Local Journalism Initiative

Local family feels ripple effects of Quebec tuition hikes

By Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Inititaive

A British Columbia family with aspirations to settle in the Eastern Townships is asking hard questions after the CAQ government announced plans to double tuition fees for out-of-province students.

Clay and Dianne Bassendowski are based in Dawson’s Creek, B.C., but have a holiday home in Knowlton – where they hope to retire – and attend Sherbrooke Phoenix games at every opportunity. Although they’re not fluent in French, Clay Bassendowski said they “love the language” and become better versed in it with every visit. Their 17-year-old daughter, an aspiring math teacher, learned earlier this fall that she had been accepted to Bishop’s University in Lennoxville, realizing a long-held dream.

That was before Oct. 13, when higher education minister Pascale Déry announced that tuition fees for out-of-province students at Quebec universities would double starting next September.

When the Bassendowski family heard the announcement, they “were in shock,” Clay Bassendowski said. “She found out she was accepted, and we learned about this the same week. It’s a real emotional roller coaster.”

They are now considering other options. Although the family hasn’t given up on sending their daughter to Bishop’s, “the more we digest it, the more we realize we need a plan B,” he said.

“One of the concerns we have is the cost – it’s an extra $40,000 over four years, although living expenses are cheaper, and we are factoring that in,” he said. “The other concern is that with 40 per cent of the student body coming from out of province, that’s a big part of the university’s business model. What happens if in three or four years, the university’s business model isn’t viable anymore?”

Bassendowski, a former town councillor, said the idea of finding a workaround to make his daughter eligible for in-province tuition via their holiday home didn’t sit right with him. “I don’t feel we deserve the in-province rate, but we would be happy to pay the same rate that a Quebecer would pay at the University of British Columbia (UBC),” he said. “It’s a great thing for students to be able to experience other provinces.”

He said the opportunity to perfect her French – and one day teach in Quebec – was part of the appeal of Bishop’s for his daughter. “I don’t know why the government assumes that people won’t stay,” he said. “You go to university, you make friends, you put down roots – I think there’s a very high likelihood you will stay.”

Political fallout

The announcement has been roundly criticized by opposition parties. Madwa-Nika Cadet, the Liberal Party critic for public finances and the French language, called on Déry to produce data to back up her assertions that out-of-province students don’t stay in the province or integrate. She noted that students who do leave after their studies in Quebec can be “ambassadors” for Quebec language and culture elsewhere, strengthening connections within the federation.

Québec Solidaire MNA Christine Labrie’s riding includes Bishop’s University. She has called on Déry to exempt Bishop’s from the fee increase. “Bishop’s risks losing a third of their student body, and if nothing is done, this policy will lead to job losses. The consequences will hit the region hard, and the policy won’t achieve its goal because there will be less money coming in to finance French-language universities.”

Labrie said out-of-province students who attend Bishop’s, McGill or Concordia “choose to come and live in a francophone province, and I read that as a will to learn more about Quebec. If they stay, great. If they leave, that means more people in the rest of Canada are familiar with Quebec, and that’s also great.”

Parti Québécois education critic Pascal Bérubé said his party supported the measure but didn’t believe it would have a significant impact on the vitality of French. He said the government should apply the Charter of the French Language to CEGEPs and invest more in French language learning opportunities for temporary foreign workers to reinforce the vitality of the language.

Local family feels ripple effects of Quebec tuition hikes Read More »

Feds to make it easier for cities to regulate lakes

By Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative

Municipalities and Indigenous communities will soon have access to a faster and easier process to regulate navigation on lakes in their jurisdiction, Compton-Stanstead MP Marie-Claude Bibeau announced last week.

Bibeau, Brome-Missisquoi MP Pascale St-Onge, and Sherbrooke MP Isabelle Brière gathered alongside municipal officials and lake preservation advocates near Lake Massawippi in Ayer’s Cliff on Oct. 12 to announce upcoming policy changes.

Navigable lakes and rivers in Canada, even those on the territory of a single municipality, fall under federal jurisdiction. For many years, municipalities that wanted to regulate lakes on their territory – for example, to ban a certain type of boat or impose a boating speed limit – had to apply to Transport Canada for authorization, a long and involved process that could take two to three years. Transport Canada can now approve municipalities’ requests by decree, making the process much faster.

Bibeau said she had been determined to reform the process since 2016. “Our challenge was to change the Canada Shipping Act, which I was jokingly told was harder to change than the Constitution … that gives you an idea of the challenges we faced. We recently proposed modifications to the Act which received royal assent in June.” She said the new regulations that will be developed in the wake of these changes will clarify the role of municipalities and streamline the authorization process. In the interim, Transport Canada has eliminated several steps from that process. “It’s now easier and faster for municipalities and Indigenous communities to seek restrictions on local waterways if they have safety or environmental concerns,” she said.

“For those who haven’t been following the file closely, the changes aren’t super clear, but in essence…a municipality that wanted to ask to regulate a lake had to submit an application which would go through two or three levels of jurisdiction, and that would take a year or two,” explained Pierre St-Arnault, the president of the Comité de sauvegarde du bassin versant du lac Davignon and a longtime advocate for a streamlined process, who attended the Ayer’s Cliff announcement. “Now, the city will fill out the same forms, and if the ministry decides the application is sufficient, it can issue a decree authorizing the municipality to regulate. You submit something before the end of the year, and it can be authorized by this summer.”

Jacques Demers, president of the Fédération québécoise des municipalités, said the changes were “a positive step” after years of discussions and consultations on the issue.

In Cowansville, city officials have been in discussions with Transport Canada since earlier this year with an eye to ban motorboats on Lac Davignon. Cowansville communications director Fanny Poisson told the BCN the reforms announced last week were “good news” but that the city would not comment further while discussions with the ministry and public consultations were ongoing.

St-Arnault said the Lac Davignon motorboat ban needed to be authorized as soon as possible, for the safety of swimmers and kayakers and for the good of the lake. “Our goal is to ban all motors, fuel or electric, even the smallest ones. We have a small, shallow lake and motorboats stir it up – they stir up sediment which contains a lot of phosphate, and that’s bad for the lake. They’re an important [vector] of invasive species. … and they affect the safety of swimmers, kayakers and paddleboarders. We can’t have boats zooming around at 70 miles per hour if we care about the health of the lake and the safety of its users,” he said.

Feds to make it easier for cities to regulate lakes Read More »

Fee increases pose potential “existential threat” to Bishop’s

By Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative

Bishop’s University Principal and Vice-Chancellor Sébastien Lebel-Grenier has said proposed changes to the province’s university fee structure announced last week could pose an “existential” threat to the Lennoxville institution.

On Oct. 13, Higher Education Minister Pascale Déry announced the province would essentially double university tuition fees for out-of-province students in undergraduate and professional master’s degree programs at Quebec universities. Fees for international students, whose tuition is already several times higher than what Quebec students pay, are also expected to rise slightly. The measure would apply to new students as of the 2024-2025 school year; fees for current students will remain the same until they finish their degree.

International students whose home countries have a reciprocity agreement with Quebec are exempt, as are doctoral students and those in research-based masters programs. Déry alluded to possible future exemptions for students from francophone communities outside Quebec, although no such exemptions were announced.

Déry argued that most Canadian students from outside Quebec leave at the end of their studies, and the change meant Quebec taxpayers would no longer subsidize out-of-province students who took advantage of Quebec’s relatively low tuition fees and then returned home to work. She did not cite data supporting her premise.

The proposal received immediate backlash from English-speaking educational institutions. Celine Cooper, managing director of the Consortium of English-language CEGEPs, Colleges and Universities of Quebec, said institutions reacted with “profound disappointment.”

“The measures announced on Friday are counterproductive. They will have serious and far-reaching consequences not only for Quebec’s higher education sector in the broadest sense, but also for Quebec’s economy, workforce development and international reputation,” Cooper told the BCN. “These new measures, coupled with recent changes to the Quebec Experience Program [for international students], are likely to discourage thousands of international students from choosing Quebec. The price point will be prohibitive for many out-of-province students, [and] we expect that Quebec’s English universities will see a significant drop in enrollments from out-of-province students.”

While Déry emphasized that the policy change, applied to all universities, “was not a measure against anglophones,” it will have a disproportionate impact on Quebec’s three English-language universities, McGill, Concordia and Bishop’s, which welcome the lion’s share of students from other provinces. Déry said revenue from international and out-of-province student fees “creates a significant imbalance” between the French and English university systems. Between 2019 and 2022, according to the ministry, English-language universities gained a total of $282 million in extra revenue from international and out-of-province student fees, compared to a combined $46 million for the 10 public French-language universities in the Université du Québec network and an estimated $79 million for French-language universities outside the network. “I have to reduce this imbalance so our French-language universities can shine and grow,” said Déry. The extra income from the fee increase will “give the ministry the means to … better support the francophone network” while “putting the brakes on the anglicization of Montreal,” she argued.

None of that is any consolation to Lebel-Grenier, who said the announcement came “out of nowhere.”

“We got a two-day advance warning that this policy was going to be put in place; there was no consultation,” he told the BCN. “We received a letter in late spring telling us the minister was concerned about out-of-province students…but there was no invitation to discuss.” He said he was “expecting a conversation on how we can be better partners for unilingual anglophone students who want to learn French – not punitive measures.”

Nearly one in three Bishop’s students are from other provinces and one in six are international. Lebel-Grenier said he “fully expects” many prospective out-of-province students to reconsider their plans. That would have a potentially “catastrophic” impact on the university’s finances, with preliminary projections suggesting at least 25 per cent of the academic budget would vanish, affecting “our ability to go on as a university,” he said.

The school’s culture would also take a significant hit. “We’ve always been premised on welcoming students from across Canada, and the diversity of our community is what makes Bishop’s an incredible place to learn and grow as a person,” he said.

Lebel-Grenier said the university was receiving calls from “distraught” parents and prospective students. Beyond the financial impacts of the fee increase, “they are seeing this [announcement] as a message that they aren’t welcome.”

“A lot of students come to Bishop’s because they are curious about Quebec and they want to stay and learn French,” he added. “We don’t have data [on how many graduates stay on], but we have a lot of great stories of people who have stayed.”

Déry said she was “sensitive to” the school’s situation, but could not make an exemption to the policy for a single school.

Fee increases pose potential “existential threat” to Bishop’s Read More »

Local health authority faces challenge to use less independent labour

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

In the face of upcoming Quebec government legislation set to prohibit the use of independent labour in the Townships by 2025, the CIUSSS de l’Estrie-CHUS has yet to show a reduction in its reliance on such labour. As of the mid 2023-2024 fiscal year, the hours clocked by independent workers at the CIUSSS increased to 185,000 — 100,000 hours more than the previous year at the same time.

This comes after Marc-Antoine Rouillard, Assistant Director of Human Resources, Communications, and Legal Affairs of the CIUSSS expressed confidence back in February about the organization’s trajectory in reducing its dependence on placement agencies by the stipulated 2025 deadline, especially as it aligns with the upcoming Bill 10 affecting ‘bordering territories’ like the Townships.

Sherbrooke MNA Christine Labrie released a statement Monday morning regarding the use of independent labour at the CIUSSS.

“It’s discouraging to see that not only are we failing to free ourselves from agencies, but we are also moving away from this goal. I am particularly concerned about the explosion in the use of private agencies for social workers or educators. In social services, especially in youth protection, establishing a trust relationship is fundamental, and this requires stable teams. Using agencies seriously compromises the quality of social services provided to the most vulnerable individuals,” Labrie commented.

“We need as many qualified and competent people as we can get to meet the needs of the population,” Rouillard explained. It is not currently possible to fill these roles with public sector employees alone.

The cause of the Townships’ lack of public sector employees is “multifactorial”, he continued, though he admitted he is not a specialist. One reason is that the population is getting older and requires more complex care. Quebec is suffering a general labour shortage that affects healthcare as well, he added.

We need to work on retaining, making these jobs more attractive, and providing better working conditions, he went on. One positive step they have taken in the Townships is to allow employees to participate in forming their own schedules. Because schedules are planned so far in advance, more difficult periods for making sure there is adequate coverage, like during the summer, have been handled “with good results”. They have also given employees more flexibility in choosing when they can take their vacation. Finally, they have reintroduced surveys to gauge employee satisfaction and get a better idea of where they can improve.

When asked how the CIUSSS would deal with their future inability to hire private contractors in 2025, Rouillard insisted a major factor would be continuing to make the jobs that need filling “as attractive as possible”. The Townships region is better positioned to make up for the lack of staff than other regions, since the percentage of private contractors they use is less (two to three per cent vs. five per cent), he added.

It must be recognized that they face a difficult challenge, he said, but they should be able to meet it together with other regions in a synchronized way. It would be much more difficult if the Townships were the only region facing this dilemma.

Local health authority faces challenge to use less independent labour Read More »

Pro-trans protesters hold up signs in support for their cause.

Pro-trans protest counters OMMC for a second time

Pro-trans protesters hold up signs in support for their cause. Photo Vincent Casinghino

Julia Israel
Local Journalism Initiative

On Oct. 21, clashing protests outside the Ministry of Education office occurred between the One Million March for Children (OMMC) group protesting LGBTQIA2S+ inclusive school curriculums and a collection of counter-protesting groups advocating for the rights and safety of LGBTQIA2S+ youth.

This is the second time they’ve gathered since Sept. 20 to counter the country-wide protests against gender-inclusive curriculums and policies in schools.

Counter-protesters arrived early to occupy the area in front of the Ministry of Education building on Fullum Street. They managed to block the whole street, redirecting OMMC protesters to regroup on the other side of the building.

The crowd of hundreds of counter-protesters played music, provided free meals and refreshments, and strictly controlled access to the gathering for safety purposes. Social media posts by organizers Celeste Trianon and Sarah Worthman stated that the aim of the counter-protest is to disrupt a movement that wants to deprive students of comprehensive and inclusive educations that support the rights and freedoms of all.

With signs reading “our kids belong to us” and “stop indoctrinating and sexualizing our children,” the OMMC protest stands against LGBTQIA2S+ inclusive policies in schools. These policies include a child’s right to use their preferred pronouns and preferred first name without parental consent, mixed-gender bathrooms, and education on sexual orientation and gender identity. The rise of this movement was originally sparked by the New Brunswick government’s policy of parental consent for teachers to use students’ preferred pronouns and first names in June. Additionally, Saskatchewan’s subsequent adoption of this bill on Oct. 20 does the same.

The rise of these protests around the country has raised fears and concerns for safety among the  LGBTQIA2S+ community and its allies. A number of protesters in cities across the country were arrested for inciting hate and disruption in this past month. Police reported that anti-LGBTQIA2S+ hate crimes have risen 64 per cent since 2021, according to Statistics Canada.

Counter-protester Alex Nelson said he felt hypocrisy among the protesters in their messaging about child protection. “They have nothing against child’s pageant contests, which is really sexualized,” said Nelson. “They only have a problem when it’s trans kids expressing themselves.

No statement on the protests has been made by Quebec Education Minister Bernard Drainville who said he objects to mixed-gender bathrooms in schools last month.

“It’s about showing up and being an ally,” said Sharon Desouza, a counter-protester, “we want to make sure that our communities are being fully represented.”

