Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian. (Rick Conrad)
Region of Queens mayor and councillors are holding seven town hall meetings around Queens County this month to get public feedback on various issues.
Mayor Scott Christian says it’s important to hear from as many people as possible.
“We’re looking to kill two birds with one stone in that we think it’s important to be accessible and engaging with our residents writ large, but it’s also timely because we have been working behind the scenes on identifying some five-year strategic priorities and a vision and a mission for the organization and we want to make sure that it’s aligned to what residents are seeing and feeling and experiencing in the community.”
Christian says the region will also have a survey available for people who can’t make it to one of the October sessions.
Council’s strategic plan has been mentioned regularly at council meetings since the new slate of councillors was sworn in in 2024. But it hasn’t been made public yet.
Christian told QCCR that the town hall meetings will be a chance for people to get a look at some of the details of that plan.
“My expectation is that we provide folks with an opportunity to take a look at what we have thus far, provide their feedback on that, give everybody an opportunity to contribute in a way that they’re comfortable (with), but then also just open up the floor for more kind of question-and-answer to engage their councillors and myself as the mayor on particular issues or items of importance to them.”
Christian said that staff and councillors will incorporate what they hear at the town halls into the region’s five-year plan, which will also influence budget deliberations.
He said the region plans to start early budget talks and capital planning by December, with work on the budget set to begin in the new year.
Municipalities are expected to finalize their fiscal plans by March 31. This year, the Region of Queens passed its budget in mid-May.
“We were quite last minute last go-around so we’re going to start to look at the five-year capital improvement plan and updates to that … in December, so my expectation is that we’ll have those kind of those strategic priorities nailed down by that time.”
The seven town hall meetings are scheduled to run from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Christian, councillors and some staff will likely be at the meetings. Here is where they’ll be held:
Laura Methot is president of the Greater Molega Lake Lot Owners Association. (Rick Conrad)
Region of Queens councillors dumped proposed changes to garbage collection on Tuesday after residents packed the public gallery to protest the proposals.
More than 40 property owners from the region’s cottage country showed up at council’s regular meeting on Tuesday, concerned that the municipality was trying to download responsibility for illegal dumping onto volunteer-run residents’ groups.
More than 5,700 properties in Queens County are connected to roads that aren’t maintained by the municipality or the province. Most of these roads are in the areas of Molega, Ponhook and Annis lakes. Private lot owner groups collect fees from residents to maintain those roads.
People who live on public roads in Queens County usually get regular roadside garbage collection. Those on private roads, however, have to take their waste to a central location, known as grey box sites. From there, the municipality picks it up.
But under proposed changes discussed at Tuesday’s council meeting, responsibility for the maintenance and cleanup of those grey box sites would shift from the municipality to non-profit property owner groups.
Laura Methot, president of the Greater Molega Lake Lot Owners Association, which represents more than 1,200 property owners, told councillors on Tuesday that the proposed changes won’t address the longstanding problems of people dumping their trash illegally at the grey box sites.
“It is absolutely absurd to think that private road associations, managed by volunteer boards, would be able to solve the illegal dumping problem and unsightly premises that the region has not been able to tackle for years,” Laura Methot, president of the Greater Molega Lake Lot Owners Association, told councillors.
“Worse still, this bylaw update, if passed, would result in diverting resources, both time and money, away from our primary mandate, which is keeping our roads safe and passable in good condition.”
The Molega Lake area alone covers more than 1,200 hectares and 52 kilometres of roadway. It’s the largest recreational development in Atlantic Canada, though many people live in the area year-round.
Residents say they contribute disproportionately to the region’s tax base, while getting far fewer services than most other areas.
“The proposed amendments entrench this imbalance rather than resolving it,” Methot said.
Former regional councillor David Brown, who lives in Labelle, said that nobody would volunteer for lot owner groups if they were also now expected to clean up the grey box sites.
He said that at the lot owners annual general meeting in June, Mayor Scott Christian promised more collaboration and consultation.
“That didn’t happen,” Brown told councillors.
“ What we find is this is not a discussion, it’s not presented to us as options, but it’s a downloading of responsibility. It’s over 40 private law owners associations, and they’re volunteer associations.
“This bylaw, if passed, will be the end of all residential landowners associations. Nobody’s going to go out there and volunteer for a board and pick up garbage. It’s not going to happen. So as those lawowners associations disband because they can’t get volunteers, the roads won’t be maintained, Property values are going to go down.”
