Support Documents and Frequently Asked Questions

User Guides

For help with the FIR, click here for the FIR User Guide
For help with the SOE-B, click here for the SOE-B User Guide
For help with the SOE-A, click here for the SOE-A User Guide
For help with the PCR, click here for the PCR Instruction Guide, and/ or watch the PCR Demo video.

Appendices and Schedules

Eligible Project Categories	BCSF-CS Output Indicators	Output Measure	BCSF-CS Outcome Indicators	Outcome Measure
Broadband connectivity	Size of increased or improved service area - Area (km2)	Area (km2)	Number of households experiencing increased or improved service - Count (# households)	Count (# households)
Brownfield redevelopment	Area of land remediated - Area (m2 remediated)	Area (m2 remediated)	Estimated land value of redeveloped site - Value ($ per m2)	Value ($ per m2)
Capacity building	Number of new or improved asset evaluations, assessments and reports - Count (# reports)	Count (# reports)	N/A - N/A	N/A
Capacity building	Number of new or improved capacity-building assets (e.g. software, training) - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	N/A - N/A	N/A
Community energy systems	Number of increased or improved facilities and installations - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	CO2 equivalent of energy efficiencies realized - Mass (tonnes CO2 offset annually)	Mass (tonnes CO2 offset annually)
Cultural infrastructure	Length of increased or improved cultural linear infrastructure - Length (km)	Length (km)	Number of increased or improved public events or days open to the public - Count (# events or # days open annually)	Count (# events or # days open annually)
Cultural infrastructure	Size of increased or improved public buildings and installations - Area (m2 impacted)	Area (m2 impacted)	Number of increased or improved public events or days open to the public - Count (# events or # days open annually)	Count (# events or # days open annually)
Drinking water	Length of increased or improved linear drinking water infrastructure - Length (m)	Length (m)	Number of households experiencing increased or improved drinking water service - Count (# households)	Count (# households)
Drinking water	Number of increased or improved drinking water facilities and installations - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	Change in total drinking water treatment capacity - Volume (m3 water processed daily)	Volume (m3 water processed daily)
Fire Halls	Number of increased or improved rolling stock - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	Number of increased or improved emergency responses - Count (# responses annually)	Count (# responses annually)
Fire Halls	Size of increased or improved facilities and installations - Area (m2 impacted)	Area (m2 impacted)	Number of increased or improved emergency responses - Count (# responses annually)	Count (# responses annually)
Highways	Length of increased or improved roads, highways, bridges, tunnels, and active transportation corridors - Length (Km)	Length (Km)	Increase in estimated service life of infrastructure - Time (years)	Time (years)
Highways	Number of increased or improved support facilities and installations - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	Increase in estimated service life of infrastructure - Time (years)	Time (years)
Local roads and bridges	Length of increased or improved roads, highways, bridges, tunnels, and active transportation corridors - Length (km)	Length (km)	Increase in estimated service life of infrastructure - Time (years)	Time (years)
Local roads and bridges	Number of increased or improved support facilities and installations - Count (# of assets)	Count (# of assets)	Increase in estimated service life of infrastructure - Time (years)	Time (years)
Public transit	Length of new or existing public transit exclusive infrastructure receiving investment - Length (km)	Length (km)	Increase in estimated service life of infrastructure - Time (years)	Time (years)
	Number of increased or improved seats on public transit vehicles - Count (# seats and/or standing spaces)	Count (# seats and/or standing spaces)	N/A - N/A	N/A
	Number of public transit fixed assets receiving investments - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	Decrease in average age of fleet - Time (years)	Time (years)
Recreational infrastructure	Length of increased or improved recreational linear infrastructure - Length (km)	Length (km)	Number of increased or improved public events or days open to the public - Count (# events or # days open annually)	Count (# events or # days open annually)
	Number of increased or improved recreational rolling stock - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	Number of increased or improved public events or days open to the public - Count (# events or # days open annually)	Count (# events or # days open annually)
	Size of increased or improved public buildings and installations - Area (m2 impacted)	Area (m2 impacted)	Number of increased or improved public events or days open to the public - Count (# events or # days open annually)	Count (# events or # days open annually)
Regional and Local Airports	Number of increased or improved rolling stock or support facilities and installations - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	Increase in estimated service life of infrastructure - Time (years)	Time (years)
Resilience	Infrastructure equipped for climate change impacts - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	N/A - N/A	N/A
Resilience	Length of linear infrastructure equipped for climate change impacts - Length (m)	Length (m)	N/A - N/A	N/A
Short sea shipping	Number of increased or improved floating stock or support facilities and installations - Number (Count)	Number (Count)	Increase in estimated service life of infrastructure - Time (years)	Time (years)
Shortline Rail	Number of increased or improved rolling stock or support facilities and installations - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	Increase in estimated service life of infrastructure - Time (years)	Time (years)
Solid waste	Additional solid waste management capacity built or expanded - Mass (in tonnes)	Mass (in tonnes)	Number of households experiencing increased or improved solid waste service - Count (# households)	Count (# households)
Solid waste	Number of increased or improved solid waste facilities and installations or rolling stock - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	Additional solid waste management capacity built or expanded in tonnes - Volume (m3 waste processed daily)	Volume (m3 waste processed daily)
Sport infrastructure	Length of increased or improved sport linear infrastructure - Length (km)	Length (km)	Number of increased or improved public events or days open to the public - Count (# events or # days open annually)	Count (# events or # days open annually)
	Number of increased or improved sport rolling stock - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	Number of increased or improved public events or days open to the public - Count (# events or # days open annually)	Count (# events or # days open annually)
	Size of increased or improved public buildings and installations - Area (m2 impacted)	Area (m2 impacted)	Number of increased or improved public events or days open to the public - Count (# events or # days open annually)	Count (# events or # days open annually)
Tourism infrastructure	Length of increased or improved tourism linear infrastructure - Length (km)	Length (km)	Number of increased or improved public events or days open to the public - Count (# events or # days open annually)	Count (# events or # days open annually)
Tourism infrastructure	Size of increased or improved public buildings and installations - Area (m2 impacted)	Area (m2 impacted)	Number of increased or improved public events or days open to the public - Count (# events or # days open annually)	Count (# events or # days open annually)
Wastewater	Length of increased or improved linear wastewater infrastructure - Length (m)	Length (m)	Number of households experiencing increased or improved wastewater service - Count (# households)	Count (# households)
Wastewater	Number of increased or improved wastewater facilities and installations - Count (# assets)	Count (# assets)	Change in total wastewater treatment capacity - Volume (m3 water processed daily)	Volume (m3 water processed daily)

