The emergency department at Queens General Hospital in Liverpool will be closed on Sunday. (Communications Nova Scotia)
The emergency department at Queens General Hospital in Liverpool will have reduced hours for the next few days.
It will close at 1:30 p.m. today (Friday) and reopen Saturday at 8 a.m. It will be closed again on Saturday at 1:30 p.m., all day Sunday and reopen on Mon., Dec. 30 at 8 a.m.
It will close again on Monday at 1:30 p.m. and reopen Tues., Dec. 31 at 8 a.m.
Virtual urgent care for certain things is available at Queens General Monday to Friday, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. and on weekends from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m.
The ER at South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater will be open.
Nova Scotia Health advises anyone experiencing a medical emergency to call 911.
Patients of Queens Family Health can access the same-day clinic through the week for new health problems that require urgent treatment. Hours are based on provider availability. Clinic patients can call 902-354-3322 to book an appointment.
RCMP are asking the public for any information about a fire that destroyed a seasonal residence in northern Queens County on Sunday afternoon.
Queens District RCMP say that police and firefighters from the Liverpool Fire Department, North Queens Fire Association and the Greenfield Fire Department responded at 2:15 p.m. to the blaze on Old Garden Road in Pleasantfield near the 1000 block.
The house was destroyed within minutes, police said in a Monday news release.
The cause of the fire is unknown. As part of the investigation, police are asking anyone with information or who was travelling on Old Garden Road before or at the time of the fire to contact Queens District RCMP at 902-354-5721.
People can also leave an anonymous tip at Nova Scotia Crime Stoppers, by calling 1-800-222-TIPS (8477), submitting a secure tip online at www.crimestoppers.ns.ca, or by using the P3 Tips app.
The Liverpool junior curling program at the Liverpool Curling Club teaches youth from 5 to 19. (Rick Conrad)
The possible next generation of Brad Gushues or Colleen Joneses head to the Liverpool Curling Club twice a week to work on their throwing, sweeping and hurrying hard.
The Liverpool junior curling program counts about 26 Queens County youth from five to 19 years old.
Instructors teach the kids various skills during the hour-long sessions twice a week. The youth work toward certain benchmarks and gaining badges before going on to the next level.
QCCR dropped in on a session on a recent Saturday to see what it was all about. Here are some of the sounds and people involved in the Liverpool junior curling program.
Shelly Panczyk is the chairwoman of the Queens County Food Bank in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)
Queens County has one of the highest rates of child poverty in Canada.
A new report on child and family poverty in Canada ranks Nova Scotia as the worst in Atlantic Canada and one of the worst in the whole country in reducing child poverty. And Queens is a top problem spot in the province.
Lesley Frank, the co-author of the report from the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, is also the Canada research chair for food health and social justice at Acadia University.
She told QCCR that the province doesn’t have a great track record on child poverty.
“Nova Scotia has had a lacklustre performance in child poverty reduction,” Frank said. “We’ve typically over the last several years had the highest child poverty rate in Atlantic Canada, the fifth highest in Canada including the territories, third highest provincial rate.”
The report found that more than one in five children live in poverty in Nova Scotia, or 23.8 per cent. That amounts to 41,500 kids, an increase of 16 per cent over the year before.
Frank and her co-authors say that’s the biggest increase in a single year since 1989, when the federal government promised to eradicate child poverty by the year 2000.
In Queens County, the numbers are even worse, where 31.5 per cent of children live in poverty, the fourth highest rate in Nova Scotia. That’s a 10 per cent increase over the numbers from 2021, representing 510 children in Queens County.
The rate is higher still in Liverpool at 32.8 per cent.
“Typically if you look at Canada as a whole, generally there tends to be higher poverty rates in urban areas as opposed to rural,” she said. “That doesn’t really hold for Nova Scotia. There are a lot of high rates in rural Nova Scotia. … There’s a rise in rates in western Nova Scotia in general.”
The numbers are no surprise to Shelly Panczyk, the chairperson of the Queens County Food Bank.
She said they see about 240 families a month, a 30 per cent increase over previous years. Combined with the numbers who use the Community Food Resource Network in Caledonia, Panczyk estimates more than 300 Queens County families rely on food banks every month.
She said she and other food bank volunteers served 85 families on Tuesday alone, the last pickup day before Christmas.
“That’s a lot of families in a small community. I don’t see it getting any better for the next little while. It’s going to get worse before it gets better.
“About 20 per cent of our clients are two-income families.”
Panczyk points out that there are few opportunities for high-paying jobs in Queens. And low wages directly lead to family poverty, including food and housing insecurity.
Frank says governments know how to fix the problem.
She points to the federal and provincial programs offered during the pandemic. Those had a marked impact on lifting families and children out of poverty.
“We have demonstrated that we can swiftly reduce child poverty with adequate income supports. We just didn’t stick with it,” Frank said.
“We really shouldn’t be that surprised that the child poverty rates increased in 2022 in such a dramatic way because all those benefits that were there two years ago that lowered it were gone. If you do nothing, you can expect that to be the outcome. That’s why it keeps happening. We don’t do the things that we know will work.”
Frank and her co-authors call on the provincial government to create a poverty elimination plan to reduce poverty rates by 50 per cent by 2027.
That would include things like making the Nova Scotia child benefit available to more families and have it indexed to inflation.
The plan would also address social assistance rates, create a living wage standard and establish a child and youth advocacy office.
“Children have a right to food, and those that are living on government transfers only as their only source of income it’s shockingly immoral on how much those families are receiving. A one-parent family with one child has to live on $21,000 a year in Nova Scotia for all its needs. It’s impossible.
“Many of these children are living in families with full-time working parents so that has to do with establishing conditions for decent work and quality job creation, bringing incomes to living wages so people can afford basic necessities of life and have quality of life.”
The food bank’s Panczyk said all governments – municipal, provincial and federal – have a responsibility to lower child poverty.
