Latest news with #InformationMorningMoncton
CBC
30-03-2025
- CBC
Once a bustling rail line, a Moncton path tells a former railway's story
Moncton and Buctouche Railway changed transportation remarkably in 19th century Walking through Irishtown Nature Park, on the northern edge of Moncton, the winding path suddenly straightens out. According to historian and Roadside History columnist James Upham, it isn't a coincidence. "We could look at this as like a park design approach to brutalism in some fashion or another, which it's not," Upham said from the straight, flat pathway inside the park. "It's a railway — it's an abandoned railway, and it's the railway that kind of shaped this area that we're in right now." The Moncton and Buctouche Railway, as it was called, was chartered in 1883 and opened in 1887, said Upham. At that time, New Brunswick did have some roads, but Upham said in today's context, they would be some of the roughest dirt roads you could imagine. "It's really hard to get our heads around from a modern context, of sitting in air-conditioned vehicles going along at 100 and some odd kilometres an hour down a highway," Upham told Information Morning Moncton. "There's kind of a famous line from the early 1800s from New Brunswick to say that, you know, at that time, there was less than 10 good miles of road in the province, and they weren't consecutive." Image | Moncton and Buctouche Railway Caption: This photo from 1910 shows a train that worked the Moncton and Buctouche railway, with the train station just visible in the background. Upham said trains revolutionized the ability to travel. (Provincial Archives of New Brunswick P211-15313) Open Image in New Tab That's why, Upham said, if someone needed to get somewhere efficiently or move something from one place to another, the Moncton and Buctouche Railway did the job. The railway made such a big difference that in the area that later became known as Saint-Antoine, businesses moved to where the train passed through. "The community itself changed and adapted and sort of molded itself around this railway," said Upham. "In Bouctouche itself, the railway station that was the terminus for this rail line there, it doesn't exist anymore, but it still has its own historic site." For decades, the train chugged on, moving cargo and traffic from Point A to Point B. Upham said it didn't close until 1965. He said trains revolutionized the ability to travel. What would now be considered a short drive would once more likely have been a trip that people "might not necessarily ever want to repeat again." "It used to be that if you're wealthy, you didn't go anywhere — people came to see you because it was such a pain in the butt," said Upham, adding that travel for fun or enjoyment didn't exist. "People tend to sort of think of locomotives and steam engines and stuff and even diesels, to a certain degree, as being kind of like old timey … and it was just an absolutely massive step into the future."
CBC
30-03-2025
- CBC
Once a bustling rail line, a Moncton path tells a former railway's story
Moncton and Buctouche Railway changed transportation remarkably in 19th century Walking through Irishtown Nature Park, on the northern edge of Moncton, the winding path suddenly straightens out. According to historian and Roadside History columnist James Upham, it isn't a coincidence. "We could look at this as like a park design approach to brutalism in some fashion or another, which it's not," Upham said from the straight, flat pathway inside the park. "It's a railway — it's an abandoned railway, and it's the railway that kind of shaped this area that we're in right now." The Moncton and Buctouche Railway, as it was called, was chartered in 1883 and opened in 1887, said Upham. At that time, New Brunswick did have some roads, but Upham said in today's context, they would be some of the roughest dirt roads you could imagine. "It's really hard to get our heads around from a modern context, of sitting in air-conditioned vehicles going along at 100 and some odd kilometres an hour down a highway," Upham told Information Morning Moncton. "There's kind of a famous line from the early 1800s from New Brunswick to say that, you know, at that time, there was less than 10 good miles of road in the province, and they weren't consecutive." Image | Moncton and Buctouche Railway Caption: This photo from 1910 shows a train that worked the Moncton and Buctouche railway, with the train station just visible in the background. Upham said trains revolutionized the ability to travel. (Provincial Archives of New Brunswick P211-15313) Open Image in New Tab That's why, Upham said, if someone needed to get somewhere efficiently or move something from one place to another, the Moncton and Buctouche Railway did the job. The railway made such a big difference that in the area that later became known as Saint-Antoine, businesses moved to where the train passed through. "The community itself changed and adapted and sort of molded itself around this railway," said Upham. "In Bouctouche itself, the railway station that was the terminus for this rail line there, it doesn't exist anymore, but it still has its own historic site." For decades, the train chugged on, moving cargo and traffic from Point A to Point B. Upham said it didn't close until 1965. He said trains revolutionized the ability to travel. What would now be considered a short drive would once more likely have been a trip that people "might not necessarily ever want to repeat again." "It used to be that if you're wealthy, you didn't go anywhere — people came to see you because it was such a pain in the butt," said Upham, adding that travel for fun or enjoyment didn't exist. "People tend to sort of think of locomotives and steam engines and stuff and even diesels, to a certain degree, as being kind of like old timey … and it was just an absolutely massive step into the future."