High school teacher Elyse Bourdeau emphasized that LGBTQIA2S+ policies aim to create safe spaces for students at school who might otherwise not have a place to express themselves safely. She said that parental consent policies single out trans and non-binary students, putting them in particularly vulnerable positions. “The teenager must have a safe space in school to experiment, to try to discover themselves. And our goal is never to hide anything from the parents. But sometimes we have to, and most of all, we must protect the teen,” Bourdeau said.

When protesters with the OMMC started arriving around 11 a.m., they were directed to the other side of the Ministry of Education building by counter-protest volunteers at the blockade on Fullum Street and St Catherine Street East. Some non-violent hostile interactions occurred between sides. The groups faced off near the Ministry of Education building for a couple hours until the OMMC protesters dispersed.

Once the protesters dispersed around 1:30 p.m., counter-protesters marched down St Catherine Street East to Frontenac Metro. “There’s no place for hate in Montreal, there’s no place for transphobia in Montreal,” cheered counter-protesters.

Pro-trans protest counters OMMC for a second time Read More »

Housing starts in Gatineau region witness growth in September

The Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) has reported a positive trend in housing starts for the Gatineau region and across Canada in September 2023. According to CMHC data, the trend in housing starts in September stood at 254,006 units nationally, reflecting a 3.9% increase from 244,511 units in August. The trend measure is a six-month moving average of the monthly Seasonally Adjusted Annual Rate (SAAR) of total housing starts for all areas in Canada.

On a national level, the monthly SAAR of total housing starts for all areas in Canada increased by 8% in September, reaching 270,466 units, compared to 250,383 units in August. In the Gatineau region, specifically, the data indicates a noteworthy increase in housing starts. The monthly SAAR of total urban housing starts in areas with a population of 10,000 and over increased by 9% in September, with 250,766 units recorded. Of this, multi-unit urban starts increased by 10%, totalling 207,689 units, while single-detached urban starts saw a 3% increase to 43,077 units in September.

Bob Dugan, Chief Economist at CMHC, highlighted the trend in housing starts and the persistent activity in multi-unit starts. He stated, “Both the SAAR and trend in housing starts were higher in September. Multi-unit starts activity has persisted and maintained similar levels to 2022 despite the higher interest rate environment. This has helped offset double-digit declines in single-detached starts in all provinces. In fact, September was the second-highest month this year for multi-unit starts. It seems the current higher interest rate environment has so far not had the expected negative impact on multi-unit construction activity in 2023.”

With notes from Mary Baskin, Marie-Eve Turpin and Lily Ryan

Housing starts in Gatineau region witness growth in September Read More »

Laundromat no longer available for Mansfield/Fort Coulonge

Pierre Cyr, reporter

Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative


It was bad news for citizens in Fort Coulonge and Mansfield to learn

that the laundromat located in the heart of Fort Coulonge was closing

effective June 1.
The laundromat has been in operation since 2011.

The owners, Robert Soulard and Hélène Vaillancourt, came to this

decision because they were unable to convince the local authorities to

review the 60 per cent increase in their tax bill since May 2022.
When the owners received the increase of $4,500 in their taxes for 2022,

they thought it was a mistake. The total tax bill for their commercial

building, which includes four small businesses and four one-bedroom

apartments, is now $12,000, compared to $7,500 in 2021, even though no

improvements were made to the building over that period.
In 2013, the tax bill was $6,000, which has now doubled over the last 10-year period.
Soulard says he feels helpless in his efforts to have the Village of Fort

Coulonge review the way they calculate his tax bill, which includes

municipal services. When village representatives were not willing to

review their case, the owners came to the realization that the

laundromat, which alone costs $3,000 in taxes per year, was no longer

profitable and would have to be closed.
Approximately 50 people have been using the laundromat on a weekly

basis, most of whom will now have to go to Pembroke to do their laundry.

Soulard mentioned tourists were also frequent users of the facility,

mostly in the summer. He feels that a laundromat is an essential service for a

small community and that common sense should have prevailed.
Soulard can’t see how the village officials can justify a $12,000 yearly tax bill

for such small commercial activities. “That is not a good message to anybody

who would like to invest in the community as high tax rates are discouraging

people to operate a business or create affordable lodging spaces

in Fort Coulonge,” he told THE EQUITY.

At last Wednesday’s meeting of Fort Coulonge council, THE

EQUITY asked if the municipality had attempted to find a solution to

the problem of the large tax increase facing the laundromat. Pro-mayor

Debbie Laporte responded that the matter was private but added that the

information posted on the laundromat storefront explaining that it was

closed due to the a 60 per cent tax increase was not true.
Following an indication from the municipality that the property would be put up

for sale for non-payment of taxes, Soulard paid off the balance of his

outstanding tax bill on Monday of this week.

Laundromat no longer available for Mansfield/Fort Coulonge Read More »

Aylmer Legion Branch 33 Remembrance Walk honours Canada’s military heroes

On Sunday, November 5, the Aylmer Legion Branch 33 will host a Remembrance Walk to pay tribute to Canada’s military personnel who have made immense sacrifices in the line of duty.

The event will take place between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm, commemorating Aylmer’s heroes and recognizing their service.

The Remembrance Walk will involve a solemn visit to local cemeteries, where participants will place a Poppy at the headstone of each veteran as a symbol of remembrance and gratitude.

The event aims to foster a spirit of unity and to honour those who have dedicated their lives to serving Canada.

All members of the community are warmly invited to join the Remembrance Walk, where instructions and Poppies will be provided at the beginning of the event. The schedule includes stops at Pink Cemetery Mountain View at 1:00 pm (1521 Ch Vanier), Bellevue Cemetery at 2:00pm (1030 Aylmer Road), and St. Paul’s Cemetery at 3:00 pm (corner of Aylmer Road and Samuel-Eddy).

Following the Remembrance Walk, a Get-Together for all participants will be held at 4:00 pm at the Aylmer Legion Branch 33, located at 59 Rue Bancroft. This gathering provides an opportunity for the community to come together, share their thoughts, and express their gratitude for the sacrifices made by Canadian military personnel.

Photo: On Sunday, November 5, the Aylmer Legion Branch 33 will host a Remembrance Walk to pay tribute to Canada’s military personnel who have made immense sacrifices in the line of duty. The event will take place between 1:00 pm and 4:00 pm, commemorating Aylmer’s heroes and recognizing their service. (TF) Photo courtesy of the Aylmer Legion,Quebec Branch #33

With notes from Mary Baskin, Marie-Eve Turpin and Lily Ryan

Aylmer Legion Branch 33 Remembrance Walk honours Canada’s military heroes Read More »

End of the road for Davidson Sawmill

Pierre Cyr, reporter

Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

“Enough is enough!”
These are the words of Hubert St-Cyr, Chairman of the Board of Davidson Sawmills in Mansfield-Pontefract. He and his brother Bruno St-Cyr, Executive Vice President, have decided to throw in the towel.
Despite their best efforts over the past five years, the Quebec government has once again refused to grant them guaranteed wood supply reservations (GA – Garantie d’approvisionnement) to relaunch the Davidson industrial site.
“We’ve had the impression for the past few years that we’ve been tilting at windmills,” said Hubert St-Cyr. “The file is not moving forward.”
Without these GAs, management cannot restart the sawmill, a mill with equipment still in place and just waiting to be powered up to get going.
‘’Unfortunately, in 2018, most of our GA reservations went to companies outside the region,’’ says Hubert St-Cyr.
The company’s multiple attempts to recover GA have all been turned down by the Quebec government, which even cited the protection of woodland and mountain caribou to explain its latest decision. Such an argument raises eyebrows among the owners of Scieries Davidson, given that the coveted GAs are located in the Témiscamingue region, which is not home to any caribou.
The Davidson industrial site is located on 125 acres of land that has long been considered an industrial jewel, dating back to 1903. The site was acquired in 2007 and was in operation for only 18 months. The closure of Smurfit-Stone (pulp processing) in Portage du Fort in the fall of 2008, the softwood lumber crisis, the economic crisis and the temporary closure of the Bowater mill (the buyer of white pine chips) had forced operations to cease. The mill has never restarted since 2011, despite management’s best efforts.
The St-Cyr brothers are particularly irritated by the authorities’ lack of eagerness, as prices for noble woods – white pine and certain hardwoods – have been very high for several years, and would generate appreciable returns for the company. Some fifty well-paid jobs are at stake. To rebuild an industrial site of Davidson’s scale would easily cost $70 million. The current owners estimate the cost of restarting the business at around $9 million.

The company’s business plan, which the Quebec government is not questioning, called for the relaunch of sawing, drying and planing operations, coupled with a $70 million, 9.5 MWh cogeneration plant project.
The cogeneration plant was a key element of the project, as it would enable wood chips and residues to be processed on-site, in addition to generating electricity. Davidson Energy has a 25-year contract with Hydro-Québec to supply the power grid directly from the cogeneration plant. This plant could also have greatly helped the forest industry cluster in Ontario and Quebec to have a place to monetize their forest residues. The plant would have created 12 permanent jobs and major positive economic impact during its construction.
The envisioned project also had a Phase 2. Davidson Energy has signed an agreement in principle with a Canadian partner based in France to install a green fuel refinery for the lucrative aerospace market, fuelled by CO2 generated by the on-site cogeneration plant. The refinery alone would produce 32 million litres a year.
According to the business plan presented, this project would have generated investments of around $360 million and substantial annual revenues of $90 million.
Phase 2 also included an aquaculture project (rainbow trout), at an initial cost of over $20 million. This aquatic greenhouse would have been heated by the cogeneration plant. Phase 2 would also have brought a total of 40 additional permanent jobs.
The shareholders’ decision to dismantle and sell all or part of the facilities at the Davidson industrial site comes barely two months after the owners of Jovalco, located on Highway 148 in Litchfield, sold the sawmill equipment for $1 million to a Lanaudière-area company.
In recent years, the owners say they have never really felt fully supported by either provincial or MRC elected officials for the project to revive forestry activities, including the contribution of the cogeneration plant. We are witnessing the end of an era and a part of Pontiac’s history As the saga surrounding the relaunch of the Davidson facility seems to be over, it seems we are witnessing the end of an era in Pontiac’s history.
“Contacts have already been established with equipment manufacturers for the disposal of assets. We’ll be dismantling and selling our fixed and rolling equipment in the coming months,” says Hubert St-Cyr.
Pontiac Warden Jane Toller says she respects the decision of the St-Cyr brothers to abandon their project.
“I worked hard with the provincial authorities through the years to support the plan to reopen the Davidson industrial site,” she told THE EQUITY on Monday.
The warden said that the owners’ insistence on reopening a large sawmill first, instead of starting with a cogeneration plant, didn’t work to their advantage.
“The capacity for the government to guarantee access to pine resources is simply not there anymore,” she said.
Toller said she is confident that the Davidson industrial site will be attractive for new investors or new partners with a view to building a cogeneration plant, and possibly other activities such as aquaculture and perhaps eventually a sawmill at some point in the future.
“For a multitude of reasons, the owners are making a difficult choice, among them the lack of support from the current government,” Pontiac MNA André Fortin told THE EQUITY on Tuesday.
“Unfortunately, the CAQ government has never supported the project to revive the Davidson industrial site,” he said.
“The forest and its processing must continue to be part of the region’s economic future. More than ever, Pontiac residents are aware that our forest must be processed here, in the Pontiac, by local people. There’s no way around it,” said the MNA.

End of the road for Davidson Sawmill Read More »

Quebec universities rally for first of six climate webinars ahead of COP28

As the world gears up for the pivotal United Nations Climate Change Conference, COP28, in Dubai this November, Quebec’s academic institutions have taken a proactive step to kindle understanding and collaboration. On October 18, the first of six engaging webinars took place. It was organized by eighteen universities from Quebec, a testament to their commitment to shed light on global climate issues.

This innovative series, organized by the Réseau universitaire québécois en développement durable (RUQDD), showcases the rich tapestry of academic expertise across Quebec. Their collective mission is not only to share insights from Quebec’s climate research and solutions butalso to highlight the nuances and implications surrounding the forthcoming COP28 discussions.

The first inaugural webinar, entitled “Everything you need to know about COP28”, brought together eminent experts to address the myriad dimensions of climate change. Dominique Anglade, an Associate Professor at the HEC Montreal School of Sustainable Transition, powerfully articulated the universality and inequalities of climate change, stating, “The fight against climate change impacts everyone. However, while facing this universal storm, the boats we’re in differ significantly. Climate change accentuates disparities, especially between the Global North and South. We aim to unpack COP28’s themes, making them accessible and relatable to everyone.”

In a deep dive into history, Frédéric Fabry of McGill University explored humanity’s longstanding reliance on fossil fuels. He illustrated how cheap energy has been the linchpin of modern societal growth, saying, “This energy affordability ushered in resource abundance, sparking population growth and surging energy consumption.” Yet, he warned of the perils ahead, cautioning that persisting on this trajectory would herald dire consequences by 2100.

Shining a light on representation imbalances at global climate meets, Annie Chaloux from the University of Sherbrooke highlighted that the delegation scales often tip in favour of developed nations. “While Canada regularly presents a robust team, it’s worth noting the disparity. Quebec alone occasionally outnumbers delegations from some developing countries.”

Joseph EL-Khoury of Université de Montréal brought the discussion closer to home, emphasizing Montreal’s urban transition challenges and potential. He deliberated on Montreal’s ambitious aim of carbon neutrality by its 400th anniversary in 2042 and posited, “Could Montreal spearhead this movement, setting an example for global cities to emulate?”

These webinars, while undoubtedly educational, also serve as a clarion call for collective action against the looming climate threat. As the global community preps for the landmark discussions at COP28, the contributions from the first webinar and the upcoming ones will offer invaluable guidance.​To further bolster this initiative, Magali Simard-Galdes, a renowned opera singer and Radio-

Canada columnist with expertise in Sustainability Management, will be moderating the series. This series, in line with the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal #13, aims to foster decisive action against the challenges of climate change.

The Quebec government, recognizing the significance of these webinars, has extended financial support, aligning with their 2030 Plan for a Green Economy. Benoit Charette, Quebec’s Minister of Environment, Climate Change, Wildlife, and Parks, extolled the series, emphasizing the indispensable role of Quebec’s academic community in this endeavor.

For those eager to participate in the upcoming webinars, detailed schedules and registration are available on www.unis-climat.teluq.ca . The webinars, spanning from October 18 until November 22, will be broadcasted live every Wednesday from noon to 1:00 pm. Furthermore, two of these sessions will be presented before a live audience in Montreal, enhancing the experience.

Photo: Unity in Wisdom: Quebec’s Academic Luminaries Combine Forces for Climate Action. (TF) Photo: Tashi Farmilo

With notes from Mary Baskin, Marie-Eve Turpin and Lily Ryan

Quebec universities rally for first of six climate webinars ahead of COP28 Read More »

Historic Aylmer Road home slated for demolition to make way for residential project

Photo 1: Historical home at 674 chemin d’Aylmer, built in 1920, facing threat of demolition.

It’s clear that Aylmer is experiencing a development boom, with many demolition requests and apartment complex projects being approved by Gatineau. The 103-year-old house located at 674 chemin d’Aylmer is no exception.

