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Village of Weymouth Community Profile History & Geography The Village of Weymouth was founded in 1783 by loyalists from the New England areas of the United States, although the first settlers came to Weymouth in the 1760s. By the mid to late 1800s Weymouth had become a booming shipbuilding community with a developing forestry industry. Unfortunately on the eve of the Great Depression a massive fire destroyed the village and with the depression that followed Weymouth never fully recovered. Presently, however, the community is taking steps to increase its viability both socially and economically. Part of the Municipality of Digby, Weymouth is located 30 km from the Town of Digby and 75 km from the Town of Yarmouth. It lies adjacent to the 101 highway, which runs from Halifax to Yarmouth, and loops from exit 27 to exit 28 in 8 km. There are approximately 3200 people within a 10 km radius of the village and many more from neighbouring communities that use Weymouth for their needs. Weymouth also enjoys moderate temperatures year round and is part of the “Sunshine Coast”. Population The population of Weymouth is approximately 394 people. Although small there is a healthy mix of the different age groups and a fairly even number in each. Unfortunately Digby County, of which Weymouth is part of, had a higher rate of deaths (228) than births (123) in 2004. This is a concerning figure and one that Weymouth is working to overcome through immigration programs, community promotion, and economic development. Economic Base The economy of Weymouth is mostly in natural resources and primary industries. While forestry remains an important industry, with many smaller manufacturing and contracting businesses in the area, the loss of J.D. Irving Lumber has hindered the industry somewhat. However, other wood product companies, such as Lewis Mouldings, one of the largest employers, remain. Another vital industry, an industry that has existed from decades, is the mink industry. While the Mink Ranches are primarily located just outside of Weymouth, the spin-off from this is crucial to Weymouth. Much of the people who live in the community are employed by this industry and thus their economic participation is fueled by it. The lab for testing mink is located in the Village and is a technological advancement. It is a multi-million dollar industry and was the first in the world to breed pure black mink. The largest sector of the North American Mink Industry is in Weymouth and surrounding areas Another important sector is the fishing industry. While this is mostly in the close neighbouring communities, Weymouth benefits economically as much of the money from this sector is spent in Weymouth. Weymouth also enjoys many small businesses and shops and single person businesses offering a wide array of services from plumbing to auto repair to electrical repair to flower shops. There are assortments of restaurants and places to eat as well as a wide assortment of retail shops from grocery stores to hardware stores and a fully licensed day-care. Set to open in spring 2007, The Weymouth Interpretive Centre and the development of the Weymouth Waterfront have added a new sense of community and beauty to the Village. This gives Weymouth greater potential and makes the community more attractive for economic development from outside and within. Education & Health Care For a rural community, Weymouth meets the educational and health needs of larger areas. Along with a licensed day-care/kindergarten and an elementary school, Weymouth enjoys a new high school from grades 7-12. St Mary’s Bay Academy offers new facilities, a close to town but isolated safe area, and new technological features like teleconferencing capabilities. For Post Secondary Education, St Anne’s University in the neighbouring municipality of Clare offers study in French in education and business. With the high demand on trades in the area, Nova Scotia Community College with campuses in Digby and Yarmouth offers a wide selection of trades and academic courses. Weymouth is also home to the most used public library in Southwest Nova which will be moved into a new facility in 2007. The Weymouth Medical Centre is three years old and is one of the most state of the art in rural Nova Scotia. It is home to three doctors and in 2007 will be home to the Victorian Order of Nurses (VON). It houses an emergency room as well as a blood donation clinic. There are two (2) hospitals in surrounding municipalities in Digby and Yarmouth. Yarmouth hospital is the primary hospital for the region. In 2007 EHS Ambulance will be locating in the neighbouring community of St Bernard (3 min from Weymouth). Culture and Community Weymouth is home to five cultures (Mi’kmaq, Acadian, Loyalist, Black Loyalist, and the Métis), all of which are celebrated at the newly constructed Weymouth Interpretive Centre on the waterfront. This will be a base for the community culture and is a true mark of the community’s cultural harmony. Weymouth is home to many Acadian descendants