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Fort Frances council meeting on time Sept 25 2026 (3)

Fort Frances supports ending clock changing to stay with Manitoba

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Municipal and First Nation representatives, along with others, will meet virtually again on Tuesday with Kenora-Rainy River MPP Greg Rickford to discuss Manitoba’s planned move not to change clocks in November.

It follows a previous meeting called by Rickford about the move that would leave communities in his riding an hour behind Manitoba and Thunder Bay.

At a special meeting of Fort Frances council, a resolution was passed that supported the community following the same time as Manitoba.

Mayor Andrew Hallikas says it mirrors the thoughts of those who responded to a town survey.

“There were over 3,600 responses, which is unheard of,” says Hallikas.

“And it was a remarkable consensus for something of that nature. Ninety-two percent of the people who responded were in favour of going with Manitoba and staying on Daylight Saving Time permanently. It was a slightly smaller percentage for just Fort Francis residents, 89%.”

Some councillors expressed some safety concerns about remaining on Daylight Saving Time year-round as it would lead to later sunrise times.

“The biggest concern I’ve been hearing is that people are just worried about students in the morning,” says Councillor Bill Morrison.

“Because it could be dark when they go to school. I kind of share that concern too.”

Councillor John McTaggart says another concern is that not changing the clocks in the fall would result in Fort Frances being an hour ahead of International Falls, which still follows the practice.

“Depending on how Congress handles their legislation, which is working its way through, I think it’s through the House, and it’s gone to the Senate, but I’m not sure if they’re going to stay on Daylight Saving Time or Standard Time,” says McTaggart.

“So the concern of not matching up with the Falls is another one that I’ve heard.”

The U.S. extended Daylight Saving Time in 1974 during the energy crisis in hopes that added daylight in the afternoon and evening would reduce energy consumption.

The practice lasted just one winter, with the legislation repealed in October because of concerns and confusion from schools, commuters and businesses that were forced to start their day in the dark during the winter months.

Councillor Mike Behan worries that some communities may not want to stay on Manitoba time, preferring to match Thunder Bay or continue changing clocks each Spring and Fall.

“What happens if Dryden, Red Lake, Sioux Lookout, Ignace, us, Rainy River, decide to opt in and stay in Daylight Saving Time year round, but others don’t?” asks Behan.

“They’re going to have a hodgepodge over northwestern Ontario. I’m just concerned that it’s either all of the region or not.”

Hallikas says he expects the Tuesday meeting will aim to get a consensus on what direction to take and determine next steps.

legislature

Halifax council votes to check in on strategy for park water fountains, washrooms

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Halifax council is asking the CAO to look into the progress on putting water fountains and washrooms in public parks.

The motion, tabled by Deputy Mayor Patty Cuttell, passed unanimously on Tuesday. It was to direct the CAO for a report on the progress of installing washrooms and water fountains. A strategy that was approved in September 2020.

Several Councillors thanked Cuttell for putting ahead the motion, saying it was timely.

According to the report, six years ago, the strategy included a phased implementation program that identified priority upgrades and new facilities, with a five-year action plan that would inform investment decisions.

The strategy recognized that access to washrooms and drinking water is important of park use, accessibility and inclusion.

Cuttell said she wants to see what projects are being prioritized so that the initiative can move forward.

“Some of it is a human right. Some of it is wayfinding,” said Cuttell. “Being able to enjoy our recreational spaces through having access to a washroom.”

The report will also identify next steps.

yarmouth town hall

Town of Yarmouth approves balanced 2026-27 operating budget

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The Town of Yarmouth has approved its 2026-27 operating budget.

The budget includes $22,710,919 in both revenues and expenses, meaning the budget is balanced.

Additionally, the budget also reflects $6 million in donations received for the Mariners Centre expansion, and the $6 million payment to the project, bringing the total budgeted revenues and expenses up to $28,710,919.

Residential and commercial tax rates will stay the same, despite some earlier concerns in Committee of the Whole meetings.

“We are living in difficult and uncertain times. Council understands that residents and businesses are already feeling financial pressure, and has made holding the tax rate a priority,” said Mayor Pam Mood in a press release from the town. “The town is experiencing the same rise in costs and we have worked carefully to ensure continued reliable services, maintain our infrastructure and manage taxpayers’ dollars responsibly. This is our ‘stay-the-course’ budget, focused on stability:  continuing to move our community forward while recognizing that, right now, asking more from taxpayers is simply not where we want to be.  We are in this together.” 

Several significant expenses in this year’s budget are heating oil, fuel, chemicals, insurance, education and policing. 

Policing saw an increase of 13.79 percent, or $400,000 for a total yearly budget of $3.3 million.