“They have to make it that it’s affordable for people to live. It’s like anything: Do I eat? Do I pay rent? Do I pay some on my light bill?
“Everybody has to step up in the government and try to help in some way.”
Greg Thorbourne is the chairman of the Liverpool Championship Host Society, which is organizing the 2025 Mixed Doubles Curling Trials in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)
Some of Canada’s top curlers will be ringing in the new year in Liverpool as they compete to represent Canada at the 2026 Winter Olympics in Italy.
Local organizers are putting the final touches on the 2025 Canadian Mixed Doubles Curling Trials. It will be held at Queens Place Emera Centre from Dec. 30 to Jan. 4.
It’s the first of three major qualifying events in Nova Scotia for the 2026 Winter Olympics. Wolfville is hosting the full-team Canadian pre-trials in October 2025, and Halifax will host the Canadian curling trials in November 2025.
Canada won the first-ever mixed doubles curling Olympic gold medal in the sport’s debut at the 2018 games in South Korea.
Greg Thorbourne is the chairman of the Liverpool Championship Host Society. He says the 16 teams all have their plane tickets and hotel rooms booked, and they start arriving just after Christmas.
“There’s Olympic champions and there’s world champions coming,” Thorbourne told QCCR.
“The who’s who in curling will be here. Jennifer Jones, (Brent) Laing, Lisa Weagle, (Rachel) Homan. It boggles my mind to see this caliber coming to small-town Nova Scotia.”
In addition to Olympic gold medallist Jones, some of the other big-name Canadian curlers coming to Liverpool are reigning world curling champion Rachel Homan, former Canadian champ Brendan Bottcher, and a host of other Canadian, world and Olympic medallists.
“All the names that are on these big teams that play in the events, they’re all gonna be here. It’s super to see. Mixed doubles is probably the fastest curling game on ice.”
Thorbourne said he expects the event to be a big boon to the local economy.
“This is worth probably over $1 million to the economy of Liverpool and area. You have 16 teams staying plus their coaches, every staff member from Curling Canada will be here and high-performance coaches and everybody else that I’ve talked to through Curling Canada in the last couple of weeks is going to be here in Liverpool. So the place will be humping with outside people between Christmas and New Year’s, a big boost to the economy.”
Four sheets of curling ice will be installed at Queens Place, with professional ice makers arriving on Dec. 22 and working through till the 27th.
Practices begin on Dec. 28, with the opening ceremonies scheduled for Dec. 29 at 7 p.m.
Thorbourne says the practices and opening ceremony are all free. And that will be the best time to meet the players.
“Watch the teams practice, meet the teams, they’ll be floating around the facility those two days.
“And afterwards, the players will be hanging out, so if you want autographs or pictures with these players, most of them are very accommodating. They love to talk to people.”
Mixed doubles curling is a quicker game than traditional curling, usually taking less than an hour. Each team throws five stones per end. The scoring is the same as in traditional curling, but there are a few other differences which add to its appeal.
“(Fans) can’t see better curling anywhere, and it’s going to be live and you’re gonna be able to meet the players. Queens Place has good seating and there’s not a bad seat in the place.”
About 14 government and private sponsors are helping cover the costs of the $255,000 event, including Mersey Seafoods, ACOA, Province of Nova Scotia, Region of Queens, Best Western Plus, Source Atlantic/Len’s Plumbing & Heating, Belliveau/Veinotte, Liverpool Lions Club, Tim Hortons Liverpool, Sobeys, Culligan, Dixie Lee, Arby’s, and Home Hardware.
Organizers have also recruited more than 100 volunteers from the community.
Thorbourne says the host society is also selling tickets on a heat pump with installation. People can contact the organizers through the Liverpool Championship Host Society Facebook page to buy tickets.
Tickets for the event are available at Queens Place Emera Centre or through Ticketpro. The action will be livestreamed on the Curling Canada website.
Here’s a full list of teams competing in Liverpool:
Region of Queens councillors want to try to find a way to resurrect the Coastal Protection Act. (File photo by Talla Corkum)
Region of Queens councillors want to work with other neighbouring municipalities to pressure the province to resurrect the Coastal Protection Act and possibly to come up with their own version.
The Nova Scotia government under Tim Houston killed the long-dormant Coastal Protection Act in February. Supporters of that legislation said it would beef up safeguards for coastal areas around Nova Scotia.
Instead, the province said it would pass that responsibility onto municipalities to come up with their own bylaws to protect the coast from development, climate change and other threats. It offered to create sample bylaws that municipalities could adapt.
But many municipalities say they don’t have the resources to enforce such wide-ranging rules.
District 3 Coun. Courtney Wentzell said he heard from a lot of residents during the municipal election campaign who were concerned about coastal protection. And he said it was clear from the recent provincial election that the province has no interest in taking it on.
He said he wants the Region of Queens to discuss banding together with other regions like the Municipality of the District of Lunenburg to come up with a common set of rules.
“Some of you might have witnessed the leadership debates where the government is not backing down on coastal protection, they’re leaving it to municipalities,” Wentzell said.
“The answers that I heard was that there is going to be assistance in the form of money or manpower to help municipalities create their own (bylaws). I think that’s the reality we’re dealing with. And I do think coastal protection is a big, big item with us. We all heard it on the campaign trail.”
The issue came up at a recent meeting of the Nova Scotia Federation of Municipalities.
NSFM President Pam Mood, who is also the mayor of Yarmouth, called on the re-elected Houston government to institute provincewide rules and enforcement.
Mayor Scott Christian said working with the federation to pressure the province is a good first step.
“The NSFM is an augmented voice, so it’s a lot stronger. If we join forces with the NSFM and say we need resources and support to enact an effective approach to the Coastal Protection Act. It’s an avenue we can explore to be supported throughout it. It’s not the entirety of the picture, but it’s an important first step.”
Queens councillors decided to write a letter of support to the federation, and to meet with other municipal politicians to come up with ways to enhance coastal protections.
