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CBC
31-07-2025
- Business
- CBC
Newfoundlanders who fled cod moratorium are returning — and creating a housing crunch
The affordable housing complex Mike Tiller is hoping for is unlike anything else in his community. The sleek, modular buildings with sloping roofs and wide windows pose a sharp contrast to the brightly coloured clapboard houses dotting the shores in New-Wes-Valley, a small fishing community along the northern end of Newfoundland's Bonavista Bay. But the homes would solve a problem Tiller never thought he'd face as mayor of the rural Newfoundland town: people are moving there, rather than moving away. And they need somewhere to live. "It's a huge change," Tiller said in a recent interview, shaking his head outside the town hall. "You can't have people coming here looking for homes and not have anything for them to live in or you're never going to grow your town… And we can't afford any more major decreases in population." That's why the town paid about $140,000 for Biosis, a Danish architecture firm with experience building on rocky landscapes, to design a 17-unit affordable housing complex that will sit on oceanfront land. The municipality purchased the land, making use of a federal grant. The town is also ready to foot the bill for road and sewer connections. Council will publish a request for proposals from interested developers in the coming days, Tiller said. "The need is there, the desire is there," he said. "We just need somebody to listen." Rural communities across Newfoundland and Labrador have been slowly emptying out since 1992, when the federal government brought the lucrative northern cod fishery to a halt as the fish stocks collapsed. The move resulted in one of the largest mass layoffs in Canadian history: businesses closed, jobs dried up and young people began to move away, leaving behind their aging parents and grandparents. The demographics in New-Wes-Valley are typical in rural Newfoundland: the town is home to some 2,050 people, more than a third of whom are 65 or older, according to the latest census. The average age there is 52. But things are shifting. People are moving to New-Wes-Valley, many of whom are coming back home after working in St. John's or other provinces. As a result, the increased demand is driving up housing prices and property taxes. Ten years ago, homes in New-Wes-Valley regularly sold for $30,000, said Cheryl Smith, a town councillor and real estate agent. Now they can sell for more than $100,000. That's a lot for many locals, but still attractive for people in other parts of Canada, Smith said. Seniors on fixed incomes who want to move into smaller homes have few options. They can't afford the new housing costs, nor can they afford the municipal tax hikes, Tiller said. Some have moved away to Gander, N.L., a much larger centre with more housing options. He wants them to be able to stay. Sarah Norris left New-Wes-Valley for Alberta on Christmas Day in 2010, about two years after graduating high school — it was a cheap flight, she explained in a recent interview. She moved back home in March 2022, wanting a fresh start. She now owns and operates the Salt & Sail cafe and tavern, where diners in bright booths look out over low-sloping rocks leading into the ocean. The biggest change she sees in her community since she returned is the number of young families. "Our kindergarten class this year needed two teachers because it was so large, I think it was 24 students. That is huge for our area," she said. "I think people are just really thirsty for peace, honestly, just tranquility. And that's what you'll get here." Norris said she knows people in their 90s who are still living in large saltbox-style homes where they raised their families. There's just nowhere else for them to live, she said. "They're, like, 95 and they just move their beds downstairs," Norris said. If they could find a smaller place, they could sell their bigger house to a young family like hers, she added. About 40 minutes south of New-Wes-valley, the same scenario is playing out in Centreville-Wareham-Trinity with one major difference: the town already has affordable housing. And it's full. Mayor Ivan Pickett walked down a road lined with modern-looking duplexes that rent for about $650 a month. Some had basketball nets and bikes in the front yard. A handful were built about a decade ago, when the town got some funding to build affordable homes. The majority were built later, by a private developer, Pickett said. The town needs about 20 more. "At least," the mayor said. "20 units would be gobbled up pretty quickly." Tiller doesn't believe New-Wes-Valley's population is going to stop declining — there still aren't enough young people to balance the number of older residents. But he hopes to keep the population higher than 2,000 for as long as he can — and he believes the affordable housing complex will help. "We want to keep our seniors here. We also want to attract newcomers to the area," Tiller said. "We are doing whatever we can to give people options so that they don't leave our town."
