Online ‘toolkit’ to help communities facing coastal erosion and flooding
A Sackville-based organization has launched a new Internet-based “toolkit” to help people in Atlantic Canada to adapt as the climate crisis results in increasingly erratic weather and rising sea levels.
CLIMAtlantic, a regional hub that provides information to help people deal with the effects of climate change, started operations in 2021 with funding from the federal government.
On Tuesday, the group launched the Coastal Adaptation Toolkit, which is mean to “help Atlantic rural coastal communities and property owners plan for the effects of climate change.”
Users respond to a series of questions about conditions at a specific site, such as as natural or human-made features that may offer some protection from flooding.
The system also queries users about policies that are in place locally, such as an emergency management plan.
The answers to those questions result in an automatically-generated report with a detailed list of possible measures to address the risk of flooding and coastal erosion.
It’s not a substitute for professional advice, but can serve as a first step for people facing extreme weather events like Hurricane Fiona, which hit Atlantic Canada last September.
“This is for educational purposes and information purposes,” said Sabine Dietz, executive director of CLIMAtlantic, in an interview with CHMA.
During the online launch, CLIMAtlantic also screened a new 12-minute documentary highlighting adaptation actions in the region.… Continue
Undervalued workers can’t fill gaps in female-dominated care sector, says Mount Allison researcher
A Mount Allison University researcher has been looking around the world for ways to address problems in the community-based care sector, which is composed primarily of low-wage female workers.
Professor Rachelle Pascoe-Deslauriers partnered with the NB Coalition for Pay Equity for the research project.
She spoke to CHMA about the study ahead of the Valuing Care Work Summit, which took place on Friday at Mount Allison.
She said there’s been little or no improvement in the sector since she launched the project in Jan. 2022, particularly as inflation hits the bottom line of low-wage workers.
Her study looked at places comparable to New Brunswick, with market economies, a mix of private and public service provision, and aging populations.
Those places include countries like England, Scotland, Wales, Australia and New Zealand, along with provinces including British Columbia, Manitoba and Nova Scotia.
The care sector includes people who look after seniors, people with disabilities, mental illnesses and others requiring support either at home or in residential facilities.
More than 11,000 workers in New Brunswick make up the community-based care sector, according to the NB Coalition for Pay Equity.
Poor working conditions in that sector have come under closer scrutiny following the arrival of COVID-19.
The care sector in this province is overwhelmingly made up of women whose wages range from $16.50 for special care home workers to $18.80 for family support workers.
The coalition states that wages should range from about $25 to $29 dollars per hour.… Continue
Undervalued workers can’t fill gaps in female-dominated care sector, says Mount Allison researcher
Listen to Tantramar Report for Wednesday, March 15, 2023:
Correction: An earlier version of today’s Tantramar Report stated that residents plan to gather this evening for a community housing meeting. In fact, that meeting is happening tomorrow, Thursday, March 16, between 6 p.m. and 7:30 p.m.
… Continue
‘We’re left to fight for scraps’: Underfunding of community sector leaves majority-female workforce exhausted
Nonprofits and charities that make up the community sector perform essential work, but underfunding has left their majority-female workforce exhausted.
That was the message from an advocacy group that demonstrated in the provincial capital on International Women’s Day, calling on governments to invest more in the community sector.
“We’re left to fight for scraps of money among each other,” said Elise Pelletier, communications officer and political analyst for the Moncton-based Regroupement féministe du Nouveau-Brunswick.
Women make up 80 percent of the workforce in nonprofits and charities, according to a 2020 report (PDF link) published by the Canadian Women’s Foundation.
It’s an area of the economy that provides essential caring work but which is “funded through an inadequate model consisting of unpredictable individual donations and gifts, earned income, and government service and project contracts,” the report states.
Many of the services provided by the community sector affect the well-being and survival of women struggling with issues like homelessness or domestic abuse.
Groups such as Crossroads for Women — which operates an emergency shelter in Moncton for women, trans and non-binary people and their children — saw a surge in reports of domestic violence after COVID-19 resulted in lockdowns beginning in March 2020.
