Council Size and District Boundary Review
What is a Boundary Review?
The Municipal Government Act requires each municipality in Nova Scotia to conduct a review every eight years on the number of Councillors (Council size), the number of polling districts, and the boundaries of polling districts. The most recent review was done in 2022 and the next review is due in 2030.
After the review is completed, Municipal Council applies to the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board (NSRAB, formerly the Nova Scotia Utility and Review Board or NSUARB) to confirm or alter the number of Councillors and polling district boundaries. Any changes to the size of Council or location of polling district boundaries come into effect as of the next regular municipal election.
The 2022 review did not result in a change in the number of Councillors, but the boundaries of polling districts were changed to make improvements. For example, the changes created a better distribution of the seven villages located within the County of Kings, and brought the historical African Nova Scotian community of Gibson Woods into one district instead of being split between two districts and adjacent to a third. Details and district maps can be found in the "Boundary Review 2022 Study" and "Boundary Review 2022 - Utility and Review Board Decision (M10918)" documents in the Resources section below.
Public Engagement
Public engagement is an essential part of the Boundary Review. As part of the review, residents of the Municipality have various opportunities to be involved in determining the size of Municipal Council and location of district boundaries. Feedback received from the public is gathered and presented to Municipal Council and informs the recommendation from municipal staff to Council.
The first step of the Boundary Review is to determine the size of Council. Do residents believe the current number of elected officials serves the needs of the community and offers appropriate representation for residents? Or do they want changes to be made to the number of Councillors?
The second step of the Boundary Review looks at the location of boundaries between polling districts. Prior to making decisions on the size of Council and location of district boundaries, residents will have opportunities to provide ideas, views, and opinions.
NSRAB Public Hearing
Following submission of the application, the Nova Scotia Regulatory and Appeals Board schedules a Public Hearing regarding the Municipality’s application under section 369 of the Municipal Government Act to confirm or alter the number of Councillors and polling district boundaries. Members of the public are invited to participate in the Hearing or to comment on the application. The final decision on the number of Councillors and the district boundaries is made by the NSRAB.
Revisit this webpage in 2030 to learn about opportunities to have your say!
- The Municipality of the County of Kings is the third largest municipality in Nova Scotia, after the Halifax Regional Municipality and Cape Breton Regional Municipality, with 47,918 residents (2021).
- The Towns of Berwick, Kentville, and Wolfville are located within the Kings County area, but are separate municipalities with their own Councils and staff. When adding the number of residents of the Towns, the total population of the Kings County area is 62,914 (2021).
- Seven Villages are part of the Municipality of the County of Kings:
- Aylesford
- Canning
- Cornwallis Square
- Greenwood
- Kingston
- New Minas
- Port Williams
- The Boundary Review conducted in 2015/2016 resulted in the Municipality moving from a Warden to a Mayor system, and a reduction in the number of Councillors and districts from eleven to nine.
- The Municipality has a long history: it was officially incorporated as a Municipality in 1879.
The Council of the Municipality of the County of Kings comprises a Mayor and nine Councillors. Each Councillor is elected by voters from a district and the Mayor is elected by all voters of the Municipality. Click here to meet your Mayor and Councillors and to see the districts.
Council is elected by the residents of the Municipality to make decisions about municipal services, by-laws, policies, and programs. In addition to attending monthly Council and Committee of the Whole meetings, Councillors serve on an average of seven boards and committees each, attend public hearings and public information meetings, and communicate almost daily with constituents in their districts. Click on the links below to see job descriptions for the Mayor and Councillor & Deputy Mayor.
The Municipality provides a multitude of services, either directly or through third parties, including:
- Animal Control
- Building & Development Services
- Community Grants
- Fire & Emergency Services
- Land Use Planning
- Public Transportation
- Recreation
- Roads & Sidewalks
- Sewer and Water Services
- Waste Collection
These services have a direct impact on people who live and work in the Municipality, and those who have businesses here. The cost for providing these services is covered by revenue from residential and commercial property taxes.
Council develops a Strategic Plan to pinpoint Key Strategic Priorities for the coming years and outline which projects staff carry out. These include projects in the areas of accessibility, active transportation, asset management, broadband, diversity, economic development, green energy, and more. Have a look at the current Strategic Plan for 2025-2029!