Welcome to the Town of Yarmouth
On the Edge of Everywhere
Fire Services By-Laws
Fire Department Bylaw
The pdf Fire Department Bylaw(143 KB) provides the mandate for the Yarmouth Fire Department to protect and safeguard the people of Yarmouth, as well as many of the Department's official roles and internal policies.
Fire Prevention Bylaw
Except in the case of barbecues, outdoor heating appliances, and fire ambiances, no outdoor fires are permitted within the Town of Yarmouth. Learn more in the pdf Fire Prevention by-law(122 KB) .
Town Fees
Here is a list of common fees for Town services, applications, and resources. Each type of fee is organized by the Town department or partner organization responsible:
- Planning and Development
- Waste Park
- Property Tax
- Water Utility
- Sewer Connection
- Bylaw Enforcement
For information on permits, licenses, and applications, click here. You can also see our By-Laws page for more information. For recurring charges like property taxes and water rates, see Taxes & Utilities.
Planning and Development
Planning and Development include the costs for processing various applications or printing official documents. You can also find the town's bylaws and strategies online (though note that the bylaws provided online are for informational purposes only). To pay an application fee or other town bill, please see Bill & Ticket Payments.
Official Town Document Printing Costs
| Municipal Planning Strategy | $35.00 plus HST |
| Land Use By-Law | $35.00 plus HST |
| Collins Heritage Conservation District Plan & By-law |
$35.00 plus HST |
| Subdivision By-law | $25.00 plus HST |
| Vending Bylaw | $25.00 plus HST |
Land Use Planning & Development Fees
| Zoning Confirmation Letters | $25.00 |
| Development Agreements | $100.00 + Registry of Deeds fees (HST exempt) |
| Amendments to Development Agreements | Registry of Deeds fees |
| Variances or Site Plan Approval | $100.00 (HST exempt) |
| Subdivision | $100.00 + Registry of Deeds fees (HST exempt) |
| Repeal of Subdivision | $50.00 + Registry of Deeds fees (HST exempt) |
| Amendment of Subdivision | $50.00 + Registry of Deeds fees (HST exempt) |
| Cash in lieu of open space | 5% of assessed value of new lot(s) created (HST exempt) |
| Amendments to the Municipal Planning Strategy & Land Use Bylaw | No charge |
| Advertising for Amendments, Rezoning and Development Agreements | $300.00 (covers the cost of ads) (HST exempt) |
| Legal Cost of Preparing Forms (Land Registration Office Forms) | $75.00 plus HST |
| Property Status Reports | $50.00 |
Town Maps and Photocopies
- Zoning Map (11x17) $5.00 (B&W), $8.00 (Colour) (HST Exempt)
- The electronic copy of stock map: $10.00 (HST Exempt)
- Custom electronic map: $30.00/hour with a minimum 1/2 hr. charge + stock map of $10.00 (HST Exempt)
- Large Scale Plots (dependent on size) $8.00 to $30.00 (HST Exempt)
Building Permit Fees
| Commercial Development | $0.20 per sq. ft. (HST exempt) |
| Residential Development | $0.10 per sq. ft. (HST exempt) |
| Accessory Buildings: and other sheds, decks, shell storage, garages, barns, other farm, forestry, or fishing buildings not designed for human occupancy. | $0.10 per sq. ft. (HST exempt) |
| All alterations or repairs | $4 per $1,000 of the estimated value of construction work. (HST exempt) |
| Building and Permit Application Fee Refund Administrative Charge. | $10 (HST exempt) |
| Building Permit Renewal | $25 (HST exempt) |
|
Demolition Permit *Capping Inspection Fee required with existing hookups to Town Services and refunded after capping and required inspections by Public Works Department. |
$50 + $10 (non-refundable processing fee) + $200 *Capping Inspection Fee= $260 (HST exempt) |
| Occupancy Permit | $25 + $10 (non-refundable processing fee) = $35 (HST exempt) |
| Occupancy Permit with no Building Permit in place | $40 + $10 (non-refundable processing fee) = $50 (HST exempt) |
Waste Park
Looking to get rid of some garbage, compost, or building materials? To help maintain and run the Yarmouth County Waste Park, tipping fees are charged to companies who bring waste to the Waste Park, companies who pick up weekly household garbage, and any resident who brings waste to the Waste Park that exceeds the allowable weekly limit. Residents of Yarmouth County can drop off residential waste up to 200kg/household per week at the transfer station before being charged a fee.