Eligible Expenditures

1.1. Eligible Expenditures of the Municipality will be limited to the following
1. The expenditures associated with acquiring, planning, designing, constructing, renewing or rehabilitating a tangible capital asset and any related debt financing charges specifically identified with that asset;
2. For capacity building category only, the expenditures related to strengthening the ability of Municipalities to improve local and regional planning including capital investment plans, integrated community sustainability plans, integrated regional plans, housing needs assessments, and/or asset management plans. The expenditures could include developing and implementing:
  1. studies, strategies, or systems related to asset management, which may include software acquisition and implementation;
  2. studies, strategies, or systems related to housing or land use, including Housing Needs Assessments; and
  3. training directly related to asset management planning.
3. The expenditures directly associated with joint federal communication activities and with federal project signage.
1.2. Employee and Equipment Costs: The incremental costs of the Municipality's employees or leasing of equipment may be included as Eligible Expenditures under the following conditions:
1. The Municipality is able to demonstrate that it is not economically feasible to tender a Contract;
2. The employee or equipment is engaged directly in respect of the work that would have been the subject of the Contract; and,
3. The arrangement is approved in advance and in writing by Nova Scotia.
Ineligible Expenditures

2.1 The following are deemed Ineligible Expenditures
1. Project expenditures incurred before April 1, 2005;
2. Project expenditures incurred before April 1, 2014 for the following investment categories:
  1. highways;
  2. regional and local airports;
  3. short-line rail;
  4. short-sea shipping;
  5. disaster mitigation;
  6. broadband connectivity;
  7. brownfield redevelopment;
  8. cultural infrastructure;
  9. tourism infrastructure;
  10. sport infrastructure; and
  11. recreational infrastructure.
3. Project expenditures incurred before April 1, 2021 for the following investment category:
  1. fire halls
4. The cost of leasing of equipment by the Municipality, any overhead costs, including salaries and other employment benefits of any employees of the Municipality, its direct or indirect operating or administrative costs of the Municipality, and more specifically its costs related to planning, engineering, architecture, supervision, management and other activities normally carried out by its staff, except in accordance with Eligible Expenditures above;
5. Taxes for which the Municipality is eligible for a tax rebate and all other costs eligible for rebates;
6. Purchase of land or any interest therein, and related costs;
7. Legal fees;
8. Routine repair or preventative maintenance costs not designed to ensure that an asset reaches its planned life; and
9. Costs associated with healthcare infrastructure or assets.

