Nova Scotia takes back $27M offer after Pictou amalgamation scuttled

Nova Scotia Premier Stephen McNeil says his government's offer of $27 million to help amalgamate municipalities in Pictou County is off the table aftervotersrejected the move in a non-binding plebiscite this weekend.

"Obviously it's not there. They chose not to do the amalgamation," McNeil said.

The province,which has been encouraging amalgamations,promised millions of dollars in infrastructure and transition funding if the towns of Stellarton, New Glasgow and Pictou, and the Municipality of the County of Pictou amalgamated.

Clear rejection

The four municipal councils hadsubmitted an application to the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board.

Butunlike other recent dissolutions and amalgamations, the issue was put to votersand clearly rejected.

Although the resultsare not binding, the mayor of the Town of Pictou says amalgamation is over, for now.

'It's dead'

"It's dead. For all practical purposes, it's dead," said Mayor Joe Hawes.

New Glasgow was the only municipality supporting amalgamation. It was narrowly rejected in the Town of Pictou and strongly rejected in Stellarton and the county of Pictou.

"I was disappointed because our entire council was behind it. We thought we could get our basic infrastructure needs done and put us on a solid footing going into a new unit," Hawes.

Letting the people decide

Brian White,financial adviser for the towns of Westville and Trenton,led the "no" side. He says after this weekend, no amalgamation in Nova Scotia should go forward without a plebiscite.

"A binding plebiscite is necessary," said White.

"I think whenever there is a significant change to the municipal structure, that it should be left to the people to decide if that's the course they want to go," he said.

More amalgamations on the horizon

There are three other municipal amalgamations before the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board. None involvesa plebiscite.

Two towns Mulgrave and Parrsboro have applied to dissolve. A citizens' group has petitioned the regulator to force the amalgamation of the Town of Windsor and West Hants.

The Town of Windsor supports amalgamation; West Hants opposes. As for Pictou, the four municipalities have until June 20 to tell regulators their intentions.