Government Minister calls convention centre poll dated
Posted Dec 30, 2011 06:48:53 AM.
This article is more than 5 years old.
The provincial Minister, who’s been one of the front men campaigning for the new centre in downtown Halifax, is dismissing the results of an unflattering opinion poll as out of date.
Nova Scotia’s Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal says a lot has changed in the province since Trade Centre Ltd. surveyed 802 people across the province for their thoughts on the project last September.
“The Ships Start Here initiative, the more positive approach to things in Nova Scotia,” Bill Estabrooks told The Rick Howe Show, Thursday. He also pointed to CNN listing Halifax as one of its top destinations of 2012 due to the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. “Those are all things that are going to continue to attract people to the province of Nova Scotia,” he said.
The poll showed 50 per cent of respondents either strongly or somewhat disapprove of the project, with 42 per cent in favour and eight per cent having no opinion.
“It’s been an ongoing concern to make sure the public is aware of this economic engine and how the province would benefit,” he said.
“The thing that really hurts is when certain people say ‘the convention centre has nothing to do with me, I’ll never be in it,'” said Estabrooks. “Well we’re not looking at taking money from Nova Scotians. We’re looking at taking money from people who are coming to visit; providing a service for them so they can come to our province and enjoy it through the convention centre.”
Estabrooks added that Halifax has gained a poor reputation across Canada as a city which is slow in development.
Allan Robertson, with the Save the View Campaign, who has a consulting background in the tourism sector disagrees that the convention centre will benefit tourism.
“Destroying the view from Citadel Hill is compromising the historic authenticity of Halifax and that is what many of the tourists come to see,” Robertson told the talk show.
He argues the project will cost Nova Scotians dearly, both in taxes and in services.
Each level of government has agreed to a financial scheme will have each pay capital costs of $56 million, amortized over 25 years while splitting $2.9 million in operating expenses. The province has also agreed to pay the property taxes.
“It’s just ridiculous,” said Robertson, as all the money will come from taxpayers. “The education and health care funding is going to suffer because of it.”
The federal government has committed $51.4 million towards $160 million project, but Robertson points out the money is coming from Nova Scotia’s portion of the federal infrastructure fund.
“So if we spend it on the convention centre it doesn’t get spent on bridges and roads throughout the whole province,” he said.
The survey was published by the Chronicle Herald Thursday but only after filing a Freedom of Information Request to get the data.