Library users in Liverpool are being encouraged to check out as many books and movies as they can carry before the Thomas H. Raddall location closes Dec. 15 to prepare for a move to its new location. (Rick Conrad)
Staff at the Thomas H. Raddall Library in downtown Liverpool are getting ready to move to their new location and they’re asking users to help lighten their load.
The library is encouraging people to take out as many books and movies as they like until the branch closes on Dec. 15.
Ashley Nunn-Smith, CEO and chief librarian of South Shore Public Libraries, says patrons also have an extra-long loan period to enjoy the extra books.
“All items that have been checked out this week until we close won’t be due back until Feb. 1, so folks are encouraged just to hold on to those,” Nunn-Smith says.
“We have canvas bags to hand out. And we’re encouraging people to check out as many books and movies as they can carry to their vehicle to help us lighten the load so that there are less items on the shelves to pack into boxes.”
The library’s lease at its current location at the Rossignol Cultural Centre in Liverpool expires at the end of December.
In Nova Scotia, municipalities look after buildings and furniture for libraries, while the provincial government provides about 70 per cent of overall funding for staffing and other expenses.
Region of Queens councillors voted in February to move the library to the municipally owned Liverpool Business Development Centre off the White Point Road, two kilometres outside the downtown.
It’s supposed to be a temporary location, but users fear the library will stay there. The region is spending between $1.1 and $1.26 million on renovations to the 6,500-square-foot space.
Nunn-Smith says she’s looking forward to the library’s newer, bigger home and the opportunities it will create for programs and the community.
“Our current space in Liverpool has two program rooms and they’re often both in use. And this space will have two program rooms with a wall that can be removed between the two for those larger programs that get big attendance, as well as a kitchen and a teen space and a soundproof meeting pod. So we’ll be able to offer more spaces, a mix of quiet spaces, and fun kid-friendly spaces, (where) the current location is limited.”
She said it will be the first library branch on the South Shore with a dedicated space for teens.
Nunn-Smith said it was important for the library to involve the community as much as possible in the move.
That’s why they asked the public for input on a new name, if they decide to change it from the Thomas H. Raddall Library.
They got about 200 responses. People could choose from a suggested list or write in their own choice.
Nunn-Smith said they got a lot of good suggestions – and only one Booky McBookface.
“I had warned the board when you let the internet name something, you might end up with a Boaty McBoatface. With that caveat, we did want to get that feedback from the public.”
The naming decision ultimately rests with the library board. So, no Booky McBookface branch in Liverpool.
“I can’t see that one moving forward,” Nunn-Smith says, laughing.
Nunn-Smith says that after the Liverpool branch closes on Dec. 15, staff will begin boxing up the remaining collections for transport to the new location.
“We have a lot of staff coming in that first week after we close. I’m confident we’ll be able to get that (packing) done, and hopefully said and done before the holidays so the staff can relax and not have that worry hanging over them.”
An opening date hasn’t been set yet, but Nunn-Smith said the library will let people know as soon as they are ready to reopen.
Kendra Shot is the organizer of Santas for Seniors Queens County. (Rick Conrad)
UPDATED DEC. 4, 10:30 A.M.
Even though the Canada Post strike is continuing, the organizer of Santas for Seniors Queens County says seniors will still get their gifts in time for Christmas.
In previous years, organizer Kendra Shot has mailed out the cards. But this year, she says that she and some other women will hand deliver more than 300 envelopes with gift cards to seniors around Queens County.
“We’re going to make sure they get out before Christmas because I know a lot of seniors wait for this to help with their Christmas dinners,” Shot told QCCR.
On Tuesday, Shot got some great news that somebody wanted to adopt 50 seniors.
“I’m feeling very, very happy about it because last year at this time, we had to add another week to get all the seniors adopted and by the looks of it, I’m praying we’ll have everybody adopted by Friday.”
This is the fifth year for the volunteer-led program, which helps low-income people 55 and over celebrate Christmas.
Anyone could nominate a senior, or seniors could nominate themselves. They gave Shot the person’s full name, age and mailing address. People told Shot what they’d like, whether that’s a gift card for groceries, gas or other goods.
Donors buy a holiday greeting card and include the requested gift cards. They put a stamp on the front of the envelope and the number of the senior on the back. People can drop them off at three locations in Queens County – Exit Realty or Route 3 Cellar Taproom and Grill in Liverpool, or Stew’s Corner Convenience and Gas in Greenfield.
Over the past four years, more than 1,200 seniors in Queens County have been adopted.
Shot said despite people feeling the pinch this year, they’ve still found a way to contribute.
“I’ve noticed even with the people adopting this year, they can’t do as much as they’ve done in previous years, but they want to help,” Shot says.
“This kind of puts a jump start in my step, because I’ve got my Christmas shopping done, my cookies done, my baking, and the presents wrapped. It puts a little fire in me to get up and get going, but now I do get to sit back and relax.”
Work is underway on the $8.1-million outdoor pool at Queens Place Emera Centre. (Rick Conrad)
The dream of an indoor pool for Queens County was likely sunk on Monday night.
Two weeks ago, Region of Queens councillors asked CAO Cody Joudry to investigate the feasibility of turning the outdoor pool now under construction at Queens Place Emera Centre into an indoor facility.
At their meeting on Monday night, councillors heard that it’s not so straightforward, or cheap.
Joudry said the $8.1-million outdoor project would likely balloon to at least $30 million if councillors decided to change it. He said the cost to taxpayers of the current project is less than one cent on $100 of assessment over 20 years. For an outdoor pool, that could go up to five cents.
“Council needs to either pick an indoor pool or an outdoor pool, but you can’t really convert an outdoor to an indoor pool,” he told councillors.
The region secured $3 million from an anonymous donor and $2.2 million from the province for the current project. It’s picking up the remaining $2.9-million tab.
Joudry said if the region changes or stops the project now, it could be on the hook for “sunk costs” of up to $2 million — in penalties or work that’s already done. And the municipality may also have to look for new funding, which would further delay the project.
