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Hamilton Spectator
01-08-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Bridge replacement going ‘as quickly as possible': minister
The province's minister of transportation and infrastructure says that staff are pushing a project to replace Sussex's Maple Avenue bridge 'as quickly as possible.' At Sussex council's committee of the whole meeting July 21, councillors saw a letter from Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Minister Chuck Chiasson to CAO Jason Thorne replying to 'concerns' regarding the bridge replacement. The bridge, built in 1938, is scheduled for replacement in 2027, but a new three-tonne weight restriction in May has led to safety concerns if Main Street, the other east-west route through the town core, is blocked. In the letter, Chiasson said the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure 'recognizes the importance of this bridge and takes the safety of the travelling public ... very seriously.' The Liberal government minister wrote that 'several activities have been advanced in an attempt to advance the timeline for its construction,' which is currently in the pre-design stage. But he said the project is 'complex,' including site restraints and 'significant developments in the area.' 'Environmental permits will be necessary and both property acquisition and utility relocation may be necessary,' Chiasson wrote. 'These activities all take a considerable amount of time and DTI staff are doing their best to advance the project as quickly as possible without compromising safety.' Mayor Marc Thorne told the committee that they had met with the department in an attempt to suggest they 'advance the timetable,' noting that the span handles an average of 6,000 vehicles per day. Committee chair Coun. Paul Maguire said the tone of the letter suggests they 'understand the importance' of the project. Thorne told Brunswick News after the meeting that the province 'answered as best they can,' saying they were 'receptive' to concerns that the project could rule out full operation on Maple Avenue for the next three years. He said the bridge site poses some issues, including the fact that it was built up on an embankment at the time but requirements have changed, including for height clearances. 'We feel the meeting was positive and it's our belief is that if the minister and his staff can advance the file they will,' Thorne said. Sussex-Three Rivers Progressive Conservative MLA Tammy Scott-Wallace, who was copied on the letter, said in an email that she was 'so happy the minister heard the community's concerns around the urgent need for speedier repairs.' 'The Maple Avenue bridge lies in the heart of Sussex and is a critical piece of infrastructure that cannot be pushed to a back burner,' said Scott-Wallace. 'It's too important.' Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
25-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Hamilton Spectator
N.B. ‘felt like home' for co-star of horror series
One of the stars of a TV thriller filmed in southwest New Brunswick said she's happy she can share the show with her family. She's also happy she can share pictures from set. 'My camera roll is stacked with photos,' she told Brunswick News on July 8. Romy Weltman plays Martha 'Em' Cypress on Revival, a horror TV series airing now on the CTV Sci-Fi Channel in Canada and SyFy in the United States. Filming on the show took place in southwest New Brunswick from September to December last year, according to executive producer Greg Hemmings. 'I loved New Brunswick, I want to go back,' she said. 'It felt like home, it was so beautiful and nice, and the people were so kind. I know everyone says that about Canadians, but I have to say, the East Coast is something special.' The Ontario-New Brunswick co-production, set in 2008 Wausau, Wisconsin, is based on an Image Comics series by Tim Seeley and Mike Norton and is about the emergence of a small group of humans known as Revivers who died and came back to life. The showrunners are Aaron B. Koontz and Luke Boyce, with Hemmings and Stephen Foster of Saint John-based Hemmings Films among the show's executive producers. Hemmings told Brunswick News on July 11 work on the show has been ongoing for a year and a half, with post production still underway at that the time of the show. Foster said filming included 45 locations from Sussex to Fundy Cove to Welsford. The show has 'something for everyone,' Weltman said, adding when she watches with her family who aren't usually drawn to horror but enjoys the comedy, action, and 'bigger conversations' in the show. 'It makes you think and have real conversations about ... treating people the way you want to be treated, and acknowledging that othering people is never helpful,' she said. Weltman, 25, from Toronto, began acting at the age of 12 when her parents enrolled her in community theatre to encourage her to get outside of her comfort zone. Her most prominent role before Revival would have been Family Channel teen drama Backstage from 2016 to 2017, but she said some of her earliest work included supernatural and horror elements. 