Now or Never --- 2015 Priority for Kings County Council

To date, our council has given little attention to the work of the Ivany Commission's reports. Its interim "Shaping our New Economy Together" report and final "Now or Never" report were released May 2013 and February 2014. 

Both reports take on a tone of desperation but also hope. According to the commission's finding if leaders acted NOW a healthy economy and wealth for individuals, families and businesses would result. Otherwise, our decreasing demographic and failing economy will bring worse economic outcomes than ever before. To delay is to fail.

Here are some excerpts underscoring what the report says and why I believe our council needs to prioritize its response. By stepping up to the plate to play their best game to date, the leaders of the towns and county of Kings can support the local and Nova Scotia economy. This is a game that calls for full participation and effort as the end result will be crucial.

All the quotes below are taken from the interim May 2013 report... of almost 2-years ago. Kings County council has yet to debate this report's recommendations or those of its sister NOW OR NEVER report of February 2014.

• “The need for improved governance was a message we heard from all corners of the Province.”
• “Nova Scotia will need robust economic growth (and corresponding tax revenue growth) over the next 20 to 30 years just to maintain the existing level of public service and infrastructure expenditure.”
• The Ivany “Now or Never Urgent Call To Action” has made it clear we are facing a decline in our standard of living and that one of the barriers to progress is our ineffective municipal governments. The report recommends the government initiate “a comprehensive review of current municipal structures” and that “the review should build on the analysis and advice generated by previous studies and panels, ranging from the Graham Commission through the recent Towns Task Force…”.
• “The economic and population challenges we now face in Nova Scotia, and dramatically so in our rural regions, demand new vision, innovative approaches, greater collaboration and a greater willingness to take on the risks associated with economic change and progress.
• Change in society begins with the leaders. Being respectful of one another, expressing trust in our institutions and in our fellow leaders in different fields, and avoiding parochial and unduly partisan considerations, are crucial starting points. We can also do better at planning and decision-making on our investments of money, time and expertise in pursuit of economic growth.”
• “Governance Issues – The need for improved governance was a message heard from all corners of the province, linked with calls for breaking down real or perceived barriers to prosperity. There were suggestions for innovations and solutions to address the challenges, and frequent complaints about multiple levels of government, each with different strategies and programs, and insufficient commitment to aligning policies.”
• “The size and role of governments were dominant themes in comments heard around the province. It was suggested that our small province has a disproportionately large public sector made up all levels of government."

GOAL 18 speaks directly to municipal governments... "REFORM OF MUNICIPAL GOVERNMENT AND REGIONAL SERVICE STRUCTURES... Once the development plan described above is in place, the provincial government will immediately initiate a comprehensive review of current municipal government structures and of federal and provincial regional service delivery systems, improving efficiency, cost effectiveness and community engagement. This work will be guided by the following considerations:"

• Development of the strategy should be supported by appropriate public and stakeholder engagement.
• The review should build on the analyses and advice generated by previous studies and panels, ranging from the Graham Commission through to the recent Towns Task Force, the review panel on Regional Development Authorities RDAs), the Schools Review Process and the provincial government’s consideration of shared services options.
• Prime objectives for restructuring should include: Greater service efficiency and improved “value for money” for taxpayers; A critical evaluation of the fairness, effectiveness and sustainability of the current distribution of service responsibilities between the provincial and municipal levels; Greater engagement of communities with regard to economic development planning; Improved incentives for entrepreneurship; The integration and streamlining of services to business; Reductions in regulatory burden; The better alignment of tax policies with economic growth objectives.

From Page 53

• “The Commission believes that mobilizing an all party, multi-partite effort to develop a comprehensive economic development plan and to accelerate the restructuring of regional government services and municipal government is essential if we are to achieve long-term economic growth and renewal in Nova Scotia. The chances of success in these initiatives are much diminished if the different political parties, in government and opposition, and the major regional interests and sector groups are all pulling in different directions and not supporting a unified project to turn around our future prospects as a province.”
• “Municipal reform is of course an important vehicle for more effectively linking urban communities to their surrounding regions and sharing both the costs and benefits of economic development more equitably. Similarly the Regional Enterprise Network model provides a new and potentially powerful vehicle for coordinating the development efforts of different jurisdictions and generating greater cooperation and policy alignment across the province. An immediate task for rural leaders is to accelerate both areas of development and to become willing partners in building a more focused and unified governance for the province.”

Note. Our region's REN has been established but as yet there has been no update to our council on its activities.