The region would also have to come up with a whole new design.
Adam Grant, the region’s director of engineering and public works, said the current design is not easily adapted. He said some of the work already done could be salvaged, but much of it would have to be abandoned.
“When you start adding heating systems and take a facility that was deisgned to operate three months of the year conducive to the climate and turn it on its flip side and tell it it’s got to operate nine more months of the year, heating, air conditioning, ventilation, as well as condensation control. You start adding structural steel known to support a roof or with roof loads or snow loads. It’s not a simple matter of just putting a roof over it.”
District 3 Coun. Courtney Wentzell said he wants the region to consult with community members. He said it was a big issue during the recent election campaign, and most people who were in favour of a pool wanted an indoor one.
Mayor Scott Christian campaigned on getting an indoor pool. But on Monday, he told QCCR that changing it up would be a big burden to taxpayers.
“The total bill for the residents is about 3 million bucks with that project completion. And so incurring $2 million in sunk costs without any assurances about the extent to which we’ll actually be able to repurpose any of what has already been done, I think we can’t go there right now.”
Christian said he’d like to get the Queens Community Aquatic Society involved again and re-form the region’s pool committee.
Councillors decided to stick with the status quo and allow the outdoor pool project to continue. The heated, 25-metre pool is expected to open by 2026.
Lobster boats leave Port Medway Harbour early Tuesday morning on Dumping Day. (Rick Conrad)
More than 1,400 fishing boats left wharves early this morning along the South Shore as lobster season got underway in southwestern Nova Scotia.
Known as Dumping Day, it’s the day that fishermen set their traps in some of North America’s most lucrative lobster grounds. Nova Scotia exported more than $1.3 billion of lobster last year.
Dumping Day was delayed by a day this year because of weather.
Catches were down overall last year, but still accounted for about $318 million.
Some 680 vessels from Queens County motored out at 7 a.m.
Dozens of family and community members were at the wharf in Port Medway to wish fishermen a safe season, which wraps up at the end of May.
Here are some of the people and sounds from the morning.
Lobster traps on the wharf in Port Medway. Fishermen head out to start their season on Tuesday morning. (Rick Conrad)
Queens County fishermen will be heading out to set their traps on Tuesday morning at 7.
Known as Dumping Day, the first day of lobster season on the South Shore is usually the last Monday in November. But weather delayed the opening this year to Tuesday.
Lobster fishing area 33 covers ports from Cow Bay to Shelburne, while LFA 34 takes in the rest of southwestern Nova Scotia and Digby county.
Fishermen in LFA 34 will head out at 5 a.m. on Tuesday.
About 680 vessels fish out of LFA 33, according to the Brazil Rock 33/34 Lobster Association.
The first day can be a long one. While LFA 33 crews can set their traps beginning at 7 a.m., they can’t start hauling them in until midnight. Some boats come back to port, but others decide to stay on the water for a few days.
Lobster is Nova Scotia’s biggest seafood export, with $1.3 billion shipped out of the province in 2023.
According to the Department of Fisheries and Oceans, overall catches in LFAs 33 and 34 were down last year, but still combined for a value of almost $318 million.
Fishermen in West Berlin get their traps ready for Dumping Day. (Rick Conrad)
Fishermen around the South Shore are getting ready for the start of lobster season.
Depending on the weather, Dumping Day will start for Queens County fishermen at 7 a.m. Monday, when vessels race to get to some of the most lucrative fishing grounds in North America to set their traps.
The Department of Fisheries and Oceans makes the call on Friday morning based on the forecast.
Dumping Day can be moved up or delayed by a day if the forecast predicts anything over 26 knots of wind.
Fishing boat captains can also vote to go a day early or a day later, if they feel conditions are too dangerous.
Bruce Perry fishes out of Port Medway. He was getting his boat ready this week and waiting for the official call to get out on the water. He said he’s looking forward to a good start to the season.
“Just hope there’s a few lobsters everywhere and a good price and some good weather,” he said this week.
The season in lobster fishing areas 33 and 34 goes from the last Monday in November to May 31. LFA 33 includes Queens County and covers the area from Cow Bay to Shelburne. Some 680 vessels fish out of the area.
Dan Fleck, the executive director of Brazil Rock 33/34 Lobster Association, said DFO changed the procedure for the Dumping Day start.
In previous years, boats were allowed to untie and wait in the harbour until the opening bell. This year, though, in an effort to make it fairer for all fishermen, DFO has ordered all vessels to stay tied up at the dock.
“And that could be very dangerous in some harbours,” Fleck said in an interview. “We have some ports with five, 10, 15, 20, 30, 40, 80 boats. It could be tricky, in hours of darkness and vessels loaded and you can’t see.
“It’s an anxious time, everybody wants to get to sea, they want to get to their prime fishing grounds. To have everybody try to untie at the same time, jockeying for position and get out of these wharves, it could be dangerous.”
The first day is a long one. LFA 33 crews can set their traps beginning at 7 a.m., but they can’t start hauling them in until midnight.
“So we have some vessels that will stay out until midnight to start hauling, and some vessels will stay for three or four days,” Fleck says.
Overall catches were down last year, according to DFO. In LFA 33, crews landed 6,881 metric tonnes during the 2023-24 season for a value of $163 million. The year before, 7,692 metric tonnes were landed, valued at $154.8 million.
Fleck says it’s difficult to predict what this season will bring. Fishermen in other areas like LFA 35 in the Bay of Fundy are reporting good catches and getting about $11 a pound, he said.
“Safety’s the most important, make sure everybody gets out there safe and sound, and gets back home the same way.”
Kendra Shot is the organizer of Santas for Seniors Queens County. (Rick Conrad)
The organizer of a local program that helps seniors over the holidays is hoping for a little Christmas magic this year.
Santas for Seniors Queens County connects low-income seniors with others who want to help them have a good holiday. And it relies on Canada Post to help make it happen.
Organizer Kendra Shot says this year, she’s worried about how the postal strike may affect the festive fundraiser.