and neighbours the municipality of Clare, which is a French community. The Village is a beautiful community with the Sissiboo River running through the centre into St Mary’s Bay. It is a family friendly area with low crime and a tight-knit community where you have the comfort of knowing your neighbours and their neighbours. There are many community organizations from Church groups to Knights of Columbus to a volunteer fire department, as well as development groups like the Board of Trade, the Weymouth Waterfront Development Commission, and Team Weymouth. The moderate climate, natural beauty, peacefulness, and community cooperation and friendliness give Weymouth a great deal to offer and to expand upon. With renewed community vigor in reigniting Weymouth, the community stands to benefit and grow and become much more viable as a rural destination. Community Views "Weymouth is a community where people make you feel like you are a member of their family regardless of whether you have grown up here or are new to the area. This makes Weymouth a great place to live, work, and do business." ~Jacy Lewis LOYALWORKFORCE HEALTH CAREDUCATION DIGBYARMOUTH COMMUNITY TEAMEDICAL CENTRE DEVELOPMENT POPULATION TECH SUPPORTRANSIT HEALTHAPPINESS ~Julien Chiasson "Weymouth is a Village with lots of history, good family values and is surrounded by a natural environment that is an outdoor lover’s dream making this community one that has always been and continues to be an ideal place to raise a family, do business or invest." ~Ann Lewis “This is a nice place to live, a fun place to live. Once people get a taste for it, they don’t want to leave.” ~Dominique Hanna Climate Temperature celcius January (winter) -2 April (spring) 5 July (summer) 17 October (autumn) 9 Precipitation Average rainfall/year 1079mm Average snowfall/year 206cm Total Precipitation 1261mm Snow cover/year 21cm All information from The Weather Network (www.weather.ca) Health Care Services Medical Clinic Weymouth Hospital Digby/Yarmouth Personal Home Care(VON) Weymouth Ambulance Service Clare Doctors Weymouth Services yes/no Garbage pick-up yes Recycle program yes Police (RCMP) yes Fire Department yes Zoning By-Law no Public Water system no Municipal/Village Sewer yes COMMUNICATIONS Telephone yes Cable TV yes High Speed internet yes Wireless internet yes Daily Newspaper yes Local TV station yes Education location Pre-school/Day-Care Weymouth Elementary School Weymouth French Elementary Clare High School w/immersion St Bernard Public Library Weymouth C@P site Weymouth College/University St Anne's (French) Clare NSCC Acadia Wolfville Transportation yes/no location of nearest service Taxi no Digby Bus Service/Transit yes Weymouth - Windsor Handi-bus service yes Transport de Clare Railroad no Windsor Trucking/Shipping yes Weymouth/Clare Ferries yes Digby/Yarmouth Airports yes Digby/Yarmouth small airport Digby medium airport Yarmouth International Airport no Halifax Highway yes 101 (Trans-Canada) Social Services yes/no location Licensed Day-Care yes Weymouth Seniors Residence yes Weymouth Mental Health no Yarmouth Businesses Accomodations General Campgrounds 2 Florists 1 Hotels/Cottages 5 Gift Shops 2 Automotive Hobby/craft shops 2 Auto repair 9 Music Stores 0 Auto fuel 3 Variety Stores 1 Auto Detailing 1 Video rental 2 Auto Sales 3 Pet Supply Store 1 Construction Building/Contractors 5 Other services Electrical 3 Barber/Hair salon 3 Lumber/Hardware stores 2 Funeral services 1 Plumbing 2 Insurance agents 1 Manufacturing 3 Laundromat 1 Financial Law practices 0 Credit Union/Caisse Populaire 2 Pharmacies 1 Royal Bank of Canada 1 Small Engine repair 2 Food and Beverages Bakeries 0 Café/Lounge 0 Coffee house/shop 0 Convience store 2 Grocery Store 2 Ice cream shop 2 Liquor store 1 Meat Shop 0 Pizza Shop 1 Restaurants w/drive thru 0 Restaurants sit down 5 Weymouth and area labour force skills The following information pertains to the communities Ashmore, Belliveau Cove, Danvers, Lewistown, New Edinburgh, Ohio, St. Bernard, Weaver Settlement, Weymouth, Weymouth Falls, Weymouth Mills, and Weymouth North. These areas are directly connected to Weymouth and use the village on a day to day basis. Weymouth Labour Force • 2,224 persons (15 & over) o 1,081 men, 1,137 women • 1,881 persons (25 & over) o 904 men, 975 women • Distribution of males and females is fairly even Education (Weymouth) • School enrollment – 337 students • High School o 200 persons with only high school diploma • College o 494 persons with a college diploma/certificate o 98 persons with some college experience • University o 194 persons with a university degree or higher o 59 persons with some university experience o 47 persons with university certificate • Not finished High School o 926 408 persons with less than grade 9 518 persons with less than grade 12 Digby County The following information pertains to Digby County. As Weymouth itself is small, any growth to Weymouth would involve the workforce and the skills from the county. This is the area of which the population would/could use Weymouth for additional labour