Municipality of the District of Clare
REGULAR COUNCIL MEETING
Wednesday, September 16, 2026, at 7:00 pm
Meeting held at 1185 Highway 1, Little Brook, NS
PRESENT: Council: Warden Yvon LeBlanc, Councillors Réanne Evans, Danny Hill, Réanne Cooper, Carl Deveau, Steven Comeau, and Nadine Comeau
Staff: CAO, Stéphane Cyr, Executive Assistant, Ashley Hanks, and Director of Finance, Christien Deveau
Presenters: Jasmine Thibodeau, Doane Grant Thornton LLP
ABSENT: Deputy Warden Eric Pothier
1) Call to Order
The Warden called the Council meeting to order at 7:00 pm.
2) Adoption of the Agenda
MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Evans that the proposed agenda be approved as circulated.
MOTION CARRIED
3) Declaration of Conflict of Interest
None declared.
4) Presentations
4.1 2025-2026 Audited Financial Statements – Jasmine Thibodeau, Doane Grant Thornton LLP
Jasmine Thibodeau of Doane Grant Thornton LLP presented the Municipality’s audited financial statements for the 2025-2026 fiscal year (
See attached).
4.2 Revitalisation Project, Salle Marc Lescarbot – Natalie Robichaud and Marcel Aymar, Société acadienne de Clare
Natalie Robichaud and Marcel Aymar presented an update on the Salle Marc Lescarbot revitalisation project (See attached).
5) Adoption of the Minutes from Previous Council Meetings
5.1 July 22, 2026 – Regular Council Meeting
MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper that the minutes of the July 22, 2026, Regular Council Meeting be accepted as presented.
MOTION CARRIED
5.2 September 2, 2026 – Council-In-Committee Meeting
MOVED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper that the minutes of the September 2, 2026, Council-in-Committee Meeting be accepted as presented.
MOTION CARRIED
6) Business Arising from Previous Meetings
None.
7) Warden’s Activity Report – Warden Yvon LeBlanc
July 24 – Attended a meeting with the NSHA physician recruitment team to discuss a candidate who is interested in the Clare Health Centre.
July 29 – Attended a meeting of the NS-Municipal Joint Rural Roads Committee.
July 29 – Attended a meeting with the Honourable Scott Armstrong, Attorney General and Minister of Justice, to discuss the new billing framework for municipalities served by the RCMP under the Provincial Police Service Agreement (PPSA).
July 30 – Participated in an interview with the Halifax Examiner to discuss various municipal files and projects.
July 30 – Attended an appreciation event for sponsors of the Belliveau Motors Golf Tournament, a fundraiser for the Clare Health Centre.
July 31 – Participated in the Belliveau Motors Golf Tournament.
August 15 – Attended the Acadian flag-raising ceremony at Rendez-vous d’la Baie to celebrate National Acadian Day, as well as the second edition of the Cultural Expo at Université Sainte-Anne.
August 26 – Attended a meeting of the NS-Municipal Joint Rural Roads Committee.
September 9 – Attended a meeting of the Audit Committee to review the Municipality’s financial statements for the 2025-26 fiscal year.
September 13 – Attended the start of the Gran Fondo Baie Sainte-Marie at the Clare Veterans Centre.
September 14 – Attended a meeting with the senior leadership of Université Sainte-Anne as part of the University Municipality project.
September 16 – Attended a virtual meeting with representatives from the Department of Justice, as well as Mayors, Wardens, and Chief Administrative Officers from other municipal units across Nova Scotia, to discuss the new billing framework for municipalities served by the RCMP under the Provincial Police Service Agreement (PPSA).
8) Official Statements from Members of Council
Councillor Nadine Comeau congratulated Wesley Prime on winning three gold and three silver medals at the Special Olympics Canada Summer Games and recommended that Council issue a certificate recognizing his achievements and his representation of the Municipality of Clare. Council agreed.
9) Correspondence
9.1 Wayne Gaudet – President, Le Transport de Clare
The CAO read a letter from Wayne Gaudet, President of the Transport de Clare. (See attached)
10) CAO Report – Chief Administrative Officer – Stéphane Cyr
The CAO presented his report for the months of August and September. (See attached)
11) Committee Reports
11.1 Audit Committee – Councillor Danny Hill
The Audit Committee met with the auditors (Doane Grant Thornton LLP) on September 9, 2026, to thoroughly review the Municipality’s 2025-2026 Audited Financial Statements.
During this meeting, the auditors highlighted the Municipality’s sound financial position as well as the cooperation they received from both management and staff throughout their audit engagement.
The auditors cited a marked improvement in the internal accounting records and once again gave the Municipality a clean audit opinion.
In light of this opinion, the Audit Committee is making the following two recommendations for Council’s consideration:
- That the annual operating surplus of $850,137 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year be transferred from the Operating Fund to the Operating Reserve.
- That the Municipality of the District of Clare approve the 2025-2026 Audited Financial Statements for the Municipality of the District of Clare, as prepared by Doane Grant Thornton LLP.
11.2 EDIA Committee – Councillor Réanne Evans
The EDIA Committee met on August 25, 2026.
The Committee is pleased to report that three municipal buildings - the municipal office, the Cultural Hub, and the Clare Veterans Centre - have added accessible signage for the visually impaired.
The Municipality is currently in the process of modernizing its website. The new website will include an inventory of accessibility resources, such as ASL interpretation, and information on how these can be accessed.
