Author name: Pontiac Journal

Bonnie James

Local Journalism Initiative

CAMPBELL’S BAY – On May 14, MRC Pontiac held an event at Brauwerk Hoffman in Campbell’s Bay showcasing projects that have benefited from the second and fourth streams of the Regions and Rurality Fund (FRR) and announcing a new call for FRR 2 community development projects with an envelope of $600,000. The funding is available to municipalities, non-profit groups or band councils with a focus on “structuring projects” including municipal building infrastructure or non-profits purchasing equipment to increase their services etc.

Eight municipalities and non-profit organizations attended the event to showcase their projects.

The Municipality of Shawville high- lighted the improvements made to Mill Dam Park including new playground equipment and washroom facilities. They also showed photos of the new solar powered streetlights.

Groupe L’Île-du-Grand-Calumet was present with an update on their Honour Our Roots project which aims to identify unmarked graves in the old Saint Anne’s Cemetery and also to build a gazebo, add a flowerbed, solar lights, and a bench.

The Upper Pontiac Sports Complex was in attendance to talk about repairs and updates to the arena including the upcoming replacement of the chiller, the key component in the rink’s ice making system.

The Pontiac Archives used FRR funds to purchase audio and visual equipment

enabling them to host various historical presentations, like the recent talks by Wayne Park and Joann McCann. Archivist Venetia Crawford said the Archives hopes to use FRR funds towards opening a Culture Centre in Shawville in the future.

The Municipality of Campbell’s Bay showcased their new multi-surface rink, dock lights, and promotional banners.

The Chapeau Agricultural Society was on hand to talk about the upcoming farmers market season and highlight the opening of the new market building, tentatively scheduled for a soft opening June 6 and a grand opening August 1.

The Municipality of Alleyn-et-Cawood was excited to share their plans for Mount O’Brien Park. The municipality recently purchased the access road to the park in order to improve it and open the park to the public. The park features a lake and walking trails and the municipality will be adding tent pads, outhouses, waste receptacles, and trail rest areas.

Reverend Susan Lewis of the Anglican Parish of West Quebec shared improvements being made to St. Paul’s Anglican Church in Shawville in order to better serve the community. Much of the work is focused on upgrading the church’s kitchen to support their collaboration with Bouffe Pontiac. The work includes adding an epoxy finish to the floors and upgrading to industrial appliances.

Information on how to apply for the new round of FRR 2 funds is available by calling 819-648-5689 or emailing developpement@mrcpontiac.qc.ca. The call for projects is open until July 11.

Photo – Philippe and Guylaine La Salle present the Honour Our Roots project at the FRR showcase at Brauwerk Hoffman, May 14. (BJ)

Bonnie James – Local Journalism Initiative

MRC PONTIAC – The MRC Pontiac’s Council of Mayors’ monthly meeting was held May 15 at the MRC headquarters in Litchfield.

Question period
It was another full house with approximately 40 citizens in attendance. A variety of questions were raised about the EFW as well as other topics.

The questions started with Otter Lake Councillor Jennifer Quaile sharing the results of the Friends of the Pontiac’s petition against the EFW project. The group collected 3,255 signatures, 73% originating from the Pontiac, 13% from neighbouring communities, and the remainder throughout Quebec and the rest of Canada. Four more residents asked questions and expressed concerns about the project.

The focus then shifted with an Alleyn-et-Cawood resident asking for an update on planned roadwork throughout the Pontiac. MRC Warden

Jane Toller highlighted the work planned for Front St. in Campbell’s Bay and Rapides-des-Joachims Mayor Lucie Rivet Paquette explained the planned bridge repair for the main crossing to Ontario in her municipality. The project will cost $1.2 million and will take 6-8 weeks to complete over the summer.

Angela Giroux, also of Alleyn-et-Cawood, was next to speak, imploring the mayors to work together to address recent hikes in property evaluations throughout the MRC.

