Temporary Water Relief Program Notice 2025

Starting on Monday, August 11, 2025, the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg will be providing water coupons for drinking and cooking water to municipal residents experiencing dry wells. Municipal residents can pick up coupons at the Municipal Service Building at 10 Allée Champlain in Cookville (8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Monday to Friday) or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. to receive electronic coupons (must be printed to redeem) and exchange them at various retail locations for water.

The program provides 4L of bottled water per person per day up to a maximum of four 4L jugs per day per household. Only households experiencing a clean water shortage are eligible to receive the coupons. Coupons are good for a one-week period (Monday to Sunday) and will expire each Sunday for as long as the program is running. New coupons can be picked up on a weekly basis. Each coupon can be exchanged at select retailers within the Municipality for one 4L jug of water (no substitutes).

The locations in which the coupons can be used are:

• Sam’s No Frills, Bridgewater
• The Water Market, Lunenburg
• Nick’s Your Independent Grocer, Mahone Bay
• New Germany Freshmart
• Sobey's Bridgewater

Residents with dry wells can also visit the LCLC (135 North Park St, Bridgewater) for showers.  Showers can be accessed by registering at the front desk.

Residents of Big and Little Tancook Islands can go to the Municipality of the District of Chester and applicable Chester retail locations for their water coupons and bottles of water.

For questions about the program please email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or call 902-543-8181, extension 1.

Trail Closures

The Province has announced new restrictions on travel and activities in the woods due to extremely dry conditions and high wildfire risk.

Effective 4:00 PM, August 5, the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg - MODL will be closing the following trails until October 15, or until provincial restrictions are lifted.

Walking & Mountain Biking Trails
▫️River Ridge Common, New Germany
▫️The Municipal Activity Recreation Complex (MARC), Dayspring

Walking Trails
▫️Indian Falls Park, Newburne
▫️Indian Path Common, Indian Path
▫️Miller Point Peace Park, Dayspring
▫️Sawpit Wharf, Back Harbour Road

Multi-use Trails
▫️Arthur Young Trail, Cookville
▫️Osprey Connector Trail, Cookville

Beaches and park spaces remain open

Wooded trail systems are off-limits, including the rails to trails.

These closures are in line with the provincial measures intended to reduce wildfire risk by limiting activities such as hiking, camping, fishing, and the use of vehicles in wooded areas. The fine for violating these restrictions is $25,000.

📄 Read the full provincial news release here: https://news.novascotia.ca/en/2025/08/05/travel-activities-woods-restricted-prevent-wildfires

🔗 Click the link to watch the press conference: https://fb.watch/Bh-PW6pcSt/

Thank you for helping reduce wildfire risk in our communities 🌲🔥

Council in the Community

We’re Bringing Council Meetings to You!

We’re holding Council meetings in local community centres across the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg. This is part of our commitment to making local government more accessible and helping more residents take part in the conversation.

Join us for our first Council in the Community session:

Tuesday, October 14, 2025 at Conquerall Bank Fire Hall
Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
Meeting begins at 6:00 p.m.

Notice of Approval - By-laws 035 & 049

Municipal Council of the District of Lunenburg has approved amendments to By-law 035 Municipal Planning Strategy and By-law 049 Municipal-Wide Land Use By-law to implement Cluster Development Regulations.

These regulations come into effect on July 4, 2025.

Copies of the amended documents can be viewed by clicking:

  pdf By-law 035 Municipal Planning Strategy(152 KB) and  pdf By-law 049 Municipal Wide Land Use By-law(195 KB)  and at the Municipal Services Building, 10 Allée Champlain Drive, Cookville, NS, Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

For further information, contact the Planning Department at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it..

Click  pdf Notice of Approval(28 KB) to view it in its entirety.

NOTICE: Development Agreement MacCulloch Road

NOTICE

Development Agreement with Jaylynn Enterprises Limited

PLEASE TAKE NOTICE THAT on June 10, 2025, Municipal Council approved a motion to enter into a Development Agreement with Jaylynn Enterprises Limited subject to identified conditions. The Development Agreement will apply to Lot FE-1, MacCulloch Road (PID 60709383) in Cookville, and will permit a land lease community with up to 23 residential units.

