Richmond County is looking into a single fire rate for the municipality.
During Monday night’s regular monthly meeting, councillors unanimously approved a
recommendation from its committee of the whole directing staff to investigate other municipalities that have one universal rate.
During the regular monthly meeting in October, District 5 Councillor Brent Sampson presented his report from the municipal Fire Services Steering Committee.
At the fall meeting, which was also attended by District 2 Councillor Michael Diggdon, the funding model for fire departments that is taking place in Pictou County was discussed.
Because multiple fire departments will not be able to survive long-term given the current funding model, some departments were looking at their options, Sampson said.
The district 5 councillor had a motion approved by council to have staff investigate recommendation #39 in the municipality’s fire services review which calls for funding fire departments from the general taxation rate.
Although it wasn’t unanimous, Sampson said the majority at the meeting wanted the municipality to at least look into this since there are three or four departments which are struggling and have no sustainable future.