Erosion leaves Grand Falls, N.B., grocery store hanging off steep embankment

A landslide damaged a store in Grand Falls, N.B.

A local grocery store in Grand Falls, N.B., has been damaged by erosion, with a portion of Toner’s Food Store now hanging over a steep embankment.

The damage, which includes a partial collapse of the building’s back portion, was discovered Sunday morning.

Nobody was injured.

The business on Tobique Street is located close to an embankment which leads to Falls Brook, one of 17 areas in the municipality identified as being at high risk for erosion.

“We do not know of any other active erosion zones within Falls Brook for now,” said Eric Gagnon, Grand Falls Regional Municipality’s chief administrative officer. “But still, we are awaiting another analysis from the engineers.”

The municipality issued an advisory for people to avoid the area and barricades have been placed around the store.

Gagnon said the store’s owner has been asked to vacate the building “as soon as possible.” A group of people who were trying to salvage items from the store on Monday said they had no comment on the situation.

Grand Falls Mayor Bertrand Beaulieu said Toner’s Food Store has been a landmark in the community for about 80 years.

“They offered a great service to the community for groceries, frozen vegetables and everything,” said Beaulieau. “It will be dearly missed in the community, so we hope it’s not the end of Toner’s Food Master.”

Beaulieu said erosion has been on the municipality’s radar for over a decade.

“If you look at the riverbank here, and the Saint John River banks, they’re quite high and the soil is quite gravely,” he said. “So, it’s bound to move.”

Beaulieu said the municipality is working to strike a long-term solution with the provincial and federal governments.

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