The Town of Sussex is pleased to announce that ConservationPRO has joined the Sussex Flood Mitigation Project Team to assist with our Flood Mitigation Planning.
Ducks Unlimited Canada has been conserving wetlands and managing habitat for more than 85 years. Since 1938, the organization’s work has been recognized not only for the value it provides to wildlife, but to people and communities too. Wetlands are nature-based solutions that help mitigate the effects of everything from floods and droughts to water pollution and the impacts of climate change. ConservationPRO is a consulting branch of Ducks Unlimited Canada that helps bring those benefits to communities across Canada, by offering environmental services based on sound science.
ConservationPRO will be tasked with providing the Town with valued assistance and will join our project team to provide guidance, management advice, and assistance to address wetland compensation services for our projects. Their role will include identifying wetland restoration opportunities within the community and post-construction wetland restoration monitoring for all our Flood Mitigation Project needs.
With ConservationPRO onboard, the Town welcomes engagement, expertise, experience, and their valued input at our project planning table. Our project team, with the addition of ConservationPRO, will bring specific high-level environmental experience and skill sets to elevate our project needs, and to assist the Town in addressing the survivability of Sussex when the effects of climate change and mitigating flood damages are considered.
As the Town moves through the environmental evaluation and our public engagement during the formal registration under the Environmental Impact Registration with the Province of New Brunswick on our $38.3 Flood Mitigation Project in Sussex, we look forward to the discussion. The Town will provide public engagement and updates on our website at all future milestones. Our professional multidiscipline Team lead by Gemtec Consulting Engineers are working to provide a long-term solution to end to the devastation of flood damage in Sussex.
For further information on the Town’s project management team contact Scott M. Hatcher, P. Eng. During normal business hours directly at (506) 432-4553.
The Town would like to thank area residents, property owners, government agencies and other stakeholders who took the time to participate in the comment period of the Town’s submission of the Initial Project Description (IPD) to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC). Two virtual consultation sessions hosted by IAAC were completed on February 4th, 2025, and February 5th, 2025. These sessions provided context and explanation of the IPD and direct answers form interested parties. Although the sessions were lightly attended beneficial questions were asked by the participants and the Town looks forward to furthering discussion on the Town’s flood mitigation planning in Sussex.
Our environmental and engineering teams have identified tangible solutions for the 465 properties identified as severely impacted flooded properties in Sussex who know too well the devastating impacts flooding has on their private residents and properties. Our efforts and planning have identified solutions to reduce the per occurrence damages now estimated at $29M, and as well, under certain conditions the property damage is elevated to an estimated amount of $129M in damages per occurrence. The Town flood mitigation project has calculated a Return on Investment (ROI) of over 5 to 1, meaning, for every dollar invested by Sussex there is a return on our investment 5 times the amount invested, a forward reduction in property damage five times its investment, on a per occurrence basis.
The Town will individually respond to each commentator by written letter in February 2025. The Town will formally post the comments / letter submitted to IAAC and as well the Town’s written response to the questions asked and the letters submitted.
For further information related to the Flood Mitigation Planning in Sussex, contact Scott M. Hatcher, P. Eng., CAO Sussex at (506) 432-4552 during normal business hours.
NB Power is upgrading the electrical meters for all residential and business customers in the Sussex region. Installations will begin in March and will continue throughout spring 2025.
Smart meters are one way NB Power is modernizing the power grid to provide you with the best possible service into the future. Smart meters will enhance reliability, provide customers with detailed information about energy use, and offer many other benefits.
Get the Facts About Smart Meters Information Session!
Join NB Power representatives for an engaging information session to hear about plans for grid modernization and learn about the wide range of benefits smart meters enable. Bring your questions for an interactive Q&A session!
Event details:
Date: Thursday, March 13, 2025
Time: 6:30 – 8:30 pm
Location: Community Services Department Office, 1067 Main Street, Sussex, NB
For more information visit Smart Meters (nbpower.com) to find details of what to expect during the installation process, Frequently Asked Questions, and more information about smart meters. You can also contact their Customer Care team at 1-800-663-6272.
Can’t make it to this event? Check out NB Power’s calendar to find one near you!
