“Where is the saving in consolidating, because we aren’t seeing it.”
That word from John Gardner, co-chair of the Concerned Citizens of Charlotte County group, who says the future of the St. Stephen Courthouse is still before the courts, but the provincial budget is still hinting at keeping services in Saint John.
He tells us the budget doesn’t come right out and say the closure is definite. “However, at the same time, the release from the Department of Finance talks about ‘finding potential cost savings and service efficiencies through the restructuring of all provincial court services, and consolidating resources,’ which hints pretty strongly that that courthouse is still going to be in Saint John.”
Gardner says the budget does say they are putting an extra $2.7 million dollars into the courthouses, in which he asks, “Where is the savings?”
