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Municipality of the District of Clare
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
Wednesday, July 22, 2026, at 7:00 pm
Meeting held at 1185 Highway 1, Little Brook, NS
PRESENT: Council: Warden Yvon LeBlanc; Deputy Warden Eric Pothier; Councillors Danny Hill, Réanne Cooper, Carl Deveau, Steven Comeau, and Nadine Comeau
Staff: CAO, Stéphane Cyr, Executive Assistant, Ashley Hanks, and Communications Officer, Francis Robichaud
Presenters:
ABSENT: Councillor Réanne Evans
1) Call to Order
The Warden called the Council meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
2) Adoption of the Agenda
MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau that the proposed agenda be approved as circulated.
MOTION CARRIED
3) Declaration of Conflict of Interest
None declared.
4) Presentations
None.
5) Adoption of the Minutes from Previous Council Meetings
5.1 June 24, 2026 – Regular Council Meeting
MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper that the minutes of the June 24, 2026, Regular Council Meeting be accepted as presented.
MOTION CARRIED
5.2 July 8, 2026 – Council-In-Committee Meeting
MOVED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Steven Comeau that the minutes of the July 8, 2026, Council-in-Committee Meeting be accepted as presented.
MOTION CARRIED
6) Business Arising from Previous Meetings
None.
7) Warden’s Activity Report – Warden Yvon LeBlanc
June 25 – Attended a meeting of the Police Advisory Board.
July 1 – Attended the Canada Day celebrations at the Clare Veterans Centre.
July 15 – Welcomed the Honorable Kim Masland, Minister of Emergency Management, during her visit to Clare, where she met with members of the volunteer fire service and Clare Search and Rescue.
July 15 – Attended the public hearing regarding the draft Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use By-law
July 16 – Attended a meeting of the Regional Emergency Management Organization (REMO).
July 17 – Attended the Pride flag raising ceremony at the Municipal Office.
8) Official Statements from Members of Council
Councillor Steven Comeau recognized Mireille LeBlanc for her exceptional achievements in golf and her upcoming representation of Nova Scotia at the Canadian Women's Mid-Amateur Championship in Ontario.
Ms. LeBlanc was crowned Nova Scotia Junior Girls Champion in 2006 and has since captured the Nova Scotia Women's Amateur Championship on multiple occasions, including 2008 and 2010. More recently, she won the Nova Scotia Women's Mid-Amateur Championship in 2023 and again in 2026, while also claiming the Pinehurst Women's Mid-Amateur Championship in 2024 and 2025.
A congratulatory certificate will be sent to Ms. Leblanc.
9) Correspondence
None.
10) CAO Report – Chief Administrative Officer – Stéphane Cyr
The CAO presented his report for the month of July. (
See attached)
11) Committee Reports
11.1 Police Advisory Board – Councillor Réanne Cooper
The Police Advisory Board met on June 25, 2026.
The Chair introduced Guy LeBlanc and congratulated him on his recent appointment to the Municipality’s Police Advisory Board by the Honourable Scott Armstrong, Attorney General and Minister of Justice. Mr. LeBlanc has been appointed for a term of 3 years.
Angélique LeBlanc completed her term on the Police Advisory Board. The Chair thanked Mrs. LeBlanc for her 4 years of service as a board member. The CAO will issue a public call for expressions of interest for a new community representative. Applications will be reviewed at the next board meeting and a recommendation made to municipal council.
Data from the Radar Speed Sign’s former location in Church Point, from February 1st to May 28th, was shared with the Board. Based on this data, the RCMP provided a detailed traffic data analysis and demonstrated how this information is used by the detachment, leading to better planning.
The issue of court reporting was raised. It is the opinion of the Board that the current availability of court reporting, particularly in rural communities, is severely lacking which in turn constitutes a disservice to the residents of said rural communities. As such, the Board is recommending Council write a letter to the Honourable Scott Armstrong, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, requesting more stringent court reporting practices in an effort to foster greater transparency and public awareness.
Constable Bradley Abel has joined the Meteghan Detachment.
Sergeant LeBlanc presented a report summarizing incident statistics for April - May 2026. A total of 228 calls for service were received during this period, down from 274 during this same time in 2024. Detachment priorities remain:
- Road Safety
- Crime Reduction
- Organized Crime
- Community Engagement
12) New Business
12.1 Motion to Amend the Land Use By-law and Municipal Planning Strategy – Second Reading
Since 2023, the Municipality of Clare has been working to update its Municipal Planning Strategy (MPS) and the associated Land Use By-law (LUB) to comply with the Province’s minimum planning regulations. In order to strike a balance between regulatory compliance and community priorities, the Municipality completed a number of public engagement activities including an online survey, targeted discussions / focus groups, and four public consultation sessions, all culminating with a public hearing on July 15, 2026. The feedback gained at these activities has been very beneficial in shaping the proposed MPS and LUB amendments. Based on these collective efforts, it is the recommendation of the CAO that Council proceed to the second reading of the proposed amendments. Council agreed and made the following motion:
MOVED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier and SECONDED BY Councillor Steven Comeau that the Municipality of the District of Clare approve the proposed amendments to the Land Use By-Law and the Municipal Planning Strategy, and that these be read for the second and final time by title only.
