The developer of the Galway subdivision is calling out the City of St. John's for allegedly rejecting the development of a new apartment building in a time of housing need, while the city says that council hasn't seen any proposal for apartments.

Danny Williams first voiced his displeasure in a news release on Thursday, saying the city is showing an obstructionist and hypocritical approach to housing.

Williams says his development company, Dewcor, attempted to make an application for a new 60-unit apartment building in the Galway subdivision on land already approved by the city — and that the application wasn't accepted.

"We've spent the last six to 12 months doing design and engineering and all the preliminary work and then we filed the application last week. And within a week we had it sent back to us. Not only was the application just, you know, rejected for flaws, it was not accepted," Williams told CBC News on Thursday.

Williams accused the city of holding the application over his head in an effort to see work on a road leading into Galway completed — known as the Southlands Boulevard Extension.

He said that road isn't his responsibility on account that the land is owned by a neighbouring developer. He said Dewcor has worked to facilitate an agreement — and has spent over $2 million completing the road to the end of his land — but the city says it's his full responsibility.

"We don't have any control of this. It's not our land, it's not our property," Williams said.

"They're going to try and force me, then, to act on something that I have no control over."

Williams also specifically referenced a post on X — formerly known as Twitter — by Coun. Maggie Burton. In the post on Oct. 29, Burton spoke on the role municipalities have in helping reduce process approval times for housing projects.

"A councillor's saying one thing, and doing something else. They're speaking out of both sides of their mouth, and, you know, I can't understand it," Williams said of Burton.

This isn't the first time Williams has had quarrels with the city relating to Galway. He announced in April he was suing the city over the city's desire for a new roundabout, and has been vocal in the past that the council makes it hard to do business.

Accusations 'a giant pile of crap': Burton says

Speaking with CBC News before the interview with Williams, Burton didn't mince words.

"The general response I have to the overall press release is that it's a giant pile of crap," she told CBC News.

Further, Burton said council hasn't received any kind of application on an apartment building in Galway. The post on X referred to by Williams was also taken out of context, she said.

"I firmly believe in my words, and I stand by them. He, however, took what I said completely out of context as I was talking about a development at the Village Mall and about why we need to not obstruct new development."

Burton said the approved land Williams is likely referring to has an active rezoning application for a personal care home. Williams told CBC the land had been zoned for an apartment building for at least four years. The city confirmed Friday that it is currently zoned for an apartment building.

"It's a confusing situation, but the bottom line is that we didn't reject an apartment in Galway. In fact, council never voted on anything to do with an apartment building in Galway," Burton said.

"Mr. Williams put himself in this position in the first place by choosing to develop Galway where he did, which was separated from all existing city services and roads by privately owned land. So it's his responsibility to work that out, not ours.… I very much welcome the apartment building in Galway as well, but we have to see the developer hold up his end of the bargain."

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Newfoundland and Labrador Premier Andrew Furey's state of the province address in front of the St. John's Board of Trade took on a theme of energy — in more ways than one.

Furey said he's prepared to fight for residents and continued growth, as a provincial election looms on the horizon.

"We must collectively stop thinking in terms of borders, and instead fully embrace the concept of reach," Furey told a sold out crowd of business and industry professionals Tuesday.

"We have a comeback story here in Newfoundland and Labrador, one that we're living today. And the rest of the country, the rest of the continent, and I can tell you the world, knows that we are now a contender."

Furey told the crowd he feels energized by growth in the province's economy, touting that consumer spending, new housing starts, retail, vehicle sales and employment are all on the rise. Newfoundland and Labrador's credit rating was raised by credit rating agency DBRS Morningstar in August 2023 from an A (low) rank to an A rank.

A path forward means focusing on growing businesses and fuelling the economy, he said, which comes with government needing to cut down on red tape.

"We are always trying to help make things efficient, make things effective for business, and we hear their feedback loud and clear," he told reporters after his speech.

"I understand there's frustration. We feel the frustration of pace, by the way, in urgency within government ourselves."

Furey's talk of energy also brought him to the province's energy aspirations in oil and gas, wind, hydrogen and hydroelectricity. He affirmed that oil and gas is still a necessity moving forward.

"Let me be crystal clear. The world needs our oil and gas today. It's a product that I love, it's a product the world needs and with its lower carbon profile it's a product that the environment requires today," he said.

Furey also spoke on the province's deal with Quebec on the Churchill Falls. Signed in 1969, the contract has made more than $28 billion for Quebec's hydro utility, while only returning $2 billion to Newfoundland and Labrador.

Furey called the agreement a thorn in the side of Newfoundland and Labrador.

"We now have an opportunity to write a new history that will benefit Newfoundlanders and Labradorians for generations to come," he said. "I will only accept a deal that ensures full and fair benefits for everyone in Newfoundland and Labrador."

N.L. energized to fight with Ottawa

Part of Furey's energy is also focused on Ottawa.

He has been vocal in his opposition of items like the federal carbon tax, saying it doesn't work for residents of Newfoundland and Labrador, along with an "unfair" equalization payment system and management of fisheries.

