BILL NO. 56
(as introduced)
2nd Session, 62nd General Assembly
Nova Scotia
63 Elizabeth II, 2014
Strengthening and Preservation of Community Buildings Act
Larry Harrison
Colchester–Musquodoboit Valley
First Reading: October 23, 2014
Second Reading:
Third Reading:
An Act to Provide Funding
for the Maintenance and Preservation
of Community Buildings
WHEREAS the most important community buildings in many Nova Scotian rural communities are churches, lighthouses, Royal Canadian Legion halls, community and recreation centres;
AND WHEREAS the buildings must be properly maintained and kept in good condition to increase understanding, heighten appreciation and foster acceptance of the role of the buildings in protecting, revitalizing and enhancing rural communities;
AND WHEREAS rural community volunteers assure, in large part, the maintenance of these important buildings, financial assistance is, nonetheless, required to adequately maintain the buildings;
THEREFORE be it enacted by the Governor and Assembly as follows:
1 This Act may be cited as the Strengthening and Preservation of Community Buildings Act.
(a) "Board" means the Board of Directors of the Foundation;
(b) "community building" means a church, lighthouse, Royal Canadian Legion halls, community centre, recreation centre or any other building in a municipality or village that does not receive public funds for maintenance purposes;
(c) "Foundation" means the Community Building Preservation Foundation;
(d) "Fund" means the Rural Community Centre Fund;
(e) "grant" means an amount paid from the Fund to a municipality or village for a community building maintenance project;
(f) "Minister" means the Minister of Communities, Culture and Heritage;
(g) "municipality" means a municipality as defined in the Municipal Government Act;
(h) "village" means a village as defined in the Municipal Government Act.
3 There is hereby created a body corporate to be known as the Community Building Preservation Foundation.
4 (1) Subject to Section 8, the Minister shall establish the Rural Community Centre Fund of $5,500,000 for community building maintenance grants.
(2) The amount referred to in subsection (1) must be paid into the Fund by four equal instalments on April 1, 2015 and on April 1st in each subsequent year.
(3) For greater certainty, the final instalment must be made to the Fund on April 1, 2018.
5 (1) The Board is composed of three persons appointed by the Minister after consultation with and receipt of nominations from the Union of Nova Scotia Municipalities.
(2) Members of the Board are to be appointed on or before April 1, 2015, for a four-year term.
(3) Where a vacancy occurs during a director's term of office, a person shall be appointed in accordance with subsection (1) in that director's place for the unexpired portion of the term.
6 On or before May 1, 2015, and on May 1st in each subsequent year, the Board shall issue a call to municipalities and villages for proposals for community building maintenance grants.
(a) establish the eligibility criteria for community building maintenance grants;
(b) select projects to be funded in total or in part by the Fund; and
(c) pay grants from the Fund to municipalities and villages for community building maintenance projects selected pursuant to clause (b).
8 The money required for the purpose of this Act must be paid out of money appropriated for that purpose by the Legislature.
This page and its contents published by the Office of the Legislative Counsel, Nova Scotia House of Assembly, and © 2014 Crown in right of Nova Scotia. Created October 23, 2014. Send comments to legc.office@novascotia.ca.
