Inside Global Empire Corporation’s call centre in Liverpool. (File photo by Ed Halverson)

A company that operates a call centre in Liverpool has been ordered to pay almost $200,000 to 69 former employees it laid off last March.

In a May 1 order by Nova Scotia’s Labour Standards Division, Global Empire Corporation must pay the laid-off workers a total of $193,115.04.

That’s because the company failed to give proper notice, as outlined under Nova Scotia’s Labour Standards Code.

In a mass layoff of 10 to 99 employees, a company must give at least eight weeks’ notice, or pay instead of notice. 

The decision amounts to pay of five weeks and one day for most laid-off workers. Two are entitled to five weeks and two days’ pay.

• Read the Labour Standards decision here

According to the reasons accompanying the order, Global Empire terminated 74 people on March 15, 2024, three weeks after it issued layoff notices on Feb. 26, and before the original termination date of April 19.

Debra Lalonde-MacDonald, who moved to the area a few years ago from Ontario, was one of those people who lost her job. She filed a complaint with the Nova Scotia Labour Standards Division shortly after the layoff. She provided QCCR with a copy of the decision.

Lalonde-MacDonald told QCCR this week that management assured employees that their jobs were secure, despite the February layoff notice.

“There was just an abundance of reassurance from our management that it was precautionary and that our jobs were very secure,” she said.

“For many, it was tragic, especially (those) who had moved from out of province to come here and work. For my personal situation, after three years of a local job search with valid skills and exhausting so many employers in the community, it was challenging. … Very disappointing news at that point in my life thinking of re-entering the job market that had closed its door repeatedly for three years.”

According to the decision by Labour Standards officer Kyle Barrie, the Liverpool call centre lost a contract with Lifeline Systems Company on March 1, 2024, which led to the job cuts. 

Lifeline, which provides medical alert services, claimed that Global Empire wasn’t fulfilling its obligations under the contract it signed in November 2021. 

Lifeline said the call centre failed in “providing guaranteed minimum number of agents per month, the minimum number of service hours, and meeting average speed of answer obligations.”

But according to Global Empire’s February layoff notice that was quoted in the Labour Standards ruling, it needed 130 employees to cover the Lifeline work and that it was never able to hire that many people.

“Unfortunately after many promises and failed attempts to provide our client the needed 130 employees, they no longer have faith in our hiring abilities and as such will be terminating their contract with us. We are a service provider for them, and we have not been able to provide them with the service.”

It also blamed minimum wage increases, a lack of affordable housing in Liverpool, and the provincial government for not following through on promised payroll rebates.

In the ruling, Labour Standards said Global Empire didn’t do enough to avoid the layoff.

”While (Global Empire) did take some steps to meet its obligations, such as posting ads online, going door to door, and hiring foreign workers already situated in Canada, I find it has not demonstrated on a balance of probabilities that it exercised sufficient due diligence to foresee and avoid the cause of the layoff,” Barrie wrote in his decision.

“(Global Empire) could have done more due diligence prior to entering into the service agreement of November 2021, to confirm whether it would be able to meet its staffing obligations.

“There was nothing sudden about the problems the (company) says prevented it from reaching the required staffing levels from the beginning of the service agreement with Lifeline Systems in 2021.

“In reviewing the evidence, I find the reason for the layoff was within the (company’s) control. Simply put, the (company) entered into an agreement it could not fulfill. Its failure to fulfill its responsibilities under the service agreement in 2024 cannot excuse its inability to fulfil its responsibilities from the end of 2021, through the beginning of 2022, and forward. I find the employees’ terminations were within the (company’s) control.”

For her part, Lalonde-MacDonald says she’s not celebrating yet. The company has 10 days to appeal the order to the province’s labour board. If it does, that would further delay a payout to laid-off employees.

“I’m hesitant to be elated about it,” she said.

“With the appeal process pending, only time will tell. Should they be able to collect that, it would be fantastic. That would be a relief for us all. It was hard news for us to receive for so many reasons. … I’d be happy to see that we have policy makers’ support to make sure that that money’s collected.”

Lalonde-MacDonald said it’s difficult to find a well-paying job in the area. And being properly compensated for the layoff would be a help. 

“Fourteen months later, … it’s just good to know that there’s protection but questionable on whether or not they’re going to be able to collect it.

“All we can do is hope that that order to pay is strong enough, so that the 69 of us that have been deemed entitled to our five weeks of pay in lieu of notice that we actually receive it.”

She said she’s upset that municipal and provincial governments didn’t provide more support to the former employees of Global Empire in Liverpool.

The Region of Queens signed a long-term lease with the company in December 2021 to move into the municipally owned Business Development Centre building. At the time, it was the company’s only Canadian location.

Before the layoffs, about 120 people worked at the call centre.

In early February 2024, the company wanted to renegotiate its lease with the region, saying it was using half the space it originally needed.

The region signed a new lease with the company on Feb. 1. It was approved by council in a closed-door session on Feb. 13.

The lease has never been made public.

Mayor Scott Christian said he’s not familiar with the terms of the lease, since it was signed before he was elected.

He said it’s “problematic” when employers in the community are found to have violated labour rules, but he said it doesn’t mean the region should impose its own values on one of its tenants.

“I think it’s too bad that that operation hasn’t been successful and that there have been layoffs and that they never really were able to stand up the labour force to be able to make that a vibrant and successful operation. I think that that is regrettable.”

The Department of Labour, Skills and Immigration would not comment on the ruling or say whether the company has appealed or honoured the order to pay back wages.

Neither the company nor its lawyer responded to requests for comment.

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Queens County Transit says the success of a recent fundraiser will help them keep their vans running. (Rick Conrad)

A recent fundraiser for Queens County Transit roared past all the group’s expectations.

The rural transit charity based in Liverpool held its first major fundraiser last Saturday. They teamed up with the Yuk Yuk’s standup comedy tour for a show at the Astor Theatre.

Gil Johnson, chairman of the Queens County Transit board, said it was a “huge success.”

“We had a good turnout and everybody seemed to enjoy the show and now the end result was is that we made a little over $13,000.”

Organizers were hoping to raise $10,000 from the show and a 50/50 draw. Johnson thanked the sponsors and community for their support. And he credited fellow board member Tara Smith with making it all happen.

“Tara Smith has been the driving force behind this fundraiser and if it wouldn’t have been for her, it wouldn’t have happened. She put a team together of volunteers and made this the success that it is, so the rest of us were just along for the ride.”

The service began seven years ago with one used accessible van and a team of volunteers. Its fleet has grown to eight vans, five of which are accessible. It also employs 11 people. Nine of those are drivers.

It’s one of 23 rural transit services in Nova Scotia.

Johnson says the success of the fundraiser shows people appreciate the services that Queens County Transit provides.

“It is now part of the infrastructure of Queens County. That service of moving people, keeping people connected one ride at a time. And people are starting to understand that we are there to serve.”

Johnson says the money raised will go toward their vehicle replacement fund. 

“Right now, we have an immediate need to replace one of our older vehicles that’s costing us as much in the garage as it does to get it down the road.”

​​If you need a ride on Queens County Transit, they ask that you contact them at least 24 hours in advance by contacting them at 902-356-2670, by email at info@queenscountytransit.ca or message them on Facebook.

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Members of the South Queens Middle School Grade 7/8 band perform at the Queens County Music Festival in late April. (Rick Conrad)

It looks like the band program at South Queens Middle School in Liverpool will live to play another day, though it’s unclear in what form.

Parents and others vented their frustrations online a couple of weeks ago when they heard the school planned to cut the program for next year.

It came on the eve of the 80th annual Queens County Music Festival at the Astor Theatre. The festival features young musicians and vocalists from school and private music programs being scored on their performances by trained adjudicators.

The middle school’s Grade 7 and 8 band competed at the festival.

Principal Stacy Thorburn told QCCR on Wednesday that she hopes to have good news for students and parents by the end of the week.

“It’s in the works. I’m in conversations to find out how it will look next year.”

The program includes about 40 students. 

In a message to students and their families on Friday, the school said they’re looking at ways to continue offering it next year. 

“School administration is having ongoing conversations with nearby schools to explore potential collaboration opportunities and are looking at creative staffing solutions, all with the intention to continue offering the band program,” the note read.

“Additionally, discussions regarding the band program are planned with the school advisory council.”

Thorburn didn’t want to comment on what led to the worries about the program’s survival.

“I would rather not because there are lots of things that go into play. And I’ve had conversations with our (school advisory council) and members of our community who have asked so I’d rather keep it at that for now, until we know for sure what’s happening.