A  group of nine former employees of l’Abattoir Les Viandes du Pontiac were in attendance to ask if the MRC would hire them back now that the MRC owns the slaughterhouse. Director General Kim Lesage replied that the proper licensing still needed to be obtained from the Ministry of Agriculture before reopening and took down the names and telephone numbers of the group in attendance.

Energy-from-Waste
Litchfield Mayor Colleen Larivière presented the resolution to bring an end to the EFW project. The resolution called for the Warden and MRC staff to immediately cease all activities in relation to the project, that no funding from the MRC budget or any type of grant or program be allocated to the project, and for the MRC Waste Committee and MRC staff responsible for residual materials to focus their efforts on aspiring to zero waste as outlined in the objectives of the 2023 – 2030 Waste Management Plan (PGMR). It also called for the MRC to continue working with the other Outaouais MRCs and the City of Gatineau to find the best regional solution for residual waste.

The resolution passed unanimously.

Organizational chart
Council approved two changes to the MRC’s organizational chart: the position of Director of Economic Development has been eliminated and the department will now report to the Assistant Director General, a position that is currently vacant, but posted. The second change was the promotion of Tim Ferrigan from Property Assessment Manager to Director of the same department.

The next Council of Mayors meeting will be held June 19.

Bonnie James – Local Journalism Initiative

LITCHFIELD – The MRC Pontiac’s Council of Mayors held a special meeting, April 29 at the MRC headquarters in Litchfield, with one item on the agenda: a newsletter concerning the Energy-from- Waste Initial Business Plan (IBP) and to set aside $3,000 from the warden’s travel budget to cover its printing and distribution.

It was standing room only, with two police cruisers parked across the street.

Tension filled the room from the start as Otter Lake Mayor Terry Lafleur opposed the motion to open the meeting stating they shouldn’t be having it. Waltham Mayor Odette Godin agreed.

The motion to open passed and MRC Warden Jane Toller explained the reason she called the meeting. “I felt we had unfinished business. We haven’t been able to communicate the results of the IBP to the entire MRC population. Only 2.5% of the population attended the town hall meetings,” she said, suggesting a newsletter was the most effective way of communicating the results to the entire population.

Lafleur cut Toller off asking: “Why don’t we just release the business plan? Or put our efforts toward getting permission to release it?” Toller responded that they haven’t been able to legally release the full IBP, and noted the many pages it contains.

The meeting then moved on to public question period with Toller saying questions and comments were to be on the newsletter and budget only and six people could speak for five minutes each.

Shawville activist Linda Davis questioned the limiting of what could be asked. Toller responded it’s the rule for special meetings. Toller and Davis continued to banter and when Toller tried to move on to the next speaker, Thorne resident Emma Hancock interjected: “No! Keep going, Linda!” so she continued. She asked if the proposal for the creation of the IBP had been checked by the MRC’s legal counsel prior to approval. MRC Director General Kim Lesage said it was reviewed internally.

Otter Lake Councillor Jennifer Quaile was next to speak. As soon as she began, Toller interrupted asking: “Is this a question? This doesn’t need to be personal. Please stick to the subject at hand.” Again, Hancock vocally objected to Toller’s interruption, at which point Toller got out of her chair, confronted Hancock and told her to leave. Hancock refused and was loudly supported by the crowd. Toller finally turned her attention back to Quaile, who asked Toller if she was looking for support to pursue a second business plan with the newsletter.

Toller said the priorities right now are improving recycling, starting major composting and working towards zero waste. She said there are no plans for another business plan as they have to find funding outside of the MRC’s budget. She mentioned the Outaouais and City of Gatineau are working together on waste management solutions through the Conférence des Préfets de l’Outaouais (CPO).

Several citizens spoke, predominantly asking the MRC to consider future generations in their decisions. Resident Pat Shank asked if an incinerator of any size is still on the table and Toller responded it is, along with many other options.

The Equity’s publisher, Charles Dickson, asked why Council wouldn’t invest the proposed $3,000 communications budget in the local media rather than a mailer. Toller said she already spoke to the Journal and advertising is being looked at in addition to the newsletter, with cost and reach being considered.

