Federal money will help City ‘intensify’ population on Park Avenue

By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tyler Waugh

Mount Pearl’s plans for residential growth along Park Avenue got a shot in the arm last week with $7 million in federal funding for infrastructure to boost capacity in the area.

The funding, announced September 16, helps offset the $17 million project that includes upgrades to water and wastewater infrastructure, sidewalks and paving on Park between Dunn’s Lane and Stapleton Road.

Mayor Dave Aker said the work will not only provide more reliable services for existing residents but also support more housing. He said there are four areas with potential for development, including the old school site, the old pool site, an old hotel site and even, he added, where the Park Place Community Centre currently sits.

“As we complete our new community centre this centre here will be taken down and likely the City in the coming months, perhaps within a year, will have an opportunity to put this out for proposals to redevelop,” Aker said. “And we’re thinking density; we may as well be honest at the end of the day. There’s so much traffic on Park Avenue now because of the Team Gushue Highway that once the highway opens up this year, we are going to see traffic soften a little bit. We really believe we have capacity on Park Avenue to move people in and out, whether it’s for employment purposes or whether it’s to live here in the city of Mount Pearl.”

Aker said while underground infrastructure upgrades will help improve capacity for more housing, the new pavement that will come afterwards will be the first since the road was repaved back around 2009.

Aker said there will be traffic disruptions during construction, but that is a case of short-term pain for long-term gain that residents will understand.

“Even though today is not about wear and tear, Park Avenue is really showing its age,” said the mayor.

Design work is set to take place over the course of the fall and winter and a tender will go out in late winter or spring next year with work potentially starting in the summer of 2027.

“We are also considering some work up in the Wyatt Boulevard area and we are working with the provincial government on Jackman Drive and other parts of the city,” Aker said.

Cape Spear-Mount Pearl-Paradise MP Tom Osborne said the $7 million represents significant infrastructure investment for the future.

“It also gives us the capacity to build more homes, which are desperately needed, not only in Mount Pearl, but in Newfoundland and Labrador and across the country,” Osborne said.

Mount Pearl council approved at its September 22 meeting an application for six units within three row houses at 171 Park Avenue. The proposal had been subject to a public briefing session in early September where residents expressed concerns, not so much about that particular project, but the broader increase in housing density along Park Avenue.

“They expressed concerns about the cumulative impacts of these developments,” said Deputy Mayor Jim Locke, explaining their worry that the growth will create traffic and road safety problems. “Their point was the City could be introducing 100-plus units in a relatively compact geographical area.”

The City had also considered earlier this summer a proposal for a four-storey, 55-unit apartment building at the old municipal pool site at 11 Stapleton Avenue.

Roof work causes City to draw on it's reserves

By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tyler Waugh

The City of Mount Pearl will pull $169,000 from reserves to help pay for roof and mechanical unit replacements for the H. Neil Windsor Building and Reid Community Centre.

Council awarded the tender to Can-Am Platforms, the lowest qualified bidder, at a cost of $549,782, HST included, but only $380,782 was budgeted for the project.

“The additional $169,000 required to complete the project will be funded through reserves and savings from other completed City funded projects,” councillor Mark Rice told council.

Mayor Dave Aker confirmed with administration that the reserve funds being allocated to cover the overage is money in the bank already and not being pulled from other projects.

The work includes replacement of approximately 490 m² of the remaining original roofing system at the H. Neil Windsor Building, as well as replacement of aging HVAC equipment, including the heat recovery ventilator and air handling unit at that facility, and the air handling unit at the Reid Community Centre.

The H. Neil Windsor Building is home to the City depot.

The City opened its call for bids on July 29 and there were three bids received when the tender closed August 24.

Mount Pearl receives $5.8M for Holden Street upgrades

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Kenmount Hill area will continue its infrastructure makeover in 2027 after the City of Mount Pearl landed more than $5.8 million in money from the federal government.

City council voted at its September 8 public meeting to enter a cost-sharing agreement for the Kenmount Hill Phase 1 – Holden Street Upgrading, which comes with $5,845,012 in federal funding. Council agreed, for its part, to provide $1,753,503, HST included, and accept responsibility to fully fund any cost overruns.

The project consists of replacement and upgrading of underground water, sanitary and storm lines to accommodate future development on Kenmount Hill and the replacement and upgrading of the existing water and sanitary easement between Holden Street, Ingerman Street and Farrell Drive.