“It will be here next year in some form.”

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Dave Schofield, president of the Kiwanis Club of Liverpool, Stacy Thorburn, principal of South Queens Middle School, and Ted Bulley of the Kiwanis Club at an announcement on Wednesday at the school. (Rick Conrad)

Sports teams at South Queens Middle School will be getting a new electronic scoreboard thanks to a donation from the Kiwanis Club of Liverpool.

The service organization donated $7,000 toward the $17,000 piece of equipment that will hang in the gymnasium at the Grade 6-8 school.

Principal Stacy Thorburn said the donation is “amazing”.

“To know that one of our organizations in Queens donated $7,000, it’s just unheard of. Even through our fundraising, as thankful as we are to everyone, we weren’t able to raise that much money, so a one-time donation of $7,000 is huge.”

Currently, a scoreboard is projected onto one of the walls of the gym. 

“Which is great when technology’s working, but it had its time,” Thorburn said. “And so we thought well, we don’t have a scoreboard and we have lots of community basketball coming in, we have sports teams from other schools coming in, so we thought that would be a priority for right now.”

Thorburn said the whole community pitched in. A youth in the community donated what he made from giving basketball lessons, Liverpool Regional High School donated proceeds from their annual alumni basketball tournament, the school itself held an online auction and the school’s advisory council contributed $2,000.

“We couldn’t have done it without the community and the parents from South Queens, which is amazing.”

Dave Schofield, president of the Kiwanis Club of Liverpool, said usually the club gives up to $1,000 for specific projects.

“Initially we were thinking a smaller amount. And one of our members said, we got extra money this year from running the canteen at Queens Place, let’s go all in on the scoreboard, so that’s what we did.

“You like to see everyone working together for a common goal.”

The school held a short ceremony on Wednesday morning to unveil the Kiwanis contribution. Students, staff and Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian were there, as well as Kiwanis Club members from Liverpool, Halifax and Kingston, Jamaica.

Pam Rodney-White is governor of the eastern Canada and Caribbean district for Kiwanis International.

As part of her duties, she’s touring Canada’s six districts. And she was in town on Wednesday visiting the Liverpool chapter.

She said the Liverpool chapter’s support for the scoreboard is an example of the kinds of contributions Kiwanis clubs make to help kids and communities.

“It’s fantastic. I really want to congratulate the Kiwanis Club of Liverpool for the donation of the scoreboard. I’m sure the students are going to be happy when they look up there and see that they are making some runs, not fouls.”

Thorburn says she hopes to have the scoreboard installed over the summer in time for when students return in the fall.

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Donna Croft and Gil Johnson of Queens County Transit in Liverpool are gearing up the group’s Yuk Yuk’s fundraiser at the Astor Theatre on Saturday. (Rick Conrad)

Queens County Transit got on the road seven years ago with one used wheelchair-accessible van catering mostly to seniors in Liverpool.

“When we started out, we had one old used wheelchair-accessible van that we got from over in Clare. And I think it was in the garage more than it was on the road,” says chairman Gil Johnson.

Now, the community organization based in Liverpool provides affordable transportation around Queens County and beyond.

It’s one of 23 rural transit services around Nova Scotia.

The Queens County Transit fleet has grown to eight vans, five of which are accessible. And it employs 11 people, nine of whom are drivers.

Ridership is up too, by almost 30 per cent over the past two years. In 2023/24, the service completed 8,218 trips. About three-quarters of those were for seniors. Ridership so far this year is up by more than 1,000, with only half of overall passengers seniors.

But with increased popularity come increased costs. 

“Without community support we would be dead in the water, we wouldn’t be operating,” Johnson says.

“Seven years ago, Queens County was one of four counties in the province that did not have a transit system. Today, we’re one of the leaders and we’re proud of that and we want to be able to keep going but we can’t do it without funding partners, fundraisers. ”

That’s why Queens County Transit has organized its first major fundraiser at the Astor Theatre for this Saturday, May 3. They’ve teamed up with the Yuk Yuk’s standup comedy tour for a show at the historic theatre at 7:30. 

Comedians Francois Weber, Andrew Evans and Ian Black are set to hit the Astor stage.

“That’s going to be a good event,” Johnson says. “It’s going to be something new. Yuk Yuk’s haven’t been to Liverpool in quite some time.”

They’re also planning a silent auction at the event.

Queens County Transit gets about 35 per cent of its operational funding from the province and some other funding from the Region of Queens. 

That funding and community support are vital so that the service can continue to offer rides to residents at reasonable rates.

A round trip within Liverpool, Brooklyn or Milton costs $10. That goes up to about $15 for longer rides to other areas of the county.

But the service also offers much-needed subsidized rides for medical trips to Queens General Hospital in Liverpool or to Halifax.

Manager Donna Croft says that through funding from the Queens General Hospital Foundation, it can offer a round-trip to an appointment in Halifax for as little as $100. The full cost is usually $160.

“It’s not only the seniors we’re catering to,” Croft says. “We’re catering to all ages. Say a mom with an infant has to go to the city to the IWK and she has no means of getting there or she has to wait for an ambulance to take them through. We have the monies through (the hospital foundation) that we can do that drive for them to get her to the IWK.”

“That’s a huge piece of the mandate of community transit, is to be able to get people to those appointments in an affordable fashion because it goes back to our funding partners,” Johnson says. “They’re the ones who help us subsidize those rides. But if you wanted to rent Queens County Transit to go shopping just on your own or to go for a drive, that’s available as well. It wouldn’t be subsidized. It would be fully funded out of pocket.”

Tickets are still available for the Yuk Yuk’s comedy fundraiser through the Astor Theatre box office or Ticketpro.ca.

And if you need a ride on Queens County Transit, they ask that you contact them at least 24 hours in advance by contacting them at 902-356-2670, by email at info@queenscountytransit.ca or message them on Facebook.

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Shelly Panczyk is the chairwoman of the Queens County Food Bank in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)

The Queens County Food Bank won’t have to worry about its rent for the next four years as Region of Queens councillors voted this week to give the group a rent subsidy.

As part of its budget talks, councillors agreed to the food bank’s request for an annual grant of $15,500 to cover the rent at its Main Street location in Liverpool. 

Shelly Panczyk, chair of the Queens County Food Bank, told QCCR on Thursday that “it’s a wonderful thing.”

“That helps us out because it will give us more working capital to purchase food,” she said.

“We’ve been back and forth with the last council. This is probably our fourth time trying to get something and this council has done it. And I’ve got to give them a good clap around, because they’ve done a good thing. And I think people will step up and be aware that this council is a workable council.”

Before the food bank was forced out of a derelict municipal property in 2019 and began leasing space on Main Street, it paid no rent. Demand for their services has grown, as food costs have risen and donations have plummeted by about 50 per cent.

About 240 families a month use the Liverpool group’s services.

Food bank representatives appealed to councillors at their March 25 meeting for rent relief after the organization was hit with a $10,000 bill to fix its freezer. It’s also committed to begin food pantries for elementary and high school students throughout Queens County.

Mayor Scott Christian said councillors are trying to make more room in the region’s budget to help residents on low or fixed incomes. Council is also considering expanding the region’s low-income property tax exemption program.

“It’s really hard when you’re an organization like Queens County Food Bank when you don’t have certainty of available resources, like you’re constantly competing for available grants,” he said.

“
Their board members did a good job of articulating the financial need that that group has and those are the type of investments I think this council likes to make, so I’m pleased to see if we spend $20 to $25,000 on the low-income tax exemptions and another $15,500 on the food bank, again, it’s challenging, and we need to make sure that the province pays their fair share as it relates to community wellness, but from my perspective, that’s money well spent from the municipality.” 

Council has another budget meeting scheduled for Tues., May 6 at 6 p.m.

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Queens General Hospital. Photo Ed Halverson

The emergency department at Queens General Hospital in Liverpool will be closed at 5:30 a.m. Thursday, May 1, until 8 a.m. Friday, May 2.

The ER is usually open 24 hours a day from 8 a.m. Monday to 1:30 p.m. Friday. Nova Scotia Health gave no reason for the Thursday closure.

Virtual urgent care will be available at the hospital from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. Patients are accepted up to 60 minutes before closing time.

Patients of Queens Family Health can access the same-day clinic for certain conditions by calling 902-354-3322.

There’s a mobile primary care clinic scheduled for the North Queens Community Health Centre in Caledonia on Thurs., May 22 from 5:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.