force. The information is part of the 2004 South Shore-Valley Occupations/Skills Survey which was done for the Western Valley Development Authority. Employment •88% of the 12,000 persons have a main occupation •8% are without •5% are stay at home •92% of persons with university degree have occupation •91% of persons with college diploma have occupation •87% of persons with high school diploma have occupation •81% of persons with less than high school have occupation This information was gathered from the “2004 South Shore-Valley Occupations/Skills Survey, Digby County” Top 10 sectors/industries of employment •Sales and Service o Retail, salespersons, cooks, cashiers, clerks etc… o Approximately 2000 persons employed (19% pop) o Usually women under 45 o Low level or no post-secondary education o Usually less than 10 years experience o Generalized/on-the-job or no training •Trades, transport, equipment, related o Electricians, carpenters, truck drivers etc… o Approximately 1700 persons employed (16% pop) o Generally male from 35-55 with college o Trade certificates and health and safety courses common o High level of experience, low level of computer literacy •Primary Industry o Fisherman, farmers, etc… o Approximately 1460 persons employed (14%) o Generally male, under 45 with secondary education or less o Low computer literacy o Some second employment held in trades •Business, finance, and administration o Secretaries, bookkeepers, office clerks etc… o Approximately 1300 persons employed (12% pop) o Generally female between 35-55 with post-secondary education o High level of computer literacy o Post secondary training and on the job training •Processing, manufacturing, and utilities o Fish plant, wood labourers, fabric, fur cutters etc… o Approximately 980 persons employed (9% pop) o Generally male under 45 with high school or less o More common in Municipality of Clare o Other than health and safety, low training •Occupations in Social Science, education, government service, & religion o Teachers (all levels), professors, government officials, clergy people, etc… o Approximately 950 persons employed (9% pop) o Generally older, females, with university education o Training during post-secondary education o High level of computer literacy o High level of experience •Management o Retail managers, government managers, primary production managers, service managers etc… o Approximately 900 persons employed (9% pop) o Generally older, males, with university education o Post-secondary and management training o High level of computer literacy o High level of experience (over 50% more than 10 years) •Health o Registered nurses, nurses aids, assistants etc… o Approximately 680 persons employed (6% pop) o Generally 25-55, female, with post-secondary education o High levels of specialized, professional training o Working literacy of computers •Natural and applied sciences o Engineers, support technicians, lab technicians, etc… o Approximately 360 persons employed (3% pop) o Generally older, very well educated males o General, post-secondary, information technology, and health and safety training o Very high computer literacy •Occupations in art, culture, recreation, and sport o Artists, musicians, program coordinators, recreational instructors etc… o Approximately 200 persons employed (2% pop) o Younger persons with post secondary or some post-secondary education, slightly more females o Generalized training, some with safety and life saving courses o High level of computer literacy o Many have secondary occupation (mostly in sales and service) This information was gathered from the “2004 South Shore-Valley Occupations/Skills Survey, Digby County” done by Corporate Research Associates Inc. prepared for the Western Valley Development Authority. Digby County Skill Gaps The following are the areas where skills are lacking in the Digby County workforce. This information is part of the Digby County Skills Development Initiative research • Work ethic • Motivation • Organizational skills • Decision making • Trade specific • Verbal communication • Problem solving • Trades • Non-verbal communication • Written communication • Quality • Document use • Customer service • Computer skills • Team work • Appearance • Math • Safety • Reading • Food handling This information was researched through and is from the Digby County Skills Development Initiative. The following 8 skills are the skills that the unemployed say they need to be better prepared for the labour force as according to the Digby County Skills Development Initiative. They are consistent with the gaps identified above2 • Continuous learning • Working with others • Computer skills • Thinking • Oral communication • Numeracy • Reading • Writing The following are the top 5 jobs with the largest skill gaps and the top 5 jobs that are hard to fill positions as according to the Digby County Skills Development Initiative2. Jobs with largest skill gaps • Cook • Fish cutter • Cashier • Sales • Customer service Hard to fill jobs • Cook • Fish cutter • Customer service • General labourer • Cashiers Other information As determined through consultation with industry, future gaps in management skills could arise in the primary industries if growth in industries such as farming continues to rise. Weymouth must also be prepared for a possible shortage of skilled employees for technological companies and ventures. Skilled and customized training may be necessary in order to meet the demands of a future work environment. Sources Digby County Skills Development Initiative “2004 South Shore-Valley Occupations/Skills Survey, Digby County” done by Corporate Research Associates Inc. prepared for the Western Valley Development Authority. Asset Map of Weymouth Access & Transportation Although it is three hours south of Halifax, Weymouth is not access impaired. In fact the accessibility of the community is one of its many assets. It sits next to the 101 highway from Halifax to Yarmouth and connects in an 8 km loop from exit 27 to exit 28. This also makes transportation to and from Weymouth easy as well. 101 Highway The 101 provides easy and direct access to and from Yarmouth to Halifax, including every major stop on the way including Digby, Kentville, and Windsor just to name a few. The highway facilitates the delivery and shipment of goods and services to and from Weymouth by truck and van as well as provide a safe route for people who work in an around Weymouth. Businesses use the highway for exporting, importing, and shipment Public transit from Weymouth to Windsor, a two hour drive, also provides transportation for those who do not have a vehicle, do not drive, or are looking to save on fuel. The 101 makes Weymouth an easy to find tourist destination and a rest area for people on their way to Yarmouth, the Valley, or Halifax. The highway is dependant on government funding. Since the shipments of goods and ease for tourists are essential to the area, the highway continues to be developed into a greater roadway and government support of this crucial asset is a must for the economic viability of the Valley/South Shore area, including Weymouth Ferry Service Weymouth has access to two ferry services, from Digby to St John, New Brunswick and Yarmouth to Maine, USA. While both are used heavily for tourism, the Digby Ferry is the sole ferry capable of trucking goods across the Bay of Fundy. Therefore it is one of the most important assets to the Weymouth and area economy. It allows for shorter transport times to the rest of Canada and the USA which saves costs, time, and often product. The ferry allows for tourists to come directly to the Digby area from the USA and Canada, and for people from Southern Nova Scotia heading for vacation and work an easier means to New Brunswick. The ferry service is dependant on the government, Bay Ferries (the private operators), fuel and maintenance costs, and the people. The Government of Canada owns the Digby ferry and the wharf and leases it to Bay Ferries. As a private business they operate to earn a profit. Therefore the people of the area and those coming to the area must use the ferry for its survival. If not its private owner may not be able to operate it, thus leaving it to the government, and it is unclear if they would continue to operate the essential link. Increased use is the safest way to ensure its livability. Community Cooperation Weymouth enjoys a tight-knit community atmosphere and the inter-cooperation shows this. The community and business-people in Weymouth actively donate their time, expertise, facilities, goods, and funds in community organizations such as the Weymouth Board of Trade, the Weymouth Waterfront Development Committee, Team Weymouth, and the Volunteer Fire Department to name a few. Many of these groups enjoy cross-membership with others and this helps each one. Weymouth and surrounding area benefit from this enormously. It shows a sense of self sufficiency and problem solving from within. With events like the July 1st celebrations and the Christmas tree lighting, these groups provide a sense of community and a family-friendly area. These groups also work to beautify and develop Weymouth as evident by the development of the waterfront. Outsiders often are drawn to Weymouth because of this, and it displays a community willing to work together. This cooperation is reliant on the community’s ability to come together to achieve a common goal. When people do this it creates a positive buzz that is seen from afar and the success of the Weymouth area is dependant on it. Education Weymouth offers a wide variety of educational services from a licensed daycare to a brand new high school. Weymouth’s Wee Weymouth kindergarten and daycare offers a licensed service of pre-school for parents on the go. Weymouth elementary school is directly in the Village yet isolated from the main road and is not only an excellent school with qualified teachers, but is safe. St Mary’s Bay Academy, the new high school is located in the neighbouring community of St Bernard, just 3 minutes from Weymouth and it to is isolated, safe, and out of sight. The school is professionally staffed