BILL NO. 127

(as introduced)

1st Session, 59th General Assembly
Nova Scotia
53 Elizabeth II, 2004

Local Bill

Pictou Regional Development Commission Act
(amended)

The Honourable John F. Hamm, M.D.
Pictou Centre

First Reading: October 6, 2004

(Explanatory Notes)

Second Reading: October 7, 2004

Third Reading: October 14, 2004 (LINK TO BILL AS PASSED)

Clause 1 amends and expands the objects of the Pictou Regional Development Commission.

1 Section 4 of Chapter 32 of the Acts of 1991, the Pictou Regional Development Commission Act, is amended by

(a) striking out clause (a) and substituting the following clauses:

(a) provide leadership for community economic development in Pictou County, with a focus on achieving meaningful and measurable results for the region;

(aa) encourage partnership, support and co-operation from community enterprises and government agencies;

(ab) assist communities in developing local planning capability, community entrepreneurship and essential infrastructure that will promote the creation of business investment, jobs and opportunities for individuals;

(ac) encourage the expansion of industries and businesses that are carried on within the County of Pictou;

(b) striking out "industrial" in the last line of clause (c);

(c) striking out "industrial" in the third line of clause (d);

(d) adding immediately after clause (d) the following clause:

(da) advise the council of any participating municipality with respect to matters affecting the economic and social development of the regional community;

(e) striking out "industrial and business" in the first line of subclause (e)(i) and substituting "economic development";

(f) striking out "specific industries" in the second line of subclause (e)(ii) and substituting "economic development";

(g) striking out "industrial enterprises" in the third line of subclause (e)(v) and substituting "enterprise development";

(h) striking out "the development of industry and business" in the second and third lines of subclause (e)(vi) and substituting "community economic development";

(i) striking out "industry and business;" in the last line of clause (f) and substituting "community economic development."; and

2 Subsection 4A(3) of Chapter 32, as enacted by Chapter 39 of the Acts of 1998, is amended by striking out "prior to" in the last line and substituting "within ninety days after".

3 (1) Clause 5(1)(g) of Chapter 32, as amended by Chapter 39, is further amended by striking out "appointed" in the first line and substituting "from the community appointed jointly".

(2) Clause 5(1A)(b) of Chapter 32, as enacted by Chapter 39, is amended by

(a) striking out "appointed" in the second line and substituting "from the community appointed jointly"; and

4 Section 7 of Chapter 32 is amended by striking out "in each of its fiscal years a Chairman, a Vice-chairman" in the third line and substituting "immediately after its annual meeting a Chair, a Vice-chair".

5 Section 9 of Chapter 32 is amended by

(a) adding "(1)" immediately after the Section number; and

(b) adding the following subsection:

(2) The Commission may

(a) promote interest in activities of the agency and encourage and assist the participation of public, private and voluntary sector groups;

(b) prepare, update at regular intervals and implement a strategy and action plan for the development of the regional community;

(c) encourage interested groups in participating in the strategic planning process and set priorities for development action;

(d) act as financial, industrial, promotional, marketing, training or planning advisers with respect to the development of the regional community in accordance with a regional development strategy;

(e) encourage the formation of partnership groups to evaluate, plan and organize implementation of specific development actions and projects that fall within the framework of the regional development strategy;

(f) facilitate contact with those who may be able to provide technical, professional and policy resources needed to enable project groups to be effective;

(g) facilitate access to those who may be able to provide funding to implement projects and business plans in accordance with a regional development strategy;

(h) provide managerial, technical or other support services to other business or operations of any community development group, company, syndicate, labour group, non-profit organization, co-operative, partnership, enterprise or undertaking in respect of achieving the purpose of this Act;

(i) provide training to those individuals or groups involved in regional community planning to assist in the implementation of a regional development strategy.

6 Section 11 of Chapter 32 is amended by striking out "sixty" in the first line and substituting "ninety".

7 Subsection 12(2) of Chapter 32, as amended by Chapter 39, is further amended by striking out "4A" and substituting "4".