“I’m hoping by the end of the week that maybe they come to some terms and settle this strike. I will put them in the mail but there’s no way we can hand deliver because we have mailing addresses for the seniors, and not home addresses.”
This is the fifth year for Santas for Seniors Queens County. Since it began, it’s helped hundreds of Queens County seniors each year.
Anyone can nominate a senior, or seniors can nominate themselves. People tell Shot what they’d like, whether that’s a gift card for groceries, gas or other goods.
All nominees are anonymously posted to the Santas for Seniors Queens County Facebook group. If you want to add any Queens County senior to the list, contact Shot with the person’s full name, age and full mailing address.
“55 and over, low income, need a little extra help this winter. That’s what we’re here for,” Shot says.
“You adopt your senior, buy a holiday card, buy your gift card, there’s one or two usually listed per senior, you don’t have to buy both of them. Put it in your holiday card, seal it, on the back of your card write your number, on the front of the card, place a stamp.”
Completed cards can be dropped off at Exit Realty or Route 3 Cellar Taproom and Grill, both in Liverpool, or at Stew’s Corner Convenience and Gas in Greenfield.
Shot says she’s seeing more seniors from Greenfield and Caledonia participating this year.
As of Tuesday, 328 seniors are signed up, with 158 adopted so far. Last year, a little more than 300 took part.
Seniors can be nominated until Dec. 1. Shot says all cards need to be dropped off by Dec. 15 so that she can mail them out in time for Christmas.
“Basically 90 per cent of the people that are nominated do not even know that they’re nominated. So, they’re going to get a card in the mail from a complete stranger with a little extra help. There’s no set denomination for amounts. We’re all feeling the crunch of the increased prices it’s more so the thought that counts.”
Shot and her volunteers used to collect gifts from donors and deliver gift bags to as many as 400 seniors. She said they changed it to gift cards during Covid.
They also used to work with local service organizations and other groups to identify seniors in need, but because of confidentiality rules, they had to stop doing that.
Despite that, more than 1,200 Queens County seniors have been adopted in the past five years.
“It makes me feel good because No. 1, to give back is the best feeling at Christmas for me. Gifts aren’t Christmas, it’s how you actually make somebody feel.”
This year, Shot says she’d also like to get more businesses involved in the fundraiser. The managers at White Point Beach Resort got together and adopted 12 seniors.
If you want to be nominated or if you want to nominate somebody else, message Kendra Shot on Facebook, or call her at 902-646-0265 or email her at kendra_shot@hotmail.com.
Brian Anthony, left, vice-president of Local 18 of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers, stands with fellow union members on the picket line outside the Main Street post office in Liverpool on Monday. (Rick Conrad)
Canada Post workers were back on the picket line on Monday in Liverpool hopeful that a deal can be reached to get them back to work.
About 20 members of Local 18 of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers were outside the post office on Main Street as cars honked their support.
Brian Anthony is the vice-president of Local 18. He told QCCR that four days into the strike, morale is high.
“We’re here until we get an agreement. Resonse has been good. We’ve got a good turnout here and a good response from the cars driving by. We had a guy stop by and give us some donuts and coffee today. I think the public understands that we all just need a fair deal.”
More than 55,000 Canada Post employees went on strike across the country on Friday. The Bridgewater-based Local 18 covers Hubbards to Shelburne and has about 60 members.
Union members say they want fair wages to keep pace with inflation, safe working conditions, pension protections and better benefits.
Canada Post’s latest offer included pay raises of 11.5 per cent over four years and a pledge to preserve the defined benefit pension plan for current employees.
A special federal mediator met with both sides on Monday. But Canada Post said they remain far apart on the major issues.
On the Liverpool picket line on Monday morning, Anthony said workers are hoping for a short walkout, but they’re prepared to stick it out.
“We don’t want to lose what we already have. We’re hoping there’ll be a settlement sometime soon. I think we’re optimistic. Everyone is still in good spirits. We’re hoping for a short strike for sure.”
Mail service is suspended during the strike. But Canada Post and the union have assured people that government cheques will still be delivered.
Workers plan to be on the picket lines in Liverpool from Monday to Friday, from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
2018 was the last time there was a work stoppage at Canada Post. The rotating strikes lasted 31 days before the federal government stepped in an legislated employees back to work.
The region says its 1,400 water utility customers must use less water because the municipality’s Town Lake reservoir is getting dangerously low.
Queens CAO Cody Joudry said Thursday that he hopes residents and businesses co-operate.
“I wouldn’t call it at a critical level, however it’s been heading that way for a while,” he said.
“It is continuing to go down at this point. It’s definitely getting worse so that’s why we really want to talk to the public and encourage them to actively try to conserve water.”
Mayor Scott Christian was not available for an interview Thursday. But he did post this video on his Facebook page Thursday afternoon appealing to municipal water users to cut their consumption.
Queens County has had very little rain this fall. According to Environment Canada, the area had only 30.1 millimetres of precipitation in October. So far, only 4.1 mm has fallen in November.
Joudry says the area needs to get at least 50 mm a week to replenish the reservoir to comfortable levels.
In their latest update, the municipality says if the situation worsens, they may have to begin mandatory conservation measures. Failure to follow those could result in fines and having your water cut off.
“Overall we’re not seeing a lot of decreased usage,” he said. “Those that are conserving water, we appreciate it. And those that aren’t, we are asking them to take it seriously and take immediate action … that people actively and consciously and deliberately take steps immediately to use less water than they were last week, than they were the week before that and the week before that. … We don’t want it to be dire.”
Joudry says the region has had worse water levels in the past. The reservoir isn’t yet at the low levels experienced in 1992, 1994 or 2001.
“When we get down to those levels, we’re implementing mandatory water conservation. And if people aren’t adhering to those rules, there could be tickets or disconnections and we don’t’ want to get to that point.”