A demolition request has been submitted for the house in the Mitigomijokan district that was built in 1920.

According to city documents, the single-family house is in an advanced state of disrepair. The owner submitted documents to the city that detail the work needed to restore it would total approximately $302,907. According to city documents, the building is worth $110,000, while the property is worth $136,700.

Photo 2: Draft of developer’s land use plan. Details a four-storey 32-unit apartment building.

The house has two residences, one in the front section of the building and the other at the back. Currently, both units are vacant due to the state of the building.

The Service de l’Urbanisme et du Développement Durable (SUDD) does not recommend the demolition and says that the building has a strong heritage value, as it bears witness to the housing style of the early 1900s and is “characterized by an unusual architectural style”. However, the home is not on the 2008 built heritage inventory.

At the request of SUDD, the property owner hired a company to analyze the home’s heritage value. This final report of the analysis states that, due to the building’s lack of maintenance and state of deterioration and that it does not have heritage protection status, they conclude that the building has low heritage value.

The project is located in an area of Aylmer Road that is designated the countryside integration sector and a woodland protection area.

The Aylmer Heritage Association (AHA) has written a letter to the city voicing their concern with the demolition request. The letter highlights the history of the building and asks the city to consider postponing the demolition decision to allow all parties, including the developers, SUDD and AHA to determine the best course of action.

“We’re extremely concerned about the changes that have taken place along the Aylmer Road in recent years and it is clear that, despite a long series of laws, policies and regulations, heritage buildings in Gatineau, and Aylmer in particular, are gradually disappearing, and are now more threatened than ever before,” reads AHA’s letter to Gatineau. “We feel that Gatineau must send a clear signal of its commitment to heritage, the environment, sustainable development and building maintenance, without penalizing well-intentioned owners unduly.”

The Comité sur les demandes de démolition (CDD) will meet on October 24. At press time, it was not known if the demolition request would be approved, rejected, or postponed.

For 30 days following the CDD’s decision, any resident or legal entity whose address is in Gatineau can request a review of the CDD’s decision by the municipal council. This request comes with a fee of $122.50. After the request has been submitted, authorization to demolish the building will be suspended until the council reviews the decision. ​Because the house was built before 1920, if the demolition is approved, Gatineau must send a “notice of intent to authorize demolition” to the Minister of Culture and Communications and thenwait at least 90 days before issuing the demolition authorization.

Photo Credit: Ville de Gatineau

Historic Aylmer Road home slated for demolition to make way for residential project Read More »

Quebecers’ debt concerns mount amidst anticipated interest rate hikes

A recent study paints a worrying picture for Quebecers as they grapple with the prospects of escalating interest rates. The MNP Consumer Debt Index, conducted by Ipsos on behalf of MNP LTD, indicates that the province’s residents are increasingly anxious about their ability to manage rising debt.

According to the report, there has been a notable 11-point jump from the previous quarter in those who foresee difficulties in handling an extra $130 in interest payments on their existing debt, with the figure now standing at 34%. Additionally, the study reveals a seven-point increase to 26% in respondents who believe their capacity to withstand an interest rate rise of one percentage point has diminished.

With interest rates transitioning from near-zero levels to their highest in over two decades, Quebecers concerns are intensifying. The anxiety is particularly pronounced given the imminent interest rate announcement by the Bank of Canada.

Frédéric Lachance, a Licensed Insolvency Trustee with MNP LTD, weighed in on the findings. He observed, “The rising debt carrying costs combined with escalating living expenses have put considerable strain on household budgets. Given these circumstances, the bleak financial outlook in Quebec is understandable. For an increasing number of individuals, making ends meet has evolved into a formidable challenge.”

Furthermore, the study divulged a rise in the proportion of Quebecers who perceive their present debt situation as significantly deteriorating compared to a year ago, increasing by three points to 16%. In a similar vein, those expressing concern about their debt situation as being worse than it was five years ago have surged by six points to 22%. The forward-looking sentiment isn’t optimistic either, with 18% anticipating their debt scenario to deteriorate a year from now, marking an increase of five points. Looking five years ahead, 17% predict a worsening debt situation, also up by five points.

Lachance added that while current challenges are daunting, some financial pressures have been alleviated due to a robust job market. However, he warned of potential economic slowdowns that could lead to heightened unemployment rates as higher interest rates take effect. This sentiment is mirrored in the report, with an increasing number of respondents, now at 42%, voicing concerns about potential job losses within their households, a three-point
increase from the previous quarter.

Highlighting the dangers of relying on credit, especially during uncertain financial times, Lachance explained, “Households may resort to credit to bridge financial gaps, hoping to clear it once circumstances improve. This could initiate a vicious cycle where one relies on credit for one bill after another, eventually leading to missed payments and a spiral into a high-interest debt trap.”​To combat this, Lachance emphasises the importance of proactive measures. He recommends
individuals anticipating financial difficulties to engage directly with their lenders, potentially setting up a payment plan, and to consult a Licensed Insolvency Trustee for professional advice.

Photo: Quebecers grapple with debt challenges amid anticipated interest rate hikes. (TF) Photo: Tashi Farmil

With notes from Mary Baskin, Marie-Eve Turpin and Lily Ryan

Quebecers’ debt concerns mount amidst anticipated interest rate hikes Read More »

AutonHomme Pontiac’s new community service centre in Campbell’s Bay

Pierre Cyr, reporter

Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative


AutonHomme Pontiac is now officially located at 128 Front Street in

Campbell’s Bay. The new community service center will be open on January

31, 2023 and be in full operation in April. The official opening took

place last Thursday, Jan. 19 at noon. About 40 people attended the

event. A snack was served courtesy of Langford’s Grocery in Campbell’s Bay.
AutonHomme Pontiac helps mainly men from the Pontiac who are

facing psychological, financial, personal distress and various problems

related to family breakups, violence management or addiction.
AutonHomme Pontiac also offers temporary housing for any person (man, woman,

family) struggling with homelessness as well as help with finding

housing and maintenance support. The organization also offers support to

seniors and low-income individuals to assist them in completing their tax returns.

Tyler Ladouceur, Executive Director, is also proud that

the new facilities are large enough to allow other Pontiac organizations

to rent office space or the larger meeting room for their activities.

In addition, the organization can offer more adequate work space to

employees and expand their service offering. This project is the

culmination of four years of work. Ladouceur mentioned that the covid

situation has brought significant challenges for the financial plan for

the renovation of the old pharmacy at 128 Front Street and resource

availability more generally.

President of the Board of Director Pierre-Alain Jones emphasized

that this project could not have been realized without the contribution of

the government, the financial support of the MRC, the collaboration with the

municipality of Campbell’s Bay and the contribution of a supportive and daring Board of

Directors. Pontiac MP Sophie Chatel acknowledged the contribution of

the AutonHomme Pontiac team as they are an important safety net in our

community. They are silent heroes who work with heart and passion.

Sandra Armstrong, representing the MRC, as well as André Fortin also

underlined the good work of Ladouceur and his team.

AutonHomme Pontiac’s new community service centre in Campbell’s Bay Read More »

Commemorative bench and tree program rejected by municipal council

During the October 17 municipal council meeting, a vote was taken on whether or not to adopt a commemorative tree and bench program. Council was divided but ultimately the program was rejected with nine voting in favour and 11 against. This came as a surprise, as earlier that day during the preparatory caucus, council voted in favour of an amendment allowing significant moments to be commemorated in the program as well.

In 2020, former Aylmer councillor Audrey Bureau tabled a motion that, among other things, included the creation of a program that would allow citizens to buy trees or benches and add a plaque to commemorate loved ones who have passed.

Bureau said she realized that this service was needed when an Aylmer family that had lost their son wanted to make a donation to the city to have something in a local park that commemorated him. At the time, there was no mechanism in place for the city to process this request.

After an analysis by the city administration, the program was presented to the municipal council on September 19 for their approval. The program proposal details that residents could submit the commemorative bench or tree application at any time of year. Then trees would be planted in the spring or fall, and benches and plaques would be added in the summer season.

According to Gilles Chagnon, Lucerne councillor, who advocated for the program with Audrey Bureau, parks are public spaces and are an ideal area to commemorate someone who has contributed to the community or someone who simply lived there.

“Families will be able to make use of their public places so that the community can remember the passing of these individuals in our city,” said Chagnon during the council meeting. “It will also help people cope better with their grief, knowing that an element of the park will pay homage to their loved ones.”

During the preparatory caucus before the city council meeting, Marc Bureau, Parc-de-la-Montagne-Saint-Raymond councillor and supporter of the program, proposed an amendment adding the ability to commemorate a significant moment, not just a passing. The council voted in favour of the amendment.

Other councillors were unsure of the amendment and the program. Olive Kamanyana, Carrefour-de-L’Hôpital councillor, voiced her concern, asking if Gatineau has the adequate human resources to carry out the program.

“I find it unfortunate that the city council rejected a program that offered a service to citizens and responded to needs such as park infrastructure,” said Audrey Bureau. “The program presented very little risk to the city as the trees and benches are paid for by the citizens wanting to commemorate a loved one. I think the council’s decision was unjustified as those who opposed the program did not propose amendments or changes to reach a consensus. It feels like people are playing politics to the detriment of citizens.”

Chagnon says he is unsure if the program will be put before the council again. “I am open to making changes to the program if necessary because I believe in its beneficial effects for bereaved families. But first we need to take the pulse of the council to see if there’s any interest in reactivating it.”

Commemorative bench and tree program rejected by municipal council Read More »

Première Moisson bakery opens new location in Aylmer

A new bakery has arrived in Aylmer. Première Moisson, located at 60 rue de Seto, suite 101, officially opened its doors on October 18. The store is open Monday to Sunday from 8:00 am to 7:00 pm.

The new 3,534 sq. ft. bakery has space and seating for 40 people inside as well as a terrace that can accommodate a dozen people, weather permitting.

Première Moisson offers a large variety of baked goods, breads, confectionery items, pastries, and drinks. There are also ready-to-eat and take-away products, including charcuterie.

The investment in the new location allows owners Marc-André Juillet and his wife Annick Vachon to offer 30 new full-time and part-time jobs. This new location is an addition for the owners who opened the Gatineau location on boulevard Maloney Ouest in 2018.

Many attended the new location opening, including Isabelle Miron, l’Orée-du-Parc councillor and Deputy Mayor, Gérald Blachon, Vice-President of retail network with Groupe Première Moisson, and Éric Côté, Vice-President and General Manager of Groupe Première Moisson.

Première Moisson was founded in 1992, and now employs over 1,200 people in their 24 Quebec locations and their Ottawa location. Many of their products can also be found in grocery stores across the province. Première Moisson is owned by METRO.

Photo: The official opening of Première Moisson’s Aylmer location. From left to right: Gérald Blachon, retail network Vice-President at Groupe Première Moisson, Annick Vachon and Marc-André Juillet, owners, Isabelle Miron, l’Orée-du-Parc councillor and Deputy Mayor, along with Éric Côté, Vice-President and General Manager of Groupe Première Moisson.

Photo Credit: Groupe Première Moisson

Première Moisson bakery opens new location in Aylmer Read More »

Local woman wants to bring films to life for blind moviegoers

By Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative

Since childhood, Monika Nelis Dupont, 24, who lives in Bedford, has enjoyed going to the movies in Cowansville with friends and family. Since she lost her sight due to a degenerative condition five years ago, she finds it hard to follow all the action with sound alone. “When you need to constantly ask [other people] what happened, it’s not as much of a communal experience anymore,” she said.

Nelis Dupont, an activist and aspiring children’s author, has launched a petition on Change.org asking the Princess Cinema in Cowansville to invest in audio description devices. These devices, which are shaped like portable cassette players and include headphones, add an extra audio track to the film so moviegoers who are blind, visually impaired or experiencing sight loss can follow the action.

“If you’re watching a film and you hear suspenseful music, you understand why, but if you’re blind, you might not be able to follow the action,” she said. “If the film had audio description, I would hear, ‘Charlie is creeping down the hall with a baseball bat in his hand,’ and so forth. I wouldn’t have to ask what was going on…and it [wouldn’t] disrupt anyone else,” she said.

Nelis Dupont said the closest theatre which regularly shows English-language films with audio description is in Brossard, an hour away. She said she believes more widespread use of audio description devices in local theatres would help bring more blind and partially sighted people and their families and friends back to the movies. Her petition has received more than 360 signatures as of this writing, and she plans to launch a flyer campaign in the next few months. She said she has yet to receive a response from the Princess Cinema.

“The Princess Cinema is wheelchair-accessible, and that’s why I want to support it,” added Nelis Dupont, who also uses a wheelchair. “We have wheelchair-accessible seats. We have subtitles. It would be great if we had four or five audio description devices.”

Local cinema entrepreneur Yvan Fontaine owns the Princess Cinema and four other theatres in Magog, Orford, Quebec City and the Beauce region. He said he is aware of the petition but does not plan to invest in the devices for the moment.

“It’s not that we don’t want to do it,” he explained. “The equipment is not hugely expensive, but we need to make sure all of our theatres are equipped for it, and that requires installing transmitters and receivers. We would need to buy and install that equipment and then ensure that the films came with audio description, which not all films do. People don’t realize the complexity.”

“All of our theatres are wheelchair-accessible, but we have maybe two or three wheelchair users a year,” he added. “Just because we are adapted doesn’t mean people will come. I don’t know how many people have [visual impairments] in Brome-Missisquoi.”

He said he and his counterparts at the Association québécoise des propriétaires du cinéma have been asking for greater support from the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC), the provincial crown corporation that supports film and TV production. He said theatre owners have asked SODEC for funding to support installation costs and assurances that future Quebec-made films will include French-language audio description tracks. “We’ve been told that is not a priority for them right now,” he said.

SODEC communications director Johanne Morissette was not able to comment at press time.

Local woman wants to bring films to life for blind moviegoers Read More »

North Hatley curlers hang on to ‘Quebec Challenge Cup’

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

An eight-man curling team from Cornwall faced eight from the North Hatley Curling Cub for the ‘Quebec Challenge Cup’ Oct. 20 in North Hatley. The cup is currently held by North Hatley; the team from Cornwall arrived around 6 p.m., shared a meal with North Hatley’s defenders, then both went at it for the bragging-rights of possessing the oldest competitive trophy in North America (since 1874).

Cornwall conceded in the eighth round, losing 8-14.

“It’s a big ladder tournament,” explained Marty Rourke, North Hatley Curling Club VP. Clubs that compete for the trophy can come from as far away as Deep River or Brockville, Ontario and Montreal – any team that is part of the Royal Canadian Branch. It can be five to seven years between the times a club can challenge for the Cup, if they lose.

There are about eight challenges a year. North Hatley’s turn came up last year in late November, travelling to Bedford to compete with the then current champions. The game came down to the last shot and North Hatley won – the first time in the history of their club.

“We win and there’s this massive excitement,” Rourke said. They successfully defended first against a team from St. Lambert, then Sutton, then Dalhousie Lake. Challenges occur about once a month.

