Mulgrave mayor calls for fairer treatment from N.S. government

The mayor of the Town of Mulgrave, N.S., is upset with the provincial government over municipal infrastructure funding.

Ralph Hadley says it's not fair that Cape Breton Regional Municipality is getting extra funding from the province, while Mulgrave is not.
 
"All I'm asking is them to be playing fair ball," he said. "It's not fair to judge one community over another."

Hadley said Mulgrave agreed to pay $1.9 million toward a new $7.4-million sewage treatment plant, even though taxpayers cannot afford it. He said the town would have to borrow to cover its share, which is equal to Mulgrave's entire annual operating budget. Hadley said they had no choice because of the federal regulations on wastewater treatment.

In March, the province unexpectedly announced it would pick up CBRM's $26-million share for new treatment plants in Glace Bay and Port Morien. Hadley said that is only a portion of CBRM's roughly $150-million annual budget.

At the time, the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal said the new funding for CBRM was not related to the COVID-19 pandemic. It said the funding was intended to allow CBRM to redirect its own funding to other infrastructure needs.

Hadley said that's not right. He said he spoke with Transportation Minister Lloyd Hines, who represents the Mulgrave area in the legislature, and was told to take his concerns to Municipal Affairs Minister Chuck Porter.

He has since written to both ministers requesting a meeting, but has not received a response.

"This is what causes problems with one municipality over another, by giving treatment different to one over another," Hadley said.

"It's not fair. We fall on the short end all the time."

Facing financial difficulties, Mulgrave explored amalgamation with the Municipality of the District of Guysborough in 2017, but that deal fell apart when Guysborough said it would cost too much and the province wouldn't cover the full amount.

Hadley said making the town pay for infrastructure while covering CBRM's costs seems to be a way for the provincial government to force Mulgrave's hand.

"You read between the lines, I think that the province is looking to bankrupt us and force us to go into amalgamation with somebody," he said.

Province responds

When asked about the difference in funding between municipalities, the Department of Transportation left the response to Municipal Affairs.

In an email, spokesperson Krista Higdon said that the situation for each municipality is unique.

She also said the decision to amalgamate is left up to municipalities.

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