Watermain break on the West side

A broken watermain on the Dever Road mean some residents will not have water between Greenhead Road and Manchester Avenue.  The residents should have their water back tomorrow.

Saint John Water also tells CHSJ news that some customers in the Randolph and Milford area may experience low water pressure.
The 24 inch cast iron pipe is from 1899.

Harbour Bridge GM wants repairs to start in May

(Saint John Harbour Bridge)

(file photo)

There may not have been any money in the federal budget for repairs to the Harbour Bridge but a potential source of funding has been lined up.
The General Manager of the Harbour Bridge Authority Ken Anthony tells CHSJ News they might be able to borrow the needed funding from a pension fund.
Anthony says they're waiting for approval to move ahead from the federal government.

Provincial Anti-Poverty Group disappointed in Federal Budget

The losers in the budget are those people who lost their jobs and other victims of the recession. That criticism coming from Acadie-Bathurst M-P Yvon Godin. He also warns every wage earner and employer will be saddled with 19 billion dollars in new taxes next year when the freeze on Employment Insurance premiums comes to an end.
Jean Claude Basque of the Common Front for Social Justice tells CHSJ News there wasn't much of anything to help those people struggling in poverty.
Basque does applaud the fact a billion dollars will be spent on social housing.

Response To Costco Job Fair Is Overwhelming

(Job Seekers Lined Up Outside Costco At Eastpoint Shopping)

(Photo by Brian McLain)

Hundreds of people have shown up at the Costco job fair in East Point shopping centre.
The job seekers spilled out in the parking lot which was pretty much filled with vehicles with more coming and going. Those who showed up at noon today were told to come back tomorrow at 9am. Donald Parks tells CHSJ News thinks the company will be good for the city.
Parks says it will be great for the local economy and he wants to get a job in the warehouse.
Another applicant Josh Tobias thinks Costco might drive smaller businesses out because they pay more than minimum wage. The retailer plans to hire almost 100 people for the new store opening May 27th. The wages being offered will range from 11 to 22 dollars an hour depending on the job. Job interviews will continue on Sunday as well as tomorrow. 

Costco Job Fair Starts This Morning

(Costco At Eastpoint Shopping)

(Photo by Jim Hennessy)

A lot of eager job-seekers in the Port City will be freshening up their resumes and putting on their dress clothes this weekend.
Today is day one of a 3-day job fair for the new Costco store in East Saint John opening on May 27th.
Regional Vice-President Gary Swindells tells CHSJ News they offer very competitive wages ranging from $11 to $22 dollars an hour. Swindells adds they plan to hire almost 100 people.
The fair is underway and continues tomorrow and Sunday.

Saint John Board Of Trade On Federal Budget

(Saint John Board of Trade President Imelda Gilman)

(File Photo)

The federal budget is getting a cautious thumbs up from the Saint John Board of Trade. Its President Imelda Gilman says it should help with job growth but she's anxious there was no specific mention of any money for the Harbour Bridge.
On the other hand, she says there will be money for ferries and that's good news for Saint John to Digby service. Gilman calls it a safe, stay the course budget.
 Pat Darrah of the Saint John Construction Association is happy infrastructure money will continue flowing for the next year which spells good news for social housing and the local anti-poverty initiative. He is concerned about any increase in E-I premiums that might be implemented next year, calling it a tax on employment which stifles job growth.

Saint John M-P Rodney Weston On Federal Budget

(Saint John M-P Rodney Weston)

(File Photo)

The federal government has promised to slash the deficit with its latest budget which forecasts a shortfall of 53.8 billion dollars this year.
There's also a freeze on the E-I premium rate paid by workers and employers which continues until the end of 2010.

Saint John MP Rodney Weston tells CHSJ News he did not expect any funding in the budget for repairs to the Harbour Bridge. Weston adds funding for Marine Atlantic is good news because the Princess of Acadia ferry is a vital transportation link for the region. There will be no break for MP's between now and May and this session of Parliament will run until June.