Our objectives are to support and improve Woodbine community living through sharing information, having community events and opportunities. We are not a third party liaison or mediator, and do not solve individual problems between a resident and park management.
Embedded Files
Community Presentation for the Woodbine 91 that filed with Dalhousie Legal Aid Service in November 2024
Community Presentation for the Woodbine 91 that filed with Dalhousie Legal Aid Service in November 2024
We thank you for blazing the trail for other Land Lease residents in the Province
We thank you for blazing the trail for other Land Lease residents in the Province
Hall Capacity is 60, if one person from each of the 91 could attend, it's greatly appreciated.
Water Metering to End in Land Lease Communities
Water Metering to End in Land Lease Communities
June 9, 2025
Two Beaver Bank Nova Scotia residents, Nicole Herd and Eloise Graves, have successfully challenged the water metering of Westphal Court Ltd.
They had first filed a Residential Tenancy Hearing when Policy 45 on Water Meters was issued in March 2023. That policy stated installing water meters on Land Lease Community homes went against the Residential Tenancy Act, but did not include homes with the meters installed.
Their Tenancy Hearing was dismissed and they sought assistance from Nova Scotia Legal Aid for a Small Claims Court Appeal.
In Small Claims Court, Nicole and Eloise were both successful and were awarded cost on meter/reader installation, billing, removal and any damages caused in removal. The Adjudicator also ruled that :
[71] I also find that the Policy, in excluding a specific class of tenant from a remedy (those having water meters) from the correct interpretation of the Act, is in violation of the RTA, and that that portion is of no effect as a result.
https://decisions.courts.ns.ca/nsc/nssm/en/item/522655/index.do
Westphal Court Ltd. filed an appeal to The Supreme Court of Nova Scotia, that the small claims court adjudicator had made errors in law. Policy 45 should be legally binding, therefore residents with water meters installed should continue to be billed.
The Nova Scotia Supreme Court dismissed the Appeal :
"[31] The appeal is dismissed with costs, as prescribed in the Small Claims Court regulations, to the respondents. There should be two orders prepared by respondents' counsel, one for each respondent."
https://decisia.lexum.com/nsc/nssc/en/item/523096/index.do
Residents Nicole Herd, Eloise Graves and Megan Deveaux, Nova Scotia Legal Aid. Photo by Lyle Mailman
The effect of this successful challenge reinforces that Water is paid as part of rent in a Land Lease Community. This has always been in the Residential tenancy Act. Policy 45 will have to be amended as all rules have to apply fairly to each resident in the community.
Other residents have filed for a residential Tenancy Hearing to be reimbursed and have the meter removed from their home, and those hearings have been on adjournment without day (recess) until this decision has been finalized.
Now, each resident in Nova Scotia, living in a Land Lease Community forced to install a water meter will have to file a Form J Dispute Resolution Form to stop water billing, be reimbursed for water meter/reader/replacement and have the unit removed from their home with any expenses for damages because of the removal.
The Woodbine Community Nova Scotia Non-Profit Society, for 4 years, has researched and held community meetings with our elected officials, Legal Aid, Dal Legal Aid, Residential Tenancies Program staff and other community partners. Giving Nova Scotia residents a voice that hasn't been heard for 20+ years when the provinces Manufactured Home Advisory Committee stopped meeting. The committee will be evolving to the Land Lease Residents of Nova Scotia Non Profit Society, with Woodbine and other parks forming subcommittees to help share the information gathered to their residents.