The game played is 10 ends, with a break after five. The host is expected to “put on a little bit of a show”. When the game is done, everyone drinks a “rusty nail” out of the Cup, as is tradition. Since the pandemic, their procedure for this has changed – the booze is mixed in the Cup and then distributed among individual glasses.

The eight members of the team can change, Rourke explained, but this game was played with the original eight that won it in the first place. “We’ve got a good little dynamic happening.” Rourke insisted that everyone on the team plays because they enjoy it and it is a way to keep competitive.

The league has probably 50 to 60 teams, Rourke speculated. The next team on the list is the Ottawa Curling Club. If North Hatley keeps winning: Windsor, then Lennoxville. “It’s a nice tradition that keeps going.”

Matt Dupuis, Cornwall’s Skip, fought for the Cup around six years ago. They won and defended it a few times. “It’s a fantastic event,” he added. Their team is composed of two men’s teams that play together regularly. He visited the Townships last year to play for the Cup with a different team but was unsuccessful.

Soundly defeated, Cornwall returned to Ontario Cup-less that same night. One member of their team is a nurse and had to be at work at 7 a.m. the next day.

North Hatley curlers hang on to ‘Quebec Challenge Cup’ Read More »

Investing in food production Canada’s ‘moonshot:’ new report

Brenda O’Farrell
The Advocate

“Canada’s moonshot.” That is how the authors of a new report looking at the future of Canadian agriculture have described the opportunity the country has to become a global leader in food production – a sector that is gaining in importance as the world’s population continues to grow at an increasing rate.

But governments in Canada have to invest more in Canadian farms, farming practices and farmers themselves, they claim.

“Canada is uniquely placed to lead: Our assets are unparalleled, but we need to do more to maximize them,” states the report entitled A New Ag Deal: A 9-Point Plan For Climate-Smart Agriculture released Oct. 3 by Royal Bank of Canada, the BCG Centre for Canada’s Future and the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph.

“As a politically stable country, and a reliable supplier of safe, high-quality food, Canada has an opportunity to become the world’s sustainable breadbasket,” the 19-page report concludes as it lays out nine initiatives as a road map to this destination.

The ‘moonshot,’ if achieved, would see Canada produce 26 per cent more food by 2050 with few emissions. The increase in production is the an amount estimated to be enough to maintain the country’s contribution to feed the global population as it grows – while reducing

But the report also raises the alarm that if Canada fails to invest, the opportunity to be a global leader in food production will be taken by other countries, leaving Canada’s agricultural sector at a disadvantage as world demand for food grows.

See MOONSHOT, Page 4

MOONSHOT: Canadian governments have
to match other countries’ investments

From Page 1

“Canada is already falling behind,” the report states. “The agriculture sectors in the U.S., EU, Australia and China get roughly three times the climate funding that Canada provides to its industry. Yet, the expectations placed on our farmers are growing: to produce more (in increasingly adverse weather conditions), to cut emissions and to help boost global food security.”

The report continues: “The world’s top food producers are on the move. Making sustainable agriculture a strategic priority, Canada’s peers are laying the foundations for formidable climate-smart food supply chains backed by sizeable funding and bold policy measures.

“The sector risks falling behind if Canadian governments don’t match their competitors in supporting producers with the funding and policy tools to grow more food with fewer emissions.”

The authors urge governments to act – and quickly.

“Ottawa and the provinces will need to transform their approach to agriculture policy to protect a sector that accounts for 7 per cent of national GDP — with huge potential for further growth.”

Currently, Canada lags behind other countries in funding for the agricultural sector. For example, the report points out, the U.S. provides US$19.5 billion in incentives and tax credits to support ag-tech and other measures to the farming sector through its recently adopted Inflation Reduction Act. And the pending US $1.5 trillion Farm Bill could catapult the United States’ advantage in the economic sphere.

At the same time, China is investing US$7 billion to revitalize its farmland, while the European Union has earmarked US$224 billion for what it has identified as “climate-relevant initiatives” that will be rolled out between now and 2027.

The report highlights Canada’s strengths in the sector, too.

“Canada is already a vital contributor to global food security and has a head start in climate-smart farming. Canada is already a top food exporter, with a food system ranking among the highest in sustainability, according to the Food Sustainability Index.”

It also points to how more than 65 per cent of Canadian farmers have adopted at least one practice to improve their farms’ resiliency to soil, water and biodiversity challenges.

“Now is the time for Canadian governments to build on our farmers’ successes,” the report concludes. “Canadian governments have an opportunity to step up their commitments and create a robust policy environment that recognizes the sector’s economic potential, its global role as a reliable food exporter and as a climate-smart leader. This is Canada’s moment.”

Investing in food production Canada’s ‘moonshot:’ new report Read More »

Yamachiche pork facility to close next month

Andrew McClelland
The Advocate

The Lucyporc cutting facility in Yamachiche just west of Trois-Rivières will close its doors for good on Nov. 17, leaving 74 workers out of work.

The announcement was made by parent company Viandes Robitaille in early October. The Lucyporc factory specialized in preparing the “Nagano” pork line — Quebec-raised-and-butchered pork designed specifically for the Japanese market. According to Viandes Robitaille plant manager Carl Robitaille, the decision to cease operations was based on currency inflation in the destination markets.

“The very difficult decision to close the plant comes from the reduction in demand for pork products for export,” said Robitaille. “We just have to look at the price of the yen. The ability of the Japanese to pay a good price is more difficult.”

While Viandes Robitaille said the Lucyporc facility was doing well, the age of the building — and the fact that its equipment is more than 30 years old — meant its closure was a necessary choice.

Quebec pork giant Olymel has a variety of facilities in the Trois-Rivières region, including those operated through partnerships with groups like Viandes Robitaille. Workers from the Lucyporc plant will be well-positioned to find employment at “Olymel de Yamachiche.”

“From a workforce and operations perspective, Olymel de Yamachiche is able to fully serve the Japanese market with Olymel and Oly-Robi products,” says Richard Vigneault, Olymel’s corporate communications manager. “Oly-Robi employees from the former factory will be able, given their experience, to apply for a position in the meat sector at Olymel.”

Included in that group are approximately 50 temporary foreign workers, some of whom have been in the country for a little over a year and are still in training.

Troubled times

The Lucyporc factory has shifted operations and parent companies a few times in recent years. In 2015, the facility merged operations with provincial pork giant, Olymel. In 2019, all employees were transferred to the nearby “Atrahan Transformation” processor. Then, in October 2021, Viandes Robitaille formed a partnership with Olymel, resulting in the reopening of the Lucyporc building.

The Lucyporc closure follows the announcement of another in July of the closure of the Olymel factory in Vallée-Jonction, in the Beauce region. That plant is scheduled to close on Dec. 22. In that case, an additional 50 foreign workers will be transferred from Beauce to Yamachiche, more than 200 kilometres away.

“What we want is for these workers to rediscover the pleasure of working with us, but in another region,” said Olymel vice-president Paul Beauchamp.

The many plant closures and workforce transfers point to the global pork crisis resulting from the lingering effects of the COVID-19 pandemic, rising input costs and a drop in demand. Olymel claims it has lost $400 million in the past two years alone.

In February, the company also announced the closure of processing plants in Blainville and Laval. And in November, it announced the closure of a factory on St. Jacques Street in St. Hyacinthe. Olymel has remaining facilities in Yamachiche, in Ange-Gardien (Montérégie region), and St. Esprit, in Lanaudière.

While Viandes Robitaille’s Lucyporc building will close Nov. 17, the slaughterhouse in Yamachiche will remain open.

Cutline: The Lucyporc pork processing plant operated by Viandes Robitaille in Yamachiche will close Nov. 17, eliminating 74 jobs, the company announced in early October.

Yamachiche pork facility to close next month Read More »

Mining, battery plants eroding farmland: report

Brenda O’Farrell
The Advocate

Following last month’s announcement of the $2.7-billion investment by the federal and provincial governments to help build a massive electric vehicle plant near St. Basile le Grand and McMasterville, a recent report by Radio-Canada claims concerns have been raised at how Quebec’s push to attract battery tech plants could eat up valuable farmland.

According to a document obtained by the French-language media outlet, everything from graphite mines to battery factories represent what is described as just the beginning of a trend that will erode farmland, pushing it to be put to other uses, officials with the provincial Agriculture Ministry are warning.

And these concerns are being raised as the provincial government continues its year-long consultation as it prepares to overhaul the laws that govern the protection of farmland in the province.

In September, Swedish battery manufacturing giant Northvolt announced it would build a factory in St. Basile and McMasterville. It is its first battery mega-factory outside of Europe. The first phase of the project, pegged at $7 billion, was characterized as the largest private investment in Quebec’s history. It will be located on 170 hectares.

When in operation, the facility is projected to produce batteries for 1 million electric vehicles and contribute up to $1.6 billion to the economy.

Mining requests OK’d

When it comes to mining, the provincial Agriculture Ministry is raising a warning, pointing to recent alarming statistics. According to Radio-Canada: “In Quebec, when a mining project wants to encroach on agricultural land to explore or exploit, it gets the green light every time.”

The report claims that between April 1998 and March 2022, the Commission de protection du territoire agricole approved all 10 mining related requests on agricultural land it received. This put 1,780 hectares out of food production.

The CPTAQ has also approved 97 per cent of all infrastructure projects linked to transportation and hydroelectric production, representing another 2,826 hectares of farmland lost.

Mining, battery plants eroding farmland: report Read More »

Ontario maple producers offered sweet deal

Andrew McClelland
The Advocate

The federal government is teaming up with the province of Ontario to offer maple syrup producers in that province an envelope of $1 million to help increase productivity, efficiency and growth in the maple industry.

The Maple Production Improvement Initiative is aimed at boosting Ontario’s maple production by covering up to 50 per cent (to a maximum of $20,000) of costs on improvement and expansion projects. But it does not have producers in Quebec too worried, at least according to one syrup producer.

“Our government appreciates the resilience and determination of maple syrup producers throughout Ontario and how they have continued to build a solid market for their maple syrup products,” said Lisa Thompson, Ontario’s minister of Agriculture, Food and Rural Affairs. “This investment … will drive increased production, supporting specific growth targets.”

To be eligible, Ontario producers must have had 1,000 taps in operation since April 1, 2023. The money can be used for the purchase and installation of upgraded production equipment, like reverse osmosis or remote monitoring systems, which help reduce boiling time and save on fuel costs.

Funds from the initiative can also be used to cover a portion of certain woodlot management activities, including tree marking and the development of a forest plan to assist business operations.

Federal Minister of Agriculture Lawrence MacAulay was on hand for the announcement, which took place in Toronto on Sept. 26.

“Ontario’s maple syrup producers continue to deliver exceptional products that are enjoyed here in Canada, and around the world,” MacAulay said.

While the initiative will be administered by the Ontario Soil and Crop Improvement Association, it has not yet been disclosed how much of the support money will be provided by the federal government and how much by its provincial counterpart.

Sizing up the competition

The Maple Production Improvement Initiative shows Ontario’s ambition to capture a more significant portion of the maple syrup market. Currently, Canada produces 71 per cent of the world’s maple syrup — and 91 per cent of that is produced in Quebec. 

“Ontario has a tremendous opportunity to grow its maple syrup sector,” said Randal Goodfellow, president of the Ontario Maple Syrup Producers’ Association. “Whereas Ontario has the largest number of maple trees in Canada, only a very small percentage of this number is used for maple syrup production.”

But some Quebec maple producers aren’t that worried by the prospect of Ontario taking a larger share of the maple pie. As Morgan Arthur — who has been running his maple operation in Rockburn, Que., in the Châteauguay Valley since 1989 — explained, the forests of Ontario simply don’t have the same concentration of maples as Quebec.

“Yes, they have a lot of maples,” said Arthur. “But when you go there and see how spread out those trees are, you realize you’d need an awful lot of land to have a good syrup operation.”

Furthermore, the price of land in Ontario maple-producing areas like Lanark and Lennox and Addington counties has skyrocketed in recent decades due to development of the growing populations of Ottawa and Toronto.

In 2012, Arthur himself expanded into Ontario, at one point with 26,000 taps in Madawaska, just east of Algonquin Park. But he realized the venture could never be as profitable as his Quebec forests.

“I was an Ontario maple syrup producer,” he said. “But, in the end, it made more sense to sell my land. And the people who had the cash to buy it were multi-multi-millionaires.”

Today, Arthur’s operation in Quebec boasts 26,000 taps — 19,000 owned and 7,000 leased. And while he acknowledges that Maple Production Improvement Initiative gives Ontario producers some support, it won’t be enough to tip the balance in today’s market.

“The fact is $20,000 doesn’t go very far in getting set up in the maple business these days. I have a neighbour who just got into production and putting in 2,200 taps cost him $180,000.”

Since the initiative is part of Ottawa’s Sustainable Canadian Agricultural Partnership, which came into effect April 1, Ontario producers seeking funding can retroactively apply to have costs covered as of that date. Program applications close Nov. 9.

Eligible costs run the gamut from purchasing sap collection pumps, coolers and evaporators to generators, filters and packaging and labelling equipment.

Ontario maple producers offered sweet deal Read More »

RBC offers a ‘New Ag Deal,’ but who is it really for?

Mitchell Beer
The Advocate

Early October was a busy time for reports on the farm economy, with the National Farmers’ Union co-publishing an important and thoughtful report on the mental-health crisis in farming and the Royal Bank of Canada releasing a document titled A New Ag Deal.

It would be lovely, and very timely, to be able to tell you that this is a story of cause and effect, of problem named and problem solved. But if you’re a small or medium producer on a never-ending treadmill trying to make ends meet, there’s not a whole lot of hope in the deep thought emanating from Canada’s biggest bank.

Naming the root cause

The mental health report, a joint production of the Saskatchewan-based National Farmers’ Union and the Canadian Centre for Policy Alternatives, is titled Looking Upstream. Drawing on interviews and surveys with Canadian farmers and farm workers, it leaps over the surface signs of a rampaging mental-health crisis to get at the root cause.

“At the heart of the farmer mental-health crisis is pervasive economic uncertainty and precarity,” the union stated in a release. Yet, “therapeutic efforts remain focused on addressing the downstream impacts of the problem and not the underlying (upstream) causes of poor farmer mental health.”

In the words of some study participants:

“All of the risk of producing food is put on the farmers, while all of the protection and profits go to large corporations. It makes the hard work feel futile some days.”

“Farmers are on the front lines of climate change and it’s exhausting and traumatizing at times. In the B.C. context, we’ve experienced several years of intense pressure from wildfires, heat domes and flooding, all of which have taken an incredible toll on our farms and farmers.”

Strikingly, in contrast to a mental-health profession that mostly just focuses on “fixing” individuals, the report calls for policy action to deliver:

• Better economic stability for farmers and farm workers;

• More support to help farmers make the transition to sustainable farming practices;

• Expanding the federal goals for agriculture to include food sovereignty;

• Rebuilding rural infrastructure;

• Addressing discrimination and violence in the sector;

• Making more mental-health care available to farmers.

More pressure from above

While the report was in production, the Royal Bank was hard at work on its New Ag Deal, a nine-point plan to make Canada’s corporate food sector more competitive with its international peers. Those competitors “are laying the foundations for formidable climate-smart food supply chains backed by sizeable funding and bold policy measures,” the bank warns. And — you can close your eyes and script the next part by rote — Canadian investments (which is to say, Canadian taxpayer subsidies) are falling behind.

