Official Sydney and Area Projects Thread

[Smevo]

Cape Breton Post

Donkin group preparing to tackle third project - community centre

Section: Glace Bay/New Waterford

By Sharon Montgomery,
A community group which spearheaded the building of a park and a playground are picking up the picks and shovels once again.

Members of Donkin-Port Caledonia Rural Development Association are working on their third project, a 6,000-square-foot community centre, at a cost of about $1.5 million.

However they need the public's help.

The first fundraiser will be a spring auction Sunday, April 27 at the Bayplex in Glace Bay. A silent auction will take place 6-8 p.m. and the regular auction will begin at 7 p.m. Tickets are $5, which includes tea and dessert.

Hugh Kennedy, chair of the association, said in Donkin they have three main facilities, the fire hall, the legion and the band hall.

"They are all trying to survive on their own.

"The concept is to try and bring them together in one centre.

"In the centre they can share the cost, along with other organizations such as the cadets and youth groups."

He said they are applying for funding through all three levels of government and will be going to businesses for help.

The community, as well as Cape Breton Regional Municipality Coun. Kevin Saccary, have been on-board from the start, he said.

"Alfie MacLeod (MLA Cape Breton West) has also been a big help. He has taken a personal interest in the things we are doing."

Kennedy said the plan is to upgrade the fire hall and then put on an addition which will accommodate everyone.

The fire department will occupy the ground floor and the community hall will be above. The community hall will house everyone else - cadets, the police boys and girls club along with offices for community groups to share.

"Everything is share, that is our whole principle. We have gotten letters from all the church groups, auxiliaries, clubs, they all support the concept.

"It means if you have a leaky roof, then everyone is pitching in to fix that roof, instead of one group struggling to do it on their own."

The centre will also include a tourist kiosk, heritage centre, youth centre and coffee shop.

Kennedy said most community centres generate funds through a bar.

"We thought why couldn't we put a coffee shop in, it would be the cornerstone and we could make money off it."

The association was formed to make improvements to the community.

A state-of-the-art playground was constructed and opened in 2006 in the first phase.

"That was big because it was our first really big project. It shocked us when we had 300 people out with us helping one day," said Kennedy.

The Veterans Memorial Community Park, located next to the playground, opened in July 2007. The community centre will be located in the same area.

Kennedy said they have been asked how they manage the cost.

"We do the labour ourselves and have managed to twist arms and get companies to help us. We couldn't have done it without the businesses, they come in and donate backhoes and bulldozers, all the things a small community can't afford to do."

Between the park and playground the costs were about $180,000. About $60,000 came from all levels of government.

Faith Dillon is the chair of the fundraising committee. For tickets or to volunteer for the spring auction telephone, 737-1124.

[Smevo]

Multiple photographers this time...found a goldmine on flickr, so I'll probably be using that for the next while.

dmealiffe


Mike Cohn








Marc VFR


sagarthulung




To view more: http://www.flickr.com/search/?q=sydney%2C+nova+scotia
The reason I post that is because of the artists that disabled direct linking.

[Smevo]

Cape Breton Post

I have some stuff to rebut this opinion piece with.

Building debt without new resources could be precursor to tougher times ahead

Section: Comment

Since the amalgamation of eight municipalities more than 10 years ago, we all know the rubber hits the road every time the Cape Breton Regional Municipality strikes its annual budget. Owing to our complex fiscal situation, striking a municipal budget comes down to what some might call rock-and-a-hard-place politics.

If it is the role of this level of government to attract new people to reverse the region's declining tax base, striking a credible budget is a crucial exercise for council.

This government believes it cannot wait to address a deteriorating infrastructure: it cannot wait to repair some of the worst roads in the province; it cannot wait to fix deteriorating sewers, sidewalks and signage; it cannot wait to repair declining parks and recreational facilities; it cannot wait to make the necessary investments to modernize the use of the Sydney Harbour.

These are just some of the exigencies we must face if we are to survive as a viable urban centre.

But not every demand from the more than 100 communities that come under this government can be satisfied by a $121 million operating budget.

This part of the island has lost much of its industrial tax base as well as the wages paid by these industries that were traditionally spent in our local economy. CBRM's budget reflects our recessionary economy.

To complicate matters, our population is shrinking, leaving fewer, older, and many retired taxpayers on fixed incomes to carry the burden of supporting this government.

To paraphrase one American president: "Blessed are our seniors for they shall inherit the municipal debt."

Successive councils have learned that budgeting for CBRM involves the even distribution of dissatisfaction in all communities. Given what is happening to our population, we can't continue to spend when there isn't any money.

The option to borrow money may not be the best course, as tempting as it might be to believe we will be better off down the road.

But there are no new enterprises to replace the lucrative anchors we have lost.

The local economy is not "turning the corner," as some would have us believe. It's good to remember that the slogan Herbert Hoover used to get elected U.S. president in 1928, "Prosperity is just around the corner," led us into the Great Depression, starting in 1929. The economic growth that isn't happening now is not going to pull us out of this dive by the next budget.

Many believe that winning CBRM's constitutional case against the province, which is now before the Nova Scotia Supreme Court, will automatically raise our revenue profile. Such a decision would force the province to reconsider what adequate transfers should be made to bring CBRM to national standards. But a favourable decision does not necessarily fix our cash flow problems.

Losing the case will place us back to Square 1, where property and business tax increases are inevitable and cuts to programs will have to be built into the budget. No one wants this. It is an unfortunate possibility.

This budget miraculously contains no tax increases or services cuts. But to accomplish this, the budget includes a borrowing component.

Most of the council voted to add just over $20 million to CBRM's debt. By this time next year the taxpayers of CBRM will owe creditors more than $105 million.

Because of the extent of our current debt, we will lose the benefit of more than $3 million in gasoline tax revenues which will go to servicing the debt rather than to funding capital projects in CBRM. Other municipalities in the province can use this federal money to their advantage; we cannot, and will be placed at a further disadvantage.

We are borrowing money to sustain a municipal lifestyle we think we deserve. But borrowing money because we lack sufficient income is like a steroid: there is a short-term boost followed by long-term withdrawal. It's like borrowing money to buy food. At some point in the future the bank will involuntarily put us on a starvation diet.

Conventional wisdom dictates that budgets should be balanced, except in cases where emergency events force a government to borrow to meet costs. While all projects at this level of government look to be essential and worthy of funding, we may be at the point where the crash test dummies are about to hit the wall.

We will need to take a penetrating glance at what we are doing in these important matters of fiscal management if we are to survive with any credibility as an urban community.

Sooner or later we will have to make our local government fit the size of our economy. Given what we know for sure about revenue sources for CBRM, the process of budgeting will have to include saying no.

That might mean saying no to certain infrastructure investments, arterial and collector road repairs, and recreational projects. They are all important to us but not affordable from our revenues.

Councillor Ray Paruch may not be wrong about CBRM losing its life support systems. If we don't die, as he believes we might, our community is going to have a near-death experience.

Jim Guy, PhD, is a professor of political science at Cape Breton University.

"The local economy is not "turning the corner," as some would have us believe."
*cough*
Housing starts in 2007 represented a 32.5% increase over 2006, and in the first two months of 2008 have increased 125% over the first two months last year (though a historically slow time of year).
I don't have comparative data for MLS sales, unfortunately, but for absorbtion of completed units, I do.
2006 saw a 39.5% drop in absorbtion rates, however, the final half of 2007 saw an 89% increase in absorbtion over the same period of 2006, almost negating a weak first half of 2007 with a year total rate 4.25% less than 2006. Median housing prices increased 3.4% in 2006 and another 7.2% in 2007 for absorbed units. Average prices increased slightly less than 1% in 2006, but increased 8.7% in 2007. As far as mulitple-unit residential buildings go, availability rates dropped from 7.3% in 2005, to 5.2% in 2006, to 4.0% in 2007! Vacancy rates dropped from 6.8% in 2005, to 4.7% in 2006, to 3.9% in 2007! The vacancy rate is the lowest it's been since 1989. None of these things on their own point to anything significant, but in combination, it's all a very good sign! If these aren't good indications of turning the corner along with the recent improvement in the labour participation market and unemployment rates (though both still bad) after these same areas were in decline for decades, I don't know what is!
One correlation I've found in all this stats studying is there seems to be a correlation between the Post running stories about the "continual decline" and the area actually declining. In other words, stop the doom and gloom and look for more indicators other than a two year old census! Just because it was the case doesn't make us doomed to follow the same path until the end of time!

[/rant]

Keep the pressure on for province to approve BEd program for CBU

Section: Comment

Column: Letters to the editor

The time is drawing near for the government to make its decision on whether to grant Cape Breton University the right to provide its own Bachelor of Education program. I still can't get over that this is being debated.

The provincial government wants to stop out-migration yet many of this province's students travel to other provinces and even the United States to get education degrees. Many from Cape Breton do so, and when they get their degrees a large percentage of them do not come back to Cape Breton.

The agreement between CBU and Memorial University has been a good way for CBU to raise its profile and allow for students to stay at home, or closer to home, to get degrees in education. This agreement allows Memorial to collect some $400,000 in tuition which should stay at CBU.

I have been told by staff at CBU that many of the key recommendations of the teacher education review panel mirror the practices under the CBU-Memorial program, including the 16-month model and an education advisory committee comprised of key educational and community stakeholders.

It's good enough to be duplicated and recommended for other universities but not good enough for CBU to be awarded its own BEd, in the panel's view.

The premier is suggesting the status quo is sufficient. I say that for CBU to progress it must be granted the authority to provide this program. I do not see any sound reason that the premier does not take a stand here. I do see, though, that it is pure politics, and, at the moment I believe the premier is trying to be politically correct to appease the institutions in Halifax.

Please do not let this issue rest. Time is running out, and if we do not speak out we will be defeated. Call the premier's office, and get as many as you can to do so. All students at CBU and throughout the island should call twice a day. Call the constituency office of the premier twice a day. What an impact this would have!

Paul Carrigan

Port Caledonia

Considering the recommendations hinged on a "high rate of unemployment for new teachers" (roughly 3% ), it seemed directly aimed at keeping CBU from progressing, especially since the model they suggest other universities use is the exact same model CBU employs in it's BEd program.

MPs showed support for ports by bringing senator to visit

Section: Comment

Column: Letters to the editor

It was obvious from Senator Terry Mercer's remarks while in Sydney that both Rodger Cuzner (Cape Breton-Canso) and Mark Eyking (Sydney Victoria) played an important role in having him take a closer look at the Ports of Sydney (Senator Backs Away from Controversy Over Ports, March 29). For this we are grateful.

By his own admission, Sen. Mercer found his time in Sydney to be revealing. The ports' important and significant potential is now more apparent, and it has been indicated that this will highlighted in the forthcoming report on containerization by the Senate Standing Committee on Transport and Communications.

We intend to maintain contact with Sen. Mercer on the Ports of Sydney going forward and would appreciate the continued support of the two island MPs on this matter. We thank them for their ongoing interest in the development of the Ports of Sydney.

Owen Fitzgerald

president,

Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce,

Sydney Ports Advocacy Council

While some of these comments may come off as "anti-Halifax", they actually aren't, they're just the usual anti-politician comments that are sometimes warranted and sometimes not.

Senator's Halifax-first view typical of capital thinking

Section: Comment

Column: Letters to the editor

Halifax Senator Terry Mercer really doesn't need to back away from comments he made that the Port of Halifax should be the priority before the province looks at other container terminals (Senator Backs Away from Controversy Over Ports, March 29). It's not a misunderstanding, or anything like it; all he is stating is how the governments in Ottawa and Nova Scotia, as well as the powers to be in such governments, think.

It's the same thinking that made sure we here got no jobs out of the Sable gas projects some years ago. It's the same thinking that Via Rail used when giving free trips to veterans - as long as they got on in Truro. It's the same thinking that closed down our industries.

As a friend of mine said, Halifax would build container cranes on top of Citadel Hill before allowing anything to compete.

The senator need not say anything else. He's just repeating what most of us already know. It works the same way for any offshore projects.

Lorne MacKinnon

Sydney

I could go on about the Sable project and how the area actually did get shafted, but I'll spare you all from that.

[Smevo]

Since the census information came out, I figured I'd post it here. The community breakdown from the NS finance department probably won't be out for another 2-3 months, but when it does come out, I'll post that too.



One thing that troubles me about this one, is that over 16,000 people are apparently unaccounted for. That's Truro and Bible Hill CSD's being completely wiped off the map!


This is one thing I hate about the effect amalgamation has had on our StatsCan numbers. The Sydney area would come in at a rate probably around 3%, with Whitney Pier coming in over 5% maybe closer to 6%, but instead, we're doomed to be reported as 1.4%.

