Mayor's Page
Mayor's Welcome
Welcome to the Town of Berwick website!
We are a welcoming community of over 2600 people who live, work, and play in the beautiful Annapolis Valley. One of the three towns in Kings County, we have earned a reputation for an excellent quality of life. We are large enough to provide all the important services but small enough to offer a strong sense of community.
Berwick is a very progressive community. We are proud owners of the Berwick Electric Utility and have joined with the Towns of Antigonish and Mahone Bay to form AREA (Alternative Resource Energy Authority). Through AREA we built the Ellershouse Wind Farm producing 23.5MW of energy a year, which we sell to our municipal electric utilities. We have also collectively designed and built our own solar gardens to create additional green energy. Berwick Electric also provides hydroelectricity to its customers from the Factorydale Dam. With these three sources, we soon hope to provide our customers with nearly 100% of their electrical power from renewable town-owned energy.
These initiatives make Berwick one of the greenest towns in the country. Not only do we produce green energy but we continue to make our electric service more efficient and climate change friendly.
Berwick also offers an abundance of recreational opportunities. In addition to numerous parks, trails, and green spaces we have exceptional recreational facilities. The Kings Mutual Century Centre complex includes the Apple Dome arena and walking track, the Larsen Curling Centre, CBI Health Centre, Fillmore Family Fitness Centre, Wilson Community Centre (Berwick & District Lions Club), and the Winning Edge Sports Store.
Rainforth Park, our multigenerational park in the center of the Town, has undergone significant improvements lately. The park now includes a lit ball field, tennis/pickleball courts, a popular splash pad, basketball courts, playground, a gaga pit passive park space, a bandstand and a multi-use building known as Carols Place. It is tremendous space to be active or to enjoy a summer concert in the park!
We are a vibrant and growing community. New houses are currently under construction and several larger housing developments are underway or in the planning stage. Business is flourishing and we offer a number of very successful and unique shopping and dining experiences for our residents and visitors.
It is time to check us out, whether for your first time or again!
About Mayor Mike Trinacty
A long-time resident of Berwick, Mike graduated from Acadia University with a degree in Recreation Management. This further inspired his interest in working with communities.
Mayor Trinacty had a long career in the fields of recreation and health. He came to Berwick in 1981 and served as the Town’s first Recreation Director. He began his employment with the Province of Nova Scotia in 1988 and worked at the Nova Scotia Youth Centre. In 1990 he became a Heath Educator with the Department of Health and Fitness and finished his career as the Valley Regional Manager with the Department of Communities, Culture and Heritage. He was fortunate enough to spend most of his career working with communities and people throughout the Annapolis Valley.
He has been very active in Berwick over the years with minor sports, Gala Days and the Berwick Sports Hall of Fame. Presently he chairs the Western Kings Health Society and is active with the Bage Valley Jr A Wildcats.
Mike was first elected to Town Council in 1991 and served until 2012, he returned to council from 2016 to 2024 and was acclaimed as Mayor in 2024. Over that period, he has served on almost every committee of council and had a number of terms as deputy mayor. As Mayor he chairs council meetings, is ex-officio of every committee and chairs the Berwick Electric Commission.
Mike is married and he and his wife Brenda have two grown daughters, Melanie and Jill. He enjoys golf, curling, biking, fitness, gardening and guitar.
Contact: Mayor Trinacty at <> or 902-994-1958.
LOCATION
Berwick Town Hall
236 Commercial Street
P.O. Box 130
Berwick, NS B0P 1EO
Phone: (902) 538-8068
Organizational Chart
Mayor and Council
The Town Council of the Town of Berwick is made up of a mayor and six councillors, all elected at large.
"At large" means "general area", as in, Berwick is not divided up into various geographic "wards" or "ridings". Each councillor has a duty to represent and work for all residents and businesses in the town in a non-partisan way.
The Berwick Town Council is responsible for setting public policy, approving the Town's annual budget, entering agreements, providing executive leadership, making planning and development decisions, and adopting new codes and bylaws.
Policies
Government
In 1810, the first settler to arrive in the Berwick area was Benjamin Condon. The crossroads of present-day Main Street and Commercial Street became known as Condon’s Corner. The settlers that followed in the ensuing years were mainly United Empire Loyalists and many of their descendants are still living in the Town.
From its early beginning until the 1850s, the Town had other names such as Pleasant Valley, Curry’s Corner, and Davison’s Corner. In the 1850s, a Temperance Hall was opened and at a meeting of the local residents held there, the name Berwick was chosen. The commercial community of that time was primarily situated on Main Street and included among others a blacksmith shop, tin shop, two general stores, a shoemaker, and a carriage factory.
In 1856, the stagecoach from Annapolis to Halifax began, and in 1867 the Windsor to Annapolis railway was opened, thereby creating better transportation links for the Town.
Being in a primarily agricultural area, the community flourished over the years as the agricultural industry grew. The agricultural service industries that developed created a viable village.
Several notable achievements of our past can be attributed to the Berwick Fruit Company. This organization operated the first fruit warehouse in Nova Scotia that ventured into cooperative packing, an event which occurred in 1907. In 1923, the Berwick Fruit Company opened what was then the most modern and largest warehouse in the Maritimes. Berwick had become one of the leading agricultural-based industrial centres in Nova Scotia. There was a large meat processing plant, a vegetable and fruit processing plant, and a large bakery in the Town. At their height, they employed approximately 425 people depending on the time of year. Although the agricultural industry in Berwick has slowed, the Town is very proud to be the home of Eden Valley Poultry Ltd., a large poultry-processing cooperative.
In addition to various agricultural ventures in the area, a number of residents are employed at the Michelin Tire Plant, Canadian Forces Base Greenwood, and local social, educational, and health institutions. The backbone of the community remains the small businesses which, in many cases, have served Berwick and the surrounding area for a number of years.
The population of Berwick has grown slowly but steadily over the past half-century. In July 1923, Berwick was incorporated as a Town and in 1931, the population was 837. The population at the time of the most recent census, (2006) was 2,454, and Berwick was noted as the fastest-growing town in Nova Scotia. There has been a steady population growth in the past and it is expected to continue as the Town strives towards a prosperous and sustainable future.
Town Crest Explained
Arms
The shield is divided into four sections. The ear of barley in the base refers to the Saxon origin of the name, from Bere-wick, a storehouse for barley. The chevron represents the roof of the storehouse. The blue and white wavy bands symbolize the Annapolis and Cornwallis Rivers. The zigzag lines represent locally produced electricity. The Jack, in use from 1606 to 1801 A.D., commemorates the early settlers of the United Empire Loyalist stock.
Crest
The crown above the shield depicts maple leaves for Canada and trailing arbutus (mayflowers) for Nova Scotia. The bear is taken from the arms of the Town's namesake in England.
Supporters
The smithy is a traditional figure in heraldry to depict industry. Similarly, Ceres, the goddess of the harvest, is the figure for agriculture.
Motto
By Industry and Integrity is the motto that roots the town of Berwick to its past, but also guides our present and drives our future.