The County and Town of Antigonish may still undergo consolidation.
The County of Antigonish asked the province October 20, 2022, to enact special legislation for consolidation and Justice Gabriel says they have the legal authority to do so.
It comes after three Antigonish County residents applied to the court asking to quash that request. This application has been dismissed.
In his decision, Justice Gabriel wrote, “Does a Municipal Council, bearing the powers and obligations conferred upon it by the MGA whose actions are presumed to be legal, whose statutory powers are to be interpreted generously, have the ability to legally ask the Province to enact legislation, to permit it to do something which it plainly acknowledges that it presently has no power to do on its own? The answer, in these circumstances, is “yes”.”
Antigonish County Warden Owen McCarron said they are pleased.
“As we have said from the beginning, our whole objective is to create a stronger local government to improve the economic opportunities, resiliency, and quality of life for everyone in Antigonishl,” McCarron said.
They are still waiting on the government’s decision on the special legislation.