| Yarmouth County Solid Waste Park | |
|---|---|
| Residential Solid Waste | $128.50/mt** |
| Commercial Solid Waste | $145.10/mt** |
| Metal | $5.50/mt |
| Lobster Pots | No Charge |
| Shingles | $58.70/mt |
| Wood | $58.70/mt |
| Construction & Demolition material | $128.50/mt |
| Cement blocks, bricks & asphalt (no rebar) | $12.10/mt |
| Asbestos (minimum 1 ton charge) | $125.00/mt |
| Contaminated Soil | $55.00/mt |
| Organics | $114.00/mt |
| Brush | No Charge |
**Fees updated June 2023. Fees are subject to change without notice.
Note: Any car motors or similar waste must have all fluids removed. There is a double tipping fee for all materials that are improperly sorted – be sure to sort your waste and save some money!
If you have any questions regarding the Yarmouth County Solid Waste Park, please contact the Waste Park manager:
Yarmouth County Solid Waste Park
manager@ycwastepark.ca
Phone: (902) 742-5852
Fax: (902) 742-5852
8 AM-4 PM Mon–Fri
9 AM-3 PM Sat
Property Tax
- Property Tax Certificate: $20.00 per certificate (HST exempt)
- Deed Transfer Tax: 1.0%
- Interest on Overdue Taxes (Interest is applied monthly on the first day of each month after the Tax Due Date): 14% Annual
Water Utility
| Service | Fees | After Hours Fee |
|---|---|---|
| Set up new water account | $50.00 | |
| Connection to Town water system | $50.00 | |
| Turn the water off and on (e.g. for repairs) | $50.00 | $150.00 |
| Final meter reading (selling house) | $50.00 | |
| Remove meter | $50.00 | |
| Install meter | $50.00 | |
| New Construction Build (total fees) | $150.00 | |
| Property Sold (total fees) | $100.00 |
Note: For water utility rates, see Taxes and Utilities. Go to Water Utility for more information.
Examples of common scenarios and water fee charges:
New construction build: New water account ($50), connection to Town water system ($50) and install meter ($50). Total fees: $150.00.
Property sold: Seller pays final meter reading ($50), purchaser pays for new water account ($50). Total fees: $100.00.
For all other situations, please contact billing@townofyarmouth.ca or (902) 742-2521.
Sewer
- Sewer Connection Fee: $500
- Sewer Entrance Application Fee: $500
- Surface Run-Off Approval Application: No Fee
Bylaw Enforcement
Taxi Administration Fees (Taxi Bylaw)
| Type of Application | Fee |
|---|---|
| Taxi Company License | $100 for one vehicle; each additional vehicle is $100 (HST exempt) |
| Limousine Company License | $100 for one vehicle; each additional vehicle is $100 (HST exempt) |
| Taxi Driver's License or Limousine Driver's License | $50 per license (HST exempt) |
| Transfer of Taxi Owner's License from one vehicle to another | $25 (HST exempt) |
Town Seal Bylaw
| Affix Town Seal to document or certificate | $5.00 per document (HST exempt) |
Vending Fees (Vending Bylaw)
| Type of Vending | Per Week | Per Month | Per Year | Per Event |
| Mobile Canteen | $200 | $500 | $100 | |
| Stand | $25 | $50 | ||
| Umbrella Event | $100 | |||
| Outdoor Farmers’ or Outdoor Craft Market | $200 | $500 | $100 | |
| Outdoor Fruit/Vegetable/Fish Stand or Vehicle | $25 | $100 | $500 | |
| All Other Vendors | $25 | $200 | $500 | |
| Non-Profit Event or Unit | $0 |
Streets and Sidewalks
| Encroachment Permit | $500.00 |
| Street Disturbance Permit | $100 non-refundable fee; $50 for traffic obstruction with no damage to the surface or subsurface of the street; security deposit of $1,000 or other such amount as determined by the Town Engineer in the case of excavation |
| Annual Street Disturbance Permit | $500 non-refundable fee; security deposit of $10,000 or higher, as determined by the Engineer. |
