• About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
Monday, January 25, 2021
No Result
View All Result
The Brief
NB MEDIA CO-OP
Share a story
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Arts & Culture
  • Videos
  • COVID-19
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Gender
  • Politics
  • Arts & Culture
  • Videos
  • COVID-19
No Result
View All Result
NB MEDIA CO-OP
No Result
View All Result
Home New Brunswick

Moncton High court case goes ahead, Province admits it is wrong to impose school locations on municipalities

by Moncton Free Press Staff
June 27, 2012
2 min read
alisonmenard

alisonmenardMoncton – The backroom deal voted on by Moncton city council Monday afternoon demonstrates that even the Alward government itself believes that it is wrong to arbitrarily impose school locations on municipalities, as has been the case with the relocation of Moncton High School. Those decisions leave municipalities having to cover short and long term expenses that leave the province off the hook for the true costs of its decisions.

According to details provided at the council meeting, the province has promised the city that it will amend what it believes is an exemption from having to follow municipal zoning laws and follow the city’s municipal plan. The question of the legality of this behavior is core to the lawsuit that has been filed against the province over the relocation of Moncton High School.

“The province is essentially saying: We know it’s wrong – let us do it one more time, and then we’ll stop,” says Alison Ménard, the lawyer representing the Moncton-area citizens participating in the case. “But it is not up to the province or city council to determine whether this is legal. It is up to the courts. Our case will show that, because the proposed location lacks proper zoning and it is contrary to the municipal plan, the province is acting in violation of the Community Planning Act.”

The majority of the councillors at Monday’s vote again expressed dissatisfaction with the school location, with three voting against the deal. Most who explained their votes in favour of the province’s offer said they were concerned that the province would go ahead and build anyway, leaving the city to cover all infrastructure costs.

“Some councillors are evidently more concerned about covering the short term infrastructure costs than building a strong community for the future,” says Mark LeBlanc, one of the citizens participating in the lawsuit. “Chasing after money to help pay for infrastructure the city would not need without the school relocation is the definition of false economy. And it certainly does not change any of the negative impacts that relocating the school will have.”

Ménard expects to have a court date set by the Court of Queen’s Bench soon, and notes that if the court finds in her clients’ favour then the province will be forced to halt all work on the proposed school relocation.

“The Alward government claims to be the party of fiscal responsibility, yet we are now in a situation where they are trying to bribe us with our own money,” says LeBlanc of the offer to the city of Moncton. “But the real costs are going to be felt by generations of area families and taxpayers, if we are forced to deal with this terrible decision. It is the families and young people of the Moncton area, today and in the future, who are ultimately going to suffer if this relocation goes through.”

This article was originally published in the Moncton Free Press.

ShareTweetSend

Related Posts

New Brunswick’s “alt-right” history is anything but new
*Opinion*

New Brunswick’s “alt-right” history is anything but new

January 23, 2021

A recent CBC news article noted that there has been a rise in “alt-right” activity in New Brunswick in recent...

Did the RCMP attend a university book launch to stop a crime?
Economy

Did the RCMP attend a university book launch to stop a crime?

January 22, 2021

It was not your typical book launch. Now, a formal information request of the RCMP has revealed that police intended...

UN treaty banning nuclear weapons comes into force today without Canada’s support
*Opinion*

UN treaty banning nuclear weapons comes into force today without Canada’s support

January 22, 2021

The movement to abolish nuclear weapons has been around for a long time, taking a torturous path through highs and...

Social justice organizations and CUPE denounce Minister’s letter to the Energy and Utilities Board supporting Irving Oil’s fuel price hike
*Opinion*

Social justice organizations and CUPE denounce Minister’s letter to the Energy and Utilities Board supporting Irving Oil’s fuel price hike

January 21, 2021

Social justice organizations and CUPE New Brunswick are reacting to news that Natural Resources and Energy Development Minister Mike Holland...

Load More

Recommended

occupymoncton

Occupy Moncton: direct democracy in our province

9 years ago
Wolastoq Grand Council takes province to court to protect Mount Carleton

Wolastoq Grand Council takes province to court to protect Mount Carleton

1 year ago

New Brunswick: A banana republic*?

10 years ago

Rendez-vous de l’ONF en Acadie

8 years ago
NB Media Co-op

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Navigate Site

  • About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • Calendar
  • Archives

Follow Us

No Result
View All Result
  • About
  • Join/Donate
  • Contact
  • Share a Story
  • COVID-19
  • Videos
  • New Brunswick
  • Canada
  • World
  • Arts & Culture
  • Environment
  • Indigenous
  • Labour
  • Politics
  • Rural

© 2019 NB Media Co-op. All rights reserved.

Login to your account below

Forgotten Password?

Fill the forms bellow to register

All fields are required. Log In

Retrieve your password

Please enter your username or email address to reset your password.

Log In