Although it received approval, 2 councillors voted against financial assistance for the Cape Mabou Community Pasture Co-operative.
During yesterday’s regular monthly meeting, Inverness Municipal Council approved the co-
operative for $15,000 in funding, by contributing $3,750 each from the districts 2, 3, 5, and 6 community grant programs.
District 5 Councillor John MacLennan said he knows of three local farmers who were forced to buy property for feed for their animals because they weren’t allowed at the community pasture, even though there are animals from mainland Nova Scotia and PEI.
Unless the pasture can get financial assistance from those other areas, he will not support funding. MacLennan said he would like to see how much money the co-op is receiving from sources outside Inverness County.
Warden Laurie Cranton said there if local farmers follow the policies and procedures of the co-op, there shouldn’t be any problems.
Cranton said it’s not the municipality’s responsibility to solicit money from other jurisdictions, but something the pasture would have to do. He noted that the pasture did receive funding from the province and the Atlantic Canada Opportunities Agency in the recent past.
District 1 Councillor Alfred Poirier said there have “always been issues” with this grant request, and because he would like to know what the problems are, he wants to get more information.
Despite nay votes from Poirier and MacLennan, the motion was carried.