'It kind of feels like for whatever reason, my life just brought me back to horror,' Weltman said. 'I kind of got to go from a full glam and wearing crop-tops and colours to going dark in Revival, but I always find that fun.' Weltman's character is a part of what the producers described as 'a murder mystery where the victim gets to help to discover,' Weltman said. 'I think that's so unique as well, and a very cool concept.' She said the shoot gave her experience with doing more stunt work, and that she also did research on her character's backstory, including Osteogenesis imperfecta, known as brittle bone disease, as well as substance abuse issues. '(I) made sure I had good knowledge of what I was portraying and presenting on screen,' Weltman said. Weltman said her friends and family who have seen the show pick up on 'Romy facial expressions' Em makes, saying she puts herself into her performances but also enjoys when she can disappear into a role. 'My big sister told me that she doesn't see her little sister on screen, just a really cool girl that she wants to be friends with,' Weltman said. 'I was like, this is the most heartwarming compliment you could ever give me.' She said coming to the province was an opportunity to 'experience something new,' she she said was 'something I really really value about our job.' While in New Brunswick, Weltman said she tried to shop local, saying it's 'special to buy something unique.' She gave a list of her favourite haunts, including Catapult coffee roasters, Pomodori Pizza, Royal King Indian restaurant and Cask and Kettle, as well shopping at Exit 98 and In Pursuit. She said she also got to visit Saint Andrews to go whale watching, which she called 'the cutest town I've ever been in.' The show had 'the most amazing' cast, Weltman said, including Melanie Scrofano, who plays Em's sister on the show and 'is just like another big sister in real life to me now.' She said Andy McQueen became her first friend on the set. 'I really made family members through this, not just friends,' she said. Since the episodes have started coming out, she said she's 'been feeling really good about it, I think people are reacting very well.' 'I think that we're just getting started, and I think that the more the story goes, the more people will be able to fall in love with (the) characters,' she said. Episodes of Revival air on Thursdays at 11 AT on the CTV Sci-Fi Channel and are available on Crave. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
25-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Irvings donate $3M to new N.B. Museum
The New Brunswick Museum is launching a $36 million capital campaign for its revitalization project, starting with a $3 million donation from J.D. Irving, Ltd. The museum unveiled the campaign, titled 'Making History Now,' on Thursday as part of the $141.5 million project to improve the existing museum building on Douglas Avenue and expand it into 'a renewed, world-class provincial museum.' The campaign will be chaired by J.D. Irving co-CEO Jim Irving, according to a press release from the museum. 'We're really excited today to be launching the capital campaign,' Tracy Clinch, chair of the New Brunswick Museum board, told Brunswick News by phone Tuesday. She said the 'quiet phase' of the campaign began after the official groundbreaking last August, including discussions with donors, development of marketing, and assembling the 'campaign cabinet.' Funding for the project, building on the site of the existing 1934 facility on Douglas Avenue, was announced in March 2024 and includes $58 million from the provincial government and $49.9 million from the federal government. The campaign will cover the gap between government funding and the 'finished product,' Clinch said. She said the 'revised timeline' includes a planned opening in 2028, with construction work expected to wrap by the fourth quarter of 2027 or first quarter of 2028. Last August, Brunswick News reported it was planned to open in 2027. Construction has begun, Clinch said, with the fencing up, the first set of tenders are out and the next set 'ready to go,' Clinch said. She said the project remains on budget. Clinch said the capital campaign has been meeting with 'prospective major donors,' as well as possible partners for the museum project. She said the campaign is 'well over halfway there' already, with additional names to be announced 'in the coming weeks.' 'There are lots of opportunities for donations, for volunteering, for contributing in-kind materials, we have a number of ways that everyone can get involved in the campaign,' she said. The 'capital campaign cabinet' is chaired by Irving, and includes museum COO Brent Suttie, Clinch (who is CEO of Moncton-based Masitek Instruments Inc.), fellow museum board member Wayne Power, John McAvity of the museum foundation, Aldéa Landry, president of Moncton's Landal, Inc., Joel Richardson, vice-president of public relations for Saint John-based Cooke, Inc., Andy Carson, vice-president, government relations for JDI, Sonia Van Roestel, director of marketing for Kent Building Supplies, which is a division of JDI. Irving was not available Tuesday for an interview, according to JDI spokesperson Anne McInerney. In the press release, he is quoted as saying the museum project 'will inspire new generations of New Brunswickers, giving them a chance to learn more about our province's history and its importance to the rest of the country.' JDI has contributed a 'transformative $3 million lead gift,' according to the release. Clinch said she's 'thrilled' to have Irving as the campaign chair. 