Will Canso miss Keltic boat?
Businessman pushes for amalgamation at council meeting
CANSO - "When 10 people tell you you're drunk, you're drunk." This was the analogy Canso businessman Ken Fletcher used to tell town council that Canso's problems are deep and long-term, and it's time to revisit the issue of amalgamation with the District of Guysborough.
"Canso has a problem that we don't want to believe," he continued. Fletcher addressed council during the public questions session following their regular meeting Monday night. "It's time to get Guysborough back to the table and let's make a deal."
Fletcher spoke about the heavy burden of increasing residential and commercial taxes in Canso, and the prospect of the town not reaping any benefits from the proposed $4.5 billion Keltic project in Goldboro.
No one on council is saying that amalgamation is out of the question. Mayor Ray White responded to Fletcher's comments by saying council plans to sit down together after the summer and look at what they've been able to do in terms of provision of services in the town. He said things like the necessary upgrading of the town's water treatment plant will be challenging to accomplish.
White said council is doing what it said it would do: trying to get the town on more stable financial footing and see if it can continue to operate as an independent town. This coming fall, council will take a hard look at whether that's working.
"Guysborough municipality is going to ride a train that we need to be part of," said Fletcher, who owns and operates the Canso Trading Post. "Anybody who doesn't see that needs glasses…This town has to become part of the municipality, and the sooner the better.
"Goldboro is going to fly," added Fletcher. "It's definitely on track."
Mayor White predicted that Guysborough will not be the biggest winner if the Keltic project becomes a reality. "Probably the biggest beneficiary of Keltic will be Antigonish, when they build the road to there," he said.
Councillor Finn Armsworthy agreed with Fletcher that the town has to change. "We have to look at changes in this community," he said. "The time has come."
One resident reminded those in attendance that a plebiscite was held last year in which 82 per cent of residents voted in favour of remaining a town.
Councillor Buzz Lumsden agreed that if current efforts aren't successful, an alternative will have to be considered. "I realize we have to reach a point that if we can't bring in the revenue to do the business of council, then we would go back to the public and advise them to take another route."
But Lumsden pointed out that amalgamation wouldn't mean the end of Canso's financial woes, saying residents would still have to pay an area rate for services specific to the community.
Fletcher said he was frustrated that some of the arguments brought into the amalgamation debate last year weren't relevant to the issue and scared some people into voting for the status quo. He said these included talk of losing the hospital and schools if Canso were to amalgamate with the District of Guysborough, while these services are not municipal responsibilities. Both sides, however, agreed that it was not council putting forth such arguments.
Fletcher added that the people of Canso shouldn't be afraid of District of Guysborough councillors not looking after their interests if amalgamation took place.
"When you've got the likes of Myles MacPherson sitting on (Guysborough) council, one of the nicest guys you're ever going to meet…If he could do anything for the Town of Canso, he'd do it."
Fletcher also praised Guysborough's decision to establish a second-generation landfill site in the district, something he says other municipalities in the province are regretting not doing. He urged council and residents to take the emotion out of any future discussion on amalgamation.
"Let's just shed a little of the emotion," he advised. "The Town of Canso will always be home to people who grew up here and people who decided to make it home. But we can't go broke doing it."
