Gaultois staying put: Resettlement vote falls short in tiny Newfoundland town

The residents of Gaultois, a tiny town along Newfoundland's southern coast shown in this handout photo, are considering whether or not to resettle through the provincial government's community relocation program. (THE CANADIAN PRESS/HO-Courtesy of Gaultois Inn)

Residents of an isolated village along Newfoundland's southern coast will be staying put after a relocation vote failed to garner enough support.

The Newfoundland and Labrador government says 64 per cent of eligible voters were in favour of resettling the tiny community of Gaultois, N.L., , which is only accessible by air or by sea.

But provincial regulations stipulate that 75 per cent support is required for a move, so the former fishing village will remain.

Gaultois was once home to about 700 people, many of whom worked at the town's thriving fish processing plant.

But the plant closed for good in 2010, and the town's population has since dwindled to about 70 aging residents.

Newfoundland and Labrador has a long history of resettling communities, and under current regulations homeowners receive up to $270,000 to move away if a town vote is successful.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 21, 2023.