Province finalizes cash for communities

The Nova Scotia government is handing out about $32 million in equalization payments to municipalities across the province this fiscal year.

An order in council signed this week means the payments will soon be sent to the qualifying municipalities, those which don't collect enough tax revenue to meet expenses.

Cape Breton Regional Municipality, the Town of Truro, the Town of Amherst and the Region of Queens Municipality receive the most funding.

The list:

Cape Breton County:

• Cape Breton Regional Municipality: $15,335,838.

Victoria County:

• Municipality of Victoria County: $0.

Inverness County: 

• Municipality of Inverness County: $378,055.

Richmond County:

• Town of Port Hawkesbury: $298,730.*
• Municipality of the County of Richmond: $0.

Antigonish County:

• Municipality of the County of Antigonish: $0.
• Town of Antigonish: $176,706.*

Guysborough County:

• Municipality of the District of Guysborough: $266,000.*
• Town of Mulgrave: $127,508.*

Pictou County:

• Town of New Glasgow: $1,055,434.*
• Municipality of Pictou County: $270,601.
• Town of Pictou: $545,521.*
• Town of Stellarton: $500,684.*
• Town of Trenton: $420,922.*
• Town of Westville: $684,391.*

Colchester County:

• Town of Truro: $1,346,638.*
• Municipality of the County of Colchester: $294,415.
• Town of Stewiacke: $202,349.*

Cumberland County:

• Municipality of the County of Cumberland: $1,182,204.*
• Town of Amherst: $1,260383.*
• Town of Parrsboro: $365,901.*
• Town of Oxford: $178,171.*

Hants County:

• Municipality of West Hants: $132,305.*
• Municipality of East Hants: $0.
• Town of Windsor: $430,403

Halifax County:

• Halifax Regional Municipality: $0.

Kings County:

• Town of Berwick: $221,479.*
• Town of Kentville: $167,850.*
• Town of Middleton: $338,073.*
• Municipality of the County of Kings: $0.
• Town of Wolfville: $69,869.*

Lunenburg County:

• Town of Bridgewater: $531,657.*
• Town of Lunenburg: $50,000.*
• Town of Mahone Bay: $50,000.*
• Municipality of the District of Lunenburg: $0.
• Municipality of the District of Chester: $0.

Queens County;

• Region of Queens Municipality: $1,217,234.

Shelburne County:

• Town of Shelburne: $359,645.*
• Municipality of the District of Shelburne: $75,128.
• Town of Clark's Harbour: $189,822.*
• Municipality of the District of Barrington: $151,335.

Annapolis County:

• Town of Annapolis Royal: $91,956.*
• Municipality of the County of Annapolis: $811,257.*

Yarmouth County:

• Town of Yarmouth: $727,970.*
• Municipality of the District of Argyle: $154,923.
• Municipality of the District of Yarmouth: $129,875.

Digby County:

• Municipality of the District of Clare: $223,087.
• Municipality of the District of Digby: $333,616.
• Municipality of the District of St. Mary's: $175,430.
• Town of Digby: $368,558.*

*  includes $50,000 town foundation grant.

Source: Municipal Affairs Department.