Mayor Lafleur asked if all information sources would be cited in the newsletter. Toller said the newsletter references the Ramboll and Deloitte companies, the main sources, and people can contact the MRC with questions. Lafleur expressed concern that by not listing the sources, the MRC was positioning itself as the information authority.

Lafleur went on to question the use of funds from the warden’s travel budget to finance the newsletter: “Use the media you have and save the money you weren’t supposed to spend in the first place.”

Several mayors proceeded to comment in a roundtable discussion. Fort-Coulonge Mayor Christine Francoeur said she wasn’t against informing the public, but the newsletter needed to be revised to include the sources and details about the newsletter budget prior to sending it out.

Litchfield Mayor, Colleen Larivière, said she had heard from residents across the Pontiac saying they don’t want an incinerator. She said many residents didn’t attend the town hall meetings because they were confident mayors would “do the right thing”.

Mansfield Mayor, Sandra Armstrong, agreed the communications budget should be spent with the local media and more information needed to be added to the newsletter. “People seem to not want this. They’re afraid. We need to take our time voting on things like this. We need to regroup and talk about it,” she added.

Bristol Mayor, Brent Orr, said “One page won’t even scratch the surface. We should put the whole thing [IBP] on the website.”

L’Isle-aux-Alumettes Pro-Mayor, Ivan Schryer, said the proposed newsletter is “totally biased to sell a product. If we put out a newsletter, let’s make it unbiased.”

Godin commented: “I hate coming to these meetings now. The mayors and communities are against each other; it’s just wrong. When will we be able to say it was an idea, we pursued it, and it’s done?”

Chichester Mayor Donnie Gagnon finally called the vote. The resolution was rejected 16 to 1, with only Portage-du-Fort Mayor Lynne Cameron voting in favour. Thorne had no representative at the meeting.

BONNIE JAMES

– LOCAL JOURNALISM INITATIVE

FORT-COULONGE – On April 22, the Pontiac Chamber of Commerce and the Community Futures Development Corporation (SADC) hosted Pontiac MP Sophie Chatel for a town hall style discussion of the 2024 federal budget at Café Downtown in Fort-Coulonge. Approximately 20 people attended, mostly Chamber members.

Chamber president Sébastien Bonnerot opened by introducing Chatel, an experienced fiscalist and international tax expert, who worked at the Department of Finance for years. Chatel said that she would be giving a high-level presentation of the most important measures in the budget.

The 2024 federal budget is titled: Fairness for Every Generation. Chatel explained that the budget recognizes that one of the main problems Canada is facing is the gap between generations, with affordable housing the biggest challenge for the younger generation. She said that young people feel that homeownership is out of reach. In light of this, housing is one of three main focuses of the budget. With an objective of increasing the housing supply, the budget allocates $13.2 billion to build 3.9 million new homes across Canada by 2031.

The second focus is on “making life more affordable” with specific measures for young adults, children, all generations, and farmers. Of particular interest for the Pontiac is enhanced student loan forgiveness for doctors and nurses who choose positions in rural and remote areas.

For farmers, the budget launches consultations on the “right to repair” regarding copyright legislation that has hampered their ability to work on their own equipment. The budget also eliminates interest payments on the first $250,000 of agricultural loans Regarding succession, the lifetime capital gains exemption for farmers is increased when they sell their farm to $1.25 million. An additional $2 million is also partially exempt.

The third focus is on investment in green and technological economic transition featuring the net-zero economy plan, clean electricity tax credit, artificial intelligence (AI) sector investment, and 10% electric vehicles supply chain investment tax credit.

Lastly, the budget “improves tax fairness” by increasing the tax on capital gain over $250,000 per year.

The inclusion rate for annual capital gains exceeding that amount will increase from 50% to 66% as of June 25, 2024, with the rate for gains up to $250,000 remaining at 50%. Specific exemptions will be maintained for principal residences. The increase is expected to generate $19.4 billion in revenue over the next four years which will help fund the housing initiatives etc.

Chatel also stressed that the deficit will be maintained at $40 billion and is expected to decrease in the coming years.

