The stray cat population in Saint John has exploded and one foster mom wants to see changes to help the situation.
25 year old Missy Hebert has 10 cats in a one bedroom apartment most of which are rescues and she is also caring for two sick foster kittens.
She says stray can be found in every neighborhood of the city and as it gets colder people are concerned about the animals being outside and they may also be injured or pregnant.
Hebert tells CHSJ News the City created a problem when they changed the animal control by-law and cut funding.
She says with that move they decided cats are worthless by throwing them out of the city's by-law adding the local shelter has no legal responsibility to help cats unless its on death's door and there is no other option but to euthanize it.
Hebert would like to see a low cost spay and neuter program put in place and believes there needs to be more education on the true cost of pet ownership.
She says that free kitten someone gave you will need shots that average $100 and a neuter or spay that can run between $200 to $400.
Residents of the Baxter Road and Old Westmoreland Road area are going to be happy to hear about this one.
An illegal dump site on Worden Drive could be shut down in a matter of weeks, after which time it's hoped the province will help clean up the site. Common Councillor David Merrithew tells CHSJ News he wants everyone to know even though the operator was charging tipping fees he had no right to let people dump there.
Merrithew says he had never seen an illegal dump site this bad--and it looked like a lot of the materials were industrial waste. He says he'd like to see the people who dumped on the site penalized as well.
Just days after the province came out with their healthcare blueprint, the province's doctors releasing a companion piece called Care First.
The New Brunswick Medical Society says their document is built around the four pillars of primary care renewal, wait time reduction, healthy living and front line work input.
Medical Society President Dr. Robert Desjardins tells CHSJ News they advocate a new program called 'Choose Wisely' which aims to improve decision-making by medical profession in areas like testing.
He says the program will support a certain kind of standardization in testing but it only works with education and in co-operation with the government.
Desjardins says in the US, the standardization of testing has saved over 25 per cent in hospital laboratory costs.
The Medical Society is also calling on New Brunswickers to be more responsible for their own health adding just talking about it is not enough. He says their must be some legislation by the government to force hospitals and schools to serve better food in their own cafeterias.
The city has taken members of the caucus on a tour of the city aimed at demonstrating Saint John's key role as the economic powerhouse of the region, according to Mayor Mel Norton.
Norton says the city was especially keen to show off the role of the Port in the economic life of New Brunswick.
An iconic Saint John tourist attraction is officially on the market.
Marc Gosselin and his wife started running the Reversing Falls Jet Boat 19 years ago and now they say it's time for them to move on to some new ventures. Gosselin tells CHSJ News it's unclear what the future will hold for the Jet Boat, but already they've received some inquiries.
Gosselin says he's not in his thirties anymore and as time goes on he doesn't think they'd be able to keep providing the same quality of service.
The "For Sale" sign is currently hanging on the operation and they're entertaining offers.
It's time to make some major changes to the boardwalk area including Market Slip and Loyalist Plaza.
With that goal in mind, Saint John Waterfront Development will host three public consultations with one beginning next week.
General Manager Kent MacIntyre says the sky is the limit adding they want as many ideas as possible from people who use the space every day and in every season
The first consultation is coming up next Thursday, October 3rd in the Mary Oland theatre at the museum.
It begins at 6 and includes a reception and interactive presentation.
To contribute your idea, click here
With poll numbers in the doldrums, Premier David Alward and his M-L-A's are holding a caucus retreat in the city with a year to go before the provincial election.
The Premier is rejecting criticism about not demanding more liability protection from the risks to the environment with Trans Canada's proposed pipeline to Saint John.
Alward says he has full confidence in Trans Canada based on its history. He adds the proposal will be scrutinised by the National Energy Board which will evaluate the risks and the provincial Environment Department will have input.
Another price break for those of you who have to fill up after the weekly setting.
The price of self serve regular falling by almost 3 cents a litre to $1.23.8 in the city and diesel also a bit lower by about three cents at $1.34.7.
The maximum price of heating oil is down to $1.16 a litre while propane is a bit more expensive with a maximum price of $1.07.7 a litre.