“Due to the extent of the underground work, replacement of all above ground assets including the street, curb and sidewalk are also included for replacement as part of the scope of this project,” said councillor Mark Rice.

Council applied for the federal money in October 2025 and received a project approval letter August 4 from the Department of Transportation and Infrastructure, the provincial department which oversees the funding to towns and cities. Design work for the project has been finalized with only minor design and specification modifications required to start the tendering phase this fall. 

Construction is projected to start in early 2027 and to be substantially completed in the 2028 construction season. Professional consultant services are under an existing contract signed on October 4, 2024, with CBCL Ltd.

“Yes, this is great news. I know people in the area must be a little tired of construction in the area,” said councillor Bill Antle. “We have so much construction in that area. It’s going to be great when it’s done.”

As part of the agreement, council acknowledged that surplus funds in the project cannot be used for any additional work.

Mount Pearl soccer squad made most of national special Olympics

By Tyler Waugh, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

The Mount Pearl Special Olympics soccer squad returned from the 2026 Special Olympics Canada Summer Games in Medicine Hat with a heart full of memories after representing Newfoundland and Labrador on the national stage.

The squad included players aged 20-65, including some who enjoyed their first taste of national competition along with others who represented the province for the eighth or ninth time. On the team this time around were Mount Pearl residents David Wells, Dion Cantwell, Jacob Haynes King, Josh Haynes King, Melanie Taylor, Zach Mahoney and Mark Peddle, who were joined by Nick Styles of Conception Bay South, Shaughn Connors of the Goulds, Michael Mullaly of St. John’s, and Andrew Hynes of Portugal Cove - St. Philips.

“We have earned silver and bronze medals in the past and also have come away with nothing at times. Either way it’s a great week,” said coach Travis Maher, who has coached since inception of the Mount Pearl squad.

He said a fun soccer program runs every summer on Sundays for anyone who wants to try the sport, adding that every four years a team is selected to compete at the provincial games and then travel to the nationals. 

Training for nationals took place twice a week for a year and a half leading to the games. Practice was in a gym over the winter and on fields around Mount Pearl once the snow was gone.

Once in Medicine Hat the team competed in three divisional games, four round robin games and one finals game. Unfortunately, Maher said, the team was not placed in the right division and it resulted in some lopsided results. Regardless of the outcome this time around, memories were still made.

“One of our athletes was highlighted on TSN for his goal and celebration at Medicine Hat,” Maher said. “For the warmup one game we joined the PEI team and had a dance party before the game. Regardless of results from any games these athletes always have a great time together as friends.”

Conference travel approved

By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tyler Waugh

 Mount Pearl city council made a series of five motions at its August 18 public meeting that approved attendance at several conferences for staff and council over the next few months.

Mayor Dave Aker pointed out the professional development and travel requests are in accordance with policy and, even though they are routine, they still come to council for approval.

Councillor Bill Antle spoke favourably of the benefits of the conferences in making the various motions to approve the travel.

“It’s so good for us to travel around the country to see what other communities are doing and what other councillors are doing,” he said.

Council approved requests for Mayor Aker, Deputy Mayor Jim Locke and councillors Isabelle Fry and Antle to attend the Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador (MNL) 2026 Conference, Tradeshow and AGM from November 5-7 in St. John’s. Council also approved, in a separate motion, a request for chief administrative officer Cassie Rideout to attend the same conference.

In two other motions, council approved professional development and travel requests for Deputy Mayor Locke to attend the Atlantic Planners Conference from October 7-9 in Charlottetown, PEI, and councillor Antle to attend the Economic Developers Association of Canada (EDAC) 2026 Conference from September 14 – 17 in Moncton, NB.

The last motion passed by council approved a professional development and travel request for director of recreation Jason Collins to attend Event Atlantic – Summit 2026 and attend board meetings from September 8 – 11 in Shediac, NB.

Mount Pearl job fair aiming to match seekers with employers

By Tyler Waugh

Knowing about available opportunities is one of the predominant barriers to employment, says a local labour force expert. Coincidentally, it’s also a barrier for businesses looking for new talent.

Those dovetailing interests come together September 17 when the Mount Pearl and Paradise Chamber of Commerce holds its annual job fair at the Reid Community Centre. The event drew 26 organizations last year and more than 800 people walked through the door looking for supports, jobs and career opportunities.