[Smevo]

Glace Bay Gleaner Website

Seven months of budget fallout and outmigration talk...ugh!

Seven Months To Go, But. . .
Written by Paul Carrigan
Monday, 31 March 2008

I can’t stop thing about the Municipal Election and who will be the potentials candidates!

First of all I do not write this to tick the mayor or existing councilors off; but I can not stop thinking that perhaps change will be good for the municipality. People are now starting to announce their interest in running for councilor or mayor and this is great! When you hear somebody announce that they are interested or even confirm that they will run in the October Municipal election and you believe that they would be effective, give them a call and let them know that you are pleased with their announcement.

We really need to broaden the spectrum of candidates and in particular we need to encourage more women to announce their candidacy. I mentioned in a past column that we have a lot of credible candidates for mayor and I thought I would throw a few more names out there. Helen Boone (Luedee), A resident of New Waterford and Human Rights Officer at Cape Breton University. Helen has a lot of integrity and has a reputation as a very honest, hard working individual. Claire Dethridge is a current councilor within the CBRM. Claire is well known and respected as a regional councilor who constantly works hard for the residents of our Municipality. Another name that comes to mind is Ray Paruch, Ray is also a respectable councilor and man who has pride in his job and is a great decision maker. Again, this is just a few individuals I think are credible candidates for Mayor. If you know any of these people give them a call and ask them to consider running for Mayor.

Now, let’s talk councilors! There is no question that all of the councilors who put their names forward and in turn got elected in the last election are very concerned about our Municipality and are determined to make the CBRM a better place to live. We must give these people credit for having the interest and the big shoulders to handle the criticism, the constant complaints about our region and the long hours put in helping residents of our area. These people all deserve the right to run again and if you believe that they are making a difference then they perhaps deserve your vote. If you do not think that they are doing a great job, perhaps you should tell them. Let them know what you think. I personally believe that speaking to an elected official can build a great relationship and the official feels good that you also care about what they are doing. You will also get a perspective of what the job entails and in particular you will get a sense of what this elected individual goes through in the run of a day. From time to time I have emailed my councilor and he always responded to my concern. I found this to be very positive and it made me realize how approachable this councilor is. So, get in the election mode, care about our municipality and make sure you participate by voting.

In other words, go to this! I actually mean that.

Community & Labour Panel in Glace Bay Thursday
Written by Jay McNeil
Tuesday, 01 April 2008

The Cape Breton District Labour Council and the Canadian Labour Congress have organized a series of MUNICIPALITIES MATTER public forums in different communities within the Cape Breton Regional Municipality to bring members of the communities and unions together to discuss what the priorities should be for the municipal government.

The first session was held in Sydney last week. A session is scheduled for Thursday, April 3 at The BayPlex in Glace Bay. The meeting will begin at 7PM and will run two hours. The final meeting will be held in Sydney Mines on Thursday April 10th at the Sydney Mines Fire Hall, also at 7PM.

In a release organizers said, "Municipal politics affect every part of our lives. As citizens, we need to discuss what the priorities should be for the upcoming municipal elections which are approaching in the fall."

Issues to be addressed will include:
* Transparency, Accountability & Local Democracy
* Sustainability
* Infrastructure
* Transportation
* Housing
* Building the type of Cape Breton that working families need for the future
* A fair wage policy
* A green agenda for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality
* Procurement and a Made in Canada purchasing policy

For more information, please contact Tony Tracy at 902-455-2965 / ttracy@clc-ctc.ca

Hopefully the leadup politics to the election won't be too hard on the area, as we've seen, doom and gloom predictions hurt the area which bounces back when those stories aren't run.

[Smevo]

Cape Breton Post

Louisbourg update

Developer not concerned by builders lien

Section: Cape Breton

By Chris Shannon, Cape Breton Post
Cape Breton Island Developers commented Wednesday for the first time on the builders lien filed against them by Silver Grey Building Solutions in a Halifax court, Feb. 5.

The company claims the developers of the Louisbourg Resort Golf and Spa and Colin Howell owe Silver Grey $192,000 for unpaid work at the resort site, currently in its early stages of construction.

According to court documents, Silver Grey contends it supplied labour and materials to construct housing units on four lots of land located on Bastion Avenue in the Grand Lake subdivision.

The Sydney company says that despite repeated demands for payment, the developers have so far not paid the bill in full.

"We paid all invoices which we had, other than the holdback and there's a good reason why in construction there is a holdback and that's what we're trying to work out with them," German resort developer Henric Bauermeister said during an interview with the Cape Breton Post at his home on the resort site.

"We have different views as it relates to work from last year. As I've said money is in trust accounts here . . . you always have deficiencies or different views on things which didn't work ideally, so we deal with them and I think (the dispute) is in arbitration."

Bauermeister said Cape Breton Island Developers is in the process of drafting up its defence, which will be filed in court at a later date.

The allegations made by Silver Grey have yet to be proven in court.

The $300-million resort development that partially surrounds Grand Lake spans 1,000 hectares of land and will include an 18-hole gold course designed by professional golfer Nick Faldo, along with the construction of 400 luxury homes and a European-style spa.

There are about 30 lots, which have already been sold, and work continues on four homes on site. Three of the luxury homes are fully built and furnished. The homes are expected to range in price between $400,000 and $1-million.

Bauermeister said the builders lien against his company doesn't put the large-scale housing development in jeopardy.

"It's a relatively small amount of moneys on trust accounts," he said. "It will be dealt with over the next weeks and there's absolutely nothing to worry about especially because the lien is not on our property.

"It's on four homes out of 400 where a former company worked and we are in agreement with the other party that this will be between the lawyers and again it's not on our property. It will not hinder any progress here. There's absolutely nothing to worry about."

ECBC provided money for sewer system, marketing of Louisbourg area resort

Section: Cape Breton

By Chris Shannon, Cape Breton Post
Public money pumped into a $300-million luxury home, golf and spa resort being designed by private European interests came at the discretion of Enterprise Cape Breton Corp. officials, said Henric Bauermeister of Cape Breton Island Developers.

"It was not my decision," Bauermeister said Wednesday, although he acknowledged his company filled out the necessary paperwork for the financial support from the federally owned Crown corporation.

"It was ECBC's decision (to help with infrastructure) and not my decision as an owner of Cape Breton Island Developers or Louisbourg resort."

Earlier this year, ECBC gave CBI Developers a $750,000 non-repayable contribution for work to its sewer system and a $500,000 repayable loan for marketing.

The funding wasn't announced publicly.

Bauermeister said CBI Developers become acquainted with ECBC officials since first landing in the province in 2004, but no financial arrangement was decided upon until recently with its water and sewer hookups to the Louisbourg system.

At the official announcement of the resort development in December 2006, CBI Developers said the money for the project would come from private resources.

"At the time there was no government money involved and it was the truth," he said. "When we wanted to hook up the new water system to the newly built water treatment plant in Louisbourg, and when we came up with the idea to build a Rembrandt (water) system, they quite liked it. And they said, 'If we can be helpful then we can discuss.' And that's just the truth."

The municipality is likely to take over the sewage and water treatment systems once complete. Bauermeister said it will benefit the Cape Breton Regional Municipality because jobs are being created as a result of the housing development.

The sewage treatment system is expected to run between $4 million and $5 million and as much as $4.5 million for water treatment. He said the non-repayable loan should be looked at in its proper context.

"So put this into perspective - don't get me wrong - it helps, but it's a small amount in the overall project."

Bauermeister describes the $500,000 in repayable contributions for marketing as "an appreciation for the value of having Nick Faldo, as the Ryder Cup captain of 2008, having him design a course on Cape Breton exclusively for us."

Although, he also noted the money would be spent in foreign publications, mainly in the United Kingdom, to attract new visitors to Cape Breton who would be willing to spend large sums of money here.

ECBC chief executive officer Marlene Usher said earlier this week that the money handed to CBI Developers was for infrastructure which would ultimately be owned by the CBRM.

"For a corporation to actually borrow money to put in infrastructure that they won't own, it's not even possible or feasible. We did that project in conjunction with the municipality to allow them to proceed with the project," said Usher, who added the developers could have "found the cash somewhere conceivably."

She said the repayable marketing funds provided would not only assist in raising awareness of the resort near Louisbourg, but would also highlight other attractions in Cape Breton to prospective European tourists.

"Anytime somebody is going to spend that amount of investment to market Cape Breton, we feel it's a good investment."

The luxury homes, which range in size from 1,300 square feet to more than 5,000 square feet, will cost approximately from $400,000 to $1 million.

Three of the homes are fully built and furnished, while another four are currently under construction on the 2,500-acre development. There are about 30 lots already sold and construction is expected to continue throughout the year.

When the resort is complete in another six years or so, it's expected that 400 homes will be part of the resort.

And crews are also currently removing trees for fairways for the 18-hole golf course designed by Faldo, which is expected to open in 2010.

Wentworth Park development moves to next phase

Section: Cape Breton

By Erin Pottie, Cape Breton Post
Wentworth Park is entering the next phase of renovations in its makeover.

Construction is expected to continue in two or three weeks when the frost has left the ground, says Coun. Ray Paruch, speaking on behalf of the Friends of the Wentworth Park Society.

"We've got through the major stumbling blocks and hurdles with the federal government on all the prerequisites that have to take place for the second and third phase," Paruch said.

Federal government requirements concerned the safe construction for waterways, plant and fish life around the park, and approval took 18 months.

After receiving the green light on the project, a contract was signed between the Cape Breton Regional Municipality and Enterprise Cape Breton Corp. for the disbursement of funds.

The total cost of this phase of the project is $750,000. CBRM will receive a $500,000 contribution toward the project through ACOA's innovative communities fund. The province has also agreed to contribute $100,000 for work at the bandshell area of the park, though the project is still short about $500,000.

Located adjacent to both the waterfront and commercial district, the final phases of the project will see upgrades to provide improved access to the park and enhanced amenities.

"What you're going to see there is a continuation of the first phase. You're going to see lighting, you're going to see walking trails, you'll probably see a couple of sprinklers the same way that you've seen in the first phase."

In its first phase of renovations, there was extensive work to the lower pond part of the park including landscaping, new fountains, a gazebo and a tunnel running under Kings Road and eventually to the Sydney boardwalk.

There have already been conversations with ECBC and the CBRM about future funding. Funding applications will be made to ECBC within the next seven to 10 days.

Paruch is optimistic the entire project will be completed by the end of this building season and the 2009 tourism season.

Under the third phase of construction, there will be a total revamping of the bandshell located at George and Argyle streets, transforming the aging structure into visual arts performing centre.

Apparently it's wrong for elected officials to listen to the concerns of their constituents before an election. I wonder if he's on Stubbert's payroll.

Elected people should offer answers instead of asking public

Section: Comment

Column: Letters to the editor

After attending the recent municipal forum at the Steelworkers and Pensioners' Club, organized by the Cape Breton District Labour Council, I am convinced that the disaster facing us in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality because of our huge debt of more $100 million, the mayor with his court case against the province, councillors who miss important meetings and show no responsibility for the taxpayers, is going to be very difficult to overcome.

How could nine councillors attend a very important meeting such as this and only one get up to speak, telling us much of the problem lies with the mayor? Councillor Wes Stubbert gave an excellent presentation on our problems and what needs to be done.

Councillors who would not follow Stubbert to the microphone were Brian Lahey, Darren Bruckschwaiger, Jim MacLeod, Ray Paruch, Tom Wilson, Charlie Long, Richard Fogarty and Claire Detheridge.

If these councillors came to sit and see whether taxpayers could solve the problems, they are dead wrong. It is their job to tell us directly what is wrong and how they will fix the problems.

After all, $30,000 per year plus $140 per week in expenses is not bad pay.

I'm told the mayor and chief administrative officer Jerry Ryan are not on the same playing field. I think it is time for Mayor John Morgan to face the fact that the CAO, according to my reading of the Municipal Government Act, is the leader of CBRM, and the mayor and councillors must respect his decisions.

Borrowing money must stop but the CAO's hands are tied if the mayor does not support him.

Another issue that must be resolved is the mayor's locking of his office while he is away. We pay the deputy mayor an extra $5,000 per year to replace the mayor, not on the streets or by phone but in his office.

I say it is Deputy Mayor Forgarty's place to do it, even if it means kicking the door down.

Coun. Stubbert should do us a favour and place his name on the ballot for mayor. When he speaks, he speaks as a leader.

Kaz Siepierski

Sydney

"How could nine councillors attend a very important meeting such as this and only one get up to speak, telling us much of the problem lies with the mayor? Councillor Wes Stubbert gave an excellent presentation on our problems and what needs to be done."