MOTION CARRIED
It should be noted that Councillor Danny Hill was unable to attend the Public Hearing on July 15th and as such, in accordance with section 205 (7) of the MGA, did not vote on this motion.
12.2 Motion to Approve the Active Transportation Plan
Following extensive public engagement, the final draft of the Municipality’s Active Transportation Plan was circulated to Council for review and consideration. The document provides key recommendations in terms of infrastructure investments, policy development, and program offerings. According to the CAO, the proposed plan should be treated as a living document which will help shape the Municipality’s active transportation efforts over the short, medium, and long term. Council agreed and made the following motion:
MOVED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper that the Municipality of the District of Clare approve the Municipality’s Active Transportation Plan as presented.
MOTION CARRIED
12.3 Motion to Approve the Capital Investment Plan 2026-31
The CAO presented the Municipality’s proposed 5-year Capital Investment Plan (2026-2031). This document must be approved via motion of Council and submitted annually to the Province of Nova Scotia. This year’s deadline for submission is September 1, 2026. The plan itself is subject to change should new project opportunities present themselves or if a decision is made to no longer move forward with a specific project. Council was supportive of the proposed investment plan and made the following motion:
MOVED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that the Municipality of the District of Clare approve the Capital Investment Plan 2026-31 as presented.
MOTION CARRIED
12.4 Motion to Write a Letter to the Honourable Scott Armstrong, Attorney General and Minister of Justice
As previously mentioned by Councillor Réanne Cooper, the issue of court reporting was discussed during the June 25, 2026, meeting of the Police Advisory Board. More specifically, it was the opinion of the Board that the current availability of court reporting, particularly in rural communities, is severely lacking, which in turn constitutes a disservice to the residents of said rural communities. As such, a motion was made requesting Council write a letter to the Honourable Scott Armstrong, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, outlining their concerns and requesting more stringent court reporting practices. Council agreed and made the following motion:
MOVED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Municipality of the District of Clare write a letter to the Honourable Scott Armstrong, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, requesting more stringent court reporting practices in an effort to foster greater transparency and public awareness.
MOTION CARRIED
12.5 Motion to Write a Letter of Support – Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund, Municipality of Digby
The Municipality of the District of Digby is applying to the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund for financial assistance with the planning and construction of a community well in Weymouth. The Municipality of Clare is a partner in this project effort. As further evidence of the Municipality of Clare’s support for this proposed well, it is the recommendation of the CAO that a letter be prepared to accompany the Municipality of Digby’s application to the Province of NS. Council agreed and made the following motion:
MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper that the Municipality of the District of Clare write a letter to the Municipality of the District of Digby in support of its application to the Sustainable Communities Challenge Fund, for the planning and construction of a proposed community well located at 88 New Road, Weymouth North.
MOTION CARRIED
12.6 Motion to Grant an Exemption to the Noise By-law – Far Out Festival
An exemption request to the Municipality’s Noise By-law was received from the Far Out Festival for their event on July 24th and 25th at 1280 Second Division Road, Meteghan Station. By way of this request, the Far Out Festival is asking for Council’s permission to continue its activities up to 1:00 am on both evenings. The exemption request is compliant with the terms laid out in the municipal by-law. As such, the CAO is recommending Council grant the exemption. Council agreed and made the following motion:
MOVED BY Councillor Steven Comeau and SECONDED BY Deputy Warden Eric Pothier that the Municipality of the District of Clare grant an exemption to the Municipality’s Noise By-Law to the Far Out Festival, for their event on July 24th and 25th at 1280 Second Division Road, Meteghan Station, up to 1:00 am on both evenings.
MOTION CARRIED
13) Closed Session
PROPOSED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper that Council proceed to Closed Session.
MOTION CARRIED
Topics discussed
13.1 Contract Negotiations
13.2 Personnel Matters
PROPOSED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that Council proceed to the Regular Council Meeting.
MOTION CARRIED
14) Date and Time of the next Regular Council Meeting
The next Regular Council Meeting will be held on Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 7:00 pm.
16) Adjournment
MOVED BY Councillor Steven Comeau to adjourn the meeting at 8:42 pm.
Submitted by:
Ashley Hanks
Executive Assistant