Questions & Answers

Jon Stewart asked how the Liberals will explain the carbon tax to businesses to counter the Conservatives’ “axe the tax” platform. Chatel replied that the federal carbon tax does not apply in Quebec as the province has its own carbon pricing scheme. She pointed out that the Conservative party included a similar cap-and-trade carbon policy in their 2021 platform.

Stewart also asked how the federal government can help Pontiac businesses hit hard by the costs of changes required under Bill 96. Chatel replied that the federal government is supporting the court challenge against the use of the notwithstanding clause in Bill C-21, which was also used in the invocation of Bill 96. She said that if the challenge is successful, Bill 96 will need to be reopened.

Local investor Larry Charbonneau talked about the challenge of offering newly renovated rental units at an affordable price: “When we fix up apartments, people can’t afford to rent them. We can’t afford to rent them out at $700, but people can’t afford $1,200. So what are we supposed to do?” he asked. Chatel didn’t offer an answer but listened empathetically.

Chamber Vice President Todd Hoffman asked Chatel if the budget was driven by data or feelings, referring to the title. Chatel replied that the theme of the budget is based on a desire for fairness but said that data was also considered. Hoffman stated that the youth of all generations have always felt hard done by and that the budget should be based on national interest. Chatel responded: “I was able to work part-time, go to school, and still buy a house. Youth can’t do that now.”

Bonnie James – Local Journalism Initiative

MRC PONTIAC – The MRC Pontiac’s Council of Mayors’ monthly meeting was held April 17 at the MRC headquarters in Litchfield.

EFW business plan removed
During the public question period, Christine Armitage of Shawville asked why the Energy-from-Waste (EFW) Initial Business Plan (IBP) had been removed from the MRC’s website.business plan to the public after the conclusion of a series of five town hall meetings, on April 10. True to her word, the IBP from the Deloitte company and a feasibility study from Ramboll were both posted on the MRC website on April 11. But the next day, neither link worked, and the documents had been removed.

On April 15, MRC Strategic Communications Advisor Francis Beausoleil sent an e-mail to the media stating that: “We were advised Friday morning by the parties involved that releasing these documents violated a third-party confidentiality clause that was written into the contract to commission the analysis. In our opinion, these documents are in the public domain since they were paid for with taxpayers’ money. That said, we have for the time being removed the links to the documents while we carry out legal verifications concerning their publication.”

Toller confirmed this in her response to Armitage’s question, saying that they removed the documents from the website while they make sure they aren’t in violation of contract. Armitage asked what the MRC would be liable for if the contract had been violated and Toller replied: “At this point, we don’t believe there will be repercussions.”

Audited financial statements
Auditor Simon Thibault presented a detailed breakdown of the 2023 audited financial statements for both the unorganized territory (TNO) and the MRC.

TNO
The TNO had a surplus of $109,109 for the period covered and an accumulated surplus of approximately $800,000. MRC accountant Annie Vaillancourt, translating for Thibault, said the amount is equivalent to the average annual revenues for the jurisdiction and meets the recommended surplus to revenues ratio.

MRC
Vaillancourt said that the MRC has an unreserved surplus of $1,300,816 and an affected (reserved) surplus of $165,806 with $144,897 having been used to balance the 2024 budget. Thibault said that 15 – 20% of budgeted revenues is the recommended ratio for an accumulated surplus for municipalities and MRCs. The Pontiac’s surplus currently sits at 13%.

Unpaid salaries at the MRC accounted for a large portion of the 2023 surplus, roughly $400,000, which had been budgeted for compensation for jobs that remained unfilled.

Vaillancourt also said that transfer revenues and interest collected in 2023 were much higher than had been budgeted, but that transfer revenue is “in and out”, which means revenues and expenses always match up exactly.Vaillancourt said that the audit went well, and no problems or concerns surfaced.

Water levels
The Flood Prevention Committee met on April 16. Toller said that the water levels are higher than expected given the low amount of snow over the winter, with levels in Mansfield and Fort-Coulonge of particular concern. The levels are believed to have peaked on April 16 and are now receding. Mansfield Mayor Sandra Armstrong said that the Coulonge River is high, but under control.

