Hélène Boudreau was elected to the top job in Monday night’s election by a slim margin.
She beat out Michel Melanson by just 142 votes,
Boudreau previously served as a Councillor in Dieppe from 2008 to 2012. She ran for Mayor in 2012, but was defeated.
On social media, she thanked all the volunteers who assisted campaigning door-to-door and helped spread their message. She added that it has been an incredible journey marked by authentic conversations and human connections.
Boudreau added that she is honoured to be a part of the Dieppe community.
Dieppe residents also elected Incumbent Mélyssa Boudreau-Janin, Jacob Levesque and Mark Black as Councillors at Large.
Jean Marc-Brideau will once again represent Ward 1.
Gilles Savoie, in Ward 2, Marc Lanteigne in Ward 3, and Phillippe Caouette in Ward 4, were all acclaimed.
Roger Leblanc will be the next councillor for Ward 5.
A new on-ramp will connect drivers on Industrial Street to Route 15 in Dieppe thanks to a new project.
Currently in its design phase, the build will cost about $1.5 million and is expected to be completed sometime this year.
There is already an off-ramp in the area that was built back in 2018 to ease traffic flow during construction at Harrisville Boulevard. The addition of an on-ramp will provide easier access to the Industrial Park.
Dieppe Mayor Yvon Lapierre says the new ramp will not only reduce traffic on Dieppe Boulevard but will also enhance the industrial park’s competitiveness and appeal.
“The construction of an access ramp to Highway 15 from Industrial Street is excellent news for Dieppe and represents a transformative investment for our community and businesses,” said Lapierre. “Dieppe is growing and evolving, and we are proud to be laying the groundwork today for an even more prosperous economic future.”
The construction tender will be advertised in July, according to the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.
Department Minister Chuck Chiasson says the government is committed to investing in projects that benefit residents and betters mobility.
Reconstruction work is now underway at the intersection of Champlain Street and Acadie Avenue in Dieppe.
It began on May 4 and is expected to be ongoing until late June.
The City of Dieppe says this includes the reconstruction of Acadie Avenue between Champlain and St-Laurent streets, replacement of traffic lights, and modifications to traffic islands and road markings.
Acadie Avenue between Champlain Street and St-Laurent Street will be closed for the duration of the construction.
Starting May 19, the Champlain and Acadie intersection will be closed between 7 p.m. and 6 a.m.
Transit routes may also be impacted.
Business will remain accessible during construction work.
The City of Dieppe is hosting a retirement reception for Mr. Yvon Lapierre, who has served as Mayor of Dieppe for 21 years.
It will be hosted at Dieppe City Hall, located at 333 Acadie Ave, on Sunday, April 26, 2026, from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m.
Admission is free and the event is open to the public. Families are encouraged to stop by and send off Lapierre to retirement.
“After 27 years of dedicated service to our community, Mr. Yvon Lapierre is retiring,” the City of Dieppe said in the reception announcement. “Under his leadership, Dieppe has been transformed: from Dieppe Boulevard to Place 1604, the true civic and cultural heart of our city, he carried an ambitious vision: to make Dieppe a place where people love to live, work, and raise a family.”
Lapierre has served four terms as Mayor, his first was from 1998 to 2005. He returned to the position in 2012 and has been re-elected twice more since then. He will retire at the end of April.
His other notable contributions include serving as a Ward 2 Councillor in 1986 and 1989, as well as membership to various committees such as Expansion Dieppe, Council Standing Committee on Public Policies and Strategies, Cities of New Brunswick Association executive committee, and Grievance Committee of the City Council – CUPE – Local 3515 – Fire Department.
A challenging fire in a warehouse kept Dieppe and Moncton firefighters busy this morning.
Dieppe Fire Chief Marc Cormier says they responded at around 5 am Tuesday to the Irving Tissue in the Industrial Park on Dawson Street.
Firefighters were still on scene just before 10 am, but Cormier told our newsroom the fire had been contained.
Firefighters were able to access the fire from an exterior wall, and the sprinkler system was also activated.
Cormier says Moncton Fire was called in to assist and was actively involved with the operation.
Irving Tissue fire-Dieppe IMAGE: COURTESY OF CODIAC RESPONSE
“It is challenging because we were not immediately able to access the seat of the fire. It is a large warehouse with a lot of inventory. So firefighters are busy moving pallets around to be able to access the fire,” Cormier explained.
The building remains intact, and Cormier says the damage has been minimized to the area of origin, but other areas were also impacted. “There is significant smoke damage throughout the warehouse.”
Heavy equipment was called in to move the contents of the building around.
Officials from Irving Tissue said, luckily, no one was hurt.
“There was minimal damage, and the plant is in the process of restarting production. The plant’s deluge fire protection system activated and helped control the fire. Irving Tissue is cooperating fully with local fire inspectors,” Marc Doucette, Vice President of Communications, said in a statement.
Doucette also thanked employees who went above and beyond to help the team evacuate safely, and also to the Dieppe and Moncton fire departments and all first responders for their prompt actions.
No word on a cause yet, but the fire investigator is looking into it.
Hundreds of female hockey players will hit the ice at the UniPlex in Dieppe this weekend, ready to compete.
The Esso Cup begins on Sunday, featuring the best U18 AAA teams from across the country. It’s the first time the event has been held in New Brunswick.
The following U18 champions from across five regions in Canada will see action from April 19 to 25. Stoney Creek Sabres (ONT), Winnipeg Ice (WST), Red Deer Chiefs (PAC), As de Québec (QUE), Northern Selects (ATL), and the Moncton Rockets (MON).