Term	Definition
New Housing Units	The number of new housing units enabled refers to the increased housing capacity resulting from the BCSF-CS infrastructure investment. For example, if development in an area of a city is limited to 200 homes due to capacity constraints of the wastewater system, upgrading that system with BCSF-CS funds to a system that can process wastewater from 500 homes would enable the development of an additional 300 units. The BCSF-CS housing report would indicate 300 units enabled. Another example would be the number of affordable housing units built on a remediated brownfield site. BCSF-CS funding under the brownfield category can be used for both the environmental remediation and directly toward construction costs to enable affordable housing development on the remediated site.
Preservation	Preservation refers to retaining existing affordable housing, whether subsidized or market-rate, and protecting its affordability. An example of this could be repairing existing transit infrastructure that serves areas with affordable housing to maintain the level of transit service available to residents and preserve the level of affordability in the area. Similarly, preservation could be demonstrated by prioritizing repairs to water/wastewater infrastructure serving an existing affordable housing development to preserve servicing to existing housing units, ensuring their continued livability.
Affordable Housing	The number of affordable housing units enabled or preserved would indicate the subset of total units enabled that meet the definition of affordable housing. "Affordable Housing" means a dwelling unit where the cost of shelter, including rent and utilities, is a maximum of 30% of before-tax household income. The household income is defined as 80% or less of the Area Median Household Income (AMHI) for the metropolitan area or rural region of the Ultimate Recipient. This definition is consistent with the Housing Assessment Resource Tools (HART) methodology for an income-based definition of housing affordability, and with best practices set out in the Housing Needs Assessment Template prepared by Canada.
Units Enabled	Units enabled is a measure of increased capacity for potential housing development as a result of the infrastructure investment made and, in some cases, where BCSF-CS funding contributed directly to housing development (e.g., building social housing as part of brownfield remediation category, may include new units directly supported by BCSF-CS funding).
Project Level Reporting Criteria	Examples include: a:) Population greater than 30,000 b.) Housing pressures identified in HNA
Key infrastructure-related Housing Pressures	Examples include: a.) No transit stops within 500m of X residential community that includes a high proportion of affordable housing b.) the wastewater system is currently at capacity in X neighbourhood, limiting potential for new housing development in an area otherwise well served by transit and community amenities, and zoned for greater density in tde local Zoning By-Law c.) Affordable housing waitlists have increased by X% over tde past 5 years. Land available for affordable housing development is very limited.

Frequently Asked Questions

The MRS is a secure system that allows municipalities in the Province of Nova Scotia to submit detailed financial information to the Department of Municipal Affairs (DMA)

If you have used the MRS, please go ahead and create "My NS Account". Need help? Click here to watch the how-to video! If you are the first-time user, please contact Municipal Affairs to request access to MRS.

Pre-Construction Report (PCR): [email protected]
Annual Expenditure Report (AER): [email protected]
Capital Investment Plan (CIP): [email protected]
Financial Information Return: [email protected]
Statement of Estimates - Assessment: [email protected]
Statement of Estimates - Budget: [email protected]

Click the My NS Account on the MRS portal
Click "Forgot username?" link right above the "Continue" button
In the next screen, enter the email address associated with your account and your username will be sent to your email.

Click the My NS Account on the MRS portal
Enter your username
In the next screen, click "Forgot password?" link
Enter your username and the system will email you the link to reset your password

The system sends email notifications to municipal users at different stages in form workflow process to notify users that the State of a form has been changed by DMA. Action may be required by the municipality. Emails are sent to all users that are registered in the system for the municipality whose form state has changed.

Email notifications are sent when DMA makes any of the following changes:

Form is 'Released' to Municipality for submission - Form is ready to be downloaded and completed by the municipality.
Form is retracted from 'Released' or 'In Process' state - Form is not usable and has been retracted by DMA. Please wait until a new form is released to you.
Form state is changed to 'For Revision' - Please revise the form and re-submit. In most situations, you may be already in contact with DMA prior to getting an email notification.

Once you log in, you will see all the forms that are assigned to you. Each form has a different form state. Depending on the form state, your action may be required. Please review the following form states along with associated actions.

Form State	Municipality Actions Available
Draft	No action available for Municipality. Municipality cannot see form.
Pre-Population	No action available for Municipality. Municipality cannot see form.
Released	Municipality can download form to their computer. When Municipality downloads form, system changes state to 'In Process'.
In Process	Municipality can submit completed form to Province. When Municipality submits form, system changes state to 'Submitted'.
Submitted	Municipality can download form to their computer. Municipality can move form back to 'In Process' state if revision is required.
Under Review	Municipality can download form to their computer. No other actions available to Municipality.
For Revision	Municipality can download form to their computer. Municipality can submit form to Province. When Municipality submits form, system changes state to 'Submitted'.
Review Completed	Municipality can download form to their computer. No other actions available to Municipality.

User Guides

Appendices and Schedules

Appendix A: Outputs and Outcome Indicators

Schedule C: Eligible and Ineligible Expenditures

Appendix B: Housing Definitions

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the Municipality Reporting System (MRS)?

How can I create an account to access the MRS?

I've forgotten my username. How can I recover it?

I forgot my password. Can I reset my password?

Why and when do I get email notifications?

What does the Form State mean? Am I supposed to do something?