St. George Gears Up for Amalgamation

The Town of St. George will amalgamate with Blacks Harbour and other surrounding areas in November of 2022. Aside from electing an entirely new council for the new municipality, which is currently being called "Entity 53," there will be a number of obstacles along the path to amalgamation.

 At the regular town council meeting for March 2022 at Magagaudavic Place, Town of St. George Town Clerk Jason Gaudet said that the province is still "trying to finalize the number of councillors that will be needed for this new entity. It could be a composite of seven councillors, and out of that there might be a couple who are at large, and then there will also be an election for a mayor. Aside from that, they are still trying to finalize boundary lines of this new entity, from Digdeguash River to Pocologan River to as north as Lee Settlement, and as south as Back Bay. Other lines that need to be established are the ward lines within the entity. There is still a lot of discussion in terms of boundary lines, both external and internal. And then we have to decide upon a new name for this entity, and there is a lot of discussion there as well. We are looking into the possibility of government funding for a new administrative building, and also the transfer of some buildings and areas to the new entity, from firehalls to parks that are currently in LSDs."

The Town of St. George is part of one of the most dramatic amalgamations taking place under New Brunswick's 2022 municipal reform plan, meaning residents of the town will have to go back to the polls to elect and entirely new council for a newly created community despite electing their current council and mayor in May of 2021. 
"We have not been engaged in any serious consultation for this, and that is a critical thing," said Mayor John Detorakis. "It's a situation where the province is telling us what we can do."