Christmas Day Is Not Garbage Day

There will be no garbage collection tomorrow (Christmas Day). The people who normally get their garbage collected on Tuesday will have it done Wednesday instead. The city also letting everyone know, Christmas wrapping paper cannot be recycled. 

The Port Had a Very Good Year

The big story at the port this year, according to its President and C-E-O, was not only another successful cruise ship season but attracting Mediterranean Shipping first with a bi-weekly service which then was increased to weekly in October, far ahead of hopes and expectations. 

Jim Quinn tells CHSJ News having Mediterranean Shipping's weekly service opens up the global marketplace for producers all over the province and the busier they are, the better the chances are that more people will be hired.
 
He also tells us he would not be surprised to see business at the port increasing this year by over 20 per cent once all the numbers have been crunched after the end of this month.

Board Of Trade Says 2012 Was A Challenge For Local Businesses

Saint John's unemployment rate has been on the rise this year and, at 9.3 per cent, is second highest among all the major cities surveyed by Stats Canada behind that of Windsor, Ontario. 

The President of the Board of Trade, Imelda Gilman concedes this year has been challenging for businesses in the city which wasn't hit has hard by the 2008 recession.

She points out over half a billion dollars has been spent on major projects over the past few years in Saint John and not all of that has been on roads with new buildings constructed at U-N-B Saint John and the community college.

Gilman can see encouraging signs especially by what she sees happening at the port and the commitment on the part of municipalities in the region to put in place a strategy for growth starting early in the new year.
     

New Anglophone School To Be Built In Quispamsis

Even though New Brunswick's population has stagnated with many people moving to other provinces in search of work, there is one town experiencing double digit growth. The population of Quispamsis grew by over 17 per cent in five years.

Mayor Murray Driscoll tells CHSJ News the influx of young families is prompting the provincial government to make plans for the building of a new elementary school in the town. He says it will ease the strain in Quispamsis, Fairvale and Lakefield schools.

Driscoll doesn't know yet where the school will be constructed or how large it will be but is hoping it will be big enough to accomodate an increasing number of students over the next five, ten, even 15 years.

Premier Side Steps Status With Santa

Premier David Alward won't comment on whether he's on Santa's naughty or nice list - but - he does say New Brunswickers are blessed.