Town council also said they continue to set aside funds in reserve for depreciation, and are including $2.4 million in the 2026-27 budget.

The town also highlighted that they have been debt free since 2023-24, and are not making any debt payments. 

Full details of the operating budget can be found on the town’s page here.

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Hampton eyes infrastructure upgrades to support 1,800 new housing units

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The town of Hampton is hoping to secure funding for infrastructure upgrades to support the addition of about 1,800 housing units over the next 20 years.

Last week, council approved an application for nearly $2.4 million through the Canada Infrastructure Fund.

Mayor Robert Doucet says the funding would help upgrade and expand the capacity of the lagoon treatment facility and sanitary sewer main.

“We’ve been looking at the lagoon and the sewer system for a while now, and we realized some upgrades needed to happen because we are growing fairly rapidly,” he explained.

According to a staff report, over the past five years the town has seen sustained growth and expanding residential development, which has led to the review of housing needs and strategic plans.

In 2023, Dillon Consulting completed a Housing Needs Assessment for Hampton, which determined that the municipality will have a housing gap of 623 to 1,273 units over the next 25 years.

This highlighted a need for more housing in municipal serviced areas to support higher densities, such as semi-detached, townhouses, and multi-unit dwellings, reducing the land area needed for housing supply.

Staff proposed three projects to increase the number of units serviced by the infrastructure and prevent bottlenecks if the town’s population grows too rapidly.

The town is looking to upgrade the lagoon treatment facility aeration system to accommodate approximately 1,200 new housing units, upgrade the sewer main from the Lagoon to Main Street to add capacity for an additional 400 housing units, and extend the sewer line from Villa Drive to Hall Road to support about 200 new housing units.

Proposed sewer extension. PHOTO: Town of Hampton/submitted.

Combined, the total costs of the projects amount to $2.25 million, plus a $125,000 contingency for rising costs and engagement.

If the funding is approved, the federal government would cover 50 per cent of the costs, the provincial government 33 per cent, and the municipality 17 per cent.

Doucet said there are no current issues with the infrastructure, but the town wants to be prepared for the future.

He added that the town already has a proposed housing development in the works, which officials hope to accommodate through the new infrastructure.

“Where some development is going to be coming, we just need to get ready for those developments and make sure that they can hook up to our sewer system,” he said. “We just want to make sure we can handle it all.”

The staff report said the lagoon upgrades are planned for 2027, while both of the sewer main changes are planned for 2028-2030.

Elspeth McLean-Wile

Municipality of Lunenburg completes mandatory zoning process

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The last municipality in Nova Scotia has adopted mandatory zoning requirements.

The Municipality of Lunenburg announced they’ll be submitting their proposal to the province for approval. They’ll be the final municipality across the province to do so.

The province made the process mandatory in 2018, with the intent of having municipalities implement clear zoning laws for all the land under their jurisdiction, and to help development and ensure consistent land use across the province.

The Municipality of Lunenburg began their process in 2020, according to Mayor Elspeth McLean-White.

In a press release from the municipality, she said the final documents represent extensive public participation and years of community input and planning.

“I want to thank everyone who took the time to participate throughout this process,” said McLean-Wile. “We heard valuable feedback from residents, property owners, community organizations and stakeholders, and those conversations helped strengthen the final documents.” 

Residents attend an open house in LaHave, Nova Scotia – SUBMITTED: MUNICIPALITY OF LUNENBURG

The document submitted was the fourth iteration of the proposal, and incorporated feedback from workshops, open houses and consultations with members of the public, stakeholders and community organizations.

Some residents raised concerns during the public hearing process, and the council said they reviewed written and verbal submissions before ultimately moving forward with the latest iteration of the plan. 

“This was a tremendous undertaking,” said McLean-Wile. “Our planning team brought a deep understanding of our communities to this work, and their expertise and dedication were instrumental in creating a planning strategy that reflects local priorities.” 

The Municipal Planning Strategy and Municipal-Wide Land Use by-law will now be submitted to the province for review and approval. 

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Saint John council approves expansion of standing committees’ system

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Saint John council has approved the addition of two new standing committees.

At Tuesday’s meeting, council decided to add the quality of life and service and operations committees and discontinue the growth committee.

Council will now have four committees in total, with public safety and finance continuing.

“This would give the opportunity to put more focus on service levels, like winter management plan, and also a positive quality of life examinations like Play SJ at the committee level, where the work is really done before recommendations come to council,” said CAO Ian Fogan during his briefing to council.

Standing committees are where work on many city matters is done before recommendations come to council.

