Land expropriated for temporary road

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative, The Irish Loop

The Department of Transportation has expropriated land on both sides of the river where a temporary road will be located while it replaces the bridge in Cape Broyle near 249 and 251 Main Road.

The expropriation was necessary because ownership of the land could not be determined.

“Residents may notice increased activity in the area as preparations for this project begin. We appreciate everyone's patience and cooperation while this important infrastructure work is completed,” stated the Town.

Any person claiming title to, or an interest in the affected land, or who has been detrimentally affected by the expropriation is required to submit notice to the Minister of the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure no later than Aug. 13, 2026.

Property owner gets one more chance to deal with dilapidated property

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative, The Irish Loop

A Main Street property owner has received one last chance to deal with a dilapidated property and vehicle before Petty Harbour council takes action at the owner’s expense.

The town had sent a repair and/or removal order to the owner of 29 Main Road, but that notice expired on June 6, and so the matter was brought to council chambers on June 15 .

Deputy Mayor Irene Stack confirmed with CAO Mandy Dinn that the letter was received by the owner.

“They were received through an email confirmation,” Dinn replied. “The Canada Post ones weren’t picked up, and that’s not uncommon.”

Council had a few options for next steps, which included confirming the state of the building’s disrepair through an engineering report and proceeding with removal if deemed necessary. Dinn told council that she received some cost estimates for an engineering report and the cheapest quote was $1,000.

Councilors asked whether it would be appropriate to send a second notice before taking the next step. Mayor Ed Dyke advised council that the town went through this same scenario a few years back with the same individual, saying that it was two to three years before action was taken.

“From past experience with this property owner, it has been dragged out, dragged out and dragged out,” Dyke told council.

In that instance, the Town had a lawyer send a removal order, which was acted upon.

Stack made a motion that the town lawyer draft and send a removal order with a 14-day window.

“Including in that order, the Town will be proceeding with the (engineering) report and removal at the owner’s expense,” stated Stack, adding that the vehicle would also be included in that order.

Dinn stated that any expenses incurred would be added to the person’s tax account.

The motion was approved.

Witless Bay welcomes four women as part of new fire recruit group

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Five new members have joined the Witless Bay Volunteer Fire Department since the end of May, and four of them are women.
Fire Chief Jack Gatherall said the influx of female volunteers is a huge step forward for the department.
“It shows the fire department is an open, progressive and welcoming team - breaking down the old boys club mentality and empowering younger women to take on these critical roles,” Gatherall reported to council at the June 9 public meeting.
He went on to say that the onboarding and training process has also come a long way, as the department plans to train and ease new recruits into a more active role.
“Long gone are days where you started on one night and immediately got handed a pager or a key,” said Gatherall. “To ensure the highest level of safety these recruits will undergo proper rigorous training.”

The fire chief added that the new recruits begin shadowing veteran members on calls later in the summer.
With these new additions, Gatherall said the department now has 33 active members and is closing the recruitment window for the remainder of 2026.
He also provided council with an update on some individual member certifications and training that the town had invested in.
“Sending members to these courses isn't cheap, but the specialized knowledge, hands-on skill, and regional networking that they bring back to our town is priceless,” Gatherall said.
He also told council that the department is working on a five-year operational plan to give to the fire department committee in July. He said it will be a comprehensive plan to map out a route moving forward, including projecting what new gear will be needed and when equipment will be retired and need to be replaced.
Council later approved an expense of $3,750, plus HST, for specialized rope rescue training sessions for the department, as well as a purchase of a specialized forestry pump and hose kit at a cost of $6,044 plus HST.

Petty Harbour council worried breakwater construction may impact new paving

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Folks in Petty Harbour – Maddox Cove should soon see some new pavement along Main Road and Long Run Road, based on a recent correspondence put out by the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure.

During the June 15 public meeting, however, councillor Nancy Bungay raised concerns about timing of the paving project and the potential impact of all the heavy truck traffic that will be associated with the upcoming harbour breakwater project slated for a potential start date this year and completion sometime in 2027.
 “They are doing a breakwater, we are getting a new road … soft new pavement and all these heavy massive trucks driving over brand-new pavement, is this going to impact it? Are (Transportation and Infrastructure officials) aware that this is happening?” Bungay asked. “In my opinion that is just as bad as cutting pavement.”
Mayor Ed Dyke believed that Ferryland MHA Loyola O’Driscoll was aware, but that when it came to government officials, he didn’t know.
“From my understanding, the road they are replacing is supposed to stand up to that, it’s supposed to be the same as the Trans Canada Highway, but I guess that’ll have to be a battle we take on when it happens,” Dyke said.
Dyke asked staff to send out another reminder to residents about the Transportation and Infrastructure notice, with Dinn responding that they would do so within the next couple of weeks.
Meanwhile, the town recently notified resident by email and social media that the department will not be allowing cross-cutting or cutting into pavement for two years following the installation of the new pavement.

Town CAO Mandy Dinn brought the matter forward during the June 15 council meeting.
“I just wanted to bring it to council’s attention and to residents’ attention that if anybody plans to hook into sewer or water within the next little while it is recommended to do it as soon as possible to avoid the two-year timeframe where they are not going to be permitting you to do so,” said CAO  Dinn, adding that she also sent a copy of the notification off to the town’s engineer.
Deputy Mayor Irene Stack assumed that the moratorium would not apply to water main breaks or other emerging situations that cannot wait two years. Dinn confirmed that it only applies to planned projects.