Letter to Honorable Minister Jill Balser, Service Nova Scotia and the Residential Tenancy Act for Immediate Revision of Policy 45 - Water Meter Installation in Land Lease Communities - June 13, 2025
June 13 2025 letter to Min. Jill Balser (1).pdfResidential Tenancies needs a Land Lease Communities Modernization Project as a Budget Item
We've written a letter to the Newly Appointed Minister responsible for the Residential Tenancy Act, Winter 2024/25
Welcome letter to Min. Jill Balser (2).pdfMin. Jill Balser January 2025.pdf.pdfThe Manufactured Home Advisory Committee is already in the Residential Tenancies Act
Fall 2023 We wrote a letter to the Appointed Minister responsible for the Residential Tenancy Act
MANUFACTURED-HOME ADVISORY COMMITTEE Initiation Letter Woodbine (2).pdfMinister LeBlanc November 2023.pdfWednesday November 20th 2024 11am - Woodbine Residents, Dalhousie Legal and Woodbine Community NS File and wait to hear on Group Hearing
Getting the Community Together
Going over the Documents
Gather 90+ Form J to file
Submit to the Residential Tenancies Office
Other communities calling for changes... Valley Gate in East Hants...
Other communities calling for changes... Valley Gate in East Hants...
Newsletter 6 Spring 2025 Woodbine Community NS.pdf
Our Newsletters will be out in the Spring and Fall each year
Paper Copies will be available then at our
New Entranceway Signs
You can reach us at WoodbineCommunityNS@gmail.com
Community Meetings
Community Meetings
We have our Annual General Meeting in April and Our Fall Meeting in September
Wills, Estates, Inheritance and the Residential Tenancies Program
Wills, Estates, Inheritance and the Residential Tenancies Program
The Woodbine Community NS Fall Community Meeting had our Fall Community Meeting and unfortunately, the lawyer from the NS Legal Information Society was Ill.
A lawyer is necessary to discuss Wills, Estates, Probate and that will be rescheduled.
Dal Legal Aid was able to present on what Residential Tenancies actions residents should take to help prevent hardship for next of kin.
There is a termination of tenancy when a sole tenant passes away.
A tenant is an heir, assign or personal representative. So they can File a Form J if there is a dispute.
It is good practice to have people added to the lease now or have a lease assignment completed if someone is caring for an older resident.
There is much more information to be gathered and worked on with Residential Tenancies.
There is a PowerPoint and information we'll share on www.WoodbineCommunityNS.com
After we have the NS Legal Information Society Meeting rescheduled. This is the beginning of a conversation with our community partners.
Water Meter and Billing Update
Water Meter and Billing Update
On Water Meters with Dal Legal Aid and NS Legal Aid presenting:
1) Collect copies of your water bills and any paper work on water meter or reader purchasing. (Money order/Community Guidelines Schedule C/emails...)
This includes people that have sold within a year and residents in other communities.
2) For online filing, Set up a 'My NS account'.
When you press start at bottom of the page, myNS will show up.
https://beta.novascotia.ca/application-director-resolve-dispute-between-landlord-and-tenant-form-j
3) For paper filing you can pick up Form J copies at Access Nova Scotia, grab one for a neighbour too.
4) We'll have more information on a guiding template for what to include in a week's time for Form J filing 'Dispute Resolution'. There is a $31.15 fee for filing that is reimbursed when successful.
Stay tuned.
We'll be scheduling a meeting/form J Filing workshop at a larger Sackville School location.
Stay tuned.
www.WoodbineCommunityNS.com will have sharable updates.
Dal Legal Aid contact:
https://www.dal.ca/faculty/law/dlas/contact-us.html
Our 2024 Free Summer Concert was a Great Success ...
Our 2024 Free Summer Concert was a Great Success ...
We are greatful for our main sponsor Mucho Burrito and all of our Community Supporters. Our volunteers, musicians and sound made for a memorable, affordable event for our community. Acadia Hall has a wonderful space for events. Five Little Monkeys Entertainment had wonderful creations for the children and The Laker News covered it.
Thank you for attending and we look forward to next year.
https://thelaker.ca/photos-video-big-crowd-at-concert-in-the-park/
Thank You
To all the attendees, talent and community supporters for making this possible in 2023
Having this event with the Acadia Rec Club Food Truck Rally was a great experience for the community
Jon Cyr, Jackson Weldon, Michelle Calder, Lyle and Evan Mailman for performing
Pat Leonard for providing sound
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