In accordance with sections 247-250 of the Municipal Government Act: an aggrieved person may appeal Council’s decision to the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board (NSARB). Appeals to the Regulatory and Appeals Board must be made within (14) days of the date of this Notice. Inquiries regarding appeals can be made directly to the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board, by calling 1-(902)- 424-1333 or by mail at PO Box 1692, Unit "M", Halifax, Nova Scotia B3J 3S3.

Copies of the Agreement, and related staff reports, can be obtained from the Municipal Office during normal office hours 8:00a.m.-5:00p.m., at 10 Allée Champlain Drive, Cookville, Nova Scotia, Canada, B4V 9E4.

April Whynot-Lohnes, Municipal Clerk

Posted: June 18, 2025

Letter to Premier Houston Exploration of Uranium

On Tuesday, June 10, 2025, Council passed a motion to request that the Province pause the RFP process for exploration of uranium in East Dalhousie, which is in the LaHave River watershed, to allow for sufficient time for meaningful consultation with First Nations and the public.

Mayor McLean-Wile, on behalf of Council, wrote to the Premier requesting a pause in exploration and asking that serious consideration be given to the concerns raised by MODL Council and other municipalities throughout the province.

To view the letter in its entirety, click pdf Letter to Premier Houston(583 KB) .

News release: Council Partnering with Community to Build Pickleball Courts

After a year of collaboration and problem-solving, the District of Lunenburg is moving ahead with a new plan to build accessible pickleball courts at the Municipal Activity and Recreation Centre (MARC) in Dayspring.

In 2023, Council included $800,000 in its capital budget to construct six accessible pickleball courts. However, when the project was tendered in early 2024, the bids received were significantly over budget—$1.45 million and $1.8 million, respectively. At that time, Council made the difficult decision to decline the tenders due to the high cost and committed to working with the community to find a more affordable path forward.

Since then, staff and the South Shore Pickleball Club have worked closely together to revise the project scope, identify cost savings, and explore funding partnerships. Thanks to that collaboration, Council is now able to move ahead with a plan to build the courts at the MARC. The Municipality will pay for the cost of construction, estimated to be roughly $555,000. We expect grants from other levels of government and third parties to total $150,000. With the lease payments over 15 years, we expect the total cost to the Municipality to be less than $300,000.

“We heard loud and clear how important this facility is to our residents,” says Mayor Elspeth McLean-Wile. “While last year’s bids were far beyond what we could responsibly commit to, we didn’t give up. Thanks to the dedication of our staff and the incredible support and partnership of the South Shore Pickleball Club, we now have a plan that gets the project done without exceeding our financial limits.”

“The construction of these courts will be the culmination of years of hard work and collaboration. We are thrilled that our many dedicated members, which includes provincial, Atlantic, and national champions, are going to have increased access to court time,” says Jared Uhlman, President, South Shore Pickleball Club. “We’re also excited for these courts to serve as a catalyst for introducing many new players to North America’s fastest-growing sport. Our heartfelt thanks go to Council and staff for their invaluable support in making this exciting initiative a reality.”

The South Shore Pickleball Club will operate and maintain the courts, with scheduled time set aside for use by the general public (non-club members) and for District-led recreation programming.

More information about construction timelines and project details will be shared with the public as they are finalized.

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Media contact:

Sarah Kucharski
Manager, Communication and Public Engagement
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(902) 541-1328

Notice of Adoption - Neighbourhood Nuisance By-law

The District of Lunenburg conducted Second Reading on May 13, 2025 and passed a motion to approve and adopt By-law 050 Neighbourhood Nuisance.  The By-law is effective as of May 21, 2025 and is now available to be viewed on our website at https://www.modl.ca/index.php?option=com_docman&view=list&layout=table&slug=municipal-by-laws&own=0&Itemid=281&lang=en

Click  pdf Public Notice(440 KB) to view it in its entirety. 

Important notice for the residents of the Midville and District Fire District

The Midville and District Fire Department ratepayers meeting held on May 6, 2025, had a low resident attendance.  This meeting provides residents the opportunity to review the departments budget and set a tax rate for the 2025/2026 fiscal year. Therefore, another ratepayer meeting on June 3, 2025 at 7:30 pm will be held at the Midville & District Fire Department.  Any questions, please contact chief Adam Hubley at 902-298-4240 or This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

News release: Municipality Awards Annual Grant Funding

Each year, the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg offers an Annual Operating and Major Recreation Capital Grant program to its non-profit groups to support the many volunteers and volunteer groups that make our communities vibrant, welcoming, and resilient.

