Official Sydney and Area Projects Thread

[Smevo]

I wish I could say I was surprised...
http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local...bour-dredging-clock-hits-zero%2C-again/1

The Canadian Press

Premier Darrell Dexter says the province has received no word from Ottawa on proposed Sydney harbour dredging.

Harbour dredging clock hits zero, again


Published on May 28th, 2010
Staff ~ The Cape Breton Post

SYDNEY — The harbour-dredging waiting game continues

Without any formal communication between the Sydney Marine Group and the federal government Friday, it remains an unknown whether a request for $19 million will be secured in time to meet the tight timetable set out by the Dutch firm chosen to dredge an access channel in Sydney harbour.

Boskalis International won the contract as the preferred company to dredge the harbour. Director Harry Sanders told the Cape Breton Post during the Ports Day event earlier this month that the May 28 deadline for the $38-million project was “quite firm.”

Now the Sydney Marine Group and its chair, Jim Wooder, will have to wait until Boskalis decides its next move. It could pull out of the project altogether.

...

Sydney-Victoria Liberal MP Mark Eyking took up the cause in Friday’s question period in the House of Commons. He asked the minister responsible for Nova Scotia, Defence Minister Peter MacKay, the status of the federal government’s commitment, but he didn’t receive a direct response.

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In a brief email Thursday, a spokesperson for Transport Canada said the federal government is engaged in discussions with the province about the harbour dredging, but no decisions have been made.

But that was contradicted by Premier Darrell Dexter, who said the province has had no further word from the federal government on the file.

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Dexter said the project will still be on the table even if funding isn’t committed right away.

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I encourage you to take a gander at the full article.


http://www.capebretonpost.com/Opinion/Ed...cle-1187656/Dexter-scraped-on-dredging/1

Dexter scraped on dredging

Published on May 28th, 2010
Staff ~ The Cape Breton Post
[Fred Jackson]

Darrell Dexter sounded a little irritated Friday as he was grilled by reporters about the fate of the proposed dredging project for Sydney harbour.

His frustration is understandable on two counts.

First, he, the premier of Nova Scotia, was unable to advance the story at all beyond where it was the last time he was questioned about it around the time of the previous deadline, May 14. In fact, “nothing has changed,” he said, and “we have not heard anything from the federal government with respect to this project.”

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“If you believe in the project then you say you’re prepared to fund it or you’re committed to negotiations,” said Dexter. “That’s where we are on it.” And that’s as close as Dexter comes to saying he actually believes in the project and thinks it’s the right priority for Sydney at this time.

In fact, when pressed further, suggested that the timing’s not as urgent as it’s been made out to be. “The project’s not going to disappear,” he said. “There is always the opportunity for this to go forward....”

Well, actually, the project as currently constituted – with a preferred contractor selected and a price agreed upon – will disappear, possibly within days. What won’t disappear is the harbour, but if the trajectory of the project, aimed at this season, fails now, the whole enterprise could very easily revert to dormancy for another two decades – or permanently.

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The premier’s other reason for annoyance was that the dredging issue threatened to overshadow his good-news announcement about the province’s partnership with Bell Aliant to bring fibre-optic technology to homes and businesses in the Cape Breton Regional Municipality.

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It’s the government and Bell Aliant that chose to make the announcement on the second deadline that dredging promoters had set for an answer on government participation. The premier walked right into it, which again raises a question about how top-of-mind the dredging issue really is for decision-makers beyond this region.

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The bolded quote by Dexter really annoys me, he obviously doesn't have a grasp on what effect these delays have on costs and timelines.


http://www.capebretonpost.com/News/Local...ne-for-Bell-Aliant-fibre-optic-service/1

Cape Breton Regional Municipality to be first in line for Bell Aliant fibre optic service
Province contributes $2 million


Published on May 28th, 2010
Nancy King

SYDNEY — A $2-million forgivable loan from the province will help the Cape Breton Regional Municipality become the first part of the province where homes and businesses will have access to television and Internet via fibre optic technology.

Premier Darrell Dexter and Bell Aliant CEO Karen Sheriff were in Sydney on Friday to make the announcement.

In all, the project will cost $15 million. The network will allow for download speeds of 170 megabits per second and uploads of 30 megabits per second.

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