While the tourism industry is applauding the new interprovincial air service announced by the provincial government those in areas not included would like to see the initiative expanded Leaders in Labrador are outright upset with being excluded from the partnership between government and PAL Airlines that will see flights between St Gander and Deer Lake between for four days each week from June 15 to Sept Subscribe now to access this story and more: Subscribe or sign in to your account to continue your reading experience Create an account or sign in to continue your reading experience In a joint press release issued after the announcement the Sheshatshiu Innu First Nation and the Labrador North Chamber of Commerce said they were “shocked” their concerns about air service connections and affordability in Labrador were not addressed as part of the new service Labrador North Chamber of Commerce’s chief executive officer said regions across Labrador have advocated for more efficient and affordable air transportation for years air transportation is an essential — and often the only — mode of transportation and is a crucial element to fostering economic development and growth throughout the region,” she said in the press release “Despite repeated efforts to communicate challenges regarding air service and affordability the provincial government moved ahead with yet another initiative that excludes the region of Labrador The province must focus on creating an effective provincial-wide transportation network and perspectives of stakeholders in Labrador must be valued and reflected.” In its press release announcing the service the provincial government did reference Labrador saying government continues to communicate with Labrador airport partners on options to improve air access to that part of the province and continues with its advocacy to the federal government regarding the burden of federal fees charges and other taxes that place a strain on passengers “We respect the concerns coming from the Labrador region and continue to work with Labrador airport partners on options for expanded access between Labrador and the island,” said outgoing Premier Andrew Furey chief executive officer of the Goose Bay Airport Corporation said the corporation has made repeated suggestions to the province to enhance service and affordability in Labrador to no avail He doesn’t buy the reasons given by the province “The province continues to say that federally imposed fees are the major issue,” said Goudie “But those same fees apply to all airports Why are those fees a barrier to providing provincial assistance to Labrador The joint release from the Labrador officials noted the region is a major contributor to provincial economic output With pending hydro development at Churchill Falls and Gull Island under the new memorandum of understanding between the province and Quebec expansion in the Labrador West iron ore mines Voisey’s Bay underground and the promising outlook for rare earth minerals in northern and southeastern Labrador they said region will continue to play “an outsized role” in the provincial economy to understand how the province can ignore Labrador and the obvious need in terms of the quality and affordability of air service directly invest in and celebrate the improvement of air service on the island,” said Happy Valley-Goose Bay Mayor George Andrews “It is insulting to people in Labrador to be ignored on an issue that is of extreme importance to people in this region.” Goose Bay Airport is also a vital air link for the north Labrador coast “We have made our case again and again to the province of the need for action to address air transportation issues for all of Labrador,” said Sheshatshui Innu Band Chief Eugene Hart “If the province is sincere in its public statements that it is working to address air service issues May 3 — and Labrador Affairs Minister Lisa Dempster who is the legislature member for the Labrador district of Cartwright-L’Anse au Clair in which he said the new service is not a truly interprovincial service since it only serves the island portion of Newfoundland and Labrador Arts and Recreation Minister Steve Crocker; Perry Trimper the Liberal legislature member for Lake Melville; Philip Earle the newly elected Liberal Commons member for Labrador; and to both John Hogan and John Abbott the other provincial Liberal leadership candidate who sought to replace Furey as the next premier Goudie also outlined some of the suggestions the corporation has made to improve air service connections and to enhance affordability for Labrador residents “We have asked the province to consider an air subsidy program similar to that in place in Quebec,” wrote Goudie “People in regions that are distant from the main centres of Montreal and Quebec City qualify for a subsidized airfare Our request for a similar program in this province has gone unanswered “The province did offer $250,000 to assist our efforts to attract a new carrier the timeline to access these funds was impossibly short and we asked that the funds be reprofiled for our use in the current 2025-26 fiscal year Goudie added it was particularly concerning to see the new service announced for three airports that are just hours away from each other by vehicle while still not receiving any response from government about its request to reallocate the funds offered by the provincial government “We deserve an explanation as to why Labrador has been so obviously left out of this initiative … We are perplexed with the province’s position that the fees and levies are a barrier to assisting airports in Labrador but are not considered a barrier to assisting airports at Deer Lake Goudie said he appreciates the efforts to enhance tourism within the island and hopes it proves successful but said Labrador should have also been given the same opportunity “There is patent unfairness in choosing to further assist air travel on the island while ignoring the service and affordability issues faced by people in Labrador,” he wrote The new air service also raised the ire of the provincial Progressive Conservative Party the Tory legislature member for Torngat Mountains and the Opposition Shadow Minister for Labrador Affairs said the Liberal government is short-sighted when it comes to Labrador “Labradorians are sick and tired of this Liberal government’s attitude of out of sight out of mind,” the MHA said in a press release “To subsidize an island-only interprovincial air travel loop is outrageous Did the Liberals think that we wouldn’t notice that they left us out of the loop again while Labradorians continue to suffer under limited travel options and sky-high prices.” Evans said she had recently spoke with a Goose Bay resident who has to travel soon to St John’s and their air travel will cost them $1,427 “This is rubbing salt in our wounds,” she said Evans noted that Labradorians often must travel for medical reasons and should be treated more fairly when it comes to the costs they incur especially after all the advocating leaders from the region have done on the issue She congratulated the municipalities on the island that will benefit from the agreement but questioned why Labrador is not part of the service “I celebrate anything that improves air access in the province but everyone should get the same treatment,” said Evans “I also question the Liberal government subsidizing seats to international destinations when Labradorians cannot afford to travel for critical medical appointments This shows the Liberals’ priorities — they certainly don’t include Labrador.” ‘Left in the dust’ The announcement of the new service also did not sit well with Jordan Brown the NDP legislature member for Labrador West who presented a petition calling for accessible interprovincial travel to the House of Assembly last year The petition had more than 3,800 signatures Brown said the “glaring omission of Labrador” is another example of the provincial government neglecting the region “The cost of flying to the island from Labrador is outrageous and people are