According to a staff report, the recommendation to add the committees was made to reflect a renewed focus on quality-of-life initiatives and on performance levels in operations.

The report suggests the quality-of-life committee could assume portions of the growth committee’s mandate and focus on areas such as recreation, housing and development, in addition to parking services.

Staff also recommended changes for the two committees that will remain.

They suggested the finance committee broaden its scope to include tax-base and economic-growth files, and that the public safety committee incorporate a new mandate to include police governance in addition to the various other public safety issues already brought before the committee, which were also issues the growth committee looked after.

Coun. Gary Sullivan applauded the expansion of the committee system, saying he believes it would allow councillors to explore issues they have gotten “bogged down on” before, such as winter management and deciding which lawns get mowed.

However, he said he is concerned about the timing of populating the committees, as in previous years the finance committee would already be addressing the city’s next budget.

“I would like to see the committees populated at our next meeting,” he said.

Fogan said staff is recommending the finance and public safety committees be populated immediately.

According to the staff report, the city will need to create new or updated terms of reference — which outline the mandate and responsibilities of each committee — before the committees have members.

Fogan added staff is also recommending standing up the quality of life and service and operations committees in a month or two, when staff return with the terms of reference for the committees.

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Daycare project back on track in Eastern Charlotte

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Hope has been renewed for Eastern Charlotte’s proposed child-care centre.

At a special council meeting June 29, CAO Jason Gaudet announced the municipality has secured additional provincial funding.

In March, council decided to pause awarding the construction tender for the proposed St. George YMCA daycare after the province capped its funding at $500,000.

The earliest conception of the daycare dates to before the 2023 amalgamation, when, according to Gaudet, the provincial government approached the community about childcare needs highlighted in the 2023–26 Early Learning and Childcare Action Plan.

Gaudet said that after talks with the Regional Development Corporation — the provincial Crown corporation responsible for supporting communities and driving economic growth across government departments — the province decided to “change the message and went back to the drawing board.”

The province is now providing Eastern Charlotte with $920,000.

According to Gaudet, the project is estimated to cost about $2.9 million. In addition to the provincial support, the federal government is contributing $918,000.

That leaves Eastern Charlotte and its partner, the YMCA of Southwestern New Brunswick, responsible for covering the remaining $1.11 million.

To cover the remaining balance, Gaudet said municipal staff foresee the need to transfer $400,000 from capital reserves and seek short- and long-term borrowing, which would require an application to the Municipal Capital Borrowing Board.

“Why we are doing that is just that with a project of this size, we have to have some sort of operational fund to pay off the bills because we don’t get the provincial or federal money upfront,” Gaudet said.

RELATED: Eastern Charlotte puts daycare project on hold over funding shortfall

The YMCA is responsible for contributing $200,000, he added, as the funds are needed to purchase furnishings for the facility.

However, about $500,000 will still need to be raised.

Gaudet said the amount could be raised through donations or fundraising efforts. If those efforts are successful, council might not have to decide whether to apply for a line of credit, though Gaudet believes the credit could protect the project if federal and provincial funding is not received in advance and there is a fundraising shortfall by September.

However, to obtain both the provincial and federal funding, the municipality was given a July 1 deadline to determine whether it wanted to continue the project.

Gaudet said that if the municipality did not commit to the project, the combined $1.8 million in federal and provincial funding would be allocated elsewhere.

In addition, since 2023, the YMCA has been holding allocated child-care spaces and is on its second extension.

YMCA CEO Adrienne Boudreau said at the meeting that those spaces would be surrendered if a decision was not made by the end of June.

If built, the daycare is expected to have 82 spaces, including 52 child-care spaces for children ages one to five and 30 after-school spaces for children ages five to 12.

Boudreau said fees for infants will be $21 a day, while fees for children ages two, three and four will be $18 a day.

She said those rates represent a “significant drop” from the YMCA’s regular fees, which range from $41 to $47 a day.

Council moves forward with use of capital reserves and credit application, but pauses awarding construction tender

Following Gaudet’s briefing, council unanimously approved the transfer of $400,000 from the municipality’s capital reserves.

Council also unanimously approved submitting an application to the Municipal Capital Borrowing Board for short- and long-term borrowing.

Mayor John Craig said approving the application will show the province that the municipality is committed to completing the project.

“By us moving this forward, not only tells the province of New Brunswick that we are serious but also tells possible donors out there that this is serious too,” he said.

However, council decided to table a motion to award the tender to construction company Avant Garde, which submitted the lowest bid.

Deputy Mayor Adam Hatt introduced the motion to delay a decision until the next council meeting July 15, saying it would not be responsible to award the tender before the municipality officially secures the funding and councillors have an opportunity to review initial renderings of the building.

