
Maurice was born in Milton, Queens County, Nova Scotia, in 1936. He graduated from Nova Scotia Technical College in 1959 with a B.E. (Civil Engineering) with Honours in Town Planning and started his career with the Town of Dartmouth. His title was Planning Engineer until 1961, when Dartmouth became a City, and then, until 1970, Director of Planning and Development. His broad portfolio included planning, urban renewal, traffic engineering, building inspection, and land assembly. Maurice completed his M.E. in 1966 with Majors in Town Planning and Municipal Engineering. He became a Member of the Town Planning Institute of Canada (then TPIC) in 1969.
Maurice then turned to private practice as Director of Planning for Acres Atlantic Limited where, among other things, he coordinated technical services for a major planning program for the Halifax-Dartmouth Metropolitan Area. From 1971- 73, with his own firm, he was the team leader for the finalization of the Halifax-Dartmouth Regional Development Plan which was adopted by the Nova Scotia Government in 1975. From 1973-75, he was involved in community and land development projects.
He was appointed Director of Community Planning for the Province of Nova Scotia in 1975 where he administered the Planning Act, promoted regional and community development programs, developed the provincial transit program, coordinated the Main Street program, served as a member of a task force on municipal government reform and cost sharing, and worked towards coordination of provincial land use policy.
Maurice’s next career shift was in 1981 to become Vice-President for the Atlantic Region for UMA Group where he led a diverse practice. Typical projects included conceptual planning and engineering for business parks, analysis of proposed municipal amalgamations, the Halifax city transportation study, a highway corridor study in the Charlottetown area, preparation of downtown development plans, and expert testimony for bodies such as the Nova Scotia Planning Appeal Board. In 1996, Maurice established AtlanPLAN Ltd which provided services in public consultation, strategic and community planning, and economic development.
Maurice is a Licensed Professional Planner in Nova Scotia and a Life Member of the Nova Scotia Association of Professional Engineers. Throughout his career, he contributed to the community in a variety of ways—for the Halifax Board of Trade, the Halifax Downtown Business Commission, the Geomatics Association of Nova Scotia, Maritime Resource Management Services, the Land Registration Information Service, the Association for Community Living, and the Bide-Awhile Animal Shelter. In 1992, he was awarded a 125th Anniversary Commemorative Medal by the Government of Canada.
Maurice was a founding member of the Atlantic Planners Institute in 1966 and served as its second President. He was elected to CIP’s College of Fellows in 1999 in recognition of his influential career, community service, mentoring, leadership, and promotion of the planning profession.
As this is written Maurice, now in his early 80's, continues his work on a part-time basis.