Toller said that the Timiskaming dam is at 90% capacity and that she’s asked for a warning if flow is to be increased. She said that she was also surprised to learn that the dams on the Ottawa River operate independently, not in a coordinated effort, and therefore the MRC would be seeking to communicate with each dam operator from Timiskaming to Chenaux to prepare for fluctuating water levels.

The next Council of Mayors meeting will be held May 15.

Bonnie James
Local Journalism Initiative

GATINEAU – Three tractor convoys descended on downtown Gatineau on Wednesday, April 17, to protest the provincial government’s failure to make agriculture a priority in the recent budget and to raise awareness about the plight of the farmers. They came from Wakefield in the north, Luskville to the west, and the east end of Gatineau, towards Thurso. 11 tractors from the Pontiac participated. In total, around 30 tractors lined Blvd de la Carrière, which was closed for the event.

Approximately 100 agricultural producers gathered for a rally at the intersection of Blvd de la Carrière and Blvd du Casino. Signs on tractors and other farm vehicles, as well as hay bales, bore messages like “No farmers, no food!”, “Our end will be your hunger!”, “Jeune on en rêve, adulte on en crève.”, and a jab at the CAQ: “Contre Agriculture Québécoise”. Around 100 vehicles participated in the convoy, including the tractors.

The protest was organized by the Agricultural Producers Union (UPA) to demand reform of Ministry of Agriculture (MAPAQ) programs, particularly to provide better support for farmers in light of the escalating climate crisis. The producers are also demanding reform of the government’s agricultural vision. “It isn’t right that the economic sector that feeds the population three times a day receives less than 1% of the provincial budget.” said David Landry, UPA Communications Advisor.

“For more than two years, the agricultural sector has been facing significant challenges. The UPA has repeatedly urged governments to act urgently to support the sector in the face of economic downturns, rapid inflation, rising interest rates, and climate change. In response, the government has proposed a limited number of adjustments to existing programs and various so-called “emergency” measures that do not meet the expectations and needs of agricultural producers.”  Landry added.

Audrey Lemaire, Vice-President of the UPA Outaouais-Laurentides Federation and dairy producer in Saint-Jérôme said: “If the announced decline in net farm income by Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada (AAFC) for 2024 materializes, it will be the darkest year for our sector since the 1930s! What signal does this send to our future generations? Who will want to take over our farms when the financial burden and workload don’t even allow for a decent living income?”

Jeff Overton of Big Rock Farm brought his tractor from Aylmer to participate in the demonstration. “We’re not being supported the way that we should be. We’re overlooked as an essential service. We have to fight tooth and nail to receive any kind of funding from the government and it takes forever.” he said.

Gema Villavicencio of Pure Conscience Farm in Bristol was also in attendance. She said that she was there to represent farms of all sizes that are going through huge financial crises due to high interest rates, inflation, and the enormous costs involved in farming. She said that her husband has to work a fulltime job off the farm because without his salary they couldn’t afford to continue. She said that more government support is needed for small farms as many existing programs aren’t tailored to small scale operations and small farms aren’t covered by crop insurance.

Pontiac MNA and Liberal agriculture critic André Fortin drove in from Quebec City to attend the event and hear the farmers’ concerns. “If government doesn’t act quick there’s going to be a lot of farms across the province, and in the Pontiac, that will close. That would be a tremendous loss to our economy; to our food supply; and a tremendous loss to our Quebec heritage.” he said. The only MNA in attendance, Fortin said he could understand why the producers feel that they are “at the bottom of the totem pole of government priorities when they didn’t get anything in the budget and none of their representatives are here today. It’s unfortunate that in 2024 agriculture is still treated as a second-class file by government.”

BONNIE JAMES – LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE

SHAWVILLE – The Pontiac Union of Agricultural Producers (UPA) held its annual general meeting, March 28, at the Little Red Wagon Winery in Shawville.

