#Earthquake (#séisme) M2.7 strikes 115 km N of #Fredericton (#Canada) 1hr 19min ago. More info: http://m.emsc.eu/?id=1540653

#paragliding #fredericton

@stebby #Sappyfest was fun the couple of times I went. There is an equally interesting festival called #Flourish in #Fredericton (driven by people somehow associated with the band Motherhood as far as I can tell).

Alas, I'm not really feeling the festival vibe these days, but I missing seeing my neighbours play in bands.

@penpencilbrush On the family that owns New Brunswick
By Abbie Moser / green issue / September 27, 2019

"How one family creates and curates a culture of fear throughout an entire province

"There are very few names that stir up as much debate and controversy in New Brunswick as “Irving” does. As Canada’s eighth wealthiest family, formerly the third wealthiest family in 2014, the Irvings are ranked 13th in terms of most extensive landownership globally, the largest private landowner in Maine, and the fifth largest private landowner in America—the Irving family have disproportionately impacted the historical and contemporary development of my home province. Strong opinions on the Irving family and its corporation are limited to residents of the province, and Canada’s most unknown and corrupt family has gone out of their way to ensure that it has remained this way for decades.

"With their current net worth of $7.38 billion, the Irving family had humble beginnings. The dynastic company got its start back in the 1920s when K.C. Irving started a small service station in his hometown of Bouctouche, New Brunswick. With persistence, he would eventually turn this service station into Irving Oil, a 3,000-franchise distributor across the east coast that controls more than 250 enterprises scattered across North America. None of the various companies that the Irvings own are up for public trade, allowing for no financial transparency. The Irving Oil refinery in #SaintJohn, New Brunswick is the largest oil refinery in all of Canada. The #LungCancer rates in Saint John also just so happen to be 50 percent higher than in #Fredericton and #Moncton, the province’s other major cities, and are likely linked to #environmental factors instead of smoking. Their empire spans from #energy, #forestry, #trucking, #construction, #shipyards, and hardware stores, to owning every single #newspaper in the province (no, I’m not exaggerating), and even a junior league hockey team. Together, the various companies, which are all privately owned by the family, are estimated to be worth $10 billion.

"To feed an oil refinery that produces up to 320,000 barrels a day, Irving imports 100 million barrels of oil each year, most of which comes from #SaudiArabia. The family owns more than 900 gas stations, railway lines, shipping companies, and paper & pulp mills. Supplying 60% of the gasoline in Boston, the Irvings are responsible for nearly one-fifth of American gasoline imports. They employ roughly one in every eight New Brunswickers and account for more than half of the province’s exports.

"K.C. believed heavily in vertical integration and instilled the values of loyalty, hard work, and attention to detail into his empire. He was one of the first Canadians to utilize offshore #TaxHavens, placing his companies in a trust in Bermuda. This move to Bermuda would eventually prompt a Canada Revenue Agency investigation that would reveal that the Irvings’ move allowed them to lower their tax bill by $142 million. Now, roughly a dozen Irving companies are based in Bermuda. Escaping taxes is something that the Irvings are professionals at now. Oil refineries in Alberta that produce the same daily quantity as the one that the Irvings own would pay roughly between $15-16 million a year in taxes while the Irving’s refinery gets away with paying only $5 million.

"The Irvings continue to exploit the province, the natural resources of which have allowed for their wealth and power to flourish, without giving as much as a dime back to the province, allowing for our provincial infrastructure and education systems to suffer. New Brunswick is the second poorest province in Canada—our median income is the lowest amongst the provinces, we have the highest unemployment rates, our provincial government is facing a $453 million deficit, and is paying $685 million a year towards debt-servicing costs. This family doesn’t stop at exploiting the environment; they continue to exploit New Brunswickers, without whom their fortune would not exist. In 2013, it was revealed that Moncton taxpayers paid $88,000 per year to the Moncton Wildcats hockey team to compensate for the loss of income in their corporate seats. Robert Irving owns this hockey team, and the citizens of Moncton were never told that their tax dollars would be distributed to the team. City council made this decision under the condition that another Irving business would establish operations in the city."

Read more:
https://thestrand.ca/on-the-family-that-owns-new-brunswick/

#Pollution #OilRefinery #Oligarchy #Oiligarchy #Toxic

I'll be attending a rally tomorrow in #fredericton to support #acornNB in calling for an end to predatory landlord's, and for the government to step up to help co-ops and not-for-profit housing instead.

We are in an unmitigated housing crisis right now, combined with a dozen other crises...

Housing is a human right.

#humanRights #action #resist #noCorporateHousing

#Fredericton & #SaintJohn respectfully, round out the list among the province’s 3 major cities as popular landing spots.