The RBC report, produced with the Arrell Food Institute and Boston Consulting Group, calls for new policies that treat soil as an asset class, methane reductions as a profit opportunity, supply chains as strategic drivers, farm technology and talent as future competitive advantages, and corporate consumers as drivers of market change. And it makes some important points:

• Done right, soil carbon credits can turn regenerative practices that restore the soil and boost productivity into a new revenue stream for farmers who adopt them.

• A database of farm climate practices would be a good step forward.

• Early adopters of low-carbon farming techniques should receive credit for their work and their leadership (though the words “regenerative” and “sustainable” are curiously absent from this recommendation).

• Procurement is indeed a powerful, essential tool to reshape markets and deliver faster, deeper carbon cuts.

But Darrin Qualman, the National Farmers’ Union’s director of climate crisis policy and action, sees a lot to worry about in an analysis that promises big things, with its allusion to transformative policies like the Green New Deal. The problems begin with what he casts as the RBC’s “ominous” language for monetizing soil carbon capture.

“It’s very ill-conceived,” Qualman said. “Soil is a lot of things, but it should probably never be an asset class. It should not be financialized based on market forces or the ability to capture profit.”

And the approach to methane capture relies on biodigesters that have been in development for 40 or 50 years, have seen only limited deployment, are too expensive for most farms to afford (hence, the call for public subsidies), and aren’t as useful for smaller, more distributed operations.

“What the report looks like it’s designed to do is to manage the numbers around emissions so that some of the largest corporations in the chain can make their emissions go away,” enabling mega-operations like Maple Leaf Foods to “tell their investors they’re reducing their emissions to net-zero,” Qualman warned.

All of which does exactly nothing to relieve the day-to-day pressure on farmers.

“That pressure comes from income shortfall, for sure, and it also comes from climate impacts,” he said.

And “the other thing that creates pressure is just this treadmill farmers are on to produce more each year, get bigger and bigger each year, and take on debt.”

Yet, the RBC report “seems to be completely compatible with the increasing size and growth of farm units and exponential growth in farm debt, which is a huge issue that you would think banks might want to deal with.”

RBC offers a ‘New Ag Deal,’ but who is it really for? Read More »

Here is what New Ag Deal report recommends

Brenda O’Farrell
The Advocate

A report released earlier this month that looked at the prospects for Canada’s agricultural sector outlined nine policy initiatives to increase Canada’s food production while reducing the industry’s carbon emissions.

The report, entitled A New Ag Deal: A 9-Point Plan For Climate-Smart Agriculture and produced by the Royal Bank of Canada, the BCG Centre for Canada’s Future and the Arrell Food Institute at the University of Guelph, described this challenge as “Canada’s moonshot,” which would put the country on a trajectory to being a world leader.

Here is an overview of the nine policy recommendations that focus on five area: soil, methane, fertilizers, talent and technology, and consumers.

Soil as an asset class

As thousands of farmers across the country saw the opportunity to increase their revenues by capturing carbon in their land, their enthusiasm about the prospects of the carbon market has waned. As the report states, pilot projects have been unsuccessful and guidelines to access are unclear.

1. Build Standards To Support Carbon Markets

The authors cite measures that say farmland in Canada can sequester between 35 to 38 mega-tonnes of carbon by 2050, an amount equivalent to about 40-45 per cent of the current emissions from  of the oilsands. With a carbon market estimated to be valued at $4 billion by that time, farmers could see their slice of it ranging from tens of thousands of dollars for some operators to more than a $1 million for larger operations. But it all needs to be measured.

To do this, the authors suggest:

  • Create A Climate-Smart Database To Help Farmers

An extensive data pool is the key to measuring the progress of climate practices, the authors state, adding that many soil maps have not been updated since the 1950s.

A government-funded database would provide real-time economic information for producers, experts and decision-makers.

  • Develop A Fair System That Ensures Market Equity

The study stresses that although it is important to incentivize farmers’ future behaviour, farmers who have been the earlier adopters of climate-smart practices should also benefit and be rewarded. Failing to do so could bring unintended consequences.

The study suggests farmers who have been the first to implement regenerative practices that were perhaps not adequately measured could benefit from expanding capital gains exemptions for qualifying farmland. Methods exist to “back cast” to estimate past changes in soil-bound carbon over several years.

Methane as a growth opportunity

Agriculture is responsible for an estimated 31 per cent of the methane emission in Canada, with 86 per cent of that stemming from ruminant animals digestive process and the remaining 14 per cent  from manure. But manure can also be a source of renewable natural gas, the report’s authors claim.

4. Promote Ways To Make Methane Cuts Profitable

Technology and tools to deal with methane exist, the report points out. The focus now needs to shift to how to make the process of mitigating its effects profitable. One way is to “incentivize utilities to purchase renewable natural gas from digesters” and support the construction of digesters.

Fertilizer supply chains as strategic drivers

5. Strengthen Canada’s Domestic Fertilizer Portfolio

Beyond focusing on revenues, farmers need to ensure the supply of fertilizers and agriculture solutions are affordable and accessible.

While Canada is the largest producer of potash, it is dependent on other countries for nitrogen and phosphorus.

Prior to the Russian invasion of Ukraine, Canadian farmers sourced 85 per cent of nitrogen fertilizer from Russia. Tariffs imposed following the outbreak of war has dramatically increased the price of that commodity.

Building in-Canada agricultural value chains by promoting the use of biological products can be one solution. By blending them with traditional fertilizers, they can help build healthier soils.

“Canada is in a unique position to lead in this space,” the report stated, “given the raw resources required to create these solutions are found in rural regions.”

Technology and Talent As Competitive Advantages

The labour shortage on farms extends further than merely needing workers during harvest periods. Farmers need access to experts and advisers. They need to collect data and integrate new technologies.

  • Nurture an innovation-driven ag sector

The report’s authors call for support of tech-savvy Canadian agricultural companies. Research and development dollars for “a thriving carbon market and growth of big data analytics.” It is an area that Canada finds itself falling behind compared with other global peers.

The report claims in 2021, more than US$6.9 billion in venture capital funding went to American ag-tech companies, while only US$270 million found its way to Canadian ag-tech firms.

  • Revive Canada’s knowledge-sharing network

A once active network of agriculture experts associated with universities across the country that in years past provided farmers with guidance and advice has frayed, in many instances, due to a rollback in funding. This same types of networks in the United States, according to the report, have been bolstered.

This is an area where provincial involvement would benefit, where experts can provide on-farm demonstrations to encourage the adoption of new management practices and innovations.

  • Boost investment in post-secondary education

Research shows that Canada’s agricultural sector is on the threshold of its biggest labour and leadership shifts. “Current immigration policies that fast-track skilled farmers and on-farm labourers should continue to expand to meet this challenge,” the report states.

To meet this goal, agricultural colleges and universities should continue creating programs that welcome students from different educational backgrounds and faculties to create programs that increase students’ exposure to agriculture.

These institutions should create carbon management programs and invite students from different faculties “to understand how greenhouse gas emissions are tracked, ways to create corporate objectives to decrease emissions and effective methods to monitor progress.”

In addition, to bridge labour gaps, governments should eliminate barriers to foreign credentials for professionals like veterinarians.

Consumers As Drivers Of Market Change

  • Influence purchasing patterns through procurement:

The federal government must lead by example. That means it should align its procurement policies with climate-smart farming practices to achieve its net zero emission commitments.

Here is what New Ag Deal report recommends Read More »

Feds aimed to help dairy processors and farmers

Andrew McClelland
The Advocate

The Canadian government will pay out $333 million over the next 10 years to dairy processors and producers to offset market losses resulting from international trade deals.

Newly re-appointed federal minister of agriculture Lawrence MacAulay announced late last month the creation of the Dairy Innovation and Investment Fund, a compensation package designed to “help the Canadian dairy sector adapt to new market realities.”

Through the fund, for-profit dairy organizations can apply for financial support for a whole host of activities, from purchasing new equipment to constructing new facilities.

“This fund will help the sector manage the growing surplus of solids non-fat, create more opportunities for dairy processors and farmers, and build a more sustainable dairy sector,” said MacAulay at a press conference held in St. Hyacinthe on Sept. 29.

Canada is facing a growing surplus of “solids non-fat” (SNF), the remaining component once cow’s milk is processed. The fat is removed for use in products like butter and cream. Canada’s limited processing capacity for SNF has meant that dairy processors and farmers are losing out on turning the component into a money-maker.

The new fund will be managed by the Canadian Dairy Commission on behalf of Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada.

“The Canadian Dairy Commission is committed to addressing the challenge of structural surplus of solids non-fat,” said Gaspé-based dairy producer and CDC chair Jennifer Hayes. “By supporting innovation and investments into medium to large-scale projects to add value to SNF, the Dairy Innovation and Investment Fund will help improve the competitiveness and sustainability of the Canadian dairy sector.”

The federal government hopes the injection of $333 million into the dairy industry will help operations take on large-scale projects that will “modernize, replace and/or increase processing capacity for SNF and minimize skim milk that is not marketed.”

“The dairy sector is an integral part of Canada’s economy and rural landscape, supporting strong and vibrant communities across the country,” said Francis Drouin, MacAulay’s parliamentary secretary. “This new fund will drive innovation and increase processing capacity, enabling the sector to stay competitive by maximizing the full value of solids non-fat.”

Trade losses

The launch of the Dairy Innovation and Investment Fund comes hot on the heels of Canada losing a dairy dispute with New Zealand.

Both countries are signees of the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP). Eighteen months ago, New Zealand filed a complaint with the agreement’s arbitration panel claiming that Canada was not allowing access to its dairy exporters. Just last month, the panel ruled in favour of New Zealand.

The fund also builds on the compensation packages announced by then-minister of agriculture Marie-Claire Bibeau in November 2020, intended to support dairy, poultry and egg producers after those supply-managed sectors lost certain protections in the Canada-United States-Mexico Agreement.

“We will always stand up for the supply management system and we have delivered on our commitment to compensate our hard-working producers and processors who have been impacted by recent trade agreements,” said MacAulay last month.

Dairy industry satisfied

Nonetheless, the Dairy Innovation and Investment Fund was welcomed by representatives from Canada’s dairy industry, with the Dairy Farmers of Canada stating that it “is pleased to see the federal government honouring its commitment” to compensate dairy producers after trade agreement losses.

“These investments will not only benefit the dairy industry, but, ultimately, the entire Canadian economy,” said Phil J. Vanderpol of the Dairy Processors Association of Canada.

Applications to the fund are being accepted until Nov. 3, and costs are retroactive to Nov. 17, 2022. Only dairy products made from cow’s milk are eligible at this time.

The program will support eligible costs of capital assets and contracted services, including:

  1. removing and disposing of existing equipment
  2. purchasing, shipping, installing and commissioning of new equipment, software and production lines
  3. installation of new, or expansion of existing, milk reception and milk storage areas as required to meet the objectives of the project
  4. retrofits/renovations of existing facilities related to the installation and operation of eligible equipment
  5. construction of a new facility
  6. training necessary to operate eligible equipment, and
  7. translation of materials related to training on the new equipment

Costs related to the purchase of land or research and development are not eligible.

To apply, visit: https://cdc-ccl.ca/en/dairy-innovation-and-investment-fund-what-program-offers

Cutline: Agriculture and Agri-Food Minister Lawrence MacAulay announced the creation of a fund to inject $333 million into Canada’s dairy production and processing sectors in St. Hyacinthe last month.

Feds aimed to help dairy processors and farmers Read More »

Mint and maple: Nature’s memory medicines

Paul Hetzler
The Advocate

There is good news about treating cognitive decline – and it’s tasty. 

In North America, nearly one in 10 adults over the age of 65 has some form of dementia, including Alzheimer’s, while another 20 or so per cent have mild cognitive impairment. With treatment costs rising and our senior cohort expanding faster than the population at large, dementia is a topic that won’t  get old any time soon.

Though Alzheimer’s disease was first described in 1906, it seems to have been mostly forgotten until the mid-1970s, when real research began. Historically, those with dementia were locked in asylums and subjected to brutal “cures,” like lobotomies and electric shocks, practices that continued through the 1950s. Later, anti-psychotics, like haloperidol, came into vogue for calming aggressive patients ­– until it was found these drugs made dementia worse.

Donepezil and other cholinesterase inhibitors, which tweak brain chemistry to aid memory, came on the scene in the late 1990s. And now, there’s a drug called lecanimab, which was just approved this year, that slows or even prevents the formation of brain plaques thought to cause Alzheimer’s and certain other dementias. 

More than drugs to treat dementia

But treatment goes beyond medication. Proven techniques for mild dementia include what’s known as cognitive stimulation therapy. In a group setting, patients discuss world events, collaborate on novel tasks and play word and math games. For those with advanced brain disease, reminiscence therapy is a one-on-one talk about times past, using beloved objects or favourite songs to help spark memories.

We know smell and recall are closely linked. But until a few years ago, aromatherapy for dementia patients was relegated to non-medical use by family and friends of loved ones, since there was little science to support its value. Fortunately, that has all changed.

The reason smells can evoke deep emotions and rich memories is because other sensory inputs go through the thalamus, a “sorting hat” that routes data for processing elsewhere in our brains. But aromas zip from our olfactory bulb directly to our hippocampus, without passing “GO” or collecting $200. The hippocampus is involved in memory formation, and has been shown to be more strongly connected to smell than to any other sense. Aroma is likely how Santa, who’s hundreds of years old, still keeps track of all those kids and presents. He’s got fragrant evergreen boughs, a tang of reindeer dung and smoky chimneys to jog his memory.

Mice respond well to mint

In a report that came out in April, researchers from the University of Navarra in Pamplona, Spain, detailed how a mere whiff of menthol, an essential oil extracted from mint leaves, improved cognitive function in mice. I’m not sure if we need or want our mice to be any smarter, but that’s what happened to every test animal. However, this is not the most intriguing part of the study.

In addition to normal mice, the research team got their hands on a strain of transgenic mice that were modified to have the kind of brain plaques that cause Alzheimer’s disease in people. These poor mice got dementia quite young. To the researchers’ surprise, brief daily exposure to mint oil for six months was enough to completely halt cognitive decline in mice with Alzheimer’s.

The cool thing about mint is that it’s easy to grow. In fact, the hard part might be keeping it in check. It prefers moist, rich soils, but seems to thrive just about anywhere. Place a fresh mint sprig in water, and it will begin to root in a week or so. Once the roots are fairly well developed, transfer it to a corner of your property where it won’t be a nuisance if it spreads. Dried mint can be kept in glass jars for use in winter.

Essential oils improve brain function

A topically related study at the University of California at Irvine this year took aromatherapy one step further. Published in July, the report states that diffusing trace amounts of essential oils into the air during sleep improved brain function 226 per cent in adults age 60-65. The odorants used in the six-month trial were not specified, but it’s a safe bet mint oil works as well, if not better, than other scents. I’ve already begun doing this at night. I’ll let you know when I feel 226 per-cent smarter.

