Caraquet pig proposal getting pushback from residents

An 18-year-old would-be pig farmer in Caraquet is receiving backlash from the community, before he even buys his first pig.

Guillaume Légère doesn't plan to build until at least 2018 and says his organic farm plan wouldn't smell the same way a large industrial farm would, but a petition is already circulating near the proposed farm site.

Earlier this week, 60 people showed up at the Caraquet municipal council meeting to hear the details of Légère plan.

His proposed business venture, to raise free-range pork on land given to him by his grandfather,
has residents close to the site concerned.

One neighbour at the meeting said area residents would have to keep their windows closed and limit time spent outside. Another expressed concerns the farm would lower property values.

Exact details of the project are still unclear, but Légère says he plans to raise 250 pigs.

He told Radio-Canada last week he won't start construction until after he's graduated from agricultural college in Quebec.

Decision could take years

Caraquet Mayor Kevin Haché says there's lots to discuss before then.

"We're going to look at the file and decide in due time what we're going to do," he said. "If we want to limit the number of pigs on the property, if we want to say there's no pigs in Caraquet, or whatnot."

A firm decision on that could take years and neighbours have already started lobbying the regional service commission, circulating a petition to stop all progress.

"Everybody says we're not against the young guy, they said his project is pretty good," Haché said.

"And it's going to be biological farming and whatnot, and from what he told us it's going to be a new thing in New Brunswick but basically they're saying we're not against him, we're against the pig farm itself."

CBC News tried to call Legere at home, but the woman who answered the phone says he's finished speaking to the media until the municipal vote, and that he has taken enough abuse.