An undated aerial photo of the former Bowater Mersey plant in Brooklyn. (Queens County Historical Society Photo Collection, housed at the Queens County Museum)

Northern Pulp has asked for another extension in protection from its creditors as it continues to look for financing to build a new kraft pulp mill in Liverpool.

The company, owned by Domtar-controlled Paper Excellence, has been under creditor protection since June 2020 after it closed its pulp mill in Abercrombie Point, Pictou County.

On March 10, the company and the Nova Scotia government announced that Northern Pulp would get a five-week extension while it tried to make a profitable business case for a new kraft pulp mill in Liverpool.

That was after the company said that its nine-month feasibility study found that a new mill in Liverpool didn’t make business sense. It said it would spend the five-week extension looking for private and public financing.

The multinational corporation estimated a new mill would cost $2.5 billion in government and private funding to design and build. And it would require an annual rate of return of at least 14 per cent, as outlined in a settlement agreement signed with the Nova Scotia government and approved by a B.C. court in May 2024.

Bowater operated a pulp and paper mill in Brooklyn, near Liverpool, from 1929 to 2012, over the years employing thousands of people in Queens County.

In a news release Tuesday evening, Northern Pulp said it filed documents earlier in the day requesting the extension under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act until July 18.

“The company will use this time to further advance preparations for a potential sale of its assets, should a new mill not be feasible,” the release said. “Additionally, Northern Pulp will continue discussions with various stakeholders and rights holders regarding the feasibility of establishing a new bioproducts hub in Liverpool, Nova Scotia.”

Premier Tim Houston sent a letter on March 20 to Prime Minister Mark Carney and Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre asking them both to support the company’s application for federal financing through the Canada Infrastructure Bank.

Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton told QCCR in March that the province has been working with the company to make a new mill work.

“We know we need a home for the low-grade wood fibre but at the end of the day, this is going to be a business decision from their part,” Rushton said.

“We’re willing to work with them to meet the environmental standards of a new-era mill that would find a home for ecologically produced forest products.”

Paper Excellence has said a new mill would also potentially produce biogas and biochemicals used in food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and adhesives.

Last May, Houston announced a deal with Paper Excellence to settle the company’s $450-million lawsuit against the province after Northern Pulp was forced to close its mill because of environmental concerns.

The hearing on the company’s latest request is set for Fri., May 2.

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Katharina Cochrane, vice-president of the South Queens Chamber of Commerce, says voters seem to be ‘dialled in’ during this election. (Rick Conrad)

Nova Scotia’s South Shore is known for its ocean breezes and waterfront vistas, drawing thousands of tourists each year to relax on its many beaches.

But in the 2025 federal election campaign, there’s nothing laidback about the race to win the riding of South Shore-St. Margarets.

Incumbent Rick Perkins is trying to keep the seat for the Conservatives, while newcomer Jessica Fancy-Landry hopes to win it back for the Liberals. Mark Embrett is running for the Green Party and Patrick Boyd is representing the People’s Party of Canada. Hayden Henderson is running as an Independent.

In the 2021 election, Perkins beat Liberal incumbent Bernadette Jordan by about four per cent, or 1,800 votes. The NDP finished a strong third, capturing 19 per cent of the vote. Turnout was about 63 per cent.

This time, however, with no declared NDP candidate, it appears to be a two-way race between Conservative Perkins and Liberal Fancy-Landry in the April 28 vote.

2025 FEDERAL ELECTION: QCCR INTERVIEWS THE CANDIDATES

• Conservative Rick Perkins
• Liberal Jessica Fancy-Landry
• Green Party’s Mark Embrett
• People’s Party of Canada’s Patrick Boyd

Perkins lives in St. Margarets Bay and says this is the most enthusiastic voters have been since he first ran in 2019.

“I’m getting a great response, a lot of people appreciating the job I’ve done for the last four years, and we’re almost running out of signs,” he told QCCR in early April.

Fancy-Landry is originally from Caledonia, Queens Co., and now lives in Bridgewater. The teacher, community volunteer and first-time candidate says it’s been an energetic campaign so far, with lots of great conversations with voters.

“Tariffs and Trump seem to be on the lips of everybody that we are talking to,” she says.

“Affordability. We’re hearing a lot about environmental (concerns), coastal impact, whether it’s fishing, whether it’s Christmas tree farming, whether it’s some of our forestry. People have really been reaching out to see what we can do to help bolster and support the different economies along our South Shore.”

The Greens’ Embrett is an implementation scientist with Nova Scotia Health. This is the Queensland resident’s first full campaign, though he’s had his name on the ballot in previous elections for the Greens.

“I decided to align myself with the Green Party because their values around equity and transparency and government and fairness and policies really echoed my own beliefs and my own values.”

The People’s Party’s Boyd is originally from Vancouver and moved to Sable River three years ago, after spending some time overseas in international banking. This the first campaign for the consultant and hobby farmer.

“We’re sicker than we’ve ever been. We’re poorer than we’ve ever been. We’re more censored than we’ve ever been. And at the same time, you can see the parties that are running, they can really be described as a globalist uniparty. So whether you’re on the Liberal side or the Conservative side, it’s really hard to differentiate or distinguish between policies.”

The riding covers a vast territory, stretching from Head of St. Margarets Bay outside Halifax to Clark’s Harbour at the southwestern tip of Nova Scotia.

In the 2021 election, it counted just under 80,000 voters. But it lost some of those electors when the boundaries were redrawn in 2023.

People seem motivated this time to get out and vote. About 19,000 people voted in advance polls over the Easter weekend, mirroring early turnout in the rest of Nova Scotia at about 25 per cent.

Katharina Cochrane is vice-president of the South Queens Chamber of Commerce. 

“I think people are really dialed in on this election this time which in the past people (were) not really that interested, but even younger people, first-time voters, they’re very anxious about the whole situation with America. And in general, it’s not as easy to get yourself in a situation where you can afford a house or get a place, live a middle-class life.

“So I think people are very anxious to see some changes.”

Cochrane says some of the main concerns in the Liverpool area are housing, poverty and rural development.

“There’s a lot of low-income housing that needs to be built. We’re one of the poorest ridings, probably in Nova Scotia, so that needs to be addressed. 
And then the whole rural development for small businesses, like what can be done to help small businesses to get on their feet when they start up. Come up with maybe tax breaks that would be helpful for the community.”

She said the commercial fishery and the environmental impacts of open-pen fish farming are also among the issues at play.

At a recent candidates meet and greet in Liverpool, voters said the lucrative lobster fishery, the fear of Trump tariffs and the overall tenor of politics were on people’s minds.

Danielle Robertson of Port Joli said she wants to see the federal government enforce fisheries regulations to help protect an industry that generates close to $500 million for southwestern Nova Scotia.

Fishermen are upset with what they see as illegal fishing in the wake of the Marshall decisions that guaranteed Indigenous communities a moderate livelihood in the fishery.

“Where I live I can see evidence of abuse of the fishery and overfishing,” Robertson said.

“And I’ve talked to fisheries officers who feel like they’re not able to do their job. And I think our resources are really taking a hit. I think our fish are being overfished. And I’m really hoping that the federal government will step up and enforce their federal fishing policies.”

Conservative Perkins says he’s been a big advocate for fish harvesters since he was elected in 2021. And he says the Liberals haven’t done enough to crack down on poachers.

“We believe it begins with enforcing the law, and then sitting down once the law is enforced and people are abiding by the law and negotiating for more access for First Nations. As long as there’s no penalty and no enforcement, why would I come to the table to negotiate when the government lets me do whatever I want, whenever I want?”

Liberal Fancy-Landry says that she wants to bring all sides to the table, while acknowledging the Department of Fisheries and Oceans must be allowed to enforce the law.

“Another thing is how many of the fishermen have actually been brought to the table when policy and draft bills have been in place. So it’s that engagement piece,” she says.

“I think a lot of the time people feel disenfranchised or disempowered because they haven’t been asked to be at the table. … The line’s drawn in the sand right now with Conservative versus Liberal versus whatever party. It’s time for us to all come together and actually have some courageous conversations.”

Scot Slessor, a stained glass artist in Liverpool, says this election is an opportunity to tackle interprovincial trade barriers. But he says regardless of the issue, he wants more co-operation among the parties.

“I’m looking for people who are going to be willing to work together,” Slessor says.

“You know, we’ve seen that minority governments get a lot done for our country, but the way people are interacting has been extremely negative. And I’m really hopeful that we can bring that a little bit back to some civility.”

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You don’t need your voter information card from Elections Canada to vote in the April 28 federal election. (Elections Canada)

If you haven’t received your voter information card yet for the April 28 federal election, Elections Canada says not to worry.