This year, under the 2025-2026 Annual Operating Grant Program, the Municipality awarded $99,701 to 43 organizations. Under the Major Recreation Capital Grant Program, the Municipality awarded $52,359 to 8 organizations, enabling them to undertake transformative projects that will promote a more vibrant community.

“Each year, Council is proud to support the volunteers and non-profit groups who strengthen our communities with significant funding investments,” says Mayor Elspeth McLean-Wile. “Through these grant programs, we’re helping to fund important projects and services that make the District of Lunenburg a better place to live, work, and play.”

Municipal staff will be reaching out to community groups shortly to update them on their grant applications.

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Media contact:

Sarah Kucharski
Manager, Communications and Public Engagement
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
(902) 541-1328

2025 Ratepayers Ad

The following Fire and Emergency Service Providers of Lunenburg Municipality invite the public to attend their Annual Rate Payers Meeting.

This meeting will provide you with the information needed to VOTE on your fire tax rate for 2025/2026. Fire Departments are now required to provide their budget documents at least one week in advance of their scheduled meeting; therefore, please contact the name next to your fire service provider to find out if any changes are proposed to your fire rate and where you can get a copy of the proposed budget. 

NOTE: In order to vote at your ratepayer meeting your name must appear on your tax bill notice and you must be a ratepayer within the fire district area the meeting is being held. (A copy of your Tax Assessment Bill on the meeting night could be of assistance)

pdf 2025 Ratepayers Ad(468 KB)

Property Regulations (Municipal-Wide Land Use Planning) Open House

The Municipality has been actively working on municipal-wide land use planning to help shape vibrant, sustainable communities for the future. Launched in 2020, this multi-year project focuses on updating key planning documents, including the Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and Land Use Bylaw (LUB), to guide development, support community needs, and meet the province’s mandate for land use planning across Nova Scotia.

A key part of this project is introducing zoning for all areas of the municipality, affecting every property. Zoning helps manage growth, protect important resources, and ensure our communities are thoughtfully planned for the years ahead.

The first draft documents were shared with Council and the public on March 13, 2025.

• These were intended as drafts only. They can and will change as we hear from the public over the next few months.
• We are committed to ensuring every property owner in the District knows about this project. We will be sending a direct letter or postcard to every single resident to advertise the open houses.
• We’ll also advertise the open houses and Council meetings on Facebook, CKBW, in the South Shore Bulletin, in Municipal Matters, in our monthly email newsletter (modl.ca/communication), and on this website.

 On March 13, 2025, the draft documents were posted as part of the Planning Advisory Committee agenda on the Engage site, and distributed to Council and the public. The documents were intended as drafts, to be reviewed and discussed by both the Planning Advisory Committee, Council, and the public over a series of months through extensive public engagement.

However, we have heard loud and clear from residents that many have serious concerns with the drafts. The overwhelming majority of comments expressed deep concern over possible restrictions on small scale agriculture. There were also general concerns that the draft documents are too restrictive for the District of Lunenburg.

At the March 25, 2025 Council meeting, Council passed a motion “that Municipal Council direct staff to prepare a second draft of the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law that is less restrictive and closer in line to the mandatory minimum planning requirements outlined in the Municipal Government Act.” You can watch Council's discussion at the meeting here: https://www.youtube.com/live/uP1wiDqpcUY?t=936s

As staff rewrite the draft documents, we need to hear directly from residents about their concerns. Our public engagement events are beginning immediately, with efforts that will see staff and Council attend dozens of formal and informal events throughout every district. We will advertise these opportunities through a direct mail postcard to all residents, print and radio ads, and social media sharing. The complete list of engagement events is available at https://engage.modl.ca/modl2040 under the Open Houses and Events tab.

Can't attend an event? You can submit your thoughts by email to This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. or you can call a Planner Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm. If you reach our voicemail message, please leave your name and number and a Planner will call you back before the end of day, or the next morning.