Town Assistant

Please visit the Who’s On Council? section for Council’s cell numbers and email addresses.

The Town has adopted a Community Flag Raising and Flag Protocol Policy. The Town will fly flags that meet this policy, pending approval of a completed application.

Residents have the right to appear as a delegation at a Council meeting if they need to speak to Council as a whole about a specific matter or concern.  

In order to be placed on the agenda as a delegation, the following procedure as per Council’s Rules of Procedure for the Conduct of Meetings must be followed:

• Advance notice in writing is needed from any delegation requesting time to speak at a Council meeting. (The request must include your name, all contact information and the reason to appear as a delegation.)
• Any documents to be brought forward by the delegation need to be made available to Council for advance review.
• Council will discuss the issues of the delegation and review any documents prior to a regular Council meeting.
• The delegation is to be listed on the agenda for the next regular Council meeting after Council has met.
• The delegation will have a set amount of time to speak (five minutes).
• If a delegation consists of several concerned residents, one person will act as spokesperson for the whole delegation.
• The delegation spokesperson will only be allowed to speak on the issue presented to Council and reviewed by Council in advance.
• Council will not make any decisions during the regular Council meeting.
• If the issue presented needs to be dealt with by Council, it will be promptly acted on.
• All decisions, affirmative or negative, will be put in writing back to the delegation and a copy kept on file.

When addressing Council as a delegation:

• follow the instructions of the Mayor or Presiding Officer
• do not enter into debates with Council, staff or other delegations
• do not speak disrespectfully to anyone or use offensive language
• only speak to the issue of concern that was approved
• only speak for the 5-minute allotment unless the time limit is extended

Residents are advised that the request to appear as a delegation and any documents provided to Council will be considered public documents as per section 215 of the Municipalities Act, 1999, and subject to review by the general public.

Please send your requests to Petrina Power, A/Town Clerk – Executive Clerk at [email protected].

You can also hand deliver or mail your requests to:

Town of Marystown
P.O. Box 1118
150-168 Ville Marie Drive
Marystown, NL
A0E 2M0

Yes, we do! You can download it from the Apple Store or Google Play Store by searching Town of Marystown.

The Town provides dog and cat tags at no charge. The tag number is recorded for the purpose of reuniting you with your lost pet if they are found by Town staff.

The Town has Cat Regulations and Dog Regulations that must be adhered to. If you have complaints, call the Animal Control Officer at 277-0945.

To report a case of animal abuse or neglect, call the Animal Control at 277-0945. If you feel that the situation is an emergency that must be dealt with immediately, call the RCMP at 279-3001.

An illegal dump site can be reported to the Director of Planning & Development Control at 279-1661 ext. 258.

Call the Director of Planning & Development Control at 279-1661 ext. 258 to sponsor a sign – the cost is $500.00.

The Town hosts a Community Clean-Up once a year, which is advertised on the Town’s website, social media and Town app. The Town encourages residents to keep our community clean all year-round.

A property assessment is the determination of a property’s market value for the purpose of property taxation. An assessor typically determines a property’s assessed value based on factors such as location, size, age, and local real estate market conditions on a specific reference date. The assessment of your property also consists of the applicable property class and any tax exemptions that apply to it.

Properties in Newfoundland are assessed every year to ensure assessment values keep pace with changing real estate market values.

There are several reasons why your property assessment may change as follows:

• buildings on your property age over time and consequently depreciate resulting in a lower market value and property assessment; maintenance and renovations can reduce the amount of depreciation;
• significant improvements such as building a deck, an accessory building, an extension or any other renovation may add to your property’s market value and increase your property assessment;
• supply and demand as well as market preferences change over time;
• changes in your neighbourhood like a new school, park or other improvements may add to your property’s market value and property assessment.

If the usage of your property has changed (ie., from a grocery store to an office), it may fall into a different class of taxes.

Tax rates and fees can change each year. Click here for current tax rates and fees.

The Municipal Assessment Agency determines your property’s market value and the Town uses that assessed value to calculate your property taxes.

Property tax is calculated as per the following:
Taxable Assessed Value x Mil Rate ÷ 1000 = Property Tax
(ie., $240,000.00 assessed value of property x 7.0 mil rate ÷ 1000 = $1,680.00 property tax)

Unless stated otherwise, property taxes are due by 4:30 p.m. on March 31st or, in the event of March 31st falling on the weekend, the last business day of March. Due dates are clearly printed on all tax notices as well as the Town’s Tax Structure, which is posted online, in the newspaper and at the Town Office. Taxes paid after this date are subject to interest charges.

There are four ways to pay taxes:

• In person at the Town Hall
• Mail a cheque
• Call in your credit card information
• Send an EMT to [email protected]

When sending payment by cheque or EMT, make sure to include as much information as possible (tax account number, civic/mailing address, email, phone number, etc.) so we can ensure the funds are applied to the right account and you receive your receipt.

