ANTIGONISH – The Town of Antigonish continues to explore options for advancing its multi-million sewage treatment plant (STP) refurbishment project.
Three bids were submitted by the May 28 deadline for the proposed work on the front-end of the facility, with each submission significantly over budget. The lowest one - $6,282,365 – from Avondale Construction exceeded the issued quote in the tender package by $2.23 million.
“Staff are working with the contractor and with our consultant to see if there’s anything that we can tweak… Council said, loud and clear, that we must fix the sewer treatment plant, and reducing any scope of the work may jeopardize the smell and the effectiveness of this sewer treatment plant,” Mayor Sean Cameron told reporters after council’s regular monthly meeting on June 16.
During the session, CAO Randy Delorey informed council that staff is “contemplating various approaches.”
Coun. Jack Sullivan said he wants “no cutbacks,” adding he didn’t want to “harm the quality” of the project, which includes measures aimed at mitigating the strong smell that plagued the STP the past couple of summers.
Coun. Leon MacLellan noted he was “reluctant,” when it came to making changes that narrow the scope of the initiative.
Targeting the AT trail
During discussion of dealing with the $2.23 million difference, it was suggested that the monies earmarked for the second phase of the town’s active transportation trail project – which will connect to the first phase on West St., and continue down St. Ninian to Church St. – could be put toward the planned work on the STP. This section of trail will replace the existing sidewalk with a three-metre wide asphalt pathway.
Delorey cautioned that if council decided to divert the $300,000 earmarked this year for the active transportation trail, “you haven’t removed the obligation” to spending the monies it has received from the provincial and federal levels of government on that particular project, adding it is “not really addressing” the issue, only putting it off.
He also noted that there were options available, such as borrowing the money for the remaining portion of the STP, or applying for an increase in sewer rates.
Discussion later turned to the 2034 deadline for completing the active transportation trail as a way of providing flexibility when it comes to redirecting monies to the STP project. It was noted that the town is currently working on a 2028 deadline, and would have to apply for a further extension.
Some councillors, including Juanita Pelly, said they were concerned that delaying projects – like the AT trail, which is already funded – could lead to increased costs down the line.
Kyle Meisner – town director of infrastructure and engineering, noted contractors are “so hungry for this [type of work].” Bids for the second phase of the AT trail came in under budget.
“We need to stay the course,” Deputy Mayor Andrew Murray said after the idea of mothballing the active transportation effort altogether was floated during the meeting, offering that not finishing the effort – a legacy project – would be an “embarrassment.”
Sullivan, when it comes to connecting neighbourhoods – a key goal of the AT trail – suggested, “It doesn’t do a very good job of that.”
Earlier this spring, Sullivan and Mayor Cameron voted against the town’s $19.5 million capital budget for the 2026-2027 fiscal year, which was approved in a 4-2 vote, because it included the second phase of the active transportation trail. They wanted to defer the project.
If the town decided to step away from the AT trail effort completely, Delorey cautioned the agreement “spells out in black and white” that the $1.2 million the town has received would have to be returned to their funding partners. Debate ensued on whether or not the provincial and federal governments would pursue payback, even though it is part of the contract.
With that uncertainty, council decided to direct Mayor Cameron to connect with his elected counterparts at those levels to learn what measures would be taken, if any, if the town decided to shelve the project; taking the elected rather than the bureaucratic route.
Because the town has already called for tenders, Delorey noted that the clock was ticking when it came to its obligation to award or deny the bids within 30 days. With that timeline in mind, council set a deadline for getting an answer.
“If we were to stop the AT trail today, the contract clearly states that we have to repay that $1.2 million, so council has given authority to myself – the mayor – to talk at the political level, to see if they would enforce that penalty. We have two weeks to get an answer; otherwise, the AT trail will continue, and the funding has already been approved, allocated for and tenders have been called,” Cameron told reporters after the June 16 council meeting.
Housing for healthcare workers
Council and staff discussed a proposed Housing Trust of Nova Scotia project that would construct 12-16 affordable units for healthcare employees on property donated by the Congregation of the Sisters of Saint Martha.
The town has been asked if it is feasible to run water and sewer services to the site.
Meisner offered that providing water would “not be terribly difficult,” while for the sewer it would “be more extensive.”
Deputy Mayor Murray asked if providing the services for this project could be the start of infrastructure measures as part of construction of a proposed second road that would provide another access point to St. Martha’s Regional Hospital.
“It sounds like a nice project,” Coun. Sullivan said of the housing for healthcare workers.
CAO Delorey noted that the town had yet to receive a formal request from the organization.
