Richmond County may appeal UARB downsizing decision

Richmond County council in Cape Breton is mulling over whether to fight a ruling by the province's Utility and Review Board that would reduce its size from 10 councillors to five. 

Councils are required to periodically re-examine their population and representation and propose adjustments to the review board.

The municipality hired the Halifax firm, Stantec Consulting Ltd., to conduct that review.

Despite a recommendation by Stantec that council be reduced to either seven or five members, the majority of councillors elected to recommend maintaining the status quo.

It suggested a review at a later date, if necessary.

But the review board didn't agree with this. In its 44-page decision, the UARB said council offered no "adequate justification" for its proposal.

The board wants councils to maintain parity between districts, so that no district has 10 per cent more or fewer residents than another.

It said some of Richmond's districts had too many constituents while others didn't have enough to fall within the variance.

Warden Victor David said council is now investigating whether the UARB's decision can be challenged.

"There's no way that the population of Richmond County dropped by that much," he said. "I realize that the decision was made, probably, on voter parity."

David said council probably should have considered adjusting its district boundaries rather than asking to keep things exactly as they are.

But he said there is a large Acadian community in the county, as well as a Mi'kmaq community, both of which need to be represented.

Council will discuss a possible appeal at its regular meeting Monday.