Hmm...9 councillors attend a meeting intended for the public to voice their concerns, and only one speaking just to defame the mayor (who I usually don't agree with either, but you get my point). Yup, gotta agree with you Kaz, the councillors should just read our minds about our concerns and just offer a "take it or leave it" solution.

"Coun. Stubbert should do us a favour and place his name on the ballot for mayor. When he speaks, he speaks as a leader."
I'm convinced, he's on the payroll.

Municipal forums off to a good start

Section: Comment

The Cape Breton District Labour Council and the Canadian Labour Congress have held their first of three municipal forums. At the Sydney Pensioners and Steelworkers Hall we had about 75 come out to listen and voice their concerns, including nine regional councillors and one school board representative.

There were also a few people who are considering offering for a council seat in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality for the October elections.

We were very pleased with the turnout and can only hope our two other events will be supported as well. I thank everyone who took part in our first Municipality Matters session. We have two more forums scheduled for April 3 (today) at the Bayplex in Glace Bay and April 10 at the Sydney Mines fire hall, both starting at 7 p.m.

The information gathered will be put into a newsletter and made available before the elections in October.

Gary Fukala

Glace Bay

president, Cape Breton District Labour Council

Census: less Capers 'Canadian'

Section: Front

By CP
Almost half the people in Cape Breton Regional Municipality consider their ethnic background to be at least partly "Canadian", according to the 2006 census, an indication that many people feel a connection to Canada as well as their ethnic roots.

But the number of people who declared Canadian ancestry nationwide has actually dropped since the last census - perhaps because the concept of "ethnicity" is more complex than ever in an increasingly diverse country.

Statistics Canada has been including "Canadian" as an example in its ethnic origin question in the census for 10 years now and fewer people in Cape Breton Regional Municipality identified their ancestry as Canadian than in the last census - 40.6 per cent in 2006 compared to 47.8 per cent in 2001.

The "Canadian" response compares to 65.5 per cent who listed their ancestral origins as British and 19.1 per cent who listed French - Canada's two founding cultures.

Other popular responses (either reported alone or in combination with other origins) to the ethnic origin question in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality region included German (3.5 per cent), Italian (3 per cent) and Polish (2.5 per cent).

Some demographic experts have said answering Canadian to the ancestry question on the census is more of a statement of patriotism than a person's true ethnic origin. Statistics Canada didn't list Canadian as an example until 1996 - after a public campaign by some media organizations led to a large number of write-in Canadian replies in the 1991 census.

Unlike other questions on the census forms that are based on hard facts - such as age, sex and the number of people living in one dwelling - Canadians are left to interpret their own ethnicity.

The census form asked respondents about their "ethnic or cultural origins" and then offered further instructions.

"This question refers to the ethnic or cultural origin or origins of a person's ancestors. An ancestor is someone from whom a person is descended and is usually more distant than a grandparent. Other than Aboriginal persons, most people can trace their origins to their ancestors who first came to this continent. Ancestry should not be confused with citizenship or nationality," the census says.

The census has collected data on the ethnic origins of the population since 1871.

Statistics Canada says this reflects the long-standing, continuing and widespread demand for information about ethnocultural characteristics of the Canadian population.

The Department of Canadian Heritage uses information on ethnic origin to administer programs under the Multiculturalism Act. Statistics Canada also says the question on ethnicity provides some of the most widely requested data from the census. Governments, community groups, ethnic and cultural organizations, school boards, hospitals and researchers all use ethnicity data to assess how people of different backgrounds have integrated into life in Canada.

The census data released Wednesday also includes information on visible minorities in Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

A total of 1.7 per cent of the population of Cape Breton Regional Municipality identified themselves as a visible minority in 2006 - an increase from 2001 when the figure was 1.4 per cent.

Across Canada, 16.2 per cent of the population identified themselves as a visible minority - that's more than five million Canadians.

The national figures show the continued ethnic diversity of the Canadian population over the last 25 years. In 1981, there were just over one million Canadians who were visible minorities, representing less than five per cent of the population.

In Cape Breton Regional Municipality, 75.9 per cent of the community's visible minority population was born in Canada.

The largest visible minority population was black (1 per cent), followed by South Asian (0.3 per cent) and Chinese (0.2 per cent).

The census also sheds light on the work and education of visible minorities.

Visible minorities in Cape Breton Regional Municipality had a higher employment rate than non-visible minorities - 50.4 per cent compared to 44.7 per cent.

This article is what tipped me off to look for more information from the census only to find out that it was only the table I posted info from yesterday that was flawed, unfortunately the same table StatsCan used to compare municipalities. Someone screwed up bigtime!

[Smevo]

Here ya go!

Our South Asian population EXPLODED!

[mmmatt]

Originally Posted by Smevo

The reason I post that is because of the artists that disabled direct linking.

There are ways of getting around that muhahaha

If you have firefox there are add-ons that can block images, just use that and block "spaceball.gif" that removes the transparent overlay image Flickr places over the picture to "block" people from downloading it...

If you have IE just hit "view source" in tools or something and it brings up the html of the page...then hit ctrl F and type in "spaceball" that will bring you to where they have that image...then scan through that line of code and you will find the actual picture link.

[Smevo]

Haha...good to know. Don't know if I'll ever use it, but I'll keep it in mind if they all start blocking their images.

[mmmatt]

Originally Posted by Smevo

Haha...good to know. Don't know if I'll ever use it, but I'll keep it in mind if they all start blocking their images.

Figured, I just like stickin to the man, I have this secret hope that if I use someones image that they know is blocked they will find out and be impressed...or pissed, either would be cool hahaha! I know Im wierd.

[Smevo]

Cape Breton Post

I'm posting this for a couple of reasons, including one relating to the situation with the Vogue.

Granville Street revitalization may be a multi-year project

Section: Cape Breton

By Tom Ayers,
A Town of Port Hawkesbury proposal to revitalize Granville Street along the town's waterfront may become a multi-year project, now that council's ideal street design has been priced at $2 million.

"We did a bit of a study on what we'd like to do with the street, but it came in at $2 million, which we won't have," Mayor Billy Joe MacLean said following Tuesday's council meeting.

The provincial government has kicked in $385,000, he said, but that's not nearly enough for the town to start work on the project right away.

Instead, council will consider a number of options including partnering with local businesses to defray some of the costs and possibly spreading the $2-million project out over four or five years, MacLean said.

Council's ideal project would see the entire waterfront street rebuilt, with new sidewalks, landscaping, old-style street lighting and buried telephone and power lines.

MacLean said a $2-million Granville Street redevelopment would help attract tourists and commercial traffic to the town's waterfront.

"Really, what we're saying is, if we're going to do it, we should do it right," he said.

"We're going to meet and go over our options, because we could never afford that," said Coun. Jim King, adding other options include seeking additional funds from the federal government and borrowing.

King said it could be a week or more before council has laid out all of its options, which it has to do before deciding how to proceed with the project.

The north end of the street received new sidewalks and lights and council is hoping to extend the redevelopment all the way to the pulp mill road, he said.

In any event, the entire road needs to be rebuilt, having been surface patched for years, King added.

Meanwhile, King said, the provincial government will be providing $500,000 toward a new entertainment venue to replace the Creamery building on Granville Street.

An announcement on the provincial funding was expected this morning at 9 a.m. at the Port Hawkesbury provincial building.

Initial cost estimates put the Ship Harbour Place project at between $1.3 million and $2 million, so the project has been scaled back.

The Strait Area Waterfront Development Society said in December it is now proposing a 7,500-square-foot building that will blend in with the boardwalk and be a multi-use venue incorporating the local marina, a hall and related facilities such as kitchen and washrooms.

The town just built a new Civic Centre (entertainment venue) a couple of years back. Now, when I asked the people behind the "Save the Vogue" group to continue with the momentum they had, and create a new, non-profit entertainment venue downtown built on donations (monetary and possibly supplies/skilled labour if they played their cards right), the overwhelming response was "oh, the Vogue is gone, the council has no foresight, the arts community will continue to suffer without a venue because of this council" (not the exact words, but all the blame was on council and Harbour Royale Developments). In other words, they were all just a bunch of NIMBY's it seems. It's sad that the Vogue is gone (officially now, demolition was Friday), but the biggest problem with CBRM is that these kinds of groups have no foresight, and have always adopted an "all or nothing" strategy. The city won't start the project, it already runs the Savoy and will be renovating the Wentworth Park bandshell. But the group was expecting provincial grants and loans to renovate the Vogue anyway, the bolded section in the story just proves that they had the option of provincial money conditional on donations for a new project.

If you want to read my comments, they're on the facebook groups wall here (note: I got 0 messages from the group admins, all responses have been on the wall, most have simply ignored the concept).

All my comments appear on page 2, I'm too disgusted to reply to any more right now. There's also photos and a video of the demolition on the main page of the group.

Support for lawsuit looms large at forum

Section: News

By Tom Ayers,
Mayor John Morgan and five councillors heard plenty of ideas about what people want from their next municipal council at a labour-sponsored public forum Thursday, but the loudest message was support for the Cape Breton Municipality's lawsuit over how the province distributes equalization funds from the federal government.

The Canadian Labour Congress and Cape Breton District Labour Council hosted the second of three Municipalities Matter meetings at the BayPlex, where about 45 people listened to a presentation from Cape Breton University political science professor Tom Urbaniak and retired steelworkers union representative Bernie Campbell.

As part of Urbaniak's presentation, he said he supports the CBRM lawsuit because it dramatizes the plight facing the municipality, which he said is being shortchanged by the provincial government.

The problem is stark when property tax revenues are compared, said Urbaniak.

"It's a good year if we're able to bring in even three-fifths of the per-household revenue of Halifax," he said, adding that the province's own equalization formula shows CBRM should receive $10 million more annually in equalization funds.

Campbell said councillors should support the mayor's efforts to push ahead with the lawsuit, especially since he received 80 per cent of the vote in the last election.

Only one audience member, Fred Holman of Port Morien, disagreed. He said he voted for John Morgan, but not for the lawsuit.

A dozen people got up to the microphone to suggest priorities for the municipality, and most said someone needs to stand up to the province and demand Cape Breton's fair share of revenues.

Audience suggestions included:

Better bus service

Buying local products

Jobs and recreation for youth

Turning CBRM into a recycling centre of excellence

Opposing bulk exports of water

Fixing council's pay for the entire four-year term

Matching unionized municipal employees' pay raises to those of management

Cutting some of the managers

Stopping councillors from personally attacking each other

Building new infrastructure

Supporting Cape Breton University's desire for its own Bachelor of Education degree

Downsizing council

Holding small local kitchen meetings to discuss issues

Sending the province a bill for the provincial roads maintained by the municipality

Setting aside any new tax revenues from windmills and putting it exclusively toward CBRM's debt.

Council members in attendance included Darren Bruckschwaiger, Ray Paruch, Charlie Long, Wes Stubbert and Tom Wilson.

Mayor Morgan said afterwards that the meeting was very positive and provided some useful feedback on what people expect from council.

The final meeting will be held at the Sydney Mines fire hall Thursday.

Go to it!

I'll be posting a link to the audio from Urbaniak and Morgan when I post the GB Gleaner update. Urbaniak's speech was quite good, Morgan was mostly just thanking the crowd and commenting on the lawsuit and such.

Port Hawkesbury again

Return of bus service good news for Strait area

Section: Our community

Column: Dan Nightingale

By Dan Nightingale,
There are good ideas, and then there are very good ideas. Reintroducing a public transportation system to the communities of the Strait area is definitely one of the very good ideas. There are many positives about bus service and rural communities are at a distinct disadvantage without it.

We continually lose services to larger centres, increasing the need for a vehicle just to access the necessities of life. Where many people see the loss of the community school as the beginning of decline, if you look back you might be surprised to find out how often the loss of local bus service preceded school closures by a few years.

Public transportation improves access for people who don't own a vehicle. Just as importantly it offers an alternative to driving long distances to work, school, shopping, or recreational activities for those who do. The price of operating a vehicle is skyrocketing, and not just because of the price of gas. The cost of everything from auto insurance to maintenance and repairs are up.

If you live a half-hour drive from your place of work or study, those costs are quickly becoming a serious limiting factor. The impact varies, depending on the type of vehicle you drive, but a person working 40 hours a week who lives 50 kilometres from their workplace has to put at least two dollars an hour into their vehicle, not including payments. If you work at a $10 an hour job, that means you have to devote one full day's pay just to get back and forth to work.

The advantages of public transportation are many. Ecologically there are reduced emissions. Wear and tear on roads is another factor; fewer cars on the road will see savings in tax dollars spent on road maintenance. This could allow us to finally get rid of the 'politics of paving' mentality that has dogged us for years. That particular failure of political vision is a major reason that we remain a have-not province.

