(NB-Vacant-Buildings)
A city councillor in Saint John, New Brunswick, wants the province to introduce a tax on empty properties.
Brent Harris runs a non-profit called Vacant-To-Vibrant, which acquires empty properties and brings them back to life.
He says new life is possible for the majority of the city’s vacant buildings.
The City of Saint John told C-B-C News that it is monitoring 175 vacant buildings.
Over 90 per cent are residential properties.
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(PEI-US-Booze)
American alcohol will be back on liquor store shelves in Prince Edward Island today as the province sells off its stockpile.
The island’s liquor commission says they have 44-thousand units of liquor available, worth about 3-point-two million dollars.
Finance Minister Jill Burridge says that should net the province about 600-thousand dollars in profits, which they plan to donate to island food banks beginning in January.
P.E.I. is the latest province to announce plans to sell off its American stockpile and donate the proceeds, following Manitoba, Nova Scotia, and Newfoundland and Labrador.
(The Canadian Press)
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(NS-Power-Inflated-Bills)
Nova Scotia’s largest electric utility will hold a public meeting later today to answer ratepayers’ questions about how the company has estimated power bills since a cybersecurity breach shut down automated meter readings in the spring.
Nova Scotia Power has faced intense criticism from customers who say their estimated bills have been unfairly inflated.
The privately owned utility says the first in a series of public sessions will be held this afternoon in Yarmouth at the fire hall on Pleasant Street.
The company’s director of customer care, Chris Lanteigne, is expected to speak to the media before the session begins at 1:30 p-m.
(The Canadian Press)
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(NL-Double Homicide)
Police in Newfoundland and Labrador say two suspicious deaths in St. John’s are being investigated as homicides.
The Royal Newfoundland Constabulary says two men aged 38 and 53 were found dead inside an Aldershot Street home on December 1st.
No arrests have been made, though investigators say there is nothing suggesting the attacks were random.
The Office of the Chief Medical Examiner has not yet determined how they died.
(The Canadian Press)
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(NS-NDP-Affordability)
The Nova Scotia N-D-P are calling on government to ramp up support to community groups that provide those in need with food.
The party cited the recently released Canada’s Food Price Report which estimates a family of four will pay on average one-thousand-dollars more on groceries next year.
N-D-P member Susan Leblanc wrote to ministers calling on them to set up a plan for stable, predictable funding for community groups that are providing affordable food to Nova Scotians.
(The Canadian Press)
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(PEI-Gun-Buyback)
Charlottetown won’t be using police resources to take part in the federal government’s assault-style firearm buyback program.
City Council voted 10-0 not to participate in the program during a regular meeting last night, contrary to a staff recommendation to do so.
About 75 people showed up to speak out against the program and against any city participation in it.
Cheers and clapping erupted in the council chamber and from an overflow room when the vote was taken. (CBC News)
