Petty Harbour council gives cautious approval to development on Motion Bay Road Extension

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Petty Harbour Council has approved in principle three separate applications to build houses on the Motion Bay Road Extension.

The decision was made at council’s April 6 regular meeting, but not without some reservations.

Council approved applications for 41-45 Motion Bay Road Extension, 51-59 Motion Bay Road Extension and 30 Motion Bay Road Extension – all with conditions that included signed legal agreements about the width, condition and standard of Motion Bay Road Extension, as well as acknowledgement of no Town commitment to any future upgrades, as well as limitations on services, among other caveats.

The council motions state the agreements are necessary to protect the Town’s interests, ensure public safety and manage impacts on public infrastructure.

Councillor Kayla Parsons, who made the motions, said she is pro-development and supports reduction of red tape and other barriers. However, she added council has a responsibility that goes beyond any single application or short-term decision.

“We have to carefully consider the financial impact on the Town, the economic sustainability of our decisions, the environmental implications and the long-term obligations that we place not only on ourselves, but on all residents,” Parsons said, adding that something as significant as a road is not a simple or inexpensive undertaking considering the level of planning, engineering, and financial analysis required.

“It would not be prudent for us to make commitments today that we may not be able to support tomorrow at the same time,” Parsons said. “I do believe it is fair that property owners should have the opportunity to develop their land. This motion is an attempt to strike that balance to allow reasonable development to proceed while being transparent about the current limitations and protecting the Town from obligations we are not yet in a position to take on.”

A public consultation meeting was held March 30 on two of the applications. The third application, for Lot 30, was submitted after the meeting was called and was not included in the public consultation.

The public consultation also centred around a 2018 amendment to the Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove Town Plan and Development Regulations, which removed restrictions for development on the Motion Bay Road Extension.

Mayor Ed Dyke said he doesn’t understand the rationale for council’s change at the time and believes the resulting regulations should have better protected the Town. He said replacement costs are not well defined in the regulations for future councils to go by.

“In my opinion it should not have been done without better descriptions and limitations. I think it was the wrong decision at that time,” Dyke said. “This council should, over the next few years, update this policy again. This is my opinion.”

Dyke outlined how the Town approached the provincial government in recent years for a cost-sharing grant that was obtained exclusively to protect the water main of Maddox Cove and not upgrade the Motion Bay Road Extension to Town standards.

“There’s nowhere in the provincial government grant that states, that I’m aware of, that Motion Bay Road Extension was to be brought up to Town standards, to the best of my knowledge,” said the mayor.

Dyke said the Town paid an additional $6,000 to get the road extension up to its current standard by adding crushed stone.

The motion also outlined how applicants must submit a drainage plan signed by a qualified engineer, receive approval from the appropriate provincial authority for all on-site sewage and disposal systems, and that any future upgrades or improvements to the Motion Bay Road Extension may be funded through a Local Improvement Fee and subject to the adoption of a formal council bylaw.

CBS hires architect for new depot, fire hall

By Craig Westcott

The Town of CBS has hired Fougere Menchenton Architecture to come up with concept plans for a new public works depot, likely to be situated in Kelligrews, and a new fire station to replace the one in Topsail.

The of St. John's based firm will be paid $70,000 to come up with the plans.

Ward 4 councillor Melissa Hardy, who made the motion to hire the architects, said given the Town has a number of facilities that need replacement and there are funding opportunities from other levels of government coming up, it's a good idea to get the concept plans in place.

"Absolutely," said Mayor Darrin Bent. "Station 2 (in Topsail) and the depot are in desperate need of replacement and hopefully we'll get there. Of course, we'll need help from our friends with the Province and the federal government and anybody else who can help."

Councillor-at-Large Rex Hillier agreed. 

"These are two projects that have been on our books for – I won't say decades, but certainly for a number of years," Hillier said. "It's really great to see us taking this first step to move forward with putting those much-needed facilities here in the town."

Paradise business told to hold fire on seagull cannon

By Mark Squibb

A Paradise business is seeking approval to set off loud, controlled bangs upwards of 20 times a day to scare off seagulls which have allegedly been diving at employees and making a mess of the property, but council is hesitant to approve the application, citing the potential impact on neighbours.

Councillor Sheldon Antle, during council’s March 31 committee of the whole meeting, brought attention to the application from Superior Pipe, located at 1345 Topsail Road, which wants to use propane cannons that produce loud, timed blasts to scare away pests. The blasts are between 110 and 120 decibels loud.

