City Hall Might Not Be At The Foot Of King For Much Longer

City Hall's been at the foot of King for a few decades now--but that could soon change. 

The city is currently getting quotes from a developer, talking to property owners, and inquiring about the heritage status of other buildings that might be cheaper for council. City Manager Pat Woods explains there are a few different options: build, buy or lease, and they've had ongoing discussion with their current landlord.

No specific sites have been named--although some conspicuously vacant buildings in the uptown include the former Synagogue on Wellington Row, and the former Sydney St courthouse.

Not A Big Reader? You Can Still Help Your Kids Learn

Bookworms aren't exactly a flourishing breed here in New Brunswick.
 
According to Natasha Bozek of the Literacy Coalition of New Brunswick the majority of adults in this province don't have the literacy skills you'd expect--and that means they're not passing them on to their kids.

Bozek suggests if you're a parent who struggles with reading, work along with your kids when they do their homework and make reading together a bonding experience.

Sex Workers Will No Longer Be Prosecuted For Plying Trade

With the Supreme Court recently ruling it's unconstitutional to prosecute prostitution-related offenses, Police Chief Bill Reid tells CHSJ News he completely agrees and the force has been hearing the same thing from the Sex Trade Action committee for a long time.

He says there are only about 25 workers actively plying the trade in the Saint John area, and what they need are compassionate people working with them, not further persecution.

Real Estate Market Outlook Decent For Buyers And Sellers Heading Into Spring

If you are wondering about whether it's a good time to buy or sell a home - the outgoing president of the Saint John Real Estate Board - Jason Stephen - is suggesting "why not?"
Find out why in the video below.

The average sale price of a home last year came in at $179,489 - up slightly from 2012 helping to make the city one of the most affordable housing markets in the country.

Survey Aims To Improve Cancer Care For Kids

The parent of kids who had cancer in their teens or childhood being asked to take part in a survey.

The Pediatric Oncology Patient Navigator Program is conducting a confidential, online survey with the aim to improve children’s cancer care services across the province.

They would like parents or guardians of children or teens that had cancer under the age of 17 between 2005 and 2013 to provide feedback about the service they received during their time of treatment.

To take part in the survey click, here

SJ No Longer Has Highest Unemployment Rate

The unemployment rate in Saint John went down in February from 6.8 to 6.4 per cent which is a lower rate than in Moncton and Halifax.

Provincial unemployment rose to 9.9 per cent with the loss of 24 hundred jobs. Nationally, the jobless rate is 7 per cent with the addition of 29 thousand jobs when the analysts expected 20 thousand.

Conservatives And Liberals Spar Over TV Ads

Premier David Alward's TV ads coming up in the Legislature with Provincial Liberal leader Brian Gallant saying the Olympic coverage should not be polluted by his message of despair. The Premier responded by saying the only pollution is being spewed by the Liberals.

Alward has taken to calling the Liberals, the party of press pause and moratoriums with no new ideas on offer to grow the provincial economy.

University Students Getting Some Money Back

The U-N-B Board of Governors will be giving the money the university saved during the recent strike by faculty back to the students because of the hardship and inconvenience they suffered. 

The Board of Governors deciding the university should not financially benefit because of the strike.
 
The exact figures and details are still not known but it's thought full-time students will receive a lump sum credit on their account of over $200 with part time students getting a lesser amount.

UNB Teachers Vote To Accept New Deal

UNB teachers across the province voting to accept the tentative collective agreement signed with administration on January 30th.

90% of those who cast a ballot voted for acceptance.  The next step in the process is ratification by the Board of Governors.

Union president Miriam Jones says they owe a huge debt of gratitude to their bargaining team adding they did difficult work for more than a year.

Jones says the strike was difficult for everyone but she says their members have come out of it reinvigorated and ready to work to reclaim their university.

Booze Sales Suffer From Ice Storm Fallout

NB Liquor releasing its third quarter results and total sales were more than $100 million unchanged from the same time in 2012.

VP of Finance Chris Evans says power outages combined with extreme winter weather contributed to a decline in customer visits on key selling dates.

Wine sales are up 3.9 per cent, beer sales slipped 2.4 per cent and sales of other beverages increased 4.5 per cent.

The third quarter ended on December 29th.

Cardy Lays Out Plan To Save Province Money

The NDP leader for New Brunswick suggesting trimming the fat in the government's senior management sector as one of many ways the province can save money. 

Dominic Cardy laying out a plan to save more than $213-million as a way to help balance the budget. Cardy says he would cut the size of the cabinet down to 10 from 17, the number of deputy ministers to 14 from 27 and the number of senior managers to 50 from over 100.

He also estimates taxpayers would save around $2-million if MLAs used spare offices in government buildings instead of paying rent for office space. Another more than $74-million could be saved by delivering on the promise of the last Liberal government to centralize common government services, according to Cardy.