About 40 property owners showed up at Tuesday’s regional council meeting to protest proposed changes to garbage collection. (Rick Conrad)
After hearing from residents, councillors voted unanimously against the proposed amendments. And they voted instead to have councillors and staff consult with the lot owners groups about potential changes in garbage collection.
Christian said after the meeting that council heard the community loud and clear.
“There was a real, strong reaction from the community. Emails came flying in. Telephone messages came flying in to all members of council,” Christian said after the meeting.
“We’re trying to get to a place, though, where we’re as transparent and open in the way that we do business as possible. … So I think we got it right and I think that it’s a tricky issue, though. It continues to be this persistent issue, but I’m hopeful that we can find good, creative solutions through broad-based engagement with everybody who’s impacted out there. Sit down, do some creative brainstorming, and figure out maybe we can pilot this solution, pilot that solution, see what works, you know, and then go from there.”
Methot of the Molega Lake lot owners group said after the meeting that she believes Christian and the rest of council are committed to working with residents.
“I am very pleased with how it turned out, and particularly with the confirmation and recommitment of the mayor and council to working collaboratively with our association and with the broader community. It was a very positive outcome for us.”
Christian said the engagement sessions are already in the works. He said he hopes that the community consultations will result in a solution to the garbage problem that residents can live with.
Workers were cleaning up in front of 194 Main St. on Wednesday morning. The construction barricades have been removed and work has stopped. (Rick Conrad)
UPDATED Wed., July 9 at 1:55 p.m.
A rundown building in downtown Liverpool will go back on the market after regional council denied a developer’s request to turn it into apartments.
Councillors voted Tuesday not to change the municipal land use bylaw to allow Eric Fry to build up to 16 apartments at 194 Main St., known locally as the old Stedmans building.
Fry, president of SDL Investments Limited, told QCCR in an emailed statement on Wednesday evening that he won’t pursue the project any further.
“Unfortunately, we will be ceasing any further work on this project and putting the building up for sale immediately,” Fry said.
“While I understand that Liverpool does not wish to abandon its commercial presence on Main Street, we firmly believe that this decision is very short-sighted and does absolutely nothing to move the town forward, encourage new residents to move here or assist in revitalizing the downtown.”
He could not be reached for a followup interview about his statement.
The municipal planning strategy allows residential development downtown only in buildings with a primary commercial use. The bylaw requires that residential buildings in the downtown core have at least 50 per cent commercial space on the ground floor.
Fry’s proposal was to transform the whole building into living space.
Deputy Mayor Maddie Charlton told QCCR on Tuesday morning after the council meeting that even though councillors voted 5-2 against a bylaw change, she hopes Fry continues with some apartments in the space. She made the comments before Fry’s evening statement.
“I think our community and our council members have made it very clear that they want there to be a downtown core commercial presence. And that is our Main Street,” Charlton said in an interview. She chaired Tuesday’s meeting because Mayor Scott Christian was on vacation.
“And there is allowance now for residential units to go in there to still allow for some housing. So there is flexibility there. I do certainly hope that the developer will continue with this project in the revised way that it reads in our bylaws now, but certainly if he chooses not to, that’s certainly up to him.”
Fry bought the building in January for $235,000. In February, he applied to the region for a bylaw amendment to allow a residential-only development with indoor parking.
Councillors considered three options: to allow residential development as a main use in downtown, to allow it by development agreement with council’s approval or to keep the bylaw unchanged.
Before Fry acquired the property, it sat vacant for a few years and was heavily damaged by extreme weather. Before that, it housed a dollar store and office space on the ground floor.
Workers have been cleaning up the building’s interior and fixing damage since early spring.
“We are extremely shocked and disappointed in council’s decision this morning to deny our application to amend the Land Use Bylaw and Municipal Planning Strategy language,” Fry said in the statement.
“Having owned properties in Queens for more than 10 years, our understanding was that Liverpool needs more housing. Our initial residential building, The Falls in Milton, has been fully occupied since it opened last fall and there is a list of residents wanting to move in when a unit becomes available. This led us to approach RQM about an additional project that would create 16 additional units in the heart of Liverpool. Not to mention, convert an otherwise dilapidated structure into a signature building to anchor the town’s Main Street.
“Liverpool needs residential housing and not additional commercial space clearly demonstrated by the number of For Rent signs in the downtown core.”
The region hired consultants UPLAND Planning from Halifax to hold two public engagement sessions and an online survey on the potential bylaw change.
