The tale of two cities — and a town — continued at breakfast Wednesday, when the mayors of Dieppe, Moncton and Riverview gathered to talk about plans and challenges ahead, while feeling good about their self-described role as leaders in the province.
Dieppe Mayor Yvon LaPierre said ensuring his city, Moncton and Riverview work together is vital to keeping the area growing.
"Our relationship is a sign of leadership," he said at the event sponsored by the Greater Moncton Chamber of Commerce. "It leads also other communities to want to work all together.
LaPierre said Dieppe's focus is on working with urban planners on the downtown and building an intergenerational community complex to replace the aging Centennial Arena.
He and his counterparts all said attracting more immigrants to the area is a priority.
"We're missing a great opportunity, specifically with international students that are coming here," LaPierre said. "I think we do a very poor job and we need to step up on trying to integrate them in our community."
Dieppe Mayor Yvon LaPierre says his community is working on its downtown and replacing an aging arena. (Kate Letterick/CBC News)
He said the University of Moncton brings in international students, and it's up to the municipalities to persuade them to stay.
Lapierre said Dieppe has also benefited from a population boost over the last 15 years from within the province.
"The influx of francophones from the northeast and the northwest, what we see now and what we've seen for the past seven or eight years now, is the grandparents have moved down and that's created an additional growth for the entire region," he said.
Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold agreed that immigration is vitally important.
"We know that we have to bring back our kids but also bring back newcomers to our community and newcomers from across the country but around the world as well," Arnold said.
Moncton Mayor Dawn Arnold says she wants to see kids return to the city when they're finished with their education and she wants newcomers to make Moncton their home. (Kate Letterick/CBC News )
Arnold said her city is also focused on smart urban planning.
"We have a real dedication to ensuring that the growth in our city stays within our serviceable boundary," she said.
That's important if Moncton wants public transportation to work, she said.
The city has made strategic investments in the downtown and Downing Street, now a link between Main Street and the riverfront. Now the city has to get more people to live there, Arnold said.
"One of our big goals is to densify our downtown core," she said.
Riverview Mayor Ann Seamans said her town is concentrating on attracting people with active and healthy lifestyles.
Riverview Mayor Ann Seamans says her town is looking for people who like to live an active lifestyle. (Kate Letterick/CBC News )
The town offers walking trails and parks and hopes to build a new wellness centre.
Seamans agreed with the other mayors that immigrants are central to the growing the area.
"We're always hoping that we can include them, and whatever we can do in the town, because we want them to feel welcome," Seamans said. "We know what a great important part this is in the tri-community."
