Breaking ground: Membertou First Nation unveils plans for new retail destination similar to Dartmouth Crossing
One of the wealthiest First Nations communities in Canada is finally unveiling plans for a highway-side shopping complex.
Membertou First Nation will begin its transformation into a new retail district, called Seventh Exchange.
“It’s very exciting for us. We’ve been at this a long time and bought this area several years ago,” says Chief Terry Paul.
The First Nations community already has a state of the art Convention Centre, a nearby Wellness Centre, and a newly constructed retail and office space.
Now, ground will be broken just off Highway 125 near Sydney, N.S. and Chief Terry Paul says it will be similar to Dartmouth Crossing.
“We have 40 acres set aside right now and we have several hundred acres and we are hoping to develop a housing subdivision in a couple years,” said Paul.
The new space will initially include a new service station, a food and beverage partner, commercial business space and Green Diamond Equipment.
“Membertou has been the envy of Cape Breton and Nova Scotia for some time now,” says Kathleen Yurchesyn, the CEO of Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce.
Yurchesyn says Thursday’s announcement is a positive one for an area that has seen so much decline.
“I think Membertou is a shining example of what can happen here and I think they’ve demonstrated that over the past 10 years.”
Chief Paul says the new construction will also create jobs for the area.
“There’s potential job’s for community members and people from the outside,” he says.
Paul says the development will take place in a phased approach, with construction starting this summer.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
Why drivers in Ontario, Quebec and Atlantic Canada will see a gas price spike, and other Canadians won't
Drivers in Eastern Canada face a big increase in gas prices because of various factors, especially the higher cost of the summer blend, industry analysts say.
How to avoid the trap of becoming 'house poor'
The journey to home ownership can be exciting, but personal finance columnist Christopher Liew warns about the trappings of becoming 'house poor' -- where an overwhelming portion of your income is devoured by housing costs. Liew offers some practical strategies to maintain better financial health while owning a home.
Toxic forever chemicals in drinking water: Is Canada doing enough?
As the United States sets its first national limits on toxic forever chemicals in drinking water, researchers say Canada is lagging when it comes to regulations.
'A living nightmare': Winnipeg woman sentenced following campaign of harassment against man after online date
A Winnipeg woman was sentenced to house arrest after a single date with a man she met online culminated in her harassing him for years, and spurred false allegations which resulted in the innocent man being arrested three times.
McDonald's customers left with 'zero value' collection of free hot drink stickers after company ends program
It took years for Vinnie Deluca to collect more than 400 cards worth of free McDonald's McCafe coffee, a collection that now has "zero value" after the company discontinued the program.
Biden scores endorsements from Kennedy family, looking to shore up support against Trump and RFK Jr.
U.S. President Joe Biden will accept endorsements from at least 15 members of the Kennedy political family during a campaign stop in Philadelphia on Thursday as he aims to undermine Donald Trump and marginalize the candidacy of Robert F. Kennedy Jr.
Where did the gold go? Crime expert weighs in on unfolding Pearson airport heist investigation
Almost 7,000 bars of pure gold were stolen from Pearson International Airport exactly one year ago during an elaborate heist, but so far only a tiny fraction of that stolen loot has been found.
When new leaders took over in ancient Maya, they didn't just bury the former royals. They burned their bodies in public
New archeological investigations in Guatemala reveal that the ancient Maya people had a ritual of burning royal human remains as a public display of political regime change.
Party's over: Coyotes play final game as Arizona franchise before move to Salt Lake City
Mullett Arena buzzed like few times in the two years since the Arizona Coyotes moved in, the fans amped for one last desert hurrah.