Town Councillors in Port Hawkesbury expressed their concerns over the loss of the Visitor Information Centre in Port Hastings.
During the regular public meeting on Tuesday night, Acting CAO Brian Luciano told town council that due to budget cuts to tackle a $1.2 billion deficit, the provincial government announced last month that VICs across Nova Scotia, including Port Hastings, will close.
Luciano said the cuts include programs and cost-share funding arrangements between the province and municipalities.
Mayor Brenda Chisholm-Beaton said the item was put on the agenda because of the impact on the international tourism industry in Cape Breton.
Swing bridge at the Canso Causeway, Port Hastings. (Government of Nova Scotia photo)
The mayor said she spoke with Inverness Warden Bonny MacIsaac and will circle back to see how the town can help following Thursday’s meeting of Inverness Municipal Council.
During the Question Period, a former employee of the VIC in Port Hastings spoke to council about the lack of in-person contact with visitors traveling to and from Cape Breton. The former VIC staffer said not everyone goes online before traveling and this loss of service will also impact local businesses.
The mayor said town officials plan to meet with the former employee, Inverness MLA Kyle MacQuarrie, as well as the local representative on the Destination Cape Breton board, to get more information