tired of the provincial government passing the buck to Ottawa,” he said “Government is handing $15 million to companies to subsidize tourist airfare but refuses to lift a finger for Labradorians but to access basic services unavailable in the region continues to treat Labrador with an “out of sight out of mind” mentality and he wondered what it will take to finally get the region’s concerns taken more seriously “Government keeps saying they’re working with federal counterparts and meeting with stakeholders—but nothing is being done,” said Brown “I ask this Liberal government: if Labradorians started calling themselves tourists would we finally get the help we’ve been pleading for Or do they really believe spending $2,000 or more just to access essential services or visit family is less important than promoting tourism?” While officials in Labrador have been making their voices heard about the issue the new air service also left out another significant region of the province Many tourists head to the tip of the Northern Peninsula if they hope to take in the UNESCO World Heritage Site at L’Anse aux Meadows where Norse artifacts discovered there have proven that Vikings once lived there temporarily The area also has the longest iceberg-viewing season in the province and is where many species of whales head on their annual migration northward where more iceberg-viewing and whale-watching opportunities await as do historic sites such as the UNESCO World Heritage Site at Red Bay and the National Historic Site at Battle Harbour noted that despite what the tip of the Northern Peninsula has to offer it doesn’t see nearly as many visitors as Gros Morne National Park the UNESCO World Heritage Site in the southern part of the peninsula really beneficial if we were a part of that,” Knudsen Anthony Airport being added to the seasonal interprovincial air service “One of the issues that we have with getting more people up here is just how far away this is off the beaten track.” The highway distance from Deer Lake Airport to L’Anse aux Meadows is nearly 440 kilometres — a more than five-hour drive if travelling at around 80 kilometres per hour “I get lots and lots of inquiries about how to get here and they do bring up how to fly here,” said Knudsen whose business sells a line of products made from local berries offers expeditions to see icebergs and marine life and also operates a historically-themed bistro named Cafe Nymph Bus service on the Northern Peninsula is relatively infrequent and renting a vehicle in Newfoundland and Labrador during the busy tourism season has been problematic because of low inventories in recent years The region could also use more electric vehicle charging stations While there are many issues with land transportation Anthony Airport included as a stop if the province’s seasonal interprovincial air service ever expands northward to Labrador He said the typical tourist who heads to the tip of the Northern Peninsula does so because of the knowledge-based tourist attractions that are there icebergs and the Norse and other human history are usually well-educated and willing to spend money on the things that interest them frequent air service here during tourism season I think that would be absolutely tremendous,” he said to get them to spend a few extra dollars to get on a plane rather than having to do this massive trek in a car over potholes you need a quad to get over Knudsen said it makes sense if the province is first going to see if the service that has been announced proves feasible before expanding it He would also like to see a better marketing job done to promote what the Northern Peninsula has to offer It’s been his experience that many visitors don’t realize how much there is to see and do on the Northern Peninsula and would have allotted more of their vacation time to the area if they had known “That’s not lost on us either,” he said of the service proving successful enough to warrant expansion maybe there could be a marketing punch along with it.” Knudsen has been hearing from many American tourists wanting to come to Newfoundland and Labrador as well as many Canadians and Europeans who have chosen to redirect their plans away from the United States because of the current political atmosphere there and are considering the province as their destination of choice “I don’t know how much of our increase in bookings is attributed to that “That’s only going to last so long because that’s based on the current political situation but a reliable and easy air route would certainly help that more The Telegram asked the provincial department about whether St Anthony would get any consideration if the service is ever expanded to Labrador Gander and Deer Lake at this time because they are the regions with the highest volume of vacation travelers and are well-positioned to support and sustain this type of offering,” stated the emailed reply from the Department of Tourism The department’s email noted that it is awaiting the final tourism numbers for 2024 during the latest full year of expenditures the total tourism spending by residents and non-residents was $1.4 billion Reviews and recommendations are unbiased and products are independently selected Postmedia may earn an affiliate commission from purchases made through links on this page The British Virgin Islands is an explorer's dream with more than 60 isles and cays to discover Expert-backed tips and a step-by-step breakdown to ward off these pests We tried it: Filtrete Smart Tower and the Dyson Purifier Hot+Cool Formaldehyde HP09 transmission or republication strictly prohibited This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. 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Happy Valley-Goose Bay RCMP are looking to arrest 38-year-old Duane Piwas who is wanted in relation to charges of sexual assault and failing to comply with a release order Police believe that Piwas may currently be in Natuashish One person was taken to hospital after a shed fire in the west end of… An Ontario man who swindled tens of thousands of dollars from seniors in a “grandparent… May 5 is the National Day of Awareness for Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women, Girls… The SPCA’s animal shelter in Happy Valley-Goose bay is at capacity with a continuously growing wait list. This week, the organization launched a year-long fundraiser to help with operations. There were many familiar faces at the Liberal leadership convention this weekend, sharing their thoughts… With the Liberal party set to elect a new leader and premier on Saturday, Premier… Candidates Anthony Germain and Jonathan Rowe discuss what motivated voters in the closest race in… Video evidence, NHLer testimony raise questions in world junior sexual assault trialThe National |May 2Video4:45 Trump repeats 51st state taunt as Carney prepares for White House visitThe National |May 5Video11:28 It is a priority for CBC to create products that are accessible to all in Canada including people with visual Closed Captioning and Described Video is available for many CBC shows offered on CBC Gem. Newfoundland and Labrador Health Services has issued a request for proposals for a technical advisor to guide the Provincial Government on the planning and design of the substance use treatment centre in Happy Valley-Goose Bay. 