Photo: Elspeth Mclean-Wilde
As the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg (MODL) nears the end of 2024, Mayor Elspeth McLean-Wile looks ahead to a busy year of collaboration, infrastructure, and addressing local challenges.
In a year-end interview, McLean-Wile shared her thoughts on key priorities for the municipality, including water agreements, public transit, housing, and environmental protection.
A major focus for McLean-Wile and the MODL council is collaboration, especially with neighboring municipalities such as Bridgewater. “We’ve identified key areas where we’d like to focus, and we’ll be sending these back to staff to see how they align with ongoing projects and where we might be able to explore new opportunities,” McLean-Wile said. She is particularly eager to discuss the council’s strategic plans for the next four years at an open session in January. This will include details on how to move forward with regional water agreements, as both the town of Bridgewater and the municipality rely on each other for water supply.
“Water is something I’ve always valued, having been involved in agriculture,” McLean-Wile explained. “It’s critical to plan and maintain our water sources for the future, especially as our region grows.” Ensuring long-term water security will be a key part of the collaboration between the town and municipality.
Public transit is another priority, with the mayor emphasizing the need for better connections between outlying communities like Osprey Village and Bridgewater. “We need to find ways to connect the outlying communities to the town through a more efficient public transit system,” McLean-Wile said. “This will support development in other surrounding areas and ensure better access for residents.”
When asked about the new highway exit under construction, McLean-Wile acknowledged its importance but also noted uncertainty about its exact timeline. “Having that kind of infrastructure in place is really important,” she said. “But it’s also about supporting development. More people and businesses will want to locate here, but we need the infrastructure in place to receive them.”
Housing remains a pressing issue, with McLean-Wile acknowledging that the municipality’s current developments, particularly in Osprey Village, only partially address the broader housing crisis. “The solutions are going to take time, and it’s going to take a lot of work from all of us, not just one municipality,” she stated. She emphasized that housing must be viewed as a community issue, requiring collaboration between municipalities to meet the growing demand for low-income housing.
As someone passionate about environmental issues, McLean-Wile also touched on the municipality’s coastal protection efforts. MODL has already passed new coastal protection regulations, which McLean-Wile praised for their thorough planning. “The work that MODL has done to get the coastal protection in place is a framework,” she said. “By mid-2025, we’ll be hosting community meetings about planning and development strategies for the entire district.”
Looking ahead, McLean-Wile is optimistic about the potential for collaboration and development, particularly as the municipality seeks to balance growth with sustainable planning. “We recognize that we’re better when we’re united rather than working apart,” she said, underlining the importance of cooperative governance in addressing the municipality’s challenges.