Antle said aggressive seagulls are diving at employees during nesting season, and the business has had to spend a considerable amount to clean up bird droppings, in addition to $10,000 on non-lethal deterrence, both visual and auditory, which have had little effect.

The business has contracted Rentokil-Terminix to alleviate the problem, and the pest control company has recommended the use of cannons.

“Propane cannons are designed for safe, controlled outdoor use and are commonly utilized in industrial and agricultural settings,” noted Antle. “When operated in accordance with manufacturing guidelines, these systems present minimal risks while delivering effective results.”

If approved, the application would be good up until September. To start, the cannons would be fired 20 times a day between 10 a.m. and 5 p.m.

Should the application be approved, the company would notify neighbouring businesses and alert the community at large via social media.

The recommendation of staff was to approve the use of the cannons. Councillors, however, were not so sure.

Antle allowed that while the cannons are approved for use in industrial settings and while he understood the predicament the business was in, the noise volume of a cannon, which he described as a “muted thunderclap,” or shotgun blast, was a cause for concern.

“My issue is Elizabeth Park,” said Antle. “The proximity to Elizabeth Park is very concerning to me. Even limiting the time and use and position of the cannon, I feel residents in Elizabeth Park would be very sensitive to 20 muted thunderclaps throughout the run of a day.”

He said the cannons are in use at Robin Hood Bay, and to great effect.

The councillor also noted that should council grant approval for the use of the cannons, that approval can be revoked if necessary.

Councillor Glen Carew echoed similar concerns.

“One hundred and twenty decibels is pretty loud,” said Carew. “I have a bit of experience as a musician and audio engineer. If you’ve gone to a concert anywhere locally, outside, the requirement is 100 decibels at 100 feet…. And if you’ve been at a concert, you know it’s pretty loud.”

The councillor asked if the permit, if approved, could be revoked immediately should the need arise.

Antle said it could.

Councillor Erin Furlong also expressed concern, given the proximity of neighbouring homes and businesses.

“These cannons, as far as I can tell, are used in industrial and agricultural areas, more so than anywhere else,” said Furlong. “I don’t know if I would consider where this is as an industrial area. So, I’d like to keep that in mind as well. I think about the residents, and their right to live peacefully. I also have the same concerns I had when we were talking about fireworks recently, which is individuals who are not neurotypical, individuals with autism or dementia living in the area, and how it will impact those individuals.”

Furlong asked if there was any information available on how pets and other wildlife might be impacted.

Antle said staff would have to do a little more digging on the potential impact on other animals.

Furlong then asked whether Rentokil-Terminix had determined the root cause of the problem of the seagull infestation, suggesting that otherwise the propane cannons may simply serve as a Band-Aid.

Antle said seagulls have been nesting in the areas for years, and it may be difficult to root them out altogether.

Councillor Tommy Maher pointed out the town’s one and only motel, Crossroads Inn &Suites, is just a few roads over.

“I really think it’s going to be a nuisance noise, for not only residents and businesses, but the general area of Elizabeth Park and St. Anne’s Park,” said Maher.

The councillor said he would like to know the decibel levels of the cannons used at the Robin Hood Bay Landfill, which he described as a massive bang, and compare the two.

The Shoreline paid a visit to the property last Tuesday, and at least three seagulls flew overhead in the space of just a few minutes. A representative of the company said it would not be commenting on the issue.

Rather than move the application to the next public meeting for a vote, council agreed that staff would gather more information.

Deputy Mayor Kimberley Street, meanwhile, declared a potential conflict of interest, as her brother-in-law works for the business in question.

No word on Paradise No Frills rumour

By Mark Squibb

The word on the street is that the new structure going up alongside Paradise Plaza near Octagon Pond is a No Frills supermarket, but no in any official capacity is willing to confirm that.

A staff person with the Town of Paradise would only say that approval has been granted for a commercial retail store, adding the Town is not permitted to identify a specific business being developed.

A spokesperson for the No Frills parent company, Loblaws, asked that The Shoreline “reach back out to us in a few months for confirmed details.”

Neither Russell nor Lee Hamlyn, who own the Cedar Plaza No Frills supermarket, which is about a ten-minute drive from the new structure, responded to several requests for comment.

Paradise inks new janitorial contract

By Mark Squibb

Beginning this month, it’s going to cost the Town of Paradise more to keep its facilities clean.

Back in 2023, council had awarded the 2023-2024 cleaning contract to Kellaway Construction in the amount of $421,038, HST included. The contract was renewed for 2025, but late last year the company notified the Town that it would not be renewing the contract this year.