The meeting opened with a message and activity report from Pontiac UPA President Claude Vallière. He focused on the UPA’s work with the MRC and other organizations to save the Abattoir les Viandes du Pontiac. The UPA supported the MRC’s bid on the business’ assets, dated March 15, and expressed the UPA’s desire to partner with the MRC on the Agrisaveur agri-food processing project.

After, Stéphane Alary, Outaouais-Laurentides UPA president, spoke about the challenges faced by farmers in 2023, including rising interest rates and costs and the impacts of climate change. He mentioned the UPA’s participation in federal consultations on land use, Nature Plan 2030, agricultural land and activities, and agricultural planning policy implementation.

Alary stressed the urgent need for government support for the sector and expressed frustration at the province’s failure to make agriculture a priority in the recently released budget, which placed agriculture at the bottom of the list. In response, the UPA is planning a Farmers’ Protest on April 17 in Gatineau. While exact plans haven’t been announced, Simon Durand, Outaouais- Laurentides UPA regional manager, and Alary called for 100 – 150 tractors to converge on Gatineau to apply pressure to the Legault government and draw attention to the plight of farmers. Durand said they hope to have people on overpasses along the highways and may plan a route along Hwy 148 or Hwy 50.

Elections were held and the board for 2024 includes: Claude Vallière, president; Gema Villavicencio, vice-president; Justin O’Brien, vice-president; and members: David Gillepsie, Ursina Studhalter, Ron Hodgins, Morgan Lance, David Ingalls, Andrew Simms, Robert Boulet, Andrew Graveline, Amanda Amyotte, and Patrick La Rochelle.

Christine Rieux, Shawville Ministry of Agriculture (MAPAQ) field crops advisor, highlighted the offerings of the local MAPAQ office. She encouraged producers to bring in their projects to find out what assistance may be available to them.

Specialized advisors covering many types of production are ready to assist producers.

Rieux also announced her husband, Thierry Raimbault, will be leaving his current position of Environmental Coordinator at MRC Pontiac to join MAPAQ as a Food Transformation and Marketing Advisor later this month.

Gene O’Brien of the Chapeau Ag. Society gave a presentation on the Chapeau Farmers’ Market. She reviewed the history and evolution of the market and the ag. society and presented the new market building expected to open in June.

Presentations were also made by Kim Maloney of Brylee Farm who explained her family’s on-farm sales and marketing strategy and Caroline Chénier of Serres de Gatineau who discussed challenges she and her husband faced in purchasing a family farm from relatives.

The meeting closed with Shanna Armstrong, MRC Economic Development Commissioner for Agriculture, announcing the next Agricultural Zone Development Plan (PDZA) consultation for producers will be held at Little Red Wagon Winery on April 12 from 9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Bonnie James – Local Journalism Initiative

FORT-COULONGE – The Pontiac Chamber of Commerce held its 2nd Annual Black Tie Gala at the Pontiac Conference Centre in Fort-Coulonge on April 6. More than 100 tickets were sold for the event. The evening featured a dinner of salmon, chicken cordon bleu, and roast beef with entertainment by comedian Eric O’Brien and DJ Erica Energy. Attendees had the chance to have their photo taken on the red carpet with the Chamber’s backdrop. The event was sponsored by CHIP FM, Caisse Desjardins des Rivières de Pontiac, and SADC Pontiac.

The gala was emceed by radio journalist and comedian Eric O’Brien. MRC Pontiac Warden Jane Toller was the first speaker and welcomed the crowd, followed by Chamber President Sébastien Bonnerot.

A special tribute was paid to François Carrier, who recently announced that he was leaving his role as Director General at CHIP FM to take on the same role at Le Droit, Ottawa and Outaouais’ daily French language newspaper. Mayors Sandra Armstrong (Mansfield-et- Pontefract) and Christine Francoeur (Fort-Coulonge) presented Carrier with a gift basket and thanked him for his tireless support of and dedication to their communities. CHIP FM’s Caleb Nickerson, Geneviève Gagnon, and Eric O’Brien all spoke of the impact of Carrier’s mentorship and support and how much they enjoyed working with him.