and offers many new features such as teleconferencing capability. Nearly all of the teachers at the Weymouth schools are from the area, and know the parents and students well. Government support and population/school enrollment are the crucial factors to sustaining a high-level of education in the Weymouth area. Being a government jurisdiction funding comes from the province, however, keeping a high level of school enrollment is the only way to guaranteed continues and upgraded educational services. A growing population, especially of youth could assist in this. Post-secondary education is available in Yarmouth (75km) at Nova Scotia Community College (NSCC) and with limited courses at NSCC in Digby (30km). University education is offered in the Valley at Acadia University (150km), other universities in Halifax, or by use of the ferry, in St John New Brunswick. Medical Centre The Weymouth Medical Centre is a new facility that offers a wide array of health services for a rural community and is the envy of communities throughout the province. It houses three doctors, an emergency room, blood services, and in 2007 will be home to the Victorian Order of Nurses and Homecare. With more doctors the wait times have decreased and the new facility makes for a much more relaxing and efficient experience. Community cooperation, through the Village commission, Kiwanis Club, and the Board of Trade made this most crucial centre a reality. The centre can lead to more services in the area, such as EHS services which are moving to St Bernard in 2007. An advanced medical centre is also an attraction for both people and business. Many factors will contribute to the sustaining and growing of the medical centre. The continued support of the government and the ability to attract doctors are a must. Both of these however will rely on a sustained and growing population base. The growth of Weymouth will ensure the centre’s survival. Natural Resources Weymouth and surrounding areas offer an abundance of natural resources. Sectors such as forestry, fishing, and farming are large sectors of employment and highlight the importance of the resources to the area. The sustainability and the ability for the community to adapt in regards to natural resources are critical for the growth and development of the area. With the current successes in the farming sector and even with the decline in the fishing and forestry sectors, opportunities still are present. Opportunities for value added products such as bio-fuels, composting, power, eco-tourism, and others are possible ways to create new employment and retain, expand, and attract new people and business to the area. The fragility of the natural resource sectors mean there are many things necessary in sustaining our most important asset. Government plays a large role, at all levels. To ensure conservation, preservation, and regulation, all while not restricting the sectors ability to conduct business. The community to must respect and utilize the resources accordingly. This must be done while keeping the sectors competitive with national and foreign markets, and they must be able to weather the storm of trade conflicts and exchanged rates. No doubt there are great threats to the natural resource industry, but it can survive through adaptation and innovation, which will create new opportunity with these important resources. Real Estate Weymouth has ideal commercial real estate of various sizes ready to be used for a wide variety of business ventures. Locations such as the former J.D. Irving Sawmill site and the Jones’ Bottling Plant would be ideal locations for manufacturing businesses. Additionally, the Irving site could be transformed into an industrial park for anything from manufacturing and distribution facilities, an incubator mall, to a site for alternative products from the natural resource industries. Smaller locations are available for such things as small businesses, offices, satellite offices, service stores, and others. Complimentary to this is the availability of private real estate. Along with houses for sale in the area, there is property available for private housing, or even small apartment complexes. The opportunities to both expand and attract business to the Weymouth area and for the ability to support population growth mean that Weymouth could cope with a positive influx of business to the community. This gives Weymouth a larger tax base for better services and also supports such things as education, health, and employment. Although the decrease in vacant real estate in the area is a welcomed one, it is vital that the promotion and protection of these areas is maintained from either the community or the owners. Threats to this also come from the high exchange rate, decline in population, and the decline in business, and competition from other sites, however, with the use of the properties for new ventures, these things will be hindered and growth will take place. Technical Support The various technical supports such as banking institutions, bookkeeping, fibre-optic communications