CBC
29-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
It's been one week: N.B. political panel weighs in on federal election campaign
Some New Brunswick political watchers say the first week of the federal election campaign left them wanting to hear much more substance and vision from those vying to form the next government of Canada. That's the synopsis from a panel convened by Information Morning Moncton for regular check-ins during the campaign. Don Moore is a past president of the Progressive Conservative Party of New Brunswick, an assistant professor of management at Crandall University and chair of the Codiac Regional Policing Authority. Sarah Lord ran for the Green Party in the last provincial election, has a background in biotech, works in health and wellness, and runs a hiking tour company. Aldéa Landry is a Moncton lawyer, business leader, and former deputy premier of New Brunswick. She co-chaired Mark Carney's federal Liberal leadership campaign in the province. Geoff Martin teaches political science and international relations at Mount Allison University and ran as a candidate for the provincial NDP in Tantramar in 2003. Here's a breakdown of their first discussion, edited for length and clarity. Q: What do you think is the most important issue of the campaign? A: Aldéa Landry. We still have cost of living issues with things like housing and electricity. But with tariffs, we stand to lose 11,000 jobs in the province. And we have a single customer for almost all our exports. That calls for dramatic changes. A: Don Moore. Things like housing and groceries cost way more than they did. How did we get here? What allowed this to happen? How does this get fixed? Combine that with Canada-U.S. relations and its effects locally, provincially and nationally. A: Sarah Lord. For me, it's unity. How do we hold ourselves together as a nation, stop the mudslinging and work together to reach consensus on really serious issues that threaten our existence. A: Geoff Martin. I think it's about the party's platform to deal with the U.S. and provide a vision for the future of Canada that doesn't rely on tax cuts, smaller government, market magic and the old compact theory of French and English. We have a very diverse country and we have to all move along together. Q: What are you hearing from people in your communities? A: Geoff Martin. They're very concerned about the high cost of living, the existential threat we're feeling, the sacrifices they may have to make in the trade war and what things will look like afterwards. The terrain really feels like it's shifting and unstable. A: Sarah Lord. People seem to be upset over the fact that they can't elect a prime minister. They want to vote their values and they want their vote to count. We're often told we have to vote a certain way to get rid of something we don't want, instead of voting for something we really do want. A: Don Moore. People are asking questions, like what is the key to success for dealing with Donald Trump, who is the best leader and what is the best party or government structure. They're getting sick and tired of trying to figure things out because messages from the U.S. are frequently changing. A: Aldéa Landry. People are talking about tariffs and the need to change the way we trade and they're expressing national pride and unity, even in Quebec. I think Canadians are concerned about the disrespect that's been shown to our country and leaders. Q: What's standing out for you in the messaging from party leaders? A: Don Moore. They've mostly been reacting to things that are happening. People want to hear more about their views and plans for our country for the next five years, 10 years, and beyond. A: Geoff Martin. There's no discussion yet about things like public enterprise or the role of government, just standard things that were probably planned back in December or January. I don't think those are appropriate any more. A: Sarah Lord. I like the global perspective of Mark Carney — the fact that he is reaching out to different countries. But I also want to hear more strategies and vision to strengthen the Canadian economy and sustainably move forward with strength and unity. A: Aldéa Landry. Tax cuts are being offered and a vision of less dependence on the United States government. There are opportunities to broaden our reach and to create jobs by building infrastructure, but that will require public support and working with First Nations and provinces.