No, you cannot appeal your taxes but you can appeal your property assessment.

If you disagree with your assessment, the first step is to contact the Municipal Assessment Agency for an explanation of the basis of your assessment and why it may have changed.

If you still do not agree with your assessment, even after speaking with the MAA, you may apply to the MAA for a reassessment.

If you miss the deadline to appeal your assessment, you must wait until the next year to file an appeal.

The Town takes every reasonable step to ensure property and business owners receive a tax bill. In addition, it is the responsibility of the property/business owner to be aware of annual taxes and due dates.

Call the Town Office if you require information about your tax account or to confirm your address.

The Ten (10) Month Equal Payment Plan is offered to residents whose accounts are in good standing with the Town. The plan is usually offered in January of each year with a sign-up deadline in February. Residents may choose to submit a Direct Withdrawal Form from their bank with payments deducted on the 1st of each month or the next business day if the 1st falls on the weekend or a statutory holiday, with deductions starting in March. Residents can also submit ten post-dated cheques dated for the 1st of each month (March-December).

The roll number for your property is shown on your assessment notice and on your tax bills/statements.

Yes, the Department does tours for all types of groups. Please call the Fire Chief at 279- 2226 to arrange it.

The Marystown Volunteer Fire Department does not offer ride-alongs to the general public.

No, smoke detectors can be purchased locally.

If a fire hydrant is leaking or broken, it can be reported to the Director of Operations & Public Works at 277-1402.

No, the Department does not offer this training.

Yes, as long as you follow the Town’s Outdoor Fire Regulations.

No, the closest place to have a fire extinguisher inspected is at Valmin Fire Protection in Clarenville.

Fire extinguishers are considered a household hazardous waste and should be properly disposed of. Contact Burin Peninsula Waste Management at 891-1717 on proper disposal.

The Junior Firefighters Program first began in September 2016 for local students attending Grades 11 and 12. The program covers topics such as fire extinguishers, first aid, fire hose and nozzles, pump operations, ice and water rescue and much more. The program is twelve weeks in length with Drill Nights on Wednesdays/Thursdays. For more information, visit the Marystown Volunteer Fire Department’s website.

You can contact the Director of Planning & Development Control at 279-1661 ext. 258.

A development permit is required for any construction, renovation or addition to any property due to potential requirements for municipal inspections, provincial inspections, fire and life safety inspections, etc.

Permits are also required for any type of general repairs such as the replacement of siding, shingles, windows/doors, decks/steps, driveway paving, etc. A general repairs permit can be issued on the spot without application as long as the work is minor and there are no structural changes taking place.

Any development that takes place without a permit is subject to a Stop Work Order.

Permit fees vary as per our fee schedule.

Building permits (white) are valid for two years from the date they are issued. General Repairs permits (blue) are valid until the end of the calendar year only.

You can report damaged/non-functioning street lights to NL Power here or call the Director of Planning & Development Control at 279-1661 ext. 258.

Streets designated as ‘priority’ or thoroughfares are plowed first (ie., Ville Marie Drive or Creston Boulevard) as they carry the higher volume of traffic. Once these are open, the remainder of the streets are addressed. Once all streets have been opened, the plow operators will work on widening the streets and pushing snow further back from the edge of the street.

Owners and/or occupants of residential and business properties are responsible for keeping their driveways clear to the edge of the street. As snow gathers on plows as the Operators push it down the street, some snow will be deposited into your driveway. Unfortunately, the Town does not have the resources to return and remove it.

As per the Town’s Snow Clearing Regulations, it is prohibited to do either.

The municipality needs to periodically release water from the hydrants in order to test them to ensure adequate flow and pressure or to remove sediment from pipes to maintain water clarity and quality.

Repairs to water lines may cause temporary instances of discoloured water or sediment in the water. Wait two hours for the sediment to settle and run the cold water for a short period of time (5-10 minutes) until the water runs clear. Do not use a hot water tap as this may draw sediment into your hot water tank and do not use a tap with a filter connected to it. You may need to remove and clean your tap screen.

The Department of Municipal Affairs and Environment prepares reports on drinking water quality for Marystown here.

The Town is no longer responsible for garbage collection. The Burin Peninsula Regional Service Board is responsible for garbage collection for the entire peninsula. If your garbage was not collected or you have any questions regarding waste management, please call 891-1717.

Rental fees vary as per our fee schedule.

The cost for one year of advertising on the rink boards is $300.00 including HST per year. Businesses must provide their own sign. Contact the Director of Recreation & Community Services at 279-1661 ext. 231 for more information.

The Town’s dog park is located adjacent to the Kinsmen softball field at the Track & Field complex off Harris Drive. Dogs must be leashed until inside the park. Rules for using the park are posted.