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Shortly after 2:00 a.m., the RNC were called to a complaint of property damage in… The Department of Fisheries, Forestry and Agriculture is urging caution on the T’railway near Maccles… This week is International Compost Awareness Week. The theme this year is Sustainable Communities Begin… the SPCA in Happy Valley-Goose Bay got a surprise phone call from EVAS Air president Ian White with an offer that will help a lot of animals The SPCA in Happy Valley-Goose Bay got a surprise phone call from EVAS Air president Ian White with an offer they simply could not refuse recently  With the ongoing Canada Post strike and the high cost of living the SPCA has had its fair share of difficulty retaining supplies The shelter relies heavily on Amazon orders as it’s much easier and cheaper to order in bulk they’ve had no other choice but to get what they need from the grocery store explained former president of the Goose Bay SPCA It’s a story of unanticipated generosity and kindness in a time when it was needed most After receiving an impromptu message over Facebook from White asking if she was available for a call and he said he’d like to help us out in any way they could because they’re up here basically once a month,” she said “They’re coming up fairly empty and going back fairly empty ‘We’ve got lots of space to help you guys out.'” This isn’t the first time that EVAS Air has transported pets and foster animals Before stepping into the role of president following his father’s recent passing White worked years ago in an operations role with the airline and regularly moved pets for people when doing a charter or cargo trip pets these days are like children or part of the family,” he said It wasn’t long ago that White became aware of Learning and the SPCA in Goose Bay and their efforts to find people willing to attach an animal to their plane ticket mourning the loss of his father and knowing he would be stepping in as the new president White said EVAS Air wanted to find a way to give back and Labrador has a special tie to the company – and his father we developed a lot of the routes that are in Labrador and still being flown today,” explained White had a strong drive to develop routes within Labrador “He flew as a Labrador Bush pilot for many years when he was younger and he always had a strong affinity for people and the environment around him.” Since they were already headed to Goose Bay with a charter White reached out to their customer to make sure they would be comfortable with the excess cargo being used for supplies for the SPCA and they agreed “They helped as well by allowing us to use the excess space that they paid for.” White was more than happy to collect the food and supplies himself to be flown up and has already told Learning that he is more than willing to do so again “Every four to six weeks we do this same travel,” he said especially when it comes to moving animals Learning then posted a wish list to Facebook to gauge what was needed most within the community The flight brought over a dozen bags and several cans of dog food who proposed that this could be an ongoing arrangement since they’re already travelling to Goose Bay at least once a month depending on the space available at the Gander SPCA and on flights leaving Goose Bay the shelter sends animals to Gander for adoption “Pretty much any time when they tell us they have space and they can take puppies or an adult dog or whatever they feel they can take there’s been times we’ve tried to move an animal to them that they’ve said they could take that process will become far more manageable A litter of six puppies was born a couple of days before the EVAS Air flight was set to land in Goose Bay the puppies were added to the cargo headed back to Gander on their way to find a forever home Without their partnerships with other SPCAs across the province they would never be able to move as many animals as they do Their capacity would overflow and they would have to turn away animals that may not otherwise survive “There’d be more animals we couldn’t take and more animals out there suffering needlessly,” she said Learning said they’ve taken in over 500 animals in a year we took in 588 animals for the full year,” she said “We’re going to hit close to that 500 mark for sure this year,” she added With the extra supplies provided by EVAS Air they are better equipped to care for the animals they’re sheltering and help the community when necessary “We certainly don’t want to see anyone struggling to feed their animal either,” she said “It’s not something we can provide on a regular frequent basis just because we’re in such a dire need ourselves for the stuff we get at the shelter for the animals that’s in our care we certainly do help out when and if we can.” As the only locally owned and operated airline in the province Learning said it feels good to keep things local She emphasized that they couldn’t be more grateful for the wonderful contribution Anasophie Vallée is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering Indigenous and rural issues This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. On July 12, residents of Labrador West were ordered to evacuate as wildfires threatened their safety. Over 10,000 people packed up and headed east to Happy Valley-Goose Bay, uncertain about where they would stay, what they would eat, or when they could return home. The Salvation Army’s Emergency Disaster Services (EDS) team stepped in to provide crucial support to evacuees and volunteers, offering food, clothing, and emotional & spiritual care. Major Kay Barnes, the local Salvation Army Officer, explained their rapid response: “When we got the call that people were en route to our community, we activated right away. We started brewing coffee and preparing snacks so that when they arrived late that night, they were greeted with a smiling face, snacks, and a hot beverage.” EDS Specialist and team lead, Mike Barry, coordinated the efforts of 26 volunteers to ensure that all three shelters received meals. Barry shared a touching story about a young man who arrived with nothing but the clothes on his back and a backpack: “We were able to get him some clothes and a voucher to buy new clothing and toiletries. We don’t know people’s situation, and we try to help.” The volunteers, many of whom had never met, quickly formed a cohesive unit. “We worked together as well as we could for a group of strangers, and we leave now as friends,” said volunteer Debbie Murley. Jennifer Lowe, another volunteer, added: “My team was exceptional, which made it so much easier. I feel like I made lifelong friends.” The EDS team served over 13,360 meals during the 10-day evacuation, with strong support from community partners. The volunteers’ efforts extended beyond providing meals and practical support, as they also offered a listening ear and spiritual care. Reflecting on the experience, Major Barnes said, “It’s been a learning experience, an eye-opener for me, and a time I will never forget. I believe God placed me here at the right time to help and support and realize that there’s always work to do in The Salvation Army, in any town or community you find yourself in.” We are using cookies to give you the best experience on our website. You can find out more about which cookies we are using or switch them off in settings. This website uses cookies so that we can provide you with the best user experience possible. 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This means that every time you visit this website you will need to enable or disable cookies again. — Residents of Happy Valley-Goose Bay have continued to express concern about the safety of their community and assaults are some of what residents are continuing to post about on social media with some claiming they refuse to post when they plan to be out of town on holiday for fear their home will be the next target the RCMP’s crime report for June was released to the public at last week’s Happy Valley-Goose Bay town council meeting The report states that in June there were 10 break-and-enters in the community Jolene Garland later confirmed that while there were 13 break-and-enters in June three of which were commercial and the other 10 residential further investigations have determined that four of the reported break-and-enters were unfounded contacted The Telegram and said that in June she had reported a break-and-enter at her home but only moved back to the community with her husband nine years ago She explained that they live in a quiet neighbourhood and never thought their home would be broken into “My husband went to Newfoundland to pick up our new vehicle and I don’t like staying in the house alone — I never did — so me and my puppy went to the