Member Programs - Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities

Park’N Fly Discount Program

Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities is pleased to add a new program to our series of programs and services. The pdf Park’N Fly Discount Program (885 KB) is now available for elected municipal leaders and municipal staff within the broader municipal sector in Nova Scotia.

Under this program, you can receive an exclusive discount on the services of Park’N Fly for business or leisure travel at their Halifax Stanfield International Airport location and at six other locations across Canada (Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal).

With a network that spans coast-to-coast, Park’N Fly is focused on providing customers with cost-effective parking options while enjoying a park happy experience every stay. Reserve your next stay and save. Plus, earn valuable Aeroplan points on every eligible stay. Park'N Fly offers a discount of up to 20% on airport parking!

Exclusive NSFM Discount Code: 1147434

Program Overview:

Park’N Fly is the only parking provider has seven locations across Canada (Vancouver, Edmonton, Winnipeg, Ottawa, Toronto, Montreal, and Halifax)
The Corporate Savings Program is designed to save your municipal unit money on airport parking
Travellers can earn Aeroplan points (note Park’N Fly Reward Points and App not yet available for Halifax location)
One discount code for cross-Canada savings for both business and personal travel
No cost to participate
Book your stay on-line at https://www.parknfly.ca/
Reservations required to receive discounted rates in all Park'N Fly lots across the country

HR OnCall from People First HR

NSFM and AMANS have partnered with HR OnCall to offer municipal units, regardless of size or scope, expertise, and practical solutions to meet their human resource needs. NSFM members will receive a special program rate of $60/month ($720 annually) for the service. Gain access to best practices and advice for your HR inquiries when you need it.

For more information, contact: tnadeau@peoplefirsthr.com

Personal Home & Auto Insurance Program

NSFM is pleased to launch the following program for elected municipal leaders and staff of member organizations.

Did you know that as an NSFM member organization, you can receive exclusive insurance discounts on your personal home and auto insurance through BrokerLink’s group insurance program? BrokerLink is proud to provide quality insurance products, expertise, and solutions to members. Their dedicated group insurance advisors will compare your coverage options and help get you the most comprehensive coverage at the best value.

Also, ask about coverage for:

Business • Farm
Identity theft • Pet
Seasonal property • Recreational vehicles
Tenant and condo • Motorcycle

As a valued member of NSFM, BrokerLink is happy to provide you with a free, no-obligations insurance quote. They will take the time to answer your questions and make sure you are prepared for any situation.

Bundle and Save More: Combine your home and auto policies for additional savings on your premium.*

To learn more and for your free, no-obligation insurance quote, contact BrokerLink today:

Call 1-833-998-3798, Email atlanticgroups@brokerlink.ca, or Visit BrokerLink.ca/municipalities-NS

Eligibility

Municipal leaders
Municipal staff
Family members living in the same household, including spouse/common law spouse, dependents under the age of 21, or 25 (if attending a post secondary institution full time)
Retirees

Program Benefits

Choice: BrokerLink has access to multiple insurance companies including other group providers NSFM members may also fit
Discounted home & auto rates through Intact Insurance (underwriting requirements apply)

30 min Claims guarantee
Intact Client Centre, an app providing access to policy documents, wordings, liability cards, claims service, billing enquiries 24/7
No service charges for payment plans
My Drive Discount, a user-based insurance/telematics discount

Service options include-in-branch with 30 locations in NS, online, & telephone
Educational opportunities for the participants
Claims advocacy- BrokerLink will work on behalf of the members to ensure fair & prompt settlement
Annual contest with quarterly draws for $5,000, aimed at group program participants who “obtain” a no obligation quote
Referral allowance ($10 per referral)

Insurance Tips

BrokerLink is a program partner of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities.

Canoe Procurement Group Purchasing Program

Combining the purchasing power of over 5,000 public and not-for-profit organizations throughout the country, Canoe is one of the largest cooperative procurement groups of its kind in Canada. This program gives our members the opportunity to access hundreds of pre-tendered trade programs that leverage the buying power of over 5,000 active members, which in turn saves both time and costs.

Value to NSFM Members

Access a wider range of trade-compliant products and services at preferred rates.
Additional procurement tool for NSFM’s members – non-binding and no obligation to purchase.
Procurement compliance to trade agreement legislation.
Access to premium brands through Sourcewell partnership.
Members select which vendor they want to buy from. The member will purchase/place any orders through the vendor and pay the vendor directly. The vendor delivers the product and is responsible for applicable warranties.
Full purchasing support from start to finish.