CBC
26-03-2025
- General
- CBC
Annual Moncton run for three fallen RCMP officers comes to an end
Social Sharing After a decade of bringing the community together to honour the lives of the three RCMP officers who died in a tragic shooting, the Three Fathers Memorial Run in Moncton has ended. The race was held every Father's Day along Moncton's waterfront, following the deaths of constables Doug Larche, Dave Ross and Fabrice Gevaudan, who were killed in the line of duty on June 4, 2014. Nadine Larche, widow of Doug Larche spokesperson for the board of directors of the Three Fathers Memorial Run, said simply "it was time." "It wasn't a decision that was taken lightly," Larche told Information Morning Moncton. More than 7,000 people were in attendance for the event's first year, Larche said, "an incredible show of support from the community." "We were deep in our grief journey then and seeing the community coming together to rally behind us, to support us, to walk with us, run with us figuratively and literally was touching." She said attendance at the 2024 run was about 500, which she considered 'still very good,' and said the lower attendance didn't have anything to do with the event coming to an end. Larche said the board "just felt it was the right time to end and move forward." She said the event helped her and her three daughters through the grieving process and allowed them to start to heal. "It was just a place to go to remember their Dad, to honour their Dad, to be together as a family, to do something that he loved," she said. Larche said the scholarship associated with the annual run will continue. It generated enough donations over the years to award 162 young people with a combined $150,000 for post-secondary education. "We give these scholarships to students who show resilience, who are involved in the community through volunteerism," said Larche. The board of directors will continue to award scholarships to graduating students with the funds that remain. "The letters that come through those scholarship applications just show how amazing the kids are in our area," she said. Larche believes that the spirit of the run will remain alive, even as the event itself comes to an end.
CBC
03-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Once a high-profile emitter, Port of Belledune wants to be a green energy hub
The Port of Belledune is trying to reinvent itself as a very specialized industrial park for green energy in New Brunswick. "We're really focused on cleaning up our own backyard and looking at clean fuel for the power plant, but also to attract other industries to use that clean fuel to produce a value-added product," Denis Caron, the port president and CEO, told Information Morning Moncton. Until now, Belledune has been a big emitter of greenhouse gases. Its propane-fuelled smelter closed in 2019, and a coal-fired power plant must switch to a cleaner fuel by 2030 or shut down. A port plan developed with consultants calls for power generation using biomass, wind and solar within the next two to three years, production of hydrogen within four or five years and the possible use of small modular nuclear reactors if and when that technology is ready — in "probably eight to 10 years," Caron said. Plan put before public The plan was presented at recent community meetings in Bathurst, Campbellton and Caraquet. Campbellton Mayor Jean-Guy Levesque the plan was well-received by a cross-section of the public. Levesque was a member of an advisory committee that also worked on the plan and is keenly interested in the port's potential to create job opportunities in northern New Brunswick. His priority is communicating with people about any concerns they have so the plan isn't held up. The plan could transform the industrial landscape and reverse the region's fortunes, Levesque said. "It's an amazing vision." Moncton-area economist David Campbell estimated that if the port plan comes to fruition, 1,800 to 2,000 jobs would be created in construction and 1,000 to 1,200 would be created directly to support these industries over 12 to 13 years, said Caron. That far exceeds the 450 who used to work at the smelter and 1,000 or so who worked locally in mining, he said. Many still live in the area but fly out for work, he said, and the port plan could lead to opportunities closer to home. Mixed review from conservation group Not everyone is entirely supportive. The Conservation Council of New Brunswick is "first and foremost … happy" the port wants to transition away from fossil fuels to more renewable technologies, said Moe Qureshi, director of climate research and policy. But it's "not very happy" about the biomass plan for N.B. Power's Belledune generating station. Burning wood isn't an efficient way to generate electricity, Qureshi said, and it would be difficult to regrow trees at the rate they are burnt up as wood pellets. "We don't believe biomass is a truly sustainable option." N.B. Power is looking at using black wood pellets at Belledune, Caron said. These are more energy dense and similar to coal, and may not require any refitting or capital spending at the