District to watch: A tight race in Carbonear-Trinity-Bay de Verde
With many rural communities still reeling from wildfires, Municipalities Newfoundland and Labrador says the fires should force the province to revisit the issue of regionalization. The organization says the fire response lacked co-ordination and communication in unincorporated communities.
This one is another nail-biter, with the lead flipping back and forth.
Part of this district has been through turmoil in recent months, with a massive wildfire destroying about 200 homes in Conception Bay North. It’s been a safe seat for the Liberals since 2014, but longtime MHA Steve Crocker isn’t running again.
I’ve spent time reporting on the north shore since the fires, and people are angry. The provincial and federal governments have yet to announce details of disaster relief plans. To make matters worse, there has been a spike in break-ins and looting after the fire, leaving people feeling unsafe.
But Conception Bay North is just one part of the district.
PC candidate Riley Balsom hails from the other side. Balsom has been a town councillor for Heart’s Content since 2021, and a key organizer for the PCs since 2014. He’s up against Danielle Doyle for the Liberals — a special education teacher and town councillor in Carbonear.