To learn more about this group effort and how to take advantage of it, please visit canoeprocurement.ca

How to Participate

Step 1 – Get your opt-in form here
Step 2 – Email completed forms to andy@canoeprocurement.ca
Step 3 – Reach out to Andy about your specific purchasing needs

Additional questions? Read the cooperative purchasing guide!

Webinar Archive

As new vendor Webinars become available, view them on our YouTube channel!

For More Information Contact

Andy Saxby at andy@canoeprocurement.ca or (902) 417-2575

Mentorship

NSFM’s mentoring program supports the need to pass valuable knowledge and experience from veteran councillors to those recently elected. This one-to-one relationship involves occasional face-to-face meetings, telephone conversations, texts and emails.

The purpose of the program is to provide additional opportunities for networking and personal and professional development among municipal elected officials. The program aims to advance the personal and professional development of both the mentor and mentee. Administration for the program is handled by the NSFM Office. View our pdf Mentoring Guide (2.37 MB) , along with the pdf Mentor Questionnaire (47 KB) and pdf Mentee Questionnaire (47 KB) .

Group Benefits Program

NSFM has a group benefits plan with approximately 2,000 members. Members can take advantage of plan options tailored to the needs and preferences of their workplaces. The Health & Benefits Committee, with staff representatives from NSFM and AMANS, regularly meets with the plan consultants to administer the plan and ensure the plan meets the expectations of plan participants and offers a high value for members. Premiums for the program exceed $9 million and several insurance carriers are engaged to provide a range of benefits, including:

Accidental Death & Dismemberment
Claims Payment
Disability
Emergency Travel
Employee Assistance Program
Health & Dental
Life
Virtual Health Care

The consultants are Hub International Atlantic Ltd. For more information, contact imorrison@nsfm.ca

Municipal Group Insurance Program

NSFM offers a comprehensive and flexible commercial, D&O, and liability insurance program to ensure that municipal units are able to effectively meet the needs of their citizens. Benefits of the program are:

Continued evaluation around the quality of the broker services (annual survey) and acting on the results received from participants
Education and awareness around risk management issues (including inspections which contain hazard recommendations as well as building valuations and contract reviews)
Guiding participants to control claims by mitigating risks in advance
Local claims management
Insurance products specifically aimed at municipal units and the expertise of the service team
Leveraging the strength of the relationships within the program (insurer, brokers, program sponsor)
Stability within an unstable landscape
Strength in numbers

The Municipal Insurance Oversight Committee, with staff representatives from NSFM and AMANS, was established this year to provide oversight to the program. In 2022, 50 municipal units within Nova Scotia participated in the program. Annual premiums for the program are approximately $6 million and Intact Public Entities underwrites the commercial and D&O insurance policies. CFC Underwriting Limited sponsors the cyber policy. The brokers providing the interface between the insurers and the participating organizations are Arthur J. Gallagher Canada and BrokerLink Inc.

For more information, contact imorrison@nsfm.ca

Wellness Program

The Building a Healthy You! The Wellness Program was established through AMANS/NSFM to help define effective ways to create healthy municipalities in Nova Scotia. The Wellness Program motivates change and transforms Municipal environments for improved health and wellness. Visit the Municipal Wellness Program for more information.

Preferred Hotel Rate

NSFM members have access to a special rate on individual travel at the NSFM Host Hotel – The Westin Nova Scotian in Halifax.

Click on this link to access directly, Book the corporate rate for NSFM, or book using this rate by selecting Special Rates and entering A5123 under “Corporate/Promo/SET#” while searching on Marriott.com or call the Reservations Department at (866) 761-3531. *The seasonal rate for 2023 is $149/$189. Based on availability. Plus applicable taxes.

Preferred Courier Rate

The NSFM offers a preferred courier rate to municipalities through Canada Post's Maritime Provinces Parcels Agreement. For municipalities to take advantage of this program, contact the Commercial Service Network at 1 866-757-5480.

Carbon Surcharge Policy & Fund

As a means to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and make NSFM’s practices more sustainable, the Board of Directors passed a motion on June 8, 2012, to support a $5 carbon surcharge on spring and fall conference registration fees. All money collected is held in a special fund and is disbursed annually to municipalities to support local, small-scale sustainability projects, based on recommendations from NSFM’s Board of Directors. More information about past recipients and applications can be found at Carbon Surcharge Fund Awards.