“It’s quite worrying for us to witness that, and to see a provincial government raking in a surplus, while we know specifically which organizations need more funds,” Pelletier said. … Continue
Underfunding of community sector leaves majority-female workforce ‘exhausted,’ say advocates
Listen to Tantramar Report for Thursday, March 9, 2023:
Peaceful occupation of Mount A admin building to continue ‘indefinitely’; student group demands university divest millions from fossil fuels
Listen to Tantramar Report for Monday, March 6, 2023:
University finances under scrutiny as Mount Allison officials appear at legislative committee
Mount Allison officials told MLAs this week that university revenues aren’t keeping up with expenses, even as tuition continues to rise.
“This is true for most universities, and so the simple math is that tuition goes up every year, ” said Robert Inglis, VP of finance and administration, during a meeting of the Select Committee on Public Universities.
The all-party legislative committee routinely holds hearings where public universities report on their operational highlights and field questions from MLAs.
Hearings began on Tuesday morning with a presentation by Inglis, flanked by Jeff Hennessy, Mount A’s university provost and VP academic and research.
Listen to the report that aired on CHMA:
Altogether, Mount Allison has a $54.5 million budget for its current academic year. But with $55.7 million in expenses, it will run a deficit of more than a million dollars.
Fifty per cent of the university’s revenue comes from tuition and student fees, and this year’s budget includes a three per cent tuition hike.
That brings tuition fees to nearly $10,000 for full-time domestic students, and closer to $20,000 for international students.
Another 43 per cent of Mount A’s revenue comes from provincial grants. Compared to tuition, those funds have increased slowly over the years.
Minister of Post-Secondary Education Trevor Holder announced last year that universities in New Brunswick would receive a 1.5 per cent increase in operating grants, with an additional one per cent incentive linked to growth in enrolment. … Continue
‘The simple math is that tuition goes up every year’: Mount Allison officials talk finance at legislative hearing
Listen to Tantramar Report for Wednesday, March 1, 2023:
Fundraising for bursary ongoing two years after death of Mount A grad remembered for compassion and intelligence
When Mount Allison graduate Kavana Wa Kilele died unexpectedly two years ago in her home country of Kenya, a group of people came together to establish an endowment to honour her memory.
The goal is to create a needs-based bursary that will support Black students who are passionate about social justice activism. It will be Mount Allison’s first endowment meant specifically to support Black students.
Kavana has been described as a beloved friend known for her compassion and intelligence. She co-founded the Sackville Refugee Response Coalition, which helped resettle several families in the Maritimes.
“I know she was definitely an important part of the Sackville community and the Mount A community,” said Helen Yao, a Mount Allison graduate involved in the effort.
About $10,000 has been raised towards the goal of $25,000 for the endowment so far. Once that goal is achieved, the bursary is expected to become self-sustaining, producing about $1,000 per year.
During Black History Month, organizers are asking local businesses to pitch in, noting that Kavana held a number of jobs around town to afford her studies. Tuition for international students at Mount Allison is about $20,000, approximately double that of domestic students.
Kit Nicholson, who was a close friend of Kavana, described her as a natural leader who left a powerful impression. “She… Continue
Police seek possible victims in southeast N.B. after man, 37, charged with sexual assault, sexual interference
The New Brunswick RCMP are looking for possible victims of a 37-year-old Moncton man who is facing charges of sexual assault and other offences.
The man was arrested in Fredericton in November following reports that someone was videotaping children at hotel pools, according to a statement from the New Brunswick RCMP. He was charged and released on conditions, and then arrested in December by Codiac Regional RCMP for breach of conditions.
Stephen Blackwood recently appeared in Moncton Provincial Court and was charged with sexual assault and sexual interference in connection with an incident at a school in November. He was placed in custody and was scheduled to return to court on Feb. 10.
The RCMP say there were similar offences in the Moncton region and surrounding areas dating back to 2018. He was known to frequent the Shediac Wharf last summer, where he would allegedly approach children and ask them if they would perform a dance for his YouTube channel, where he is known as “Blamzooka”, according to the RCMP. There are reports of similar incidents at Magic Mountain in Moncton, dating back to 2018.
Other places that he visited included Parlee Beach, hotel pools and public pools such as the Dieppe Aquatic Centre, according to the RCMP. Police believe there may also have been other locations. He was also a supply teacher between late October and early November of last year at a number of schools in the Anglophone East School District. … Continue