CTV News
31-07-2025
- Business
- CTV News
Newfoundlanders who fled cod moratorium are returning — and creating a housing crunch
Mike Tiller, the mayor of New-Wes-Valley, N.L., is shown as he talks about housing on Thursday June 26, 2025. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Sarah Smellie NEW-WES-VALLEY — The affordable housing complex Mike Tiller is hoping for is unlike anything else in his community. The sleek, modular buildings with sloping roofs and wide windows pose a sharp contrast to the brightly-coloured clapboard houses dotting the shores in New-Wes-Valley, a small fishing community along the northern end of Newfoundland's Bonavista Bay. But the homes would solve a problem Tiller never thought he'd face as mayor of the rural Newfoundland town: people are moving there, rather than moving away. And they need somewhere to live. 'It's a huge change,' Tiller said in a recent interview, shaking his head outside the town hall. 'You can't have people coming here looking for homes and not have anything for them to live in or you're never going to grow your town ... And we can't afford any more major decreases in population.' That's why the town paid about $140,000 for Biosis, a Danish architecture firm with experience building on rocky landscapes, to design a 17-unit affordable housing complex that will sit on oceanfront land. N.L. housing complex The 17-unit housing complex, seen in this artist's rendering handout image, was designed by Danish firm Biosis for the rural Newfoundland community of New-Wes-Valley. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Handout - Biosis (HO/The Canadian Press) The municipality purchased the land, making use of a federal grant. The town is also ready to foot the bill for road and sewer connections. Council will publish a request for proposals from interested developers in the coming days, Tiller said. 'The need is there, the desire is there,' he said. 'We just need somebody to listen.' Rural communities across Newfoundland and Labrador have been slowly emptying out since 1992, when the federal government brought the lucrative northern cod fishery to a halt as the fish stocks collapsed. The move resulted in one of the largest mass layoffs in Canadian history: businesses closed, jobs dried up and young people began to move away, leaving behind their aging parents and grandparents. The demographics in New-Wes-Valley are typical in rural Newfoundland: the town is home to some 2,050 people, more than a third of whom are 65 or older, according to the latest census. The average age there is 52. But things are shifting. People are moving to New-Wes-Valley, many of whom are coming back home after working in St. John's or other provinces. As a result, the increased demand is driving up housing prices and property taxes. Ten years ago, homes in New-Wes-Valley regularly sold for $30,000, said Cheryl Smith, a town councillor and real estate agent. Now they can sell for more than $100,000. That's a lot for many locals, but still attractive for people in other parts of Canada, Smith said. Seniors on fixed incomes who want to move into smaller homes have few options. They can't afford the new housing costs, nor can they afford the municipal tax hikes, Tiller said. Some have moved away to Gander, N.L., a much larger centre with more housing options. He wants them to be able to stay. Sarah Norris left New-Wes-Valley for Alberta on Christmas Day in 2010, about two years after graduating high school — it was a cheap flight, she explained in a recent interview. She moved back home in March 2022, wanting a fresh start. She now owns and operates the Salt & Sail café and tavern, where diners in bright booths look out over low-sloping rocks leading into the ocean. The biggest change she sees in her community since she returned is the number of young families. 'Our kindergarten class this year needed two teachers because it was so large, I think it was 24 students. That is huge for our area,' she said. 'I think people are just really thirsty for peace, honestly, just tranquility. And that's what you'll get here.' Norris said she knows people in their 90s who are still living in large saltbox-style homes where they raised their families. There's just nowhere else for them to live, she said. 'They're, like, 95 and they just move their beds downstairs,' Norris said. If they could find a smaller place, they could sell their bigger house to a young family like hers, she added. About 40 minutes south of New-Wes-valley, the same scenario is playing out in Centreville-Wareham-Trinity with one major difference: the town already has affordable housing. And it's full. Mayor Ivan Pickett walked down a road lined with modern-looking duplexes that rent for about $650 a month. Some had basketball nets and bikes in the front yard. A handful were built about a decade ago, when the town got some funding to build affordable homes. The majority were built later, by a private developer, Pickett said. The town needs about 20 more. 'At least,' the mayor said. '20 units would be gobbled up pretty quickly.' Tiller doesn't believe New-Wes-Valley's population is going to stop declining -- there still aren't enough young people to balance the number of older residents. But he hopes to keep the population higher than 2,000 for as long as he can -- and he believes the affordable housing complex will help. 'We want to keep our seniors here. We also want to attract newcomers to the area,' Tiller said. 'We are doing whatever we can to give people options so that they don't leave our town.' This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2025. By Sarah Smellie
