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Premiers agree to apply for 50% federal funding on Isthmus project, now estimated to cost $700 million

Federal infrastructure minister Dominic LeBlanc and Premier Blaine Higgs at a news conference Tuesday, June 17, 2023. Image: Zoom screencap

The provinces of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia will apply for federal funding to help pay for the protection of the Chignecto Isthmus, but they will also pursue court direction on whether or not the federal government should indeed be covering the entire cost of the project.

Premier Blaine Higgs shared the news in a conference Tuesday, along with a number of federal ministers and Atlantic premiers, marking the renewal of the federal-provincial Atlantic Growth Strategy.

“Yes, we will be applying for it to meet the deadlines that have been put forward,” Higgs told reporters. “At the same time, we will be seeking clarification and legal interpretation of the constitution.”

Higgs said that given the deadline of July 19 for the current round of the federal Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, “it would be prudent for us to go both avenues, one notwithstanding the other.”

Premier Tim Houston told reporters he would be seeking an opinion on the matter from provincial appeals court.

The cost estimate for the project has ballooned since the long awaited release of a 2019 engineering study on the project, according to comments Tuesday from Higgs and Houston. What was once estimated to cost between $190 million and $300 million is now expected to cost about $700 million, according to Houston. That means a federal contribution could run as high as $350 million, and the provinces could each be responsible for $175 million in costs.… Continue

Higgs and Houston argument is ‘hot air’ says prof, as federal funding deadline approaches for Chignecto Isthmus

Train crossing the Chignecto Isthmus at high tide near Aulac in November 2015. Photo taken by Mike Johnson, EMO for Cumberland County.

Federal infrastructure minister Dominic LeBlanc has responded to a threat from premiers Blaine Higgs and Tim Houston, who have said they will take the federal government to court over its refusal to fund 100% of the Chignecto Isthmus protection project.

In a letter on July 4, Higgs asserted that the Constitution Act of 1867 outlines the responsibility of the federal government to “maintain and secure transportation links between provinces.” Previously, Higgs compared the Isthmus project to the Confederation Bridge, which was funded by the federal government in the 1990’s.

A spokesperson for LeBlanc says the constitutional argument is “inaccurate”, and a political science professor from Mount Allison agrees.

Here’s the full statement from LeBlanc’s spokesperson, Jean-Sébastien Comeau:

“Our position is and has always been clear – the protection of the Chignecto Isthmus is a shared responsibility between the Government of Canada, the Government of New Brunswick and the Government of Nova Scotia. It is inaccurate to pretend that the Government of Canada has a constitutional responsibility to maintain the provincially-owned highway that runs through the Isthmus, or to compare this situation to an article of Confederation negotiated by some other Province at the time they joined Canada. It is unfortunate that Premier Higgs is threatening a legal battle which would be a waste of time and public funds. Such a move does nothing to protect communities and critical supply lines along the Isthmus.

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Horizon making space at Sackville hospital for Beal nursing classes, which could start in January 2024

Sackville Memorial Hospital, July 5, 2022. Photo: Erica Butler

Beal University Canada has completed an institutional review with the Maritime Provinces Higher Education Commission and is now undergoing a programming approval process for a Bachelor of Science in Nursing program which it plans to offer partly based out of the Sackville Memorial Hospital (SMH).

Horizon recently published an update on the physical changes happening at the hospital to make room for Beal classrooms. Some services, such as diabetic education and respiratory therapy services, have been moved out of the hospital and into the Tantramar Community Health Centre, a privately-owned building across the parking lot from the hospital. Other services will be relocated within the hospital itself, and Horizon says it has already completed renovations to make the relocations work.

There are still some services in the former Queens Unit of the hospital that will need to be relocated to make way for Beal University, according to the Horizon update.

Horizon emphasized that all services will remain within the Tantramar Community.

You can read the full update from Horizon here.

Beal University Canada president Holly McKnight says if all goes as planned, nursing students will start clinical labs and classes at the SMH in January 2024.

McKnight is hosting a meet and greet for potential new students in Sackville on Monday. She’ll be at the Sackville Visitor Information Centre from 9am to 6pm on July 17, 2023 to answer questions and share information.… Continue

Special meeting called for Lafford zoning requests; controversial building could be finished as early as fall 2024

Lafford Properties will not have to wait until August to find out if Tantramar council will give final approval on zoning changes that would make way for the company’s proposed development at 131 Main Street in Sackville.

