Foster system at ‘crisis point,’ says advocate

By Mark Squibb

Newfoundland and Labrador Foster Families Executive Director Kelly Hodder, along with daughter Elizabeth Dawe, joined Mount Pearl council in chambers recently to help proclaim Foster Family Month.

In this province, there are over 900 children in the foster care system, and about 550 foster families – although that latter number has taken a hit in recent years.

“Unfortunately, we have seen a decrease in the number of foster homes in this province, specifically since COVID,” said Hodder. “I would consider us to be at a crisis point. So, that is a large part of the work that we do at the association. We really need to raise awareness about the need for more homes. We do a lot of advocacy work to improve what circumstances are like for the foster families that we have. And we want to improve recruitment and retention, because ultimately when we have fewer homes, we see the impacts it has on the children. We have kids in rural Newfoundland and Labrador who came into care, and they have to leave their communities because there’s no foster homes in their communities. For children in Labrador, that means being out on a plane and flown to another part of Labrador or being flown down here to the island and being placed in a non-Indigenous foster home. It means children have to leave their schools, their friends, their relatives, their pets, their everything, and go to a stange place in order to be kept safe.”

Hodder was pleased to report that the association has a number of foster families in Mount Pearl, though she hopes even more residents will consider fostering.

“When children are in an unsafe situation and go into a foster home, they’re given an opportunity for stability, for love, for nurturing, and, perhaps maybe to feel safe for the first time in their lives,” said Hodder. “So, it’s very important work that their doing. It’s very challenging work, but we need them, and we need more of them.”

One of the biggest barriers, said Hodder, is the rising costs associated with fostering.

“Foster care compensation rates haven’t increased since 2012, and of course we know inflation has increased dramatically since then,” said Hodder. “So, I’ve been trying to hold the government’s feet to the fire on that. And with the new government incoming I plan on continuing that work (to say) Foster parents need funds to do the work they do. They’re not in it for the money, but you need money to do it. It’s not cheap.”

Her daughter Elizabeth, meanwhile, has inherited four cousins through foster care – Kylin, Kyrie, Greyson, and Michael.

Munn Insurance Future Goals Scholarship

Members of the Mount Pearl Sports Alliance were on hand to congratulate Ethan Collins as the winner of a 2025 Munn Insurance Future Goals Scholarship in the amount of $2000. Collins is a graduate of Mount Pearl Senior High and is furthering his studies in engineering at Memorial University. The Scholarship was created by the late John Nolan, former president of Munn Insurance and a long-time volunteer in the Mount Pearl sports community. Nolan was also a firm supporter of the Mount Pearl Sport Alliance which administers, and through its selection committee, decides a winner each year. On hand for the presentation were, from left: Ethan’s parents Jackie and Joshua Collins, Munn Insurance Vice President Adam Nolan, Ethan Collins, selection committee chairman Harold Stapleton, MPSH Principal Chris Druken, and Roy Locke, President of the Sport Alliance.

Council approves professional development trips for staff

By Mark Squibb

While members of council are in Corner Brook this month to attend the Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador annual conference and trade show, two staff members will be preparing for professional development trips of their own.

Chief Administrative Officer Cassie Rideout will attend the Municipal Communication Conference in Toronto from November 24-26, while Director of Recreation and Community Safety, Jason Collins, will attend the Canadian Parks and Recreation Association Conference in Ottawa from November 23 – 25.

Council approved the trips – paid for out of an annual professional development budget — unanimously during the October 21 public meeting.

“Professional training is fabulous,” said councillor Bill Antle. “It gives us an opportunity to go out into the marketplace and see what others are doing.”

Stuttering Association calling for bursary applications

Mount Pearl council recognized International Stuttering Awareness Day earlier this fall. From left are councillors Chelsea Lane, Isabelle Fry, Jim Locke, Mayor Dave Aker, Newfoundland and Labrador Stuttering Association co-founder Greg O’Grady, Deputy Mayor Nicole Kieley, and councillors Mark Rice and Bill Antle, all wearing nametags in recognition of stuttering awareness. Saying one’s name, said O’Grady, can be extremely difficult for people who stutter. Mark Squibb photo

By Mark Squibb

The City of Mount Pearl recognized October 22 as International Stuttering Awareness Day with Greg O’Grady of the Newfoundland and Labrador Stuttering Association of (NLSA) joining council for the proclamation, conspicuously sporting a nametag around his neck.