That contract officially ended on February 7, and as a new tender had not been issued until December 15, council agreed to keep paying Kelloway for cleaning services on a week-by-week basis at a cost of $14,375, HST included, per week, until the tenders could be reviewed and a new contract inked.

All told, Paradise received seven bids for the new one-year contract, ranging from $239,760 to $571,831, HST excluded. Staff recommended that council award the contract to the lowest qualifying bidder, The Cleaning Company, in the amount of $478,584, HST included. The lowest dollar value bid did not qualify.

In order to expedite the approval process, as the Town was paying for cleaning services on a week-by-week basis, council awarded the contract during its February 17 committee meeting rather than wait until the February 24 public meeting.

All told, Paradise will pay $57,556 more this year for janitorial services at Town-owned buildings.

Council will be able to renew the contract for two additional one-year periods – should both parties be agreeable to the extensions.

The average bid amount in 2023 was $592,562. That actually decreased to $553,312 in 2026. In both years, the Town received seven bids.

CBS asking for $2.5 million roadwork money

By Mark Squibb

The Town of Conception Bay South this March submitted an application to the provincial government asking for $2.5 million in federal money for 2026 street upgrades.

A list of streets which will receive work has not yet been released.

Council also voted to close the Lawrence Pond Road upgrades project with a remaining balance of $194.47. That balance will be carried over for use on future projects.

“Looking at that $194.47, that’s not a bad job of estimates on a multi-million project, so kudos to our staff,” said councillor-at-large Rex Hillier.

Funding for municipal capital works is earmarked under an alphabet soup of provincial and federal nomenclature. The provincial program that the Town applied to is called the Capital Investment Plan. Some of the money for the Capital Investment Plan actually comes from the federal Canada Community-Building Fund. As with other municipalities, the funding that ultimately flows to the Town is usually a mixture of federal and provincial funds, with CBS itself on the book for a smaller portion of the total cost.

Paradise holds the line on line painting costs

By Mark Squibb

While the cost of everything seems to have gone up, the cost of line painting will hold steady, at least for now, in the Town of Paradise.

Last year, council awarded the 2025 line painting contract to Modern Paving. The contract included an option to renew the agreement for an additional year at the same price per unit, should the Town and company be agreeable.

The contract was initially inked in the amount of $210,950, plus HST. Additional areas requiring line markings were added throughout 2025, increasing the contract total to $238,609, plus HST, for a total contract value of $274,400, HST included.

The contract will be renewed for 2026 in that same amount, comfortably within budget of the $300,000 council had earmarked for line painting in 2026.

Councillor Glen Carew said he was very happy with the work done so far, but wondered whether council shouldn’t retender the contract given the additional work that was added to the project.

Councillor Erin Furlong said the reason the contract would not need to be retendered is that the unit rate remains the same, despite the scope of work increasing.

“It’s only the quantities that are changing, so therefore the total value will only change due to the quantities, and not the actual rate,” explained Furlong. “And the tender and the contract was developed with this expectation in mind.”

Beginning in the spring, roadways and parking lots at Town facilities receive three applications of paint during the year.

Holyrood making process on big ticket projects

By Mark Squibb

Infrastructure lead councillor Steve Winsor provided updates earlier this year on a number of big projects Holyrood council is managing this year.

Among them, the town has hired Greatario Engineering Storage Systems to complete a geotechnical assessment to determine the foundation design necessary for a new water tank.

“As you can imagine, a full tank of water is very heavy, and we want to protect that investment for the long term,” said Winsor. “So, that contract is drafted and we’ve secured funding from gas tax to cover those costs. Once they complete that design we’ll begin actual installation. Now, the cost of the project, overall, as you’re probably imagining, has increased, especially the tank and the installation. But the Town is working very hard for funding mechanisms to complete the project as originally planned with a minimal impact to taxpayers in Holyrood.”

Civil work near George Cove Mountain was completed back in 2024 in anticipation of the new 500,000-gallon water tank.

Work is also ongoing to secure an emergency water supply, which council hopes will reduce the number of water bans implemented during the dry season.

“A lot of work has been done in this area,” said Winsor. “We’ve studied it and engaged multiple engineering consultants. Currently, we’re investigating another well as an option for another water source without mixing surface water, which would complicate matters and lead to dramatically higher costs.”

Winsor said engineering consultant CBCL, which specializes in water sources, has conducted a well test on Tank Road, which is near the water tank. That nearness should, he added, result in cost savings. Council should have a complete report within the next couple of weeks.