You can still vote without it. 

Elections Canada told QCCR there have been delays in getting the cards to some parts of the country.

The Liverpool post office hadn’t begun receiving the cards for its customers until the middle of this week. 

The cards contain information on where and when you can vote, details about your polling station and your name and address.

Elections Canada spokeswoman Francoise Enguehard says you don’t need the voter information card to cast your ballot.

“What is important for people to know is that you do not need a voter information card to vote,” she said in an interview. “And you don’t need it either to verify where you have to vote.

“The voter information card can serve as one ID to vote. But it doesn’t really change the way people have to prove their identity and they have to prove their address. So if people have a driver’s licence or they have a municipal or provincial ID, as civil servants would, then they can use that. And it you don’t have it, you need two things both with your name and one that proves your address.”

To prove your civic address, you can also use a property tax bill, a statement from your house or tenant insurance or a utility bill that contains your physical address.

You can also have somebody else vouch for your identity at your polling station.

“It’s the honors system. You say you are who you are and where you live. But the person must be registered at the same polling station and and the person can only vouch for one individual.”

Enguehard said she doesn’t know the reason for the delay in Liverpool. 

“We send 28 million cards to electors all across the country. Sometimes it can happen that there is a delay in getting a polling location. So until you have the polling location, you cannot print the voter information card. Sometimes out of the 28 million, a few of the cards, the information is incorrect and new voter information cards have to be issued. So all of that can cause delays.”

She said those who haven’t yet received a voter information card should be getting one in the next few days. 

Regardless, you can use the “My voter information” section on the Elections Canada homepage at elections.ca or call 1-800-463-6868 to make sure you’re registered to vote.

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Eric and Dawn Fry are hoping to build 16 apartments in the old Stedmans building on Main Street in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)

A developer is hoping to turn an old storefront on Liverpool’s Main Street into apartments.

Eric and Dawn Fry of Fall River bought 194 Main St. in January and hope to turn it into 16 one-bedroom and two-bedroom rental units.

Eric Fry told QCCR that they applied a few weeks ago to the Region of Queens to allow for apartments on the ground floor. The region’s land use bylaws permit residential units on Main Street only in buildings with a commercial storefront.

“We would rather see it as 100 per cent residential because there’s more of a need in that area for residential than for additional commercial space because there’s a fair amount of vacant commercial space on Main Street.”

The property is known locally as the old Stedmans building. Before it was bought by the Frys, it sat vacant for a few years and was heavily damaged by extreme weather. And before that, it housed a dollar store and office space on the ground floor.

Fry said Tuesday that they’re also planning indoor parking, which would be accessed on the Water Street side at the back of the building.

“We’re hoping that there won’t be any or too much opposition to what we’re trying to do because we know that there’s a need for housing there and I think this would lend itself nicely. … So it could be a pretty desirable development when it’s completed.”

Tenants recently moved into the couple’s other development, The Falls in Milton, located on the Mersey River. That building is full and targeted to people 55 and over.

This new development would be marketed to a more mixed demographic. Fry says he hopes to attract health care or other professionals. And two or three units could qualify as affordable housing.

According to Viewpoint, the 30,000-square-foot building sold for $235,000 after almost a year on the market. Fry said it’s too early to estimate the budget for the project or what the rents will be. 

“The two criteria that I typically use are location and potential. And I think that’s got both in spades. It’s very central and a lot of potential. It took a little creativity with our design team and our construction manager to work through a feasible plan, in order to make it all accessible. We’ll be adding windows and skylights for the upper units. We think it’s really going to begin to transform Main Street, so we’re excited about it.”

They’re working with a partner on the project and have named their company SDL Developments, as an homage to the building’s former life as a Stedmans department store.

While they wait to see how their application goes with the municipality, Fry said workers have been cleaning up debris inside the building. 

He said he and his wife wanted to invest in the community after they bought a cottage in Port Mouton in 2015 and fell in love with the area.

“We’re not trying to disrupt anything or upset the apple cart. My wife and I have lots of great relationships in Liverpool and we’ve gotten to know a lot of folks in the municipality and we love it. What we’ve done with The Falls in Milton would be frankly representative of the type of approach we would take, very open and communicative with the public and a quality product that people can be proud to call home.”

Fry said that if their application with the municipality succeeds, they hope to begin construction by the end of June. 

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Justin Freeman launched Letterswitch Publishing on Saturday in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)

In a town without a bookstore, starting a publishing business might seem like a leap of faith.

But Justin Freeman of Liverpool says he’s realizing a childhood dream by launching Letterswitch Publishing. 

“I’m content to just put out beautiful books that entertain and educate and encourage new parents, and parents of young kids especially, but everybody in a family,” he told QCCR.

“I hope it goes off well. Publishing is not exactly the most robust industry to be jumping into feet first at the moment, but I’m hoping with kind of the niche aspect of it and keeping things small and focused that it’ll be a success.”

Freeman unveiled his micropublishing company on Saturday at the Astor Theatre in Liverpool. The stay-at-home Dad moved to the area a few years ago with his young family. 

“(We) moved to Liverpool in 2022 after my son was born. My wife got a job at the hospital … and this is home now. We’re putting down roots and are looking forward to a lot of years here.”

Freeman says he’ll be concentrating at first on publishing his own work through Letterswitch. 

His first book was on display on Saturday. Called A Little Grieving, he partnered with a pediatric crisis counsellor on the parent’s guide to helping your child through the grieving process. 

He also plans a kids’ picture book called One Veggie, a middle-grade chapter book called Molly Moss Runs for Office and a western novel called Crimson Shadow.

“It’ll be a slow rollout. I’m a stay-at-home dad and I’ll just try to get things rolling here in the next couple years. But once both kids are in school, I look to open up to other authors and just get a nice catalog of titles.”

Freeman grew up on a farm in Missouri. He had an eclectic career before moving to Nova Scotia with his wife, Dr. Alison Freeman, and their kids Molly and James.

“I was formerly a police officer in Missouri in the city of Springfield. I was also a minister for a few years, and sold shoes and grew up on a farm and just have a varied background that kind of informs and inflects different writing. Thus all the different type of books that are coming out.”

The name of the company comes from how he met his wife, when he was still on the farm in Missouri and she was at home in Nova Scotia.

“Essentially, back in 2000, I was on the family farm using ICQ, a messaging app, and this message pops up saying, ‘Do you want to catch up?’ It was obviously a misdirect, but I went to reject it and something told me to accept it, so I did. And it was somebody looking for somebody named Justin Freeman that they had met in Massachusetts. And instead of typing MA for Massachusetts, they typed MO.

“And we struck up more conversations, postcards from abroad, kept up over the years, and then 15 years later, wound up meeting finally, fell in love. I’m now married to Alison and we have two beautiful kids. And so the letter switch is an homage to that switched letter that started our entire story.”

For the launch event, Freeman teamed up with local artisans to feature some of their work, including local baker Gabby’s Bread Basket, who catered the event, and the Covey Candle Company, who created a couple of limited-edition scents. 

“And there’s also a piece that I commissioned by local artist Katie Kripp called Bound for Novel Passages. And it’s a sailing ship with books for the sails and it just represents a new journey for me and some other creatives I look to work with. I find myself surrounded by creative people here in Liverpool and I wanted to work with a few of them for the launch.”

People at the Letterswitch launch, like Jaqueline Duck of Liverpool, said it was exciting to have a publisher in the area.

“I think that’s amazing because there are writers here and they have to go and find a publisher. If we have one in Liverpool, it makes everybody’s life that much easier. And it’s good business.”

Freeman says that while he’ll be busy for the next few months on his own work, he’d still like to hear from people interested in his new venture.

You can find Letterswitch Publishing at letterswitchpublishing.com or email Freeman at hello@letterswitchpublishing.com.

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More doctors and other health professionals from the U.S. want to move to Nova Scotia, according to Nova Scotia Health. (Province of Nova Scotia)

The unstable political situation in the United States may be good news for the Nova Scotia health care system.

More doctors and other health professionals working in the U.S. are looking to move north. One of the places they’re calling is Nova Scotia. And some of them also want to move to Queens County.

Lauren Murphy, director of recruitment and volunteer services with Nova Scotia Health, says they’ve seen an increase in applications from people from the U.S.

“Honestly, we’re hearing some pretty amazing stories,” she told QCCR this week.

“We’re hearing people who maybe have family members who are trans who don’t feel safe anymore. We’re hearing about people who are Canadians but have been living in the U.S. for years and working in their health care system and not feeling safe anymore and wanting to come back to Canada. We’re hearing from people who are internationally educated but living in the U.S. and again not feeling safe. It’s a scary time in the States and I do think people are seeing Canada as that safe space.”