“One of the greatest fears that a person who stutters has is being asked what one’s name is,” said O’Grady. “That’s the biggest fear we all have.”

Grady said a person who stutters may feel like a deer frozen in headlights when asked, ‘What is your name?’

“For most people, being asked your name is taken for granted, yet for the global community of people who stutter this question is a traumatic question.” said Grady.

Councillor Chelsea Lane said she has taught a number of children who stutter.

“One thing that a student said to me that really resonated is, ‘Miss, I stutter, and people think they’re helping me by trying to finish my sentences before I get the chance, but I really just want them to listen so that I can speak,’” said Lane. “And that really stuck with me, because people may not realize that when people are stuttering, you’re not helping them by trying to fill in the blanks. Sit back, and listen, and give them the chance to say what they need to say. I think that’s really important.”

Since 2018, the association has been hosting a ‘walk, run, or roll’ event to raise funds to help subsidize therapy, equipment, and other costs for people who stutter, and has awarded over $22,000 worth of bursaries. Grady said the association has only touched the tip of the iceberg.

With the support of donors, the NLSA will be awarding six $1,000 bursaries this year. The bursaries are available for preschool, school age children, adolescents, adults and seniors who stutter or face other communication challenges. Applications are to be submitted by midnight on Friday, November 28. Applications can be emailed to info@nlstuttering.ca and or dropped off at the association’s office at 44 Torbay Road, Suite 100, in St. John's.

An estimated 350,000 Canadians stutter.

Mount Pearl council proposing big changes to municipal elections Act

By Mark Squibb

Mount Pearl councillors heading to this fall’s Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL) Conference are hoping to garner support for resolutions that would make future elections more accessible for people with mobility challenges.

Mayor Dave Aker, along with Deputy Mayor Nicole Kieley and councillors Isabelle Fry, Jim Locke, Mark Rice, and Bill Antle will be attending the conference in Corner Brook next month. They’re hoping that if the resolutions they present are adopted by their fellow municipal leaders, they may also one day be adopted as provincial law.

Each year, councils from across the province are invited to present resolutions – items they wish to one day see passed as provincial or federal law – at the annual event. The Mount Pearl contingent plans to propose a number of resolutions but none more resonant for Deputy Mayor Kieley than the one pertaining to accessibility.

“This is an item that is incredibly personal to me, and I think also is something that is going to benefit all of us in Newfoundland and Labrador,” said Kieley, herself an above-knee amputee. Kieley argued that qualities thought important to a traditional campaign, such as the ability to walk long distances or up and down stairs with ease are not necessarily strong indicators of good leadership.

“The Act, currently, favours able-bodied individuals,” said Kieley. “Whether you have the ability or not to move in a certain way doesn’t equate to leadership.”

Council also approved a resolution regarding the reimbursement of campaign expenses.

“This came to mind following the provincial election when I learned that candidates, provincially, are entitled to one-third reimbursement of their campaign expenses up to a cap provided, provided the candidate is either acclaimed or receives (at least) 15 percent of the popular vote,” said councillor Locke.

Making such a benefit available to municipal election candidates may reduce barriers and encourage more people to put their names forward for municipal election, he contended.

“Campaigns are expensive,” said Locke. “It’s okay for incumbents because we don’t have to spend as much, because we can rely on former signs and experience and stuff like that, but new candidates can be confronted with expenses of tens of thousands of dollars. And if they are unsuccessful, there’s no form of reimbursement.”

Locke suggested the reimbursement could come in the form of cash or a tax credit.

Council will also bring forward a resolution calling on the Province to regulate the use of scooters and eBikes.

“We need regulations on eBikes and scooters,” said councillor Bill Antle, noting many a resident raised the issue on the campaign trail. “Scooters are getting more and more popular on our trails, and there’s no age limit on these bikes and on these scooters right now.”