Thirty people responded to the survey, and only seven people attended the information sessions at Queens Place Emera Centre.
Eighteen of the 30 survey respondents said they were supportive of removing the commercial requirement from the bylaw.
But local business owners told the consultants they were worried about how it could potentially erode the downtown commercial zone.
The region’s planning advisory committee met on Monday to discuss the consultants’ report.
They recommended sticking with the status quo and keeping the bylaw unchanged.
District 5 Coun. Jack Fancy voted against the motion to maintain the status quo.
He said the building needs a lot of work and he’s worried Fry might sell it.
“So in order to make it so it’s profitable, it has to be a lot of money coming back,” he told his fellow councillors.
“ That’s the whole idea. You don’t put money into something if you’re not going to get your money back out of it.”
Fry also owns The Falls in Milton, a three-storey apartment complex on the Mersey River, geared toward people 55 and over.
His plan for 194 Main St. was to have apartments on two levels, with a parking entrance at the back of the building on Water Street.
“I’m not an expert,” Fry said in his statement to QCCR, “but from my experience, I don’t think this type of thinking is going to move the needle in a town with so much promise and potential.”
Here is what councillors voted on and how they voted:
MOTION: That Council of the Region of Queens Municipality maintain status quo and deny the application to amend the Municipal Planning Strategy and Land Use Bylaw to allow new multiple unit residential dwellings as a permitted main use in the Downtown Commercial (CD) Zone.
FOR: Maddie Charlton, Courtney Wentzell, Stewart Jenkins, Vicki Amirault, Wanda Carver
Region of Queens councillors are trying to address concerns about safety at Cameron’s Corner in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad)
Region of Queens councillors want municipal staff to investigate another hazardous intersection in Liverpool.
Coun. Courtney Wentzell brought up complaints from constituents this week about the intersection at Cameron’s Corner.
“It’s an accident waiting to happen that could very well be life-threatening,” Wentzell told his fellow councillors at Tuesday’s regular council meeting.
The intersection is a busy one, at the corner of Main Street and Old Port Mouton Road, which connects with White Point Road. It has one stop sign on Main Street, but the traffic coming from Old Port Mouton Road has the right-of-way.
“People are speeding, coming from Main Street towards Milton,” Wentzell said.
“ They’re not signalling. They’re going way too fast. There’s confusion, people coming from White Point, especially if they don’t live here. They don’t know if they should stop, if they should turn left, if they should turn right. They’re not looking to see if somebody is crossing on that crosswalk, the line of sight is absolutely horrific.”
Wentzell said that when he was campaigning in October 2024, he heard lots of concerns about the area. He’s referred those to the police advisory board, but he appealed to councillors to do more to address it.
“I was berated pretty badly here a week, two weeks ago that nothing is taking place. There was a near-miss, a lady was almost struck on that corner, trying to cross the crosswalk.”
Mayor Scott Christian said he finds the intersection challenging too.
“Ever since I moved to this community, that intersection has always kind of concerned me. … I think it would make sense for us to try to do something to address it.”
Councillors voted to refer it to the region’s traffic authority to investigate and return with a staff report with recommendations. They also wanted to know whether the Nova Scotia government would have to be involved since it may include a provincial roadway.
Dan McDougall, interim CAO of the Region of Queens, and Mayor Scott Christian on Tuesday as councillors voted on their 2025/26 budget. (Region of Queens YouTube channel)
Region of Queens councillors approved a $31-million budget on Tuesday that held the line on tax rates while boosting support for people on low incomes.
The 2025-26 spending plan of $31.1 million is about $1.3 million higher than last year.
Councillors also approved a five-year, $46.2-million capital investment plan. That includes projects like the South Queens outdoor pool and the multimillion-dollar upgrades and extensions to water and sewer systems in Liverpool.
Mayor Scott Christian said it was a challenging process, but he’s happy with what this council helped accomplish in their first budget since the 2024 municipal election.
The municipality will add new staff positions that they say will help increase the region’s effectiveness. Those include a new human resources manager, a deputy chief administrative officer and a person dedicated to looking for funding opportunities for the region and non-profit groups. They’ve also made the senior safety co-ordinator a municipal employee.
“It’s frustrating because we have so much that we want to do outwardly in the community, but it’s challenging when you need to address this stuff inside the organization first,” Christian said after the meeting.
“I think that the approach was looking at what’s important, what’s a priority for us, and what improvements to the organization are required and then working from there.”