Study looked at effects of maple syrup

In 2016, scientists from the University of Toronto went public with findings – which they admitted were preliminary – that maple syrup helps prevent Alzheimer’s. Natural phenolic compounds in maple syrup seem to keep tangles and plaques from forming in the brain. It’s only right that this research took place in the maple capital of the world. Since that time, studies in the U.S. continue to affirm the results from the earlier work at the University if Toronto.

Exercise, good sleep habits, a balanced diet and plenty of social interaction will help protect brain function. It’s best to avoid smoking and limit alcohol as well.

Given this new information on the benefits of eating syrup and sniffing menthol, I think we should all add mint ice cream topped with maple syrup to our diets. Just to give our brains a leg up. There’s no sense taking chances.

Mint and maple: Nature’s memory medicines Read More »

Interest rate hikes not slowingupward price pressure on farmland

Price hikes in Quebec outpacing national average

Brenda O’Farrell
The Advocate

Despite higher interest rates, the price of farmland in Canada continued to rise in the first half of 2023, with prices in Quebec outpacing the national average.

In fact, the value of agricultural land in Quebec outpaced all areas of the country except Saskatechewan, according to figures released by Farm Credit Canada in early October.

Prices in Quebec increased by 10.6 per cent from January to June this year, while they jumped 11.4 per cent in Saskatchewan, FCC figures show.

The national average was 7.7 per cent.

Increases were lower in Ontario and Manitoba, where values jumped by 6.9 and 6.4 per cent, respectively.

Limited availability of land is said to be the main factor that continued to push prices higher, according to the FCC, even in a higher interest rate environment.

These latest increase continues the trend of ever-increasing farmland prices across the country. Last year, farmland values in Quebec jumped 11 per cent, slightly below the national average hike of 12.8 per cent.

The value of agricultural land has seen consistent year-over-year increases for the last 37 years, with the most pronounced hikes were recorded from 2011 to 2015.

Larger farmers more likely to buy

A survey of Canadian farmers conducted by RealAgristudies in July showed that 17 per cent of farmers in the country said they had or were intending to buy land in the current year. Some 59 per cent they had no intention of buying land, while 25 per cent said they were undecided.

The survey results also found that younger farmers or those who operated larger farms were the ones more likely to purchase land. According to the results, 44 per cent of the largest farms expressed an intent to buy land, while only 6 per cent of the smallest farm operators said purchases were likely.

RealAgristudies, however, did not disclose how many farmers participated in the survey.

Interest rate hikes not slowingupward price pressure on farmland Read More »

Lack of plan for parking at rail station raising concern

BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1510 West

The threat of paving what some describe as a little piece of paradise to put up a REM parking lot is looming large in Pointe Claire.

As the clock ticks down to the opening of the light rail station by the Fairview Pointe Claire shopping centre and no plan yet in place for West Island commuters to leave their vehicles, concern is growing about where CDPQ-Infra, the contractor behind the rail project, will put a lot.

For Geneviève Lussier, a spokesperson for the grassroots group Save Fairview Forest, the concern is that the parking lot will be located in what is now a wooded area west of the mall, just north of the rail line.

“Can we say we don’t think the parking lot should go there?” Lussier asked the members of Pointe Claire council earlier this month, referring to the forested land.

Going one step further, the greenspace activist whose group recently held its 150th weekly demonstration at the wooded area in an effort to save it from development, encouraged Pointe Claire administrators and elected officials to get involved in the decisions of the parking plan before a solution is announced and imposed.

“If there are discussions going on right now, maybe we should be part of those discussions,” Lussier said, urging the city to inquire where the talks on the parking situation are at.

Previously, CDPQ-Infra has said discussions to come up with a solution to the parking needs for the train station were ongoing with Cadillac Fairview, the owner of the shopping centre. Rather than build a new parking lot, the contractor’s goal had been to use some of the existing spots within the centre’s parking lot for the REM.

But Cadillac Fairview has made it clear the shopping centre’s parking spots are off-limits, and that CDPQ-Infra will need to find another place for commuters to leave their cars before boarding the electric train.

Officials with Cadillac Fairview could not be reached for comment.

“Would it be possible for the citizens and the city to work together and speak to the CPDQ and have a united voice about making sure we don’t pave one of the last green spaces in that area – actually, the only last green space in that area – and keep the parking lot on something that is already paved?” Lussier asked council.

“If there is a way to unite our voices on that, that would be amazing,” she added.

In response, Pointe Claire Mayor Tim Thomas said: “There wouldn’t be any harm in renewing discussion with the CPDQ.”

Thomas admitted, however, that the consortium building the rail line holds authority over the project, including where parking will be located.

“There are a lot of residents who would help you have that greater voice if you wanted it,” Lussier said, explaining how residents in the east end of Montreal had effectively lobbied the rail project managers to take local concerns into consideration when planning facets of the project in that part of the island.

The forest is currently subject to two separate development freezes – one imposed by the city of Pointe Claire and another by the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal. The moratoriums prevent any plan to build on the land to move forward. Shortly after the city imposed its freeze in early 2022, Cadillac Fairview filed a lawsuit against the city. The company is seeking to maintain its right to develop the land.

In 2016, when the REM project was first unveiled, CDPQ-Infra had promised there would be 4,500 parking spots spread across the four stations that make up the 14-kilometre stretch of the West Island line.

That number has since been cut to 900, with 500 spots at the Des Sources station; 200 at the Anse à l’Orme station in Ste. Anne de Bellevue; and 200 at the Kirkland station reserved only for Kirkland residents. A parking plan for the station next to Fairview has not been announced.

Officials at CDPQ-Infra were unavailable to comment.

Lack of plan for parking at rail station raising concern Read More »

Beaconsfield has biggest income gap in W.I.: report

BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1510 West

Of the five biggest de-merged municipalities in the West Island, Beaconsfield has the biggest income gap among its residents, according to a ranking of Canadian municipalities by the Local News Data Hub at Toronto Metropolitan University.

The ranking lists the 418 municipalities across the country with populations of 10,000 or more, focusing on the gap between the highest earning households and the households with the lowest incomes in each town.

Beaconsfield, with a population of 19,040, ranked 17th on the list, placing it among the top towns in the country when measured by the discrepancy between the households that earn the most and those that earn the least within its boundaries.

The other four West Island municipalities in the West Island that made the list were Kirkland, which ranked 40th; Dorval, which ranked 45th; Pointe Claire, which was 64th; and Dollard des Ormeaux, which came in at 75th.

See INCOME GAP, Page 2.

INCOME GAP: Richest households in Beaconsfield make 4.2 times more than poorest

From Page 1

Income inequality has been recognized as a social measure that has a negative impact on health, happiness and community ties and can limit opportunities for financial stability, according to researchers.

According to the data, the most affluent households in Beaconsfield make 4.2 times more than the least well off in the town.

The data shows that median after-tax income of a household in Beaconsfield in 2021 was $110,000. Despite this apparent wealth, a total of 655 people, or roughly 3.4 per cent of the population of 19,040, live in poverty.

In Kirkland, where the median after-tax household income in 2021 was $104,000, the most affluent households make four times more than the poorest households. According to the ranking, 805 people, or roughly 4.2 per cent of the population of 19,240, live in poverty.

In the city of Dorval, where the median after-tax household income in 2021 was $66,000, the most affluent households make 3.6 times more than the poorest households. According to the ranking, 1,165 people, or roughly 6 per cent of the population of 19,115, live in poverty.

In Pointe Claire, where the median after-tax household income in 2021 was $78,000, the most affluent households make 3.5 times more than the poorest households. According to the ranking, 1,380 people, or 4.4 per cent of the population of 31,560, live in poverty.

In Dollard, where the median after-tax household income in 2021 was $82,000, the most affluent households make 3.5 times more than the poorest households. According to the ranking, 2,435 people, or roughly 5 per cent of the population of 47,925, live in poverty.

The data shows that both the towns with the biggest and smallest gaps between rich and poor households were found in Quebec.

Westmount is where the biggest gap exists – with 10 per cent of households earning 10.9 times more than the lowest earning households in 2020. Meanwhile, in St. Amable, a municipality of just more than 13,000 residents north of Beloeil, the most affluent households make 2.6 times more than its least well off.

The Local News Data Hub also pointed to a recent Statistics Canada report that showed the wealthiest 20 per cent of households in Canada controlled two-thirds of the country’s net worth as of early 2023, while the bottom 40 per cent accounted for just 2.7 per cent.

The StatsCan report also noted the wealth gap between rich and poor in Canada widened at the fastest pace on record in the first quarter of this year. Compared with the wealthiest households, lower-income Canadians accumulated more debt, saw their savings shrink and received less investment income.

The Canadian median after-tax household income in 2020 was $73,000, according to the data.

To compare income inequality across Canada, the Local News Data Hub ranked the country’s 418 largest municipalities using Statistics Canada’s 2020 Gini index for adjusted after-tax household income. The Gini index is an internationally recognized tool statisticians use to measure how income is distributed across a society. It takes into account wages, pension income, investment earnings and government payments like social assistance.

Beaconsfield has biggest income gap in W.I.: report Read More »

Beaconsfield residents now will have their say

130-unit housing project part of plan to revamp shopping strip

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

A proposed plan that would transform a small rundown shopping plaza in Beaconsfield into a mixed-use commercial development with a highrise residential component that would include 130 units was given preliminary approval last month. Now, residents will have the opportunity to weigh in whether it should be allowed to move forward.

After Beaconsfield council on Sept. 25 approved what has been called “a first draft” of the proposal to redesign the Elm Plaza on 275 Elm Ave., Mayor Georges Bourelle said the project would better meet the housing needs in the municipality.

Developers are envisioning a mix of commercial and new residential space, which would include 13 townhouses and 117 condo units.

Beaconsfield’s aging population, many of whom are looking to downsized, are looking for condo options, Bourelle told The 1510 West. Though a final draft of the proposed project remains to be seen, a development like this would certainly meet this objective, he added.

But some residents are not as sure, expressing their concerns about the project at the Sept. 25 meeting.

Resident Ike Partington warned that the current proposal would “loom” over the existing neighbourhood and contravene several of the municipality’s bylaws.

The plans “don’t contravene our bylaws by centimetres or millimetres,” Partington said. “They are by whole metres, and some of them are multiple metres.”

To respond to these concerns, the project developers have organized a series of public information sessions to offer details and address questions from residents. The first session was held yesterday, with two more meetings planned for tonight, Oct. 18, and tomorrow, Oct. 19, from 7 to 10 p.m. at the Elm Plaza.

Bourelle added that he hopes the information sessions are used by the developers to “get the feeling, the concerns from the residents of the area, and listen to them carefully.”

“Hopefully (the developers) will make some compromises to (their) final design,” Bourelle said.

A spokesperson for the developers did not respond to a request for comment.

Residents also will have the opportunity to express their opinions about the project during a public consultation meeting with city council on Tuesday, Oct. 24.

Councillor Martin St-Jean voted in favour of approving the first draft of the project, but his support should not be considered an endorsement of what could be the final plan.

His ongoing support for the project will depend on whether residents continue to voice opposition following the consultations, he said.

“The reason why I voted in favour of the first draft being adopted is so that the public can actually get to see what is being proposed,” St-Jean explained. “After the public consultation meeting, the project can be tweaked.”

Cutline: Beaconsfield council last month approved the first draft of a plan to transform Elm Plaza into a housing project with 130 units and commercial outlets on the ground floor. Now, the proposal will be opened to public consulations.

Credit: The 1510 West

Beaconsfield residents now will have their say Read More »

A seat with a view

Parks Canada offers 100+ spots – 19 in Quebec, but only 1 in the West Island

BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1510 West

What is it about a tranquil waterfront view? It makes you stop. Look out. And look some more.

Now, if that view is of a uniquely-Canadian sight and comes with a fall wind and a comfortable Adirondack chair in which to sit while contemplating the surroundings, well, let’s just say that as you huddle your arms together and feel the weather at this time of year, the combination unlocks a moment that is worth your while.

That is what is on offer at 106 locations in Canada, including 19 in Quebec and just one in the West Island. A red Adirondack chair is waiting for you at each of these spots.

The chairs are provided by Parks Canada, which just over a decade ago launched an initiative that was simple in concept, yet grand in scope. It aims to provide Canadians with a comfortable chair to take in a fabulous view. The spots are among the best of the best of the country’s public spaces, providing a glimpse of Canada’s picturesque landscapes that combine iconic rugged beauty with, in some instances, a sense of natural serenity, while in others, a backdrop of historical significance. All you have to do is sit back and take it all in.

The chairs in West Island can be found at the Sainte-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal National Historic Site.

There are actually two sets of chairs at the park, one just off Ste. Anne Street, where pedestrians can access the site. They offer a front-row seat to view the old locks. The other set is at the far end of the concrete pier that is known as Lookout Point at the western tip of Ste. Anne Canal, where the St. Lawrence River’s Lake St. Louis melds into the Ottawa River’s Lake of Two Mountains.

Take in the surroundings

The red chairs near the locks themselves, two identical Adirondacks with wide armrests and comfortable backrests, standout in Canada’s flagship colour. They offer a vantage point that allows you to see the workings of the locks. They also allow you to take in all the comings and goings of people who are drawn to the park. It can be a busy place depending on the weather. Behind you, the spire of the Ste. Anne de Bellevue Catholic Church rises, framing the treed front yard that looks out on the waterway.

The chairs out at Lookout Point offer an entirely different experience, and worth the walk to find them. Set up in the middle of the concrete quay, they offer an expansive view of the rapids, Île Perrot, Île Bellevue and the smaller non-inhabited island in the area. In the distance, vehicles can be seen as they make their way across the Île aux Tourtes Bridge. The view is wide and conjures a sense of isolation, especially as the temperatures at this time of year keep you company.

Look back at history

The Ste. Anne locks are part of network of canals that permit boats to bypass rapids, acting as a gateway to the Ottawa River.

The locks at this site date back to before Confederation. Merchants who would travel from Kingston to Montreal had petitioned the government of Lower Canada to build it to provide save public access to the route that, up until then, had been controlled by private companies that operated a canal off Vaudreuil.

Construction began in 1840, and the locks opened on Nov. 14, 1843, an event that is credited, in part, to enabling the settlement of Upper Canada, what is known today as Ontario.

Accessing the locks was not an easy navigational feat, however. And in 1870, the Canals Commission recommended new locks be built, running parallel to the old locks. These new locks were completed in 1882. At the same time, a channel was dredged in the middle of Lake St. Louis, allowing larger ships to make their way across the waterway.

The use of the second locks at Ste. Anne by commercial ships was healthy up until the first two decades of the 1900s, when the transition to rail transport took hold.

But the Ste. Anne locks continued to function, and today are widely used by reacreational and pleasure boaters who make their way from Lake St. Louis to the Lake of Two Mountains and beyond.

Finding a part of the past

In October of 2020, Parks Canada officials pulled an old lock gate from the waters of Lake St. Louis. The large wooden panel fitted with steel fixtures weighed more than 36 tonnes. It was determined that the gate was one of the emergency doors that had been sunk to the bottom of the waterway to be used in case of needed repairs.

