Niverville annexation public hearings delayed three weeks

The annexation public hearings between the Provincial Municipal Board and residents of Niverville and area has been bumped up.

That according to the Mayor of Niverville, Myron Dyck, who says, “A group of landowners had reached out to us and asked if there was a way that we could change that by a couple of weeks, so that everyone could be there. We want to hear from everyone, so they were changed.”

The original dates were January 31, February 1 and February 2. Residents of Niverville and area are now welcome to attend the hearings taking place at the Niverville CRRC from February 21 to 23, 2024 from 9am to 3pm.

Dyck says, the hearings are open to the public, and anyone who has any concerns or questions will show up. “The municipal board has allotted three days for everyone to be heard. If it takes an hour, they'll call the meeting adjourned. If it takes two days, they'll call the meeting adjourned. So long as those people have already been scheduled to speak.”

Mayor Myron Dyck (inset) with map of Niverville and annexation area of concern for some residents.

Niverville CAO, Eric King encourages residents to sign up for a scheduled time, however, he encourages folks to be patient as well. “They give everyone the date. So, everyone has the ability to show up on the 21st, they've known about it for a few weeks now. And so, they have to make themselves available on the 21st, and then they have stuff on the 22nd, and they're not heard until the 22nd, they will need to figure something else out."

King adds, the Municipal Board will ask questions of the landowners making their concerns known. There will also be lawyers from the town present, as well as from the opposition groups, and everyone will have a chance to speak and respond to questions.

Mayor Dyck then says, "From the hearing, the Municipal Board makes their notes. They're then obligated to make a report of their findings with the recommendation to make a presentation to the Minister. And then the Minister will either accept the Municipal Board's recommendation or reject it.”

“I believe that the Municipal Board and the Act that governs it, gives a 30-day window for the Municiple Board to present their report. But I think there's a lot of “ish” on those timelines.”

It was noted that, even though the recommendations of the hearing have been presented to the Minister in due time, there is no saying when the Minister will review the report and release its findings to the Niverville Council and its residents.

All that said, Dyck adds, “We look forward to a good discussion as we look to the needs of our growing community and the impacts and what we can do to mitigate and resolve the annexation.”