Joudry said it’s difficult to say how close the region is to enacting more severe measures. But he said if things don’t improve in the next two to three weeks, it may come to that.
“I remain hopeful that usage goes down and rain occurs. Maybe more than one day of hard rain would be great.”
Joudry said he has reached out to the region’s Top 10 largest water consumers to explain the situation and ask them to start conserving water immediately.
“I don’t want to put all the weight or the onus on them. Everyone needs to do their fair share.”
The region did not do a baseline measurement of individual water usage when they first identified the problem about three weeks ago. But Joudry said officials are discussing ways to judge whether specific residents and businesses are using less water.
And he said they don’t plan yet to contact users directly. He said he hopes the municipality’s updates on social media and on radio will get the message across.
“I’m not sure at this point what we can do at this point, other than a door knocking campaign. It may come to that. For example, if we get to mandatory conservation measures, there might be letters that go out and door knocking.”
Joudry said he understands that conservation efforts will be different for everybody, depending on what their needs are.
Some of the things you can do to reduce your water usage include: reduce the frequency of flushing toilets; do fewer loads of dishes and laundry; stop washing vehicles; take shorter showers; turn off taps when not in use while showering or brushing your teeth; and fix any leaks or dripping faucets.
And if you have a suspected leak in your water line, contact the municipality at 902-354-7170.
Construction has begun on the $8-million outdoor pool at Queens Place Emera Centre in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)
Region of Queens councillors want to test the waters on the idea of switching lanes and building an indoor pool after all.
Construction on the $8.08-million heated outdoor pool next to Queens Place Emera Centre has already begun. But councillors said Tuesday they heard from many residents during the recent election campaign who want an indoor facility.
Coun. Courtney Wentzell said many of his constituents prefer an indoor pool, while some were against a new pool altogether.
“So when we’re voting on this and we’re thinking about this, we need to think about our constituents and what we heard in each district,” he told council. “And I will say from my experience and my constituents, they definitely prefer an indoor pool.”
Coun. Jack Fancy said he also heard from many people on both ends of the pool debate. He added that council’s initial pool discussions were always geared toward building an indoor pool.
Council voted in June 2023 to go with the less expensive outdoor option — a heated, 25-metre, six-lane pool. But many residents have long advocated for an indoor pool that can be used year-round.
“As Coun. Wentzell has said, it was a hot topic. Every house asked me,” Fancy said. “I think most people didn’t even realize that we were getting donations or monies from the government.”
Fancy said voters were also concerned about how spending more money on a pool would affect the region’s tax rate.
The region secured $3 million from an anonymous private donor and $2.2 million from the province. The region is picking up the rest of the tab.
Councillors on Tuesday asked the region’s CAO to prepare a report on how feasible it would be to change the current project so that Queens has a year-round pool.
Mayor Scott Christian campaigned in favour of an indoor pool. He said regardless of what councillors find out, it won’t stop the current project.
“This motion wouldn’t in any way impact currently what’s taking place with the preparation of the site,” Christian said.
“It also would not reverse course in terms of no pool at all. That’s not what’s on the table. It’s very much about providing the assembled council with all of the information required to understand what would be required and what the foreseeable impacts would be of entertaining and exploring and shifting the construction project to an indoor pool.”
Coun. Vicki Amirault said it’s important for councillors to understand the conditions under which the region secured funding for the indoor pool and how a change might affect that.
CAO Cody Joudry said he hopes to report back to council at their next meeting on Nov. 25. He said that report may not be made available to the public, if it includes information about contracts or negotiations.
Region of Queens councillors chose District 2 Coun. Maddie Charlton on Tuesday as the region’s deputy mayor. (Rick Conrad photo)
District 2 Coun. Maddie Charlton is the new deputy mayor for the Region of Queens.
Councillors voted for Charlton, who was the only nominee, at Tuesday’s meeting, the first since the Oct. 19 municipal election.
Charlton’s term as deputy mayor is for two years. She won’t get a raise, though she will be compensated at the mayor’s rate of pay while she acts as mayor.
Scott Christian presided over his first council meeting as the region’s new mayor. Charlton was re-elected to council, as were Jack Fancy and Vicki Amirault. New councillors are Courtney Wentzell, Stewart Jenkins, Wanda Carver and Roberta Roy.
Region of Queens councillors make $20,865 annually, while the mayor makes $41,730.
Scott Christian, mayor of the Region of Queens, is preparing for the newly elected council’s first meeting. (Rick Conrad photo)
Queens County residents can expect more than just new faces around the table as regional council meets Tuesday, for the first time since the October election.
Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian says people will also notice changes in how meetings are run. He says they’ll be a little less formal, and give councillors more opportunity to address residents’ concerns.
“Where we can, making it feel more approachable and trying to generate good, fulsome conversation,” Christian told QCCR in an interview.
“So a little less formal, a little more conversational with the hope of making it more engaging for the public and to really foster good conversation around the table.”
One of the first issues they’ll tackle on Tuesday is the new outdoor pool at Queens Place Emera Centre. In his campaign for mayor, Christian said he wants the pool to be a year-round, indoor facility.
The region broke ground on the new pool on Oct. 4. The $8-million structure is slated to be open by 2026.
Christian says he and the rest of council will discuss the region’s options if councillors eventually decide to upgrade the project.
“We haven’t had an apportuity as a council to debate this and I look forward to hearing what my fellow members of council, what their perspectives are on it,” he said.
“But at this stage, the motion will just be related to having better information. From my perspecitve, that’s the first appropriate step, is to have a complete understanding about if we go down that path what are we getting ourselves into, but also what opportunites are there, what willingness is there on part of the various funders at the table and the construction company who’s been engaged to pursue a shift in scope?”
Before becoming mayor, Christian was a private and public sector consultant. He was elected in a tight race in the Oct. 19 election with former Queens County educator Terry Doucette.
The other new faces on council are Roberta Roy, Courtney Wentzell, Wanda Carver and Stewart Jenkins. They’ll be joining re-elected councillors Maddie Charlton, Jack Fancy and Vicki Amirault.