systems, and high speed internet make Weymouth a viable option for businesses and people. Although small, Weymouth can support the needs that are provided by in larger areas. The Royal Bank and the Credit Unions offer full line financial services, and assets like high speed internet mean that the speed of business is also fast. As technology advances these things become more cost effective and more efficient and Weymouth can only benefit as it becomes more attractive for families and businesses while being able to retain those who are there as these tools remove its isolation. With continued government support, a growing tax base, continued and growing traffic and commercial investment will ensure these remain a part of the beauty of the Weymouth area. Volunteer Fire Department The volunteer fire department is a true asset to the Weymouth area. It instills a sense of community and pride as its members are community members who often voluntarily put themselves in danger to assist others from it. It provides life-saving and disciplinary skills to the members and above all provides fire-fighting services to save infrastructure and homes. The Weymouth department is a first responders department and will respond quickly to any emergency in Weymouth and surrounding areas. The search and rescue capabilities also reduce the risk of danger from natural causes and human error, and many of the capabilities are similar to the Emergency Health Services, in case EHS can not respond as fast. The availability of an efficient and skilled fire department is essential in sustaining a community, but also in expanding it and attracting both new business and new people to the area. Aside from the all important rescue functions, the fire department also sponsors such things as dances, community events like the July 1st celebrations, and the Christmas tree lighting, all while ensuring safety at these events. The department also puts on the annual fire works display, one of the best in the province, and they ensure the safety of the community members and the property, while hosting a magnificent light show in the sky. While the department’s viability remains on continued government funding and support, the involvement of more volunteers, the active community, economic and social growth, and a sustained and growing population can ensure the fire department remains a part of the community. Other assets in Weymouth and area • Weymouth Job Search Centre • Aleutian Disease laboratory • Saint Anne’s University o French education, training, research, variety of programs • Public Library/C@P site • Lewis Mouldings • Churches • Proximity to Digby (30 km) and Yarmouth (75 km) nearby • Interpretive Centre o Strong heritage and culture, cultural harmony, accepting of different cultures • Weymouth Waterfront (Development) o Boardwalk, mini-park, interpretive centre, Visitor Information Centre • Neighbouring French community (Clare) • Low cost of living, low crime, low taxes • Loyal workforce • Population o Population made up of fairly even segments by age o Beautification of Weymouth, community pride, promotion of community • Family friendly area • Cricket Field o Recreational/Social event area o Needs developing • WOW TV o Local TV station, advertises business throughout Weymouth and surrounding areas • Village of Weymouth/Village Commission o Mini-municipality takes care of Weymouth (bi-laws, health services) • Cable Television and High-speed internet o Cable 2 providers, Rush Communications, Eastlink o Internet 3 providers, Aliant, Rush, Eastlink • Sissiboo River • St Mary’s Bay • Moderate Climate year round • Natural freshwater spring in the Village • Beautiful, peaceful area S.W.O.T. Analysis of Weymouth (Strengths, Weaknesses, Opportunities and Threats) Strengths Access & Transportation •Proximity to larger towns, New Brunswick, and New England. Weymouth is 20 minutes from Digby and 45 minutes from Yarmouth and as such has easy access to New Brunswick and even the New England states. •The 101 Highway from Yarmouth runs through the Weymouth area and is easily accessible. This Highway provides easy shipping and access to Halifax International Airport. •Weymouth has access to two (2) ferry services. The Princess of Acadia from Digby, NS to St. John, NB, and The Cat, from Yarmouth, NS to Bar Harbour and Portland, Maine. •There are two (2) nearby airports. Yarmouth airport, although small, has the capability to land large passenger and cargo airliners, and the Digby airport has capability for smaller aircraft. Commercial real estate •The Irving Sawmill property and facilities are available, although limited to what can be done. Ideal site for industrial park, incubator mall, manufacturing facility or other large venture. It is in an ideal location that is right in the village but out of sight. •The Jones’ Bottling Plant is a potential office space, manufacturing space, distribution centre, or all of them combined. Like the sawmill it is in the village but secluded yet easy to access. •The old Credit Union property is small, and would be ideal for