Murphy said that the health care professionals reaching out to Nova Scotia Health recruiters are extremely qualified and experienced. They include doctors, nurses and other professionals.

“And the beauty is that the hospital setting in the U.S. is very very similar to what we have in Canada in terms of the level of care. And so being able to hire someone from the U.S., they can pretty much hit the ground running. As horrible as it is, maybe there is some silver lining that people can find a new home here in Nova Scotia and build roots and bring family or create families, and that’s great for our economy and great for us as a province.”

Murphy did not say how many doctors or other health professionals are interested in making the move from the U.S. to Nova Scotia.

According to data obtained in January 2024 by the Nova Scotia Government and General Employees Union, more than 1,000 health-care positions were still waiting to be filled in Nova Scotia. That includes professionals other than doctors and nurses.

And in March, about 96,000 Nova Scotians were still without a primary care provider. That was down from February’s number of just over 104,000. About nine per cent of the population is still looking for a family doctor or nurse practitioner.

Murphy acknowledged that there’s a global shortage of health-care professionals. Jurisdictions like Nova Scotia have been looking in other countries to fill those spots.

The process can take some time, especially as candidates navigate immigration and licensing requirements. Nova Scotia Health has its own immigration team to help make it easier for clinicians or other professionals to move here.

Nova Scotia recently opened a new centre to help speed up the licensing process for internationally trained physicians. It takes about 12 weeks to complete and doctors agree to practise in the province for at least three years.

Murphy says American-based doctors also ask her recruitment team about the differences in culture and taxation.

“It’s a huge step to move to a different country,” she said. “A lot of the conversations start off very exploratory. If you’re thinking about the U.S., you’re also potentially talking to a candidate who is coming from a state that doesn’t pay tax.

“But … we really are seeing people who are like, ‘No, we have to do this, we’re taking the plunge.’ And we’re really seeing those numbers now.”

Some of those doctors and other professionals are interested in moving to Queens County. 

Dr. Al Doucet is the chair of the Queens General Hospital Foundation, which works with Nova Scotia Health to bring doctors to the area.

He was out of the country and unavailable for an interview Friday. But he said in a text message that the foundation is getting inquiries from physicians and physician assistants about moving here.

Nova Scotia Health recently named Liverpool-based Dr. Alison Freeman the MD recruitment and retention lead for the South Shore.

To help with those recruitment efforts, Nova Scotia Health is holding a provincial career fair on March 27 at 11 locations around the province. Officials will be at the Michelin Social Club in Bridgewater from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m.

Murphy says the job fair targets Nova Scotians who are interested in a first-time position with Nova Scotia Health or transferring to a different part of the province. More than 220 people were hired through last year’s job fair.

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Students and staff at Liverpool Regional High School were under a hold and secure order for a short time on Wednesday morning. (Rick Conrad)

An incident at Liverpool Regional High School on Wednesday forced officials to secure the school and students.

Parents got an email at 10:50 a.m. telling them the school was in a “precautionary hold and secure”.

“Everyone is safe and this measure has been taken out of an abundance of caution, due to a potential safety concern in the community,” the email said.

“During the hold and secure classes will continue as normal, access to the building will be limited, and students will remain inside the school for breaks.”

The email told parents that the hold and secure would remain in place until “police confirm normal activities can resume”.

The hold and secure order was lifted around lunchtime, according to a spokeswoman with the South Shore Regional Centre for Education, who also provided QCCR with a copy of the email.

She told QCCR to contact the RCMP for further details. 

RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Carlie McCann said police are still investigating and would likely provide an update in the next few days.

“I can’t provide any further information at this time,” she said Thursday.

Students heard on Wednesday that another student brought a pellet pistol to school.

“I think some guy flashed a pellet gun at someone,” Logan Sarty, a Grade 12 student at LRHS, said outside the school on Thursday. “That’s the main thing I’ve been hearing around.”

Sarty said everybody appeared OK afterward, but there was speculation in the halls about the alleged incident.

“A lot of people thought that it shouldn’t be hold and secure because there was a lot of talk of it being a rumour.” 

Another, unrelated incident occurred at South Queens Middle School on Wednesday. A school board spokeswoman said that was “more common”, as staff dealt with a disruptive student.

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The emergency department at Queens General Hospital in Liverpool will be closed Friday. (Communications Nova Scotia)

The emergency department at Queens General Hospital in Liverpool is closed Friday.

Nova Scotia Health issued a notice Thursday night that the ER would be closed temporarily until Mon., March 17 at 8 a.m. It gave no reason for the closure.

On Feb. 27, the department announced new “expanded and consistent” hours for the Liverpool ER. It would be open 24 hours a day from Mondays at 8 a.m. until Fridays at 1:30 p.m. and closed on weekends.

Leslie Oliver, the executive director of community and rural health in the western zone for Nova Scotia Health, told QCCR at the time that the new hours would provide patients with reliability.

“We don’t have any plans of going back to an inconsistent coverage schedule.”

Virtual urgent care is still available at the hospital from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. seven days a week.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

An undated aerial photo of the former Bowater Mersey plant in Brooklyn. (Queens County Historical Society Photo Collection, housed at the Queens County Museum)

UPDATED March 11, 6:30 p.m. 

Northern Pulp says it’s struggling to make a business case for a new mill in Liverpool.

As part of a settlement agreement reached with the Nova Scotia government in May 2024, Northern Pulp launched a nine-month feasibility study into a new bioproducts mill in Queens County.

The province has agreed to give the company a five-week extension as it tries to figure out whether a new kraft pulp mill is viable in the area.

In separate statements released Monday night, both the province and Northern Pulp parent company Paper Excellence said the company hasn’t yet been able to make a business case for a successful mill.

Nova Scotia’s Natural Resources Minister Tory Rushton told QCCR on Tuesday that the province has worked with Paper Excellence for the past nine months on the study.

He said the province needs a processor for the forestry sector’s pulp wood. 

“We know we need a home for the low-grade wood fibre but at the end of the day, this is going to be a business decision from their part,” Rushton said.

“We’re willing to work with them to meet the environmental standards of a new-era mill that would find a home for ecologically produced forest products. I don’t want to speculate what the next five weeks may bring, but we’re supportive of this extension.”

Paper Excellence, owned by forestry giant Domtar, estimates a new mill would cost $2.5 billion in government and private funding to design and build. And it would require a rate of return of 14 per cent, as outlined in the settlement agreement.

The company’s statement said that while the proposed new facility doesn’t meet that threshold, it plans to look for more financing in the next five weeks to get the project going.

“As of today, the proposed new facility’s (rate of return) does not meet the threshold (rate of return),” the company said in the statement.

“However, the company will use the extension period to continue working to identify and evaluate potential financing opportunities to benefit the project.”

Rushton said he’s hopeful the company can make it work.

“At the end of the day, we’ve taken all the measures we can to support their information and allow them to make an educated decision. So we’re certainly hopeful there could be a postiive outcome in this.

“There are different companies that are looking at using wood fibre for renewable biofuels, renewable aviation fuels, things that have to utilize bioproducts from ecological forestry practices. So we’re interested in having a conversation with anyone that wants to come and have a conversation about using our bioproducts from forestry activities.”

Ashley Christian, president of the South Queens Chamber of Commerce, said she wasn’t surprised by the delay.

“I think there’s so much uncertainty in the economy at the moment and certainly a bioproducts mill would be affected by any potential tariffs that could still exist by the time this mill would be operating,” she told QCCR on Tuesday. “I’m not surprised that Domtar wasn’t ready with a decision. And I anxiously await May and for them to publish that decision.”

Christian said local reaction to a new mill in Queens County remains mixed.

“I think that residents recognize the potential economic impact of a mill in our county, however on the flip side recognize the potential environmental and health concerns as well. So I echo the concerns of our residents and agree with them. … I think (the feasibility study is) just the first part of this. That’s when the real work begins as citizens and for the business community to advocate for Queens County and the health of our environment here.”

According to Northern Pulp, the feasibility study looked at a mill that would produce kraft pulp, as well as biogas and biochemicals used in food, pharmaceuticals, cosmetics and adhesives. The study also considered green energy projects, including a plan for carbon capture and storage.

Last May, Premier Tim Houston announced a deal with Paper Excellence. That was to settle the company’s $450-million lawsuit against the province after Northern Pulp was forced to close its mill in Pictou County in 2020 because of environmental concerns.