Public transportation is all about access and it is one of the things that draw people away from smaller communities. With population decline costing us services, many people have to leave rural communities just to find work or attend school. Rural residents with health problems are especially vulnerable to transportation difficulties.

Outmigration is killing rural communities. The loss of public transportation and other services are what cause people to leave. The return of bussing is akin to the ice leaving, it is a sign of renewal.

We all need to support the people working hard to make this thing happen, and to thank them for displaying the first thing that looks like true vision that we have seen in a long time.

Dan Nightingale is a forestry worker and the operator of Loggerdan Forest Safety. He lives in Grand Greve, Richmond County.

[Smevo]

Cape Breton Post

Follow-up on the bus commentary for Port Hawkesbury

Bus service coming to Strait area

Section: Business

By Nancy King,
Regional public transit could be coming to the Strait area by June, with word Friday that the province will contribute $120,000 to the project.

The Strait Area Transit Co-operative will use the one-time contribution to purchase three vehicles, construct bus shelters and other related infrastructure to support a transit-service pilot project.

"Today can go down in history, that we'll be able to apply accessible transportation to the whole Strait area," said Malcolm Beaton, general manager of the co-operative. "This is the announcement we were waiting for and it certainly will move the projects forward very quickly."

The transit system will see vehicles travel regularly between smaller communities and the region's service centre of Port Hawkesbury, helping rural residents access services they need on a daily basis.

The contribution will help the co-operative purchase one 20-passenger accessible bus, two seven-passenger commuter vans, bus shelters and office equipment. Service will include scheduled, regular week-day main-route transit, door-to-door (in conjunction with the Provincial Dial-a-Ride program), and charter services for nursing homes, senior complexes, regional occupation centres and others.

"Our next move is to start looking at the vehicles, do the purchasing of the vehicles, get the proper licence through the Utility and Review Board, so we're anticipating that at the end of May or the first part of June we should be mobile," Beaton said. "We've done a lot of work over the past year in developing our policies, so we know where to go with our next moves."

Initially, the co-op has hoped to have buses on the road by January, but that was slowed a bit as it waited for funding approvals.

Of all the community initiatives he's work on, Beaton said the transit project has elicited a great deal of enthusiasm and anticipation.

"The need is definitely there for it," he said.

Communities including Port Hastings, Mulgrave and Louisdale would have access to the bus, which will make two daily trips into Port Hawkesbury.

"Improving infrastructure, protecting our environment, and building safer, healthier communities are three priorities of our government, and the transit proposal helps in all three," Premier Rodney MacDonald said in a press release Friday. "The province is happy to support the initiative. It will mean so much for residents who currently are in need of safe, affordable and accessible transportation."

The two vans will make pit stops in areas such as L'Ardoise, St. Peter's, Chapel Island, Arichat and Petit de Grat, and then transfer users to the bus in Louisdale and that vehicle will take them into the town.

Can't really expect much better service than this is such a small area (Port Hawkesbury ~ 3,500, surrounding area rural villages).

More info on Port Hawkesbury's entertainment venue (how is this town dominating the news? )

Waterfront project gets boost from province

Section: Business

Premier Rodney MacDonald announced a $500,000 contribution to a waterfront development project here Friday.

The Strait Area Waterfront Development Society is planning to build Ship Harbour Place, an entertainment, education and marina venue.

"Gathering places like Ship Harbour Place keep communities active and vital, and keep residents healthy," MacDonald said. "I am confident the new facility will quickly become a centre of community activity, providing opportunities for recreation, education and culture."

Ship Harbour Place will house the Port Hawkesbury marina services, offer courses, provide retail space, and host cultural, entertainment events and meetings. It will replace the Creamery, which was formerly used for similar purposes but has been leased to a local company.

"We're very pleased to have the support of the province and thankful they also believe in the valuable contribution that a dynamic waterfront provides to the town of Port Hawkesbury," said Blaine MacQuarrie, chair of the Waterfront Development Society ceilidh committee. "This support, along with the previous support from the federal government will serve only to boost the health, well-being and cultural richness of our area for years to come."

The premier also acknowledged the valuable contributions made by the many volunteers who assist the waterfront society with the presentation of their cultural programs.

Initial cost estimates put the Ship Harbour Place project at between $1.3 million and $2 million, so the project has been scaled back. The Strait Area Waterfront Development Society said in December it is now proposing a 7,500-square-foot building that will blend in with the boardwalk.

"The premier also acknowledged the valuable contributions made by the many volunteers who assist the waterfront society with the presentation of their cultural programs."
*cough* hint to Vogue supporters, there is hope! Don't be defeatist fools and follow through, since your apparent support was based on providing a venue for Sydney's arts community!

Louisbourg, Gabarus link road.

Case unveiled for Gabarus link

Section: Comment

In retrospect it might have been smarter to start at the other end in 1994 by building a highway between Louisbourg and Gabarus, leaving it for others to lobby for the upgrading and paving of the rest of the Fleur de lis to St. Peters. Did David Dingwall and Richie Mann, the federal and provincial ministers who launched the project so controversially, really think they'd be in a position to ensure its completion?

Five years, the original timeline, is a long time in politics. Dingwall soon moved on from federal public works, but more significant was the lurch of the provincial Liberal government into deficit-fighting mode. Highways, existing and proposed, slid further to the back burner. That priority decision that would help bring the Conservatives to power in 1999, and indeed they're still campaigning as the party of roads.

The return of road construction and maintenance as a high government priority has not brought completion of the Fleur de lis back to the fore, however. A campaign fronted by Louisbourg area tourism operator Germaine LeMoine has been underway for more than two years to change that, and now there's a $100,000 report by the Halifax consulting firm Gardner Pinfold to buttress the case.

Lead author Michael Gardner unveiled the study Monday, arguing that the business development potential that would be tapped by building the final 17 kilometre link, along with other benefits, outweighs the negatives. The chief obstacle remains the cost, now estimated at $20 million, twice the number thrown around when this campaign started. Back in 1994 it was thought that $24 million would do the whole thing.

Among the pieces of evidence assembled is a survey in which 60 per cent of visitors to the Cabot Trail who didn't visit Fortress of Louisbourg said they would if it wasn't necessary to backtrack to Sydney after seeing the national historic site. Even a third of those extra visitors would make a huge difference for Louisbourg, and potentially for other localities along a completed Fleur de lis, which features virtually no tourism businesses east of St. Peters.

LeMoine sees the Louisbourg-Gabarus link as an opportunity for the federal government right a historic wrong it committed by closing the dirt road that joined those communities along the coast until 1966. Indeed that does look today like an example of the imperious mindset of federal parks administrators who thought little of disrupting living communities for the sake of preserving the undiscovered artefacts of dead ones.

Bringing in federal funding would be a big help in getting the province onside, as it was in 1994, but it remains to be seen how feasible that is today. Local authorities, including both affected municipalities (Cape Breton regional as well as Richmond), along with the Cape Breton County Economic Development Authority which commissioned the study, appear to be firmly in support.

Funding a new stretch of "tourist highway," as this has been dismissively called, will take some determined lobbying in the era of green policy filtering. Last time we checked, however, Nova Scotia was still promoting motor tourism as an economic engine for the province. Completion of the Fleur de lis has to make economic sense but now there is a researched case that says it does.

Too bad it wasn't Inverness County that was affected, Rodney would be jumping on the bandwagon!

Work at cooling pond winding down; dealing with dust

Section: Front

As work on the project is nearing an end, construction work resumed at the cooling pond Friday, after it was shut down Thursday evening when dust limits outlined in the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency's environmental management plan were approached.

Work was also halted last Friday, when dust levels were exceeded for the first time on the project. It resumed the following day.

The Sydney cooling pond is a manmade, circular body of water and sludge, located on Inglis Street. The function of the pond was to cool water once used by Sysco's rolling mills.

The agency's real-time air monitoring program is intended to protect the health of the general public and on-site workers from being affected by cleanup activities.

"Each day they have almost like a dust budget," agency spokesperson Tanya Collier MacDonald noted. "Last Friday there was an exceedance of that budget and (Thursday) night they came close, but they didn't actually exceed, they were shut down as a precautionary measure until the air monitoring people had time to crunch the numbers."

The real-time data, collected as 15-minute averages, are monitored continuously during construction activity to identify sources of volatile organic compounds and dust. This approach allows site managers to modify activities immediately and to implement controls that lower dust levels before they become a hazard.

Work on the cooling pond project is expected to be completed within the next two weeks.

"They're almost at the very end of the solidification and stabilization part of the project, so all the sediment that was in there is almost completely solidified and stabilized and they're almost finished capping as well," Collier MacDonald said. "To look at it, pretty well most of the cooling pond just disappeared."

The cooling pond project was the first aboriginal set-aside component of the cleanup of the tar ponds and coke ovens sites, with three local aboriginal construction companies working on the project. They are currently working on the last cell of the project.

Aboriginal construction companies are already looking toward future contracts as part of the cleanup process.

"This experience has also allowed these Cape Breton aboriginal construction companies to build capacity and expertise and has positioned them to play a significant role in future contracts and other major construction projects in Nova Scotia", said Dan Christmas, chair of the Unama'ki economic benefits steering committee and senior adviser to Membertou First Nation.

Frank Potter, president of the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency, called the cooling pond project a success, largely due to the aboriginal contractors working on the project.

"They have responded to the challenge of a demanding environmental project and in the process have acquired valuable skills and training from some of the top experts in the field of solidification and stabilization," he said.

History in the making

Beaton Institute bringing archives into digital age

Section: Weekend

By Erin Pottie,
Much like history itself, traditional archives are becoming dated as research centres move toward the future.

The Beaton Institute of Cape Breton University is taking a step toward the future by putting several of its historical items and online through digitilization.

The institute will scan approximately 150 items from its inventory which will be made available through the province's ArchWay website, the Atlantic Scholarly Information Network hosted by Memorial University of Newfoundland and the Beaton Institute website hosted on www.cbu.ca.

The items are among the tens of thousands of pieces within the institute's archives. Hundreds of those contain documentary evidence of elders and tradition bearers in, such as the Mi'kmaq, Ukrainian, Italian, and Polish to Belgian, Hungarian, Jewish and African Nova Scotian communities.

Institute staff have spent months working on the project which is funded by National Archival Development Program. The project will help maintain the island's diverse multi-cultural heritage and will include the most representative Cape Breton ethno-cultural items.

"We've been working with stakeholders in the cultural communities to identify which records the community would see as important as having scanned and available online," said institute manager Catherine Arseneau.

Working with six of the most prevalent cultural community groups, the institute has also established its own selection criteria.

The first priority is the need for preservation, such as a fragile item that requires protection. The second criteria is how often an item is accessed. Item selection may also consider a piece's ability to increase representation of underrepresented ethno-cultural groups in Canada's archival heritage.

"The initial inventory was done in 1985, so we wanted to update some of that and also (ask) stakeholders in the community what they see as important. With that information we then had to ensure there were copyright clearances in place and that there weren't any restrictions place during that initial donation to the archive," said Arseneau.

Items include audio tapes, newspaper clippings, photographs and manuscripts that cover topics such as community history, religious practices, gender issues, folk songs, and personal narratives.

The Beaton Institute believes in the rich cultural heritage of Cape Breton that extends beyond the waves of 19th Century Scottish and Irish settlers and the empire-building French and English explorers of 100 years ago.

From the indigenous Mi'kmaq to generations of immigrants seeking better opportunities for their family. Many immigrants from Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Caribbean Islands brought their customs and traditions with them to Cape Breton.

Throughout the years, some of the heritage was preserved and remains intact today, while some has all but disappeared.

"This project is to start the process of making some of our holdings available almost on an Internet basis. People could, rather than going to a card catalogue, be able to search through a database for some items," said Arseneau.

Funding was completed in March and institute staff are now working toward uploading the final selection to the provincial archival database.

The digitization project will be ongoing as the Beaton Institute works with the Centre for Cape Breton Studies and the university community to make its archives widely available in a safe format. Considered a timesaver for researchers, faculty and staff across Canada, people will eventually be able to search and access information from their home computers.

An archive and research centre mandated to collect and conserve the social, economic, political and cultural history of Cape Breton Island, the Beaton Institute is located within a 17,000-square-foot complex at CBU.

Its origins date to 1957 when the late Sr. Margaret Beaton, former librarian of Xavier College, the predecessor to CBU, began collecting material on Gaelic language and culture. Upon her death in 1975 and the subsequent renaming of the institute in her honour, the mandate of the Beaton was expanded to incorporate all aspects of the island's life and history.

[Smevo]

From the website

Lessons From The Past: Tompkins, Coady, Davis, McLachlan Written by Jay McNeil
Friday, 04 April 2008

If we want things to change we have to look to community leaders of the past. That was the message delivered Thursday night at Municipalities Matter, the second in a three-part series of meetings organized by The Canadian Labor Congress (CLC) in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

Throughout the meeting panelists, speakers, and guests each called for a return to the days of Father Jimmy Tompkins, Dr. Moses Coady, William Davis, and J. B. McLachlan.