Councillors were helped again by rising property assessments, which increased by about $87 million, and generated $900,000 more in tax revenue.
That gave councillors room to raise the low-income tax exemption rebate by about 25 per cent. Those who qualify can now get up to a $500 discount on their property taxes.
They’ve also set up a $15,000 fund to help low-income water ratepayers deal with expected hikes.
And community groups are also getting more than $50,000 in extra help, including an annual rent subsidy for the Queens County Food Bank, more funding for Queens County Transit’s vehicle replacement fund and more help for Greenfield Recreation’s operations.
“Just recognizing the need, recognizing the affordability, making the changes that we did to the low-income tax piece, carving out money … around the big increase that we’re going to see to the water rate, trying to protect against the impacts of that on low-income households and then making investments like with the the food bank and some of those other groups. I think those are the highlights for me,” Christian said.
Residents on the municipal water and sewer system should brace for a significant jump in their bills in the coming year.
The municipality’s water utility is projecting a deficit of $813,099 for 2025-26, and shortfalls of $708,039 in 2026-27 and $745,280 in 2027-28.
Consultants are reviewing the region’s water rates. The results of that study are expected soon and will be submitted to the province’s Utility and Review Board for approval.
“We do know we are expecting a considerable increase to the water rate,” Christian said.
“With respect to that north of $800,000 deficit on the utility, … we need to pay down that deficit and then accumulate a bit of a reserve so that when maintenance and repairs need to be performed to the water utility, that there is a reserve to pull from and that we don’t have to take money from the general revenue that’s provided by all taxpayers across the municipality. It’s supposed to be the water rate users who pay for the water utility.”
Councillors began their public budget deliberations on April 24. Christian has said that he hopes next year to begin budget talks as early as January, and to involve more public consultations.
Other highlights from the budget:
Adding protective services co-ordinator to provide leadership and support for police, fire, emergency management and occupational health and safety
Increased budget for street sweeping and catch basin clearing
Grey box site reconfiguration and signage in north Queens
South Queens water/wastewater upgrades and Mount Pleasant extension – two kilometres of piped infrastructure to be replaced, eliminating overflows and addressing sea-level rise effects
Caledonia wastewater system upgrades
Dry hydrant installation
Walking track fees waived at Queens Place Emera Centre
Floating dock replacement on Henry Hensey Drive
Creation of $1-million operating capital project reserve to fund smaller capital projects
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.
Region of Queens Mayor Scott Christian says regional council hopes to approve its 2025/26 budget by early May. (Rick Conrad photo)
Region of Queens councillors will begin their 2025/26 budget deliberations this week, almost a month after the fiscal year has expired.
Region of Queens councillors will begin their 2025/26 budget deliberations this week, almost a month after the fiscal year has expired.
Finance staff will present the draft budget to council at a meeting on Thursday (April 24) at 6 p.m. at council chambers on White Point Road.
Mayor Scott Christian told QCCR that councillors had an initial budget orientation session on Tuesday.
“We need to get to it for sure,” he said in an interview after council’s regular meeting on Tuesday evening.
“We’re looking at approving the budget early next month so we don’t have any issues with the tax bills.”
Councillors will have another meeting to go over the draft budget on Monday at 6 p.m., with another meeting scheduled on Tues., May 6 at 6 p.m., if required.
They’re hoping to vote on the final budget at their regular meeting on Tues., May 13 at 9 a.m.
All meetings are open to the public and livestreamed on the region’s Facebook page and YouTube channel.
The region was also late setting its budget last year. Councillors began deliberations on the 2024/25 budget in early April and finished by the end of the month.
The 2025/26 budget has to be set in enough time to allow the region’s staff to send out property tax bills by the first of June.
Tara Druzina, representing the Queens County Food Bank, speaks to Region of Queens councillors at their regular meeting on Tuesday. (Region of Queens YouTube channel)
The Region of Queens will again be late setting its budget, though councillors hope to begin deliberations soon.
Mayor Scott Christian said this week that recent turnover in senior management has contributed to the delay.
“It has been a challenge,” he said in remarks during council’s regular meeting on Tuesday.
“The organization has gone through significant churn within the senior management levels and we’re seeking to improve the organization, the functions in the organization to ensure that we can govern in ways that are accountable and transparent and engaging for our residents.”
Councillors fired CAO Cody Joudry in December, and the region terminated the employment of municipal clerk Pam Lovelace at the beginning of March, three months after she was hired.