'The Irving family have been tremendous supporters of the museum over the years in its various locations,' she said. 'His business acumen and his wide-reaching network are assets to the campaign cabinet, but just generally he's been such an unbelievable supporter and such a great person to work with.' The museum had been located in Market Square until the location closed, with a research centre opening on Lancaster Avenue in 2023. A new museum went through 'more than 20 iterations' over the years through various boards, Clinch said, including a $100 million project on the Saint John waterfront which was cancelled by then-premier Blaine Higgs and the Progressive Conservatives after taking office in 2018. When asked what support, if any, the Irvings offered during the transition and search for a new location, Clinch said that selection of the location took place before any discussions around the capital campaign. She said the Irving family has been a 'supporter for having a New Brunswick museum' and cultural hub for the province. The project involves preserving the existing museum facades and adding new wings designed by Diamond Schmitt Architects, with 'state-of-the-art exhibition galleries, discovery centres, research and teaching laboratories, a public auditorium, Indigenous engagement spaces, and a rooftop terrace,' according to the press release. 'We have a very rich cultural history, and the stories that need to be told ... are going to be represented in the museum,' Clinch said. 'We really hope and feel ... that everyone will see themselves in this museum. It's an inclusive space that is intended to be a teaching and learning museum as well as a working museum.' She said the building will be a 'lasting legacy for the entire province' intended to last 100 years. She said that offers an opportunity for families, industry leaders, artists, cultural figures and others. 'There are a number of cultural figures, there is a large population who have a piece of the story that's going to be in the museum,' she said. 'To be able to put your name to that legacy is I think a very important offering ... that the museum has to give to potential donors.' She said she's a 'relative newcomer' to the museum board and that the project owes much to previous boards, past chair Kathryn Hamer, Suttie and 'many many people over the years.' She said it's 'extremely rewarding' to see the satisfaction of those working in the museum with the new facility. 'You can't even imagine it, there have been people literally working 30 years on this,' she said. 'Seeing it come to fruition is a bit of culmination of all their hard work ... it's a really moving time.' More information on the campaign, including how to make a donation, is available at . Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
Hamilton Spectator
04-07-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Grand Manan gets green light to clear construction eyesore
The village of Grand Manan says it's reached a deal to clear a stalled construction site that's been an 'eyesore' for years. A project to build a new marginal wharf and boat ramp at North Head has been stalled since the federal government removed the contractor last fall. Last week, deputy mayor Roger Fitzsimmons told Brunswick News that if no work will be done, 'let's clean the site up at least.' On Friday, CAO Chris Rayner announced in an email that the village had begun work to clear the construction site after reaching a deal with the government to cover the costs. 'We really wish the project could be completed, but this is a good first step,' Fitzsimmons said Friday. 'We really appreciate the government working together with us to get this done.' The federal government first announced it was dredging the area of North Head to clear room for a wharf in 2019, and a contract for a new marginal wharf and boat ramp was awarded in 2021. A 'marginal wharf' means a wharf that is connected to the shore for its full length. But the project lagged behind schedule and in September 2023, Progressive Conservative MP John Williamson tabled a petition to clear the site, calling it a pile of 'toxic rocks dredged from the harbour.' Now, the project is stalled again after the federal government removed the original contractor, Greenfield Construction, from the project, the federal government confirmed Wednesday. Williamson posted to social media last week about the project being at a standstill, calling it a 'textbook case of cronyism and federal mismanagement' for which no department is taking responsibility. The project is part of the federal Department of Fisheries and Oceans' Small Craft Harbours program, which operates a nationwide network of almost 950 harbours for commercial fishing vessels and other users. No dollar amount was announced in 2019, and the project appeared on Public Accounts books in 2024 as a $16 million project with almost $9.7 million already spent. 