A town divided.

a reply to: Atsbhct
Took me a few minutes to figure out what area you are referring to but I get it now.
I'm about an hour away from you.
I'll agree there is negativity surrounding where you are, but if town council wants positive posts put online then fix the issues.
You can't blame the locals for being unhappy and stifle their opinions.
I don't know the tax rate specific there but I do know it for the city and the next closest town to you. Is it bordering as the same as Cape Breton which is outrageous?
I agree that you do have a few attractions for tourists there, but certainly some untapped potential there.
I assume the moratorium on fracking is a detriment there as well regardless of the dispute over it.
I don't live in your area, but i did look into it a few times, and decided not based on much of what you put in your OP.
It seems to be the way out here. Our population is at an all time high but not in the smaller rural communities where they are all dwindling.

originally posted by: Atsbhct
I live in a small rural community in Eastern Canada. It's a cute town, a nice river, lots of woods, safe enough, great schools.

Consultants? What you need is a great ad campaign. This world is built on promises not actual results.

Something like

East Canada, it’s safe enough!

a reply to: AccessDenied

I think 90% of the population is seniors. It's going to be like the Cretaceous here soon!

originally posted by: Atsbhct
a reply to: AccessDenied

I think 90% of the population is seniors. It's going to be like the Cretaceous here soon!

I can commiserate.
However progress and industry aren't always a good thing.
I'll trade you for the gold mine in my back yard. Literally.

a reply to: AccessDenied

I know exactly-ish where you are then. Ugh. That mine is a disaster!

originally posted by: Atsbhct
a reply to: AccessDenied

I know exactly-ish where you are then. Ugh. That mine is a disaster!

Right?
But I could point to almost any and every small town here and say, they have this issue and that issue.
Truth is, we know we are a have not province.
Each municipality in its own right knows this and they are fighting a losing battle of not enough people, not enough money, not enough initiative to entice either to their area.
Not everyone can or wants to live in the city.
I like the quiet of the country, I really do.
But prospects here are nil.
It's impossible to change the mindset of older people who grew up in an age of work hard and that's your life. Or work hard all summer to earn that EI.
Young people here want something else and that's why they leave.
Husbands go west.
Doctors go to school here,but the government can't pay them to stay.
The whole province is messed up and can't handle the grand scheme of keeping it all together so the municipalities are left to their own devices and can't manage either.
The bigger towns swallow up the smaller ones and it isn't always for the better.
We are regulated out here by city rules despite being rural and it's the most ridiculous frustrating thing at times depending on the issue or situation.

a reply to: AccessDenied

Totally agree. We fought for years for the animal bylaws to be changed just so we could have laying hens on our giant rural property.