hotel for the night,” she explained to find the house had been broken into through the back door She immediately called the police and did not enter her home before they arrived “The first thing I did was call the RCMP,” she said he explained that he was only one of two officers on duty at the time and it was a very busy day “I’m waiting and waiting for him to come back,” continued Hewitt “I want to get the house cleaned up – I need to get the door secured After calling again to see when they would be back “Aren’t you guys going to take fingerprints or anything?” we have limited resources right now in town – we have no forensics,’” she recalled The one thing the police did take was a crowbar the intruder had left in the bedroom after using it to break into the home The police have taken the crowbar and will analyze it for fingerprints the next time forensics personnel are in town “I don’t know who to blame it on,” she added Hewitt said the intruder took everything that was of value from the home They had all the big pictures taken off the wall but they only took one of the smaller ones.” Hewitt said no major repairs will have to be done on the inside of the home “They ripped the drawers apart and stuff like that but nothing other than breaking our door – that’s costing us over $6,000 to get replaced.” She said her sister has given her a piece of jewelry for every birthday and Christmas over the last eight years “I say my jewelry alone was probably fifty thousand,” she said Hewitt said at least $150,000 worth of valuables were stolen from their home the poor thing’s been collecting since he was a boy so he’s devastated because he wanted to leave it to his grandson.” They have now installed security cameras around their home to be extra cautious I can’t even sleep at night without my bedroom door locked,” she said “ I just felt like it started to ease off a little now with the security With ongoing safety concerns being raised in the community Hewitt said she and her husband plan to move away next year we don’t feel like it’s the right place to be anymore,” she said they will definitely move the summer after “This wouldn’t be a place I’d want to retire because I just feel that the town is getting worse as the months go by and it doesn’t seem like there’s any end in sight.” “It’s not fair that people feel like they have to move away to get away from it.” Other residents have commented on social media warning the community not to post in Goose Bay Facebook groups when they’re going out of town a resident’s post stated their father’s home had been broken into the day before The resident’s father was away on vacation at the time that the intruder entered the home they did say numerous valuables were stolen The RCMP sent out a news release on July 26 stating that while they have received information that residents are concerned with increased crime in the community the Happy Valley-Goose Bay detachment has not noted an increase in crime reports “The RCMP is committed to keeping the community safe but cannot do it alone Preventing and solving crimes requires collaboration amongst police Our officers cannot address what they don’t know “Those who witness a crime or suspicious activities are strongly encouraged to contact the Happy Valley-Goose Bay Detachment directly as soon as possible to make a report – call 709-896-3383 or attend the detachment in person Crimes may also be reported to Crime Stoppers: #SayItHere 1-800-222-TIPS (8477) visit www.nlcrimestoppers.com or use the P3Tips app.” Anasophie Vallée is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter covering Indigenous and rural issues government announces public safety review"I can assure you my daughter never grew up like that A rally in Happy Valley-Goose Bay in mid-August saw many residents come together and vocalize their concerns with regard to public safety in their community residents are seeing a slight improvement in the community and a response from the government “I think things have taken a slight turn for the better with the increased enforcement activities that have occurred,” said Happy Valley-Goose Bay mayor George Andrews “I believe it’s gotten better,” agreed Darren Buckle We saw some posts by the RCMP indicating that people were remanded into custody.” who has operated a fire and burglary alarm service as the main part of his business in Goose Bay since 2011 has been working from his current site since 2015 a fire was spotted just behind the local Pentecostal Church “I actually went to the site,” said Buckle “That’s from the back shed of the church to where the fire occurred he said it’s pretty evident how the fire started “There was two mattresses that completely burned There was quite a bit of empty liquor and beer bottles and cans there was garbage and all kinds of clothing all over the site Buckle found a second site about 50 feet away from the church but there was a definite fire pit,” he said Already having experienced two fire evacuations Buckle stressed that if that fire had happened under the right circumstances right between a bunch of the major subdivisions and businesses,” he explained There’s a lot of caribou moss on the ground I don’t know if anybody realizes how close we could have been to having a serious fire there.” Buckle said that while he had noticed a decrease in crime since the rally the fire behind his business proves that there’s more work to be done According to statistics provided by the RCMP 898 crimes were reported from May to July 2023 in the area compared to 1,280 in the same period in 2024 The RCMP said the majority of the increase is due to reports of mischief unwanted persons on properties and sleeping in various locations the RCMP says it has not seen any increase in reports of more serious/violent crimes Local resident Curtis Saunders said this information doesn’t surprise him at all “I told the town council last summer what’s gonna happen – and it’s happening again this year,” he said “I really hope something do come out of it “I don’t have no faith in the government.” the province’s minister of justice and public safety announced in a news release that there would be a public safety review for Happy Valley-Goose Bay conducted by the Policing Transformation Working Group is to ensure public safety measures such as policing services are meeting the needs of community members With very little information surrounding what form the review will take there is an opportunity for residents to submit suggestions to the working group through email at policingtransformation@gov.nl.ca The government has also allocated additional enforcement resources to assist with public safety in Goose Bay While both Saunders and Buckle have said that they will be submitting suggestions they still have some concerns with the steps being taken by the government It can’t be just a reactionary thing where we do it now because this is where the noise is he had a lot of faith in the government when an advisory committee health and supportive services for the homeless and transient population The main concern raised by both Saunders and Buckle is what’s called catch and release “I don’t blame the RCMP for what’s happened here in Goose Bay,” emphasized Buckle they’re let out to go back to their criminal activity immediately they’re going to release them,” added Saunders Having grown up and raised his own family in the community Saunders said it’s sad to see how things have changed “I don’t even think my daughter would ever move back home I can assure you my daughter never grew up like that “There’s more and more people moving away from Goose Bay,” he added “I was born and raised in Goose Bay in 1961 Buckle said he knows a lot of people who are talking about leaving due to the escalating crime “I couldn’t blame them one bit for leaving or at least relocating within town,” he said it would be very difficult for me to leave “If crime continues to rise like it has been there would be a point where we’d have to consider something and it’s continuing,” said Lorraine Hagerty Hagerty was detailing