'It's not a massive project,' Williamson told Brunswick News last Thursday, June 26. 'There are much larger wharf projects that have happened in my riding over the decades. The difference with this one, it's Greenfield.' The Miramichi firm has ties to the Atcon Group, which went bankrupt in 2010, owing the province as much as $72 million, according to an auditor general's report. The firm's president, Carolyn Tozer, is the daughter of Robbie Tozer, former Atcon CEO. Williamson told Brunswick News that he raised the alarm two years ago that he believed Greenfield Construction was the 'wrong company' for the job. 'That had already been after a year or two years of miscommunications, delays, and a lot of frustration from local residents,' Williamson said. 'Things did seem to pick up a little bit in North Head, and then things have been frustrating the last year in particular.' Grand Manan deputy mayor Roger Fitzsimmons said the village understood that the work was meant to pick back up this spring, calling it a 'glimmer of hope.' 'But of course that never happened,' Fitzsimmons said in a phone call last week. Williamson said that his office had been asking for updates about every quarter. He said that after the federal election in May, a staffer reached out to check on the project and was 'completely misled' by DFO's response. In an email dated May 27 and provided to Brunswick News, a DFO manager tells Williamson's staffer that the ministry is 'actively working with the relevant parties to ensure that the project can be completed as quickly as possible.' 'Instead of coming clean and saying the contract was terminated with Greenfield in the fall, they led me to believe the work was going to pick up,' Williamson said. 'This is unacceptable.' In an email sent to the village of Grand Manan June 16 and also provided to Brunswick News, a Public Services and Procurement Canada project manager said that it 'took the work out of the contractor's hands' in fall 2024. PSPC is the federal ministry acting as 'contracting lead' on the project, according to department of fisheries spokesperson Kate Trask. The email said PSPC had been in discussion with the contractor's bonding company 'but parties have not arrived at a mutually beneficial solution.' Williamson said he was 'shocked' to hear from the village in June that the contractor had been scrapped. 'I don't mind getting bad news from the federal government, from a department that's trying to do its job,' Williamson said. 'When a government starts to not tell the truth on what's going on, they have to answer that.' Williamson said he's communicated with the office of Fisheries Minister Joanne Thompson and will be writing a letter, and is planning to ask the federal procurement ombudsman to investigate. Thompson was not available for an interview, Trask said in an email June 26. 'We understand the concerns expressed by community members regarding the project delays at North Head harbour,' Trask wrote. In an statement from Public Services and Procurement Canada spokesperson Janie Haché on Wednesday, the federal department confirmed it removed the contractor, and is now 'considering options to ensure that work resumes at the earliest opportunity.' The statement from Haché said there is no schedule for the completion of the work, which it said is 40 per cent complete. The work to be done includes dredging, building the wharf, electrical service and paving, spokesperson Kyle Findlay said Friday. A question about the reasons for the project delay was not answered. The statement said the department no longer has any outstanding contracts with Greenfield in New Brunswick. Brunswick News reached out to Greenfield Construction and Carolyn Tozer for comment and did not receive a response. 'This project should have been done two years ago,' Williamson said. 'All the wharves in Grand Manan are oversubscribed, there's more boats on them than they were built for, these are busy places.' Speaking last week, Fitzpatrick called it 'very frustrating,' saying it impacts nearby residents and businesses as well as tourists. 'That wharf there is really needed by the industry around the island here,' Fitzpatrick said. 'It's an eyesore, it's just a mess. There's old gear sitting there, there's piles of rock and mud and stuff ... we have a really beautiful island, and that's one of the first things people see when they get off the boat.' On Friday, he said the village will be removing material to the construction & demolition site, with some other material that requires shipping to be taken off-island. He said required sampling has been completed and the village hopes to have it done in the coming weeks. The owners of a nearby kayak business, Kevin Sampson and Linda Stackhouse, filed a lawsuit against the federal government in 2022 over delays to the project, claiming loss of income, devaluation of their properties, stress and inconvenience caused by blasting. On Wednesday, their lawyer Barry Morrison said a settlement conference is underway, declining further comment. The next date for the settlement conference is in September, with a six-day trial scheduled starting January 19, according to court records. 'Hopefully it can be resolved at the settlement conference, if not, it'll go to trial, we're ready for trial,' Morrison said. With files from Barbara Simpson and John Chilibeck Error! 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Hamilton Spectator