a shop of sorts, or a small business venture. It is located near the southern limits of the village and heavy traffic passes by. •The old Registry of Deeds office is similar to the Credit Union property. It would be an ideal office location for a small business or a private practice, or another type of small business. It is in the village with easy access. •The Board of Trade building currently houses the Waterfront Development Project, WOW TV, and the Visitor Information Centre (VIC). In 2007 however, the Waterfront Development Project and the VIC will be relocating across the street and those offices will come available. They could be used as satellite offices, rental offices, private practices, or some other form of business not requiring large space. This facility is located directly in town. Culture & Community •The Weymouth Interpretive Centre offers history of the five cultures oStrong heritage and culture, history of accepting different cultures •Cooperation through community groups and organizations such as Kiwanis Club, Board of Trade, Team Weymouth, Volunteer Fire Department, Church/Religious organizations, Knights of Columbus •Community events such as the Weymouth Falls Reunion •Cricket Field baseball park as event and recreational facility •Community donations in various forms such as time, capital, land, resources, and expertise •Arts and Crafts community (many artists, craft-makers) •Healthy mix of age groups •Family-friendly •Village Commission looks after Weymouth like a municipality does Education •New High School provides new technologies and has teleconferencing abilities •St. Anne’s University (French) is 10 minutes away in the neighbouring community of Clare. •NSCC campuses in Yarmouth and Digby for training in trades (high demand of trades in area) •The school’s have immersion programs offered to English students •Licensed daycare •University access. Nova Scotia has more Universities pre capita in Canada, and Acadia University, one of the most advanced in the world, is an hour and 45 minutes away in Wolfville. As Well the University of New Brunswick is in St John and the ferry service in Digby goes there. •Most used public library in Southwest Nova Environment Environment •Weymouth is home to a clean and beautiful landscape with a number of scenic attractions such as the Weymouth Storybook Trail, Sissiboo River, Weymouth Waterfront, St Mary’s Bay, access to the Bay of Fundy, woodlands and more. •There are also many historic sites, some being Churches, the Village, Waterfront, Weymouth North, and New France •Weymouth is fortunate to enjoy friendly weather and is part of the “Sunshine Coast” (most sunny days in NS) oModerate climate all year round •Weymouth is also home to many natural resources oLumber, fishery, water, mink •Above all Weymouth is a peaceful community Health Care •The Weymouth Medical Centre is a new and state of the art medical centre, especially for a rural community oThree (3) doctors oBlood collection clinic oDiabetic clinic o2007 VON/Homecare •There are two (2) hospitals in surrounding municipalities in Digby and Yarmouth. Yarmouth hospital is the primary hospital for the region. •2007 EHS Ambulance in neighbouring community of St Bernard (3 min from Weymouth) •Volunteer Fire Department has search and rescue and is a first responders department Technical support •Various assortment of business services oRoyal Bank of Canada and Credit Union/Caisse Populaire for financial needs oBookkeeping, accounting services available oBoard of Trade •Weymouth Medical Centre oHealth care needs •High speed wireless internet/fibre-optic telecommunications •Village Commission is like a mini-municipality Weaknesses Attitude •Many have a “can’t do” attitude as apposed to Alberta’s “can do” attitude caused by the seemed lack of opportunity in the area. •This leads to an apathetic attitude of many that is unmotivated due to the outward movement from Weymouth. •There is to an extent, an opposition to change, as many feel it is a waste of time. Much the same there is an opposition to government aid as it too is seen as a waste before the outcome is shown. This is in part due to… •Little patience. People want to see things happen sooner than later, and some lack the patience to see things develop. •There are some who fear the growth of Weymouth as being detrimental. They don’t want to see the good things of Weymouth disappear or be overrun. Labour •Smaller population means smaller available workforce. Many of the skilled labour force are already employed. •Lower wages create less competition for entry level and low skill employment. •Lack of sufficient skills, especially soft skills like ethic, motivation, and organization. Weymouth also may be at risk of not being able to supply and medium to large size business needing highly skill employees. •Reliance on social programs. Created due to lack of the soft skills and minimum wage and low wages actually allow for welfare and employment insurance to compete with them as a means. Lack of… •Perceived lack of opportunity, education, training, and