The company has been under creditor protection since the shutdown. 

A hearing is scheduled in British Columbia Supreme Court for Friday (March 14) under the Companies’ Creditors Arrangement Act so that the company can ask for the five-week extension to find more funding for the project.

Bowater operated a pulp and paper mill in Brooklyn from 1929 to 2012, over the years employing thousands of people in Queens County.

When it closed, it threw 320 people out of work.

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Susan Inglis, snowshoeing coach with Special Olympics Lunenburg/Queens, will be heading to Italy this week with these athletes for the 2025 Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin: Rebecca Delaney, Jillian Young, Chloe Stoddart and Nick Skoreyko. (Rick Conrad photo)

Queens County athletes are once again getting ready to represent Canada on the world stage.

Snowshoers Rebecca Delaney and Jillian Young of Liverpool will be among 91 athletes from across the country going to the Special Olympics World Winter Games in Turin, Italy, from March 8 to 15.

Bridgewater’s Nick Skoreyko will also be competing for a snowshoeing medal. And Chloe Stoddart from Bridgewater will represent Canada in cross-country skiing.

Delaney’s mother Susan Inglis, the snowshoeing coach for Special Olympics Lunenburg/Queens, will be one of the 24 Team Canada coaches going to Italy.

It will be the first world games for all of them.

More than 50 people showed up at an event at Memories Cafe and Eatery in Liverpool on Saturday to wish them well.

Inglis says going to Italy is a significant accomplishment for the athletes and for the coaches.

“It’s an amazing opportunity to get to represent their country,” she said. “And to get to go to Italy, for some of them, like Jillian, … this is her first time going out of the country. And they’re going to get to meet people from all other countries and perform on the world stage and see how they stack up.”

Inglis says she is honoured to have been chosen as one of the coaches for Team Canada.

“It is humbling for sure. As it gets closer, it really hits home that I’m representing my whole county in going to Special Olympics World Games.”

Rebecca Delaney is a multiple medal winner at Special Olympics Canada Games. She’ll be running in the 100 and 200-metre snowshoe event as well as the 4 x 100 relay.

She says she’s looking forward to doing her best in Italy.

“I’m nervous and excited and I’m ready to go. I’ve been training and going to the gym a lot and it’s been non-stop. I think I’ll do good, but if I don’t win, I will do my best.”

Jillian Young has also won medals at national games. When she went to last year’s winter games in Calgary, it was her first time on a plane.

She says she’s pumped to be airborne again and to compete in Italy.

“I’m really proud of getting this far. And we’re going to make Canada rock. Go Canada go!”

Young says she hopes to win a gold medal and to “kick some butt!”

Betty Ann Daury of Liverpool has coached snowshoe and track with Special Olympics Lunenburg/Queens for 43 years.

She was a coach with Team Canada in Nagano, Japan, in 2005. She’ll be cheering on the team from home this time. She says they’re in good hands with Inglis as coach.

Daury said going to a world games is a fitting reward for the athletes, who have committed to regular practices, workouts and hard work to get there. 

“They’ve accepted the fact that if you want to go, if you don’t work hard, then you don’t go. … If you can’t do it here, then you can’t do it there. And you know, we’re so proud of these guys.

“Jillian is an example of how great you can become. She’s come a long way.”

Ben Hatt was among the people at the event at Memories on Saturday to show their support. He grew up with Rebecca and her sister Kate.

“I am really excited to see how she does in Italy. I know she’s gonna win and if she doesn’t win, she’s going to be brave in the attempt. I just think it’s really important to show support for people you love.”

Inglis says the team will be leaving Monday for Toronto for two days to meet with some dignitaries in an official sendoff, including a celebratory Italian dinner. Then they fly to Italy to get ready for the week of competition in Sestriere.

“It is a pretty big deal. From little old Liverpool, we’ve got Sarah Mitton who’s a pretty amazing Olympic athlete and then we’ve got our Special Olympians who are going to representing Queens County on the world stage. And I hope that everybody tunes in.”

Snowshoeing gets underway at the games on March 11. For more information, you can follow the Special Olympics Lunenburg/Queens Facebook page. 

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Queens General Hospital. Photo Ed Halverson

UPDATED FEB. 28, 2:05 p.m.

Liverpool won’t have local emergency department services available on weekends, but it will have 24-hour service through the week.

Nova Scotia Health announced Thursday that it is introducing “expanded and consistent hours” for the Queens General Hospital emergency department.

Beginning March 1, the ER in Liverpool will be open for 24 hours from Mondays at 8 a.m. to Fridays at 1:30 p.m. It will close on Fridays at 1:30 p.m. until Mondays at 8 a.m.

Nova Scotia Health says the change increases the department’s weekly operating hours from about 35 to 101.5 hours.

Leslie Oliver, the executive director of community and rural health in the western zone for Nova Scotia Health, told QCCR on Friday that the new ER schedule in Liverpool will provide more service for patients.

“This temporary schedule that was developed in collaboration with the emergency staff and physicians really will be tripling the amount of hours that the emergency department is open for our community. This is a positive news story for our community.”

In the past few years, the emergency department at Queens General has been hit regularly with temporary closures.

Oliver says the new schedule will allow for better co-ordination with other hospital departments such as laboratory, diagnostic imaging and pharmacy services.

She said virtual urgent care for certain conditions like prescription refills, urinary tract infections or coughs and sore throats will still be available at the hospital seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. A triage nurse will be on duty for that service during those times.

“And a great number of the patients in the community who are presenting for the emergency department they’re actually appropriate for that virtual urgent care stream so we would encourage them to take advantage of that opportunity as well.”

Oliver said there is still a significant nurse shortage in the department.

“We’ve been really committed to our recruitment efforts and that’s not going to change,” she said. “We want to make sure we have Nova Scotia nurses working within our emergency department for sure.”

She said they plan to stick with this schedule until they can hire enough staff to return the Queens General ER to a 24/7 operation. 

“We’re hoping to provide this consistent ongoing coverage for the next several months, hoping to have more success in the recruitment area with more physicians coming on board and more nurses to support the department. We don’t have any plans of going back to an inconsistent coverage schedule. Our goal is to have that Queens emergency department open 24/7, 365 days a year.”

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ATVs ride in the Privateer Days Parade last summer on the Liverpool waterfront. (Rick Conrad)

The Region of Queens took the first step this week to allowing off-highway vehicles on some municipal roads, but ATV groups say they want to see a timeline for when it will happen.

Councillors voted on Tuesday evening to form an advisory committee to look at what needs to be in place to create the first part of a connected road trail network. 

That would go from West Street, near the municipal administration building and hook up with the multi-use Trestle Trail at various points to Bristol Avenue near the grocery stores and the Hank Snow Hometown Museum.

The Queens County ATV Association and the Queens Rails to Trails group have been lobbying the region since July 2023, shortly after the Nova Scotia government passed the Road Trails Act. That allows off-highway vehicles on provincial and municipal roads, with certain conditions.

Coun. Stewart Jenkins said it’s time the region acted.

“I think this is an important part of the tourism and recreation of Queens County and that we shouldn’t delay this because it seems like it’s been going on for a while,” he said at Tuesday’s council meeting.

“I think we should get a move on it. The committee sounds like the right way to go with it. Start moving forward with it so that the ATV association and the users can make use of a good thing.”

Groups lobbying for the connected network say it could generate millions in economic activity for Liverpool businesses and would allow users to travel more easily from Lunenburg to Queens to Shelburne counties.

Dave White, president of the Queens County ATV Association, told QCCR that it’s good to have some movement from council.

He said his group and others have spent more $250,000 last year alone, maintaining 70 kilometres of trails in the county.

“It’s exciting to hear that they’ve actually made a commitment to have a committee look at it and hopefully that moves forward in a timely fashion. We would have liked to have heard a time commitment on that,” he said.

“The road trails act that came out two years ago provided a unique opportunity to make these connections. So when we look at our neighbouring municipalities and towns, so Shelburne, Digby, Barrington, Yarmouth have already done this, we don’t want to be left behind.”

The region’s committee will include staff, a member of council and representatives from ATV groups and local businesses.

It will look at costs, community engagement, any required upgrades to infrastructure and what should be in a bylaw or policy for road trails.

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Team Nova Scotia third Jill Brothers in the Page 3 vs 4 game at the 2025 Scotties Tournament of Hearts on the weekend. (Curling Canada/Andrew Klaver Photography)

It was an intense, emotional week of curling at the Scotties Tournament of Hearts for Liverpool native Jill Brothers and Team Nova Scotia.