"We are energized when it comes to our future goals, and doing everything possible to get us there, regardless of political stripe in Ottawa," he said.

In particular, Furey criticized the decision made by the federal government to slash the number of immigrants entering Canada over the course of the next four years — from 485,000 this year to 360,000 in 2027.

He said the province relies on immigration, and he wants Ottawa to reconsider its choice.

"We need to make sure that we're protecting the immigration pathways not just for the future of the businesses and Newfoundland and Labrador, but the for the future of Newfoundland and Labrador by and large."

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With files from Terry Roberts and Patrick Butler

With federal cuts about to impact immigration numbers in Canada, one St. John's business owner and immigrant is hoping Newfoundland and Labrador will be excluded from the equation.

Constanza Safatle, originally from Chile, says there is tension when it comes to immigration and it goes beyond the mountains of paperwork and fees.

Federal Immigration Minister Marc Miller announced last week that Canada would cut the projected number of new permanent residents the country takes in from 485,000 this year to 395,000 in 2025. More cuts will follow in 2026 with 380,000 and 365,000 in 2027.

Miller told reporters the new immigration plan would stabilize population growth and relieve pressure on the housing market.

But Canada's problems shouldn't be blamed on immigrants, Safatle said.

"Many are relating all this to immigrants. Immigrants create all these problems that Canada has today, and that is not true," she said.

'Canada is my home'

Safatle said the country lacked the proper infrastructure to accommodate newcomers with its pre-existing populations.

"I understand how Canadians can feel. It's disappointing. I feel it is an initiative without a plan, without infrastructure," she said.

At the same time, Safatle is conflicted.

"I feel that Canada is my home," she said. "I feel angry too because, well, where is the plan? Where was the implementation."

However, immigration in Newfoundland and Labrador is in a different situation.

The province's aging population depends on immigration for long-term economic viability.

Provincial Immigration Minister Sarah Stoodley said the province can't afford federal cuts to immigration.

Safatle agrees. She said it would be unfair.

"The economic stream has been focusing on welcoming doctors, nurses, child-care workers and people that work in construction," she said. "We have a totally different situation in comparison to the rest of the country."

Support for employers needed

Newfoundland and Labrador is allocated more than 3,000 economic immigration spaces annually.

This is reflected in the population, which has seen growth in the last 14 consecutive quarters.

Safatle said it took her six years to get her permanent residency. Her husband was in school, and she job-hopped while starting her company, Newbornlander.

It takes one year of full-time work to receive permanent residency.

Safatle said the system is complex and many employers don't know how to navigate it.

She said employers need to be better supported when navigating immigration and status.

"The system provides them this big key, let's say, to open the doors and provide the permanent resident, but they don't know how to use the key," Safatle said. "If the Canadian employer in 15 or 20 minutes cannot figure it out, it's wrong."

Four of Safatle's employees at Newbornlander received their permanent residency last year.

Safatle said it was free for the company, but she only knew how to navigate the system because she had been through it herself.

"Newbornlander is a small company, so they don't have human resources or a lawyer inside the company to figure it out," she said.

'Promote our province'

Safatle said she would like to see Newfoundland and Labrador excluded from the federal cuts to immigration and that employers would also have access to lawyers or immigration officials to help guide them through the process.

She would also like to see the province market itself to young people and families because population growth isn't just about offering immigrants jobs and putting them to work.

"We can highlight the benefits of living here, like safety, quality of time, and not much traffic," she said. "So I believe that we can better promote our province as well."

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Journalist

Jenna Head is a journalist working with the CBC bureau in St. John's.

With files from The St. John's Morning Show

The Newfoundland and Labrador government has announced the location of the facility that will eventually replace the aging St. Clare's Mercy Hospital in St. John's.

The new hospital will be built on Nils Way, located off Kenmount Road just west of Kenmount Terrace.

Premier Andrew Furey spoke in front of reporters, cabinet minister and the mayors of St. John's, Paradise, and Mount Pearl on Monday, delivering the details of the new facility, which he envisions will be campus-like with different buildings.

"This new, important and modern campus will be more than just a replacement of St. Clare's Mercy Hospital," Furey said. "It will help us realign health-care services on the Northeast Avalon as we transform and grow as a province."

Furey said the location was selected because it's easily accessible by road and connects St. John's, Mount Pearl, CBS and Paradise.

In 2022, government announced its plans to replace St. Clare's with a new bigger and more modern facility.

It's premature to say when the hospital will be open, Furey said, or how much the final cost will total. But the next step is an issued request for proposals in 2025 for the design of the new space.

WATCH | Furey details what the new hospital in St. John's will offer:

14 hours ago

Duration 0:52

It’s vacant land now, but Premier Andrew Furey says Kenmount Crossing will eventually be the site of the new acute care hospital and cardiovascular and stroke institute. It is near the borders of St. John’s, Mount Pearl and Paradise. The cost, a timeline and who will build it — including whether it will be a public-private partnership — are not yet known.

The new hospital will provide diagnostic and intervention care. It will also focus on acute care for elderly patients and serve as a hub for clinical teaching.

