Legislative Assembly Wednesday, April 19, 1967

Honourable George J. Ferguson:

Mr. Speaker, last evening when I moved the adjournment of the Debate I had been speaking about the Causeway. At this time I would like to give a report on the Borden-Carleton area study. Until late July of last year it looked as though little had been done to cope with problems that could arise from a sudden influx of construction workers and their families to the province. Little was known about the number of men likely to be engaged in the construction of the Causeway from the Island side. The im- pact on Borden and surrounding area had not been measured and planning control was virtually non-existant. Information was scarce at the provincial level regarding lands under option that were already held by the federal agencies. However, it was becoming increasingly obvious that the provincial government and the municipalities in the Bor- den region could face serious social, economic, educational and welfare problems if adequate steps were not taken in the planning stages of the causeway project. At that time it was recommended by the Department of Municipal Affairs that immediate steps be taken to bring the area under The Town Planning Act Regulations, and that the provincial government work with the federal vernment to try and obtain answers to many unknown factors such as the following: e timing of the project; the number of men to be stationed on P.E.I.; the duration of the stay; the feasibility of setting up training rograms to train local residents for some of the jobs created by the project; the feasigility of controlling suitable camp locations; the feasibility of locating camp sites in such a way that they may be put to future use advantageous to the provinces after completion of the causeway; the methods of disposal of lands required by the Federal Agencies after the completion of the project, bearing in mind that this prop- erty is at the future gateway of the province; assistance one way or another towards educational costs caused by the construction workers families, a problem which is here today and gone tomorrow. The rehabilitation of the Borden region after the complet- ion of the project; the retraining of existingI workers now employed by the CNR who may become redundant due to a change in t e mode of transportation.

Now, Mr. Speaker, the desire to obtain this type of information is also being ex- pressed by the provincial Department of Manpower and Industrial Enterprises Incor-

porated.

The provincial government, on January the fourth, brought the Town of Borden and the region under The Town Planning Act Regulations. A meeting was arranged between the federal government and the provincial government representatives on January 10th, 1967. At this meeting provincial representatives, headed by myself, out- lined problems facing the province in dealingl with the proposed Causeway in the Borden area. After a general discussion, the fo owing was resolved: That the Federal Department of Public Works investigate the suggestion that an additional access point to the new highway directly linking Borden to the causeway be provided; that the Deputy Minister of Highways and the local representatives of the Federal De rt- ment of Public Works agree to the Albany and Carleton junctions. The Federa De-

artment of Public Works will investigate the location of the Western outlet to the

orden sewerage system in regard to tidal backwash to ensure that it will function effectively in the future. The Federal Department of Public Works will provide labour figures for all phases of the project when available. The Federal Government will ap- point a co-ordinator for the pro'ect in Ottawa. The Federal Government representative agreed that selective areas cos d be set aside as camp sites and that these sites could be stipulated in the contract vacumn. However this proposal would be subject to the province making a firm commitment on the location and the facilities to provide in the camp sites by the end of May, 1967. This was followed by a meeting with the At- lantic Development Board and representatives of The Central Mortgage and Housing Corporation. After a short discussion both the Board and the Corporation decided to take part in a general study to produce a development plan for the Borden region. And after further meetings between the Board and the Corporation and the Provincial Representatives on January 27th, and Februa 14th of this year the terms of refer- ence were agreed, and at this time I would ask eave of the House to table the terms of reference so that every member of this Assembly might have a copy to refer to. Do I have the pleasure of the House to do this ?

Mr. Speaker: Agreed. Honourable George J. Ferguson: Thank you. —208—