Council wades through alphabet soup of federal funding programs for street upgrades

By Mark Squibb

The City of Mount Pearl has applied for $6.4 million in Canada Housing Infrastructure Fund (CHIF) money to complete upgrades on Greenwood Crescent.

The CHIF is a pot of federal money given to provinces to distribute as they see fit.

Mayor Dave Aker asked why staff had recommended applying for funding for Greenwood and not the unfinished half of Jackman Drive. The upgrade to Jackman Drive had been quoted at $4.5 million, with contributions from both provincial and federal government, and had been split into two halves.

“We didn’t have the purchasing power to complete Jackman within that particular budget year, and I’m just trying to get a sense where Greenwood came from,” said Aker. “Why aren’t we finishing Jackman and moving to Barbour?”

Chief Administrative Officer Cassie Rideout said Jackman Drive had been funded by the federal government through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ISIP), and that you couldn’t “stack” a project with both ISIP and CHIF funding. Rideout added that council should expect to see a tender recommendation for completion of Jackman Drive upgrades in the near future.

As for Barbour Drive, Rideout said, the funding was more suitable to Greenwood than Barbour as Barbour is not “capacity building.” Projects funded by CHIF, explained Rideout, must directly increase residential capacity.

Council has also submitted a CHIF funding application for upgrades to Holden Street and will likely submit an application for upgrades to the regional water line.

The upgrades to Greenwood Crescent will incorporate accessibility features such as ramps and tactile indicators.

Planning Director Scott Batt noted that all upgrade projects will be designed with accessibility in mind.

The motion was approved unanimously.

The Haunting of Powers Pond

Judging by the crowds and vehicle traffic, hundreds of little ghouls, ghosts, and goblins braved the Haunting of Powers Pond last Tuesday evening. Among them were Eloise, 10, and Jensen, 4, Sheppard of Paradise, left photo, accompanied by parents Nathan and Chelsea. The haunted walk, hosted by the City of Mount Pearl, has become a favourite spooky activity for residents seeking a good thrill. This year’s event ran from October 17 to 26, and the City offered three variations of the walk depending on the day; a regular haunted walk, an extra scary haunted walk, and a sensory-friendly walk.

Admission was by donation to the Salvation Army food bank. Collecting donations on Tuesday night were (right photo) Dominic Stratton and Georgia Hollett. Mark Squibb photos

Rotary report shows Newfoundlanders gambling and drinking more than our neighbours

By Mark Squibb

The Rotary Club of Waterford Valley is sounding the alarm on gambling addictions and the impact excessive gambling has on individuals and families in the province.

Edwin Hussey has done much of the legwork, compiling data from the 2023-2024 annual Atlantic Lottery reports, the Newfoundland and Labrador Liquor Corporation (NLC) and Statistics Canada to form a cohesive whole.

According to the data, the province has a per capita gambling expenditure of $703 — approximately 66 percent higher than the Atlantic Canada average of $423. That includes the sales of Lotto Max, 6/49, breakopen tickets, scratch and win tickets, and games and video machines.

This province is also home to 70 percent more video lottery terminals and 75 precent more lottery retail terminals per capita than the other Atlantic provinces, with about 324 video lottery terminals per 100,000 people and 154 retail terminals per 100,000 people.

If you want to mix alcohol into that equation, residents of drinking age spend $1,102 per capita, 45 percent higher than the Atlantic province average of $758.

“We’re not against gambling,” said Hussey. “We’re against the excess of gambling, and all the problems that arise from it.”

Those problems, said Hussey, include financial hardship, negative impacts on mental and emotional health, and a possible rise in crime as people take desperate actions to fuel their habit.

Hussey said the argument that Newfoundlanders gamble because they earn less than folks in other provinces doesn’t hold water.

According to 2021 Stats Canada numbers, families in this province earn $62,100 annually, on average. That’s higher than averages in Nova Scotia, Quebec, and New Brunswick, and on par with PEI.

“I was getting the argument that Newfoundlanders are gambling for their future, their retirement,” said Hussey. “But we’re not as poor as people think we are. And I found those stats because I was hearing the argument that poor people were trying to win the lotto.”

