The mayor of Saint John says the city’s fiscal situation will be the top focus of council in 2019.
A working group made up of municipal and provincial officials has been working on long-term solutions to address the city’s structural deficit.
After months of work, they are expected to present their report sometime in January.
In a year-end interview, Mayor Don Darling explained what he would like to see in the comprehensive report.
“It’s around revenue and it’s around cost restructuring, but it is ultimately and absolutely about improving the quality of life of citizens and improving the climate to spur on more business and business investment in the city,” Darling said.
Structural Deficit Could Hit $15 Million
The report is part of the “new deal” announced by the province in Feb. 2018, which will also see the city get up to $22.8 million over three years to help address its structural deficit — the gap between its revenue and expenses.
With city staff warning Saint John’s structural deficit could balloon to $15 million in 2021, Darling said the solutions need to be sustainable.
The mayor said he is glad Premier Blaine Higgs does not want a band-aid solution for the city.
“We actually have quite a bit in common,” Darling said. “We’re both fiscal conservatives and we’re both trying, I think, to do what we believe is right for me for my city and he for the province.”
Darling said the premier cannot put the province first if he does not also put the major urban centres first, noting Saint John accounts for 20 per cent of the province’s GDP.
Story by Brad Perry
Twitter: @BradMPerry
Email: perry.brad@radioabl.ca
(Photo: Brad Perry/Acadia News)
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