the long and tangly process of trying to get her mother into long-term care in Happy Valley-Goose Bay Hagerty and her family began the process of getting her mother into long-term care They brought a social worker in to do the paperwork and the assessment and then they waited they were hoping to get her a bed at the Labrador Health Centre in Goose Bay Hagerty called to see where her mother was on the waitlist and was informed that there was no paperwork on file “They told me that she’s not on the waitlist,” Hagerty recalled Her mother was then placed in respite care from Aug Hagerty continued to advocate for her mother trying to locate the missing paperwork that would get her on the waitlist and she didn’t want to come home,” explained Hagerty She was able to get her mom back in respite care from Oct Hagerty said her mom enjoyed her time in respite care and bonded with the staff and nurses Her mother had previously suffered a stroke and broke her hip She needed a level of care that Hagerty and her family couldn’t provide themselves Hagerty was suffering from her own health-related issues and as much as she wanted to be able to take care of her mother they were told that she would finally be getting the next bed available in long-term care – unless either of the two following scenarios came up: if a female in Protective Care needed to come to the regular ward or if a female who was living in Labrador City whose first choice was long term care in Happy Valley-Goose Bay there was still no news of any vacant rooms so Hagerty requested that her mother be put back in respite It was getting increasingly difficult for Hagerty to take care of her mother she was able to get her mother back in respite on May 27 for three weeks After getting her mother’s stay in respite extended to July 8 she was informed that if she wasn’t able to take her mother home then she would end up in emergency at the hospital or in long-term care in Labrador City “She had different nervous breakdowns over the years Hagerty went with her mother to help her settle in “I went in with her for six days and settled her in,” she said “There was a woman from Goose Bay in there too.” It was difficult not having her mother close by and not being able to check in on her and make sure everything was alright Hagerty said her mother was doing pretty good Hagerty was on the phone with her mother when she began gasping for breath she’s gasping for breath; check her and call me back’ — she didn’t call me back.” she called her mom again to find that she was in the same condition ‘When did the doctor come in?’ She said the doctor doesn’t come in unless we call him and her mom was then placed on strong antibiotics Hagerty was there for 13 days before they got her mother medevaced back to Goose Bay we finally got her admitted back home; that was Sunday She requested her mother’s long-term care file on Oct Hagerty maintains that her mother should not have died when she did “She shouldn’t have died; this shouldn’t have happened,“ she said “She should have had a bed a long time ago.“ Witnessing the strain that the whole process put on her mother and the impact it had on her health during her last moments was Hagerty’s breaking point If another facility had been available in Goose Bay A lack of available beds in the hospital’s long-term care home is putting a strain on numerous families and sending your loved ones to another community can be isolating and stress-inducing she’s concerned for what will come of them if the availability for long-term care doesn’t improve “I won’t go into the home; I’ll die first,“ she said “After what I’ve seen and what I’ve been through or we’ll move — there’s no way on earth I will ever go into that home.” The province announced a safety plan for Happy Valley-Goose Bay today after years of concerns from residents. The recommendations include more police presence in the town, body cameras for RCMP officers, and support for addictions and mental health. — Residents in Happy Valley-Goose Bay have cited increasing safety concerns over the last number of years and Facebook is rampant with posts from locals describing incidents ranging from vandalism to home break-ins described the attempted break-in of her daughter’s bedroom that led to her finding out someone had been coming to her daughter’s window for weeks “I was only informed of this the night I heard knocking,” she said My daughter come up from her bedroom — her room is downstairs — and she told me that it’s been going on for two weeks” She said every night at around the same time “There was one night they were trying to pry open the window but she didn’t wake me up to tell me at that time,” said Michelin but I’d say the last couple of months she moved her bed over by the door Michelin said that while they have security cameras set up outside the house the quality isn’t good enough to identify who has been coming to the window she hasn’t reported it because there is nothing they can really do Another resident who spoke about an incident they experienced requested to remain anonymous for the safety of their family three teenagers were outside their home shooting at their car and window with a high-pressure air rifle but my daughter was sleeping in my room right beside the window,” they said The resident said the shot barely missed their child’s head — it was less than an inch away “A hole went through my window and the back of my vehicle got bullet dents in it everywhere,” they said They explained that while this is the first time they’ve been shot at it isn’t the first time they’ve felt unsafe there’s murders constantly happening on my street there’s drunks beating each other up,” they said “My kids cannot even exit out of my house alone They added that the worsening conditions in the community have resulted in many residents choosing to move out of Happy Valley-Goose Bay “I have been planning on leaving for a while,” they said so I’m just trying to finish my last year of college and then we’re deciding to move away “There’s already a lot of people that have moved away and there’s a lot of people’s houses going up for sale now because they’re all moving away.” One of the main concerns being raised is the lack of attention placed on child safety in the community “My daughter that almost got her head shot is now terrified to even be at the house so she’s been spending a lot of time at her grandma’s “They’re going through counselling and therapy,” they added “But it seems like it’s a lost cause because no matter how much therapy they have it’s still happening The incident was reported and is now before the court; the charges have not yet been proven we’ve been dealing with this difficult issue for the last number of years more predominantly over the last three or four years,” Happy Valley-Goose Bay Mayor George Andrews said He said they have continued to voice their concerns to the provincial government and are doing everything they can to deal with the situation Residents’ concerns have also raised a bigger question surrounding the approach that has been taken to combat the rise in homelessness in the area Many homeless residents suffer from addiction and/or mental-health conditions and some community members say the government’s tactics to help them When asked about efforts to help those with addictions and mental-health conditions Andrews said while he is not an expert on that subject the municipality is partnering with other agencies that are and nobody around the council table is,” he said “So we’re relying on agencies and community partners that have that experience.” chairperson and founder of the Guardians of Recovery Foundation emphasizes a recovery-focused approach when it comes to tackling homelessness and the drug crisis all this low-barrier stuff is giving people the right and freedom to use drugs and make choices on their own,” she said Olivero established the foundation after her son She said many people with addictions also suffer from mental-health conditions that can result in anosognosia the inability to understand when