On today’s show, we take a listen to what Martine Des Roches of Medavie Health Services had to say about NB Health Link at a community meeting on healthcare last week in Sackville. NB Health Link runs three temporary primary care clinics in Moncton and Dieppe serving about 19,000 people, who are also waiting for permanent primary care providers. It also has a waiting list of nearly 12,000 people in Zone 1 who are not eligible for care.
Plus, the Sackville Community Garden is hosting a plant swap and sale this Sunday to help kick off the growing season. We talk with garden member Sarah Evans about the event, and also some of the changes to the landscape around the garden this year.
On today’s show, we hear from Memramcook-Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton about a new memorandum of understanding between Nova Scotia and New Brunswick to coordinate work on the protection of the Chignecto Isthmus, as well as plans for the $750,000 that New Brunswick has allotted towards preparatory work on the project.
Plus, the battle over the education department’s Policy 713 continues, with Minister Bill Hogan repealing an add-on policy passed by the Anglophone East District Education Council, only to have the DEC pass a new version of the same policy two days later. … Continue
A punk band plays to a crowd of about 30 people at the Sackville Commons on Friday night. Photo credit: Glenn Barrington
Nearly thirty people showed up at the Sackville Commons on Friday night to watch three New Brunswick punk bands. There was a cover charge, but also a pay-what-you-can option. The idea is to make these shows as accessible as possible, even to kids.
Which is refreshing according to Tantramar Regional High School Student, Seth Thomas.
“A lot of the shows we have here are at Ducky’s or bars, so if I go I’d have to go with a parent,” said Seth.
“And if I want to just hang out with my friends and go to a show, these all-ages shows are pretty awesome for that.”
This is exactly the reaction Glenn Barrington was hoping for when he started the all-ages music series in January. He wanted to provide a place for music lovers to get to gather, regardless of age. So, it isn’t just teenagers who are showing up.
“There’s been really good turnouts, somewhere around 50, 60 people have been coming out,” said Barrington.
“And a really good span of all ages… kids, teenagers, you know, people who are 20s, 30s, 40s all the way up to their, their senior ages, which is awesome.”
Barrington volunteers his time to do this because he grew up organizing and playing in bands, at shows just like this when he was growing up in Sydney Nova Scotia.… Continue
Sackville volunteer, Glenn Barrington is hosting all-ages music shows at the Sackville Commons to help foster a sense of community around the love of live music. Hear from Barrington, a visiting musician and a local teenager.
Also in the news today, the province’s southern highways have their spring weight restrictions lifted, and the town of Amherst’s budget is approved. … Continue
Crowd gathered on the floor of the Tantramar Civic Centre for a Community Healthcare Meeting on April 25, 2024. Photo: Bruce Wark
About 400 people gathered on Thursday evening in Sackville for a community meeting on healthcare. CHMA was on site live to broadcast the event.
Above is a recording of the full proceeding, followed by sections organized by speaker below.
Memramcook-Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton
MLA Megan Mitton organized and hosted the meeting, the third one she’s held in Sackville.
“The lack of access to health care for many people in New Brunswick is completely unacceptable,” said Mitton to the crowd. “And sometimes it causes terrible outcomes.”
Community Healthcare Meeting, Sackville NB, April 25, 2024 Part 1 MLA Megan Mitton
“The day after the 2014 election, my dad ended up in the hospital,” recalled Mitton. “And I saw first hand the gaps in the system and how patients fall through them. Unfortunately, things have gotten worse since that time, and we can’t blame it all on the pandemic. There are systemic issues that have been building for a really long time.”
Margaret Melanson, CEO of Horizon Health Network
“It’s our third time being here with you, with a public forum to talk about health care and developments that are happening in your community,” said Melanson, “and also for us to be here, accountable to all of you, the citizens of New Brunswick.”
Community Healthcare Meeting, Sackville NB, April 25, 2024 Part 2 Margaret Melanson (Horizon)
“We know that primary care is the foundation of our health care system,” said Melanson.… Continue
On today’s show, local journalist Bruce Wark brings us highlights and voices from Thursday’s Community Healthcare Meeting, hosted by MLA Megan Mitton. About 400 people attended the meeting at the Tantramar Civic Centre for some “sober talk about the state of health care in New Brunswick.”
