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Argyle Municipality Faces Public Backlash over Conflicts of Interest and Lack of Transparency
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ARGYLE, Nova Scotia, May 13, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The Association for Responsible Aquaculture (ARA) reports that the coastal community of Argyle is facing a political storm amid serious allegations of conflict of interest, bid-rigging, and a lack of public consultations related to the expansion of aquaculture facilities along the region’s coastline.
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Documents obtained through Freedom of Information requests suggest that municipal staff and local oyster operators worked behind the scenes to fix the locations of Aquaculture Development Areas (ADAs) -placing them adjacent to residential properties without engaging affected residents or conducting meaningful consultation.
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The controversial site selection has prompted accusations of favouritism and secrecy, with constituents questioning why certain locations were chosen and who benefited. Despite repeated calls for transparency and accountability, the municipality has ignored these concerns.
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“People feel betrayed,” said Susan Savriga, an Argyle resident. “This wasn’t a transparent process. It feels like the decisions were made behind closed doors to benefit a few, while the broader community was left in the dark.”
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Further compounding the issue, The Nova Scotia Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture (DFA) is reported to have approved the contested ADA locations based on the municipality’s recommendations-recommendations now mired in claims of improper influence.
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During a June 2024 council meeting, the Municipality of Argyle confirmed that no meaningful public consultation had been conducted on the site selections-further fuelling community frustration.
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Top Right to Left: Nolan Deon, and Colton Deon from Deon’s Oysters sit behind Deputy Warden Ted Saulnier, Warden Nicole Albright, and CAO Alain Muise during the March 20 session for the municipality of Argyle NS.
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Evidence and Escalating Concerns
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- Freedom of Information (FOIPOP) documents made public via the Argyle Municipality website provide evidence of collusion between select oyster farmers and municipal staff to secure ADA sites and discourage public consultation. (available at this link).
- Six resident presentations outline detailed conflict of interest claims and are available for public viewing link.
- At least ten formal complaints from local residents have been filed under Section 12 of the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act, demanding a full investigation.
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Residents allege that municipal councillors and staff enabled specific oyster farmers to secure preferential treatment under the ADA program. In response, the municipality has hired an independent third-party investigator. Simultaneously, the Nova Scotia Ombudsman has launched a separate investigation into the municipality’s failure to conduct proper consultation.
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