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
BREAKING Trudeau promises $1B in loans for child-care providers to expand care centres
The federal government is launching a new loan program to help child-care providers in Canada expand their spaces, and will be extending further student loan forgiveness and training options for early childhood educators, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau announced Thursday.
Spring allergy season has begun. Where is it worse in Canada?
The spring allergy season has started early in many parts of Canada, with high levels of pollen in some cities already. Experts weigh in on which areas have it worse so far this season.
Sunshine list: These were the Ontario public sector's highest earners in 2023
Ontario released its annual sunshine list Thursday afternoon, noting that the largest year-over-year increases were in hospitals, municipalities, and post-secondary sectors.
Several flight attendants from Pakistan have gone missing after landing in Canada
Multiple flight attendants from Pakistan International Airlines have abandoned their jobs and are believed to have sought asylum in Canada in the past year and a half, a spokesperson for the government-owned airline says.
N.B. man wins $64 million from Lotto 6/49
A New Brunswicker will go to bed Thursday night much richer than he was Wednesday after collecting on a winning lottery ticket he let sit on his bedroom dresser for nearly a year.
'Nonsense:' Doug Ford slams lawsuits filed by Ontario school boards against social media platforms
Premier Doug Ford says that lawsuits launched by four Ontario school boards against a trio of social media platforms are “nonsense” and risk becoming a distraction to the work that really matters.
Why some Christians are angry about Trump's 'God Bless the USA' Bible
Former U.S. President Donald Trump is officially selling a copy of the Bible themed to Lee Greenwood’s famous song, 'God Bless the USA.' But the concept of a Bible covered in the American flag has raised concern among religious circles.
Multiple bridges in Calgary shut down for police incident
Calgary police have shut down a number of bridges into and out of the downtown core as officers deal with a distraught individual.
King Charles calls for acts of friendship in first public remarks since Kate's cancer diagnosis
King Charles III gave public remarks for Maundy Thursday, addressing the importance of acts of friendship, following his and Catherine, Princess of Wales’ cancer diagnoses.