Popular Amherst Shore store frustrated with communications

The Amherst Shore Country Store has been having problems with its communications service provided by Bell Aliant, making the business unable to always accommodate modern payment methods.
According to owner Peter McCathie, the store has had problems with the phone line during poor weather for about three years. The problem has expanded to communication failures with their credit and debit machines, as well as the Internet, particularly in the past two months.
McCathie estimates that the business has lost thousands of dollars in the past couple of months due to the issue.
“People drive up to get gas and they see the signs that there’s no Interac or MasterCard right now and they drive away,” said McCathie. “Same goes for alcohol. People don’t want to make big purchases with cash.”
The owner also contacted Cumberland North MLA Elizabeth Smith-McCrossin, who has responded with intent to find a solution.
“It’s a top priority for me to see improvements in infrastructure for internet access,” said the Conservative MLA. “It’s a problem affecting business people as well as people all across the shore, right from Tidnish area through to Malagash.”
The Liberal government has promised to use $14.5 million for better broadband connectivity, and Smith-McCrossin intends to keep the Liberals accountable.
“I’m a business owner as well, and it’s terrible what the McCathies are experiencing,” said Smith-McCrossin. “It’s not acceptable and we have to find a solution as quick as possible for people.”
She says that she has contacted municipal councillor Joe van Vulpen and intends to make it an agenda item for Monday’s municipal meeting.
The store has called Bell Aliant dozens of times and been visited by seven technicians.
McCathie thinks the provider needs to have better-trained technicians.
“What happens is that they think they fix the problem and they go away, then a few days later we’re having problems again,” said McCathie.
In an email, Bell Aliant says the company was in contact with the store Thursday morning and is “trying to resolve their concerns as quickly as possible.”
Bell Aliant is the prominent landline provider in the area and cellphone coverage is limited.
McCathie and co-owner Nancy McCathie stressed the situation in a Facebook post on the store’s page. In the post, they expressed their discontent with Bell Aliant’s customer service and apologized to customers for any troubles.
Smith-McCrossin says citizens can show their support by contacting their municipal contact, Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal Minister Lloyd Hines, MP Bill Casey and her directly.
“It will help me be able to show our government what important issues are facing in Cumberland North,” said Smith-McCrossin. “The more people I hear from that I can show to the government department, I think the higher the priority will be.”
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