Economy: New community college campus being studied as way to help Dalhousie cope

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BILL CLARKE
the tribune

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DALHOUSIE - Donald Arseneault, Dalhousie-Restigouche East MLA and Minister of Post-Secondary Education, Training and Labour, admits that the sale of NB Power and closure of the thermal generating station here could cost him his seat in the next provincial election, but he says that it is the best thing for the province and that he's working to find ways to solve Dalhousie's problems.

In a telephone interview on Monday, Arseneault was asked about a press release issued by the town in which it was stated that the mayor was ready to "turn over the keys" if the province doesn't find ways to get Dalhousie through the present problems.

"I think the mayor is just like anybody else in the community," he said. "I think there was a state of shock and after conversations with the mayor. The message that I've seen over the weekend was, we're just going to roll up our sleeves and work that much harder to get through this. That's the way I see it as well."

Arseneault said that he and the government would certainly work with the council to find solutions. He said that there are short-term goals along with some medium- and long-term ones.

"The biggest priority for the town and council right now is to address the financial challenge, with regard to their budget," Arseneault said. "They're looking at a major increase in property taxes. I don't want that to happen."

He said that he was setting up a meeting to discuss the matter this week. It would include the mayor and town administrator, "a councillor or two," and government officials. He said that they want to find ways to make up the lost revenue for the town until new construction is completed and the tax base again increases.

The town has seen its tax base shrink since a paper mill and a chemical plant closed.

The loss of the power plant will remove the last large industrial employer and remove another $1.6 million from Dalhousie's tax revenue.

Although there are projects underway that will help restore that tax base, it will be more than a year before a major one is completed. That's a $16 million jail due to open in 2011.

"There's a gap there," Arseneault said. "We have to make sure government is there for the community and make sure that there's no crazy increases in the property taxes."

At the same time, he did say that the town needs to be more efficient with its operational budget, but "the government will assist in a creative way to reduce that (increase) to the minimum for the public."

Arseneault spoke briefly about two other projects. One is to construct a new nursing home. He placed the value at more than $30 million.

He said that the current nursing home is inadequate and no longer meets standards.

He explained that there is a need for this infrastructure since Dalhousie and Eel River Crossing have the highest percentage of seniors in the province.

Another is a new Anglophone community college. Arseneault said that he had mentioned this to the Premier and was told, "You're the minister responsible. You present me a plan."

Arseneault said that he had ordered his deputy minister to start hiring a firm to do a feasibility study. He said that, since there is no English community college north of Miramichi and Woodstock, he believes he can demonstrate a case for the college.

"It's a project I believe will be well received," he said.

Arseneault also spoke about a project that would create a number of non-clinical health services jobs in the area. Although he did not elaborate, other sources indicate that they would be located in Eel River Crossing, probably in the school building there. That building will be surplus once a new regional Francophone school opens in Balmoral.

Arseneault was also asked about a container port project proposed by the Port of Dalhousie. He said that he was aware of it and that they would probably need some infrastructure money. The government would probably have to be involved.

Arseneault said that some people have been telling him that he should resign or cross the floor.

Arseneault said that even without the sale to Hydro Quebec, NB Power would have to make decisions about the Dalhousie plant. He said that once the current contract that makes oil available at around $20 a barrel expires, and the plant needing an expensive refit to use a different fuel, it simply is not feasible to keep it going.

He said that there might be opportunities to put the building to other uses and that the government would be contacting possible users.

Arseneault also spoke about turning the AbitibiBowater property into a tax-free zone. Although he did not elaborate, he did say that this along with cheap power after the sale is complete could attract smaller industrial operators. This, of course, would require the demolition of the present mill.

Arseneault said that there had always been the possibility that the government might buy the property. One drawback was concern about environmental liability. It is still a possibility.

"Is that really going to help the community?" he asked. "It might make me a little bit more popular in my home town, but at the end of the day, I can't work on a community college or a nursing home or non-clinical services (if I'm not in government)."

He said that his "job until the next election is to provide as many economic opportunities for my community as I can."