In working to develop a strategy to help grow Lunenburg County, we sent a survey out to our network and members of our community that have moved to the area.  What better way to find out the decision making process for moving to Lunenburg County than to ask the actual people who have moved here. 

We were fortunate enough to have 74 respondents (54 from Lunenburg County) to our survey. Below is a quick list of interesting results from the survey:

• We asked respondents to identify their top three priorities for moving to Nova Scotia.  Pace of life, cost of living and employment opportunities were the three major priorities in the decision to move to Lunenburg County. These top priorities had quite a large margin over education, recreation, and culture.  Diversity was the lowest ranked priority.
• 51 of respondents had lived in more than 2 other places prior to moving to Nova Scotia.  This may be an indication of the more globally connected society we live in, but it was refreshing to see that the majority of respondents have lived in Nova Scotia for over 5 years, which hopefully means that some roots are taking place in our beautiful province.
• There tended to be a theme of three major challenges faced by new arrivals to Nova Scotia; finding employment, gaining acceptance into the community, and working through red tape, for example getting a driver’s license or health card.
• All but 7 of the respondents have recommended to someone else that he/she should consider moving to Nova Scotia. For those not recommending Nova Scotia, the primary concern focused on the lack of employment opportunities in the area.

This survey was short and the sample size is relative but we were looking to gather information quickly as we continue to work through our focus on population growth in Lunenburg County.  Respondents provided us with excellent and thoughtful answers to our questions. This information will inform us as we continue our work.

​Taking Action: community tools to support youth, newcomers & innovation

Inspired Conversations is the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia’s annual initiative that brings together business leaders, community builders, and philanthropists from across the province to discuss the evolving role of philanthropy and the exciting opportunities it can create in rural communities.

This year we've teamed up with the Nebraska Community Foundation to learn from their unique and inspiring model that uses philanthropy as an effective tool for rural revitalization. It's the perfect time to start adapting some of these tools in Nova Scotia and we want you to share in the learning.  

Join us for a webinar on August 23rd, 2016 @ 12:30pm (AST) you will hear from Jeff Yost, President & CEO of the Nebraska Community Foundation as he sets the stage for how community funds have sparked economic development, kept/attracted youth and dramatically changed even the smallest of communities in Nebraska. Register now to reserve your spot for this FREE Webinar. 

This is the kick-off to our 2016 Inspired Conversations Series which continues in September with 3 community work-sessions and a panel discussion in Sydney, Antigonish and Lunenburg.

If you want to continue the discussion, join us in person on September 21st at the Mahone Bay Centre for a morning workshop. Reserve your seat today! It's going to be an inspiring conversation that you won't want to miss! 

For more information visit the Community Foundation of Nova Scotia.

​Over the last two years NOW Lunenburg County has been working within our community in response to the Ivany “Now or Never” report.  Throughout the course of our work we have organized three large open public meetings, worked with several community initiatives, convened smaller business groups to develop  action plans focused on the labour challenges of Lunenburg County; all while gathering data on the economic, social and educational challenges facing Lunenburg County.

NOW LC has always held the intention of moving the conversation towards action. All of this work has cumulated with the hiring of a full time Population Growth Coordinator, Tina Hennigar. The role of the Coordinator is to increase the population growth and promote Lunenburg County as a place where it's possible to create a life you love.  

One thing was clear when Tina began her role at NOW LC, waiting for people to come to Lunenburg County would not work. She would have to go out and find them and tell people about the incredible life that awaits them in Lunenburg County! In response she created an office on wheels. The NOW LC RV is a mobile office and billboard. People who are intrigued by the notion of moving to Lunenburg County and creating a life they love, can come in, have a coffee, and discover jobs, real estate and investment opportunities, as well as activities and events that are available here.  
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We have big plans for this project, and you will certainly hear more soon so stay tuned! In the meantime, we invite you to visit the NOW LC RV at Christmas on the Lahave, Saturday November 26 on King Street in Bridgewater.  Please stop in and say hello.  If you you have information or news to share with Tina, you can reach her at tina@nowlunenburgcounty.com or call her at 902-523-5725.

Don't forget to connect with us on Facebook. Join our Facebook page and share information about jobs, homes for sale or rent in the area as well as investment opportunities.

Lastly, check out our new website and share with friends who want to move home. Our website has been updated with information on real estate, rental properties, employment opportunities, and information on investing opportunities, such as starting a small business in Lunenburg County.