News briefs from Nov. 12 District of Carleton North Council meeting
District of Carleton North Mayor Andrew Harvey informed councillors during their Nov. 12 meeting of residents’ complaints about poor vegetation management along rural roads in the District of Carleton North.
Mayor Harvey said it’s particularly a problem along Route 105.
“It’s a scenic highway, but tourists and also local people can’t even see the river in some cases,” he said.
Councillor Chala Watson added that it is not just an issue of scenery, but safety.
“Vegetation needs to be taken care of so you can see pulling out of a sideroad, because you can’t in some spots,” she said. “The vegetation management is very poor.”
Mayor Harvey called the issue “critical.”
Council decided to send two letters: one to the Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure regarding vegetation management along provincial highways, and another to the Minister of Tourism, Heritage, and Culture, specifically regarding vegetation management along the River Valley scenic drive.
The council hopes a maintenance schedule can be developed.
Route 130 bridge restoration complete
Mayor Harvey announced that the Route 130 bridge reopened to two lanes of traffic on Nov. 12, marking the completion of the seven-year restoration project.
“[The bridge] is not our bridge, but it shows the partnership of the district,” Harvey explained. “We worked with the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure to allow them to meet milestones to get the bridge open even quicker. Sometimes we met with some resistance in doing that, but what we believed was for the greater good of opening that bridge up [sooner] so they didn’t have to come back next year, was really cemented by the last closure. By moving the last closure up from Oct. to Sept., they were able to concentrate on other work in October, and now here we are – it’s Nov. 12, and it’s done.”
Kenneth windfarm project update
The mayor provided an update following the public meeting with Eolectric, St. Mary’s First Nation, and NB Power held on Nov. 5.
Councillor Scott Oakes noted it was very well attended. Mayor Harvey advised that the project is moving forward with 16 turbines and the installation of new transmission lines.
Harvey also commented that the relationship between the district, Eolectric, and St. Mary’s First Nation has been very good, noting that both parties have been very open about their timelines, with land clearing and access road upgrades expected to begin in 2026, and another update coming in the spring.
However, Mayor Harvey said the municipality still has concerns about NB Power and the transmission lines, particularly regarding how NB Power communicates with agricultural landowners.
“They have the right through the Electricity Act to access the land,” he said, “but when you’re a corporate citizen, sometimes you have to have more conversation than just going through someone’s fields without any consultation.”
Councillor Oakes spoke to the concerns many have about field contamination and safety when NB Power employees enter fields without consultation.
Harvey said the meeting was productive and that it helped make NB Power more aware of the issues they need to consider when assessing farmland.