you are sick “Our system is set up underneath the Charter of Rights and Freedoms and the privacy law to give them all the rights to be able to make a decision for themselves,” she explained “What we fail to do as a society is determine whether or not that person has the capacity to make a life-saving decision or not.” Join the conversation You can save this article by registering for free here. Or sign-in if you have an account Sanjay and Cloe Sethi were dozing in their seats aboard an Air Canada flight to London early Friday when they were woken up by an unusual announcement over the loudspeaker Create an account or sign in to continue with your reading experience when the pilot informed passengers that the plane would be turning around and returning to Toronto because London Heathrow airport had been temporarily shut down the flight would make an unscheduled stop in Goose Bay Sanjay turned to his wife and asked: “Where the hell is Goose Bay?” Get a dash of perspective along with the trending news of the day in a very readable format By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc The next issue of NP Posted will soon be in your inbox Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. Goose Bay sits on a military base in the province of Newfoundland and Labrador The plane needed to refuel there before returning to Toronto adding time and an unusual twist to the Sethis’ wayward journey Their sudden change of plans was repeated on other commercial aircraft thousands of miles apart in the wee hours of Friday as planes had to divert or turn around after a fire broke out at a power station near London Heathrow The mishap threw one of the world’s busiest airports into disarray cutting off electricity and forcing it to close London Heathrow said Friday that it would restart some flights later in the evening Flights already in the air when the airport closed were forced to reroute While some were able to land at nearby airports like London Gatwick many had to either turn around or adopt makeshift flight plans that landed them back where they started despite its slogan — “A Great Place to Land” — is better known as a refuelling point than a hub for transAtlantic travel and his teenage son were headed for a Spring Break trip to London They were about two hours into their Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd flight from Dulles International Airport near Washington when their entertainment screens went blank The captain came on and told passengers the plane would have to turn around you know where your mind goes,” said Deoudes “I’m sure everyone’s mind went to: trouble.” Virgin Flight 56 landed back in Dulles at 12:42 a.m Deoudes said he and his son live less than an hour from the airport but Virgin Atlantic personnel were helping others sort hotel accommodations With the next available flight not until Sunday night Deoudes and his son have scrapped London altogether He said he’s scouring last-minute options like Miami Aruba or Belize for a short snorkeling trip The airline has assured him he’ll get a refund Oliver Fuge’s disruption was smaller but no less annoying to London on Emirates with a stopover in Dubai the flight was diverted to London Stansted The NHS surgeon decided to take a train home to Devon rather than pay for a hotel room “Communication was poor/non existent on the flight & when I arrived in the UK,” he said via direct message on X the choice I’ve made means I’m going to have to do an 8-plus hour round trip sometime in the next few days to collect my car.” sharing the tarmac with an American Airlines Group Inc the pilot read a prepared message that told passengers they had the option to disembark there was no disembarkation at that location the Sethis returned to their home in Toronto were planning to spend a few weeks there on holiday with plans to see Mean Girls and Devil Wears Prada in the theatre. They’re now awaiting further details about the rebooked flights Air Canada has promised its passengers Sanjay said his immediate plans were to take a shower do some shopping and then head for the gym This website uses cookies to personalize your content (including ads), and allows us to analyze our traffic. Read more about cookies here. By continuing to use our site, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy You can manage saved articles in your account a French-language school in Happy Valley-Goose Bay The Conseil Scolaire Francophone Provincial de Terre-Neuve et Labrador (CSFP) released a report in 2018 after receiving funding from a sister French organization to complete a review by consulting engineers and architects The estimated cost for the project at the time was $11,950,000 and it’s likely the cost today would be even more Things are more expensive to get built up in Labrador generally,” he said After not receiving the funding requested in the last provincial budget CSFP is considering taking legal action if sufficient funds are not provided in the upcoming provincial budget “The school board has been talking about this for a number of years and the impression seems to be that it’s not as high a priority as we would certainly want,” explained Smith The French system has been built through litigation starting in 1982 with the repatriation of the Constitution and through multiple actions right up to the Supreme Court of Canada “The French system has demanded that it be treated with at least a minimal degree of resource support to develop schools that are comparable to those of the English language system,” he said Smith said the school board is still considering whether it will pursue that People are not naive — the idea of undertaking something like that is seen with a high degree of trepidation.” CSFP remains hopeful the school will be included CSFP has been very polite in requesting further funding l’École Boréale had a total enrollment of 33 students necessitating the combination of many grades due to the limited number of students and space Samuel Roy is currently stationed in Goose Bay with the military and has three children enrolled at the school Roy and his family have been living in Goose Bay since 2023 and while he said there is enough space classroom-wise for all the students the activities outside the classroom are limited students must be transported to the local YMCA for physical education activities Both Roy and Smith emphasized that the YMCA facility is great but a designated space on school grounds would be better but they only go one morning a week,” explained Roy Another issue is the lack of space for all the students during indoor recess They use the same multi-purpose room for any activities outside of the classroom “They don’t really have a place to run off and burn off energy like they would if they had the gym,” he said Having access to French language education is protected by The Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms he expects the same level of education and facilities for his kids no matter where they are across the country “They have a small library; it’s a corner in that multi-purpose room.” Roy said at this point it feels as though they are simply waiting on the provincial government to commit to some funding they can finally follow through with the expansion He added that it’s also important to consider the potential boost that an expansion like this could give the school by encouraging more parents to enroll their children “Other people that might not have sent their children to the French school now they might consider it to have newer and better installation,” he said École Boréale is not the only French Language school experiencing these issues the French Language school in Labrador City is experiencing some of the same struggles but with a slightly larger student population “They can’t play volleyball and basketball and the common room that they have doubles as the gym.” Volleyball and basketball are two of the most popular sports in Newfoundland and Labrador in the fall If the students aren’t able to play the games “it again means that [they] can’t use [their] own school facility to do what other schools do normally every day.” Smith said CSFP is not naive about the problems in many small rural schools and that they are not the only ones seeking solutions “We should have a proper gymnasium in every single school,” he said The Town of Happy Valley-Goose Bay has been working to help the evacuees of Labrador City, and is asking residents for assistance.  