Municipal
Town of Berwick Council
Governs Berwick
Official website (berwick.ca) Report a problem with this page
Source: berwick.ca, checkedAt a glance
What it's for
A Nova Scotia municipal council provides services, facilities and other things it considers necessary or desirable for all or part of the municipality. The law sets its purposes as good government and safe and viable communities.
Municipal Government Act, s. 9A · Applies to every Nova Scotia municipal council (not Halifax, which has its own charter)
What it can't do
A by-law must not be inconsistent with a law of Nova Scotia or of Canada.
Municipal Government Act, s. 171(2) · Applies to every Nova Scotia municipal council (not Halifax, which has its own charter)
Who it answers to
Council members are elected under the Municipal Elections Act. Most borrowing needs the approval of the provincial minister.
Municipal Government Act, ss. 10, 11, 88 and 91 · Applies to every Nova Scotia municipal council (not Halifax, which has its own charter)
Where its money comes from
Mostly property taxes: each year council sets its budget estimates and authorizes commercial and residential tax rates on assessed property.
Municipal Government Act, ss. 72 and 73 · Applies to every Nova Scotia municipal council (not Halifax, which has its own charter)
Shares responsibility with
Works with the provincial government, whose laws its by-laws must be consistent with and whose minister approves most borrowing.
Municipal Government Act, ss. 88 and 171 · Applies to every Nova Scotia municipal council (not Halifax, which has its own charter)
Next vote
Who sits on it
-
Mayor
Elected by everyone in Berwick
Mike Trinacty
Mayor · since October 2024
Most recent election, October 19, 2024.
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6 councillors
Elected by everyone in Berwick
- AL Adam Lutz Councillor · since October 2024
- CR Carolynn Roberts Councillor · since October 2024
- CG Chris Goddard Councillor · since October 2024
- DJ Derrick Jamieson Councillor · since October 2024
- JK Johanna Kwakernaak Councillor · since October 2024
- TW Ty Walsh Councillor · since October 2024
Most recent election, October 19, 2024.
iSourced · checked : show the source for each fact
Sources for who sits on it
- Mayor berwick.ca · checked
- Mike Trinacty as Mayor berwick.ca · checked
- Councillor berwick.ca · checked
- Adam Lutz as Councillor berwick.ca · checked
- Carolynn Roberts as Councillor berwick.ca · checked
- Chris Goddard as Councillor berwick.ca · checked
- Derrick Jamieson as Councillor berwick.ca · checked
- Johanna Kwakernaak as Councillor berwick.ca · checked
- Ty Walsh as Councillor berwick.ca · checked
What it can do
- General municipal purposes and services
Provides good government and the services, facilities and other things council considers necessary or desirable for all or part of the municipality, and develops and maintains safe and viable communities (Municipal Government Act s. 9A).
- By-laws
Makes by-laws for the health, well-being, safety and protection of people, nuisances, animals, local business licensing and similar local matters, and enforces them with fines (Municipal Government Act Part VII, ss. 171-172).
- Property tax and rates
Sets the property tax rates on assessed property each year, plus area rates and uniform charges for services in part of the municipality (Municipal Government Act ss. 72-75). Assessments are made by Property Valuation Services Corporation.
- Planning and land use
Adopts the municipal planning strategy and land-use by-law, approves development agreements and issues development permits (Municipal Government Act Part VIII, ss. 190-237).
- Policing
Provides policing for the municipality through a municipal police service or a contract with the RCMP (Municipal Government Act s. 54; Police Act).
- Borrowing
Borrows money for capital purposes within limits set by the Minister of Municipal Affairs (Municipal Government Act ss. 66, 84-91).
iSourced · checked : show the source for each fact
Sources for what it can do
- General municipal purposes and services nslegislature.ca · checked
- By-laws nslegislature.ca · checked
- Property tax and rates nslegislature.ca · checked
- Planning and land use nslegislature.ca · checked
- Policing nslegislature.ca · checked
- Borrowing nslegislature.ca · checked
Sources
- berwick.ca · checked municipal: Council page of the Town of Berwick (official website https://www.berwick.ca/). For: Town of Berwick Council
- nslegislature.ca · checked Municipal Government Act, SNS 1998, c. 18 (as amended to April 9, 2026): Municipal Government Act, s. 9A. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: What it's for
- nslegislature.ca · checked Municipal Government Act, SNS 1998, c. 18 (as amended to April 9, 2026): Municipal Government Act, s. 171(2). Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: What it can't do
- nslegislature.ca · checked Municipal Government Act, SNS 1998, c. 18 (as amended to April 9, 2026): Municipal Government Act, ss. 10, 11, 88 and 91. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Who it answers to
- nslegislature.ca · checked Municipal Government Act, SNS 1998, c. 18 (as amended to April 9, 2026): Municipal Government Act, ss. 72 and 73. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Where its money comes from
- nslegislature.ca · checked Municipal Government Act, SNS 1998, c. 18 (as amended to April 9, 2026): Municipal Government Act, ss. 88 and 171. Statute text read 2026-10-12 (research:authority-explainers, ticket 405). For: Shares responsibility with
- nslegislature.ca · checked Ticket 261: name changed from "Purposes and services" to "General municipal purposes and services"; wording only, description unchanged. (Per-row copy of bulk note 445746, by improvements:source-integrity.) For: General municipal purposes and services
- nslegislature.ca · checked municipal: Municipal powers as cited in the description (statute consolidated to 2026). For: General municipal purposes and services, By-laws, Property tax and rates, Planning and land use, Policing, Borrowing
- berwick.ca · checked municipal: Municipal Government Act ss. 11, 12(8); Municipal Elections Act s. 10. Mayor listed on the council page. For: Mayor
- berwick.ca · checked municipal: Seat count: councillors listed on the council page; Municipal Government Act s. 10; Municipal Elections Act s. 10. For: Councillor
- berwick.ca · checked municipal: Listed as current mayor on the official council page (read 2026-10-11). Start date is the 19 Oct 2024 regular election (Municipal Elections Act s. 10); a later by-election would change it. For: Mike Trinacty as Mayor
- berwick.ca · checked municipal: Listed as current councillor on the official council page (read 2026-10-11). Start date is the 19 Oct 2024 regular election (Municipal Elections Act s. 10); a later by-election would change it. For: Adam Lutz as Councillor, Carolynn Roberts as Councillor, Chris Goddard as Councillor, Derrick Jamieson as Councillor, Johanna Kwakernaak as Councillor, Ty Walsh as Councillor
- nslegislature.ca · checked municipal: Municipal Elections Act ss. 2, 10 (consolidated to 2025-10-03): ordinary polling day the third Saturday in October in 2000 and every fourth year; nomination day the second Tuesday in September. For: General election, October 21, 2028