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Newfoundlanders who fled cod moratorium are returning — and creating a housing crunch
NEW-WES-VALLEY — The affordable housing complex Mike Tiller is hoping for is unlike anything else in his community. The sleek, modular buildings with sloping roofs and wide windows pose a sharp contrast to the brightly-coloured clapboard houses dotting the shores in New-Wes-Valley, a small fishing community along the northern end of Newfoundland's Bonavista Bay. But the homes would solve a problem Tiller never thought he'd face as mayor of the rural Newfoundland town: people are moving there, rather than moving away. And they need somewhere to live. "It's a huge change," Tiller said in a recent interview, shaking his head outside the town hall. "You can't have people coming here looking for homes and not have anything for them to live in or you're never going to grow your town ... And we can't afford any more major decreases in population.' That's why the town paid about $140,000 for Biosis, a Danish architecture firm with experience building on rocky landscapes, to design a 17-unit affordable housing complex that will sit on oceanfront land. The municipality purchased the land, making use of a federal grant. The town is also ready to foot the bill for road and sewer connections. Council will publish a request for proposals from interested developers in the coming days, Tiller said. 'The need is there, the desire is there,' he said. 'We just need somebody to listen.' Rural communities across Newfoundland and Labrador have been slowly emptying out since 1992, when the federal government brought the lucrative northern cod fishery to a halt as the fish stocks collapsed. The move resulted in one of the largest mass layoffs in Canadian history: businesses closed, jobs dried up and young people began to move away, leaving behind their aging parents and grandparents. The demographics in New-Wes-Valley are typical in rural Newfoundland: the town is home to some 2,050 people, more than a third of whom are 65 or older, according to the latest census. The average age there is 52. But things are shifting. People are moving to New-Wes-Valley, many of whom are coming back home after working in St. John's or other provinces. As a result, the increased demand is driving up housing prices and property taxes. Ten years ago, homes in New-Wes-Valley regularly sold for $30,000, said Cheryl Smith, a town councillor and real estate agent. Now they can sell for more than $100,000. That's a lot for many locals, but still attractive for people in other parts of Canada, Smith said. Seniors on fixed incomes who want to move into smaller homes have few options. They can't afford the new housing costs, nor can they afford the municipal tax hikes, Tiller said. Some have moved away to Gander, N.L., a much larger centre with more housing options. He wants them to be able to stay. Sarah Norris left New-Wes-Valley for Alberta on Christmas Day in 2010, about two years after graduating high school — it was a cheap flight, she explained in a recent interview. She moved back home in March 2022, wanting a fresh start. She now owns and operates the Salt & Sail café and tavern, where diners in bright booths look out over low-sloping rocks leading into the ocean. The biggest change she sees in her community since she returned is the number of young families. "Our kindergarten class this year needed two teachers because it was so large, I think it was 24 students. That is huge for our area," she said. "I think people are just really thirsty for peace, honestly, just tranquility. And that's what you'll get here." Norris said she knows people in their 90s who are still living in large saltbox-style homes where they raised their families. There's just nowhere else for them to live, she said. "They're, like, 95 and they just move their beds downstairs," Norris said. If they could find a smaller place, they could sell their bigger house to a young family like hers, she added. About 40 minutes south of New-Wes-valley, the same scenario is playing out in Centreville-Wareham-Trinity with one major difference: the town already has affordable housing. And it's full. Mayor Ivan Pickett walked down a road lined with modern-looking duplexes that rent for about $650 a month. Some had basketball nets and bikes in the front yard. A handful were built about a decade ago, when the town got some funding to build affordable homes. The majority were built later, by a private developer, Pickett said. The town needs about 20 more. "At least," the mayor said. "20 units would be gobbled up pretty quickly." Tiller doesn't believe New-Wes-Valley's population is going to stop declining -- there still aren't enough young people to balance the number of older residents. But he hopes to keep the population higher than 2,000 for as long as he can -- and he believes the affordable housing complex will help. "We want to keep our seniors here. We also want to attract newcomers to the area," Tiller said. "We are doing whatever we can to give people options so that they don't leave our town." This report by The Canadian Press was first published July 31, 2025. Sarah Smellie, The Canadian Press Sign in to access your portfolio
Associated Press
16-07-2025
- Business
- Associated Press
Sherry 'Strut' Strothers Announces Intent to Run for North Las Vegas City Council, Ward 1
