History of our organization                                                                         BSD Profile February 2024.pdf

In 1995 the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture in partnership with the NB Environmental Trust Fund established a working group, office, and list of mandates called The Bathurst Sustainable Development Project, in Bathurst New Brunswick. Invited to attend and participate were representatives from various government departments, non-government agencies, local government and citizens.

By March 2000 they had completed their original list of mandated action items and the project was ending. However, our current Community Development Coordinator, Brenda Kelley, who had been attending the government project meetings as a private citizen from 1997-2000, requested of the Chair of the working group, Dr. Barry Jones, Department Of Fisheries and Aquaculture,  that our watershed be allowed to keep all non-confidential data, files, studies, reports, surveys, promotional materials, the text research center at the library, the Carris GIS system that was housed and shared at the NB Community College , Bathurst campus, watershed maps etc. on behalf of the community of the Nepisiguit Watershed.(Bathurst and area). The request was approved.

She then helped establish a community access style office space in the local museum with the assistance of the City of Bathurst to display visuals showing the work of the former project, environmental policy review documents, and ecological data pertaining to our watershed area.

The same year she coordinated a meeting to establish a non-profit community watershed organization named Bathurst Sustainable Development (BSD). Local citizens who expressed interest were invited to join the Board. Three months later a Board of Director's was elected, a bank account opened with a $500 donation each, from Brenda, Noranda Mining and Smurfit Stone Container Ltd.

Since 2000, BSD has been successfully working with our Municipality, various local citizens and organizations both locally, provincially and nationally and will all levels of government on a vast list of projects and initiatives. (see the BSD profile).

We hold meetings, presentations and events monthly, publish notice of our meetings and events for the general public and partners to attend our meetings. Citizens are encouraged to bring issues of concern to be placed on our new business for discussion and our assistance.

We provide ecological reviews of proposed development in our area, as they are requested by local governments in this city during the public review process.

We present an ecological award called "The Eco Award" in recognition of the contribution to the ecological health of this region by either a citizen, group of citizens, industry or business.

We were accepted by NRCan to participate in The Sustainable Communities Initiative Project in which we are being trained in the use of GIS and assisting our community on finding solutions to issues pertaining to Sustainable Development and our natural resources.

Contact Information: Telephone: 1-506-548-2106; fax: 1-506-545-7838   Mailing Address and Location of Head Office:  285 St. Patrick Street, Bathurst, NB E2A1C.
 

Mission Statement

It is the mandate of this organization to facilitate interactions between members of the community, businesses, industry, municipal governments, representatives from provincial government departments and all others interested in the betterment of the environmental quality, economic health and social well being of the residents of this area.

Facilitation : In order to reach those goals, Bathurst Sustainable Development has mandated itself to take concrete action to better quality of life of the residents living from east of Beresford to Janeville, by identifying the environmental problems of the area with the help of an exchange forum called a working group.

The Working Group meets on a quarterly basis. Minutes of the previous meeting, next meetings agenda, and action items report are provided to the membership contact list at least two weeks prior to the next meeting. Attendance at meetings are achieved through a contact list invited to attend but are also advertised in the community and are open to the general public. A Project Coordinator and or Environmental Technicians shall be hired to complete the mandate of specific environmental target projects.

Hierarchy includes nominations of active non-government community members to the positions of Chair, Treasurer, Secretary, and a Board of Director's. Partnering with industry, other similar organizations, local and provincial government bodies, community members, National, Provincial and Global Environmental Networks for ongoing day to day work and or for specific environmental projects is essential. A representative from Bathurst Sustainable Development shall attend meetings of other Sustainable Development and environmental organizations in the province. They shall also accept nominations to the Board of Directors of such organization as The Conservation Council of New Brunswick, accept requests by Government to assist in drafting and obtaining public input from our region on proposed environmental laws and policies and any other chair or representative positions we are invited to participate in, in our attempt to connect Northern New Brunswick to the environmental work and improvements in this province. Exchange of information on all topics among this network of associates shall be ongoing.

Financing: The organization shall operate as a registered non-profit organization. All funds raised through private sources shall be used explicitly for the purpose of facilitating our permanent mandate. Funding obtained for the purpose of specific environmental projects shall be used for the necessary means of completing the mandate of that specific project. A financial return for non-profit organizations shall be filed with Revenue Canada once per year. Donations for the facilitating of our mandate or donations in kind are gratefully accepted. Local fundraising activities will be conducted.

Conduct of meetings: Meetings shall be conducted in an orderly, democratic manner, following a pre determined agenda approved by those present at the meeting and following at all times diplomatic public codes of conduct. All present at meetings have the right to vote and give public input on any issue on the agenda. Concerned citizens may request that any issue of environmental concern in this region be placed on the agenda. Bathurst Sustainable Development will attempt to facilitate improving the condition level of that concern.

UNITED NATIONS DEFINITION OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT

...to be able to use your natural resources in a way at the present time so that you will have something left for future generations...

SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES DEFINITION

...communities who use their natural resources in such a way at the present time that they maintain an acceptable level of social, economic and ecological health for future generations...