Don't Miss a Thing
Event Program
- Day 1 / October 6
- Day 2 / October 7
- Day 3 / October 8
7:00 - 8:00
Fun Run
DoubleTree Main Entrance
8:00 - 9:00
Registration
Ballroom Foyer
Come pick up your badge and program for the conference8:00 - 8:30
Early Bird Draws
City Terrace
Join our exhibitors for a morning networking session and a chance to win some prizes from other municipalities8:30 - 9:00
Opening Cermonies
Lake City Ballroom
Join President Dolter and guests to kick off our 2021 Fall Conference9:00 - 10:30
Building Back Better AC/DC (After COVID/ During COVID)
Buhle Dlamini / Lake City Ballroom
We knew the 2020s was going to be a decade of disruptive change – nobody knew how much and how early that would happen. Covid-19 is the biggest disruptor in a generation, and yet it won’t be the last disruption your organization and industry will face in the next few years. Smart leaders need to keep ahead of these changes by anticipating them and developing a future-focused skill set. The most successful companies are going to be those that build future thinking, adaptability, and innovation into their very DNA. To do this, we need a new toolkit of skills for the leaders and their teams who are navigating exponential change and build back better!10:30 - 11:00
Tradeshow Refreshment Break
City Terrace
Join our exhibitors for a morning networking session and some morning snacks before the next session11:00 - 12:00
Changing Demographics: Implications for Municipalities
Don Mills / Lake City Ballroom
In this session, Don will present the latest population trends in Nova Scotia with a specific focus on the importance of population growth in economic growth. He will look at the impending labour force challenges and the need for a population growth strategy for every community. In addition, he will examine the role of immigration attraction and retention in growing local economies and address some of the attitudinal barriers that exist in the region. He will look at the success factors needed to ensure that local communities prosper economically based on successful models in Atlantic Canada. He will provide a list of specific recommendations for municipalities looking to grow their local economies12:00 - 1:00
Wellness Luncheon
City Terrace
1:00 - 2:00
Concurrent Session 1 - Socially Responsible Purchasing
Jane Pryor / McNab AB
Whether intentional or not, every purchase has an economic, social, and environmental impact. Social Procurement is about trying to make positive contributions to the local economy and overall vibrancy for the community when purchasing goods. This session will provide information on how municipalities, big and small, can be more socially responsible when purchasing goods.1:00 - 2:00
Concurrent Session 2 - Emergency Preparedness
Dominic Fewer / Lake City Ballroom
The session would look at providing advice and knowledge to assist municipalities in the development and implementation of emergency plans. As well as, what needs to be involved in the design and delivery to ensure a proper approach to emergency planning, as well as providing practical examples from across Nova Scotia.2:00 - 2:30
Tradeshow Refreshment Break
City Terrace
Join our exhibitors for an afternoon networking session and some snacks before the next session2:30 - 3:30
Community of Practice Roundtable Talks
Lake City Ballroom
We recognize that sometimes it’s nice to sit and talk to colleagues in similar job functions. That’s why we have set aside some time for you to do just that. Join a discussion group to share common problems, best practices, hot topics and, learn together and from each other. Topic tables include, but are not limited to:
• Finance
• IT
• Communications
• Procurement
• Administrative Support
• HR
• DMA – Talk to a rep
• CAO
6:00 - 9:30
Offsite Dinner/ Trivia
The Lower Deck
8:00 - 9:00
Registration
Ballroom Foyer
Come pick up your badge and program for the conference8:00 - 8:30
Early Bird Draws
City Terrace
Join our exhibitors for a morning networking session and a chance to win some prizes from other municipalities.8:30 - 9:45
Keynote Presentation - How to Regain Focus, Recharge Your Life, and Really Get Sh!t Done
Michelle Cederberg / Lake City Ballroom
In an age of disengagement, distraction and fatigue further exacerbated by the ongoing pandemic, how we work and live has been tested. We’re busy, stretched, and stressed, and as we navigate the constant change and uncertainty, it can feel difficult to stay positive, and do our best work.
By using the wisdom of science and your own innate common sense, you can combat what Health and Productivity Expert Michelle Cederberg calls 21st-and-a-quarter-century stress, and tap into a well of energy that will reduce overwhelm and stress in every area of your life.
Full of hilarious stories, anecdotes, and innovative strategies, you’ll leave this session with a renewed sense that it's possible to break free from stress and drive your own success, through the pandemic and beyond. That’s Success-Energy, and it’s a formula worth calculating.9:45 - 10:30
Annual General Meeting
Lake City Ballroom
Join our Association's president and other members of the Executive Committee for an update on the work that's been completed in the last year and what to expect over the next year.10:30 - 11:00
Tradeshow Refreshment Break
City Terrace
Join our exhibitors for a morning networking session and some light snacks11:00 - 12:00
Concurrent Session 1 - Answering those Burning Legal Questions
Noella Martin, Q.C., Wickwire Holms / McNab AB
11:00 - 12:00
Concurrent Session 2 - The Future of Services: What Will Food, Air, And Sea Look Like After Covid?
