Cap-Acadie to develop tool kit to help local businesses battle arson

Community and business leaders in the southeastern region of Cap-Acadie are hoping a tool kit willbetter equip local businesses after a string of arsons in the area.

Businesses have beenasking for better awareness and tools to prevent similar incidents from happening again, saidlocal Chamber of Commerce CEOAnthony Azard at a press conference Wednesday.

"Let me be very clear, there is no place for crime in Cap-Acadie," he said. "The region's business community deserves better."

This comes after the Elphge&Norbert LeBlanc smokehouse in Petit-Cap was destroyed by fire earlier this month.

Three people have been charged with arsonin connection with theincident, but RCMP have not confirmed whether they suspect the case is connected toprevious fires in the region.

Suspected cases of arson have plagued the community for years.

In fact, in August 2021 alone, three smokehouses were burnedin as many weeks.

WATCH | 'There is no place for crime in Cap-Acadie'

Cap-Acadie taking steps to help local businesses after a string of arsons in the area

3 months ago

Duration 1:08

The Cap-Acadie Chamber of Commerce and the municipality plan to create a tool kit to help educate business owners in the region about safety and crime prevention.

Thechamber is collaborating with the municipality to create thetool kit.Azard saidit will focus on public safety, particularly when it comes to fires.

"We're all community leaders and it's essential to come up with concrete actions to support our businesses."

Azard was unable to provide details of what the kit will include in terms of resources or how it will be presented. He said it could take weeks or even months forit to be ready foruse because it's not a project the group wants to "rush."

The chambermetThursday afternoon with MLA Jacques LeBlanc and other stakeholders to discuss the tool kit.

LeBlanc, who also spoke at the press conference, said the tool kit is a message to the community that work is being done on the issue.

"We will get to the bottom of this issue and we are working diligently," he said. "And with the solutions, with the collaboration that's coming from the municipality with this tool box, we are very reassured that we will able to reassure the population andthe business community."

Azard said the group willmeetwith city council in the coming weeks to establish further details on the contents and timing of the resource.