Mayor Andrew Black has scheduled a special meeting for Wednesday, July 19 at 12pm to consider the third and final reading of the bylaw changes that will rezone a portion of 131 Main Street to higher density R3, and then change the R3 zone to allow for buildings up to 65 feet in height. The first and second reading of the changes were approved on Tuesday, July 11, 2023.

Under normal circumstances, three readings of a bylaw amendment are spaced over two regular council meetings at least a month apart, but in this case a special meeting will happen just eight days after the first and second readings.

Black says John Lafford requested the special meeting through the Clerk’s office on Wednesday afternoon. Council’s procedural bylaw says special meetings are called by the mayor, without any detail on what cause or reason the mayor might require.

If and/or when the amendments pass, Lafford says he will be ready to start construction on the property as soon as possible. The developer will still need to get building permits and approvals through Plan 360.

Lafford estimates the construction phase could take 14-16 months to complete. That means a project starting this month could be complete by fall 2024.… Continue

Health care town hall next week with Horizon CEO and MLA Megan Mitton

Horizon CEO Margaret Melanson at Sackville town hall after a presentation to Tantramar council. Photo: Erica Butler

Memramcook-Tantramar MLA Megan Mitton is hosting a town hall session with Horizon Health officials next week in Sackville. The Future of Our Healthcare meeting will take place on Tuesday, July 18, from 6:30-8:30pm at the Tantramar Veterans Memorial Civic Centre. Mitton will be joined by Margaret Melanson, CEO of Horizon Health Network, and possibly some other Horizon staffers.

There will be plenty to talk about. This summer, Sackville is losing two family doctors, further adding to the primary care crunch that’s happening across the region and the province. Horizon has promised to open a temporary primary care clinic in the town to help cover that gap. There’s also changes afoot at the Sackville Memorial Hospital as they make room for a future class of nurses from the yet-to-be-accredited Beal University Canada nursing program. And the reduction in emergency room services at Sackville Memorial Hospital continues, with the ER open only 8 hours a day, from 8am to 4pm.

Mitton says the impetus for a healthcare-focussed meeting came out of another community meeting she held in May, where healthcare was one of the key topics. “I do hope that this will be an opportunity for there to be really direct, transparent communication,” says Mitton, “to help people understand what exactly is happening right now, and to be able to ask questions.”

Mitton says she and Melanson will present briefly, and then move to a Q&A session.… Continue

Higgs threatens court action over funding to protect Isthmus, Mitton calls out ‘politics being played’

Premier Blaine Higgs has threatened to take the federal government to court if it doesn’t agree to cover 100% of the cost of the Chignecto Isthmus protection project. The premier made the statement in a letter to federal infrastructure minister Dominic LeBlanc on July 4.

However in the same letter, the premier also reserves the right to agree to a hypothetical two-thirds federal funding formula.

Higgs Letter 06-30-2023-110508 Download

Higgs’ letter is in response to one from LeBlanc on June 23, denying the assertion by Higgs and his Nova Scotia counterpart, Tim Houston, that the project should be fully funded by Canada, and setting a deadline of July 19 for the provinces to apply for 50% funding under a federal climate adaptation fund.

In his July 4 letter, Higgs writes that he was profoundly disappointed with LeBlanc’s letter. “Your government’s refusal to recognize and act upon its constitutional responsibility for this project will have negative ramifications for this vital transportation gateway and the Canadians it serves,” writes Higgs.

The premier goes on to say that the Constitution Act of 1867 outlines the responsibility of the federal government to “maintain and secure transportation links between provinces.” Because the Isthmus supports major transportation and communications infrastructure, Higgs argues that the protection of the land bridge also qualifies as a federal responsibility.

“If the federal government refuses to accept its constitutional responsibility in this manner, it will be up to the governments of New Brunswick and Nova Scotia to ask the courts to enforce our nation’s supreme law,” writes Higgs.… Continue

Tantramar Council rejects move to send protest letter over Policy 713 changes

Tantramar councillor Mike Tower was hoping to send a message to Premier Blaine Higgs about his recent changes to the province’s education policy 713, which protects LGBTQ+ students in schools. The veteran councillor has a personal connection to the policy, because he has a non-binary grandchild.

But on Tuesday, the majority of Tower’s fellow councillors turned down his motion, citing a lack of jurisdiction and expertise on the issue.

Tower’s motion would have authorized the mayor to write a letter to the Premier asking him to “stop to proposed changes, maintain the original policy 713, and consult with school psychologists, teachers, parents and students.”

