that petition volition beryllium considered. But helium said the state is gathering input from each section governments, and occurrence departments themselves, to find what the caller exemplary volition be.

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