The panel consisted of CLC Representative for Nova Scotia Tony Tracey, local organizer Gary Fukala, Professor Tom Urbaniak, and retired steelworkers representative Gary Campbell.

Dr. Tom Urbaniak, a professor at Cape Breton University, delivered a compelling speech that provided the context for the rest of the discussion. He opened his remarks with a quote from Father Jimmy. “Let us begin locally, and at the root of things and all other development will follow. An organization is the heart of intelligence.” (Listen to the speech)

According to Urbaniak there is one central question that should be asked of those seeking election to municipal council. “It is really my fervent hope that in this municipal election campaign, when candidates show up at our doorstep, when we attend all candidate meetings, that we will ask the following question to those who want to represent us: How will you create leaders in our community? Or to put it in a more fancy way, how will you cultivate the leadership potential that lies dormant in our communities.”

Urbaniak challenged many of the all-or-nothing positions that our municipal leaders are taking, specifically Economic Development Manager John Whalley’s report that called for sweeping changes to the governance structure before any local progress can be made. Calling for incremental changes, he suggested that the CBRM, which is currently preparing a report as part of the federal government’s review of ECBC, boldly suggest that the board of directors be elected, rather than appointed, with the hopes that such a process would force a discussion within the community about the types of economic development we want.

He called on municipal leaders to be more strategic in their use power, and to realize the powers they have but are perhaps are unaware of – what he called the ‘soft power’ of municipal government. “That means doing more than picking up a shovel and filling a pot hole,” he said, “it means looking at the municipality in its’ entirety.” He called on municipal leaders to use their inherent moral authority within the community to work with agencies to cultivate solutions within the community at-large.

With Mayor John Morgan, and Councillors Darren Bruckschwaiger, Charlie Long, Tom Wilson, Wes Stubbert, and Ray Paruch in attendance, Urbaniak challenged council’s recent passing of the annual budget. “I was concerned that only one day was devoted to this critical discussion of the future of the CBRM,” he said. “Even the discussion about how best to approach the provincial government, over time, is a very critical discussion that needs to happen in the public forum over a number of days.”

As his remarks proceeded he discussed several issues ranging from housing to the size and scope of council. However, in tying it all together he spoke of the defining campaign issue of 2004 election – the lawsuit against the province.

“Stop talking about these ideas!,” he said mockingly to himself. “You can’t talk about these ideas until the lawsuit is dealt with!” Calling the lawsuit an “important matter of principle,” which he supports, he further illustrated his earlier point about all-or-nothing leadership, saying that our leaders shouldn’t wait until the issue is resolved before enacting some changes. “There are many examples across Canada,” he said, “where lawsuits have been launched against senior levels of government where other things have been happening in the meantime.”

When the panel turned discussion over to the floor, the first person at the microphone was Mayor John Morgan. He began by apologizing for not attending the first meeting in Sydney, and highlighting the strong labor relations that he and council have managed to oversee for the last seven years. (Listen to his comments.)

Addressing those who say that the province is currently under funding the CBRM as a result of the lawsuit, Morgan said, “If you, in fact, look back many decades you will see the former municipalities were actually pushed to the brink of bankruptcy by a similar unfair funding arrangement. They did not, at that time, have the benefit of the constitutional amendments that came in for us in 1986, so we have some tools that are available to us to try to correct that situation.” To those who wish to abandon the lawsuit, he asked voters to look at the “plan b” opponents are presenting, saying it calls for devastating increases in property tax.

Evoking the memory of William Davis, who died as a result of a labour dispute in New Waterford in 1925, Mayor Morgan recalled that when a reporter asked BESCO General Manger J.L. McClurg if he looked at the ongoing strike as a game of poker, McLurg replied, “Game of poker, nothing. We hold the cards… they can’t stand the gaff.” The company had shut off water service, and was determined to influence the workers with starvation and privation.

“In a sense the Province of Nova Scotia is trying to do us as a community what BESCO was doing to the labor union and the people of this region back in 1925. They are attempting to starve the citizens of this region out, and it’s important that we follow William Davis’ example and stand up to the provincial government and get fairness for the citizens of this region,” Morgan said.

Several other community members addressed the panel, discussing issues ranging from youth facilities, out migration, and the level of municipal services provided. As ideas were being discussed, and opinions shared, notes were kept on flip chart paper that were taped to the back wall of the BayPlex. As the meeting came to and end each person in attendance was given ten red stickers to place next to the issues they thought were most important. This data will be used to help the CLC prepare a report based on the information gathered from this series of meetings.

The final meeting takes place next Thursday, April 10th in Sydney Mines. The CLC report will be released prior to the upcoming municipal elections this fall.

The speeches can be listened to here!

[Smevo]

I'll have to keep an eye out for this:

News FlashWe have a New "Sydney" Residential Subdivision Coming soon! Keep your eyes on our site for further details. Some of our Turn Key homes in this subdivision will even have Waterfrontage! Qualified Buyer's and Builders alike are welcome to enquire at this stage for limited details.

From P. Martin Realty website.

[Smevo]

Cape Breton Post

Not something you usually think about when you think Cape Breton...a labour shortage.

Career expo needed, says chamber president

Section: Business

A career expo is needed to respond to the growing demand for employees across Cape Breton, said Mike MacSween, executive director of the Sydney and Area Chamber of Commerce.

"We know that many of our members are looking for new employees and the chamber is well positioned to assist with this," MacSween said.

In responding to requests by employers, the chamber will host a career expo at the Sydney Marine Terminal, April 23, for local employers to showcase many of the jobs they have available now, or will have available over the next 12 months.

"Our hope is to be able to help both employers and prospective employees by linking them together at this event."

MacSween said to ensure maximum participation there is no charge for either employers or employees to attend this event. As well, this is open to both chamber members and other employers from across Cape Breton.

He said there is a perception that there are few jobs available locally. The focus of this career expo will be to highlight the many jobs available on the island, MacSween noted.

Numerous agencies and groups that assist individuals with finding employment will also be on hand at the expo.

Registration packages for employers are available from the chamber of commerce office at 275 Charlotte St., Sydney.

For further information or to have a registration package sent to you, contact the chamber office, 564-6453.

You've got to be kidding me!

Daily Business Buzz: Cape Breton's Glenora Distillers (International) Limited announced on Monday that by a decision of the Federal Court, the ruling of the Trade-Marks Opposition Board allowing the registration of Glen Breton as the trade-mark of its single mark whisky has been overturned. The order, which has been issued by the court, refuses the application of Glenora to register Glen Breton under the Trade-Marks Act. The decision is based on a conclusion that the word "glen" can no longer be used in Canada as a registered trademark for whisky, unless it is a scotch whisky. "This decision could have serious economic ramifications for Glenora Distillers," says President Lauchie MacLean. - Staff

It's in a glen, in an area called Glenora! Neither Whiskey, Single Malt Whiskey, nor especially glens are exclusive to Scotland! Therefore, the name also should not be exclusive, especially since it says clearly on the box "Single Malt Canadian Whiskey"...it doesn't claim to be Scotch because it's not in Scotland! Give me a break! Idiots!

[/rant]

Editorial note: Smevo sincerely apologizes for anyone the preceeding rant may offend, and stresses that the opinions expressed are his own and not necessarily the opinions of the people of Cape Breton, Glenora, or this message forum.

Alright, back to topic...
More indepth on the Glenora fight

The fighting spirit

Glenora president vows to fight for Glen Breton trademark

Section: Front

By Doug MacKenzie,
Glenora Distillers International Ltd. suffered a major setback Friday when a federal court refused to allow the company to register its Glen Breton trademark.

"It's certainly disappointing and we weren't expecting the decision to come this way," said Glenora president Lauchie MacLean. "We felt very positive about what the results were going to be, but the judge had other thoughts."

This decision marks a change in fortune for Glenora, with the distillery having won the opening battle in January 2007 when the Canadian Trademark Association rejected the challenge from the Scottish Whiskey Association.

"We can appeal it and we are going to appeal it," said MacLean, who expects the appeal process to take at least another year. "We're going to give them the fight of their life and we have no thoughts to end it any time soon.

"We're going to fight to defend Cape Breton and we're going to fight to defend the glen."

The trademark has been under dispute for more than a year with the SWA objecting to the word 'Glen', which is widely used on Scotch whiskey, being used on whiskey produced in Canada, saying it was confusing and misleading to consumers.

Evidence filed by the SWA included more than 30 instances of Glen Breton being mis-described in Canada as Scotch whiskey, with examples of confusion found in retail outlets, newspaper articles, menus and websites.

Glenora has always argued the name is geographically based since the distillery is located in a glen, in Glenville, Inverness County.

"It seems to be overkill, but they've done this all over the world," said MacLean. "We're not selling the product as Glen, we're selling it as Glen Breton and we're in a glen and we're in Cape Breton and that's our reason. We've never marketed ourselves as Scotch. We have a taste, aroma and profile possibly of a Scotch, but that's the ingredients."

While he plans on continuing taking the battle as far as he can, MacLean admitted an end loss would mean difficult times for the distillery.

"If it ends up we lose, we would have to look at trying to come up with a new brand," he said. "It would have economic ramifications, there is no doubt. A significant portion of our business model is on Glen Breton.

"I would relate this to Rocky III. We're Rocky and they're Clubber Lang. We've had one knockdown and they've had one knockdown and we're going forward and Rocky is going to be successful in the end."

It's very refreshing to see the fighting spirit (pardon the pun) alive and well in Cape Breton businesses. It's the only thing that kept us from ultimate demise, and it's the only thing that's bringing us back.

Onshore rights divvied up for oil and gas

Section: Comment

Column: Letters to the editor

Two companies, PetroWorth Resources Inc. and Contact Exploration Inc., have received onshore exploration permits on Cape Breton that cover nearly 35 per cent of the island outside Cape Breton Highlands National Park. These seismic permits cover a huge territory in southern Inverness County (383,000 acres) and Victoria and Richmond Counties (636,000 acres), including underneath most of our homes and properties.

Nova Scotia in the last decade has organized a system of resource permitting that has recently given onshore oil and gas exploration rights to 2.5 million acres. This year more of the province will be licensed off.

These permits are highly prized to promote the monetary value of the shares of the companies that receive them, not the value of our communities. No public notice by the province was given to us before this was done; there were no community meetings, no environmental assessments, no nothing.

Many of us in Inverness County just finished spending the better part of five years fighting against a near-shore exploration permit that finally has been dropped, and now the business of oil and gas exploration is right underneath us.

It is time to ask fundamental questions about what is going on in Nova Scotia, and who it is going on for. Why are we giving away our petroleum resources as fast as we can?

The Sable gas development is a disgrace, giving provincial coffers about the same amount of revenue as the liquor corporation does over the life of the project.

If we have the potential for onshore oil and gas, the development of this resource should be given to our communities to own and control. If there is oil and gas we should consider its development for our long-term local use, for 100 years or more - for our homes, offices, transportation and industry. It is our non-renewable resource and should not be made available for a company to ship it out of our province as quickly as possible for its quick profit.

Energy - whether it be saving it, using solar power for hot water or home heating, wind energy, or fossil fuels - is something we need here for our future, not to give away to a corporation for its present and future worth. It is vital that we use our non-renewable resources for a transition to sustainable energy.

The Albertaization of Nova Scotia has been going just swell for a government whose petroleum policy is to give it all away as fast as possible for as little as possible. Only if we capture fully the potential of our resources for our own local development and benefit will we ever have growing and sustainable communities. This is the only choice and the only chance for our future.

We need to get these permits cancelled and stop more from being issued. It's up to you to tell the government in no uncertain terms to cancel them.

Neal Livingston

co-chair, Margaree Environmental Association

"No public notice by the province was given to us before this was done; there were no community meetings, no environmental assessments, no nothing."
First I've ever heard of it, so he's probably right, and if he is, the NS provincial gov't has fallen even more out of favour with me and probably most CB'ers.

On the same page

NewPage execs say Point Tupper mill has 'great potential'

Section: Front

By Nancy King,
Members of the senior management team of the company that now owns the former Stora Enso mill here toured the property last week and told local officials they believe it has great potential.

NewPage Port Hawkesbury spokesperson Patricia Dietz noted that last week seven members of the company's senior leadership team, including president and chief operating officer Rick Willett, spent two days at the mill, touring facilities and meeting with employees.

"They were very, very positive about the potential of the facility, they said no question that (the supercalendered paper line) PM2 is by far the best supercalendered paper machine in North America . . . and they were very positive about the workforce here as well," Dietz said.