Fish sauce cleanup contract awarded

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter, The Irish Loop

Something stinks in St. Mary’s, but not for too much longer.

News that the tender to clean up a decade-long stench from an abandoned fish sauce plant has been awarded and work is slated to begin at the end of June, is like a breath of fresh air for Mayor Steve Ryan and the rest of the community.

“It’s been so long dealing with this, you almost can’t believe it’s going to be over. You almost lose hope, that it’s never going to happen,” said Ryan.

The smell emanates from the abandoned Atlantic Seafood Sauce Company location, which opened around 1990 but has been inactive for more than 20 years.

Council awarded the tender June 5 to Capital Crane Limited/Capital Environmental Limited out of Mount Pearl, what they described as the lowest compliant bidder, at an amount of $1,740,385.

The work will clean up more than 100 tanks of fermented fish sauce and waste that has accumulated on the floor. Ryan said the sauce will have to be solidified before it can be transported to the waste facility.

“This is going to take all summer, but it’s worth it to get it done,” said Ryan, adding that removal activity should be complete sometime in September.

Other bids listed on the tender website merx.com included Coady Construction ($2,885,300), Can-Am Platforms ($1,970,077.40), Groundforce Contracting ($1,495,000), and GFL Environmental ($1,779, 388).

The tender amount was beyond the project budget, which is held with the province, and the Town began working with the province on a budget adjustment. Ryan said he got good news on that front from the province on June 8.

“I was talking to the minister with a message from the premier saying they got us,” Ryan said.

Baker Hughes project goes quiet

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A six-year-old proposal to build a facility outside Cape Broyle to service the offshore oil industry never materialized, and now the clock has run out on a decision to release it from further environmental assessment.

Baker Hughes Canada Company submitted a plan in January 2020 for a jet perforating gun assembly plant in the area of Whitehorse Barrens outside Cape Broyle. It received a decision from then Municipal Affairs and Environment Minister, Derrick Bragg, on April 29, 2020, that released the project from further environmental assessment.

However, the Province announced May 29 that the original three-year term and three subsequent one-year extensions on that decision have expired.

“The project must be registered again for environmental assessment to proceed,” reads the provincial bulletin from Environment, Conservation and Climate Change.

The facility was proposed to assemble prefabricated components into “jet perforating guns” and store them locally for use by operators in Newfoundland offshore oil industry. The project was to include the construction of a 300-metre access road from Route 210 to a storage yard where a gun-loading facility and Type 4 magazines for the storage of explosives would be built.

While the project was not located within Cape Broyle’s boundaries, most of town council at the time had been reported to support the proposal since it could have some economic benefit.

Administrator Wendy Duggan with the Town of Cape Broyle said last week it is her understanding the project hasn’t moved forward.

Inquiries to Baker Hughes about whether there were any plans to proceed, and what factors contributed to the project being delayed or abandoned, were not returned by press deadline.

Baker Hughes was required to apply for the annual extensions after the initial three-year timeline was granted.

Petty Harbour considering camera to curb vandalism

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove council has asked staff to researching the cost and logistics of installing surveillance cameras around town ahead of the next municipal budget.
The motion was passed after a request from the recreation committee was brought forward at the May 19 regular meeting.
"There has been talk of some vandalism in our community," said chief administrative officer Mandy Dinn, adding that residents, members of the recreation committee and town staff had all
expressed concerns.

 "Our own town foreman actually said he would like to have one around the town's depot just to have it more secure when there's salt, sand or stone ... just different things they need to leave outside,” said Dinn.
She added that if council wanted to approach this request the proper way, she recommended it be considered for the next budget.
Deputy mayor Irene Stack said there were also a number of things to still research, like technical issues, what locations would be prioritized and what privacy issues and liabilities are associated.
"We need to make sure all our t's are crossed and i's are dotted. But I think it's definitely a good investment," Stack said.
Mayor Ed Dyke said waiting until the next budget cycle would also allow time for administration to explore potential grant funding.
Locations like the town depot, the playground and recreation areas, the War Memorial were all mentioned, but council did not include specific locations in the motion.

Petty Harbour council reminds folks to get permits

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Spring has sprung and it's a time when folks turn their attention to home improvement projects, but Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove council has reminded its residents to obtain their permits before getting under way.
The topic came up during the May 19 regular meeting after a number of applications came before council for projects that were already started.
Mayor Ed Dyke noticed that residents lately have been putting in for applications only after they have been caught without one and wondered if the Town shouldn't be more proactive in notifying the community.
"I'd hate to run into a situation where they get something done and then we're stuck in the middle," Dyke said.
"Maybe we send out a reminder to residents as well. Summer season is coming and people may not remember. Maybe it's just a quick (project) like a fence blew down and he wants to throw it back up and it's something he doesn't think about," said councillor Kayla Parsons, adding that the Town could remind residents what permits are necessary and what they cost.
Council approved four applications at the meeting - one to construct a shed at 107 Long Run Road, one to pave a driveway at 61 Motion Bay Road, one for an excavation at 23 Long Run Road and one to repair and extend a fence at 23 Long Run Road.
One application for a garage at 141 Main Road in Maddox Cove was opposed by council, citing that the proposed garage was beyond the 10% variance that could be approved based on current municipal regulations.
Residents looking to learn more about town permits, regulations, bylaws, policies and plans in Petty Harbour-Maddox Cove can visit http://www.pettyharbourmaddoxcove.ca/regulations--town-plan.html.