The sudden closure of the Nutrien Civic Centre in Sussex is stirring up some bad blood between Sussex and surrounding communities.
After Thursday’s announcement, Sussex Mayor Marc Thorne released a statement that included his concerns about the failure of regional partners to meet financial commitments for the civic centre.
Thorne said he met with Local Government Minister Aaron Kennedy, Deputy Minister Charbel Awad and Assistant Deputy Minister Jennifer Wilkins to discuss his concerns about “regional partners” failing to meet financial commitments for shared recreational services.
RELATED: Sussex recreation facility to close effective Aug. 8 due to funding issues
Thorne said he “specifically warned that Ministerial intervention would be necessary to ensure the Nutrien Civic Centre continued to receive the funding owed to it through its agreement with the Kings Regional Service Commission.”
He went on to say that Butternut Valley had recently begun making contributions.
“The financial commitments of both Butternut Valley and Valley Waters toward shared recreational services remain largely unmet for a year and a half, and the amount owing to the Kings Regional Service Commission was allowed to approach almost $400,000.”
Thorne also suggested the provincial government had failed to intervene in the situation.
Acadia Broadcasting contacted Mayor Thorne for an interview on Thursday.
In an email, he agreed to speak to us, but that interview has yet to happen.
Valley Waters mayor calls for greater fairness
The Municipality of Valley Waters released a statement on Friday.
When Acadia Broadcasting contacted Mayor Randy McKnight to request an interview, he declined and directed us to the statement.
In that statement, McKnight said he’s been surprised and disappointed by what he described as a “lack of transparency” in how information is being shared with the public.
“Omissions and blatantly false information appear to be putting blame on the municipality of Valley Waters,” he said in the statement. “Which is grossly unfair and, in some cases, defamatory.”
McKnight said since Valley Waters became a municipality in January 2023, the local government has tried to bring greater fairness to its relationship with the Kings Regional Service Commission (KRSC), especially when it comes to regional facilities like the Nutrien Civic Centre.
“In fact, the issue of sustainability of the Nutrien Centre pre-dates the formation of Valley Water by several years,” he said.
McKnight said the claims made that the closure is due to Valley Waters not making contributions is “false and misleading.”
He said two facilities in the KRSC area are designated “regional” recreation facilities.
One is the Sussex Area Library. The other is the Nutrien Civic Centre.
The “regional” designation means Valley Waters must contribute funding toward their operations.
“In 2026, Valley Waters represented 23 per cent of the region’s population and tax base, but only approximately four per cent of the Nutrien facility users,” McKnight said.
He said the way a municipality’s contribution to regionally designated facilities is determined is based equally on population and tax base.
In other words, Valley Waters in 2026 had a required contribution to both the library and civic centre of 23 per cent of the costs, or $137,000.
“At last count, the Nutrien portion that we pay equated to approximately $4,482 per Valley Waters Nutrien member,” he said.
McKnight said other regional service commissions use distance from a facility to determine municipal contributions.
“After paying this contribution, we lack adequate funding to meaningfully support our own local recreation assets,” McKnight said.
Those assets include the Belleisle Community Pool.
McKnight also said the decision about a funding agreement for the civic centre was made before a new KRSC board was formed, binding all municipalities in the region to its terms.
“The rushed timing shortly before the RSC Board was even formed eliminated our opportunity for input into the agreement and locked us into a funding model we do not support.”
McKnight laid out other complaints his municipality has, including sustainability questions surrounding the civic centre.
He said the facility has received bailouts in the past from the provincial government, failed to file mandatory payments with the Canada Revenue Agency, built up significant debt on lines of credit, and reported they might not be able to make payroll on several occasions.
“We continue to have serious concerns about whether we are continuing to invest taxpayer dollars into a sinking ship,” he said.
McKnight said Valley Waters’ portion of the KRSC budget was $450,000 in 2023, including $75,734 for the Nutrien Civic Centre.
He said the number grew to $568,000 in 2024, including $119,000 for regional facilities. The amount increased so dramatically thanks to the addition of the library.
“In December 2024, we met with Minister Kennedy and agreed to pay our designated portion of the regional facility budget for 2024, based on his commitment that the KRSC Board would be reinstated and regional facility funding agreements would be renegotiated.”
But in 2025, the budget commitments grew to $568,000, with $133,145 for regional facilities.
“Following several requests to renegotiate the funding agreements, council reminded the minister in October of 2025 of his commitment, and our intention to withhold payment for the regional facilities pending renegotiation,” McKnight said.
He said Kennedy told the town the province would withhold funds from their property tax warrant.
As a result, Valley Waters paid the allotted amount up to October 2025.
“In April, the Minister withheld funds from our property tax warrant payment to pay the KRSC for the Nutrien’s final quarter of 2025, after subtracting the amount designated for the Library,” McKnight said.
He said the minister did the same on Aug. 1, withholding funds due for Q1.
McKnight said the council supports contributing to facilities that bring new residents to the region.
“However, we are advocating for regional designations and funding models to be based on transparent reporting, accurate facility usage data and cost sharing based on use,” he said.
McKnight added the current cost-sharing model, 50 per cent tax base and 50 per cent population, is “outdated.”
“In our case, (it) results in one community significantly subsidizing another which has easier access and a higher number of users because the facility is in their community,” he said.
McKnight said the municipality will pursue legal avenues related to defamation, threats and harassment.
Butternut Valley also reacts
Butternut Valley says they have paid in full all amounts owing to the Kings Regional Service Commission for the civic centre.
In a social media post, the municipality said its account is current as of July 9.
“All amounts owing to the Kings Regional Service Commission under the Regional Cost Sharing Agreement for the Nutrien Civic Centre have been paid in full,” the statement said.
The statement said the municipality acknowledges the important role of the facility in the region and understands the disappointment and concern the news has caused.