“Very fast-moving hockey. It’s the highest calibre that we have at the U18 level,” Organizing Committee Co-Chair Mélanie McGrath explained.
The Moncton Rockets finished second in the Atlantic region, but are hosting the event. Hockey Canada, Hockey New Brunswick, and the City of Dieppe have partnered to organize the 2026 event.
McGrath says girls’ hockey has seen growth over the last five years.
“There’s actually more growth right now in numbers in female hockey than there is in male hockey. So when you look at the numbers from the lower level, it’s exciting to see that girls’ hockey is growing at a fast pace and the game is also growing exponentially versus what it was five years ago,” McGrath said.
“What we have now, just when we look at New Brunswick, we have now a U13 AAA girls team, U15 AAA, and U18 AAA. The game is getting a lot faster with the girls, and there are a lot more players who are at the elite level.”
She added that a lot of work has been done at the Hockey New Brunswick level and with various organizations in the province to ensure more opportunities for the girls to play.
“So now girls who are starting, at five or six years old, have the opportunity to play hockey just with the girls’ team, which was not necessarily the case if we look back even just 10 years ago. You can now develop your game and stay with the girls’ team from the start to finish of your career,” McGrath expressed.
The Professional Women’s Hockey League (PWHL) also offers women an opportunity to continue playing as adults. There is also a U22 league, and women can play at the college and university level.
“So there are lots of opportunities for girls to play,” McGrath said.
Many of the women competing at the Esso Cup have already committed to universities and are also dreaming of playing in the PWHL.
Full schedules and more details on the Esso Cup can be found on the Hockey Canada website.
A Dieppe high school and middle school are set to receive major upgrades with new government funding.
In a press release on Monday, the province announced that its investing $1.5 million for preliminary work on upgrades to expand, modernize, and extend the lifespan of conjoined high school and middle school Ecole Mathieu Martin and Ecole Carrefour de l’Acadie.
According to the release, this funding is part of 12 year, $78.2-million project that will begin with an assessment of the schools’ space needs
Michel Cote, chair of the Francophone Sud School District Education Council, said the announcement represents a long-awaited milestone for the Dieppe School community
“It reflects the vitality of our district and the importance of investing in infrastructure that matches the growth we are experiencing,” wrote Cote.
One possibility being considered for the project, according to the release, is the addition of more than 5,000 square metres, which could create more space for classrooms, multi-purpose and project areas, art and music rooms, resource rooms, computer and science labs, and gymnasiums.
Ecole Mathieu-Martin is one of the largest francophone schools in Atlantic Canada, with almost 1,500 students. The building that it shares with Ecole Carrefour de L’Acadie was constructed in 1971.
The Fricot Franco Festival will be held from August 12 to 16 in downtown Dieppe.
The City of Dieppe created this community-building event to showcase Acadian culture, language and Acadian heritage through music, laughter and the arts.
The Fricot Franco Festival builds on Dieppe’s rich traditions while opening the door to new ways of experiencing and sharing La Francophonie.
“We’ve always known over the years to have one of the biggest August 15th celebrations. We kind of built on that. So we’ve got our August 15th celebration, but we also have more music that we’ll be adding throughout the week. We’re also adding a comedy night with local artists, and there’ll also be some circus acts on Sunday afternoon at Place 1604,” Director of Community Living Denis Leblanc told our newsroom.
Several acts to enjoy
Wednesday, August 12: Chris Belliveau and Jourdan Thibodeaux will perform at the Wednesday Show Thursday, August 13: Comedy show featuring Lynn Solange, Line Woods and Anabelle Hebert, hosted by Rose Beef Friday, August 14: Tina Gautreau, Radio Radio, Roland Gauvin, Tcheu Misère and Beauxmont will take place at Musiqu’ART Saturday, August 15: The official National Acadian Day show, produced by the SNA, at the Musiqu’ART venue Sunday, August 16: Vague de Cirque, Monsieur Crapeau and magician Rémi Boudreau will perform as part of family day.
“The Fricot Franco Festival is an opportunity to experience our culture fully over an extended period, to welcome artists from here and elsewhere, and to create lasting memories for our families and visitors,” Leblanc added.
The name Fricot Franco Festival hints at a food component. Leblanc explained they plan to work with local restaurants, but they’re still developing that concept, and it will be announced in May or June.
Thousands gather every year to celebrate
Leblanc added that their Quinze Août celebrations, combined with this festival, will offer proof that Acadians know how to party. “So our August 15th celebrations in the past years have had between 15,000 and 18,000, so we’re expecting the same for this year. August 15th is on a Saturday. So most people have that day off. So we’re expecting about that amount. Over the week, we’re expecting about another 5,000 to 10,000 people to participate in the other activities. It’ll be downtown. It’s accessible. Parking is plenty.”
While the festival has several musical acts from New Brunswick, there are also others. Leblanc explained that Acadians have strong links with Louisiana, so they have a couple from there, and from Quebec too. A full list of all of the acts can be found on the City of Dieppe website.
“Dieppe is a city that moves, sings and celebrates!” With the Fricot Franco Festival, we are taking a new step forward in our efforts to promote our culture. It’s an event that reflects who we are: festive, inclusive and proudly francophone. “I am convinced that this festival will become a must-attend event for the entire region,” said Mayor Yvon Lapierre.
Fricot Franco Festival PHOTO: CITY OF DIEPPE/SUBMITTED
