Highway 101 twinning still top EKCC priority

BY KIRK STARRATT

kstarratt@kentvilleadvertiser.ca

NovaNewsNow.com

The Eastern Kings Chamber of Commerce (EKCC) has had a busy summer, with its number-one effort advocating for the twinning of Highway 101.

Prior to the September quarterly meeting of the EKCC at the Old Orchard Inn in Greenwich Wednesday night, Sept. 17, President Greg Young said their last correspondence from the provincial transportation minister stated that the completion of the twinning project is still many years away. Young said at least they now have it in writing.

“We will be pushing the issue forward as an executive,” he said.

Young said the EKCC is working with the Kings Community Economic Development Agency (Kings CED) and has secured funding for a marketing plan to attract investment to the Nova Scotia wine industry. He said there is a lot of buzz around it.

The EKCC is now an accredited chamber of commerce. Young said they’d be going to Quebec City the first week of October to accept their certificate and he cited the hard work of EKCC Executive Director Judy Rafuse for the chamber receiving the recognition.

Part of the discussion at a recent meeting of the Nova Scotia Chambers of Commerce focused on the issue of out-migration. Young said KCED Executive Director Erin Beaudin and PeopleWorx are working toward establishing an “Employer of Choice” program and there is an opportunity to get in on the ground floor with what will become a province-wide initiative.

Young said the EKCC would be involved in hosting two election forums in partnership with other organizations, including the federal candidates’ forum at 6 p.m., University Hall in Wolfville Sept. 30, with Transcontinental Media and the Acadia Students’ Union, and a municipal forum for the Town of Wolfville at Wolfville School Oct. 8.

Young reminded those in attendance that the annual Kings County Business Awards are coming up Nov. 13 at the Old Orchard Inn in Greenwich. Nomination forms are now available and the cut-off date is Sept. 28.

Guest speaker will be Fred Wade of Fireworks FX. Young urged people to get their tickets early, as they have sold out the last two years.