“I think the next couple of weeks to our next meeting would give us a lot of time to be able to open that up, especially so the public can see something visual and also get everyone caught back up,” he added.

Some councillors raised concerns that delaying the tender award could risk losing the lowest bid if Avant Garde decides to take on another project.

However, Gaudet said that, based on conversations with the company, it remains available and willing to take on the project.

No estimated construction start date was mentioned during the meeting.

Gaudet said the municipality’s immediate priority will be preparing the area where the skate park will be relocated, as the child-care facility is proposed for its current location on Jo Spinney Drive.

Grand Bay Westfield new council

Grand Bay-Westfield swears in majority-female council

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A small town in New Brunswick has a long history of electing female leaders.

Grand Bay-Westfield continued that trend this week, swearing in a council made up of 71 per cent women.

In an interview with Acadia Broadcasting on May 28, Mayor Britanny Merrifield said she is proud of the diversity on her council.

“I think it’s a great thing,” she said. “I’m a strong proponent of diversity around the council table because when you have a lot of different perspectives, better decisions get made.”

Since amalgamation in 1997, the town has had just two mayors: Grace Losier — who served the town for six consecutive terms and is considered the longest-serving female mayor in New Brunswick — and Merrifield, who was previously the town’s deputy mayor before being acclaimed in 2021.

Merrifield was acclaimed again this term. She said while the region has strong male leaders, women often bring a different approach to leadership that may make them more likely to be re-elected.

“We tend to lead more collaboratively,” she said. “I think, in a lot of cases, it’s just the way we bring people together and move projects forward.”

Merrifield clarified that the trend may not apply to all women in the region, but rather to individuals who have proven to be strong leaders. She noted that their skills and contributions have helped them succeed, including being re-elected.

She added that, in Grand Bay-Westfield, there is a general culture of support for leadership.

“That certainly extends to women in our community so they feel welcome and supported through any leadership journey they might take, whether it’s on council or council committees,” she said.

However, Merrifield said female representation in municipal politics across the province has room for improvement.

RELATED: See Jane Run Scaling Up Province-wide

Merrifield co-founded See Jane Run in 2020, a volunteer group that supports women running for municipal office. She said it helps candidates navigate the process and access resources. The group contributed to increased female representation in the 2021 elections in the Greater Saint John area.

Women find it easier to run at the municipal level

Joanna Marie Everitt, a political science professor at the University of New Brunswick, said there is no single reason Grand Bay-Westfield has elected predominantly female leaders, beyond voter satisfaction.

However, she said research shows higher female representation is more common in municipal politics.

Women often see municipal politics as more accessible, she said, allowing them to be involved in their communities without the travel demands of provincial or federal office.

“I think we often think municipal politics is more open and accessible to women,” she said.

Everitt added that women are often more focused on community and social issues, such as housing and support services, which fall under municipal responsibilities.

“These are issues that women tend to hold somewhat more dear than men do,” Everitt said.

Joanna Marie Everitt is a political science professor at UNB Saint John. PHOTO: JOANNA MARIE EVERITT/SUBMITTED WITH PERMISSION.

Greater representation can also encourage more women to run, she said.

Everitt noted Merrifield’s advocacy may have helped increase the number of women elected locally, but said the absence of political parties is a key factor.

She said parties can create barriers for women due to internal biases and candidate selection processes.

“When you have a secure seat — one that has been Liberal or Conservative for years — and that incumbent stepped down, they often replace that incumbent with a man,” she explained.

She said even though parties like having female candidates, they often run them in ridings they are most likely to lose because they are not always seen as the strongest option.

Everitt said parties often want “the best candidate,” and for them, the safe option is often a white man.

At the municipal level, however, voters tend to support individuals they believe will best represent their community.

“We are looking for people who’ve made a difference, who’ve stood out and talked about issues in their community,” she said.

Council has two newcomers

The town swore in its council on Wednesday evening, with incumbents Erin Toole, John Balemans, Stephanie McIntosh Lawrence and Keri Burpee returning.

Two newcomers also joined council, with Brandon London and Laura Weil elected as councillors for Ward 1.

Incumbent Jim Balcomb ran again but lost, while incumbent Beverly Day did not reoffer.

That evening, Coun. Toole was automatically named deputy mayor, having received the most votes.

During her remarks, Mayor Merrifield said she was excited about the new council.

“Each one of you brings different experiences, perspectives and talents. That diversity of thought is not a weakness — it will be one of our greatest strengths,” she said.

The new council also held its first meeting following the ceremony.

Its next meeting is scheduled for June 22.

