Legal Department

Mandate

It is the mandate of the CBRM Legal Department to provide legal counsel and related legal services relative to municipal issues to the Mayor and Council, the various Committees established by Council, as well as to the Administration and staff of the CBRM.

The Legal Department deals with a wide range of legal matters, some of which include the following:

Municipal By-Law Prosecutions;
Defending the CBRM in court actions;
Representing the CBRM before various tribunals and administrative boards;
Processing claims against the Municipality (i.e., personal injury, property damage, etc.);
Preparation of final documentation with respect to tax sales, purchase of municipal property, etc.
Drafting Municipal By-Laws for consideration/approval by Council;
Interpreting Legal Statutes for Council and municipal staff;
Contracts and Agreements;
Property-related issues;
Labour matters and arbitrations

Mr. Demetri Kachafanas, BA, BBA, LLB, LLM
Regional Solicitor
(902) 563-5047
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Ms. Tara Olsvik
Executive Legal Assistant
(902) 563-5045
This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Reference

Since April 1, 1999 all municipalities in the Province of Nova Scotia are governed by the provisions of the Municipal Government Act of Nova Scotia.

Claims

To file a Claim with the Legal Department, please do so in writing including the following information:

Type of claim (Property Damage, Vehicle Damage, Sewer Claim, Personal Injury Claim, Water Damage Claim, etc.);
Date and time of alleged incident;
Where the alleged incident took place;
Full particulars, including a chronology of events leading up to the alleged incident and action taken following same;
Advise if the alleged incident was reported to any CBRM staff and/or police agency;
Advise if medical attention was sought and, if so, provide medical information if available;
Provide any estimates for repairs;
Any other pertinent information; and
Be sure to include your mailing address and phone number.

You may contact our office via telephone at (902) 563-5045 for claim information, however, a written submission must be provided in order for our staff to begin processing your claim.

Service of Legal Documentation

The Legal Department does NOT accept service of Notices of Claims or Originating Notices. This legal documentation should be served personally on the Municipal Clerk.

General Public

The Legal Department is NOT mandated to provide legal advice to the general public. All inquiries of a personal, legal nature should be directed to a lawyer of one's choice.

Contact Information

We can be reached via email at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.; via fax at (902) 563-5137; or at our mailing address:

Office of the Regional Solicitor
320 Esplanade
Suite 401
Sydney, Nova Scotia
B1P 7B9

Inquiries Regarding the Purchase of Municipal Property

The office of the Regional Solicitor handles the processing of the final documentation relative to the purchase of any municipal property. If you are interested in purchasing property assessed to CBRM, you must first contact our Property Management Services division. The contact person is (902) 563-5045.