30-year Navy veteran and Realtor outlines vision for housing, veterans' services, and community growth ahead of 2026 election 'All politics are local, and I'm going to fight for the children in Ward 1 like I want someone to fight for mine.'— Sherry 'Strut' Strothers NORTH LAS VEGAS, NV, UNITED STATES, July 16, 2025 / / -- Sherry 'Strut' Strothers, a 30-year U.S. Navy veteran, licensed Realtor, and dedicated North Las Vegas resident, has announced her intent to seek a seat on the North Las Vegas City Council, representing Ward 1, in the 2026 municipal election. Strothers is sharing her plans early amid expectations of a crowded field of candidates. Running under the banner 'Honored to Serve Our Country, Ready to Serve You,' Strothers brings extensive leadership experience and a deep commitment to veterans, working families, and community development. 'As a Realtor, I'm committed to planning that supports all forms of housing,' said Strothers. 'During the next term, a significant redesign of North Las Vegas will occur, and I plan to bring all voices to the table in this process. I'm also deeply committed to ensuring the success of a UNLV campus in North Las Vegas. I believe that our city's growth must work for everyone.' Strothers' priorities include strengthening ties between City Hall and the VA to streamline veterans' access to critical resources, advocating for improved public transportation options for working families and seniors, and expanding partnerships to deliver affordable child care and after-school support. 'I'm announcing my intention to run because I want to protect the future my son and granddaughters will inherit,' Strothers added. 'All politics are local, and I'm going to fight for the children in Ward 1 like I want someone to fight for mine. I'm committed to working with our next Mayor to make our community even stronger.' A retired senior U.S. Navy Warrant Officer, Strothers routinely supported operational planning and oversaw projects with multi-million-dollar budgets, gaining extensive experience in resource management and strategic decision making. She held senior administrative and operational support roles, managing hundreds of personnel, overseeing classified communications, and coordinating complex organizational activities. She holds an Associate of Arts in Business Management, a Bachelor of Science in Technology Management, and a Master of Business Administration in Information Systems and Technology Management. Since retiring from the Navy, Strothers has built a career in real estate and become an active community member in North Las Vegas, drawn by the city's strong connection to veterans and military families. As a single mother, veteran, and now grandmother, she understands firsthand the challenges faced by working families and is committed to advancing smart development, housing access, and responsive constituent services. For more information about Sherry 'Strut' Strothers and her potential campaign, please use the contact details below. Media Contact: Sherry Strothers Phone: 702-758-3887 Email: [email protected] Sherry Strothers Sherry For Nevada [email protected] Legal Disclaimer: EIN Presswire provides this news content 'as is' without warranty of any kind. We do not accept any responsibility or liability for the accuracy, content, images, videos, licenses, completeness, legality, or reliability of the information contained in this article. If you have any complaints or copyright issues related to this article, kindly contact the author above.
CBC
27-05-2025
- General
- CBC
Hopes high for new health centre under construction at Abegweit First Nation
Social Sharing Abegweit First Nation is hoping that a new health centre being built in the central P.E.I. community of Scotchfort, expected to be open by next year, will answer the needs of the surrounding area as well as the Indigenous community. With a rising population thanks to a number of First Nation initiatives, Chief Junior Gould said services need to grow too. "We have to grow in an ever-expanding community, at every capacity, whether it be the health centre, or the daycare or the housing." The current wellness centre can't expand any more, let alone make space for a dental office or pharmacy, both eventual goals of community planners. Hence the project to replace it. "The new health centre is being located in the front of the community to provide services to the Abegweit First Nation — all of its community, from its youngest to its oldest — but also provide services to Islanders that are in need of such services," Gould said. "We feel that we are able to accommodate the needs of our community by this expansion as well as fill some of the gaps in the province." Work begins on new Abegweit First Nation health centre as community continues to grow 13 hours ago Duration 2:08 Ground has been broken on a new health centre on the Abegweir First Nation in Scotchfort, P.E.I. But as CBC's Sheehan Desjardins tell us, that's just one of the projects on the go — a daycare will be expanding and more homes are being built to keep up with community demands. One of the top priorities is making it easier for older residents to have access to medical care without having to travel long distances, Gould said. He said some Scotchfort residents feel uncomfortable seeking help in communities like Charlottetown. "The older community members aren't comfortable leaving the community and going out and looking for services, where they are judged on how they look or a perception of who they are or where they're from," he said. "To have these services offered in-house in the community, especially for our older generations, to be able to receive the same services as other people in a comfortable, traditional environment — it means the world to them."
