July 28 meeting also passes motion that will see no early ice at the rink this year
Astuwicuwon Wind Power transmission connection
Representatives from NB Power attended the council meeting and addressed the municipality about the Astuwicuwon Wind Power project.
Phil Landry, Acting Vice-President of Operations for NB Power, advised that the Crown corporation is responsible for providing the connection between the wind farm and the Beechwood power terminal, which will require new transmission line routing.
The current recommendation for the transmission line is a route of approximately 15 km, requiring 91 structures and costing approximately $9.3 million.
When choosing the route, Landry said that NB Power “looks at maximizing crown land [usage], minimizing the use of private land… and to avoid as much as possible homes and recreational lands.”
It will also try to keep the lines as straight as possible while also following existing property lines, so they are not “bisecting customers’ property.”
The proposed route will be built primarily on agricultural land, and Landry told the council that NB Power is having discussions with the landowners to “discuss their unique needs and requirements” and that they are “committed to respectful engagement and fair compensation.” The goal is to “find a solution that works for everyone.”
The NB Power presentation, including a map of the proposed route, can be viewed in full here.
Proposed facilities for new k-8 school
Brian McCain, a member of the k-8 School Fundraising Committee for the new District of Carleton North school, presented to the council, proposing to transfer ownership of the school facilities to the municipality to construct not just a school but a community hub.
McCain said that, as an employee of McCain Foods, one of the challenges they face in recruitment is that people are disappointed with the local schools and facilities.
“They choose not to move here because we have a bunch of 60-70 year old buildings that don’t necessarily look like world class education and we want to change that,” said McCain.
He added that the district has a “once in a lifetime opportunity” to do something transformative in the community and create the best k-8 school in the Province.
McCain explained that the committee has been meeting with community members, school leaders, project members, and government officials to discuss expanding the typical school facilities to create a “community hub.”
McCain said that they envision three pillars:
- Enhanced Recreation: Instead of building the “standard grass soccer field,” they propose creating an astroturf field with a full track-and-field facility, including a rubberized track.
- Playgrounds: McCain said that the government standard is to offer $80,000 towards the development of a playground for new schools. All costs above that have to be fundraised and built on their own. He noted that it costs significantly more than $80,000 to build an adequate playground for a school with 650 students.
- Agricultural Learning Centre: “We’re an agricultural community,” said McCain, who shared that they envision creating an agricultural learning centre which could potentially include a community-run mini-farm with greenhouse space.
McCain stressed that his committee wants these to be community assets that can benefit everyone, not just students. He noted that so far they have the support of both the Department of Transportation and the Minister of Education, who have promised to help “remove any roadblocks” they may face with the project.
As of today, McCain said they are seeking an agreement in principle that the District of Carleton North is willing to consider the assumption of ownership of these facilities.
“We’re not asking the town to pay for the whole thing,” said McCain. “We are prepared to fundraise,” noting that he felt they would be able to raise a significant amount of money.
Council members were fully supportive of the idea. Deputy Mayor Karen Hargrove said she felt it would be “great” for local students to experience such modern facilities.
“Carleton North High School has an impressive track and field team, and yet they don’t even have a track.” She noted it would also be a great asset for the community to have access to the facilities.
Mayor Andrew Harvey also expressed full support.
“I agree with all of it,” said Harvey. “This [new] school is going to be a centerpiece in the community. I agree 100 per cent that we should move forward.”
Council formally agreed, in principle, to move forward with preparing a letter of support for the initiative.
Request for early ice denied
A letter was received from Joël and Mélanie Bellefleur, requesting that the Northern Carleton Civic Centre be opened ideally by Sept. 1, noting “strong community interest in earlier ice access.”
CAO Amy McIntosh advised that preparations would have to begin immediately to have the ice ready for Sept. 1, and that they already have other user groups booked to use the arena during August.
To prepare the ice, they would have to relocate those user groups or cancel their bookings entirely. It would also require adjusting maintenance crew schedules and incur significant extra costs.
Based on 2025 power bills, Councillor Scott Oakes shared that costs jumped from approximately $10,000 to as high as $29,000 after the ice was in place, due to additional cooling costs.
Due to increased costs, existing bookings, and staff scheduling, the council decided against allowing early ice for 2026. However, they did agree to discuss it as a possibility for 2027.
Fetal Alcohol Syndrome Awareness Day
Council received a letter from NB FASD Centre of Excellence, which shared that “Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorder is a lifelong neurodevelopmental disability caused by prenatal alcohol exposure, affecting over 1.6 million Canadians -more than Down Syndrome, Cerebral Palsy, Tourette’s Syndrome, and Autism combined. Individuals with FASD may experience challenges with learning, memory, attention, emotional regulation, and social skills, requiring ongoing support in education, employment, and healthcare.”
In an effort to raise awareness, they are asking municipalities to light municipal landmarks in red as a show of support.
The council agreed to light the DCN Town Office, the Andrew & Laura McCain Public Library, and the Bath Municipal Office in red on Sept. 9, in support of FASD Awareness Day.
Councillors also moved to do this annually going forward.
