Latest Updates
Latest Updates/News
Register Now - Meetings that Matter: Governance, Strategy & Public Trust
In-Person Workshop Designed for Elected Officials
Workshop Details
Date/Time: March 30, 9:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m.
Location: Atlantic Ballroom, Westin Nova Scotian Hotel, Halifax
Fee: $275 + HST
Note: Limited to 100 registrants
About the Session
Municipal meetings are where leadership is tested, and where credibility is built.
As municipalities navigate fiscal pressure and increased expectations, the way councils conduct their meetings plays a critical role in demonstrating leadership, accountability, and readiness to partner.
This full-day, interactive session will equip elected officials with practical tools to:
- Strengthen meeting structure and decision discipline
- Clarify roles and reduce common friction points
- Manage tone and difficult moments under pressure
- Use council meetings as visible demonstrations of professionalism and preparedness
Through real-world scenarios, structured exercises, and peer discussion, participants will leave with concrete strategies they can apply immediately in their next meeting.
Presenters
Kristan Hines – Senior Vice-President, Corporate & PublicAffairs, NATIONAL Public Relations
Erin Norwood MacLeod – Associate Vice-President, PublicAffairs, NATIONAL Public Relations
Click HERE for further details and to register.
Registration closes at 12:00 p.m. on March 26, 2026.
Stormwater Management Strategy: Practitioners Session
Municipal engineers, planners, and other staff are key players in facilitating stormwater management while balancing the many competing demands of infrastructure planning. Join leaders from West Hants, Berwick, and Kentville as they provide insight into creating and updating stormwater strategies that tackle regulatory compliance, population growth, flood risk, and sustainability. Discussion will also include infrastructure funding options, municipal technical capacity, and asset management technologies used in operations and maintenance.
NSFM is pleased to coordinate this session as part of a flood adaptation series funded by the Department of Municipal Affairs.
This first session is part of our flood adaptation series that will run throughout 2026.
Date: March 12, 2026
Time: 1:30–2:30 PM
Location: Virtual (Zoom)
Presenters:
Aaron Dondale, Director of Public Works, Town of Berwick
Tim Bouter, Project Engineer, West Hants Regional Municipality
David Bell, Director of Engineering & Public Works, Town of Kentville
Register: Stormwater Management Strategy
Explore the Winter 2025 Edition
Dive into thoughtful analysis, community perspectives, and timely municipal updates. This issue brings forward the ideas and stories shaping local leadership across Nova Scotia.
Read More
The Municipal Funding Database you've been using is now a full Funding Portal – and we launched it today at nsfunding.ca.
The Funding Portal is Now Live!
We rebuilt it from the ground up to make finding funding faster. The portal launches with 100+ programs, with more added regularly as we build toward complete coverage of funding available in Nova Scotia.
What's included:
✓ Federal, provincial, municipal, and private foundation programs – all in one place
✓ Search and filter by deadline, category, eligibility, funder, or keyword
✓ Find what you need in seconds, not hours
Here's what to do:
✓ Visit nsfunding.ca and explore the portal
✓ Try the search and filtering features on the Explore page
✓ Subscribe to monthly updates
✓ Reach out anytime through the contact form on the portal or email me directly at fundnavigator@nsfm.ca
A quick note: This portal exists because of feedback from municipalities like yours. When we asked what you needed, you told us the old database wasn't functional enough – too hard to search, too hard to find, too hard to navigate. We built this to fix those problems.
Now we need your feedback again. What works? What doesn't? What's missing? Positive or critical – it all helps us make this better for everyone.
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Date: November 3, 2025
Municipalities Invited to Apply for Coastal Planning Support Funding
Halifax, NS — The Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM) is inviting municipalities to apply for support through the new Coastal Planning Support Program, part of The Future of Nova Scotia’s Coastline A plan to protect people, homes and nature from climate change.
The program provides a base funding amount of $20,000 in consulting services to each municipality to support coastal land use planning. Municipalities that share similar coastal challenges are encouraged to work together, and additional support is available for municipalities working on joint projects. This funding ensures each municipality has access to technical expertise to develop locally tailored coastal protection plans and policies.
Consultants can assist municipalities by:
- Supporting the adoption of coastal planning strategies and bylaws
- Navigating and interpreting coastal and climate data
- Supporting public engagement and communication
- Facilitating collaboration across municipalities
- Providing decision-making support on risk management
“Municipalities are on the front lines of climate adaptation,” said Mayor Pam Mood, President of NSFM. “This program provides resources they need to plan responsibly and collaboratively for the future of Nova Scotia’s coastline, in partnership with the Province.”
“Nova Scotians value their coastline, and we all have a shared responsibility to protect it,” said Timothy Halman, Minister of Environment and Climate Change. “The Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities plays a vital role in supporting local governments as they plan for the future and protect residents and property from the impacts of climate change. By delivering this program directly to municipalities, NSFM is helping ensure coastal protection plans and by-laws are locally driven, evidence-based, and designed to build safer, more resilient communities.”
To help municipalities learn more, NSFM is hosting five information sessions across the province. These sessions will give municipal staff and leaders a hands-on introduction to the program, outlining available funding, eligibility, and support tools. The sessions are designed to develop coastal protection plans and by-laws that strengthen local resilience.
Municipalities are encouraged to apply early. The application guide and form are available online at Coastal Planning Support Program
Funding of $1 million for the Coastal Planning Support Program is provided by the Government of Nova Scotia under The Future of Nova Scotia’s Coastline: A plan to protect people, homes and nature from climate change and administered by the Department of Environment and Climate Change (ECC).
About NSFM
The Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities (NSFM) is non-profit organization representing municipalities across the province. NSFM supports its members through advocacy, collaboration, education, and sustainability initiatives—working to address shared challenges, strengthen local governance, and ensure municipalities are prepared to meet the needs of their communities now and into the future.
Contact:
Charlene Fekeshazy, Communications Advisor
NOVA SCOTIA FEDERATION OF MUNICIPALITIES
Email: cfekeshazy@nsfm.ca
Phone: 902-266-2739
