Welcome to the Town of Yarmouth
On the Edge of Everywhere
Backyard Fire Permit
Apply for a Backyard Fire Permit
In 2021, Council approved the pdf "Open-Air Burning Bylaw".(190 KB) The bylaw allows property owners to apply for a permit to have backyard fires when the proper conditions are met.
To apply for a permit, please follow these steps:
- Download, print and complete the form by hand, or by filling in and submitting by email/online. A copy of the PDF form is below.
- Complete the Plot Plan to show the location of the fire pit. Please show all distances from the proposed fire pit to your home, deck, and garage and to any trees (including overhead), hedges or shrubs. The minimum distance is 15 feet (4.6 metres)
- Take a photograph of the completed fire pit in its location and email it to yarmouthfiredept@townofyarmouth.ca or attach it to your application.
- If you print and fill it in by hand, please bring the completed application to Yarmouth Town Hall, 400 Main Street. Online submissions can be signed at the time of the site visit.
- Pay the $50 permit fee at Town Hall when you drop off the application, or after you submit the form online.
- Within 3-5 days an official from the Yarmouth Fire Department will contact you to arrange a site visit to finalize your permit application and receive final signatures.
Before you apply, it is recommended that you read the bylaw to ensure your property is appropriate. You MUST be the property owner to apply. pdf Download a copy of the by-law.(190 KB)
Recreational Burn Permit Application Form
Please note: if you wish to submit this application online, you will need to have Adobe Acrobat Reader or another PDF application installed. You may download Acrobat for free.
After clicking the link to the permit below, click the download button in the top right corner of your browser. Choose where to save the application, then open the file from that location. To submit the form through email, fill in the details and then click the "Email Application Now" button at the bottom of the application. A window will pop up, click continue.
If you wish to complete it by hand, simply download the PDF file and print it.
Download the Recreational Burn Permit application
FAQs
Q: Do I need to be the property owner for the civic address I'm applying for?
A: Yes, you must be the property owner.
Q: Do I need a permit to use my propane fire pit?
A: No, this permit is for the burning of seasoned wood (not waste) in approved fire pits with a screen arrestor. You do not need a permit for propane appliances.
Q: Can I locate the fire pit anywhere on my property?
A: The fire pit must be located in your backyard. It also needs to be a minimum of 15 feet (4.6 meters) away from your house, deck, outbuildings, trees, and other combustibles.
Q: Can I burn at any hour I want? What restrictions are in place for burn times?
A: Open-air burning must not be started any earlier than 7:00 pm Monday to Friday, and not earlier than 2:00 pm on weekends or holidays, or such other time as determined by the Fire Chief, and be extinguished by 12:00 am (midnight).
Q: How long is my permit good for?
A: Permits issued expire on December 31st and must be renewed annually.
Q: Are there days I cannot burn? How will I know if there is a ban on burning?
A: No burning will be allowed when Environment Canada or Nova Scotia Environment have issued an Air Quality Advisory applicable to the area, or when it's foggy. The Fire Chief or Nova Scotia Lands and Forestry may declare a burn restriction such as a Fire Ban or No-Burn Day against outdoor burning when atmospheric conditions or local circumstances make such fires hazardous. Daily notifications are posted at approximately 2 pm whether a burn restriction is in effect on the Town of Yarmouth website home page (scroll down to the news feed area on the home page ("Latest News & Notices" section). Also, no burning is allowed when wind speeds are 20km/h or higher.
Arts & Entertainment
Yarmouth has a rich local cultural scene with art galleries and a regional arts centre that regularly features professional and amateur artists.
Th'YARC (The Yarmouth Arts Regional Centre) is the largest multi-function performance centre in southwestern Nova Scotia. With a mandate to educate, entertain and promote the performing and visual arts in southwestern Nova Scotia, it regularly features everything from dramatic plays to comedies and musicals.
The centre boasts a 343-soft-seat theatre with a fly tower, an art gallery, an artist studio, an etching studio, and a costume studio. It operates year-round with a staff of three, plus roughly 300 volunteers.
Th'YARC Playhouse and Arts Centre
76 Parade Street
Yarmouth, NS B5A 3B4
902-742-8150
Hours Tuesday -Friday 10 am - 5 pm
The Western Branch of the Art Gallery of Nova Scotia is located in the former Royal Bank building at 341 Main Street. Its establishment helps to fulfill the Gallery's mandate to make art more accessible across the province and bring the visual arts and Nova Scotians together.
341 Main Street
Yarmouth, NS B5A 1E7
(902)-749-2248
Hours:
Monday - Tuesday Closed
Wednesday - Friday 11 am - 4 pm
Saturday - Sunday noon - 4 pm
Yarmouth Music Society
The Yarmouth Music Society is a registered non-profit society that makes a 7-foot Yamaha concert grand piano available for scheduled music events for students of area teachers; solo recital opportunities for intermediate and advanced students; educational workshops and master classes; and concerts with visiting professional musicians.
The piano is housed in the education room at the Yarmouth County Museum. The society is responsible for the costs of maintaining the piano, and its primary source of funding is through membership. Membership in the society is open to anyone with an interest in music. Dues are $25 a year. The use of the piano is coordinated by the president of the society and is subject to the education wing being available for use. While the piano is free for members who want to use it, there is a small fee for non-members or other groups. For more information, contact YMS president Janet Atwood at (902) 749-1792.
Accessibility Advisory Committee Members
Meet the team! The following individuals dedicate their valuable time and experience to help the Town of Yarmouth move forward and remove barriers in the community.