But they topped it off with a spot on the podium on Sunday.

Brothers is the third on the team skipped by Christina Black. They made it to the semi-final against Manitoba’s Kerri Einarson, losing 9-8, forcing Einarson to make her last shot for the win.

Brothers told QCCR from Thunder Bay on Monday that they were happy with how they battled back during the game. 

“We almost got the steal in the end, so we just kept believing in ourselves that we could make it a really close game and make her throw her last rock.”

It’s their first year together as a team, and Brothers says getting on the podium at the national championship was a big win for them.

“We were having a lot of fun and we just wanted to keep the game really exciting and close. … It’s a long, long week of a lot of focus and concentration and so we were just really happy with our performance.

“At the Scotties, you get a ring if you make it on the podium. So that’s always been a lifelong goal: I want to be on the podium, I want to get a ring.”

But the team also fought through some adversity to get there. Teammate Jenn Baxter’s father died suddenly on Saturday, the day before the semi-final.

“It was a mixture of letting out some tears in between the games and then parking the situation a little bit and just knowing that Jenn and her dad would want us to be out there giving our all. We found the energy to regruop and lean on each other a little bit.”

Rachel Homan’s team repeated as national champions, after their win over Einarson on Sunday.

“They were super kind to us. After they won, they came over to us and just acknowledged the situation we had been in the last couple of days. It was super special that they were so kind and congratulated us and just commended our play in the last couple of games knowing what we had been through.”

Team Nova Scotia entered the tournament in Thunder Bay ranked fourth in the country. And with the bronze medal win on Sunday, they believe they have a chance to be one of the seven teams with an automatic berth in the Olympic trials in Halifax in November.

All team members live in the Halifax area and train together at least four times a week. Some other elite Canadian teams have members scattered in different cities or provinces. Brothers said being in the same city has been a big part of their success so far. 

“There’s no way we’d be where we are without being together this much. … It’s invaluable. And we heard it a lot at the Scotties this year. I don’t know if we have any inspiration for teams to maybe get back to doing it (that way), I guess it feels like an old school way. Like Colleen Jones (and her team), they just all lived in the Halifax area and they were together all the time, just practise, practise practise and that’s how they got their results.”

The 41-year-old has been to the Scotties eight times in her career, as a skip and in other positions. But this is the first time the 2004 Canadian women’s junior champion made it to a senior semi-final.

“I had success at such a young age as skip and you do it for so long that the pressure can kind of wear on you after a while. I’ve skipped for a long time. It’s a position I’m comfortable in, but I like to chat, to communicate, I like to use my strength and sweep. I was so happy to play third for someone who loves to play skip.”

Brothers says she’s keen to get back to work as the technical director for the Nova Scotia Curling Association. But she’s really looking forward to getting home to Bedford and spending time with her husband Paul and their two kids.

Her family was in Thunder Bay for the Scotties, but the kids got sick early in the week, so they missed a lot of it.

“I just really want to spend some time with my kids. I just want to watch my kids plays soccer and go curling and go to dance. That’s my next goal is just to do some work and hang out with the kids.”

Brothers says she’s grateful for all the support from her family and friends and from her hometown of Liverpool.

“My sister lives there, my mom lives there. I’d choose to be there every second weekend if we could. It’s just great to have a special place that I still call home and they’re so supportive.

“A huge shoutout to my husband, Mom that lives in Brooklyn, my mother-in-law that lives in Cole Harbour. They all do so much.

“To have them supporting me to do this is incredible. They’ve always got my back. Even my neighbour, he had to take the kids to school when I flew out to the Scotties. We’ve got so many great people helping us out, so that’s super important.”

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The Thomas H. Raddall Library in Liverpool will reopen on Saturday. (Rick Conrad)

UPDATED Feb. 21, 2:17 p.m.

The Thomas H. Raddall Library in Liverpool is finally ready to welcome patrons to its new location.

It will reopen for full service on Saturday (Feb. 22) at 10 a.m. The library will be open six days a week and closed on Mondays.

The interim location at 54 Harley Umphrey Dr. is in the call centre building off White Point Road.

The branch has been closed since Dec. 15, when staff packed up the library’s collection to prepare for the move from downtown Liverpool.

Ashley Nunn-Smith, the CEO and chief librarian of South Shore Public Libraries, told QCCR that she can’t wait for people to see the space.

“Very exciting. I know it’s been a long wait, longer than we had hoped but we are ready and we are ready to open,” Nunn-Smith said.

“People will be genuinely happy to see inside. There’s a lot of cozy chairs and nooks for reading. But really, the space is so much more than just the books. You can come in and warm up from the cold, you can chat with the staff, you can attend programs, so we’re really excited to be able to offer all of the services again.”

The lease at the former location on Old Bridge Street was due to expire at the end of December. So the Region of Queens decided to put the library, on an interim basis, in the municipally owned Liverpool Business Development Centre off White Point Road.

The region budgeted up to $1.26 million for renovations to the space.

Many residents were concerned that it’s not easy to walk to, with no sidewalks and limited lighting.

Queens County Transit and the South Shore Public Libraries have teamed up to offer free transportation from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m. every Thursday from the farmers market location on the Liverpool waterfront to Harley Umphrey Drive.

The Raddall family has agreed to allow the library to continue to use the Raddall name for five years because they’ve been assured by the region that the municipality is working on finding a permanent, central location for a new, purpose-built library.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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The emergency department at Queens General Hospital in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad photo)

The emergency department at Queens General Hospital in Liverpool will be on reduced hours until Tuesday.

It will be closed: 

• from 1:30 p.m. Friday, February 14, and reopen Saturday, February 15 at 8 a.m.
• from 1:30 p.m. Sunday, February 16 and reopen Monday, February 17 at 8 a.m. 
• from 1:30 p.m. Monday, February 17 and reopen Tuesday, February 18 at 8 a.m.

Virtual urgent care is available at Queens General seven days a week from 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. That’s only for certain things such as prescription refills, sinus congestion, coughs and sore throat, urinary tract infections, skin concerns, bites and stings, and mild or moderate aches and pains.

The ER at South Shore General Hospital in Bridgewater will be open.

The Main and Market intersection in downtown Liverpool will be the subject of a traffic study by CBCL. (Rick Conrad file photo)

The Region of Queens will spend about $24,000 to do a traffic study of a downtown Liverpool intersection that has seen its share of collisions and close calls.

Last January, a 79-year-old woman was taken to hospital after being struck in the crosswalk at the intersection of Main and Market streets.

That reignited concern in the community about safety at the three-way stop.

Adam Grant, the region’s director of infrastructure, told council this week the intersection regularly has peak traffic volumes of 200 to 250 vehicles.

“Going back over the last year, we had lots of conversations regarding this intersection. Council’s concerns over the safety of it to pedestrian and motorists alike. We’ve been back and forth a few different times with reports, different analysis, different investigation.”

The previous council asked on Oct. 8 to issue a call for proposals for a traffic study of the area.

Grant said engineering firm CBCL could begin that work as early as Feb. 17. It will include looking at this intersection and others nearby, and installing cameras to monitor traffic and pedestrian movement. The firm will also interview pedestrians and motorists and use modelling software, and itt will look at projected traffic loads in the area.

He said it will be a broader study than one the region commissioned in 2015 from Insight Traffic Engineering.

Coun. Maddie Charlton said that many of the incidents seem to occur in one particular crosswalk, which runs from the post office to Five Girls Baking. 

“There have been numerous pedestrians struck on one crosswalk in particular in this area with the most recent being the worst. Luckily, the woman who was struck survive. But it is an ongoing issue, and … although there haven’t been an insane amount of pedestrians hit, I think one is too many. And so we need to address that.

“I’m uncertain about this study in one sense, because I don’t know if it’s going to solve the problem that we want it to solve. … I’m curious why we couldn’t just remove that crosswalk in that specific area, given that there are other substantial crosswalks in that area.”

Grant said he’s not a traffic expert and he’s unsure whether that would be the best solution. 

“I’m by far a traffic expert and I think that this study is a good investment to assure that we have a path forward to provide the paramount safety at that intersection. 

“Every leg of an intersection is considered a crosswalk. Where you have increased pedestrian movement, you delineate that by putting a sign up or painting it. I’m not aware of anywhere that would have a prohibited crosswalk from occurring. So I think to do something like that, we need to to go beyond who we have in this room to make that decision (and) provide some advice and do it cautiously to make sure that we’re getting the right solution, trying to solve the problem we understand.”

In his report, Grant detailed 36 reported incidents in the area from 2009 to 2024, according to information provided by the Nova Scotia government.