The Municipality, bolstered by the support of the EDIA Committee, successfully held two flag raisings at the municipal office in support of both Pride Week and Access Awareness Week. In terms of upcoming activities, Latin American Heritage Month will be celebrated in October and Africadie will be hosting l’Expo AfroClare on November 7th at the Clare Veterans Centre.
The Municipality’s EDIA Coordinator, Marc Alexandre Bouchard, has chosen to not renew his contract. His last day was August 25, 2026. The Committee thanked Marc for his efforts and wished him best of luck in his future endeavours.
12) New Business
12.1 Motion to Transfer from the Operating Fund to the Operating Reserve
MOVED BY Councillor Carl Deveau and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that the Municipality of the District of Clare transfer the annual operating surplus of $850,137 for the 2025-2026 fiscal year from the Operating Fund to the Operating Reserve.
MOTION CARRIED
12.2 Motion to Approve the 2025-2026 Audited Financial Statements
MOVED BY Councillor Steven Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper that the Municipality of the District of Clare approve the 2025-2026 audited financial statements for the Municipality of the District of Clare, as prepared by Doane Grant Thornton LLP.
MOTION CARRIED
12.3 Motion to Amend the Building By-law – First Reading
Both the CAO and the Director of Public Works are proposing an amendment to the Municipality’s Building By-law. The purpose of the proposed amendment is to ensure consistency with the recently revised Land Use By-law as it relates to the definition of an Accessory Building and the interpretation of an Accessory Use. Council agreed with the proposed amendment and made the following motion:
MOVED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that the Municipality of the District of Clare approve first reading of the proposed amendment to the Building By-Law, and that it be read for the first time by title only.
MOTION CARRIED
12.4 Motion to Accept Proposal – Parking Lot, Dargie Cove Road
As part of its ongoing beach access project, the Municipality is looking to establish a parking lot at the end of the Dargie Cove Road. The cost to build the parking lot has been quoted at $9,300 plus HST. Whereas the proposed parking would be located on private land, it is conditional upon a signed, long-term lease agreement with the property owners. To this end, a lease agreement has already been drafted and presented to the owners for review. Discussions to date have been positive. To continue advancing this project in a timely manner, it is the recommendation of the CAO that the Municipality accept the aforementioned quote of $9,300 plus HST for the parking lot, conditional upon a signed lease agreement between the Municipality and the property owners. Council agreed and made the following motion:
MOVED BY Councillor Danny Hill and SECONDED BY Councillor Carl Deveau that the Municipality of the District of Clare accept the quote from Deveau’s Dirtworks for the parking lot at the end of Dargie Cove Road, in the amount of $9,300 plus HST, conditional upon a signed, long-term lease agreement with the property owners, and that these funds be taken from the Municipality’s Capital Reserve.
MOTION CARRIED
12.5 Motion to Write a Letter to NSFM – Electrical Transmission Infrastructure, Southwest Nova Scotia
Following recent (and ongoing) discussions between municipal CAOs in Southwest Nova Scotia and NS Power, several municipal units are sending letters to NSFM asking them to recognize the inadequacy of the electrical transmission infrastructure serving this end of the province as an advocacy priority and to refer this matter to the Infrastructure Advisory Committee, or such other standing or ad hoc committee as the Board considers appropriate. The CAO is requesting the Municipality of Clare lend its voice to this collective effort. Council agreed and made the following motion:
MOVED BY Councillor Réanne Evans and SECONDED BY Councillor Danny Hill that the Municipality of the District of Clare write a letter to the NSFM requesting it establish the need for improved electrical transmission infrastructure in Southwest Nova Scotia as an advocacy priority.
MOTION CARRIED
12.6 Motion to Send Letter to NS Public Works - Cross Walk, Intersection of Peter Dugas Road and Highway 1
Following a number of inquiries from the public as to the possibility of establishing a crosswalk at the intersection of Peter Dugas Road and Highway 1, Council is recommending a letter be sent to NS Public Works asking them to formally launch the review process, including consultation with the District Traffic Supervisor, and to conduct the needed evaluation. To this end, the following motion was made:
MOVED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Steven Comeau that the Municipality of the District of Clare send a letter to the Nova Scotia Department of Public Works requesting that a review be conducted as to the possibility of establishing a crosswalk at the intersection of the Peter Dugas Road and Highway 1.
MOTION CARRIED
12.7 Motion to Accept Proposal – Hydroseeding, Clare Health Centre
During the Clare Health Centre expansion, a temporary service road and lay down area for materials was constructed in the field next to the Centre. With the expansion now complete, the service road was no longer required and has since been removed. In order to initiate lawn growth, a motion to recommend was made at the September 2nd Council-in-Committee meeting to hydroseed the area in question at a cost of $7,800 plus HST. However, since the time of this meeting, the grass has started to grow and seems to be coming in well. As such, staff is now recommending that any decision regarding hydroseeding this area be deferred until next Spring in order to determine whether it is actually required.
13) Closed Session
PROPOSED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Réanne Cooper that Council proceed to Closed Session.
MOTION CARRIED
Topics discussed
13.1 Personnel Matters
PROPOSED BY Councillor Nadine Comeau and SECONDED BY Councillor Steven Comeau that Council proceed to the Regular Council Meeting.
MOTION CARRIED
14) Date and Time of the next Regular Council Meeting
The next Regular Council Meeting will be held on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, at 7:00 pm.
16) Adjournment
MOVED BY Councillor Réanne Evans to adjourn the meeting at 8:48 pm.
Submitted by:
Ashley Hanks
Executive Assistant