power plant. Two black wood pellet products were test burned last spring and fall, one from Arbaflame in Norway and one from Airex in Quebec, and their efficiency rates were "very high," he said. Results are still being analyzed, but the tests "indicated that advanced wood pellets are a technically feasible solution," spokesperson Dominique Couture said in an email to CBC. "Our business case assumptions have been validated and indicate advanced wood pellets are the least-cost option for getting Belledune off coal by 2030." The environmental impact is also being considered, Couture. "Obviously, it has to be done sustainably," Caron said. "We can't go cutting down all the trees in the forest." Four wood pellet manufacturers now export their products to the U.K. through Belledune. They could help supply the generating station, but they'd have to invest millions of dollars to switch from making white pellets to black pellets, Caron said. Making better use of forestry waste New Brunswick forestry practices would also have to be modified, he said, to make better use of material currently left on the ground or considered waste at mills, such as bark and sawdust. Expressions of interest have been received from companies that would provide more than enough wood pellets to fuel the plant, Brad Coady, N.B. Power's vice-president of business development and strategic partnerships, said at the legislature's public accounts committee on Thursday. The utility now wants to firm up fuel supply agreements with companies "in and around" New Brunswick, he said. He expects to be able to seek final approvals from the utility's board and the Energy and Utilities Board in the coming months. "It looks very promising," he said. In that case, the power plant could begin using wood pellets as fuel in 2027, said Caron. By 2028, the port also wants to be generating 60,000 tonnes a year of "emission-free hydrogen." Green hydrogen is expected to replace fossil fuel in Canada, the U.S. and Europe, said Caron. It can power ships, industry and heat homes with zero emissions, he said. The port is already working with some developers about green hydrogen production in Belledune, said Caron. For this, they'd use wind power and fresh water from available sources that have been used by N.B. Power and mining company Glencore, he said. To produce hydrogen, water is basically put into a box and split into its molecular components of hydrogen and oxygen using electrolyzers, explained Caron. Creating an N.B.-EU corridor The hydrogen produced in Belledune would either be exported to Europe or used domestically, he said. The port has recently signed direct trade agreements with three ports in Europe — creating a corridor between New Brunswick and the biggest green energy markets in Europe. One possible domestic use could be making green steel on site in Belledune with hydrogen-powered industrial processes and iron ore from Sept-Iles, Que., said Caron. Another could be to fuel a cement plant across the bay in Port-Daniel, Que. "Steel, cement and power plants are the largest emitters and they're all looking for clean solutions." Hydrogen produced in Belledune could also be mixed with CO2, said Caron, to yield aviation fuel or fuel for vessels. Spanish multinational energy company Repsol recently announced it was cutting its future hydrogen production target because of high costs and delays in market development. But Caron said he's had encouraging discussions with the Port of Hamburg in Germany, Antwerp in Belgium and Rotterdam in the Netherlands. "All officials that we've been dealing with, including government officials there, are very bullish that hydrogen and clean fuel is the fuel of the future," he said. Conservation Council concerns The Conservation Council approves of using green hydrogen for local manufacturing, such as steelmaking, but would have concerns if it's going to be exported, said Qureshi. "It's extraordinarily dangerous, expensive and inefficient," he said. "The hydrogen can leak from tanks or you have to compress it and freeze it at really, really cold temperatures or you have to convert it to ammonia, but it's just such a headache." Qureshi is slightly more receptive to using hydrogen to make methanol for export, which Caron said was also a possibility. But he still favours using it closer to home. "There's a lot of opportunity to trade it locally instead of shipping it overseas," he said, especially in light of trade issues with the U.S. The environmental advocacy group generally favours wind, solar and small-scale hydro projects to bolster the province's generation capacity. And the port's plan does include some renewables. "Since we have a power plant at the port, we are connected to the grid," Caron said. "So, whether there's a solar farm in Shediac or Scoudouc or a wind farm somewhere else in the province, we're able to wheel that power to Belledune and use it, once again, for industry." Qureshi would love to see it champion the province's first offshore wind development. "This is the chance for New Brunswick to step into that realm," he said, noting Nova Scotia is already going there.