The town is asking residents to continue conserving water at this time, and say they need more pet-friendly, and wheelchair accessible accommodations for evacuees. There will also be increased traffic and pedestrians in the town, so residents are reminded to drive with caution. The town is asking anyone who is able to help with accommodations, to call 709-896-3084.  The provincial government will be examining public safety measures in the Happy Valley-Goose Bay area to ensure they meet the needs of the area Minister of Justice and Public Safety Bernard Davis has tasked the Policing Transformation Working Group with examining whether policing needs are adequate for the community members in the area He said the Working Group will consult with key stakeholders in an effort to provide recommendations to address issues that have recently emerged “Public safety is an important fabric of our society Our government is looking to engage the community and residents on a more proactive approach to public safety in the Happy Valley-Goose Bay area,” said Davis entered Skipper Joe’s convenience store in Happy Valley-Goose Bay demanding the cashier to open the register whose family has owned and operated both Skipper Joe’s locations in Goose Bay for over 50 years said this is the first time an incident like this has occurred at the store According to a statement released by the RCMP the man left with the register in hand and was last seen running east along Hamilton River Road towards Juniper Street When asked if she feels that safety concerns have intensified in the area around the store Fraser said that while there may be concerns in certain areas at different times There was another incident near the other Skipper Joe’s location captured on video by a resident in the community and then posted to Facebook of a group of individuals fighting on the street Fraser added that her employees have expressed their concerns regarding public safety for a very long time “They have said that to the government themselves in meetings with the Minister of Justice as have other workers in the community,” she said “Those feelings have been present for a very long time and the government has been aware of them for a very long time.” In terms of the effect on her own daily life Fraser said that she is mainly concerned for her children “I worry about being able to safely raise a child in a community in which it is very unsafe for him to venture into many areas,” she said Some residents within the community have stated that they have seriously considered moving away due to the increased safety risks “It breaks my heart that I would even have to consider leaving when measures can be put in place to make our community safe and make the children safe,” she said “We can’t put a price tag on public safety and we can’t put a price tag on the lives of kids.” With fights breaking out outside of stores and in the streets of the community residents have expressed concern on social media about the way it’s impacted their day-to-day lives said she constantly has to look over her shoulder when outside playing with her kids “I find it’s even hard to sleep at night because I worry of someone breaking into our home destroying our property or harming us,” she explained She understands these situations and crimes occur everywhere but emphasized that there has been a dramatic increase in incidents in Goose Bay “I’m scared for my own children to grow up and everyone else’s children here to be playing outside with friends,” she said “I don’t feel safe letting my kids play outside unsupervised The overall effect on her family’s life has been immense we don’t feel safe going to public playgrounds and even the hospital has become a place I fear to be,” she said Fraser said that when you’re talking about victims of crime the only perception that should matter is the people who have experienced it In response to the belief that the severity of the public safety issues is being blown out of proportion To the senior who had her door kicked in or to the two employees that were in my store when they were robbed?” It’s also important to keep in mind that it’s not a big community “Neighbourhoods that have experienced this haven’t just experienced it once “Businesses that have experienced it haven’t just experienced it once; it’s been multiple times.” The recent report on public safety in Happy Valley-Goose Bay announced the number of RCMP officers in the community would be increasing Fraser said that while she feels it is a step in the right direction it’s equally important to consider the components that will be needed to help support an increase in manpower “We have to make sure that all departments are pulling on the same rope in the same direction and that they’re working together and not undermining one another,” she said The provincial government advises that all congregate shelters opened in the Happy Valley-Goose Bay area as part of the emergency response will be closing by 12:00 p.m. Tuesday. This decision follows the lifting of the Labrador City evacuation order at noon today. The province is thanking organizations and community partners for working diligently to ensure all shelters ran efficiently for residents of Labrador City displaced as a result of the wildfire. Churchill Falls evacuees were welcomed with open arms to Happy Valley-Goose Bay Wednesday night. NTV’s Bailey Howard reports. The Fire Department in Happy Valley-Goose Bay is warning the public that the Fire Index for Happy Valley-Goose Bay is currently set at extreme. This means there is an extreme risk of fire and dangerous forest conditions. New fires will start very easily, spread rapidly, and challenge fire suppression efforts. Many forest related activities will be banned or restricted to ensure public safety. This includes closing access to forested areas, cancelling Burning Permits, restricting industrial activities, and prohibiting open fires and campfires. Canada’s Foreign Affairs Minister Melanie Joly visited Happy Valley-Goose Bay yesterday, and St. John’s today. While in the capital city she visited NTV’s newsroom and addressed a number of topics including the carbon tax, the war in Ukraine and the potential of a fall federal election.  Liberal candidate Philip Earle was the first elected MP declared in the 2025 federal election as the residents of the Labrador riding voted to send him to Ottawa covering 300,000 square kilometres and 30 communities was how important it is for candidates to make it out to the North Coast and see folks face to face “No matter how big the community is,” he said “tell them who you are and what you want to do you would have to get out there and try to get the message across as opposed to sending off a little something on Facebook.” The Telegram spoke with Liberal candidate – now official MP – who said he felt it was important to reach as many communities as possible to ensure he was able to engage with all voters I will become the voice of Labradorians in the nation’s capital at the seat of government it’s important to listen and to engage with all of the voters and give voters that opportunity,” Earle explained “I feel the only way to do that is to visit to listen — and the only way to do that is to get there.” Earle had been to all but one of the communities in Labrador He wasn’t able to reach Black Tickle on two occasions due to poor weather Having had the opportunity to engage with Labradorians across the region he said he was able to give them his perspective on the issues that are important to them they’ve allowed me to make a commitment to them that I will represent them well in Ottawa and I believe that that