Amherst, Nova Scotia

5 CIVIL AND MUNICIPAL VOLUME 3, ISSUE 7 offices of Indigenous and Northern Affairs. Smaller businesses and services make up a considerable portion of employment within the community. As MacDonald asserts, “Our hospitals and our schools and our plethora of downtown mom and pop businesses, they’re not insignificant when you add them up as well.” When it comes to skills training, Amherst has the benefit of a portion of the Cumberland Campus of the Nova Scotia Community College, as well as the Amherst Regional High School. Mount Allison University is only 10 minutes away in the Town of Sackville and is another resource for workforce training. Along with ensuring a skilled workforce, supporting business at all levels is a priority. MacDonald adds, “Our local business connector, in partnership with the town and the Amherst & Area Chamber of Commerce, puts on local business educational programs for those that could benefit from additional training or ideas.” Partnering with the Municipality of the County of Cumberland, Amherst is working on a tourism strategy promoting the entire region. “From the council perspective, that’s a priority,” says Mayor Kogan. “We have a wonderful place for people to come and visit. It’s just a question then of how to get the word out.” With so much to offer, this regional marketing campaign highlights beautiful beaches on the north shore, and the Bay of Fundy with its rugged cliffs and high tides on the southern side. “So, you have one that’s more typical beach and one is more adventurous,” says MacDonald. On the Fundy side, tourists can explore the Joggins Fossil Cliffs, a UNESCO World Heritage site with fossils dating 100 million years before dinosaurs. Another draw for tourists, the Wentworth Valley is a four-season attraction, with mountain trails and skiing, while the Northumberland shore boasts golf at the famous Fox Harb’r Resort, a major attraction built by Ron Joyce (former owner of Tim Hortons restaurants).