Horizon officials shared some key news about local health resources: A new nurse practitioner is expected to start working in June at the new Tantramar primary care clinic, and the Sackville Memorial Hospital emergency department could see expanded hours into the evening as early as this fall.
Special thanks to Bruce Wark for his coverage.… Continue
Tantramar council will vote on the fate of Dorchester’s DCS Kids Daycare at its next regular meeting on May 14. The daycare is seeking a zoning change and approval of a lease renewal, in order to keep operating at its location at the Dorchester Recreation Centre on School Street.
DCS Kids Daycare’s current lease for space at the Dorchester Recreation Centre on School Street expires at the end of June.
Active Living Director Matt Pryde told Tantramar council on Monday that the daycare’s tenancy has been “going really well”. The new three year lease would remain the same as the current one, with DCS Kids Daycare paying $750 per month in rent to the municipality, and covering things like liability insurance and provincial regulatory approval. The town will remain responsible for snow clearing.
The Dorchester Recreation Centre is on School Street, next to the outdoor rink and the Dorchester Consolidated School. Image: Google Earth
DCS Kids Daycare started out in March 2021 inside the Dorchester Consolidated School, and then in 2022 moved to the Dorchester Recreation Centre. Owner Kirsten Weldon says it’s a “fabulous” location. “We love being right by the school, it’s so convenient,” says Weldon. “And we’ve got use of the hockey rink, and the woods, and the park is just down the road. And we’re walking distance to a library.”
Weldon has been looking for ways to expand the after school program capacity at DCS Kids.… Continue
CHMA will be broadcasting live from Thursday’s Community Healthcare Meeting hosted by MLA Megan Mitton at the Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre. The meeting kicks off at 6:30pm and will feature Margaret Melanson, CEO of Horizon, and a representative from NB Health Link, operated by Medavie Health Services.
Tune in to 106.9FM or at chmafm.com starting at 6:30pm to hear what goes on, and tune in to Tantramar Report and CHMA’s community news for coverage after the fact.
Director of Corporate Services Kieran Miller in council chambers. Photo: Erica Butler
By the end of this year, if all goes as planned, the new municipality of Tantramar will have a new five-year strategic plan.
Community and corporate services director Kieran Miller told council on Monday that staff have recommended hiring Strategic Steps Inc. to run the process to arrive at a new five year plan, including running consultations with staff, council and members of the public.
Strategic Steps is based in Alberta, but has an Atlantic office based in St. Johns, Newfoundland.
Eight different companies bid on the project, including Porter O’Brien, the Fredericton-based company who led consultations about Tantramar’s new logo and brand last year. On Monday, Tantramar Mayor Andrew Black expressed support for staff’s recommendation, but also asked Miller if consideration was given to companies who had worked previously with the town.
“I’m glad that this is happening just to set the tone for what our municipality will be looking at for the next five years,” said Black, adding that the “comprehensive public consultation process” included in the project is “vitally important, considering our new boundaries.”
Black also asked, “was there any consideration in the matrix for companies that may have worked with our former municipalities in the past?”
Miller said that the scoring considered experience working with municipalities in general, and not specifically direct experience with Sackville, Dorchester or Tantramar.
Councillor Michael Tower asked if the climate change lens was applied to the evaluation, in terms of additional transportation requirements for the work to be completed, but Miller said climate change impacts did not figure in.… Continue
On today’s show, we hear more about what Tantramar council discussed at their Committee of the Whole meeting on Monday.
At their next meeting in May, council will be asked to approve nearly $340,000 in public works spending, with the lion’s share going towards the annual asphalt patching program for municipal roads. They will also consider approving a plan to close off the current driveway to the front parking lot for town hall, and instead share access with new neighbour, the Sackville Smiles dental clinic.
Plus, council will consider awarding a contract to consultants based in St. John’s to help the municipality come up with a five year strategic plan for Tantramar. … Continue