At their regular meeting this week, councillors approved interim spending limits until the 2025/26 budget is set.
Municipalities are expected to finalize their budgets by the end of March each year.
The region was also late last year with their budget talks, beginning the process in early April.
Christian told QCCR after the meeting that another reason for the delay is that the municipality is waiting for results of its water rate study, which will set charges for the region’s 1,400 water utility customers.
He said they’ll notify the public as soon as budget deliberations begin.
When they do, councillors are facing some challenges in a region with some of the highest poverty rates in Nova Scotia.
Officials with the Queens County Food Bank appealed to councillors this week to consider granting the group $15,500 in an annual rent subsidy for the next four years.
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. But demand for their services has grown, as food costs have risen and donations have plummeted by about 50 per cent.
Just recently, the food bank was hit with a $10,000 repair bill on its two-year-old walk-in freezer. And it has committed to begin food pantries for elementary and high school students throughout the county, said Tara Druzina, the fundraising lead for the food bank.
“This highlights how the food bank constantly adapts for emergency community needs, not just providing food every Tuesday, but ensuring that vital support reaches the most vulnerable when and where needed,” she told councillors.
“These challenges illustrate why stable operational funding is critical. Without it, the food bank cannot effectively respond to growing community needs.”
Shelly Panczyk, chairperson of the food bank, said their client list has grown by about 30 per cent in the past few years, while the organization’s food costs have ballooned to $6,000 a month.
She says the rent subsidy is something the region provided in the past, by giving the food bank rent-free space in one of its buildings.
“Food is not all donated. So most of our food is bought, even though we get a truck from Feed Nova Scotia every Monday, but that’s mostly produce. But most everything else, all our canned goods and all our staples have to be bought.”
She says revenue from its thrift store has helped with those increased expenses.
“We’ve been lucky the last four years we’ve had the thrift store open, but that can change at any time and that’s where most of our money comes from.”
Mayor Scott Christian said he didn’t want to predict how budget deliberations will go, but he acknowledged the role of local governments is becoming more complex.
“There’s an incredible amount of need in our community that we have to look at and just on balance with the pressure that puts on the ratepayer. I think all municipalities (face) significant pressure and competing priorities to figure out what to do with the limited available resources.”
The Region of Queens won’t give the South Shore Flying Club a break this year on its lease fee at the South Shore Regional Airport in Greenfield. (South Shore Flying Club)
The South Shore Flying Club’s request for a break on its rent at the South Shore Regional Airport had a rough landing at regional council on Tuesday evening.
Region of Queens councillors voted down a motion from District 6 Coun. Stewart Jenkins to forgive the flying club its $4,000 lease fee for 2025/26.
Jenkins was the only councillor who supported the motion.
“The club is more than just a club. They’re stewards of the airport,” he told councillors. “Years in the past, this region used to pay somebody thousands of dollars a year to sit at the airport just in case there was a plane come in.”
The municipality owns the small airport in Greenfield, but two years ago, it planned to sell it.
Instead, the region signed 20-year leases in 2023 with the flying club and the Nova Scotia Drag Racers Association. The racing group pays $9,000 a year to lease the property for its events.
Under the flying club’s lease, it has access to the large hangar, but it also agreed to maintain the property for the region.
The club says now that it can no longer afford the annual fee. President Peter Gow wrote the newly elected council last October looking for the rent waiver.
He could not be reached Wednesday for an interview.
Jenkins said the club’s 34 members spend a lot of their own money maintaining the airport, terminal building, hangars and grounds. Three of the club’s members are also on call to respond to any problems at the airport, or to refuel a plane that’s landed.
“So we still have a viable airport. … But it’s also an asset that this region should be looking at seriously. And it’s also an asset that we pay very little to maintain. Everything else there is done by the club at their expense.”
According to the club’s financial statements, it recorded a loss in 2024 of $2,639.48. As of Dec. 31, it had a bank balance of $15,562.64.
Other councillors pointed to the club’s bank balance and its $25 annual membership fee, and said they could do more to raise revenue.
The club also spent $2,245 on clothing last year, as well as $1,241 on a new highway sign. Councillors said the club likely won’t have those expenses this year.
District 2 Coun. Maddie Charlton said she appreciates what the club does for the airport, but they also have a whole year to fundraise to help cover their costs.
And with budget talks coming up, she said she doesn’t want to commit to the rent waiver, especially with other groups in the region like the Queens County Food Bank asking for help.
