For Immediate Release
Richmond County, NS – On October 4, 2023, the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board issued its written decision to maintain a Council size of five Councillors for Richmond County. They also agreed to the changes suggested by Council that made slight changes to the five districts to accommodate for communities of interest.
Every eight years, municipalities are required to conduct a study of the boundaries of polling districts in the municipality, their fairness and reasonableness, and the number of councillors. The last boundary review process in 2014 reduced the number of Councillors from ten to five, representing a major shift in the local governance of the County.
The final decision in a boundary review process is made by the Utility and Review Board, often based on the recommendation of municipal councils. The Board prioritizes voter parity, contiguous geography, communities of interest and community consultation in its decision. In January 2023, Richmond County Council made a unanimous recommendation to maintain a 5-member Council with minor changes to the boundaries of each district following a period of public consultation and research that spanned seven months.
Council considered all of the input received from surveys, conversations, and information sessions. “Voter parity is a fundamental principal in a democratic society, but had to be viewed through a lens of what makes the most sense for the people living in each district. It’s about more than just numbers – it’s about ensuring that people are represented and connected to communities that make the most sense, and doing so in a financially responsible way,” noted Warden Mombourquette.
The boundary changes will take effect in the 2024 municipal election and will primarily impact some residents in District 2 in Arichat who will move to District 1, residents of Lennox Passage who will move to District 3, some residents in Thibeauville and Grande Greve who will move to District 4, and residents in Lynches River who will move to District 5. The changes will mean that Isle Madame retains two councillors, and that Grande Greve will no longer be split between two districts along the Grande Greve Road which had caused some confusion in the last election. “These are small changes that we feel will make a difference to the constituents in these areas who have expressed feeling disconnected from communities in which they vote,” explained Warden Mombourquette.
More information and details on the adjusted boundaries in Richmond County can be accessed at: www.richmondcounty.ca.
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