Victor Boudreau’s campground opponents hope to enlist David Coon

Opponents of a 700-site campground in Pointe-du-Chêne, near Shediac, say they're energized by the election of a Green Party candidate to the legislature.

Their current MLA, Liberal Victor Boudreau, is a partner in the project and was re-elected Monday night in the Shediac-Beaubassin-Cap-Pelé riding with 5,496 votes, according to the unofficial results.

​Green Party Leader David Coon won the hotly contested riding of Fredericton South, giving his party its first-ever seat in the New Brunswick Legislature.

"Well, we were certainly excited to hear that he had won a seat," said Tim Borlaise, who lives in Pointe-du-Chêne and has been leading the fight against the campground.

Borlaise contends the proposed campground site is zoned environmental, but the Town of Shediac wants to rezone it for the development.

"Certainly we're going to be contacting Mr. Coon, and the Green Party candidates in our area were very supportive of our position as well, so we're hopefully going to be able to at least ask them to get him involved," he said.

Another opponent of the campground, Marie-Paul Martin, says they will also be watching to see whether Boudreau, a former cabinet minister, is given a portfolio.

If Boudreau is named to cabinet, he will have to put his assets in a blind trust, she said, adding she's not sure his partners would be able to keep the project going without him.

"He's out of the game and the rest of them, I don't think they are ready to undertake such an elaborate project."

Boudreau could not be reached for comment.

Plans before court in December

The proposed campground, which would become the largest campground in the region, would be located on the wooded land between Parlee Beach Provincial Park and the road to Pointe-du-Chêne.

It was approved by Shediac town council in April, but an old lease signed by the Anglican Parish of Shediac may cause problems for the project.

Boudreau and his partners want to lease land from the parish, but the parish rented land to the owner of Oceanic Campground in 2007 and that agreement includes a non-competition clause.

Under the deal, the parish will not allow another campground to start up adjacent to Oceanic Campground, unless the owner provides consent.

The parish is asking a judge to rule on the wording of the agreement and what is meant by another campground adjacent to Oceanic Campground.

The court case is scheduled for December.