For Immediate Release
Council Approves Preferred Electoral Boundaries for the Municipality of the District of Yarmouth
Hebron, Nova Scotia — October 29, 2026 — The Council of the Municipality of the District of Yarmouth has unanimously approved its preferred scenario for the new boundaries of electoral districts. The preferred boundaries will be submitted to the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board (NSRAB) for review and potential approval. If approved, the new boundaries would go into effect for the 2028 municipal election. Details on the boundary review process and preferred boundaries can be found by visiting the project website at https://speakupland.ca/district-yarmouth-electoral-boundary-review.
In April, Council voted to transition from the current Warden system to a Mayor system, following a public survey where 2/3 of decided respondents supported the change. The new system will allow residents to vote directly for the head of Council, a Mayor, rather than having Council members elect a Warden from among themselves.
The Council size will remain at seven, with one Mayor and six Councillors reducing the number of electoral districts to six. This change necessitates a re-drawing of electoral boundaries, with careful consideration to ensure that each district has approximately the same number of electors.
Extensive technical analysis and in-person and online community engagement informed the preferred boundaries and identified residents’ priorities. Following thoughtful discussion, Council voted to forward Scenario 2 as the preferred scenario, considering voter parity, effective representation, and feedback received during the review process.
“Council is grateful for the public participation and thorough technical analysis that has gone into this process,” said Warden John Cunningham. "While all three of the potential boundary scenarios were viable and had merits, Scenario 2 was most similar to the existing electoral boundaries and as much as possible preserves the structure and alignment of electoral districts that residents have come to expect.”
A decision from the NSRAB on the boundaries is expected in the new year. Residents can stay informed about the boundary review and upcoming decisions by following the Municipality's website.
Media Contacts:
Victoria Brooks
Chief Administrative Officer
Email:
Chelsey Gould
Communications Officer
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