The Impact Assessment Agency of Canada has invited Indigenous Peoples and the Public to review the summary of the Initial Project Description for the Sussex Region Flood Diversion Project and provide feedback by February 10, 2025. Comments received will be used by the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada to prepare the summary of issues.
Sussex is pleased to invite all residents, stakeholders, and surrounding area residents to review the submitted documents and to provide feedback of the Town’s Flood Mitigation Plan and Initial Project Description documents by February 10, 2025 to IAAC through their online portal. For those interested in participating in virtual information sessions conducted by IAAC for the Sussex Flood Mitigation Proposal are asked to pre register and to participate in virtual meetings associated with the project. The proposed Project involves the construction of two flood diversion channels to divert flood waters away from the downtown core and residential areas of Sussex, New Brunswick into the Kennebecasis River.
For the information of all residents and stakeholders, the following information and status of our flood mitigation proposal, the Town provides copies of our submitted IAAC documentation including:
The Kraft Hockeyville competition is an annual contest in Canada that celebrates the spirit of hockey by recognizing communities that deeply value the sport by awarding funding for arena upgrades and the chance to host an NHL preseason game.
For decades, the 8th Hussars Sports Arena has been the heart of Sussex, a place where our community comes together to cheer, celebrate, and lift each other up. Now, it’s our turn to rally for the arena that’s given us so much. Let’s work together to ensure it gets the recognition and the upgrades it deserves to thrive for generations to come!
The competition is in the Nomination and Rally phase, during which communities across Canada submit stories explaining why their community should be the next Kraft Hockeyville. The judges then review the nominations, calculate the total scores, and select the Top 4 finalists with the highest scores.
Help the 8th Hussars Arena score big! Share your favorite stories, upload photos, and post a rally note. Every action adds valuable points to our overall score. Your participation makes all the difference!
Does your organization have a volunteer who represents the heart and soul of our community? Someone whose dedication and passion leave a lasting impact on our community? Now’s your chance to shine a spotlight on their incredible work!
The Volunteer Awards are back, and we’re calling on organizations across Sussex to nominate the individuals who selflessly give their time and energy, inspiring others to follow in their footsteps.
And here’s the best part: All nominees will be honored by Sussex Council and our Community at our annual awards banquet in April during National Volunteer Week!
Let’s come together to recognize the volunteers who make Sussex such a special place to call home.
Nominations close on April 11! Submit your organization’s nomination today using the form below!
To kick off the Winter season, Sussex reached out to the community for help naming our new snowplow.
Say hello to our newest winter MVP:Scoop Dogg!
Thank you to everyone who brought their creativity and community spirit to the “Name the Snowplow” Contest. Keep an eye out for Scoop Dogg cruisin’ the streets this winter.
Stay tuned for more fun ways to engage in the future! ❄️
Honorable Mentions:
TV & Film
Darth Blader
Snobi Gone Kenobi
The Fast + Flurrious
The Big LePlowski
Flurrious George
Celebrities:
Taylor Drift
Sled Zeppelin
Gordie Plow
Austin Plowers
Alice Scooper
A nod to Sussex:
Dairy Drifter
The Townie
Wreck it Ralph (Homage to former Mayor Ralph Carr)
Sussex Council has received its final report on the Fire Service Review (FSR) from the Loomex Group at its special meeting of Council held at Town Hall on December 03, 2024. The FSR project had commissioned the review and the following deliverables: • To identify and evaluate the current and anticipated fire protection needs in Sussex and its contracted fire service areas. • To assess the fire protection services that Sussex and its contracted fire service areas currently receives. • To provide data that Sussex can use to make informed decisions about the safety of its residents, businesses, visitors, and firefighters, and; • To provide strategies and identify resources that Sussex can use to manage its current and anticipated fire protection needs adequately and cost-effectively.
The Council of Sussex and the Sussex Fire Department can reference this FSR when making policy, organizational, capital, and operational decisions over the next ten or more years. Click Here to view our FSR in its entirety.
As part of the Town’s FSR Sussex contracted The Loomex Group to develop a Community Risk Reduction Plan (“CRRP”) in 2024. The CRRP project had the following objectives: • To ensure Sussex complies with the standards of NFPA 1300, which advises every community to conduct a CRRP every five years. • To identify and examine the public safety risks in Sussex from a fire services perspective, and; • To recommend strategies that Sussex and the Sussex Fire Department can use to mitigate the Town’s public safety risks.
