Housing, healthcare, and economic stagnation challenges face next Southern Victoria council
This is the first of six municipal profiles leading up to the May 11 election. Watch for candidate questionnaires that will follow each community’s analysis.
The new municipal council selected to govern Southern Victoria on May 11 has advantages over other New Brunswick communities – the Perth-Andover Electric Light Commission, its own electric utility, long-standing debt-free policies and a core of essential government services. But two former mayors say the new council will face big challenges in tackling the shortage of healthcare professionals, housing concerns, and stagnant local business growth.
Former mayor Marianne Bell, who served from 2016 to 2022 as Perth-Andover’s municipal leader, helped the community navigate municipal reform transition, adding the nearby village of Aroostook and parts of the local service districts of Perth and Andover to the new entity. Southern Victoria now represents about 3,000 residents with a service area of 6,500 people.
“We have a lot of advantages, a community with a good location, we have good schools, and a health care system. We have our own electrical utility with the lowest power rates in the province,” Bell said. “But we have some big challenges in the town.”
“When the council comes in they are going to have to devote themselves to really getting a grip on how things run, including where money comes from to do things,” she said. “They need to look towards long-term planning… planning to put money aside to cover things. We don’t want to get into debt, but we need money to cover things that break down or need replacing. Sometimes people don’t understand council needs to be thinking on the long term.”
Bell said the flood mitigation file is ongoing, with construction scheduled this year on a new multipurpose complex to host the municipal office, Perth-Andover Fire Department, Perth-Andover Public Library and the Active Living Fitness Centre on F. Tribe Road. Perth-Andover has been hit with numerous spring floods, and after the 2012 flood, most homes were moved out of the flood zone. Many businesses remain vulnerable to flooding.
“Parts of the business district is moving up the hill, which makes sense, but it isn’t as charming as being on the riverbank. I think it would be good if council could figure out a strategy for property on the riverbank, so it didn’t feel like a sad reminder of flood damage in the town,” Bell said.
The new municipal council should also focus on improving communication.
“It’s very hard for people in the town to know what is happening, and why decisions are being made… There is a lot of misinformation that gets pitched around,” Bell said. “There’s a lot of interest right now with the municipal election, and it would be nice for people to stay interested. There’s lots of ways to get information out, but council needs to be more eager to share what’s going on and why.”
Bell said Southern Victoria residents are concerned about crime, and she said answers to reducing property crime aren’t straightforward. She said the new council needs to take more initiative to make residents feel safer and to find long-term solutions to ongoing criminal activity.
MORE HOUSING NEEDED
Burpee Wagner served as Perth-Andover’s mayor for 23 years, from 1977 to 2000. He noted that with 13 candidates to fill seven positions, voters must choose councillors in every ward and for mayor.
“We have a lot of good citizens running for the positions, so it will be interesting to see who makes it.”
He said community residents have enjoyed the lowest power rates in New Brunswick for decades and have benefited from a strong recreation commission and economic development committee, which provide activities for youth and adults and have created an industrial park that needs to be expanded.
“One of the big challenges will be to get adequate housing in the area. We have a lot of seniors looking for apartments now, and we will need more housing development,” he said.
Wagner said the new council must also push for improved access to health care in the community. Hotel Dieu of St. Joseph Hospital has lost beds and services over the years, and several physicians have retired.
“Council has to work closely with government to make sure we have adequate health care in our region, and attracting more health care professionals to our community,” he said.
