Little Bay Islands to vote on resettlement

Residents of Little Bay Islands, a community of just a few dozen residents on the north coast of Newfoundland, will soon receive a ballot to vote on resettlement.

Ninety per cent of the community, which has fewer than 100 people, showed interest in relocation when the Newfoundland and Labrador government increased the payout to households up to $270,000.

A spokesperson from the Department of Municipal Affairs said Monday that "Little Bay Islands has passed the cost benefit analysis," and that residents will soon vote. 

The department will mail out ballots to each resident who is of voting age.

Residents will have a month to complete the ballot and submit it back to the department.

"Once the ballots are counted, if they reach the 90 per cent threshold, the provincial government will then consider the community's request for relocation financial assistance," the spokesperson said.

The province's relocation program offers remote towns the chance to relocate if the cost to move the permanent residents is the same or less than the cost to keep the town running for the next 20 years.