Supporting Rural Communities

My plan would...

• Invest in our community partners by creating a Community Celebration Fund to offset some of the cost of hosting special events across HRM. We want to help take some of the pressure off of our hard-working volunteers who are bringing our residents together across our municipality. Volunteer Fire departments and community halls are part of the fabric of our rural communities. They are where people come together to celebrate special events and occasions, have a meal, and support each other. 
• Equip local Search and Rescue and Volunteer Fire departments with the tools and funding they need to keep us safe. 
• Repurpose existing staff resources to create a Community Support Navigator to help our community groups apply for grants, create annual plans and budgets, and make connections to other Government departments. Our community groups work hard to give back to their neighbours, especially in rural parts of HRM. They deserve some help while they work hard to help all of us.
• As Mayor, I commit to hosting regular meetings in person in community halls, legions, and fire departments from Ecum Secum to Hubbards. HRM is a community of communities and too many of our smaller rural areas feel disconnected from the decision-making process at City Hall. We won’t be able to solve every problem in these meetings, but rural residents will see me in person in their community to bring issues and questions directly to me.
• Use these regular meetings to directly inform and focus the value-for-money audit of all municipal services and revenues to make sure that our rural residents are connected to the decisions at City Hall and are receiving full value for their tax dollars.