In accordance with the National Fire Protection Association (NFPA) Standard 1300, there are nine community profiles that must be reviewed when developing a CRRP. The Loomex Group completed those reviews by collecting various statistics about Sussex and then evaluating that information as per the instructions provided by NFPA 1300 and other industry guidelines.
In addition to reviewing statistics, The Loomex Group conducted site visits and met with stakeholders from Sussex in order to gain first-hand insights about the current and potential public safety risks in the community. Finally, The Loomex Group used a risk assessment tool to calculate the severity of each public safety risk it identified in Sussex. The Loomex Group then evaluated the administrative and operational concerns associated with each threat. Click Here to view our CRRP in its entirety.
For further information please contact Scott M. Hatcher, P. Eng, CAO at Town Hall during normal business hours.
Your thoughts and experiences matter to us! Your insights can help shape the future of our fire service. Please take a moment to share your feedback, suggestions, or experiences below.
Sussex is pleased to advise Sussex residents that the Flood Mitigation Initial Project Description documents for the Sussex Flood Mitigation Proposal has been submitted to the Impact Assessment Agency of Canada (IAAC). The proposed Project involves the construction of two flood diversion channels to divert flood waters away from the downtown core and residential areas of Sussex, New Brunswick into the Kennebecasis River. Initial feedback from IAAC.
For our residents information and status of our flood mitigation proposal, the Town provides public copies of our submitted IAAC documentation including:
The Kennebecasis River flows around Sussex to the southwest, while three tributaries of the Kennebecasis River, Trout Creek, Parsons Brook, and Ward Creek, flow directly through the community. Together, these four watercourses form part of the Kennebecasis Watershed.
Extreme climate change-driven flooding in Sussex has caused millions of dollars in damage over the past decade. Sussex commissioned several studies and developed a Regional Flood Risk Mitigation Plan to alleviate the recurring flooding issues. As an initial step of the Mitigation Plan, a flood berm was constructed along the Kennebecasis River behind the Town’s Gateway Mall in 2019, providing flood protection for the northwestern area of the Town during the flood events of December 2020 and February 2024 and to complete the necessary prerequisite project to facilitate the future flood mitigation measures. Flood studies were conducted by the Town’s consulting engineers GEMTEC in 2022 to estimate flood levels in the Kennebecasis River and its tributaries resulting from a future (projected to the year 2100) 100-year storm event. Without additional flood mitigation measures, it was predicted that over 450 properties would be affected by this future flood event.
Our Flood Mitigation Proposal includes the optimum combination of flood mitigation measures, which are also the remaining measures to be implemented as part of the Regional Flood Risk Mitigation Plan. This will include the construction of two channels that will redirect excess flood water from Parsons Brook and Trout Creek into the Kennebecasis River. By implementing targeted flood mitigation measures, the project aims to significantly decrease the frequency, severity, and extent of flooding along Trout Creek and Parsons Brook. The project seeks to safeguard critical infrastructure, reduce property damage, and minimize disruption to the local population. These efforts are designed to enhance the long-term resilience of Sussex against future flood events.
The key components of the Project include:
Parsons Brook Diversion Channel. A 580 metre channel extending northeast from Parsons Brook near Sussex Corner Elementary School to Trout Creek, with the discharge point located 350 metres upstream of the Post Road Bridge. The channel will pass through recreational green spaces near the school, coming within 100 metres of the building. The closest residence to the channel is 50 metres from the intake structure at the intersections within 200 m of the proposal channel.
Trout Creek Diversion Channel. A 1,600 metre channel extending north from Trout Creek near Brown’s Paving Ltd. to the floodplain of the Kennebecasis River, east of Aiton Road and north of Route 1. Five homes along Bryant Drive and Canterbury close are within 200 meters of the channel’s southern end, and at Leonard Drive, the channel will be 20 to 30 meters from nearby homes.
The proposed diversion channels cross municipally-owned, provincially-owned, and privately-owned land. Other upgrades associated with the Project include the construction of two bridge/overpass structures on New Brunswick Route 1, construction of a culvert or Bridge at Leonard Drive, raising the bridge deck elevation of a section of New Brunswick Route 890 and the adjacent covered bridge, and the addition of minor flow control measures to the storm sewer system downtown Sussex.