Marlene Usher, CEO Port of Sydney Development Corporation; Lil MacPherson, President & Co-Owner of The Wooden Monkey; Joyce Carter, President & CEO, Halifax International Airport Authority. / Lake City Ballroom
You don’t know what you’ve got ‘til it’s gone. Covid-19 revealed the everyday activities many people take for granted until they’re no longer for an option—like eating out in a restaurant or traveling. The pandemic has rocked the restaurant and tourism industries and showed just how agile it isn’t. Faced with challenges, restaurants, airports, and seaports had to quickly adjust the way they operate with the hopes of staying afloat. Now, almost 2 years into the pandemic, we can see how the travel and restaurant industries will be permanently changed by Covid-19. In many cases, the pandemic is a chance for airports, seaports and restaurants to innovate and find new, creative ways to attract customers.12:00 - 1:00
Luncheon
Lake City Ballroom
1:00 - 1:30
Presenting Sponsor
Join our presenting sponsor, Safety Services, for an update on the emerging safety trends in Nova Scotia.
1:30 - 2:30
Provincial Update
TBD / Lake City Ballroom
2:30 - 3:00
Tradeshow Refreshment Break
City Terrace
Join our exhibitors for an afternoon networking session and some light snacks3:00 - 4:00
Embracing the Younger Worker: How cultivating an age-friendly workplace can ease your retention challenges and help to position you as an “Employer of Choice”
Debbie Lawrence / Lake City Ballroom
Ask any business in Nova Scotia and they will tell you that attracting and retaining skilled, knowledgeable, engaged, and talented employees is key to their success. Creating a balanced workplace poised for success starts with employing people of all ages - and that includes Millennials and Gen Zers. This is especially important given that, as of 2020, one in every two employees in Canada is a Millennial or Gen Z. This session is an ideal opportunity to learn the seven reasons why 60% of Millennials say they switch off within the first six months of a new job and what you can do as an employer to cultivate a workplace that readily responds to their needs. You'll gain an understanding of a dozen strategies that will help to engage the millennial and Gen Z generation and bring out the best they have to offer.6:00 - 6:30
President's Reception
City Terrace
6:30 - 8:30
President's Banquet
Lake City Ballroom
8:30 - 11:00
Hospitality Suite
Harbourside Terrace
8:30 - 9:30
Concurrent Session 1 - Municipal Innovation Projects
John Bain, Eastern District Planning Commission; Glenn Horne, Municipality of the County of Antigonish / McNab AB
Earlier this year, the Nova Scotia government announced the first investments under the Municipal Innovation Program – a new program that supports municipalities working together on economic development and planning projects.
The Municipal Innovation Program was created in consultation with the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities and the Association of Municipal Administrators Nova Scotia and provides provincial funding for up to 75 per cent of eligible project costs.
This session will showcase how program participants are utilizing Municipal Innovation Program funding to work together on regional land use planning, an inter-municipal IT service, and solid waste collaboration and highlight the lessons they have learned.
8:30 - 9:30
Concurrent Session 2 - Strengthening our Municipal Coastal Climate Resilience
Nancy Anningson, Coastal Adaptation Senior Coordinator, Ecology Action Centre; John Somers, Coastal Protection Act Lead, Nova Scotia Environment & Climate Change; Danika van Proosdij, Coastal Geomorphologist/Professor, Saint Mary’s University/TransCoastal Adaptation; Samantha Page, Climate Change Adaptation Specialist, Halifax Regional Municipality / Lake City Ballroom
With the release of the newest global climate report in August, it’s clearer than ever that adapting to climate impacts is not just a choice, but a necessity. As a primarily coastal province, the impacts of sea level rise and extreme water levels along with development pressure in coastal areas and vulnerable coastal ecosystems are issues that require attention, especially at the municipal level. Join us for a panel presentation and discussion on municipal coastal resilience in a changing climate as we cover topics of coastal challenges in Nova Scotia, nature-based solutions, the new provincial Coastal Protection Act, and HRM’s new climate action plan; HalifACT.9:30 - 9:45
Small Break
City Terrace
9:45 - 11:15
Keynote Presentation - A Deeper Dive: Understanding Diversity, Inclusion and Equity
Bradley Sheppard / Lake City Ballroom
Brad’s talk will focus on our unseen layers of diversity and how they inform individual thoughts, attitudes, and behavior. He will help define inclusion and what inclusion can look like in the workplace. During his interactive talk (yes, he wants you to participate), he will explore systemic issues plaguing today's society. Intended or unintended. Brad's relaxed style will make people feel comfortable. He encourages you to bring an open mind and open heart
11:15
Grand Prize Draw
Lake City Ballroom
Sponsored by Frank Cowan - must be in attendance to winSupporting Our Conference
Event Sponsors
Our Presenting Sponsor
Our Supporting Sponsors
