Baie-des-Chaleurs moves closer to hosting the Congres mondial acadien 2029 after Grand Bouctouche withdraws.
On March 14, 2025, the Baie-des-Chaleurs emerged as the sole candidate for hosting the Congres mondial acadien (CMA) slated for 2029, following unexpected news of the Grand Bouctouche's withdrawal from the competition. This development marks a significant turning point for the potential host region.
The decision from the Grand Bouctouche community came on the day when candidacies were due to be officially submitted. The Société Nationale de l’Acadie (SNA) confirmed the receipt of the notice from Grand Bouctouche, which stated its intention to withdraw from the race. Serge Arsenault, director general of the municipality of Grand Bouctouche, explained the reasoning behind this shift, primarily citing scheduling conflicts created by the timing of the Jeux d’été Canada, which is set to take place simultaneously in the Grand Moncton region.
“The community of Bouctouche cannot host 100,000 visitors on its own,” said Arsenault, acknowledging the pressure the Jeux d’été Canada would place on the local accommodation capacity. “We heavily relied on neighboring communities to assist with lodging, but with the Canada Games happening simultaneously, there would already be enormous pressure on our hotels.” Despite the challenges, he emphasized, “This was not due to any lack of interest in the CMA. It was just not the right timing.”
Now fully committed to supporting the Baie-des-Chaleurs, Arsenault expressed hope for future opportunities, stating, “We certainly want to revisit the idea of hosting the CMA later and are confident we would excel at organizing it.”
For the Baie-des-Chaleurs, the situation has turned encouraging. Jean-Guy Levesque, the mayor of the Campbellton Regional Community and president of the Baie-des-Chaleurs candidacy committee, delivered the application file to the SNA offices on the same day Grand Bouctouche withdrew. Levesque shared his relief at the new turn of events, expressing satisfaction over becoming the sole candidate.
“We are relieved and very excited to be the only candidacy left. We are closer to our goal than we have ever been,” Levesque noted, reiterATING their previous efforts to secure the CMA, which had fallen short during their last attempt in 2019. “With or without Bouctouche, our candidacy was strong. We have gathered over 300 letters of support. It's clear to me we have all the necessary infrastructure across our four major regions to host this event effectively.”
The selection process is still underway, and the SNA's evaluation of the Baie-des-Chaleurs will include inspections of key facilities and lodging availability. A dedicated committee from the SNA is scheduled to visit the region for this purpose, traveling through various communities from Bonaventure to Campbellton, with anticipated stops at Carleton-sur-Mer, New Richmond, Petit-Rocher, and Bathurst, potentially continuing on to Dalhousie.
Levesque emphasized their extensive preparation for this evaluation, saying, “We are ready on paper, and we will showcase our capabilities during the visit. We have worked intensively for three months to prepare something substantial.”
Martin Théberge, president of the SNA, stated the organization remains confident about the Baie-des-Chaleurs, praising the thoroughness of their application materials. “While it’s not guaranteed for Baie-des-Chaleurs, I have no doubt about their capability to hold the event based on what we’ve seen so far,” he commented.
Beyond the immediate excitement within ecological New Brunswick, there is enthusiasm brewing across the bay, particularly from the Gaspésie region. Local leaders assert the significance of this event to their community pride and identity. Pierre Caron, mayor of Bonaventure, known as the “capital of Acadia” in Quebec, underscored the event's cultural value, stating, “This World Congress holds tremendous significance for us, as much of our local population is of Acadian origin.”
Stressing the importance of the CMA to promote Acadian history and culture, Caron remarked, “It’s important to show our rich heritage—there are Acadians here too, and we have stories to tell.”
The candidacy for the Baie-des-Chaleurs encapsulates participation from approximately thirty communities between the Chaleur and Restigouche regions on the New Brunswick side, along with the Avignon and Bonaventure MRCs from Quebec.
This unity and collaboration across various municipalities are invaluable assets for their bid as they maintain hopes for securing the CMA. The evaluation committee is expected to submit its recommendations to the SNA board around Easter, with high stakes for the Baie-des-Chaleurs as they await the preliminary feedback on their preparations and facilities.
The road to the CMA hosting has been rocky, but the Baie-des-Chaleurs has risen to the occasion and is prepared to showcase their capacity to host this prolific event, marking another pivotal chapter for Acadian culture and celebrations.