“We are going into this budget process right now completely blind. We don’t know what our bottom line is. … I think it’s probably fair to say there will be some surprises there. We know we have huge infrastructure challenges. When I think about our strategic priorities, food insecurity is one of them, I think that would be an easy one (to assist) the food bank with the rent, but I don’t necessarily feel the same way with this ask at this time.”
After the meeting, Mayor Scott Christian said the club may be able to offset some of its operating costs through its application to the region’s Community Investment Fund.
The region usually announces the recipients of those grants later in the spring.
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.
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.
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.
Striking public works employees with the Region of Queens were back on the picket line Tuesday in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad photo)
Supporters of striking Region of Queens workers blasted elected councillors on Tuesday, demanding that they show some leadership in the dispute.
They want the mayor and councillors to tell the region’s negotiators to return to the bargaining table and settle the strike.
Thirty-eight members of Local 1928 of the International Brotherhood of Electrical Workers have been on the picket line since Thursday. The union says they are some of the lowest-paid municipal workers in Atlantic Canada.
The region does not dispute that, but says it’s been trying to address those inequities in contract negotiations that have been going on for about a year.
Some positions pay less than $18 an hour, with some people on Tuesday saying that they can’t afford to support their families.
Family and friends of the striking public works employees told councillors at their regular meeting on Tuesday that they were ashamed of how the region has treated the workers. Elected officials do not get involved directly with labour negotiations, but can set the tone for the region’s negotiators.
Wages, overtime protections and even who’s in or out of the bargaining unit are the main sticking points in the dispute.
Meghan MacAdams was one of the people who spoke to council during the public presentation portion of the meeting. As striking workers picketed outside, she read out the names of the 36 employees.
Her partner has worked with the region for six years. In a recent CBC story, the region’s acting CAO Pam Lovelace claimed that only 20 employees were affected.
“Here is the individual handpicked by you all, acting as a representative of your side of the line, sharing inaccurate information,” MacAdams told councillors.
“ Was this an attempt to create a calmer narrative in which this issue was smaller than it really is, or is this simply a demonstration of how uninterested and uninvested the region has become in its workforce? What that one tiny detail told me, intentionally stated or not, is that those who run our county either can’t be trusted to provide us with truthful and accurate information, or they have become so disconnected with their employees they aren’t even aware of how many livelihoods they are toying with.
“Neither of these options sit well with me. Unfortunately, I see this as a clear indication of just how undervalued these men have become, which is one of the key issues in my opinion that has brought us to the divide we are at today. But I remain hopeful the region, the powers that be, will step up and make a fair and honest attempt at resolution. Our men deserve better.”
Debbie Wamboldt, a longtime community advocate and volunteer who spearheaded the successful fundraising drive for the popular inclusive play park in Liverpool, also expressed her frustration with the stalled talks.
“Most of you know me from the play park project,” she said.
“That took six years of my life to bring to this county because I was proud of where I come from. … But I have to say that I’m standing here before you as somebody who is no longer proud of where I come from. I’m not proud of where we’re standing.
“My husband has worked for the region for 20 years. We give our time to this community, and our community is standing behind us. And it’s your job now to stand behind us. We need to get back to the table, and our workers, my family, my friends, my husband’s colleagues, deserve better.
“This is shameful. This is really shameful.”
Before the strike, the region and the union had been negotiating to adjust job classifications and wage grids to bring Queens workers’ salaries more in line with other municipalities.
The region had commissioned a compensation review of unionized and non-unionized positions more than a year ago. That review has never been made public.
But in response, the previous council had agreed to boost salaries for some non-unionized positions.
Mayor Scott Christian says the wage parity study was the foundation for the region’s offer in the latest contract talks.
The region says adjusting salaries for some jobs would result in raises from 2.5 to 26 per cent. But talks stalled in mid-December after the region’s so-called final offer. About 97 per cent of employees voted for strike action.
Both sides met again last Tuesday with a provincially appointed conciliator. But union representative Jim Sponagle said the region’s offer hadn’t improved much from the one members had rejected. He said their wage offer amounted to about two per cent a year on top of adjusting for wage inequities.
Christian released a video on Facebook on Sunday, saying that he understands how challenging negotiations have been for employees and their families. He appealed for patience.
After Tuesday’s meeting, Christian and the rest of council were due to get an update on negotiations in a closed-door session. Before that, he said in an interview that councillors want a fair deal for workers, but one that doesn’t burden taxpayers.
He also said not all councillors have seen the wage review study, which he wants to be made public.