Christian says he’ll be working as mayor full time. And he admits he has a lot to learn.
But he says he and the rest of council have had a good start, thanks to guidance from CAO Cody Joudry and a productive two-day training and orientation session in Halifax last week.
“What I heard loud and clear throughout the campaign was a desire to see our council working effectively together. I think that we’ve already made some really great strides. I’ve had conversations with each and every member of the council and sought to hear them out. … I think we made some really positive strides as a group in terms of coming together while we were in Halifax. … And another thing too is working effectively with other members of the community, with other organizations, and other orders of government, and what I hear is a real comitment across the team to start to do those things.”
Christian says there’s a lot of work to be done. But he also says that with a staffing crunch at the region, he and the rest of council need to be patient.
“We as a council need to be realistic in terms of the capacity of the staff right now to execute on some of the work that is important. The whole team has a real commitment to addressing the priority concerns in the community, but we need to do it in a way that makes sense.”
Ultimately, Christian says he hopes he and the rest of council can get the public more involved and engaged in the region’s business.
“We are accountable to the pepole of Queens and we need to make sure that they are well informed and that they have access to the decisions that we’ve made and the conversations we’ve had in reaching those deicsions.”
The new Region of Queens council meets Tuesday morning at 9 a.m. at council chambers on White Point Road. You can see the agenda here.
Deborah Raddall and Jean Robinson are part of the team organizing this year’s Liverpool International Theatre Festival. (Rick Conrad)
It happens every two years, it’s less than two months away and the organizers of the Liverpool International Theatre Festival want you to be part of it.
The festival is looking for local residents to open their homes and help welcome the almost 90 people coming to Liverpool from 10 different countries for the four-day event.
The volunteer-driven festival is celebrating its 16th edition from Oct. 17 to 20 at the Astor Theatre.
This year, amateur theatre troupes from Morocco, Egypt, the country of Georgia, Mexico, Italy, Switzerland, Wales and the U.S. will be putting on one-act plays in an event that celebrates theatre and international friendship. Winds of Change from Liverpool will also be putting on a play at the festival.
“For those that haven’t been to the festival in the past,” says festival chairwoman Jean Robinson, “they are one-act plays and they have to be between 25 minutes long and 50 or 55 minutes long. And so, it’s a great introduction to theatre and different types of theatre.”
Deborah Raddall is in charge of LITF’s marketing and promotions.
“LITF is a celebration of culture and theatre and community. And it’s a chance for us, meaning Liverpool, to experience the world.”
The festival relies on 40 to 60 volunteers from the community to make it happen.
Members of the theatre troupes are billeted at homes around Queens County. This year, organizers are putting an urgent call out for people to open their homes to the actors and crews coming to Liverpool.
LITF asks hosts to provide a bed and some breakfast for festival participants. The festival looks after everything else, including other meals and transportation. Hosts also get two free tickets to the play involving their guests.
Raddall and her husband Blair have hosted troupes in their home for many previous festivals.
“It’s a wonderful experience, my experience has been really great with that. We’ve been hosting almost every year and we’ve made wonderful friendships and connections. It’s quite unique for a theatre festival.”
“All you need to do is have a bed. It’s a bed and breakfast situation. What we ask of our hosts at a minimum is to provide a bed, provide a breakfast for them in the mornings and to pick them up when they arrive, if it’s a reasonable time. … At a minimum interaction, make them welcome in your home, give them something to eat in the mornings and our festival is designed to pick up all the rest of the stuff. … We’re really looking for a welcoming space and a little bit of breakfast.”
Robinson said hosts and guests have made lasting connections.
“Hosts can be as engaged in the festival as they want to be. We know that these have become lifelong friendships and also new experiences. People have gotten to go skating for the first time with their host, even being taken to the ocean to see a beach for the first time, going out on a lobster boat or things like that that have really cemented those relationships.”
Raddall says they’re still looking for space for about 40 troupe members. Troupes and potential hosts fill out questionnaires so that organizers can help make sure the experience is as positive as possible for everybody.
“It’s a process that’s not just we’re just going to chuck somebody on your doorstep without having a conversation about what works best for you and what works best for them.”
If you’re interested in becoming a host for the Liverpool International Theatre Festival, you can contact info@litf.ca , check out their website at litf.ca or message them at their Facebook page.
Shelley Walker is Queens County’s senior safety co-ordinator. (Rick Conrad)
Queens County could be getting a full-time seniors’ advocate by the end of the year.
At a recent regional council meeting, councillors voted to ask for a staff report on making the senior safety co-ordinator a full-time position with the Region of Queens.
Right now, that job is overseen by the non-profit Queens Care Society.
It is funded with a $25,000 grant from the Nova Scotia government, which is enough for three days a week. The society also receives $5,000 from the Region of Queens. The Queens District RCMP gives in-kind supports such as a cell phone and office space.
The society says it doesn’t have enough money to turn it into a full-time position. Shelley Walker is the current senior safety co-ordinator. There has been a part-time co-ordinator in the region since it was created more than 15 years ago.
The co-ordinator helps promote senior health, safety and independence, working with older residents to help them stay in their own homes. The co-ordinator helps with medical referrals, transportation, food insecurity and other concerns of seniors living on their own.
Representatives from the Queens Care Society appealed to councillors last week to make it a full-time position with the region.
Grant Webber, chairman of the society, told councillors that there’s great demand for the free service. But the current part-time position can help only about 7.5 per cent, or 250, of the 3,300 Queens County residents over 65.
He said other senior safety co-ordinators around the province are full time, supported by the province, municipalities or non-profit groups.
Webber asked that the region hire the co-ordinator on a full-time basis, covering benefits and expenses and providing office space.
“A part-time position is not enough to address the assistance and does not enable the co-ordinator to be proactive with education and check-in calls. All other co-ordinators in Nova Scotia are full time and either employed by the municipality or through foundations.