confidence will be borne out on election day and I will be able to represent people in Labrador the way they expect me to,” he said Earle said he felt confidence and optimism leading into the election sentiments that were evidently rightly placed as he took an early lead with 64.5 per cent of votes right out of the gate on election night While he was able to have a private reaction to the initial announcement at home with his wife April it wasn’t long after that Earle was walking into a room of supporters at Hotel North in Happy Valley-Goose Bay He described it as a moment of joy and excitement following a short but long election but long because of the vast geography of Labrador and having criss-crossed it a number of times,” he explained “I would suggest it felt longer than it actually was knowing that those were the individuals that worked so hard to get my message out Among supporters at the venue Monday night was outgoing Labrador MP Yvonne Jones who Earle said made a significant contribution to his campaign that it was important to him to distinguish himself from Jones while also acknowledging the vast knowledge and insight Jones has to offer “While Yvonne gave support and certainly a lot of moral support and encouragement her involvement in the campaign was limited to her knowledge of Labrador and the encouragement to take this on,” he explained Earle said he was humbled by their show of support and appreciative of the confidence that had been placed in him “I’m very much looking forward to working collaboratively with them on the issues that are important to Labradorians bringing back to Labradorians the results that they expect from their MP,” he said he felt the key issues included the impacts of tariffs on the natural resource export economy Having spoken with many residents across the district Earle said there are a host of additional issues that have been brought to his attention including the potential impacts of tariffs connected to the fishery Earle will be preparing to step into the political sphere in a role that is brand new to him “It’s my first time running for elected office,” he said “I’ll be waiting with baited breath for the information that will be forthcoming to tell me when I have to be in Ottawa to be sworn in work for Labradorians begins tomorrow morning.” Labrador will have a new representative in Ottawa after Yvonne Jones stepped down Voters in Labrador will elect a new MP for the first time in over a decade after longtime Liberal representative Yvonne Jones announced she was stepping down Yvonne Jones ran for the nomination in 2013 who had previously held the seat since 2011 Before being elected to the House of Commons Jones served as Liberal MHA for Cartwright-L’Anse au Clair for 17 years here’s a look at the candidates Labrador residents will be choosing from in the coming election a close-knit community on the Labrador Straits and has been living in Happy Valley-Goose Bay with his family for the past two decades He recently decided to leave his role as vice president and executive responsible for Air Borealis to run as the Liberal candidate for Labrador in the election he has built a career focused on delivering essential services to communities across the Big Land working first with Air Labrador and later with Air Borealis “I think it’s often said that timing is everything,” Earle said “I’m at the right point in my life where I have time that I want to put into public service to my country.” Having worked as an entrepreneur and in the airline sector for the last 25 years Earle said he’s confident the skills he’s learned make him the ideal candidate for the riding The many industries in Labrador and the jobs they create are under threat by tariffs and experience that I’ve learned as a business leader can be applied to help me bring the Labrador message to allow me to represent the people of Labrador to give them a voice in our nation’s capital,” he explained Having travelled throughout Labrador since the campaign began and mineral extraction and development are issues that need attention “I believe one of the greatest issues that exists in western Labrador is seniors’ housing,” he explained “It’s important to point out that Labrador has four distinctively different regions with tourism playing a role mineral extraction and development playing a role I would suggest that all three of these need attention for various reasons at this particular point in time.” While he said the previous administration did much to advance reconciliation “I would want to be that continued champion for reconciliation “I would want [Labrador residents] to see me as a Labradorian through and through,” Earle added “A person who understands that the best attribute that any individual could have is a person that listens my experience of working in the communities of Labrador I want people to know that I am the best advocate for them on any and all of the issues that they may be facing.” grew up in the small town of L’Anse Au Loup and like many folks growing up in Southern Labrador his first job was working at the fish plant in his home community Normore went to Memorial University and spent some time working in the mining sector in Labrador West during his undergrad He’s spent the last eight years working in environmental health and safety or occupational health and safety across various industries “Growing up in Labrador gave me firsthand experience and the challenges and opportunities that communities of Labrador face,” he said “I felt like I wanted to be a part of the solution to make life better for people living there.” While having a young child may elicit questions as to whether this is the right time to run for federal office Normore said it’s only pushed him further towards wanting to create a brighter future for all families in Labrador and beyond “I want to ensure that the children that are growing up “I’m running for office because I believe that we need leaders that are dedicated to listening to people and working towards creating real progressive change.” and housing are at the top of his list of issues that should be priorities health care and economic growth — and economic uncertainty as well especially given the current climate of the United States,” he explained Housing is not just something that’s affecting individuals that want a place to have a roof over their head It’s also affecting economic growth in the region because when people are being offered jobs they’re not able to find a place to live and have to decline those jobs as a result.” Normore believes he is the best person for the job because of his “averageness.” “My name may not be widely known across Labrador just like the majority of people across the province and I believe that my averageness is not a weakness I’m very in touch with the reality of life here and I believe that’s the main reason why I’m the right candidate to be the one to bring fresh practical solutions to the table.” The Telegram has attempted to reach Wallace for an interview but has not yet received a reply spending her early childhood in Nain before her family relocated to Happy Valley-Goose Bay where she completed her primary and high school education she moved to Montreal to pursue post-secondary studies before an opportunity led her to Florida and the Eastern Caribbean where she began a career with Disney Cruise Lines Following several years in the cruise industry Wallace and her husband moved to Australia to be closer to his family where she spent nearly 16 years operating her own business she returned to Happy Valley-Goose Bay to join her family business and quickly became an active member of the community Wallace has volunteered extensively in local schools and community organizations and has served on several boards including the Lawrence O’Brien Arts Centre and the Lake Melville Soccer Club As a member of the Happy Valley-Goose Bay Rotary Club she has contributed to numerous initiatives benefiting the local community she was elected to Happy Valley-Goose Bay town council and was appointed deputy mayor