| Street Events Permit (to restrict the use of Town Streets) | No Fee |
| Walkathon, Bikeathon, Parade Permits | No Fee |
| Sidewalk Cafe Permit | No Fee |
Solid Waste Storage, Collection, and Disposal (Garbage Collection, Storage and Removal Bylaw)
| License fee | $50.00 (HST exempt) |
Private Property Vending Retail License Fees
| Type of Vending | Per Year | Per Month |
|---|---|---|
| Retail 0 - 500 sq. ft. | $300 (HST exempt) | $100 (HST exempt) |
| Retail 500 - 1000 sq. ft. | $500 (HST exempt) | $200 (HST exempt) |
| Retail 1000 - 2000 sq. ft. | $700 (HST exempt) | $300 (HST exempt) |
| Retail 2000 & over | $900 (HST exempt) | $400 (HST exempt) |
| Food Trucks/Trailers | $500 (HST exempt) | $200 (HST exempt) |
Dog Impoundments *Administered by Yarmouth SPCA (Dog Bylaw)
| Dog Registration (Annual Fee) | |
| Dog registration (male or female) | $50.00 (HST exempt) |
| Dog registration for a neutered male or spayed female | $25.00 (HST exempt) |
| Dog registration for a neutered male or spayed female that is implanted with a microchip or tattooed | $10.00 (HST exempt) |
| Fierce and Dangerous Dog Registration | $250.00 (HST exempt) |
| Kennel registration | $100.00 (HST exempt) |
| Impoundment Type | Fee |
|---|---|
| First impoundment in any calendar year | |
| Neutered male or spayed female dog | $25.00 (HST exempt) |
| Non-neutered or unspayed dog | $50.00 (HST exempt) |
| Fierce and Dangerous Dog | $250.00 (HST exempt) |
| Second impoundment in any calendar year | |
| Neutered male or spayed female dog | $100.00 (HST exempt) |
| Non-neutered or unspayed dog | $250.00 (HST exempt) |
| Fierce and Dangerous Dog | $500.00 (HST exempt) |
| Third impoundment in any calendar year | |
| Neutered male or spayed female dog | $200.00 (HST exempt) |
| Non-neutered or unspayed dog | $500.00 (HST exempt) |
| Fierce and Dangerous Dog | $1,000.00 (HST exempt) |
Yarmouth Waterfront Advisory Committee
The mandate of this committee is to advise the Council on a variety of issues including advising on infrastructure projects for the waterfront and Water Street, advising on services and programs to enhance the connections between our waterfront and our residents and visitors, ATVs on Water Street, and more.
Committee Members:
- Mayor Pam Mood
- Deputy Mayor Steve Berry
- Phil LeBlanc
- Tim Kaiser
- Patti Durkee
- Gordon Watkins
- Kathryn Davidson
- JP Ferron
Yarmouth Waterfront Advisory Committee
400 Main St.
Yarmouth, NS B5A 1G2
cao@townofyarmouth.ca
Taxes and Utilities
As Canadians, Nova Scotians, and Yarmouth residents, we enjoy a wonderful lifestyle which is possible through paying taxes and accessing essential utilities. Here's what you need to know about paying taxes and accessing utilities in Yarmouth.
Taxes
Property Taxes
The Town of Yarmouth sends property tax bills to all property owners twice each year. Tax bills are sent out in April, due May 31, and August, due September 30. The tax year covers the fiscal period of April 1st - March 31st. The April “interim bill” will be 60%, based on current year’s taxable assessment, and the last tax rate set by Council. The August “final bill” will be 40%, based on the current year’s taxable assessment, and the new tax rate set by Council, plus a garbage fee per dwelling unit.
The property tax calculation is based on the assessed value of the property multiplied by the applicable tax rate. The assessed value is the capped market value of the property at the base rate as determined by the Property Valuation Services Corporation (PVSC), a department of the Nova Scotia Government since 2008. You can learn more about property assessments from their website.
