Tantramar Council

A red building with four large white garage doors in front of a stand of trees.

New Dorchester Fire Hall closer to becoming a reality

March 15, 2024 by Erica Butler

Tantramar council has taken one more step towards replacing the 77-year-old Dorchester Fire Hall.

On Tuesday evening, council approved spending $67,000 on hiring Catalyst Consulting Engineers to coordinate a geotechnical investigation, a net zero analysis, and the hiring of a design consultant for the future building.net zero analysis

Tantramar CAO Jennifer Borne is former CAO of the village of Dorchester, and told CHMA the replacement of the current fire hall has been talked about for years.

“We certainly got our use out of [the current building],” said Borne. “But it’s certainly time for a new facility, well deserving of all of Tantramar, of Dorchester specifically, and certainly the members of Dorchester Fire as well as really all members of Tantramar fire service.”

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Ceasefire Coalition member expresses ‘Profound disappointment’ in lack of ceasefire resolution from Tantramar council

February 15, 2024 by Erica Butler

On Tuesday night, about 50 people gathered outside Sackville town hall for a vigil remembering the victims of Israeli bombings in Gaza, and asking the Tantramar councillors meeting inside to back a resolution in support of a ceasefire.

Sackville Ceasefire Coalition member Sarah Kardash told the crowd gathered that she was profoundly disappointed in Tantramar council for not taking up the call, but the group continues to ask for a resolution from council. “Municipal governments have a moral obligation to speak up, represent their communities and collectively call for urgent action from the Canadian government,” said Kardash.

Inside town hall, Mayor Andrew Black told CHMA that he takes his direction for such resolutions from council. “There’s been no discussion from Council,” said Black. “There has been no direction from council. So there’s nothing to say.”

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Local group calls on council to ask for federal action on ceasefire in Gaza

January 11, 2024 by Erica Butler

As about 50 local residents gathered outside for a candlelight vigil on Tuesday, Sackville Ceasefire Coalition member Sarah Kardash was inside town hall presenting a petition to Tantramar council.

The petition, signed by 253 residents, asks council to write to Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and encourage Canadian action on a ceasefire in Gaza, where an estimated 22,835 Palestinians have been killed since October 7.

Other municipalities in Canada, including Burnaby, BC and Mississauga, Ontario, have passed similar resolutions calling on the federal government to take a stand on the ongoing violence. While no councillors gave immediate notice of motion to follow through on Kardash’s request, Councillor Allison Butcher commented positively, and Kardash says she will be following up with councillors.

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Tantramar to ask province for permisson to expand street access for ATVs in Sackville and Dorchester

January 10, 2024 by Erica Butler

Town staff will be seeking permission from the New Brunswick Department of Transportation and Infrastructure for ATVs to be permitted on about 5.5 kilometres of roadway in Sackville and Dorchester, after unanimously approval of a motion by Councillor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell last night.

Deputy Mayor Greg Martin and Councillor Josh Goguen both brought up concerns with safety and traffic, but mayor Andrew Black assured them that permission from the province was just the first step in the process to allow ATVs and quads on Main and Bridge Streets in Sackville, and Cherry Burton Road, route 106, and Woodlawn Road in Dorchester.

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2023 in review with Tantramar CAO Jennifer Borne

December 29, 2023 by Erica Butler

On this holiday edition of Tantramar Report, CHMA sits down with Tantramar Chief Administrative Officer Jennifer Borne to talk about the past year and the year ahead.

As the new head of an amalgamated municipality, Borne talks about the first year with a revised municipal structure, including new staff positions, some of which have yet to be filled. Borne also talks about what’s happening with the Regional Service Commission, which has an expanded role in the province after municipal reform, and also municipal finances and taxes looking ahead.

This is part of a CHMA year end series talking with local leaders, reflecting on 2023.

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2023 in review with Tantramar mayor Andrew Black

December 27, 2023 by Erica Butler

On this holiday edition of Tantramar Report, CHMA sits down with Tantramar mayor Andrew Black to talk about the past year and the year ahead. Black weighs in on the experience of Tantramar council’s first year in charge of the new amalgamated municipality. He also comments on extra-municipal issues like health care, housing, and the effort to protect the Chignecto Isthmus from catastrophic weather events. This is part of a CHMA year end series talking with local leaders, reflecting on 2023.

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TRHS principal wants high school teams to get discounted rink fees

December 15, 2023 by Erica Butler

Among the many presentations at Tantramar council on Tuesday was one from Tantramar Regional High School principal Susan Lafford, calling for high school hockey teams to be included in a discounted rink fee program recently approved by Tantramar council.

Lafford told council that she didn’t understand why families of high school players currently aren’t eligible for the municipalities subsidized rates which were designed to encourage more youth participation in sport. “Families of players on the high school teams are already paying at least double the fee for their children compared to minor hockey,” said Lafford. “If the purpose of the ice rate subsidy is to decrease the registration costs of families with youth in sports in the Tantramar region, please include us in a subsidy program.”

Tantramar council gives unanimous green light to Trans Canada Trail and multipurpose building initiatives

December 14, 2023 by Erica Butler

Tantramar council gave the green light for town staff to move forward on two longstanding requests from community members on Tuesday. Staff will now start discussions with the provincial government about a land use agreement for the Trans Canada Trail within town boundaries, and also start to pursue additional funding for a pedway to re-connect the trail where it is bisected by the highway.

In addition, council asked staff to form a committee with local groups to work on planning and funding a new multipurpose facility that could serve as a permanent home for the Sackville Farmers’ Market.

CHMA listened in to the discussion on Tuesday, and spoke with Councillor Josh Goguen after the meeting.

Tantramar’s new brand unveiled — ‘staggered and strategic’ rollout to follow in upcoming months

December 1, 2023 by Erica Butler

Tantramar’s colourful new brand was unveiled at town hall on Tuesday. Consultants Tanya Duffy of The Details Design and Branding and Tom Bateman of Porter O’Brien talked councillors through the process to arrive at, and concept behind the new logo and brand identity.

“The new Tantramar logo is a simple, clean and modern crest comprised of several parts coming together to form the complete symbol,” explained Duffy. “Each element showcases the natural beauty, history and complexity of the region. The new brand does not seek to replace the identities of the communities that combine to make Tantramar, but rather to leverage the natural surroundings identified by the residents that make Tantramar a wonderful place to live work and visit.”

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Art on the Marsh and MarshMends approved for Renaissance Sackville grants

September 15, 2023 by Erica Butler

Tantramar council has approved two small grants recommended by Renaissance Sackville, an organization founded in 1994 which aims to offer seed funding and support to new community initiatives. Each year, the town budgets $25,000 for Renaissance Sackville, and over the course of the year the group submits a series of small grant recommendations to council for approval.

On Tuesday council approved giving Art Across the Marsh $950 to hire a designer redo their website in advance of the tour this October. The group celebrates artists from across the Tantramar Region. And a new group called MarshMends will receive $3011 to get established as a non-profit offering training, workshops and repair services aimed at reducing fabric waste.

Councillor Debbie Wiggins-Colwell sounded supportive of both projects, but expressed concern that the grant to MarshMends would help cover incorporation fees.

In the end, council approved both grants, with one nay vote from Councillor Bruce Phinney, who said he felt one of the projects benefitted “too few people.”