Other senior officials from NewPage - which is headquartered in Miamisburg, Ohio - taking part in the tour included the senior vice-president of operations, vice-president of publication paper operations and general manager of ultra lightweight and supercalendered paper. An information session with employees held at the Nova Scotia Community College Strait Area Campus was standing room only, Dietz said.

"They're there to support us all the way, so we're pleased about that," Dietz said.

It's a different corporate message for the region than the one that it had gotten over the previous several years from former owner Stora Enso. Saying the mill was losing money and was hit hard by the soaring Canadian dollar, the Finnish papermaker threatened to shut down both of the mill's paper machines. It embarked on an aggressive cost-cutting campaign, obtaining concessions from employees after a lengthy lockout, a new deal with wood suppliers, a land for cash deal with the province and a new power rate structure from provincial regulators.

NewPage announced last September it was purchasing Stora Enso's North American operations. The sale was finalized in December and in January it announced steps, including a number of mill closures, to integrate the new assets.

The two lines manufactured at Point Tupper - glossy SC paper and newsprint - are new product lines for NewPage.

When the purchase was announced last fall, Willett noted that while the Point Tupper mill has challenges, it also is extremely well-invested.

He added NewPage was optimistic there are opportunities to improve that facility with "some very judicious, prudent reinvestment," although he noted a lot of work had to be done to figure out the long term strategy for that site.

Hopefully these guys will be better than StoraEnso. As you can tell by the first bolded paragraph, StoraEnso were the "Irvings of Port Hawkesbury" and used that power to it's full potential.

Federation hoping for word on proposed expansion to local race track

Section: Northside/Victoria

By Julie Collins, Cape Breton Post
The Cape Breton Federation of Agriculture has one more hurdle to get over before beginning proposed upgrades to the Northside Downs.

Council voted 17-0 to give final approval to Northside Downs owners' request for changes to the Cape Breton Regional Municipality's municipal planning strategy and land use bylaw.

The changes are now in the hands of Service Nova Scotia and Municipal Relations.

Once approval is given, the federation has to register a development agreement with the regional municipality.

"Provincial approval is the last stage before we can begin improvements. I expect we will hear something fairly soon," said Duke Lewis, chairman of the Northside Downs Exhibition committee that is overseeing the race track. "It's part of the process and in the meantime, plans are underway for this season."

Municipal planner Malcolm Gillis said there were some concerns from the community, but both sides came to a pragmatic understanding.

"There was a little give from both the neighbourhood and the horsemen, both wanted to work this out," Gillis said. "Those that wanted, didn't want too much and those that had to give, didn't give as much as they were afraid they had to in working things out."

The proposed expansion includes washrooms accessible to the public, a covered grandstand and an addition to the judge's stand.

Racing will begin May 10, but patrons may not get to enjoy the new expanded facilities until later on in the season.

"Racing takes place on Saturday, so work on the expansion can continue during the week, until we get the building finished," Lewis said. "Once that's done, we'll turn our attention to the covered grandstand."

As improvements are carried out, the buildings will carry the same colours (red and green) as the neighbouring Cape Breton Exhibition.

"There is real entertainment value in horse racing. Our race announcer has a way of getting the crowds into the races and creates a lot of excitement for all concerned."

In October, the province gave Northside Downs $100,000 for capital expenditures and race track improvements.

The Downs has held successful racing from 1982 with matinee racing until the live racing ended in 1990. The biggest purse at Northside Downs of $5,000 was won by Blue Meadow Ace in 1985, owned and trained by Ralph Frizzell.

"We had just the one stake race last year. This year we have a whole card of Atlantic sire races spread out over the summer," Lewis said. "That's 10 weekends where we will have people coming from all over the Maritimes with their horses. It should prove to be a boost to the local economy."

Well, looks like today made up for the slow news day yesterday!

[Smevo]

Cape Breton Post

Input sought on possible tourism marketing strategy

Section: Business

By Tom Ayers, CAPE BRETON POST
Nine-eleven, the soaring loonie, skyrocketing gasoline prices and the lack of an islandwide marketing strategy have all been blamed for declining tourist numbers in Cape Breton.

Well, one of those things is about to change.

Destination Cape Breton Association has hired Vibe Creative Group to conduct a series of community consultations over the next week to gather input from all businesses that are affected by the tourist trade in order to develop a tourism marketing strategy.

"One of the most critical things we can do for the development of this strategy is to talk to industry and ask them to share their experiences," Destination Cape Breton chairman Ray Kavanaugh said.

"Without a doubt we need to know more about what they have been dealing with over the past number of years and what they envision for the future."

Darlene Sponagle, project manager with Destination Cape Breton, said the association hopes to have a marketing strategy in place by the end of July.

"There will be some short-term initiatives identified within the strategy and some long-term initiatives, and we'll proceed with those once we get approval . . . from the industry at large," she said.

Sponagle said the community consultation sessions are not just for Destination Cape Breton members; anyone in a business impacted by tourism is welcome to attend.

"This is for the whole sector of tourism in Cape Breton," she said.

The sessions are designed to seek feedback on a number of topics, including infrastructure, marketing opportunities, collaboration, priorities and how to fund a marketing strategy.

In the past, Destination Cape Breton had sought a marketing levy from all tourist-related businesses on the island, but the plan was met with opposition from some operators.

Sponagle said the levy is not in place yet, but it is only one possibility that industry representatives will be asked to consider.

"When we look at the question of how the tourism marketing strategy can be financed, that will be looked at as one of the options," she said. "It's an open book right now."

[Smevo]

Cape Breton Post

Sydney operation not likely to lose nearly as many workers as Halifax, says casino VP

Section: Business

By Doug MacKenzie,
Casino Nova Scotia's Sydney operation will face changes in the upcoming months in light of Tuesday's announcement that more than 100 people will lose their jobs at the Halifax-based casino.

"There are not as many (layoffs in Cape Breton)," said Howard Blank, vice-president of media and entertainment for Great Canadian Gaming Corp. "Cape Breton was reconfigured and downsized last year so we feel the cuts will be very minimal to Cape Breton."

Great Canadian said last month that it was disappointed with the 2007 financial results for Halifax and Sydney, especially in the last three months of the year. Gaming revenue for the two casinos was down nine per cent, to $10.6 million, in the fourth quarter, compared to the same period in 2006, while revenue for the entire year was down six per cent, to $44.6 million, compared to the previous year.

"There are a number of factors (causing the decline)," said Blank. "There is the strong Canadian dollar, there is the decline in tourism, there is the overall worry in regards to the mortgage and housing crisis, there are rumours of recession and people not spending disposable income. There is also an air of, I wouldn't say negative, but complacency among guests not thinking about us as an entertainment option."

Beyond any staffing cutbacks, Blank said there would be some noticeable changes in the Sydney property.

"We're changing the food and beverage menu at our All-star Grill and we're looking at possibly having some additional entertainment on the gaming floor in the upcoming months," said Blank. "We are reducing some of the machines on the gaming floor and that will be through attrition.

"We're also thinking of introducing some electronic table games that are exciting, like roulette, which is a game we do not have which guests have been asking for."

Between 100 and 120 people are expected to lose their jobs in Halifax and the company will also take other steps to try to make the casino more profitable, Blank said. New hours in Halifax will be 10 a.m. to 4 a.m., rather than 24 hours a day. There will also be 89 fewer slot machines and eight fewer game tables.

Elected people treated equally to rest of audience

Section: Comment

Column: Letters to the editor

First I would to thank Kaz Siepierski for attending our Municipality Matters forum at the Steelworkers and Pensioners' Club on March 26. He asks: "How could nine councillors attend a very important meeting such as this and only one get up and speak, telling us much of the problem lies with the mayor" (Elected People Should Offer Answers Instead of Asking Public, Letters, April 3)?

The Cape Breton District Labour Council has scheduled these forums for the residents of the Cape Breton Regional Municipality to have a chance to tell councillors and candidates what they see as the problems and what is important to them, and to offer suggestions for solutions. If the councillors wanted to speak they were given the same opportunity and time as everyone, but not to campaign.

I think a more important question to ask is: Why could only nine of the 16 find it important enough to attend and listen to the concerns of those who elected them? We were very pleased that the nine considered it important enough to attend.

During our forum in Glace Bay we had 58 people, including five councillors (Darren Bruckschwaiger, District 5; Ray Paruch, District 8; Tom Wilson, District 9; Charlie Long, District 10; Wes Stubbert, District 16) and Mayor John Morgan, who listened to those who wanted to speak.

Those in attendance raised issues such as bus service, buying local, downsizing council, youth facilities, out-migration, the level of municipal services, and of course the municipality's legal case against the province.

Some councillors stayed around after the meeting. Of the elected officials who were there, Mayor Morgan was the only one to speak at the microphone.

Residents of CBRM have one more opportunity to inform councillors and candidates of their concerns during our municipal forum this evening, 7 p.m. at the Sydney Mines fire hall. We would like to see a large turnout and all 16 councillors and the mayor in attendance. Information from all three forums will be compiled into a newsletter to be released before the October elections.

Gary Fukala

Glace Bay

president, Cape Breton District Labour Council

In relation to a commentary posted earlier, I remember a related press release to this one which is also posted much earlier in this thread. The others mentioned in the commentary, however, I don't recall.

Company wants to look for onshore oil

Exploration company has rights to 383,000 acres in Mabou-Lake Ainslie area

Section: Front

By Tom Ayers, CAPE BRETON POST
After a lengthy period of inactivity, interest is heating up in onshore oil and gas exploration in Cape Breton.

PetroWorth Resources, a junior oil and gas exploration company out of Toronto, has obtained the rights to 383,000 acres in the Mabou-Lake Ainslie area of Inverness County and recently began contacting area residents to get permission to conduct seismic tests on private land.

A provincial Department of Energy spokesman said the company "jumped the gun" and must first hold a public meeting in the community.

"It'll be the company's meeting and government representatives will be there to answer questions on the regulatory process," said Ross McLaren.

PetroWorth president Neal Mednick said a meeting will be held in Mabou, April 17, from 5-8 p.m. The actual site was to be decided in the next day or so, he said, declining to answer any other questions.

According to a presentation on the company's website, about 200 kilometres of seismic lines are planned throughout the Mabou-Ainslie area.

Seismic testing uses energy waves to map underground formations. The type of formations discovered determine whether it is likely that oil or gas will be found.

The province's senior petroleum geophysicist with the Department of Energy, Paul Harvey, said seismic testing involves drilling a shallow shot-hole and filling it with dynamite and pea gravel, to direct the blast downward. Nearby recording equipment measures the shockwaves and a map of the underground structure is generated.

The amount of dynamite is relatively small, he said, but it is necessary because of the rock structure in Cape Breton.

"If you drop a bale of hay from 10 feet, that's the kind of thump that you get," said Harvey.

Black River resident Neal Livingston, co-chair of the Margaree Environmental Association, which is calling on the province to cancel the exploration permit, said he is not opposed to development of energy resources, including oil and gas.

However, he said, the government is going about it the wrong way, and is not informing citizens about exploration rights and resources that are being sold off.

"I think the process is designed to have as little public input as possible," said Livingston.

"It's wonderful that you're holding a public meeting, but you're already holding the permit."

Instead, he said, the province should be asking residents what kind of exploration and development process they want.

Ideally, said Livingston, the government should allow local communities to explore and develop resources to keep local energy costs down. That would provide sustainable revenues, local jobs and it would attract more residents and business.

What Nova Scotia has now is an Alberta business model that allows outside companies to raise money and earn profits while shipping energy sources out, he said.

"It's a public policy question," said Livingston. "Does the public want the same system that's in Alberta? Maybe they do and maybe they don't, but nobody ever asked us.

"Really, if you want to look at the long-term sustainability of communities, you have to look at energy. Do you want to ship it down a pipeline, or do you want to keep it in your community?"

McLaren said the regulatory regime in Nova Scotia was designed to encourage exploration to create jobs and secure royalties for the province.

The regulations contain a number of "checks and balances" to ensure that private and public property are protected, he added, and no company can conduct seismic exploration without landowner permission.

Companies that successfully bid on exploration rights are required to commit to a specific program and the amount of money they intend to spend, and are charged a security deposit to ensure the work is performed properly and that all lands are restored.

The province holds back a portion of the security in case the land is not restored satisfactorily, and the company forfeits the money if the work is not performed.

The province earns a 10 per cent royalty on any resources extracted, but in the case of onshore oil and gas, the company is initially given a two-year holiday on its first lease after production starts.

A 2004 government study on oil and gas identified the Mabou-Ainslie sub-basin as being "one of the major potential targets within Cape Breton island for future liquid (crude oil and condensate) hydrocarbon discoveries."

