Town of Antigonish Annexation

Project Description
Terrain Group was hired to prepare the financial and planning reports necessary to satisfy the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board’s (NSURB) requirements in their mandate as provided for in the Municipal Government Act. The reports were to demonstrate the merits of the Town’s annexation application as well as address the corresponding application for amalgamation that was submitted by the Municipality of the County of Antigonish. The work entailed a thorough review of the physical features of the annexation area, the existing development pattern of the Town and County, the existing planning documents of both municipalities, and interviews with key staff and elected officials. The reports involved the preparation of proposed budgets for both municipalities in three scenarios (annexation, amalgamation, and status quo) as well as the scenario impacts on planning, government, communities of interest, service delivery, polling districts, polling, social impacts, economic development, and other topics.

Services Provided
Terrain provided expert municipal finance and planning testimony at the NSURB hearings and prepared a Geographical Information System (GIS) that illustrated the tax implications on the properties in the proposed annexation area. Terrain also assisted in an ongoing media package regarding the annexation issues.