Mayor-elect Steve Backman of the Municipal District of St. Stephen

New St. Stephen Council gets sworn in

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St. Stephen’s new council’s first priority will be creating more opportunities for public involvement in council decisions, says newly elected Mayor Steve Backman.

The municipality’s new council was sworn in Tuesday evening.

Backman said council wants to continue previous initiatives like the “coffee and conversation” sessions, in which the municipality sets up quarterly ward meetings for residents to drop in and speak with councillors collectively.

He added that council is looking to set up one-on-one meetings with councillors on a regular schedule.

“We’ll start with ways for people to make their voices heard, but then we are also going to [introduce] procedures for accountability and follow-up, so those things get addressed as well,” he said.

Other priorities Backman wants to focus on at the beginning of his term include public safety, homelessness, infrastructure improvements, recreation, tourism and finance.

Backman said the council will continue the public safety committee that was introduced by its predecessors to address some of the safety concerns around the municipality’s homeless shelter, Neighbourhood Works.

He added that council will also form other committees to address homelessness in the community, but said they will have a better idea of what those will look like once council officially meets.

RELATED: St. Stephen elects Steve Backman as mayor

For recreation, tourism and finance, Backman said council wants to bring back a tourism committee to find ways the municipality can liven up the town’s tourism and recreation alongside residents to attract more people to St. Stephen.

“The St. Stephen Tourism Action committee would start to bring people together and look at potential collaborations with other communities to build tourism in the region,” he explained.

For rural residents, Backman said his priority will be to push for changes to amalgamation bylaws to make them more “rural friendly.”

He explained that with bylaws that, for example, prevent outbuildings from being higher than the main property, these types of rules become regulatory impediments for residents looking to build structures like barns.

Backman said the municipality will start by holding consultations with its rural members and come up with a plan they can present to the provincial government.

New council made up mostly of newcomers

This is Backman’s first term as mayor, and like him, five out of six council members are serving for the first time.

Only incumbent Coun. Wade Greenlaw is returning to the chamber.

Incumbent councillors Brian Cornish, Marg Harding and David Hyslop ran again, but lost their seats to newcomers, while incumbents Emily Rodas and Joyce Wright decided not to re-offer.

The new faces on council are Ward 1 councillors Chandra Best and Justin Wesselink, and Ward 2 councillors Mark Porter, Bernadette Cunningham and Steven Morgan.

St. Stephen’s new council will have its first official meeting on June 10.

People seating in a long table

Eastern Charlotte swears in new council, appoints deputy mayor

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More than two weeks after the municipal elections, Eastern Charlotte has officially sworn in its new council.

The municipality held the swearing-in ceremony during a regular council meeting on Monday.

This is the second time the municipality has sworn in a council; the first was three years ago when the community was incorporated as a municipality.

Incumbent Mayor John Craig was re-elected, but an almost entirely new council was sworn in that evening, with five of ten seats filled by newcomers.

Ward 2 Coun. Michael Thompson, councillor-at-large David Hatt, and Ward 4 incumbent Coun. Adam Hatt were the only incumbents re-elected.

However, Adam Hatt did not run again in Ward 4, instead seeking a councillor-at-large position.

On the other hand, Ward 6 incumbent coun. Darrell Tidd ran again but lost his seat to newcomer Lucy Stevens.

Ward 3 incumbent Coun. Alexa Detorakis ran for mayor but was defeated by Craig.

The other new faces include Ward 1 Coun. Logan Martin, Ward 3 Coun. Sam Rubin, Ward 4 Coun. Matthew Hall and Ward 5 Coun. Patty Borthwick.

In his remarks, Craig warned the new council the next four years won’t be easy.

But he said it will be worth it as council works to grow the municipality and make it “the place to be in all New Brunswick.”

“I will not sugarcoat it, I will tell you tonight that the council will have disagreements, but I encourage debate, for it is healthy and constructive,” he said. “Every councillor will be heard and will have a say, at the end of the day we all have to agree to disagree and work as a team.”

Craig added that his priority for this term will continue to be addressing aging infrastructure and poor drinking water quality in Beaver Harbour and Blacks Harbour.

During the meeting, council also conducted its first order of business by voting for a deputy mayor.

Both councillors at large David Hatt and Adam Hatt were nominated for the position, but Adam won with five of eight votes, while David received three.

Both Adam and David abstained from voting.

Adam said during a brief speech before the vote that he believes his work as deputy mayor — when Eastern Charlotte was known as the rural community of Blacks Harbour — and his efforts to hold people accountable on drinking water issues in Beaver Harbour and Blacks Harbour make him a “candidate for the whole municipality.”

Eastern Charlotte will have its next regular council meeting on June 17.

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