The study also identified potential oil and gas sites in the Bras d'Or, Loch Lomond and Sydney areas.

McLaren and Harvey said a company called Contact Exploration conducted two seismic testing programs around the River Denys and Boularderie areas five years ago, but it has since given up its exploration rights in Cape Breton.

Over the last eight years, 17 other seismic programs were carried out on the mainland, but no others have been done onshore in Cape Breton.

Overall, said Harvey, the province hasn't seen much onshore exploration over the last 20-25 years. And according to the Offshore/Onshore Technologies Association of Nova Scotia, which represents almost 400 companies in the province's petroleum industry, offshore exploration licences have declined dramatically in the last 10 years.

In December, OTANS said, the province received nearly $100 million in forfeiture money when eight offshore exploration licences expired, bringing the forfeiture total to $200 million in the last five years.

tayers@cbpost.com


Onshore bets

The history of onshore exploration in Nova Scotia:
1869 - Record of the first well drilled onshore in Nova Scotia by Lake Ainslie Oil and Salt Company on the western side of Lake Ainslie. It flowed small amounts of oil and natural gas.
1925-30 - Twenty wells drilled by Gulf Oil and Imperial Oil; the busiest five-year period of onshore drilling.
1956 - The Petroleum and Natural Gas Act was passed to guide onshore exploration.
1972-73 - Anschutz Canada Ltd. drills the deepest onshore petroleum well at Wallace Station, Cumberland County, taking eight months to reach a depth of 4,536 metres (14,883 feet).
1978-81 - Chevron Standard discovers oil in the Malagawatch area, Inverness County, while conducting a base metals program, which leads to the drilling of 13 wells.
1994 - Begins a round of drilling and evaluating coalbed methane.
1999 - Hunt Oil Company drills an exploratory well south of Truro.
Nov. 1999 - Industry invests $2 million for exploration agreements for two onshore land parcels on mainland Nova Scotia and Cape Breton Island.
Jan. 2000 - Fifteen parcels of land are held by four onshore exploration companies.
Summer 2000 - Onshore seismic programs shot by Hunt Oil and Northstar Energy Corp. This was the first seismic data acquired since 1983.
Aug. 2000 - Call for Coal Gas Exploration Proposals in the Stellarton area closes.
2001 - High level of exploration activity onshore with 550 km of seismic data acquired, with Northstar drilling five wells on their Windsor exploration agreement.
Source: Nova Scotia Department of Energy website

Because it's related to CBU's request, and I'm sure the conspiracy theories will start flowing from this as well.

Dalhousie, Memorial team up for bachelor of education in Halifax

Section: Front

Column: The Province

By CP
Nova Scotia's education minister says she's disappointed Dalhousie University is going ahead with a new bachelor of education program ahead of her response to a report on teaching levels in the province.

A recent report urged the province to cut back on teacher education because too many teachers are being produced for the number of classrooms available.

Karen Casey says the move by Dalhousie likely won't help the supply and demand issue and will also complicate the current challenge of placing student teachers in classrooms for their training practicums.

Nonetheless, she says the university has the right to enter into the agreement with Memorial University of St. John's, N.L.

The new program, which allows students to take bachelor of education courses in Halifax, will admit up to 60 students for its first year.

Graduates will be eligible for teacher certification in Nova Scotia, as well as in Newfoundland and Labrador.

I wonder if they adopted the CBU model as well.

[Smevo]

Cape Breton Post

Once again, the CBRM is looking for that one "tell-all" statistic which will say we've "turned the corner". News flash guys, you have to dig deep to find indications to combine and interpret, because the latest "tell-all" statistic is 2 years old, and we won't see another one until 2012! (Friggin' election years).

Housing starts up slightly, but no strong indication population on the rise

Section: Business

By Chris Shannon, Cape Breton Post
Construction permits for residential housing moved up slightly in 2007 in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

"What it shows is that a year later things were teensy weeny little better than they were the year before," the CBRM's manager of planning and development Malcolm Gillis said Thursday.

"So it's carrying on a trend that is basically stating - at least the housing industry is believing - that there is a bigger market potential in the CBRM than, say, in the worst years when the steel plant closed and the last of the coal mines closed."

There were 226 permits for all housing types in 2007, up from 208 in 2006.

The planning department released building permit statistics over the last 20 years Thursday. It shows a trend toward a slow recovery in the number of housing starts since the market bottomed out in 1999 due to the pending closures of the steel plant and the island's last operating coal mine.

In 1999, there were only 133 housing permits issued.

"(The 2007 figures) represent about a 70 per cent increase from the worst year. But certainly in comparison to the best years when us baby boomers were building, it's no comparison," he said.

Gillis was cautious speaking before the municipality's planning advisory committee, saying the CBRM hasn't "turned the corner," but he said the economy here is still giving people a "reason to invest."

Mayor John Morgan questioned whether an increase in housing construction truly translated into a growing population.

"There may be a circumstance in which you have, let's say, 200 or 250 buildings constructed," Morgan said.

"But if you have several hundred abandoned or (buildings) taken down at the same time, there may not be any net increase in housing stock in the region."

Gillis said the housing market's slow climb is indicative of a smaller population following their parents' baby boom generation and those baby boomers deciding to sell and move into smaller, apartment-style homes.

But much of the optimism has risen from the number of new subdivision applications that have crossed Gillis's desk. He said developers aren't just subdividing lots, but they're extending and even constructing new streets and, in turn, creating new neighbourhoods.

"There were a few years where there was little or practically none of that at all. It seems the developers out there are now prepared to make more of an investment in offering land for new development than we've seen in the last half dozen years."

He said there is nothing to indicate the number of housing permits issued will begin to slow down this construction year.

In summary, Morgan is an idiot.
By their numbers, their permits were an 8.7% increase. By the CMHC, housing starts increased 32.5% in 2007 over 2006. When the first quarter report from this year comes available, I'm sure it will show an increase this year as well, considering the increase we had in the first two months.
The worst year by CMHC housing starts was 2001, with 120 starts, the best year in the 10 year period was 2004, with 288 starts (fueled by The Wentworth and other multi-unit buildings). By comparison, 2007 was the third best year (behind 2004 and 2005 still affected by the multi-unit starts), and was 87% higher than 2001. Not tell all, but combine it with improving employment figures and the lowest apartment vacancy rate since 1989, and you seem to be getting somewhere.
There's still work to be done, but sometimes they talk as if decline is an absolute fact that can't change unless the census says it has.

Tenders called for tar pond material processing facility

Section: Business

The Sydney Tar Ponds Agency has announced the tender for a material processing facility beside the north tar pond. The building, which will take about a year to complete, will be used to grade, sort and wash construction debris from the cleanup of contaminated sites.

"This is the first of 10 tenders we plan to announce over the next year and a half," said Frank Potter, president of the Sydney Tar Ponds Agency. "The agency and design engineer are working hard to meet this schedule. Although there are outside factors that can have an impact on some tendering dates, we are working diligently to finish this cleanup by our 2014 completion date."

After the material has been cleaned at the processing facility, it will be disposed of at an approved landfill, returned to the tar ponds for treatment, or recycled.

Along with processing material, the facility will have a contractor's compound to house trailers and heavy equipment. Workers will have access to shower facilities, office space, a lunchroom and a parking area.

The facility will also serve as a washing area for vehicles leaving the project area.

"This will be a hub of activity during peak construction times and is designed to meet those demands," said Potter.

Most contract requirements are expected to be filled locally. The cost of construction is about $9 million.

A second tender will be issued to operate and maintain the facility, as well as decommissioning it when cleanup is complete.

The government of Canada and province of Nova Scotia signed a Final Cost-Share Agreement in 2004, committing to jointly participate in the cleanup of the Sydney Tar Ponds and Coke Ovens sites. The agreement specifies that the sites be remediated over eight years, ending in 2014. The federal government agreed to contribute up to $280 million and the provincial government's contribution is $120 million.

Louisbourg residents to get treated water next week

Section: Cape Breton

Delays in commissioning the $7.8-million Louisbourg water treatment plant have been cleared up and the facility is ready to begin servicing about 500 customers in the community sometime next week.

Commissioning of the plant had been underway since last October but deficiencies within the plant process equipment and clear wells had created problems for engineers.

Now that those problems have been fixed, Greg Penny, manager of water operations for the Cape Breton Regional Municipality, said water is expected to be pumped to the Fortress of Louisbourg facilities and will be monitored for a few days prior to sending water to the community.

Meanwhile, the water treatment plant in New Waterford is about 95 per cent complete, he said. Commissioning of the $11.2-million facility has started and it's anticipated the commissioning of the water treatment process equipment will start by month's end. Treated water is expected in May for residents.

On the Northside, the design of the $15.8-million Pottle Lake water treatment plant has recently been completed.

The plant will be built on property acquired by the CBRM on Musgrave Lane in North Sydney across the street from the existing pumping station. The pumping station will continue to be used as a part of the new water treatment facility.

April 25 has been set as the deadline for tenders for companies interested in the construction of this plant - the last in a series of water treatment facilities to be built across the CBRM.

Construction will likely begin in June, Penny said, with a completion date sometime in the summer of 2009.

Several municipalities, including Halifax and the CBRM, have fallen behind the province's six-year deadline to meet the guidelines of the Nova Scotia Water Protection Strategy, which was reached this month.

Paving tender called for busy Cape Breton road

Section: Cape Breton

Column: Briefly

A tender has been called for paving on one of Cape Breton's busiest roads.

The Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal has called for tenders to repave Highway 125 from the end of the concrete barrier at Exit 6, for 8.2 kilometres to the intersection of Grand Lake Road.

The project is part of government's commitment to better roads and infrastructure.

When you start the twinning, that will be good news, not until then.

Improvements to Munro Park will highlight role it played in wartime

Section: Glace Bay/New Waterford

By Julie Collins, Cape Breton Post
Tenders close today to supply and install a replica seaplane and information kiosks at the entrance to Munro Park in North Sydney.

Work has started on improvements to the entrance to the park, which also include a memorial flag stand, coloured concrete walkways, new entrance signage, extensive landscaping and lighting.

"Munro Park is steeped in history," said regional councillor Gordon MacLeod. "These improvements will reflect that history, particularly when you consider the role the park (formerly Kelly's Beach) played in both the First and Second World Wars."

Both the United States and the British Royal Navy were involved with the naval air station at Kelly's Beach in the First World War. The base included barracks for American and Canadian servicemen. According to historians, during the Second World War, military operations at Kelly's Beach were entirely a Canadian responsibility. A large hangar was added to house a squadron of seaplanes.

"This entrance work is stage one, the upgrades to the park will continue through to the fall," MacLeod said. "The building that is presently being used by the regional municipality will be removed."

There will be improvements to the soccer fields and any portion of the boardwalk affected by the expansion of the guest home, will be replaced. The old tennis courts will be removed to make way for parking.

MacLeod said funding for the improvements came from the three levels of government and from the sale of the land for the expansion of the Northside Community Guest Home to allow for 39 additional beds.

"Earlier plans called for the artillery gun to be moved, but this isn't possible. The gun, which will be refurbished, is another important piece of our history. This work at Munro Park will enhance it as a recreation facility, but also recognize the major role this area played during wartime."

[Smevo]

Cape Breton Post

Magazine lists Star Delivery among fastest growing Atlantic Canadian companies

Section: Business

By Tom Ayers,
Star Delivery Service has experienced phenomenal sales growth in the last two years and was recently named one of the fastest growing companies in Atlantic Canada by Progress magazine.

The company, started 34 years ago by Gerald Miller, was a home-based business until 2006, when Miller decided to expand aggressively while beginning the process of handing it over to his son, Ryan.

For the last two years, Star Delivery has operated out of a brand new $300,000 warehouse and office space in the Sydport industrial park, and the company purchased a fleet of refrigerated trucks to carve out a local niche in food deliveries to restaurant and grocery stores.

Miller, 66, said the expansion was the best move he ever made, and he couldn't have done it without his son and the dedicated staff, which has grown slightly.

"We always were successful, but now we're just a little more successful," said Miller.

The company landed in 28th place on Progress magazine's list of fastest growing companies of 2008, with a 44 per cent increase in sales for 2006, Star's last complete fiscal year, and a 10 per cent increase in staff with the addition of a single full-time employee.

In 2006, Star Delivery's revenues grew by $156,000 to $509,000. Progress only considers companies with over $500,000 in annual sales for its annual list.

Star Delivery's numbers are even better for 2007, said Miller, with another 50 per cent increase in revenues and the addition of another employee.

The rapid growth in sales has been the result of a major investment in location and equipment, which has enabled the existing workforce to handle more product with only a slight increase in hours.

"We have really good employees, a dedicated workforce that really helped us along the way," said Miller.