2024-2025 Property Tax Rates
The tax rates for the 2024/25 tax year are as follows:
| Residential | $1.69 per $100 of Assessment |
| Commercial | $4.31 per $100 of Assessment |
| Resource General | $1.69 per $100 of Assessment |
| Farmland | $2.16 per Acre |
| Garbage | $205 per dwelling unit up to a maximum of 4 (four) dwelling units per building. Other In excess of 4 (four) dwelling units is deemed Commercial and at the owner's expense. Retail and other Commercial type operators are deemed Commercial and at the owner's expense. |
Interest Rate: Interest is applied monthly (14% annually) on the first day of each month after the Tax Due Date.
Paying Municipal Taxes
To learn more about how your municipal taxes are spent, check out our Annual Budget. To pay your property taxes, please see Bill and Ticket Payments.
Federal and Provincial Taxes
The governments of Canada and Nova Scotia have more wide-ranging tax powers and require the filing of income taxes, GST/HST surcharges on purchased goods, business taxes, and other taxes. Learn more about your responsibilities as a resident of Yarmouth on their websites:
Changing of Mailing Address
It is your responsibility to ensure that the correct mailing address is on your property tax account. Where there is more than one owner or more than one address, the Town of Yarmouth will only issue one bill to one address. Request for pdf Change of Mailing Address (95 KB) and return the completed form to Town Hall.
Deed Transfer Tax
The deed transfer tax within the boundaries of the Town of Yarmouth is one percent (1%) of the purchase price of the property.
Property Tax Certificate
The fee for a property tax certificate is $20 per certificate (HST exempt)
Property Tax Sale
Under the authority of Section 134 of the Municipal Government Act, the Town of Yarmouth shall place any property which is in arrears of taxes for the two preceding taxation years on the Tax Sale list. It is mandatory for the municipality to attempt to notify the owner as well as all lien holders of the property regarding the pending sale by issuing a registered letter; however, this is not always possible and the property is then posted with a Tax Sale Notice. If the taxes remain unpaid, the property is advertised in the local paper three times prior to the tax sale.
A tax sale is a public auction with the successful bid being the highest bid at or above the advertised price. The advertised price is the total of all outstanding taxes, lienable charges, penalties, interest, and tax sale costs.
Once the bidding commences, the owner or lienholders will not be able to withdraw the property and must partake in the bidding. If the property has more than six years of outstanding taxes, the successful bidder will receive a Tax Sale Deed and become the new owner of the property.
If the property is less than six years in arrears a Certificate of Sale is issued to the successful bidder and the owner or lien holder will have six months to redeem the property. Only at the end of the redemption period, if the property has not been redeemed, will the title pass to the successful bidder.
Utilities
Water Utility
To connect to the town’s water service, you’ll need to sign a contract with the Yarmouth Water Utility and pay for water and sewer usage. To pay your water/sewer bill, please see Bill and Ticket Payments.
2024-2025 Water and Sewer Rates
The Town of Yarmouth sends water/sewer bills to all property owners quarterly (four times) in the year. Payments made after 30 days from the date rendered as shown on the bill will have applied interest charges of 14% per annum.
| Water and Wastewater Charges (Quarterly charges based on meter size) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Meter size in inches | Water quarterly | Wastewater quarterly |
| 5/8" | $54.87 | $36.51 |
| 3/4" | $80.48 | $54.77 |
| 1" | $131.71 | $91.29 |
| 1.5" | $259.76 | $182.57 |
| 2" | $413.43 | $292.11 |
| 3" | $823.22 | $584.23 |
| 4" | $1,284.23 | $912.85 |
| 6" | $2,564.80 | $1,825.70 |
| 8" | $4,613.73 | $3,286.27 |
| Consumption Rate (per 1000 Imperial Gallons): | |
|---|---|
| 1st Block | (0 to 4,000,000 imp. gal per customer per quarter) $6.27 per 1000 Imp. Gallons |
| 2nd Block | (>4,000,000 imp. gal per customer per quarter) $4.26 per 1000 Imp. Gallons |
Effluent Rate: $4.617/1000 Imp. Gallons
Nova Scotia Power
Electricity is available through Nova Scotia Power (NSP), our province's electric utility. You can create an account with NSP at Nova Scotia Power.