The total cost of the project is estimated at $38.25 million, which includes $15.7 million for highway bridges on Route 1.
Funding applications to Infrastructure Canada’s Disaster Mitigation and Adaptation Fund (DMAF) was submitted for the Project in July 2023 for $15.3 million in federal funding, accounting for 40% of the project eligible costs. In addition to the request for federal funding, an application was submitted to the Provincial Government of New Brunswick under the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) for just over $12.6 million, accounting for 33%. Approval for both the federal DMAF and provincial ICIP funding was received for the Project in June 2024. Sussex will cover the remaining 27% of the project cost at approximately $10.3 million by using reserved funds, borrowing, and drawing from its annual budgets during the design and construction phases.
The project is expected to take about three to five years to complete, depending on how quickly all necessary approvals are obtained. The design phase is currently underway, with details like the size of the channels, environmental considerations, and bridge specifications being finalized. This design work should be finished by 2025. Construction is planned to begin in 2026, with bridge work on Route 1 taking two years (2026 and 2027), and work on Route 890 and Leonard Drive bridges set for 2026 or 2027. The diversion channels and hydraulic control structures are also planned for construction during 2026 and 2027, with the full project expected to be operational by 2028. This project is designed to last for 80 to 100 years, providing long-term flood protection. Routine maintenance, like clearing debris and mowing, will be needed to keep the channels working efficiently, but the overall design and materials are built to ensure the channels remain effective for decades to come.
PUBLIC CONSULTATION CONTINUES:
The development of the Regional Flood Risk Mitigation Plan, and the subsequent Sussex Flood Mitigation Proposal, involved extensive consultations with landowners, businesses, government agencies, and Indigenous communities. A public meeting was also held in March 2022 to gather input. The main concerns raised during these consultations included:
Potential increases in water levels in the areas receiving diverted floodwaters, such as parts of Trout Creek and the Kennebecasis River.
The costs associated with building, operating, and maintaining new bridge structures, especially where the proposed flood diversion channels intersect with Route
The need to raise the elevation of the bridge over the Kennebecasis River.
The use of private land for the flood channels, including agreements for land sales or occupation.
Consultations with stakeholders will continue throughout the planning and implementation of the project to ensure concerns are addressed. A high-level project description was sent in June 2024 to the Chiefs of all Mi’gmaq and Wolastoqey First Nations. Specific feedback has been received from the First Nation Communities:
Oromocto First Nation, which requested more information but had no immediate concerns.
Peskotomuhkati at Skutik First Nation, which deferred consultation to the Mi’gmaq communities.
Mi’gmawe’l Tplu’taqnn Incorporated (MTI), representing eight Mi’gmaq First Nations, which requested a Mi’gmaq Rights Impact Assessment (MRIA) to ensure Aboriginal and Treaty rights are considered.
The Town and GEMTEC met with MTI representatives in July 2024 to discuss archaeological concerns and agreed to have an Indigenous Monitor present during the archeological assessment. Ongoing communication and cooperation with Indigenous groups, Infrastructure Canada, and the New Brunswick Department of Indigenous Affairs will continue to ensure all concerns are addressed appropriately as we proceed further with our project development.
For further information please contact Scott M. Hatcher, P. Eng. CAO Sussex during normal business hours
Areas of Sussex are set to witness the latest advancement in the Flood Mitigation berm construction project as the Town’s engineering consultants commence drone operations to capture a digital terrain survey model of the Meadow Crescent Berm construction area.
Starting November 19, 2024, certified drone operators will utilize Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) to conduct these operations over a period of up to two weeks, as weather allows.These drone flights will be carefully executed within designated project areas.
This initiative aims to create a detailed digital terrain model that will aid in the effective planning and execution of the berm construction. This innovative approach marks an exciting step forward in the Flood Mitigation Plan.
Residents can expect to see drones in the air as they capture high-resolution images and data critical for the project’s success. The use of UAV technology not only streamlines the surveying process but also enhances safety and efficiency, allowing for comprehensive coverage of the construction area without the need for extensive ground inspections.
Sussex encourages it’s residentsto stay engaged with the ongoing developments of this exciting project.