“For job seekers who are finding it difficult to access a career, opportunities such as job fairs can be particularly valuable because they create a direct connection with employers that may be difficult to establish through an online application alone. I would encourage job seekers to research the businesses attending in advance, identify organizations and roles that genuinely interest them, and arrive prepared with thoughtful questions,” said Sherri Tucker with Avalon Employment. “Asking an employer about their onboarding and training process, for example, can tell you considerably more about whether an organization is a good fit than simply asking what positions they have available. If you feel you may need additional support to prepare, navigate the event or connect with employers, seek that support in advance.”

Wanda Palmer, executive director of the Mount Pearl and Paradise Chamber of Commerce, has organized nine job fairs during her time with the chamber. She said the goal is to support members with an affordable, convenient way to meet potential employees.

There are already more than 20 groups ranging from private companies, government agencies and non-profit organizations confirmed to be on hand to connect with new talent. There will also be booths where job seekers can get help with their resumes as well as photos taken at no cost.

“This certainly could help students entering the workforce or anyone who does not have a head shot for their LinkedIn profile or resumes,” Palmer said.

Unemployment in the St. John’s area sat at around seven per cent in July up 0.3 per cent from the same month in 2025, based on statistics found on the City of St. John’s website. The participation rate of 65.1 per cent was down 1.1 per cent.

Newfoundland and Labrador stats from July, according to the Government of Canada job bank, showed employment declined by 200 jobs (-0.1 per cent) over the last month to sit at 9.3 per cent in terms of the unemployment rate, up from 8.2 per cent in June, with the decline attributed to loss of part-time employment. The jobless rate for young Newfoundlanders, and young Canadians generally, is much higher, indeed higher than other countries in the G7 as Canada continues to digest unprecedented levels of immigration over the past five years.

Tucker said that one thing interesting about the current labour market is the tension between the continued need for talent and the number of people who are struggling to find a pathway into employment.

“Newfoundland and Labrador's unemployment rate has recently been moving in the opposite direction of the national trend, even while we continue to hear from employers about challenges finding and retaining workers,” she said. “I think that tells us there is more happening than simply a shortage of available people. There are gaps between the talent we have and the opportunities people can realistically access.

Tucker said another challenge is a lack of true entry-level positions.

“We increasingly see ‘entry-level’ positions requiring previous experience, credentials or already-developed workplace skills, while technology and changes in how businesses operate are changing some of the traditional jobs where people once gained their first experience,” Tucker said. “This can create a difficult cycle: people need experience to access employment but have fewer opportunities to gain that experience.”

One other barrier specific to communities like Mount Pearl and Conception Bay South is transportation as the workforce moves significantly between municipalities for employment, but many schedules remain difficult to meet without a vehicle and a lack of public transportation between CBS and the rest of the northeast Avalon.

“A job can technically be available while still being functionally inaccessible to a portion of the labour force,” Tucker said.

She said there are some exciting areas of growth for Newfoundland and Labrador as the technology sector has grown significantly, creating opportunities that extend beyond traditional information technology roles.

“We are also preparing for considerable growth within green and clean-energy industries, including wind, hydrogen and related construction, engineering, skilled trades, operations and professional services,” said Tucker. “These emerging sectors create opportunities not only for new entrants, but for people who can transfer or build upon skills developed in other industries.”

Tucker said employers who seek support to examine their recruitment, interviewing, onboarding and retention practices through an inclusive lens can increase both the quantity and quality of talent able to access their opportunities.

There is no cost to attend the job fair and it is open from 9:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.

Mount Pearl opts for mid tier on scale of new energy efficiency standards

By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tyler Waugh

The City of Mount Pearl has adopted a new mandatory residential energy efficiency requirement to be consistent with current building practices.

And while the City could phase in an increase to efficiency standards for one and two-family homes, Deputy Mayor Jim Locke said the recommended standard of Tier II of a five-tier rating system is a prudent move to start balancing efficiency and affordability considerations.

“(Tier II) is still energy efficient, I don’t want to get the message out there that Mount Pearl is sort of reneging on energy efficiency and climate initiatives, because we are not,” Locke said at council’s August 18 meeting. “We recognize in consultation with the builders that most of the Tier II requirements are already being undertaken, so by making that mandatory in the City of Mount Pearl we are not causing any undue hardship or any increased cost for potential home buyers. With that said, we have committed to review the requirements for Tier III in consultation with builders and the experts in the field and our staff and maybe we can move to adopt that in a year to come.”

