Members of the Antigonish Co. and Paq’tnkek band councils have held their first joint council meeting.
Municipal and band officials entered into the First Nations-Municipal Community Economic Development Initiative (CEDI) in Nov. 2016; they formalized their agreement during a ceremony in May.
The goal is to work closely on joint planning for economic development, land use and green energy.
After November’s regular municipal council meeting Tuesday night, Owen McCarron, the warden of Antigonish Co., said their first meetings went very well.
“It was really two good days of discussion and working, and it culminated with a meeting between our joint councils,” he said. “We made plans for another meeting in April of 2019.”
McCarron said they discussed the Paq’tnkek interchange project at length.
He said they want to find ways to work together that benefit the entire region economically.