03-06-2025
- Business
- Hamilton Spectator
Town moves ahead with taxi bylaw repeal
Sussex has scrapped its taxi bylaw after receiving a legal opinion that it could do so without inadvertently banning cabs. A bylaw to repeal the town's taxi bylaw was passed May 20 at Sussex's town council meeting. It had been introduced in February, but was pulled off the agenda after the province told Brunswick News that a bylaw must be in place for a rideshare or taxicab company to operate. A provision of the provincial Motor Vehicle Act added in 2020 reads that 'no vehicle-for-hire company shall carry on business ... unless authorized to do so by the local authority.' 'A by-law must be in place if a for-hire company is operating within a municipality, and the vehicles must operate in accordance with the Motor Vehicle Act. These regulations also apply to taxicabs,' provincial department of justice spokesperson Jadesola Emmanuel said in March. Sussex CAO Jason Thorne said when they reached out to the province, they were advised to get a legal opinion, and their solicitor had told them that there was a distinction between taxicabs and rideshare companies such as Uber or Uride, and that the provision only applied to the latter. A vehicle-for-hire company is defined by the act as 'a person who uses or offers a technology platform to facilitate the offer of vehicle-for-hire services.' A taxicab is described as 'a motor vehicle, other than a bus, during any period in which the vehicle is being used to transport a person for remuneration.' Thorne said the opinion was presented to committee last week, and that council was told that 'ironically, we could very well find ourselves in situation where we are enacting a bylaw for exactly that reason' if they wanted to eventually welcome vehicle-for-hire services in the community. 'At this time, we have not had any direct discussions with the Town of Sussex regarding this change,' Emmanuel said on May 26. 'However, ride-share and taxi companies are required to obtain municipal approval to operate whether through a bylaw or another form of formal agreement.' Emmanuel did not reply when asked if taxis were currently permitted to operate in Sussex without the bylaw. The town had moved to repeal the bylaw, passed in 2022, over concerns that it was not being enforced, Mayor Marc Thorne said in March. The bylaw calls for police to inspect cabs, which Thorne said after the meeting in May has not been happening and is not part of the town's RCMP agreement. At the meeting, Coun. Paul Maguire said the town had regulated taxis for more than 60 years, and said repealing the bylaw would be 'lowering the public safety standards for taxicabs.' Deputy mayor Tim Wilson said the 'dillemma is it's not enforceable,' saying that 'I'm not sure what you'd accomplish' leaving it in for appearance's sake. Jason Thorne told council their legal opinion found they're in 'a more precarious position' by having an unenforced bylaw than having no bylaw at all. The repeal bylaw passed third reading and was enacted by a 4-3 vote, with Maguire, Coun. Doug Bobbitt and Coun. Eric Nelson voting against. Marc Thorne said that they have occasionally asked the local cab companies for information and not heard back, saying that they wouldn't be able to hire a bylaw enforcement officer to cover it because with the small number of cabs, they could never make the money back. 'We only have a couple of taxi firms with just a few taxis, so this is just a small part of our corporate community,' he said, adding 'the cost to administrate the bylaw is many times bigger than you'd ever derive from it.' He added that not enforcing the bylaw opened up liability for the town if anything ever happened. Meanwhile, he said the provincial law already has requirements ensuring vehicles stay roadworthy. Thorne called the confusion over the 2020 changes 'frustrating,' which was why they got the legal opinion. Brunswick News made a request for comment to Allen's Taxi and is awaiting a response. Error! Sorry, there was an error processing your request. There was a problem with the recaptcha. Please try again. You may unsubscribe at any time. By signing up, you agree to our terms of use and privacy policy . This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google privacy policy and terms of service apply. Want more of the latest from us? Sign up for more at our newsletter page .