Three councillors voted in favour of the motion (Tower, and Councillors Josh Goguen and Allison Butcher), with the rest of council and the mayor voting against.

Mayor Andrew Black kicked off debate on the motion by telling council he felt the matter was out of their jurisdiction, comparing it to the controversial French Immersion program change proposed by the Higgs government last December. Tower rejected that position, comparing it instead to a health care issue.

“Much like the hospital, when they were trying to close it down, we had to step up because it’s the importance of the health of our Tantramar region,” said Tower. “If we can’t take that as part of our responsibility and mandate… then I think something’s wrong.”

Councillor Matt Estabrooks spoke in opposition to the motion, saying he did not feel that he or council had the expertise to weigh in on the matter, and that it would be better to wait until provincial Child and Youth Advocate Kelly Lamrock completed his review, which is due in mid August.… Continue

Zoning changes move forward in 8-to-1 votes, Lafford building could go ahead after one more meeting

Lafford Properties is one step closer to being able to build a new six-storey, 71-unit building at 131 Main Street in Sackville, after Tantramar Council approved the first and second readings of bylaw changes at their meeting Tuesday night. The changes involve rezoning part of the property to a higher density R3 zone, and also changing the R3 definition to allow for up to 65 feet in height from the current 50 foot limit.

The zoning amendments now must pass a third reading at a Tantramar Council meeting, with the next regular meeting slated for August. If approved, John Lafford says construction could start in mid-August, and the process is expected to take 14-16 months.

The votes were nearly unanimous, with just one councillor, Bruce Phinney, voting against. Phinney told reporters after the meeting that he didn’t feel the Lafford project would help solve the town’s housing problem, that it would cause traffic issues, and that the building was generally “in the wrong place.” He also harkened back to his nay votes as a Sackville town councillor in 2014, when late developer Gordon Beal had applied for a zoning change on the same property. “If I voted in favour of this,” said Phinney, “I’d consider myself a hypocrite. And that’s one thing I’m not.”

All eight of Phinney’s colleagues voted in favour of both zoning amendments, with many commenting on the variety of opinions they heard from constituents on the topic.… Continue

Chignecto Isthmus impasse: LeBlanc refuses full funding, gives Higgs and Houston July 19 deadline to apply for 50%

Federal and provincial ministers continue the impasse over who will fund the protection of the transportation corridor along the Chignecto Isthmus, which connects New Brunswick and Nova Scotia.

The corridor is at risk from sea level rise and storm surges which could wash out the rail line and highway which is estimated to transport between $35 million and $50 million worth of goods every day.

The latest official communication comes from federal infrastructure minister (and Beauséjour MP) Dominic LeBlanc, who wrote to New Brunswick and Nova Scotia premiers Blaine Higgs and Tim Houston on June 23, refusing their demand for the federal government to fully fund the project.

The premiers, along with their other Atlantic counterparts, made the request based on the idea that the corridor is of national importance, similar to the Confederation Bridge.

LeBlanc rejects that argument in his June letter, writing that “the federal government is not responsible for a complete funding of this project.”

Instead, Leblanc urged the premiers to apply for the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund, which he says is the only program available to help pay for the project. That fund could cover up to 50% of the cost, leaving the provinces to make up the other half. The deadline to apply for the Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund is just a few weeks away on July 19.… Continue

Driver to face two charges after seriously injuring pedestrian in December

The man who hit and seriously injured a young man crossing Main Street in a crosswalk last December has been charged with two offences related to the collision.

Andrew McGann has been charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian and driving without due care and attention. McGann is due to make his first appearance in a Moncton courtroom on July 4, 2023.

The person McGann struck with his vehicle is a young Mount Allison student, who after the collision was sent to a Halifax hospital in critical condition. RCMP Sergeant Eric Hanson says the young man has since been released from hospital and continues his recovery.

The collision occurred at the crosswalk on Main Street at King. Witnesses say the lights in the crosswalk were flashing when the young man crossed, and traffic in one direction had stopped.

The collision raised concerns over traffic safety at the crosswalk, and also Ambulance NB response times. It took 27 minutes for an ambulance to arrive on the collision scene, in part due to another emergency call that came in just 14 minutes beforehand.

Previous coverage:

Collision victim in critical condition; plus response time details and Sackville ER protocols

Serious injuries for Mount A student struck by driver in crosswalk; residents concerned about response times

… Continue

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