“We are hoping that the Region of Queens can also become the employer and provide the senior safety co-ordinator with the stability required to support seniors here in Queens County.”
Al Doucet, a member of the Queens Care Society, said Walker does a commendable job now for seniors in the region. He said she could do so much more as a full-time employee of the region.
“I’ve watched what Shelley does for this community,” he told councillors. “There’s all kinds of people that would do this, but I can tell you that Shelley does beyond what is needed.”
Councillors seemed receptive to the idea of bringing the position under the municipality’s umbrella.
Mayor Darlene Norman said the part-time position is funded until the end of the year, but that there is some uncertainty around whether it would continue after that.
Norman said the details would have to be worked out.
“I believe it is necessary that there be more investigation to determine who such a staffer would report to, is there a requirement to do a job posting, … salary range, things such as cars, all those things we would have to know to responsibly vote on those things.”
District 3 Coun. Maddie Charlton said she wanted to make sure that councillors got a staff report in time to make a decision about the position before the end of the year.
“I want to make sure that that position is protected and it’s not a bunch of frantic, going around trying to figure out last-minute, so I think we need some clear timing.”
Norman made a motion for staff to report by council’s first meeting in October on the municipality taking over responsibility for the senior safety program.
Queens District RCMP plan to step up patrols in North Queens after complaints of underage off-highway vehicle use. (RCMP NS Facebook page)
RCMP in Queens County are cracking down on underage ATV operators in North Queens.
Queens District RCMP officers will be stepping up patrols in the area after getting numerous reports from residents over the past several weeks of minors illegally operating off-highway vehicles at high speeds and often late at night.
RCMP spokeswoman Cpl. Carlie McCann says it’s all about safety.
“Members are making sure that there are police officers who are out there in order to enforce these laws, but also to ensure that people are being safe,” McCann said in an interview Monday.
“The big reason that laws like this exist is to make sure that people are safe when they’re out operating their off-highway vehicles and using the trails in our communities. So the biggest reason is to make sure that we aren’t seeing peple doing things that are unsafe on their OHVs.”
McCann did not know how many calls the RCMP received or in which specific areas of North Queens this is happening.
“Any type of report like this is too many when it’s unsafe behaviour, like driving too fast and at night. The number of calls that have been received have been enough to promote some concern.”
RCMP say that Queens County has no designated roads or highways yet listed under the Nova Scotia Off-Highway Vehicles Act. And operators must have a valid driver’s licence and wear helmets. Children between the ages of 6 and 15 must be supervised by a parent or guardian.
“I think the biggest thing to remember is that you have to be thinking about safety all the time on things like this,” McCann said.
“It’s really important to use common sense, so making sure that all riders have helmets, making sure that people are using (the vehicles) safely and know how to use them properly, making sure that your vehicles are well maintained and making sure that you are having common sense when you’re picking areas you’re riding in and picking who’s going to be driving the vehicles.”
Under the Off-Highway Vehicles Act, offenders can be fined up to $2,000 and have their vehicle seized by RCMP.
Hundreds of Sarah Mitton fans cheered on the Olympian on Friday afternoon at the Astor Theatre in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)
It was a disappointing result for Brooklyn’s Sarah Mitton on Friday in the shot put at the Olympics in Paris, but for the hundreds gathered at the Astor Theatre in Liverpool, she’s still a hometown hero.
It was a boisterous crowd that cheered Mitton on at the live viewing party as she tried for Olympic gold in the shot put. People were decked out in red and white and waved Canadian flags. Every time Mitton showed up on the big screen, people erupted into cheers and applause.
Unfortunately, it wasn’t Mitton’s day.
After three throws, Mitton did not make the cut for the final eight competitors. Her best throw was 17.48 metres in rainy and wet conditions.
Her third throw appeared to be close to the 20-metre mark, but she fouled out after losing her balance and stepping out of the throwing circle.
Mitton was a favourite going into the Olympics, after dominating most events this year. She won the World Athletics Indoor Championship in March and broke her own Canadian record three times. She also qualified easily for the Olympic final, with her first throw of 19.77 m.
Before the event, anticipation was building for the 250 people gathered at the Astor to watch Mitton compete live.
People travelled from around the South Shore and beyond to cheer her on.
Karen Hofrichter of Hubbards was there with her granddaughter Lily Lantz of Chester. Hofrichter and Lantz arrived an hour before the viewing party and snagged seats front row centre.
Lantz is a 14-year-old shot put athlete herself at Chester Area Middle School. She said she was at the Astor to cheer on her idol.
Hofrichter said the result wasn’t what they expected, but she’s confident Mitton will be back.
“Unfortunate. It was a tough day, tough with the weather, I think. Not everyone was doing their best. But you know what? We still love her. She gave it her all. And she can regroup and come back. We know she’s got it in her.”
Lantz said that the conditions didn’t help. Early on in the final round, another athlete slipped on the rainy surface and fell after her throw.
“I personally feel like (Mitton) might have gotten in her head after that one girl had slipped,” Lantz said.
“She tried her best and unfortunately lost her balance on that one throw, her good one out in the 20s. Which is OK, she tried her best and she’s gonna come back and she’s gonna hit harder.”
Ruth Anne Zwicker of Liverpool said despite the result, she’s still proud of what Mitton has accomplished.
“I’m so proud of Sarah. She’s worked so hard. My heart’s sad for her today because I know this isn’t where she wanted to be. But I’m excited that her mom (Bonnie) is there with her today. And proud to be a Canadian.”
Dave McKiel of Alberta was visiting his parents and watched Mitton compete.
“I know that the community is very proud of her and her efforts up to this point. It’s kind of disappointing that she didn’t advance today but she’ll receive a hero’s welcome the next time she’s back because everybody is super proud of her efforts.”
“The turnout and the crowd, you can tell the community loves her and supports her.”
German athlete Yemisi Ogunleye won gold in the event, with New Zealand’s Maddison-Lee Wesche taking silver and China’s Jiayuan Song capturing bronze.