“I think it should be. It was something that I was very frustrated with before I ended up in this position as a resident that that wasn’t made publicly available. And so, I’m going to be asking our our staff here. and directing our staff here as to what elements or if that can be released, in in its entirety. We’ve seen we’ve seen portions of it. … There’s going to be more of that information provided to council today.
“To be honest, I’m not that comfortable with some of the tactics that have been employed by both sides of the negotiation. I feel like it has escalated and has become more contentious than it ought to have. … We’re going to be looking for direction from council as to (how) to de-escalate this, to get back to meaningful, productive conversations.
“We need both sides to come back to the table and with some humility, I think, and a willingness to concede and find a productive way forward. I agree the tone, the nature, the spirit of the thing has become really contentious and I’m not comfortable with it. I am going to meet with council and we’re going to … determine what we think is the appropriate next step with respect to directing the negotiating team moving forward.”
The striking workers are responsible for maintaining the region’s streets, sidewalks, parks and other properties. They also work in waste and recycling facilities as well as water and sewage treatment plants.
Their last contract expired March 31.
The region has said that services won’t be interrupted by the strike, with managers, supervisors and third-party contractors doing the work.
Some of the new furniture at the new location of the Liverpool library. (Region of Queens photo)
The library in Liverpool is getting closer to reopening in its new temporary location.
The Region of Queens has been posting updates on its website as work has progressed at the Liverpool Business Development Centre on Harley Umphrey Drive, off White Point Road.
South Shore Public Libraries has not given a specific date for the branch to reopen. But the region says on its site that it’s likely to reopen by mid-January.
There’s still a lot of work to do. Workers are putting final touches on HVAC ductwork, sprinklers, electricity to the front desk, lighting, plumbing and the new kitchen.
Shelving units and some other furniture have been moved into the 6,500-square-foot space.
The region budgeted up to $1.26 million for the renovations to the empty space at the call centre building. The community was consulted on the design of the space.
A library steering committee had recommended a new library be built near Queens Place Emera Centre. But that was rejected twice by councillors.
The location on Harley Umphrey Drive is supposed to be a short-term home while council works on a longer-term solution.
Library officials got about 200 responses to a survey in the fall asking for suggestions on a possible new name for the new location. They haven’t revealed if the library’s name will change from the Thomas H. Raddall Library. That decision rests with the board of South Shore Public Libraries.
Region of Queens councillors are looking for ways to improve safety at the intersection at Main and Market streets in Liverpool. (Rick Conrad photo)
By Rick Conrad
Councillors at the Region of Queens want something done to address pedestrian safety at the three-way stop in downtown Liverpool.
The intersection at Main and Market streets has seen its share of collisions and close calls.
On Monday, a 79-year-old woman was hit in the crosswalk and taken to South Shore Regional Hospital in Bridgewater. RCMP said her injuries were not life-threatening. A driver was charged with failing to yield to a pedestrian in a marked crosswalk.
The incident reignited concern in the community about the safety of that intersection and others in town.
At its meeting on Tuesday, council voted to have staff review previous studies and reports and come back with recommendations to make the three-way stop safer.
“I understand the frustrations,” Mayor Darlene Norman said Wednesday in an interview.
“Over my years of driving, I have been on both sides of that coin,” as a pedestrian and as a motorist.
According to minutes from a July 2019 meeting, the previous council had rejected the idea of crosswalk lights. It would have cost $27,000.
Then-CAO Chris McNeill told councillors that it was staff’s opinion that installing lights “will not improve safety or eliminate pedestrians’ inattention when crossing the intersection”.
Instead, councillors at the time decided to post a “no left turn” sign for post office parking, remove any trees or shrubbery obstructing visibility, and asking the Queens District RCMP to step up enforcement, including traffic stops during peak hours.
A 2015 study by Insight Traffic Engineering recommended changing some signage, moving the stop sign and crosswalk from the western approach on Main Street, and moving the sidewalk shrubbery and furniture.
The study concluded that existing traffic control wasn’t an issue.
Leanne Arnott, owner of nearby Five Girls Baking, said this week after the most recent incident that pedestrian-controlled lights should be installed.
“In other cities where I have lived with pedestrian-controlled crosswalks they seem to have been very effective and very useful and I think that in this situation that would be a good thing to have here.”
Arnott said she’s happy that council is going to address the issue, but that they should also involve the community in their discussions.