Parks Canada analyzed the large flat panel, opting not to return it to its underwater holding spot nor putting it on display after finding it contained toxic chemicals.

Commemorating site’s significance

The canal was officially recognized as being of national historic significance in 1987. In August of 2007, the federal government unveiled a plaque at the canal site commemorating this designation, recognizing it as an integral part of a network of inland waterways that played a big role in the growth and development of Canada. As Senator Claude Nolin said when the plaque was installed: The canal “played a major role in the transportation of lumber and the transit of immigrants toward the country’s interior during the 19th century.”

So if you have a moment to reflect, head to Ste. Anne, find the chairs, take in the view and cast your mind back to the past.

Cutline: These red Adirondack chairs are waiting for you at the Saint-Anne-de-Bellevue Canal National Historic Site. They provide a beautiful view of the locks near the junction of Lake St. Louis and the Lake of Two Mountains.

A seat with a view Read More »

Double homicide in Beaconsfield is backdrop of latest work from Pointe Claire author

BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1510 West

It happened 10 years ago. The scene of the crime is an address on a quiet cul-de-sac in Beaconsfield. Inside the home, the bodies of a couple in their mid-60s were found. Both had been shot.

That is the setting of the newly released novel, My Brother’s Keeper, by Pointe Claire author Sheila Kindellan-Sheehan, published by Véhicule Press. It is her 12th book, and her 11th work of fiction.

It is Kindellan-Sheehan’s first mystery entirely set in the West Island. It is a story that follows the reopening of a police investigation to find the truth behind the deaths of Stu and Carol Tibbetts, described as an ordinary couple living in a house that some wondered how they could afford. It spins a tale of life in the suburbs that, on the surface, looks typical, but encompasses yet-to-be-discovered truths forged by complicated family ties, sibling relationships and secrets that began to be kept long before a 911 call set a homicide investigation into motion.

As Kindellan-Sheehan sets up the story in the opening chapter: “The tragedy was either a murder/suicide or a premeditated cold-blooded murder, committed by their children, or someone who hated them enough to want them dead.”

And just like life, this fictional tale about death is complicated – and sprinkled with familiar geographic references that all West Islanders will immediately recognize and appreciate.

Kindellan-Sheehan uses her West Island roots to build the story of the Tibbetts family, creating a believable back history that fits into its setting.

Although the story centres around a double homicide, Kindellan-Sheehan is quick to admit that the depth of the tale is what she hopes will resonate with readers.

“You don’t write about crime. You write about people,” the author said in an interview, explaining that crimes are usually committed by ordinary people.

Kindellan-Sheehan enjoyed the process of building the back story of her characters all the while weaving in current references, including a mention of the West Island’s latest news source, The 1510 West.

But it is creating a character’s history “is what makes it interesting,” she said.

“The past is never the past, as Faulkner believed,” Kindellan-Sheehan said, referencing the well-known American novelist. “The past is just what you’re carrying on your shoulders. No one escapes it. It’s just like injuries – when you turn 40, you find out that nothing completely heals.”

A retired teacher who taught at St. Thomas High School in Pointe Claire for many years, Kindellan-Sheehan began writing in 1998 following the death of her husband. Her first book, published in 2003, was a memoir, Sheila’s Take, which became a best-seller. She then turned to fiction, writing 11 mysteries, including five since 2013 featuring the recurring characters of Sûreté du Québec investigators Toni Damiano and Pierre Matte.

“I never wrote for money. I never wrote for acclaim,” she admitted. “Writing was like a companion, and I had the best companion for 22 years.”

Kindellan-Sheehan’s latest novel, My Brother’s Keeper, as well as her earlier books are available at Indigo in Pointe Claire and online, and can be ordered on Amazon.

Cutline: Kindellan-Sheehan marked the official launch of My Brother’s Keeper at the Indigo outlet in Pointe Claire last Saturday.

Credit: The 1510 West

Double homicide in Beaconsfield is backdrop of latest work from Pointe Claire author Read More »

Itchin’ for a kitchen? Local communal kitchen organization comes to Ayer’s Cliff

Cuisines Collectives Memphremagog, an organization that runs communal kitchen sessions all around the Eastern Townships, has opened up a ‘service point’ in Ayer’s Cliff’s community hall in partnership with the local government. At 11 a.m. on Oct. 18, 11 interested residents and organizers gathered for its first session.

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

Cuisines Collectives Memphremagog, an organization that runs communal kitchen sessions all around the Eastern Townships, has opened up a ‘service point’ in Ayer’s Cliff’s community hall in partnership with the local government. At 11 a.m. on Oct. 18, 11 interested residents and organizers gathered for its first session.

“[Cuisines Collectives] has been in business for 30 years,” Jonathan Goulet-Abitan, organizer and animator, explained, “it’s our anniversary this year.” They have decided to expand their services further. The organization has numerous service points, their newest being Ayer’s Cliff’s community hall.

Participants in their activities gather in groups of around two to six in a communal kitchen and prepare food. Everyone pitches in; at the end of the activity everything is split evenly among them. Meal choice is made as a group as well, with help from an animator who can suggest menu options.

Sometimes people have special dietary needs or want to cook something inexpensive, Goulet-Abitan noted. Those with similar tastes are usually put together, he added, like vegetarians with vegetarians.

“It is very economical,” insisted Director Lisane Boisclair, because a fair amount of the food used is provided free of charge. This includes many nonperishable and canned items. Every session, participants, after pooling their resources, leave with an entrée, two main courses and a dessert – with portions enough to feed one’s whole family. “It’s at least $15 worth of food per person,” she said.

Cuisines Collectives has two service points in Magog and many in surrounding municipalities. It has also recently begun working with 16 local schools, primarily on recipe-less meals that focus on “cooking hygiene” and the basics. They are starting in Stanstead at Sunnyside Elementary on Oct. 20.

Anyone can participate and there are many good reasons to, Goulet-Abitan said; for the young it could be budgetary, for the old, to socialize. He says they have done basically every kind of meal you could imagine, and what he loves most is helping people fulfill their culinary dreams.

The Oct. 18 session in Ayer’s Cliff was merely a preliminary meeting to talk with those who are interested and make plans.

While visiting for the story, this reporter was offered a choice of three snacks (two sweet and one salty) and was asked to guess what the “base” of all three were. After a little delightful munching, this reporter guessed “egg”. It was not egg, but tofu!

Itchin’ for a kitchen? Local communal kitchen organization comes to Ayer’s Cliff Read More »

A European Pilgrimage

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

Pilgrimages can be a source for deeply human interactions, says Dr. Jennifer Cianca, Bishop’s University Classics Professor. Cianca recently completed two routes in Spain and France, the latest in a series of pilgrimages spanning 10 years.

“I’ve done a bunch of them,” Cianca said, referring to her penchant for European pilgrimages. The most recent was a return to two separate routes that she has done before, one in 2013 and one in 2019. “I just wanted to revisit them.”

The first route was through the Pyrenees mountains, from France into Spain. The second was through the Cantabrian mountains in Spain’s mid-western region. The routes are not connected; she took a bus in between.

On her pilgrimages, Cianca walks an average of 30 kilometers per day. The distance varies depending on the elevation and difficulty of the day’s path. Along the way she stayed at “albergues”, inns primarily designated for those travelling these venerable routes by foot, bicycle or even horseback.

Upon starting one of these routes, one receives a “little passport”, she explained. Every night one receives stamps proving one has been walking the route, which allows one to sleep over at the next location.

The inns are either run publicly by the church or the local municipality, or privately. All are relatively inexpensive (10-20 euros a night), the public ones even more so. Some church-run inns are by donation only.

Every sixth or seventh day she stays in a private room, “because I’m old,” she said with a chuckle. Normally, the inns are communal with rows of bunks. People snore and it can be hot, she noted.

Since only pilgrims can stay in the inns, it’s a great place to meet and socialize with others doing the same thing. There are often communal dinners, and you can meet people from around the world. “Nobody who is boring decides to go do [this],” she insisted.

Pilgrims are there for different reasons. Some are running away from something, some are retired, some are facing demons, and some just got divorced or lost their job, she explained. Many younger people do it in between years of study. It is one of the least expensive ways you can travel, so it is a very accessible option.

The “Pilgrim Office”, she continued, has already reported 400,000 pilgrims this year as of August. “It’s growing and growing and growing… it’s totally bonkers.” And these are only the ones that walk at least 100 kilometers and report in to get their certificate.

What makes it “really special” is the brief interactions you have with people, she said, but many also form deep, pseudo-familial bonds with each other on their travels. Cianca tends to walk faster than most, and likes to walk alone, so her socializing tends to take the form of brief meals or shared cups of coffee. It is overall a very supportive group, she said, and you get to see a lot of “humanity, when everything is stripped away”.

People tend not to talk much about politics, except for Americans, she joked. English and Spanish are the common languages. Knowing Spanish allows you to talk to the locals. Pilgrims are a large part of these regions’ economies.

Cianca speculates that a still sizable number of pilgrims do it for religious reasons, but many are “post-Christian”. Every town you pass through has a church or fountain of religious or historical significance. Some people stop at all of them, some at none. She always stops at the cathedrals because she loves their architecture.

One of the routes she recently followed has been in existence for over 1,100 years. Along it you can find ruins of hospitals and historical hideouts. Pilgrims were walking it during the times of the Spanish Inquisition and the Crusades. Anyone interested in religion or history can run into something of relevance nearly every day, she insisted.

“The Pyrenees are spectacular,” she said, speaking on the landscapes she hiked through. “They have a lush… green tree-cover that make them really wonderful.” There is a “particular flavour” to how the Basques region is settled. Imagine red and white tiled houses dotted up the hills with lots of terracing surrounded by pastures. The Cantabrian mountains in the west are different, she said. There are some rolling foothills, but also jagged outcrops.

The middle of Spain, on the other hand, is very flat, and famous for making pilgrims “lose their minds”. In the summer, the landscape is brown, the horizon endless.

There are paths over the peaks of the mountains, but the main routes take the easiest way between two points. There are nearly no climbs or dangerous cliffs involved.

On an average day, she would wake up and leave her inn by sunrise. She was slower than most, but her motto is: “Leave last, walk fast.” Usually, you begin near somewhere you can find something to eat, like a coffee and a muffin. If you are not, a guidebook has likely told you to prepare beforehand.

Pilgrims tend to take a break around 11 a.m. and eat something and rest a bit, then continue on for a few hours. Cianca does not tend to stop much if she can help it; she does not like walking on a full stomach. An average day involves six to eight hours of walking for her.

At the end of the day, you do your laundry and hang everything up, then look around for a place for dinner. The public inns normally have a “lights out and silence by 10 p.m.” policy. The doors are locked, and you cannot come back in if you are late. Sometimes, if everyone knows the next day will be hard due to terrain or weather, the upwards of 15 people all sleeping together will agree on a time when everyone will officially awake.

Cianca’s pilgrimages have taken place in May, June, August, and September. June and August can be very hot, while May and September are normally more temperate. This time, she had three days of rain. She has a rain jacket and cover for her pack and keeps walking. The only thing that stops her is lightning, which is uncommon, she said, except in the mountains.

There is nothing much you can run into that will phase a Canadian, she said with a laugh. You can find a lot of Quebecers on the trails, mostly retirees.

She has “whittled down” how much she carries with her in her pack over the years. It is never more than about 12 pounds, minus food and water.

Cianca has walked more than 3,000 kilometers in Spain alone. She feels like she may be done there for a while, maybe forever. “I feel like I’ve got maybe what I have needed.” There are routes in southern Spain that she has not walked, she admitted, so “never say never”. She is looking forward now to other places, such as Iceland next year.

She does not think that there is really any better way to “divest of everything else that is going on in life”. She finds the encounters she has had with people on her travels precious in a way that she has not found anywhere else. “There’s a purity of spirit”; exhausted people meeting vulnerable heart to vulnerable heart.

A European Pilgrimage Read More »

Faster ambulance release urged for Sherbrooke’s Emergency Department

Sherbrooke MNA Christine Labrie questions narrative

By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative

Local healthcare administrators are calling for improvements in the coordination of ambulance services at Sherbrooke’s Emergency Department. Recent discussions between CIUSSS de l’Estrie – CHUS and the Ministry of Health and Social Services (MSSS) concluded that although there’s no need to amplify the number of ambulance services, there is a pressing need for quicker release of ambulances held at emergency centers. Christine Labrie, Sherbrooke MNA, questioned this narrative and the Health Minister recently at a meeting of the National Assembly.

This push for improved efficiency has received support from the Cooperative of Ambulance Workers of Estrie (CTAE), which has already partnered with healthcare facilities to devise potential solutions.

Insights from recent data analysis highlight that:

Ambulances in Sherbrooke have an overall utilization rate of 53.42 per cent, reflecting the time they are occupied with a call.

The availability rate for ambulances to attend to new calls stands at 46.6 per cent.

For high-risk cases, such as potential cardio-respiratory arrests and life-threatening situations, the average ambulance response time is just under 10 minutes. Moreover, in 65 per cent of these high-risk cases, ambulances reach patients in less than eight minutes.

These figures make Sherbrooke an exemplar, said a press release, as its response times are notably quicker than the Quebec average of 12 minutes and 37 seconds.

Residents can access the detailed response times for ambulance services across all municipalities in Quebec via the MSSS dashboard.

However, the health department also underscores the fluidity of situations. Depending on the urgency of a call, priority levels can be reassessed and modified. For instance, a patient might initially be tagged with a lower priority but can be upgraded to a high priority if their health deteriorates, ensuring that they receive timely medical assistance.

Labrie questions narrative

“Last Sunday, for three hours, there was no ambulance service for the entire territory of Sherbrooke,” Labrie stated during a recent question period at the National Assembly. This morning, she went on, “someone in immediate risk of mortality had to wait for 58 minutes for an ambulance to arrive. This is not a unique occasion and paramedics have been saying for years that Sherbrooke is lacking ambulances. Yet, the Minister of Health has denied the addition of one more ambulance to Sherbrooke’s fleet.” Referring to the CHUS’ assertion that the problem was a question of efficiency, Labrie questioned whether “faster ambulance release” was really the substantive issue and asked the Health Minister again for another ambulance to serve the Sherbrooke area.

Health Minister Christian Dubé responded by saying certain facts needed to be re-established regarding the Estrie region. First, he continued, Estrie’s residents are very well served. The average wait time for an urgent ambulance call is nine minutes. Second, he said, Estrie was given $4.5 million last year towards their ambulance services.

Labrie replied that some locations, like East Angus, are 23 kilometers away and are certainly not well served.

Dubé explained that they are closely following the recommendations of a recent report and will come out with clear new proposals, in the next few weeks, to improve ambulance services across Quebec, including the Sherbrooke region. One must focus on the general picture, he concluded.

Exceptional cases can cost people’s lives, Labrie responded, and asked yet again why the Health Minister wouldn’t agree to give Sherbrooke another ambulance.

“Unfortunately, there are exceptions,” said Dubé, but he believes the government’s commitment to the Sherbrooke region is clear from what he had already mentioned.

