News release

Province Plans to Provide 10 Municipalities With Extra Funding

Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations (Oct. 2000 - March 2014)

A new grant in lieu of taxes is in the works for 10 municipalities who house provincially owned courthouses.

The estimated $2.8-million grant in lieu is based on the assessed value of the courthouses, and will be phased in over a three-year period.

"This grant in lieu is one more example of government's responsiveness to the concerns of municipalities," said Premier Rodney MacDonald. "We continually work with our municipal partners to build a better Nova Scotia for now and for the future."

Under the phase-in, eligible municipalities will receive 10 per cent of their total grant in lieu in 2009-10, 50 per cent in 2010-11 and 100 per cent in 2011-12.

The municipalities with provincially owned courthouses are Halifax Regional Municipality, Annapolis Royal, Amherst, Town of Antigonish, Bridgewater, Town of Digby, Port Hawkesbury, Kings, Town of Pictou and Town of Yarmouth.

"This is great news for Port Hawkesbury," said Billy Joe MacLean, Mayor of Port Hawkesbury. "These dollars will go a long way in helping us to meet the needs of our residents."

Providing grants in lieu of taxes for provincially owned courthouses is in line with practices in other provinces and the federal government.

For a list of the estimated grant in lieu by municipality, visit www.gov.ns.ca/snsmr/tab/municipal .