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The Town of Mahone Bay will soon begin annual care and maintenance of our street trees. This work helps keep our trees healthy and reduces safety risks for the community. Sometimes a tree may look healthy from the street but have hidden problems. All Town trees have been assessed by a certified arborist, and a professional arbor care company has been hired to carry out the work. The work may include pruning, cabling for support, and removing dead or unsafe trees. When trees are removed, new trees will be planted so future generations can continue to enjoy a healthy urban forest. Upcoming tree work will take place in the following areas: • The Town boundary above Zwicker Lane • Main Street near Zwicker Lane to the intersection near Longhill Road and Kinburn Street • Kinburn Street to the Clairmont Street turn • Parts of Hawthorn Road • A few trees on Maple Street The final schedule is not yet confirmed, but work on street trees is expected to begin next week and be completed by the end of March. The Town values our urban forest as an important community asset and is committed to protecting and growing it. If you have questions about the tree work or would like to report a street tree you are concerned about, please contact us at [email protected]  Something for the New Year's calendar: Council Café Connect! Mark these upcoming dates: January 15, February 12, and March 12 on your calendar and schedule your “coffee break” with us! All Cafe’s are from 11am - 12 noon. These informal drop-in events are an opportunity to meet with some of your elected officials, chat about the topics in this month’s Town Hall News, and learn more about how your local government works for you every day.  Town Hall will be closed to the public from December 24th - January 2nd. If you have a power/water/sewer emergency during this time, please contact our after-hours service at 902-543-3251. Happy Holidays Mahone Bay!  We’re happy to share an update on the Edgewater Project as we head into winter. While good progress has been made, some parts of the project originally planned for completion in 2025 will move to spring 2026. This change is due to weather conditions, asphalt plant shutdown schedules, and site limitations. The project will remain safe and functional throughout the winter, with final paving and finishing work completed in the spring. Work Before Close of 2025 Before winter sets in, crews are focused on making Edgewater Street ready for safe driving and snow removal. The team took advantage of recent above-freezing temperatures and base asphalt paving was laid. Catch basins will be adjusted in key areas to reduce winter ponding, and milling work will ensure smoother, plow-friendly transitions. Manholes and valve boxes will be raised to the correct level to avoid damage from snowplows. Concrete work that connects directly to the roadway, such as curb corners and island edges, will also be completed. New street lighting is now energized, and watermain repairs and testing are near completion. Work Deferred to Spring 2026 Final asphalt paving, including the top lift and trail paving, will take place in spring when temperatures are more suitable. Landscaping and finishing touches, such as topsoil, sod, plantings, benches, picnic areas, and signage, will also be completed at that time. Some concrete work not critical to winter road operations, including certain sidewalks, trail ramps, and park features, will be finalized in spring as well. What “Spring” Means for This Project Based on typical construction schedules, asphalt plants usually reopen between late April and mid-May. Weather stability and spring road weight restrictions will also affect timing, but final paving is expected to take place between late April and mid-May, depending on conditions. Winter Work: January to March 2026 Several important items will continue through the winter where weather allows. This includes completing and commissioning lift stations, finishing storm sewer work behind the Trinity United Church, installing private water and sewer services, and continuing work on fencing, bollards, retaining walls, and small concrete pads. Electrical work will also move forward as equipment becomes available. Winter Operations and Safety The base asphalt surface will be fully drivable and plowable throughout the winter. Drainage adjustments will help prevent ponding, and extra care will be taken during snow removal due to the temporary curb height difference until final paving is complete. These measures will help ensure safe travel along Edgewater Street during the colder months. Looking Ahead The Edgewater Project remains on track for safe winter use. While final paving and landscaping must wait until spring, the roadway will function as intended, with key adjustments in place for winter conditions. We appreciate everyone’s patience and look forward to completing the remaining work between late April and mid-May 2026. Should you have comments or questions, please visit the Town's civic engagement site Get On Board Mahone Bay and go to The Edgewater Project, we're happy to hear from you.  