Borden-Carleton mayor concerned over MLA's public meeting about proposed gas station

Ryan McKellop · CBC News

· Posted: May 01, 2025 5:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 12 minutes ago

The politician of Borden-Carleton is raising concerns astir a nationalist gathering to beryllium held Monday by the area's MLA, Matt MacFarlane, astir the readying of a 4th state presumption successful the town.

The projected project, to beryllium built by D.P. Murphy astatine the country of the Trans-Canada Highway and the Dickie Road, would see a state station, java store and convenience store. 

It's sparked discussion successful the assemblage successful the past, with immoderate residents and concern owners saying the municipality of astir 800 people is already "well served" by three different state stations. 

The proposal is nether reappraisal by the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission, which is liable for approving retail state outlets connected the Island.  

In a missive to Housing, Land and Communities Minister Steven Myers, Borden-Carleton Mayor Randy Ahearn said MacFarlane's meeting could origin issues.

"The MLA's determination to big a abstracted meeting — without immoderate consultation with municipality council — undermines the integrity of the municipal readying process," helium wrote.

"This is not an authoritative portion of the readying model and risks creating disorder among residents, portion signaling to imaginable investors that owed process tin beryllium sidestepped for governmental purposes."

Ahearn said readying and processing are "core municipal responsibilities," adding: "When an MLA initiates parallel processes, it not lone disrupts assemblage trust — it whitethorn deter aboriginal developers who question whether their projects volition beryllium reviewed reasonably and predictably under the readying act."

'These are my constituents too'

Myers said helium doesn't deliberation the task needs further oversight successful the signifier of MacFarlane's meeting.

"After I got the letter, I sought retired ineligible proposal to spot what way we could illustration to marque definite the municipality not lone felt that they were supported, but... person the country to operate without having to stickhandle a backbench MLA," Myers told CBC News connected Tuesday. 

"This is each good inside the governance model that is acceptable up by the provincial authorities so, you know, we don't consciousness similar it needs other oversight astatine this point, but for immoderate crushed Matt MacFarlane does."

IRAC's nationalist proceeding is scheduled for May 13. 

In the meantime, MacFarlane said helium doesn't spot what's incorrect with mounting up a gathering with his constituents connected a taxable of nationalist interest.

"This is an accidental for radical to talk connected some sides of the contented if they want, and my volition is to marque enactment of what I'm hearing, what radical accidental and I'll nonstop those comments on to IRAC arsenic portion of their deliberation process," helium said.

"I admit they're a portion of the town, but these are my constituents too, and they scope retired to maine and they... privation to cognize what they tin bash to person their voices heard."

Ahearn said this isn't the archetypal clip MacFarlane has hosted a nationalist gathering astir an upcoming task successful the town. 

"A akin concern occurred during discussions astir the Fabrication Yard Project. This repeated signifier is profoundly troubling," helium wrote successful his missive to Myers.

For his part, MacFarlane said helium wants to meet with municipality officials earlier the nationalist meeting.

"I proceed to pass regularly with the municipality and their caller CAO," helium said. "If we tin get a accidental to get unneurotic earlier the nationalist meeting, great. I'm hoping we can."

Statement sent from town

CBC News asked for an interrogation with Ahearn about his letter.

He was not disposable Wednesday, but the municipality sent a statement.

"The substance successful question is presently earlier the Island Regulatory and Appeals Commission (IRAC), and it is indispensable that the established regulatory and readying process is respected and followed. It would beryllium inappropriate for members of assembly to remark connected an exertion that is presently being processed by IRAC," the connection reads.

"In the involvement of owed process of integrity, we spot that each parties — including the MLA successful question — volition let the IRAC process and the town's readying model to proceed without undue power oregon parallel initiatives."