Meanwhile, work on the replacement of the old septic system responsible for an off-putting odour around town is progressing, though slowly.

“Replacing that is going to be a lot more complicated than we had expected, and it’s going to be more expensive than expected,” said Winsor. “Schedule wise, what’s driving a lot of that is the environmental regulations.”

Winsor said the wait for environmental approvals is not a problem limited to Holyrood.

“As I understand it, the Province is having a hard time approving environmental permits in a timely fashion across the province,” said Winsor. “It’s not just Holyrood.”

Council is also seeking funding for a new outfall with a larger capacity.

“It’s a long time coming, but it’s so important to get it done right,” said Winsor. “We got the right players involved and, I must say I was impressed with the engineering design consultant (Innovative Engineering). A little bit of an adlib here now, but they’ve done their homework. The lead engineer has done an excellent job.”

Mayor Laura Crawley and councillor Charlotte Story also praised the engineers at Innovative.

“It is a very complicated process, and it is a very old system,” said Crawley. “I think we’re more behind than we even thought going into it. So, it’s going to take a little bit more effort than we originally thought. But it’s working.”

Plans for a new community centre, which was first approved in 2023, are also ongoing.

Winsor said council would be meeting soon with the consultant and following council’s review of the initial concept, residents will be able to provide feedback as well.

“Once we have a set design and a design freeze in place, we’ll begin the process of securing funding and hopefully get started in 2027 with an actual build,” said Winsor.

Council accepted $908,000 in government funding back in 2024 to help offset the construction cost.

CBN Joint Council concerned about NL Health Services’ plan to make patients go digital

By Olivia Bradbury, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Joint Council of Conception Bay North has some reservations about CorCare, the new health information system that NL Health Services will make public on April 25.

Joint Council members raised their concerns following a presentation by Fraser Fry and Steven Lockyer, two senior officials with NL Health Services.

The pair told the Joint Council that the health information system the Province has been using is outdated, having been implemented in 1982. CorCare will replace 150 legacy systems, integrating health information into one system. Fry and Lockyer said CorCare will enhance how healthcare is delivered, ease workflows for doctors and staff, and make personal health records more accessible.

“CorCare enables real-time, up-to-date health information across sites, geographics, and providers,” said Lockyer.

No matter where people live in the province, their health records will always be live and current.

“Our new system is patient-focused,” said Fry. “Anything we do within our healthcare system, we certainly have a patient-centred approach to delivering services.”

He added CorCare will have connections for family doctors and nurse practitioners.

CorCare has three parts, they explained: Hyperspace, the full version of the program that will be used in hospitals; CorCare Link, a web portal that allows clinicians to easily enter the system and track the progress of referrals in real time; and MyChart, the patient portal through which personal health records can be accessed.

Carbonear Deputy Mayor Fred Earle asked if the new system will require doctors who use physical records to switch to digital.

Lockyer said doctors will still be able to use physical records in their personal practices, but will be asked to use the CorCare Link web portal when interacting with NL Health Services.

As for the MyChart patient portal, Lockyer said, it will not just allow people to see their medical history and updates, but also that of their dependents.

“That’s what will transform and really enable patients to take charge of their own healthcare,” Lockyer said.

People will also be able to use MyChart to book appointments and compare the wait times at different hospitals.

Harbour Grace councillor Christina Hearn expressed worry that less tech-savvy people may have difficulty using CorCare.

Lockyer said they are doing a media campaign about the new system, and are looking to work with town councils and other groups to help people learn how to use it.

NL Health Services would also like to partner with libraries throughout the province as they offer computer access to the public and have staff who can help visitors go online.

There will also be a phoneline that people can call for help when using CorCare.

Spaniard’s Bay Mayor Tammy Oliver shared an anecdote about her daughter, who is a nurse. During a course on how to use CorCare, Oliver’s daughter witnessed an older nurse walk out in frustration and say she was done.

“We don’t want to lose any doctors or nurses over this for any reason whatsoever,” said Oliver.

“Sometimes change is difficult,” said Lockyer. “And we anticipate the road to be bumpy, we truly do. And that’s why we’ve got an enormous support.” He said that, in addition to the support phoneline, there is in-person and peer support

Concerns were also raised about sensitive health information, such as cancer diagnoses, being delivered through the system rather than in-person. Through CorCare, patients will have access to any information their doctor chooses to make available. Lockyer says there is an option for doctor’s to hide information on the system until they can speak to their patient in person. It will be up to individual healthcare providers to decide to share information in person or online.