"We were growing at the time, but with the addition of our warehouse, we were able to grow more," added 27-year-old Ryan, who earned a Bachelor of Business Administration degree at St. Francis Xavier University in 2003.

He said Star Delivery has focused on improving relationships with existing customers and suppliers, and the investment in equipment allowed the local company to fill a void that larger trucking firms from the mainland couldn't service.

"We had a good emphasis on service, and that's what brought the customers to us. We're on a first-name basis with our customers."

Miller started the company with a single half-ton truck and grew slowly over the years. He eventually had a half-dozen trucks on the road, and did his loading and unloading in the Woolco - now Wal-Mart - parking lot in Sydney River. Most of his customers were in the industrial area around Sydney.

With the expansion, the company is located close to the highway and now has six vans for courier service, a pair of refrigerated cube vans for freight deliveries, and six refrigerated trucks for the food service industry.

Regular year-round delivery routes include Cheticamp and St. Peter's and the staff has grown to 12 employees, although in summer the employee complement grows to 18.

Miller said he is now ready to retire and is confident that his son is ready to take over the reins.

"I'm pretty proud of what Ryan has done with it over the last two years," he said, and both are excited about the potential for increased business in Cape Breton for the future.

"We're looking to grow and I think we can succeed," said Miller. "I think the market is here for it."

CBRM could fall into financial hot water

Section: Front

By Chris Shannon,
The ability to pay for water system infrastructure is at the heart of the debate the Cape Breton Regional Municipality is currently faced with as outlying neighbourhoods grow in number and the demand for expansion to the water system increases.

"Where is the right focus?" CBRM utilities manager Mike MacKeigan asked members of the water utility committee earlier this week.

"Is the right focus to keep expanding regardless of what the future costs are going to be or is the right focus to address your resources on existing infrastructure that you already have an obligation to maintain, or is it a mixture of both?

"I suggest it's a mixture but the mixture has to be supported by some other means, not just the water rates because if it's based on the water rates what will end up happening here is the $400 (per residential homeowner a year) water rates we're talking about, will become $800 before you know it."

Under provincial legislation enacted in 2002, the government gave municipalities six years to meet the guidelines of the Nova Scotia Water Protection Strategy - measures put in place following the deaths of seven people in Walkerton, Ont., in 2000 after drinking water was contaminated with E. coli bacteria.

The CBRM passed an aggressive $54-million capital spending program in 2004 to build water treatment plants in communities across the municipality to ensure everyone in urban regions have access to fully treated water.

The deadline set by the province was reached this month, with several municipalities, including Halifax and the CBRM, unable to meet the deadline. However, the last water treatment plant in the CBRM is expected to be complete in North Sydney by the summer of 2009.

MacKeigan told the committee that without a policy guiding council on possible water system expansion, the municipality could find itself in a serious financial quandary.

"(If) you establish some criteria then you can start to look at whether or not this is reasonable or unreasonable to do. Is the criteria because their water is poor, or their water is untreatable or their water is a health issue?" he said.

And even in the case of provincial or federal contributions, MacKeigan said council shouldn't consider expanding the existing water infrastructure system unless the funding adds up to at least 75 per cent of the total cost of any project.

Although, Coun. Kevin Saccary noted there may be instances where expansion of the water system should be considered even if a cost-share agreement means the CBRM must bear up to half the cost of a major project.

"I'm not looking to get water extended to any individual just because their water is dirty," he said. "I've got a whole series of possible extension areas where people have absolutely no water whatsoever for the months of August and September.

"There has to be some small option for expansion."

The committee followed recommendations by staff to continue focusing capital spending on regulatory requirements, replacing substandard infrastructure and improving operational efficiency.

However the committee also included a provision that will permit council to entertain requests for service expansion only if capital funds are available and that's in addition to funding from other levels of government.

"It means we'll entertain requests. It doesn't mean we'll approve them," Coun. Gordon MacLeod reiterated. "Some may be reasonable, others may be unreasonable."

Posting this moreso for the update on the new building

YMCA of Cape Breton Empowered with award

Section: Front

The YMCA of Cape Breton received international recognition Friday, at a YMCA fundraising conference in Montreal.

The local YMCA received a first-place award for its marketing work around the Empower Building Campaign, a $10-million project to redevelop the YMCA. Twelve hundred delegates attended the conference.

The North American YMCA Development Organization award recognized the Y's marketing piece as the best in North America among YMCAs with an operating budget in the $2-million to $10-million category. The YMCA of Cape Breton's $2-million operating budget put it up against other YMCAs with budgets five times larger.

"It is quite an honour to receive an award from the organization with members from across the continent," said Melodie MacNeil, director of communications and financial development for the YMCA of Cape Breton.

The marketing piece was created to assist YMCA volunteers with raising $1.5 million in the Cape Breton community. The fundraising group has raised $1.3 million to date.

"When we discussed what a new YMCA would do for Cape Bretoners, we immediately came up with Empower. That was the starting point of our campaign theme and it captures our strong, resilient nature. It also speaks to what we do at our YMCA every day, helping people building better lives for themselves."

Last year, 21,000 people used the services of the YMCA.

In order for the marketing piece to make it to the final judging round, it had to pass a long list of criteria: possessing a distinctive calibre of excellence, supporting a fundraising effort, demonstrating success, inspiring a gift, evoking emotion and portraying the YMCA's mission and goals.

"We are particularly proud that this piece was created locally, which speaks to the fact that we have people and resources of an international calibre right here in Cape Breton," said Andre Gallant, CEO of the YMCA.

While YMCA staff carried the vision for the piece, Springboard Studios of Sydney, managed the graphic design and City Printers carried the piece through to completion.

NAYDO is an organization committed to helping YMCAs improve their philanthropic efforts through education, advocacy, research, events and information sharing.

[Smevo]

Cape Breton Post

Co-operative approach needed on ports

Three areas of province would stand to benefit

Section: Comment

By Keith MacDonald,
A new era in global trade is here. It has broad implications, including some that are pretty obvious for Atlantic Canada.

Leading industrialized countries are experiencing new levels of growth. Demand for industrial and consumer products continues to rise. The quantities and types of goods making their way to North American factories and homes are mind-boggling.

On the other side of the planet, countries such as India and China are working to keep pace with world demand. The need to move large quantities of product on a timely basis is greater than ever and is expected to continue to grow.

At the centre of all this is containerized cargo shipping.

Against this backdrop, Atlantic Canada is looking to position itself to play a key role in growing global trade.

A concept has emerged that many think has huge potential. The idea is that the region's cargo-handling port infrastructure can be enhanced as part of a larger plan to benefit the region as a whole.

Atlantic Canada as a major gateway to North American markets takes a bit of getting used to. Each time an expert steps forward to say we have what it takes, we find it difficult to believe. But the facts speak for themselves.

The need to move product from Asia to our continent is obvious. Major ports of call are struggling with capacity challenges. Alternatives must be found and an Atlantic Canada Gateway is one option.

Eastern Nova Scotia is home to three modern and versatile port facilities. The Port of Halifax, the Strait Superport and the Ports of Sydney are all to be congratulated on the strides taken to show their potential and overall readiness to engage the Atlantic Gateway model.

Here in Cape Breton, significant resources have been engaged to develop long-term growth strategies for both of the area's key port infrastructures. The Master Ports Plan for Sydney was recently completed and a similar study will soon begin for the Strait Superport.

With all of this in mind, the port leadership of Nova Scotia will be meeting in Sydney today to discuss how best to work together to strengthen Nova Scotia's positioning within the Atlantic Gateway.

The federal government promised $2.1 billion in Gateway funding over seven years in its March 2007 budget. But not all of this public sector investment is earmarked for Atlantic Canada.

Large sums of the Atlantic Gateway dollars will be siphoned away from Atlantic Canada to deal with southern Ontario border crossing concerns, Quebec ports and other central Canadian transportation issues.

This means it is more important than ever for Nova Scotia ports to build bridges between themselves, even if in small ways, and to concentrate on improved communication and marketing efforts.

Co-operation and focus will be the keys to success for the Atlantic Gateway strategy.

Developing a plan for long-term Nova Scotia port growth should be a priority, and today's port leadership meeting will be a good first step towards that goal.

Let's hope it marks the formation of a new, dedicated port team working together for the benefit of our region.

Keith MacDonald is executive director of the Cape Breton Partnership.

Transportation gateway idea needs an Atlantic-wide vision

Section: Comment

By Darrell Dexter,
Recently I spoke to the Sydney Chamber of Commerce about the positive signs in Cape Breton's economy. Innovative Cape Breton companies are exporting everything from energy-efficient windows to award-winning software. And they are exporting their products around the world.

Another positive sign is the bright future ahead for coal. Recently I attended an energy conference where the consensus among energy experts was that the era of cheap oil is over. The end of cheap oil is going to bring change, and for Cape Breton it could be a very good thing. The upside is that coal is going to be in demand to replace oil and natural gas, even with the world moving to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as we must.

Xstrata expects to start mining coal at Donkin in the next three years. How can Cape Breton make the most of this opportunity?

The first step is to dredge the mouth of Sydney Harbour. Coal can't get to market if modern bulk carriers are unable to get in and out of Sydney. Dredging is an essential infrastructure investment for Sydney to become part of the Atlantic Gateway.

The Gateway will happen, based on hard-nosed business decisions. A winning strategy must ensure that Sydney, as a container port, is competitive. Right now we have a Sydney Gateway Council, a Halifax Gateway Council, and most recently a Southern New Brunswick Gateway Council, all working independently.

I propose an Atlantic Canadian Gateway Council that would co-ordinate Gateway projects and make sure public investments are strategic and effective. Otherwise, one-time infrastructure funding could be wasted.

I have put forward legislation to establish an Atlantic Gateway Secretariat to support this work. It must involve the co-operation of the entire region so all four Atlantic provinces can start competing with the world instead of competing with each other.

Governments are responsible for providing key physical infrastructure investments but social infrastructure investments are equally important. That's why I support the establishment of a Bachelor of Education program at Cape Breton University.

Every region of the province except Cape Breton has an education program. The youth of Cape Breton should be able to train at home to become teachers in their own communities and across Canada. CBU is an important engine of growth for Cape Breton and the MacDonald government should allow it to expand.

This is a priority for the NDP and something we will continue to pressure the government on as we head back to Province House on April 24.

The NDP will soon have a budget to vote on. I don't know what that budget will look like but I do know the premier seems to think there is plenty of money available. In fact, over the last month or so, Rodney MacDonald's government has been on a spending spree. On March 31, the last day of the fiscal year, the premier announced he would be spending 30 per cent of the Crown share. The Crown share is the settlement of an old offshore dispute with Ottawa. It could be several hundreds of millions of dollars. It's money we don't yet have.

If MacDonald applied the entire Crown share to the debt, it would cut the province's interest payments by $30 million each and every year. Instead of a one-time spending spree, there would be this extra money this year and every year to invest in our roads, ports, hospitals and schools. That is the responsible thing to do. And that's what all three parties agreed to do just a few years ago.

Under Dr. John Hamm's leadership as premier, all parties agreed to put any future "extraordinary revenue" on the province's $12 billion debt. Most agree that the Crown share qualifies as "extraordinary revenue." MacDonald, perhaps gearing up for a possible spring election, has gone back on the promise to make tackling our debt a priority.

These days Nova Scotians expect their leaders to be more careful with public money. After all, it's is our kids' inheritance.

Darrell Dexter is leader of the Official Opposition and the Nova Scotia NDP.

Although it seems to be a "in case of possible election" letter, he did make some good points.

New wastewater regulations could cost CBRM $400M: mayor

Section: Front

Eighteen mayors from Atlantic Canada have called on the federal government to rethink new national wastewater standards, which Cape Breton Regional Municipality Mayor John Morgan says could cost CBRM $400 million.

The Canadian Council of Ministers of the Environment plans to establish new minimum standards that would require municipalities to treat all wastewater before discharging it. In a news release Saturday, the Atlantic Mayors' Congress called on the government to change its plan, or come up with funding for municipalities.

CBRM would be especially hard hit by new standards, Morgan said, because it is an amalgamation of communities, each of which has sewer outfalls that combine stormwater with treated sewage wastewater.

All of the outfalls in CBRM would have to be brought together with collectors, he said, and stormwater would have to be separated from septic wastewater.

MP Peter MacKay said the federal government already funds a number of infrastructure programs that help municipalities and it would fund wastewater upgrades, as well.

"These projects are expensive and they certainly do require partnering with the federal government and we recognize that," he said.

Morgan said existing federal infrastructure funds would be inadequate, especially if CBRM's project alone costs $400 million and estimates are that wastewater projects could total $24 billion across the country.

"They have existing infrastructure programs in place, but certainly nothing of this magnitude," he said.