SMALL POPULATIONS AND GUT WRENCHING DECISIONS

The ruckus over the St. Brendan’s ferry, earlier this year, and the Budget allocation of $275, 000 to assist families with community relocation has given new focus to an old issue; the unviability of declining NL rural communities.  It is a sensitive subject and one that Governments, since Smallwood, have approached carefully. The cost to the public purse, of the most sparsely populated islands, is absurdly high.  The residents of many of these communities must know it is not sustainable.

St. Brendan’s is one example. The community’s small population has dwindled to 140; fewer during the winter.  The population statistics do not vary a lot whether the subject is Rencontre, Petite Forte or Long Island.

Every island, St. Brendan’s, Ramea or one of the others, sees itself differently.  Certainly none, so far, wish to be seen in a category with Little Bay Islands. A sizeable number of the latter’s residents (72%), voted for relocation last year; though the community still failed to meet the Government’s arbitrary benchmark of “…ninety percent or more” to trigger relocation assistance.   While they were given a closed hand, the Government’s gesture had none of the hallmarks of malice.