Stephen Nicholl, Chair
Stephen brings more than 30 years of youth work experience to the committee. At all points in his career, Stephen has worked closely with persons with health issues, accessibility issues or disabilities, from kids with Cystic Fibrosis to teens with autism. Working with the Town of Yarmouth’s accessibility group is second nature to Stephen, a person who identifies as having two disabilities. Stephen is deaf and requires a cochlear implant, and also lives with severe lung issues. If you are currently experiencing barriers within the Town of Yarmouth, Stephen is more than happy to listen to your needs. Contact Stephen by phone or email.
Phone: 902-307-9543
Email: stephennicholl@eastlink.ca
Sherrie Landers Graham, Secretary
Sherrie has worked with children and youth who are blind or visually impaired, and their families in the tri-counties for twenty years. She lives in the municipality of Yarmouth and can be contacted at sherriegraham@gmail.com
Tracy Holmes-Carbonell
Tracy is currently serving as the Executive Director for Yarmouth Association for Community Residential Options (YACRO). She has been an advocate for children and adults with disabilities for over 30 years in both the Yarmouth and HRM regions in various positions within YACRO and continues to look for ways that communities can increase accessibility and inclusiveness. Email Tracy at: holmes.tracy@yacro.com
Tania Campbell-Boudreau
Tania Campbell-Boudreau is the Achieve Program Coordinator at NSCC Burridge Campus. Tania has been working in education for over 28 years in different capacities, but mainly working with persons with disabilities. Her role as Program Coordinator enables her to work both in the classroom helping students make key choices about their future, and with community partners raising awareness about accessible supports that help remove barriers. All work aside, Tania's most rewarding job is being a Mom! Email Tania at Tania.Boudreau@nscc.ca
Réjeanne Donovan
Réjeanne Donovan is a wife and mother of two who will be graduating from the Office Administration program at NSCC Burridge in June 2023. Rejeanne was born with Sacral Agenesis/Caudal Regression Syndrome, which is a congenital condition where there is a complete or partial absence of sacrum and lower lumbar spine. She is an iSACRA board member and iSACRA Ambassador. (International Sacral Agenesis Caudal Regression Association, www.isacra.org) Contact Rejeanne through email at rejeanne1992@gmail.com and by phone at 902-740-4998.
Laurie d'Entremont
Laurie d'Entremont is a member who has lived with Spastic Paraplegia since she was 8 years old. This is a muscle condition that affects mobility. Laurie is happy to answer questions by email at ladsilvermontecarlo@live.ca
Peter Hansen
Peter was born in Yarmouth County and also spent time growing up in Lunenburg County. Peter enjoys working at the Mariners Centre during the hockey season and has volunteered with a number of organizations in the town and county. In addition to Co-Chairing the town's Accessibility Advisory Committee, he works with the Interregional Advisory Committee for Library Accessibility. Peter also volunteers with Seafest, the Red Cross and H.O.P.E. Centre as well as the Community Volunteer Income Tax Program. If anyone has any questions or needs to contact Peter, e-mail him at pmhansen@hotmail.com
Learn More About the Committee
You can find key committee documents and meeting videos at Get Involved.
Community Donation Programs
The Town of Yarmouth has created a Community Asset Donation Program Policy whereby individuals and organizations may make a general donation to the Community Asset Donation Program or a donation for a specific community asset. Any community asset can be a tribute to an individual or group. A community asset is considered to be, but not limited to, a tree, bench, work of art, structure, etc. The purpose of the Program is to provide a means to recognize and honour others through a lasting tribute. The contributions made through this program will also benefit the parks, urban forest, green spaces, the natural environment and the community as a whole. See the link below for additional information, a donor agreement and a list of assets that can be purchased.
pdf Community Asset Donation Program Revised(1.60 MB)
Interested individuals or organizations should contact Todd Muise, Parks Supervisor for the Town of Yarmouth, by telephone at 902-307-2924, or by email at parks.supervisor@townofyarmouth.ca. Donors will be asked to complete a Donor Agreement signed by both the donor and the Parks Supervisor. The donor will then bring the agreement to Town Hall for payment of the donation or asset. A charitable donation receipt will be provided.
To donate by cheque or money order, make payable to:
Town of Yarmouth (Community Asset Donation Program)
400 Main St.,
Yarmouth N.S.,
B5A 1G2
902-742-2521
donations@townofyarmouth.ca
Average Asset Costs
- Benches: $2,000
- Trees: $350 - $500 - $800
- Park Sign: $1,500 - $2,000
- Balance Beams: $2,000
- Waste Receptacle: $3,000
100 Meals Donation
An award-winning Yarmouth community initiative for the winter months to give access to meals to those who are struggling for various reasons.
"Meal-A-Day for 100 days" will provide one meal (breakfast, lunch or dinner) daily from mid-December to the end of March 2019.
You can sponsor one or more meals at $500 per meal. Or you can make a one-time donation.
Any donation of $25 or more will receive a Tax Deductible Receipt from the Town of Yarmouth. Donations of any size are greatly appreciated.
To donate by cheque or money order, make payable to:
Town of Yarmouth (100 Meals)
400 Main St.,
Yarmouth N.S.,
B5A 1G2
902-742-2521
100meals@townofyarmouth.ca
To donate by credit card, please click the Donate box
To receive a tax receipt for your donation, be sure to click on the box in the PayPal section, agreeing to share your address with the Town. The address will only be used for this one-time purpose.