Pontiac MP Sophie Chatel also took the mic to pay homage to Carrier, highlighting his work towards saving the Local Journalism Initiative, an important source of funding for community newspapers and radio. Chatel said that it was the efforts of the Pontiac media specifically that caused the federal government to renew the grant, which was almost lost to a tax credit that would not benefit local media.

Finally, Carrier addressed the crowd and talked about the teamwork required to run the radio station and expressed his confidence that teamwork will continue. He thanked the entire population of the Pontiac and said in his new role at Le Droit, he will ensure that the Pontiac will always have a voice and be well represented, as he owes much to the region.

The event also included door prizes and a silent auction featuring pieces from local artists, an espresso machine, a knit blanket, an assorted beer pack from Brauwerk Hoffman, wool pellets from Leystone Farm, a 1/4-page ad in the Journal, and hoodies and hats from Campbell’s Polaris.

Bonnerot said he was very happy with the event and had already received positive feedback. The event had been postponed from its original date of February 17, which he mentioned turned out for the better as it allowed for the tribute to Carrier.

The Chamber’s next event, hosted together with the SADC, will be a presentation of the federal budget and its implications for the Pontiac with a question-and-answer period with MP Sophie Chatel at Café Downtown in Fort-Coulonge on April 22 at 5:00 p.m.

Bonnie James – Local Journalism Initiative

LITCHFIELD – The Council of Mayors appointed Pierre Cadieux as the new Director of Economic Development at a special council sitting held March 13 at the MRC headquarters in Litchfield.

Cadieux took the mic to introduce himself and thanked the mayors for their vote of confidence. He explained that he started his career as an assistant to a member of parliament which gave him knowledge of and respect for the sphere of elected officials.

Cadieux said that he is a government relations expert with a background in industry associations facilitating partnerships between industry and government. He closed by saying that he looked forward to starting work the next morning.

Cadieux declined all interview requests from local media saying that he wanted to first meet with his team and familiarize himself with the MRC’s current economic development files and priorities before discussing them directly with journalists.

In a statement sent through the MRC’s communications department, Cadieux said that the job is: “a task I approach with seriousness and enthusiasm, as I recognize the great strategic responsibility it entails. I am fortunate to be able to count on a team of nine economic development commissioners and support staff who work hard every day to develop Pontiac’s economic potential and support local businesses in all spheres of economic activity…I come to the MRC with relevant experience and I’m ready to take on this exciting challenge with enthusiasm and energy. I join all those who are committed to the socio-economic success of the MRC Pontiac.”

Cadieux replaces Guillaume Boudreau, who left the position in December 2023.  

Bonnie James – Local Journalism Initiative

MRC PONTIAC – On March 15, the MRC placed a bid to purchase the assets including the building, equipment, machinery, and five lots, of Abattoir les Viandes du Pontiac. The slaughterhouse is in the process of filing for bankruptcy and the assets were up for sale.

MRC Communications Advisor Francis Beausoleil said the bid was made in an effort to keep the slaughterhouse in the Pontiac. Warden Jane Toller and Director General Kim Lesage both stressed that the move was in support of Pontiac agriculture.

Funds for the bid came from the third and fourth streams of the Regions and Rurality Fund (FRR) after a special sitting of the Council of Mayors held March 13 to authorize use of the funds. The resolution stated that the financing was aimed at maintaining the slaughterhouse’s activities on the territory.

MRC Economic Development Commissioner for Agriculture, Shanna Armstrong, and DG Kim Lesage held several meetings leading up to the bid with the Agrisaveur Committee, Warden Toller, the SADC, UPA, MAMH, MAPAQ, CDROL, local agronomist Roger St-Cyr, MRC lawyers, and key Pontiac agricultural producers to evaluate how the Agrisaveur agri-food processing project could be incorporated with the slaughterhouse.

Lesage said that a market study was still underway to determine how the Agrisaveur project could best meet the needs of local producers, but the imminent sale of the slaughterhouse has forced the MRC and stakeholders to speed up the process and consider what could be done to avoid losing the important facility.