He said the gambling problem is especially egregious when you consider the rising cost of living and how many families depend on food banks, and suggested government should limit gambling advertising as a means to address the problem.

“Advertising and promotion in the public eye has a lot to do with it,” said Hussey. “For example, cigarettes became a problem, and what did they do? Put them behind the counter and stopped advertising. We are bombarded with advertisements from the liquor stores to the lotto stores. Cut it back, so we’re not bombarded. In a perfect world we’re not going to fix all this. We know this. But we’re wondering why the devil the numbers in our little province are so high compared with the rest.”

Hussey pointed, by way of example, to the UK Parliament, which recently introduced gambling thresholds for vulnerable people, and suggested that local governments could also better educate residents to the dangers of gambling.

He added that while gambling and the sale of alcohol brings revenue to the provincial government, that benefit must be weighted against the harm being done.

The club has submitted its concerns to a number of elected officials and community groups.

Kieley once again tops the poll

Nicole Kieley proved to be a favourite in Mount Pearl once again, earning the largest share of votes this most recent municipal election, as she also did in the 2021 municipal election. Kieley earned 3,859 votes this time around. In second was councilor Jim Locke, with 3,552 votes. Kieley said that the re-election of all incumbents shows that the work this council has done over the last four years has resonated with residents.

By Mark Squibb

Nicole Kieley, along with a full slate of incumbents, has been re-elected to Mount Pearl city council.

Kieley earned more votes than any other candidate in this most recent election, a feat she also accomplished in the 2021 election, when she first put her name forward for council.

“I think this time around, it was even more important, because the results were directly tied to what I had brought, and contributed, and how I served, in my role as a councillor,” said Kieley. “The results were a validation of where council is going as a team, and what I contribute.”

Kieley added the result was a validation of her contributions as councillor during what has been a very tumultuous term personally. In the spring of 2023, she was struck and pinned by a vehicle outside a Shoppers Drug Mart in St. John’s. Because of the accident, her left leg was amputated above the knee. A year to the date of the accident, Kieley made a return to council chambers and her role as deputy mayor.

The re-election of incumbents, rather than the selection of fresh faces, said Kieley, is a good indicator of the trust residents have placed in the current iteration of council.

“It demonstrates that the works and efforts, and programs and projects and what we are focusing on, really speak to residents,” said Kieley. “As a council, I think what we do best is to ensure that we offer healthy debate and that we make sure that all views and perspectives are shared respectfully around the table, and that there’s an evidence-based type of decision making.”

If you compare the 2021 and 2025 results, you’ll see that each incumbent – with the exception of Bill Antle and Mark Rice, who swapped spots in the polls – finished in the same order in 2025 as they did in 2025. First came Kieley, followed by Jim Locke, Isabelle Fry, and Chelsea Lane. In 2021 Bill Antle finished ahead of Mark Rice, but in 2025 Rice managed to pull ahead of Antle by just a few votes.

Mayor Dave Aker, who ran a successful campaign against fellow mayoral candidate Roy Locke in 2021, was acclaimed to council this time around.

Council approves pavement contract with money to spare

By Mark Squibb

Members of the outgoing Mount Pearl council took a break from pounding the pavement to approve some new pavement during the municipal election.

Council called a special meeting for September 25 to award a new concrete and asphalt tender.

The City had issued a tender for phase two of it’s 2025 Asphalt and Concrete Services contract, which included the repair and replacement of deteriorated curbs, gutters, and sidewalks to improve pedestrian safety and accessibility. Two bids were submitted and staff recommended council award the contract to Clintar in the amount of $448,156, HST included.

The City had allocated $477,959, HST included, in gas tax funding for the project, leaving a surplus of $29,803.

Councillor Bill Antle noted that several locations needing curb, gutter, and sidewalk repairs were excluded from the original scope of work due to budget constraints, and that staff recommend the surplus be used to complete this work. Council was agreeable to the idea and unanimously approved the motion.

Council awarded a previous asphalt and concrete contract to Dexter Construction in the bid amount of $958,158, HST included this past August. A large chunk of that, about $749,770, was reallocated federal money left over from capital works projects that had come in under budget.