Last night, Antigonish Town Council heard a presentation from the Good Neighbours Working Group about a review of St. Patrick’s Day 2025.
Last year, St. Patrick’s Day celebrations in Antigonish included a large crowd of people filling in St. Mary’s Street as well as public drinking and other issues. At the time, RCMP stated they placed eight people in cells for liquor control act and disturbing the peace offences. They also issued 17 summary offence tickets for violations of the liquor control act and two tickets under the town’s nuisance by-law.
Jacqueline De Leebeeck, director of Student Life at STFX, and Elizabeth Yeo, vice president of students, made the presentation on behalf of the working group, which includes municipal, STFX, and community partners like the RCMP.
Best practices coming out of the report include strengthening joint operational planning, enhancing proactive communication and social media strategies, reinforcing on and off campus event alternatives, clarifying enforcement and accountability roles, and sustaining a culture of shared responsibility.
Antigonish Mayor Sean Cameron spoke about the presentation following the meeting.
Cameron said this sort of thing is happening Canada wide, with participants coordinating online. The cost to the town last year was around $20,000, mostly due to extra RCMP staffing.