Cardy coming out with the plan just after the release of the Alward Government's budget.

Irving Oil Unveils New Fire Truck And Training Partnership

A brand new ladder truck being unveiled at the Irving Oil Emergency Services building on Grandview Avenue.

In addition, the City and Irving Oil announcing a partnership on creating a training facility for firefighters that both companies can use and third parties.
 
Fire Chief Kevin Clifford says he's been concerned about their firefighters not having a place to train and soon they will.

He says they are not at elevated positions every day so having a training facility is incredibly important for a community like this and the response profile they have.

The training facility for the Saint John Fire Department will open in May.

Mental Health Fundraiser Coming Up This Weekend

Sharpen those ice skates because this year's Investors Group Skate to Care event is coming up this weekend. 

Director of Development with the Regional Hospital Foundation & Mindcare Victoria Clarke says this year they're focusing on mental health first aid. She describes it as the mental health equivalent of being a first responder, training people to recognize signs of stress, anxiety and depression in children. 

Clarke says we still have a ways to go when it comes to increasing awareness of mental illness and erasing the stigma, but seeing the community rallying around an event like this tells her the groundswell is coming.

The event is happening at Harbour Station on Saturday from 10am-2pm. Click here for more information on the event, including how to join or support a team.

College Students Feel Let Down

University students are disappointed the provincial budget did not contain measures to ease their financial burden.
 
Pat Joyce of the New Brunswick Student Alliance tells CHSJ News the province had saved money with a lower interest rate on what it had borrowed to provide financial aid to students. They were hoping that money would be used to help them out but such was not the case. 

Joyce points the cost of higher education is getting more onerous with the rising costs of tuition, textbooks and housing. He worries post secondary education is becoming less accessible for many young people and argues helping students out financially is really investing in the provincial economy as more and more jobs require higher skills.

Traffic Disruption On West Side

Because of the stormy weather yesterday there has been a delay in a traffic disruption on the west side.

Traffic will be reduced this afternoon on Bridge Road by Simms Corner because of the demolition of the Simms Brush factory between 3 and 4. 

Drivers are being urged to use the Harbour Bridge if they don't want to be delayed.

WATCH: Police Nab 22-Year Old In Stolen Vehicle

City police involved in a brief pursuit trying to stop a man in a stolen vehicle.

Sgt. Jay Henderson says Sussex RCMP let City police know the vehicle had been taken from their area a few days earlier. As the officer attempted to stop the vehicle, the driver took off. The officer pursued the vehicle but given the road conditions and the potential for others being hurt it was called off. 

A short time later another officer found the driver and vehicle on Gladstone Avenue which is a dead end street. He fled into the woods and was caught a short time later. 

A 22 year old man is several charges of theft of a motor vehicle, dangerous driving and failing to stop for police. He's in jail until a court appearance.

If you know anything about any crime, you can contact City police at 648-3333 or call Crime Stoppers at 1-800-222-TIPS. You can watch today's SJPD Crime Report by clicking here.

Price Changes For Gas After Weekly Setting

There has been a slight rise in the price of self serve regular and a bit of a drop in what you'll pay for diesel. 

Self serve regular is selling in the city for $1.30 a litre with diesel at $1.50. 

The maximum price for heating oil is up by half a cent a litre to $1.33.6 and propane countinues to rise with a a maximum price of $1.51 a litre.

Energy East Pipeline Would Add Greenhouse Gas Emissions

A new environmental report is claiming the Energy East pipeline that would bring oilsands bitumen to the Irving Oil refinery will increase greenhouse gas emissions enough to wipe out all the gains caused by the elimination of coal-fired power plants in Ontario and be the equivalent of adding 7 million new cars on the roads.
 
Clare Demerse of the Pembina Institute, who wrote the report, says regulators should consider the proposed pipeline’s effect on climate change when hearings are held on the project.
 
The Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers and the National Energy Board have said the expected tripling of output from the oilsands over the next 16 years depends heavily on new pipelines being built.

The Drive Home Is Not Fun For Some

Thanks to a road warrior for telling us that Hwy 7 between Welsford and Colonel Nase Boulevard is snow covered and slippery with one vehicle off the road.

We hear the road conditions from Hampton to Saint John are not so fun right now.

We are looking at another 5-10 centimetres of snow before the snow ends after midnight.

Natural Gas Prices High & Will Stay High

Natural gas customers will continue to feel the sting of high prices well into this month, and possibly March.

The high prices are being caused by demand in New England where pipeline capacity is limiting the supply. The shortage is limiting the gas in Boston and driving up prices through the region.

There are plans to expand pipeline capacity to New England which would limit this kind of price hike--but that won't be finished until next winter.

In a statement, the Energy and Utilities Board stated the price for natural gas is set by the regional market, and not the Board.