Storm season is coming, and being prepared makes a big difference. When we can look after ourselves and help our neighbours, our whole community becomes stronger. Take 20 minutes to make an emergency plan and keep it somewhere easy to find. An emergency plan helps you know what to do if something unexpected happens. Having a plan and an emergency kit is one of the best ways to protect your family and pets. Getting your kids involved in making an emergency plan helps everyone feel more prepared. You can make a plan here: https://www.lunenburgremo.ca/plan.html Simple storm prep tips: Charge phones, batteries, and other devices when a storm is expected, and write down important phone numbers and keep them handy. In some emergencies, you may need to stay inside your home for up to 72 hours (3 days) without going out. This is called sheltering in place. Be ready for: Power outages, limited access to food or supplies, no internet or cell service. Stay informed during emergencies: Lunenburg County REMO is working with 107.9 Go Rock to keep residents informed during emergencies and bad weather. Emergency updates will be shared at the top and bottom of every hour. Updates will continue even if the power goes out. You’ll still receive alerts on your phone and see updates on: https://www.lunenburgremo.ca/ Power outages in Mahone Bay: The Town of Mahone Bay Electrical Utility Team is on call 24/7. If you have a power outage after hours, call: 902-543-3251. Put this number on your fridge! Look out for your neighbours: Say hello to your neighbours and ask if they want to be part of a neighbourhood emergency contact list. Neighbours can help each other with: generators, wood stove heat, and wellness check-ins. Being prepared helps us all feel more confident, calm, and ready to handle whatever storm season brings.  The Town has launched two surveys to gather perspectives and input on the development of a Film Production Policy and a Seasonal Sales Bylaw for the Town of Mahone Bay. Please visit https://www.getonboardmahonebay.ca/bylaw-and-policy-development to complete theses surveys honestly and constructively. Should you wish to fill either survey out in-person, please pop in to Town Hall front office for a hardcopy. These particular surveys are open for input between December 11 - 29, 2025. Thank you for time and ideas. SIGN UP to Get On Board Mahone Bay where you'll find background and helpful resources on prioritized projects, opportunities to share ideas, and a space to ask questions on the topics shaping our town.  Pre-Development Grant Program - Community Survey launched on Get on Board Mahone Bay: https://www.getonboardmahonebay.ca/ The Town of Mahone Bay, as part of their commitment to the Canada Mortgage and Housing Association for the Housing Accelerator Fund, is seeking your feedback as part of designing a grant program to support growth in Mahone Bay and increase gentle density in housing. Based on our permitting data and a recent study conducted by the municipalities in Lunenburg County the following gaps in the Mahone Bay housing stock have been identified: small-scale housing, accessory dwellings (for example granny suites) and “missing middle” housing (duplexes, fourplexes, and townhouses). Your input will help inform the parameters of this new grant program. We are looking for responses from the following people: * Current Mahone Bay home owner with or with potential to build accessory dwellings * Private property or land owner considering development opportunities * Property owner outside Mahone Bay (but interested in building here) * Private investor, developer, builder or planner * Non-profit or housing provider * Community group, land or housing trust Register on Get On Board Mahone Bay to get in on the action and to participate in this survey:https://www.getonboardmahonebay.ca/housing-accelerator-fund/surveys/pre-development-grant-program-community-survey   The Town is holding a special election for one (1) Councillor on February 14, 2026.
Revisions to the Preliminary List of Electors will begin on Monday December 22nd and will continue until January 13 2026. Each household will be sent a notice and asked to submit their household information (name, address and date of birth) for voter registration in one of the following ways:
Nomination Period begins January 2 2026 and ends on January 13 2026. More information is available at www.townofmahonebay.ca on the elections page. The Town of Mahone Bay wishes to inform residents that an external cybersecurity incident has occurred at OnSolve, the company responsible for the CodeRED alert system, which is used by many Canadian municipalities, for emergency notifications. This system operates completely independently of municipal systems. As such, none of the Town's technological infrastructure has been affected, and the situation is strictly limited to the external provider OnSolve.
According to information provided by OnSolve, data associated with the CodeRED platform was removed from their systems by an unauthorized third party in November and may be made public. The personal information provided to CodeRED and affected by this incident consists of basic contact details, including name, address, phone number, and email address, as well as the password associated with the account profile creation. CodeRED and associated accounts are no longer accessible, as the platform has been deactivated. The risks associated with this incident are mainly limited to the reuse of the same CodeRED password for other services. What you need to do: If you signed up for CodeRED on their website (not set up for you by Town Hall staff) and if the password you used to register for CodeRED is the same as the one you use to access other online services, we recommend that you immediately change these passwords and replace them with a unique, strong password for each service. As always, be vigilant about unsolicited or unexpected communications. This includes automated phone calls claiming to be from Town staff. The Town would like to reassure the public that:
OnSolve is continuing its investigation and have decommissioned OnSolve CodeRED, they are in the process of migrating all customers to the new CodeRED by Crisis24 platform. Since it is possible that the complete list of subscribers cannot be recovered from OnSolve, further communication will follow to explain how to register for the Town's new alert system once it is fully operational. The Town is monitoring the situation closely and will continue to keep residents informed of any significant developments in this matter while keeping its options open. The Town continues to regularly review its practices and those of its suppliers to ensure that they comply with appropriate security standards. If you have any questions about this, please consult the FAQ produced by CodeRED or write to [email protected] |
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