Norman said Wednesday that councillors have heard many ideas — from full traffic lights to having orange flags available at each corner for pedestrians to carry as they cross.
She said they will consider all options and wait for staff to come back with a report.
“Council places public safety first. I do not believe this council would ever make a decision not to do something because of the cost.”
She said she personally supports installing accessible pedestrian signals, which include lights and sound when a pedestrian chooses to cross. But it is ultimately council’s decision.
Still, Norman said, it’s the responsibility of pedestrians and motorists to be careful in all intersections.
“So while council can do everything in its power, be it installation of traffic lights, basically it boils down to pedestrians and those driving the vehicles using safety as a No. 1 factor when going through intersections.”
Norman said they’ve heard from residents about other areas in Liverpool where safety is a problem, such as the intersection at Queens Place Drive.
And in November, residents of Main and School streets submitted a petition to council, urging the region to lower speed limits in the area and to create a four-way stop at the intersection.
Councillors also asked staff to study those and other areas that need attention.
Darlene Norman, mayor of Region of Queens. Photo Credit: Darlene Norman
By Rick Conrad
Voters in the Region of Queens may be able to cast a ballot online in October’s municipal election.
Mayor Darlene Norman says she’s confident the region will be able to introduce electronic voting as an option this year.
Councillors asked CAO Cody Joudry at their first meeting of 2024 to prepare a report on the feasibility and costs of introducing electronic voting to Queens, while keeping the traditional paper ballot.
“I expect the cost to come back much more than pure paper voting, but it may not,” Norman said in an interview after the meeting.
“But a combination (of voting options) would be good. … Younger people say that it’s the thing that we need, but it would be interesting to do it.”
Twenty of 49 Nova Scotia municipalities offered an electronic voting option in 2020. Elections Nova Scotia used electronic ballots in the July byelection in Preston. And it plans to allow e-voting in the 2025 provincial election.
District 3 Coun. Maddie Charlton said it’s time that Queens offers an electronic option in addition to the traditional ballot, to make it easier for people to make their choice.
“I think it’s important for us to move forward with this.”
District 6 Coun. David Brown said it would also help encourage people in more rural areas of the municipality to vote.
“With our widespread rural areas, it’s hard for people to get out to the polling station. Having the electronic option will get more people involved.”
The Kiwanis Club of Liverpool is closer to taking over the canteen at Queens Place Emera Centre.
The region would lease the facility to the club for one year rent-free. The club would be responsible for ensuring food safety and insurance compliance. Kiwanis volunteers would operate it along with members of the Queens County Blades and the Queens County Minor Hockey Association.
The three organizations would share proceeds from concessions sales.
Because of the Christmas holidays, staff couldn’t have a final agreement ready for councillors to review at their Tuesday meeting. They voted to wait until they see the contract before giving their final approval.
David Schofield, president of the Kiwanis Club of Liverpool, said Tuesday that his group is excited about running the canteen.
“I think it’s a good opportunity not just for the Kiwanis Club but also for the figure skating club and Queens County minor hockey who we’ve asked for their support as well, because we don’t have enough volunteers in our organization to do it. … A lot of people have made comments about not having a canteen available (at Queens Place), so I think it’s win-win-win-win.”
Steve Burns, manager of events, promotions and sponsorships, told councillors that it would likely take a couple of weeks after the contract is signed to get all the necessary permits in place for the Kiwanis club to take over.
District 6 Coun. David Brown asked staff for recommendations to address the problem.
He said the 40 so-called “grey box” sites on private roads throughout the county consume half of the region’s garbage collection budget.
“These are places that have large tax revenues for us that we don’t provide a lot of services for,” Brown said. “And nobody wants to see a mountain of garbage every time they drive into beautiful, pristine wilderness.”
Mayor Darlene Norman says it is a “huge problem”.
“And people in the Labelle and Molega area, some people are paying $10,000 property tax out there for no services. It is an issue that has to be dealt with.”
Councillors asked staff to prepare an inventory on burnt out streetlights in the region, and press Nova Scotia Power to fix them more quickly.
District 1 Coun. Kevin Muise said many residents have complained that several streetlights haven’t been working in some areas for up to three months. He’s concerned about safety for motorists and pedestrians.
There are six streetlights out on Shore Road in Mersey Point alone, council heard. Many are out for longer than the 60-day service guarantee.
Nova Scotia Power is supposed to maintain the lights, but the region pays for them, even when they don’t work, Norman said.
“We are paying for a tremendous amount of street lights which are burnt out.”