The move comes after the Province adopted the 2025 National Building Code, which came into effect July 12, though municipalities retained authority to determine the residential energy efficiency requirements for one and two-family homes.

As a result, municipalities must independently determine whether to adopt energy efficiency standards and establish the applicable minimum compliance tier. The five-tier framework ranges from Tier 1 (base compliance) to Tier 5 (net-zero energy ready).

Council received correspondence and supporting material from the Canadian Home Builders' Association (CHBA) and provincial home builders' associations requesting towns and cities to pause implementation of portions of the 2025 codes due to concerns about affordability, implementation readiness, regulatory impacts, and housing supply.

City staff acknowledged the concerns but advised council current construction methods commonly incorporate Energy Star windows and doors, improved airtightness, high-efficiency heat recovery ventilators, and heat pump technologies that exceed minimum code requirements. It was also noted that new homes on the Avalon commonly reach Tier II levels and, at times, even Tier III.

“So that’s a good place to start with ambition to move forward as we understand the process more,” Director Scott Batt told council.

Planning staff sought feedback from other departments regarding the impacts, enforcement requirements, training needs, industry implications, and implementation considerations associated with adopting the standard.

Staff advised that a phased progression to Tier 3 should be considered once municipal procedures, staff capacity, builder competency, and implementation experience are established. Tiers IV and V were not recommended due to cost and implementation considerations.

Batt told council that the standards will apply to new builds and will not necessarily apply to renovations as in most cases they would be grandfathered under prior building codes. That said, Deputy Mayor Locke followed up specifically about whether the new standards will apply to basement apartments funded through the City’s housing accelerator grant program.

“I believe they would have to meet that as well, but it’s not an onerous standard to meet. Tier II is fairly basic with most modern homes,” Batt replied.

Batt said while the standards are now in effect, there is a notification and grace period for developers and contractors before rolling it out officially, with a potential timeline of late fall before it becomes mandatory.

“It would give us some time to get our forms and policies in order to check and make sure this is being achieved,” Batt said.

Council unanimously approved the energy efficiency standard as recommended by staff.

Commonwealth T’Railway crossing nearly ready to open

By Local Journalism Initiative Reporter Tyler Waugh

Mount Pearl’s much anticipated new pedestrian crosswalk where the T’Railway crosses Commonwealth Avenue should be open soon.

Councillor Bill Antle said at the August 18 regular meeting that he gets asked about the crossing a lot and wanted to clarify whether it would be done by September 1.

“Hopefully we’ll have that opened up in the next couple weeks,” replied councillor Mark Rice as part of the public works report, where he indicated the project was 85 per cent complete.

The project includes a user-activated traffic signal that will allow pedestrians and cyclists to trigger a stop for traffic, a trail realignment slightly to the south to ensure it’s perpendicular to the roadway to improve sightlines, a raised median island in the centre of Commonwealth Avenue to help reduce vehicle speeds and providing a midway ‘refuge’ for pedestrians.

Vehicles heading in the outside lane on Commonwealth Avenue will be able to continue straight through the intersection at Park Avenue and Ruth Avenue. Westbound traffic on Ruth Avenue turning right onto Commonwealth will have to stop before entering the roadway, rather than yield.

The City has advised that some of the final components, including signal pole installation and pavement markings, will require temporary lane restrictions on Commonwealth in the coming weeks.

The City also announced a $60,000 grant from the Trans Canada Trail Association this past week, though that does not represent new money as the grant was included in the project budget of $317,500. Council awarded the construction contract to Dexter Construction back in 2025 at a cost of $298,418, HST included.

Construction started in 2025 and resumed this past June. When complete, it will create a connection across one of Mount Pearl's busiest roads, with 60 per cent of users crossing at this point.

The project includes a user-activated traffic signal that will allow pedestrians and cyclists to trigger a stop for traffic, a trail realignment slightly to the south to ensure it’s perpendicular to the roadway to improve sightlines, a raised median island in the centre of Commonwealth Avenue to help reduce vehicle speeds and providing a midway ‘refuge’ for pedestrians.