Little Bay Islands residents to relocate by Dec. 31
Services in Notre Dame Bay outport to cease shortly after relocation
All of the permanent residents of Little Bay Islands eligible for relocation have signed agreements for financial relocation assistance.
In a news release Thursday, the provincial government said it is finalizing legal documents to advance financial assistance for residents of Little Bay Islands.
Residents in the isolated Notre Dame Bay outport, with a population of 54, voted unanimously to resettle in February 2019, after years of previous failed attempts and deep fractures in the formerly close-knit community.
In April, the Liberal government approved $8.7 million to move residents elsewhere in the province.
In that deal, single people will receive $250,000, while families can receive up to $270,000.
The province anticipates the relocation will result in $20 million in savings over 20 years.
According to government, the town has chosen a relocation date of Dec. 31, 2019, and all services will stop shortly after that date.
Watch this archival video on the history of resettlement in Newfoundland.