funding. Many of these exist but are underutilized. In cases where they are not they are difficult to find and tough for the average working person to make time for and difficult for unemployed to get the resources for. Village Issues •Lack of recreational facility. •Youth are unmotivated and have no where to go and nothing to do. •Community eyesores. There are some buildings, lawns, and areas through the community that could use a fix up in order to give the community a more beautiful appearance. •Downtown Weymouth can occasionally flood when the tides are unusually high. The Waterfront development project may have helped curve this but the possibility, although remote, remains. Opportunities Alberta •Weymouth and area could create teams with right employer in Alberta as is done in other provinces to fly a team out or a number of weeks to work, and they are flown back for a few weeks off in which they spend their earnings back here at home. Development •The development of the 101 Highway between Weymouth and Digby would create and more viable transportation route for shipping in and out of Weymouth as well as a safer highway system. •The completion of the Waterfront Development and the Weymouth Interpretive Centre create and outside interest and a greater tourism draw as the Waterfront becomes a place to stop and rest in the village and the Centre becomes a mini-museum of sorts on Weymouth. •Potential for development of New France settlement into a more viable tourist attraction. Possibly a park or an interactive site. •Trans-Canada trail. If the trail connects to Weymouth’s new Storybook Trail, it may spawn bike, jogging, and walking tours which are growing in popularity as well as help foster eco-tourism. It could also lead to the renovation of the trestle bridge into the largest walking trestle bridge in the province. J.D. Irving’s Lewis Sawmill Facility •Could be used as an industrial park for various industries in manufacturing to primary industry. Its 3 phase power allows for just about any options, perhaps a Windmill for wind power, an incubator mall for start-up businesses, or a self storage facility. Its large property, power, and two entrances make it viable for many options. Natural •Use of the Sissiboo River for eco-tourism, waterway for fishing vessels and perhaps even pleasure crafts. •The year round moderate climate means no extreme highs and no extreme lows in the weather which bode well for year round production and employment. The Southwest valley, including Weymouth, enjoys the sunniest days in Nova Scotia. •Environment oWith the push on a cleaner environment the space for a Windmill for wind power could be explored in Weymouth. •Bi-products oBi-products from primary industry such as lumber and mink farming. Lumber already is used in many spin-offs like firewood and for construction purposes. oWaste from the mink industry could be used for bi-products such as bio-fuels, compost, and perfume and cosmetics. Training •With the lacking soft skills and new skills needed by the labour force it provides •For an opportunity for training from different institutions. The Nova Scotia Department of Education can provide essentials training to a labour group (soft skills) and Nova Scotia Community College can provide comprehensive customized training. Threats Access •The Digby Ferry’s long term future is crucial to the development of the Weymouth and surrounding areas. Shipping in the fisheries and farming industries rely on the ferry for more cost effective shipment to the US and Canada. The tourism industry is also reliant on the ferry to take people from Maine to the Digby area. •Slow development of the construction of the 101 Highway between Weymouth and Yarmouth could hurt chances of company locating if competing area has a more viable highway system. Alberta •The outward movement to the jobs created in Alberta by the oil boom is draining the workforce of rural Nova Scotia and Weymouth is not excluded. The growing number of skilled trades people and others leaving is a threat to the workforce of the area. Government •Federally, Ottawa’s cuts to East Coast programs like ACOA hurt the small communities such as Weymouth. Ottawa’s focus on the West and Quebec threatens well-being of the East, •Provincially the 14% tax is an unfair penalty that hurts the rural communities and gives other 6% tax paying provinces a competitive advantage. •Competition for government funding. Although there are many programs, there are many more applicants, and the competition may mean an area misses out on funding. Economy •The taxes and the relatively high Canadian currency are hurting the area in competition with the Asian markets in such areas as lumber and farming. •High fuel prices and Canadian dollar hurting tourist industry and cause decline. •Low wages create more dependence on social programs which are funded by taxes. Rural Stereotype •Becoming a strictly retirement community. •Nothing to do for fun in small communities. •Rural areas set in ways and too conservative.
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