Five of those involved pedestrians being hit by cars in the crosswalk. Other pedestrians have reported or witnessed near-collisions at that intersection.

Grant said the main focus of the study will be how to improve pedestrian safety in that intersection.

Mayor Scott Christian said he understands Charlton’s desire to address the issue as quickly as possible.

“Certainly we want to be well informed with respect to making the decisions, certainly don’t want to drag our feet on it. I know that this was something that was batted about a bit in the past, and it is a priority concern to be addressed for public safety.”

The study will be funded from the region’s accumulated surplus of $6 million. Grant said the company could report back to council as early as May.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Tony Flint, a resident of Bristol Avenue in Liverpool, speaks to Region of Queens councillors on Tuesday about a proposed 24-unit apartment building on his street. (Region of Queens YouTube channel)

Residents of Bristol Avenue in Liverpool say they’ve lost faith in Region of Queens councillors after a bungled vote on a controversial proposed development.

A 24-unit apartment building is planned for the area, which is the main thoroughfare into and out of downtown Liverpool.

Residents say the development is too big for the neighbourhood. They say the population could triple in an area with only a two-lane street, one sidewalk, and already hectic traffic.

When the development was approved by staff last July, residents submitted a petition and filed an appeal.

Councillors heard the appeal on Tuesday during their regular council meeting. As part of that process, the appellant and the developer can make their cases to council.

Developer Larry Cochrane was at the meeting, but left before the appeal was heard.

Resident Tony Flint told councillors that congestion and noise will only get worse if the apartments are built. He and other residents are also concerned about pedestrian safety and the ability for emergency vehicles to get to the new building.

“So all of a sudden you have a massive influx of people in an already very busy street,” he said. “I think that looking at the drawing, the developer probably tries to do as much as he can with the available space, but it’s really, really cramped.”

Mike MacLeod, the region’s director of land use, said no traffic studies were completed or required as part of the process. He said Cochrane met the requirements of the Land Use Bylaw.

Councillors debated a motion to deny the appeal and allow the development to go ahead.

At first, a majority of councillors voted 4-3 not to reject the residents’ appeal. But then, council took a break. After discussion among the mayor, councillors and the interim CAO, they returned.

Mayor Scott Christian said that a councillor was confused by the motion.

“At least one member of the council didn’t understand the way that they were voting with respect to that motion,” Christian told the meeting as Bristol Avenue residents watched.

“I’ll ask for your forgiveness. I’ll just try to be transparent here. We have four of the seven of us are new. I myself am a new chair here. I want to circle back on that motion to make sure that it’s 100 per cent clear for the council with respect to what they’re voting for or against.”

So they voted again. Three councillors — Jack Fancy, Wanda Carver and Stewart Jenkins — changed their vote to deny the appeal after all.

Coun. Courtney Wentzell was the only vote against rejecting the appeal.

After the meeting, Bristol Avenue resident Janet Perry was visibly upset.

“I’m disappointed and I don’t understand the two separate (votes). We had the motion, it was defeated. They go out and change their minds. I think it’s totally unfair.

“I’ve lost faith in council and the process that we went through.”

Resident Roger Wilcox said the process to approve new developments is flawed.

“The town has a problem because of this development procedure that’s inadequate. (They’re) scared of being sued. … That’s why they changed their vote.”

Flint said he’s worried about someone being injured or killed because of the increased traffic. And he worries that council doesn’t care.

“It means that regardless of the possible dangers to the public, they’re just pushing it ahead anyway. Certain people are friends with certain people and that’s the way it works.”

Developer Cochrane is the treasurer of the South Queens Chamber of Commerce. His wife is the vice-president. The chamber’s president is Ashley Christian, who is married to Mayor Scott Christian.

The mayor told QCCR after the meeting that he wasn’t in a conflict.

“From my perspective, I don’t feel there’s a conflict of interest. Certainly if residents feel that there is, I’d be happy to speak to that or think about it. To be honest, … my wife’s involvement with the chamber of commerce or Larry’s involvement with the chamber of commerce would have no bearing on my decision-making process or procedural approach to handling that situation.”

During the appeal, some councillors appeared to sympathize with residents’ concerns, especially about traffic and safety. But Christian said they were handcuffed by provisions in the municipality’s land use bylaw.

“The challenge is that legally we really are bound to the municipal planning strategy and land use bylaws.”

Barring another council reversal, the way is now clear for the four-story apartment building to go ahead.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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Ryan and Elizabeth Brown, who live near Liverpool, will be featured on an episode of the new A&E TV show Oceanfront Property Hunt on Saturday afternoon. (Rick Conrad)

Elizabeth and Ryan Brown knew they wanted to get out of Ontario.

And they knew they wanted to buy a house on the water in Nova Scotia.

But what they didn’t expect when they began their search was to be featured in an internationally broadcast television show.

The Queens County couple’s quest will be on the new A&E show, Oceanfront Property Hunt, this coming Saturday afternoon. Produced by Halifax-based Ocean Entertainment, the show follows a different couple each episode as they look for an oceanfront home. Two episodes are broadcast back-to-back beginning at 1 p.m.

The couple has organized a community watch party on Saturday afternoon at Route 3 Cellar Taproom and Grill in Liverpool.

“Ideally, we’ll have the show on all their TVs so that everyone can watch it with us, and I will be hiding under a table if it goes sideways,” Elizabeth says, laughing. “We’ll be seeing it fresh with everybody else. So yeah, I’m a little nervous. A little nervous.”

Elizabeth is an insurance underwriter and Ryan is the sales manager at Liverpool Home Hardware. They were living in Kitchener when they decided they wanted to move to a smaller, less hectic community.

“We were wanting to get something on the water, either lakefront or ocean,” Elizabeth says. “And Ryan’s preference would have been oceanfront. And we’re pretty outdoorsy. We like canoeing, kayaking, camping. And to have something that’s literally on our doorstep, that was our motivation for moving to Nova Scotia because everything is right here.”

“We were eventually going to retire out here,” Ryan says, “but we just moved that forward a bit.”

The Browns applied to be on the show after their Halifax-based realtor told them about it.

Their realtor had been cast on the show, but the producers also wanted some of her clients to apply.

Elizabeth says she told Ryan they were going to apply.

“And I was like, ‘Oh, OK, I guess we’re doing this,'” Ryan says.

They had to submit a video about themselves, their house hunt and why they wanted to be on the water.

“Ocean Entertainment was great. The crew was great,” Elizabeth said in a recent interview. “They were a lot of fun to work with. I feel like it wasn’t reality. I feel like it was our pretend life. We’re on TV, and this is bananas. But we were actually doing it.”

Elizabeth admits that applying for the show was a little outside her usual comfort zone. But she and Ryan fell in love with their new home and community and wanted to share it.

“When we saw Liverpool, we really liked it. But really it was the house that settled it. As soon as we walked into it, we knew that was the house we really wanted.”

The 45-year-olds booked time off work for the four-day shoot last summer. The production crew followed the couple around Queens County on their search for waterfront houses.

The episode features some local landmarks like the Quarterdeck Resort on Summerville Beach.

Until the show airs, they’re sworn to secrecy about which house they chose or even where. But they’re more than happy to talk about how they feel about the move to Queens County from Kitchener.

“I wish we’d done it years ago,” Elizabeth says.

“Yeah, I would agree with that. I love it,” Ryan says. “I wouldn’t change a thing. I love our life here. I love our house.”

“The people we’ve met have been great,” Elizabeth continues. “Our neighbourhood is great. Our friends are great. Our neighbours have been awesome with helping us get settled in.”

“We’re on the beach probably two to three times a week,” Ryan says.

“All of the things that we were looking for in an oceanfront property, in what we wanted to get out of being in Nova Scotia, we’re getting,” Elizabeth says. “And it’s fricking awesome.”

The couple has high praise for Ocean Entertainment and the overall experience, especially the short-term star treatment that came along with it.

Ryan: “It was a lot of fun and a lot of work.”

Elizabeth: “It was like having a little army follow you around. One of the assistants was like the snack girl. And so literally all I had to say is, ‘I’m kind of hungry.’ And she would appear. And I had some dairy allergies. So she would appear with a selection of things that I can eat. And it was wonderful. I’m like, ‘Can I keep you?'”

Two episodes of Oceanfront Property Hunt featuring Queens and Lunenburg counties air on A&E on Saturday beginning at 1 p.m. Atlantic. The episode featuring the Browns airs at 1:30. Episodes are also available on Apple TV.

Email: rickconradqccr@gmail.com

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