In anticipation of the traffic congestion because of the new hospital construction, Transportation Minister Fred Hutton said the province will work with the surrounding municipalities to construct new roads linking to the site.

But there's another reason why the province chose the 10 acres of land that sits on the border of Paradise and St. John's. It was donated.

Glenn Hickey and Bert Hickman spoke on behalf of H3 Development — a joint venture between between the Hickman automotive group and companies owned by Glenn Hickey.

"We felt that we had the ideal location for this hospital and we really wanted to get the premier's attention," Hickey said. "We also saw a rare opportunity to make a positive impact in our community and the province we hold so dear."

Hickey told reporters the company is also open to discussions about selling adjacent land for the hospital.

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Five candidates are vying to represent their city in the upcoming byelection for Ward 3 councillor on Nov. 5.

Mark House, Walter Harding, Scott Fitzgerald, Paul Morgan and Greg Noseworthy are running to fill the vacant seat left by Jamie Korab, who jumped up to provincial politics as Waterford Valley's MHA in August.

All longtime residents of Ward 3 themselves, public safety and better seniors services are top priorities for this roster of candidates.

Scott Fitzgerald

Scott Fitzgerald says he has volunteered on school councils since his children entered the classroom more than 15 years ago. Alongside his career in the IT industry, he says he's been involved with community groups representing both the young and old ever since.

"If I can contribute to young people being able to look at St. John's and see it as a great place [where] they want to stay and live and work and raise a family, or whatever their goals are, that's my motivation," Fitzgerald told CBC News.

Some of his top priorities include traffic calming in residential areas and school zones and improved quality of life for senior residents aging in place.

He also wants to see the city increase public transparency on financial matters affecting taxpayers, like the city's subsidization of the Mary Brown's Centre and its recent loan payoff on the BF Barnes Arena. He says that, as a city councillor, he would push an "affordability perspective."

"For me, there's no greater compliment you can give a politician than to say he was a constituency person," Fitzgerald said.

Walter Harding

Walter Harding says he's been volunteering and leading community cleanups in the west end of St. John's for more than 30 years.

"What I bring to my community is what my mom instilled in me — to have such a drive and passion for humanity and love for others," Harding told CBC News. "It's something that's in my blood."

Harding was awarded Citizen of the Year by Clean St. John's in 2015 for his community contributions. This is his fourth time running for council.

Harding says he wants to improve neighborhood safety by creating a municipal traffic enforcement team for the City of St. John's. He also wants to address property tax structures to better suit residents who pay for but don't receive services like garbage and snow clearing.

Boosting local tourism is also important to the candidate. "I've been for 15 years now doing little impromptu unpaid tours in my time off when a cruise ship will come in. I love going down and, you know, introducing myself as just a city resident … to welcome people home."

Mark House

Mark House is a retired music educator with years of experience teaching at St. Mary's Elementary and in theater production around the city.

House's motivations are in increasing public safety, providing better services for seniors, and supporting local business. In a recent campaign video on his Facebook page, he said expanding recreational options and strengthening community programs are also priorities.

House declined an interview.

Paul Morgan

Paul Morgan says his career as a school teacher and athletics coach has equipped him with the leadership skills needed to be a city councillor.

"I'm a good listener, hard working and dedicated, and I think that's what we need — strong support in our ward," Morgan told CBC News.

Collaboration is key for Morgan, who says he wants to see municipal leaders come together with government agencies and for community groups to join forces in fostering safer communities.

"In our city, a lot of seniors have difficulties mowing their lawn, getting out in the winter time, and I think it would be a great idea for community groups, youth and old, to get involved in helping out our seniors."

Morgan says he is dedicated to issues like increasing road safety with more speed limit signage and on-street parking law enforcement. He also says bringing more performers to the pedestrian mall is as important to him as to his community members.

"The needs of my constituents obviously need to be dealt with in a caring and compassionate manner to achieve a better and stronger community," he said.

Greg Noseworthy

Greg Noseworthy says being a lawyer with years of experience representing non-profits is what equips him to represent the residents of Ward 3. "I want to hear their issues and I want to be able to take them to the city council and fight for them," Noseworthy told CBC News.

Noseworthy sits on the St. John's Seniors Advisory Committee and wants to make changes to how the city addresses rising costs of living. He looks to the Town of Paradise's tax discount for seniors and similar programs as possible solutions.

Public safety is also a point of focus for the candidate, who told CBC News he wants to see changes to speeding laws around Waterford Valley.

"We're only one bad situation from a tragic story, and I think we can work more to enforce our speeding laws and make sure that our streets are safe for people," Noseworthy said.

Before this year, Noseworthy ran for Ward 3 in 2021 and Ward 2 in 2020.

"I'm committed to where I'm from," Noseworthy said. "I made that commitment three years ago and I'm seeing that commitment through now."

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Journalist

Julia Israel is a multimedia journalist with CBC Newfoundland and Labrador. You can reach them at julia.israel@cbc.ca

With files from The St. John's Morning Show

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