Newfoundland Resettlement

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Newfoundland Resettlement Resettlement is the largest government sponsored program in the history of Canada (Loo,1). Starting from the 1950s in Newfoundland there was three types of programs that relocated about thirty thousand people from outport communities. They were centralization, the growth pole theory, and the fisheries household resettlement program. For a community to resettle a percent of the population had to agree upon relocating. The government would provide money to each household to cover the expenses of moving. The Newfoundland government's resettlement program of the 1950s provided a better life for outport people. The causes for resettlement included the decline in cod fish, lack of modern services, and the dangers coastal …show more content…

The statement "the traditional fishery was dying and a new fresh-frozen fishery was emerging, the industry and its people were struggling."(Martin, 1). There was a decline in cod fish and people now struggled with lack of income and another industry disappearing. People were moving to places where modern technology was encouraged in the catching and processing of fishing. While others just wanted an alternative to fishing so they moved to places where new industries were being developed. More populated and diversified areas of Newfoundland were being introduced to modern services like the rest of Canada but according to the quote "the provincial government could not afford to deliver the same quality of services to rural Newfoundland and Labrador as it could to the rest of the province."(Martin,1) the government could not provide the same modern services other Newfoundlanders received so this became another factor leading to resettlement in small towns. Those who decide to stay after everyone relocated would have to survive without the help of the government. After the population went below a certain number, post office services were shut down. For some supermarkets were three to four hours away. …show more content…

The two hundred year old community, Little Bay Islands applied for resettlement in 2011 but failed with only 60 percent of the population willing to relocate. Hopper states "Now, the crab plant is long gone, every shop in town is shuttered and the population has plummeted to 72 from a one-time high of almost 800". At the end of April 2013 the community resettled with 90 percent of the population in support of resettlement (Hopper,1). Today resettlement in voluntary. The government will only work with those wishing to resettle. People are not tied to a larger program or forced to move to specific areas but are still given money to help relocating expenses(Loo,1). In 1951 each household received between $300 to $600 (Matthews,2439) compared to today were each household will receive between $80 000 and $100 000 for resettlement (Hooper,1). During the summer, many families move back to the outport communities to continue fishing traditions. The quote " Reunions are often held in these and other abandoned places to mark a passing of way of life."(Pitt,1). The first church of Popes Harbor was opened 45 years after the village was abandoned in controversial resettlement program. They have more houses today in Popes Harbor then before the community was resettled. The 60 year old program of resettlement continues to establish a more effective way of living for outport

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