Based on the 2021 census, contributing countries to #Moncton ’s #population surge include the Philippines, India, Nigeria, Syria, France, China, Morocco, Ukraine, Vietnam & South Korea.

https://www.saltwire.com/atlantic-canada/news/a-good-match-monctons-immigrant-influx-fuels-economic-growth-and-helping-alleviate-labour-shortage-100873146

#Immigrants #Canada #Maritimes #NewBrunswick #CanPoli #BIPOC #ImmigrantsInCanada #WelcomeImmigrants #Newcomers #GoodNews #NBpoli #POCinCanada

Source: CBC #news #newbrunswick

Is it real or is it fake?: Harold the Hippo makes #fredericton duck pond home

Walking by the Killarney Lake Park duck pond in #fredericton this summer might make some people do a double-take. Floating in the water is a partially submerged lifesize hippopotamus. But “Harold the Hippo,” as he’s been named, is made of metal and water bottles.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/harold-hippo-duck-pond-killarney-1.6875296?cmp=rss

Source: CBC #news #newbrunswick

Looking to buy? Here's what N.B.'s #housing market looks like this spring

The spring real estate market hasn’t been quite what realtors were hoping for, but “it’s still a seller’s market, for sure,” said Michele Morris, president of the Real Estate Board of the #fredericton Area.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/sale-price-house-spring-drop-1.6875073?cmp=rss

Source: CBC #news #newbrunswick

Price tag of new #fredericton performing arts centre climbs to $81.7M

The estimated cost to construct a new performing arts centre in downtown #fredericton has grown substantially. However, the city says it's a cost it can bear without needing to increase tax rates for residents.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/fredericton-performing-arts-centre-playhouse-1.6874291?cmp=rss

Source: CBC #news #newbrunswick

Artist hopes new window display brings LGBTQ community together to support each other

Tyler Randall explains the how and the why behind a new window display supporting the LGBTQ community at Endeavours Art in #fredericton.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/artist-hopes-new-window-display-brings-lgbtq-community-together-to-support-each-other-1.6871329?cmp=rss

#Earthquake (#séisme) M2.0 strikes 122 km N of #Fredericton (#Canada) 1hr 14min ago. More info: https://www.emsc-csem.org/Earthquake/earthquake.php?id=1271714

Source: CBC #news #newbrunswick

#fredericton's annual Art on the Bridge brings art to all

The free exhibition welcomed over 40 artists aged 14-75 to display and sell their art on the Bill Thorpe walking bridge.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/fredericton-s-annual-art-on-the-bridge-brings-art-to-all-1.6873114?cmp=rss

Source: CBC #news #newbrunswick

Orange Shirt Day founder visits Wolastoqey immersion school in #fredericton

In the 1970s, Orange Shirt Day creator Phyllis Webstad was forced into a residential school. Last month, she visited the Wolastoqey immersion school in #fredericton, which stands against everything residential schools stood for.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/phyllis-webstad-wolastoqey-immersion-school-1.6872461?cmp=rss

Source: CBC #news #newbrunswick

Airbnb regulation already on the books in #fredericton, but enforcement unclear

The City of #fredericton already has some regulation on short-term rentals, as seen with Airbnb listings, but if and how the city is enforcing it is unclear.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/fredericton-airbnb-rental-short-term-1.6871261?cmp=rss

Drawing upon the rich #embroidery #heritage of her childhood in #Mumbai , Sarita Gujar combines #traditional #Indian #craftsmanship with western embroidery techniques & is sharing her skills with other #embroiderers in #Fredericton . 

Gujar's #expertise is in #shisha embroidery, also known as #MirrorWork . This #ancient #technique was originally the domain of poor #artisans who mimicked the bejewelled fashions of the wealthy.

https://www.cbc.ca/amp/1.6859141

#AsianMastodon #CulturalArt #IndianArtists

Source: CBC #news #newbrunswick

Cleanup underway after #fredericton truck crash

The #fredericton Animal Hospital was hit by a transport truck Wednesday, temporarily shutting down the Smythe Street roundabout as crews worked to remove the vehicle.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/cleanup-underway-after-fredericton-truck-crash-1.6868769?cmp=rss

Source: CBC #news #newbrunswick

Transport truck collides with building off #fredericton roundabout

The Smythe Street side of an uptown roundabout in #fredericton is inaccessible after a tractor-trailer truck collided with a building Wednesday morning.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/crash-traffic-safety-prospect-1.6868025?cmp=rss

Source: CBC #news #newbrunswick

New Brunswickers can take city buses for free Wednesday

It’s free to ride city buses Wednesday, in Greater ##moncton, #saintjohn and #fredericton.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/city-buses-free-wednesday-moncton-fredericton-saint-john-1.6867176?cmp=rss

Source: CBC #news #newbrunswick

Supervisor guilty of criminal negligence in death of teenage worker on #fredericton job site

Jason King has been found guilty of criminal negligence causing the death of Michael Henderson, an 18-year-old worker who died at a work site in #fredericton in August 2018.

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/jason-king-michael-henderson-criminal-negligence-1.6865555?cmp=rss

Source: CBC #news #newbrunswick

June is go-time for #fredericton 'ride-jockey,' tattoo artist, lawn mower guy

#fredericton resident John Godin has been fixing lawn mowers — and various other machinery — for so long now, some of his customers are third generation. 

https://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/new-brunswick/lawnmower-repairman-john-godin-fredericton-1.6863943?cmp=rss