On March 20, Lesage said that she hadn’t yet received any information regarding the MRC’s bid from the firm responsible for the sale, Raymond Chabot Grant Thornton, other than that it could take some time because of the number of stakeholders involved in the situation. “On that end, we don’t know what’s going on and they couldn’t give us a timeframe to expect an answer.” she said.

Lesage also mentioned while the MRC had placed the bid, if successful, the MRC will not be involved in the slaughterhouse operations and the exact configuration is still to be determined.

Bonnie James – Local Journalism Initiative

MRC PONTIAC – The MRC Pontiac’s Council of Mayors’ monthly meeting was held March 20 at the MRC headquarters in Litchfield.

EFW townhall meetings
The narrow Elsie Gibbons Room at the MRC headquarters was packed to standing room only with around 30 residents concerned about the proposed Energy from Waste (EFW) incinerator project.

Ahead of the public question period, MRC Warden Jane Toller announced that a series of 5 townhall meetings would be held to reveal the EFW business plan to the public. The first meeting was to be held the following Monday, March 25, in L’Isle-aux-Allumettes.

Some residents expressed concern that not enough advance notice had been given for the meetings. Amy Taylor of the Pontiac Independent Facebook group later posted a segment of the Quebec Municipal Code that states public notices regarding public meetings must be published at least seven days before the meeting. In response, Toller contacted the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and the MRC’s legal counsel for advice but did not hear back from either. Toller said the meetings would proceed as planned, adding: “We just think it’s best to get this information out.”

 All meetings will be held at 7:00 p.m. on the following dates:

• March 27 – Fort-Coulonge – Club de l’Âge d’Or
• April 3 – Shawville – United Church Hall
• April 9 – Campbell’s Bay RA
• April 10 – Otter Lake RA

L’Isle-aux-Allumettes Mayor Corey Spence will be giving the presentation at the meetings. Toller said that she asked Spence to help because he has worked closely with her on the Energy from Waste Business Plan Committee and is well-versed on the topic. Toller will also be present at all the meetings and she and Spence will both be available to answer questions.

Spence said that the presentation will be balanced considering both pros and cons of the project, saying: “We’re going to look at everything, both sides.” He said that the same presentation will be given at each location.

Public Question Period
Opening the public question period, Toller said that 30 minutes is usually allocated for questions. She asked for a show of hands of those who wished to speak or ask a question, and nine citizens raised their hands. Toller said that they would be given three minutes each to speak.

The most hotly debated question of the evening was that of when the business plan would be available to the public. The question was asked by Christine Anderson on behalf of Friends of the Pontiac, who said that they’d like to review the business plan ahead of the townhall meetings.

Toller responded that the business plan will not be given to any member of the public or media ahead of the townhall meetings as the MRC wants the opportunity to present the plan to the public before the citizens’ groups have the chance to review and comment on it.

Other citizens in attendance raised concerns about pollution and economic impact. Judith Spence of Citizens of the Pontiac asked if health and environmental considerations are addressed in the initial business plan. Toller said that they are, and Corey Spence said that health considerations will be presented at the townhall meetings.

Judith Spence also mentioned that she is setting up a private Zoom presentation with incineration critic Dr. Paul Connett for interested mayors and municipal councillors.

Plenary meetings
A resolution was presented to modify the existing structure for plenary meetings by holding part of them in public.

Ahead of the reading of the motion, Director General Kim Lesage read a letter from Mélanie Guénette, a consultant with the union representing the MRC’s employees (SFPQ), stating: “Our members are not elected representatives accountable to the public. We do not accept that they find themselves in the political arena in front of the citizens they deal with on a regular basis.”

MRC employees are unionized, but the management team is not.

The mayors voted down the resolution, 15 to 3, with only Shawville Mayor Bill McCleary, Litchfield Mayor Colleen Larivière, and Waltham Mayor Odette Godin voting in favour of opening the plenary sessions to the public.

The next Council of Mayors meeting will be held April 17.