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Municipal

Town of Bridgewater Council

Governs Bridgewater

Official website (bridgewater.ca) Report a problem with this page

Source: bridgewater.ca, checked

At 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

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Sources for who sits on it

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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).

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Sources for what it can do

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Sources

  • bridgewater.ca · checked municipal: Council page of the Town of Bridgewater (official website https://www.bridgewater.ca/). For: Town of Bridgewater 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
  • bridgewater.ca · checked municipal: Municipal Government Act ss. 11, 12(8); Municipal Elections Act s. 10. Mayor listed on the council page. For: Mayor
  • bridgewater.ca · checked municipal: Seat count: councillors listed on the council page; Municipal Government Act s. 10; Municipal Elections Act s. 10. For: Councillor
  • nslegislature.ca · checked Municipal Government Act (Nova Scotia) s. 16 Deputy mayor or deputy warden (consolidated to 2026-04-09). For: Deputy Mayor
  • bridgewater.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: David Mitchell as Mayor
  • bridgewater.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: Braden Newell as Councillor, Cheryl Fougere as Councillor, Eric Whynot as Councillor, Jennifer McDonald as Councillor, Mike Conklin as Councillor, Stacey Colwell as Councillor
  • bridgewater.ca · checked post named in the note of term 29223; source as recorded for that term: 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: Jennifer McDonald as Deputy Mayor
  • 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

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