Faster ambulance release urged for Sherbrooke’s Emergency Department Read More »

Kirkland building boom will see all sectors expand – industrial, commercial, residential

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 Report

It is projected that the population of Kirkland will grow by as much as a third in the next 10 years, but the town’s expansion will not be limited to the residential sector. It’s industrial and commercial base is going to get bigger, too. And signs of that building boom can already be seen on the north side of Highway 40, where the steel frames of two massive industrial buildings are taking shape.

In fact, there will be three new structures in the industrial campus north of the highway just west of St. Charles Blvd., a strip that encompasses 1.3 million square feet, when the buildings are completed

The project represents a $300-million investment by the Rosefellow real estate management and development firm which owns the land.

“One reason for the large investment is because all three buildings will be carbon neutral,” said Kirkland director general Joe Sanalitro.

“This is very important to the town in order to reach our objectives in terms of sustainable development. There are not too many buildings like this right now on the Island of Montreal,” Sanalitro added.

“The land, which is zoned industrial, was expropriated by the city 12 years ago for $25 million and we sold it for $70 million. There was a welcome tax of over $1.6 million,” said Mayor Michel Gibson.

The city is not yet sure how much tax revenue will be generated after the construction phase is completed.

The first building will be completed by the end of this year and the other two by spring 2024. The tenants of the new buildings have not yet been publicly announced. More than 800 trees will be planted on the site.

New commercial operations, too

The city’s commitment to sustainable development is also what prompted electric carmaker Tesla to locate in a 90,000-square-foot dealership along the Highway 40 service road east of St. Charles Blvd.

“They wanted to set up shop in Kirkland because of the services we give our residents and to the commercial sector as well,” Sanalitro said. “We’re happy to have them because their mission lines up with our sustainability plan as well.”

It took almost three years of discussions between the city, Tesla and the Broccolini Group, which developed and manages the property, to realize the project.

“They did a great job on the site itself. We had some high standards in terms of architecture and they were willing to follow those standards,” Sanalitro said. “And we’re happy with the result.”

Another major project currently under way is the expansion of the Canadian Tire retail outlet on Highway 40 west of St. Charles Blvd., which is building an extension to its existing building that will add about a third more space to the retail outlet.

“It’s a big project. They’re modernizing the whole store,” Sanalitro explained. “The expansion is mostly on the west side of the structure where they had the outdoor nursery.”

He added the city council is very selective with the development projects that are authorized in Kirkland.

“We really strive hard to keep the quality of life for the residents versus development,” Sanalitro said. “There’s always aspects that are considered by council, the impact on quality of life but also the balance between development and the quality of development.”

In the next decade, the population of Kirkland, which now stands at about just over 19,000 is expected to reach about 30,000, with the jump in the number of residents coinciding with the opening of the REM light rail service, mitigating the demand a growing population will put on the region’s road network.

There are currently three residential projects in the works in Kirkland, including the Lacey Green Village development. This project – which stretches from the border with Pointe Claire westward, between Brunswick Blvd. and the Highway 40 service road – includes 47 single-family homes, 110 townhouses and up to 900 condo units in a string of buildings that could be as high as 12 storeys. Another 800 units will be found in four buildings slated to go up near Ste. Marie Road, and another development with an as of yet undetermined number of units will be built on the site of the RioCan Centre near the Kirkland cinema.

Cutline: The steel frame of new industrial building can be seen taking shape north of Highway 40, west of St. Charles.

Credit: The 1510 West

Kirkland building boom will see all sectors expand – industrial, commercial, residential Read More »

Pontiac Tourism teams up with Calumet Media to elevate online presence

Tashi Farmilo
Local Journalism Initiative

MRC Pontiac – In an era dominated by digital interactions, cultivating a robust online identity is critical, particularly for entities dedicated to promoting tourism, such as the Pontiac Tourism Association (ATP). A recent collaboration with Calumet Media, through funding from the MRC, aims to tap into the agency’s content creation and digital marketing, ultimately heightening the visibility of the Pontiac region on Google’s search engine to attract more visitors.

“Long before packing their bags or buying a plane ticket, tourists nowadays start their research about potential destinations online. This makes it important for organizations like ATP to not only have a robust, comprehensive website that exemplifies the region but to also make it highly discoverable through search engines like Google and Bing,” said Jon Stewart, owner of Calumet Media.

By optimizing their website content with pertinent keywords and search phrases (Search Engine Optimization or SEO), the Association plans to increase their search rankings, steer more traffic to their platform, and attract more potential tourists.

According to Stewart, “As a non-profit organization, the ATP’s mandate is to promote local businesses within the tourism and hospitality industry; this project is designed to increase the number of tourists visiting the Pontiac through improved visibility and better story-telling. These tourists spend money through purchases for accommodation, food, and entertainment which are a vital part of the economy of the region.”

With the improvements planned for the ATP website, www.explorepontiac.ca, there is also the possibility of off-setting the cost of online ad placements for members through a Google Ad Grant, which encourages non-profit associations. For example, if ads from members meet certain criteria and rank highly when generic searches are used (examples:  accommodation, adventure, hunting and fishing etc) the cost will be covered by the Google Ad Grant.  This grant has a potential of generating as much as $10,000 in free online advertising per month for ATP members.

Stewart explained that the ATP has used the grant with some success in the past, but hopes to increase the benefit for members with the planned improvements to the website, creating an immersive and informative experience to highlight the many attractions and rich culture that Pontiac has to offer.

Pontiac Tourism teams up with Calumet Media to elevate online presence Read More »

MRC Pontiac meets local farmers about agri-food processing project

Peter L. Smith
Local Journalism Initiative

MRC Pontiac – The MRC Pontiac Economic Development Department hosted three information sessions focused on the feasibility of an agri-food processing project. The September meetings were held in Shawville, Campbell’s Bay, and L’Isle-aux-Allumettes. They were chaired by Assistant Director of Economic Development David Cyr, who explained the proposed project.

Cyr told attending farmers the Agri-Saveur Pontiac project would complement the Abbatoir Pontiac facility in Shawville. “Processing is what is missing in agriculture,” he noted, asking: “Where can producers go if they wish to further develop their agricultural related products?” He gave the example of beef producers who may wish to have their product made into pepperettes or jerky. This type of facility would assist the producer to make the transformation and help with marketing, if needed. The facility would also assist produce growers in using their produce to develop sauces or other related products. The facility would include a commercial kitchen where clients could rent workspace for their projects. It would be open to the public, including Ontario producers, but with priority booking given to Pontiac residents.

The Economic Development Department is in discussion with the Pontiac Agricultural Society to establish the facility on the Shawville Fairgrounds. At the conclusion of each meeting, producers were asked to complete a survey regarding the project feasibility with questions about their food industry tenure, commercial kitchen usage, main distribution channels used to sell their products, and benefits expected as a member of Agri-Saveur Pontiac. 37 producers completed the survey.

The Economic Development Department is currently working to formalize a business and marketing plan. The projected cost of the project is over $2 million.

MRC Assistant Director for Economic Development David Cyr presents the Agri-Saveur Pontiac
project to L’Isle-aux-Allumettes farmers.

MRC Pontiac meets local farmers about agri-food processing project Read More »

Québec Solidaire introduces bill to combat agricultural land grabbing

Tashi Farmilo
Local Journalism Initiative

Alejandra Zaga Mendez, MNA for Verdun and head of Québec Solidaire in matters related to agriculture, recently put forth a groundbreaking bill in the National Assembly. It aims to combat the growing problem of agricultural land grabbing and simultaneously offer protection to the next generation of Quebec farmers.

In a recent interview with François Carrier of CHIP FM, Zaga Mendez expressed deep concern over diminishing agricultural land in Quebec. “Agricultural land is becoming increasingly rare. It constitutes just 2% of our territory. We’re witnessing increased pressure on our farmers from skyrocketing land prices to zoning modifications that facilitate urban sprawl,” she explained.

She further highlighted an alarming trend: “Recently, we’ve seen agricultural lands purchased by investment funds, pension funds, and other speculative entities. This not only deprives young farmers of available land, but also drives up prices, making it harder for them to acquire or expand their farms.”

Drawing attention to the detrimental effects of climate change, Zaga Mendez emphasized its direct correlation with protecting agricultural zones. “With more extreme weather events, safeguarding our farmland has never been more crucial. These areas are essential for feeding Quebec’s population, and their protection is fundamental for our food autonomy in the future.”

The proposed bill is two-pronged: it seeks to ban private investment funds from acquiring agricultural land and also mandates the Commission for the Protection of Agricultural Land of Quebec (CPTAQ) to maintain a comprehensive record of all acquisitions in farming areas.

“We hope to bolster the role of the CPTAQ. They should be equipped with the necessary resources to oversee acquisitions effectively and understand the dynamics of price fluctuations in various regions,” concluded Zaga Mendez, acknowledging the challenges faced by the Commission.

Québec Solidaire introduces bill to combat agricultural land grabbing Read More »

Farming 2023: a mix of success and concerns

Tashi Farmilo
Local Journalism Initiative

With challenges from climate change to high interest rates, three Pontiac farmers shared a mix of success stories and concerns as they evaluate this year’s season.

Scott Judd is co-owner of Glad Crest Farms and Little Red Wagon Winery in Shawville. Judd said his operations have never been better with cooperative weather giving an early start, a good amount of heat, and timely rains which produced great crops. He noted the price of feed went up, but it balanced out as the price of the grain they sell also increased.

However, Judd isn’t without concerns; purchasing more land is very expensive, and the need for efficiency and vigilance about minimizing spoilage or “shrink”.

Denise Fitzpatrick of L’Isle-aux-Allumettes has a dairy farm, beef cattle and cash crops. She emphasized the unpredictable weather this year influenced the maturity of the grains. She found hay production difficult.

One of Fitzpatrick’s major concerns is inflation; everything has increased in price. She also noted new farmers will experience these higher costs which may make starting from scratch nearly impossible unless one is exceptionally resourceful.

Lucas Kaiser, owner of Wendelin Farm, raises beef cattle in L’Isle-aux-Allumettes. He spoke of the difficulties of starting a farm in the modern age: initial investments can be prohibitively expensive and the shift towards larger farming operations means small-scale farmers face more challenges. For Kaiser, managing costs is paramount.

Despite the challenges, these farmers remain committed to their trade. Each emphasizes the importance of adaptation, efficiency, and innovative thinking in navigating the dynamic landscape of modern agriculture.

Farming 2023: a mix of success and concerns Read More »

FQM congress: Municipalities meet in Quebec City

Bonnie James
Local Journalism Initiative

More than 30 delegates from the Pontiac attended the 81st annual congress of the Fédération québécoise des municipalities (FQM) in Quebec City September 28 – 30. Representatives from the MRC Pontiac included mayors, director generals, and councillors.

The event brings together municipal representatives from across the province to discuss, share, and debate current issues impacting the day-to-day management of communities. Policy workshops led to the FQM’s adoption of seven resolutions concerning climate change, emergency measures, forestry, housing, protected areas, and ethics and accountability.

Premier François Legault spoke at the event, reaffirming the CAQ government’s commitment to complete cellular network coverage, province-wide, by the end of his term in 2026. He also reiterated the province’s commitment to invest $470 M in the vitality of village centers and the Regions and Rurality Fund (FRR).

Much of the conference was dedicated to climate change adaption plans. MRC Pontiac Warden Jane Toller — who attended sessions on waste management, the environment and forestry — said the plans are focused on reducing carbon footprints and greenhouse gases through a multi-angled approach that includes planting trees and transitioning to electric vehicles.

The waste management session focused on composting. Grants are available for municipalities to provide residents with home composting bins at no cost, something the MRC Pontiac ’s waste management committee will consider in their planning.

A need for decentralizing management was stressed in the forestry session with a call for the autonomy of local and regional industry. Community forests were also discussed, with Toller noting a keen desire for creating one in the Pontiac. She spoke of the benefits of these forests, including wood supply for small mills and recreation opportunities. There was lengthy discourse surrounding the impact of this year’s forest fires, with an emphasis on the need for more planes and support for the Société de protection des forêts contre le feu (SOPFEU).

Toller said negotiations for the renewal of the fiscal pact between the provincial government and municipalities was the agenda item that will have the greatest impact on the Pontiac. “As a spokesperson for the regions, the Federation reiterated it will not accept any setback regarding the renewal of the fiscal pact and wants to preserve all the achievements and above all the payment to municipalities of the value of the growth of one QST point,” said Jacques Demers, president of the FQM, mayor of Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley and warden of the MRC of Memphrémagog.

FQM congress: Municipalities meet in Quebec City Read More »

Pontiac daycare development in limbo amidst government backtrack

Tashi Farmilo
Local Journalism Initiative

Pontiac’s planned daycare development faces uncertainty, with recent government changes putting it in jeopardy.

In an interview with CHIP FM, Pontiac MNA André Fortin voiced apprehensions about the halt of the much-awaited daycare initiative. In March 2022, the government greenlighted additional daycare spaces for the CPE 123 Picabou, which involved buying a prefab home for a new land parcel.

However, the execution didn’t go smoothly. The government’s tendering process stumbled, with two attempts returning bids surpassing their estimates. Consequently, the project was shelved, leaving families, including critical workforce members like nurses and teachers, grappling with limited daycare alternatives.

“This leaves Pontiac facing a daycare space crunch for the foreseeable future, causing many, including healthcare professionals, to defer their job return. This issue extends to other regions too, affecting 43 daycare centers. The Liberal Party has consistently sought answers from the CAQ government, both in the Assembly and media. Yet, the future remains uncertain,” said Fortin.

Fortin highlighted the government’s oversight of depending exclusively on this single venture to fulfill daycare needs. As Pontiac was hinging on this project, it couldn’t participate in other potential projects. The conversation also threw light on the government’s favoritism of the CPE model, a broad-spectrum facility, sidelining home-based solutions. Though renowned for its consistent and top-tier care, the current challenges reflect its vulnerabilities.

“The project’s delay has disregarded other viable opportunities,” stated Fortin. “While awaiting these tenders, the government misjudged the region’s requirements. Their analysis, focusing on the 60 spots, deemed Pontiac well-equipped in daycare provisions, unintentionally barring us from other projects that could have bridged the current gap,” he added.

Carole St-Arnaud, director general of CPE 1-2-3 Picabou, explained their daycare facilities. They have various subsidized spaces across different venues and have secured land in Shawville for the 60-place facility, with 10 spots designated for infants. However, staffing remains a hurdle and they rely heavily on on-call substitute personnel.

In response, Catherine Pelletier, communications agent for the Cabinet de la ministre de la Famille, underscored the CAQ’s dedication to the early childhood network since 2021. Pointing to their numerous initiatives and progress in new space creation, she advised reaching out directly to the Ministry for specifics.

Fortin remains steadfast, stating he will prioritize the issue in the next Quebec City session.

Pontiac daycare development in limbo amidst government backtrack Read More »

Military veteran biographical booklet launching at The Hut

ANAF Unit 318 (The Hut), in Lennoxville, will be hosting the launch of a booklet volume of military veteran biographies Oct. 19. Heather Keith, member of the Genealogical Society of Sherbrooke that had the booklet commissioned, and translator, will emcee the event.

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

ANAF Unit 318 (The Hut), in Lennoxville, will be hosting the launch of a booklet volume of military veteran biographies Oct. 19. Heather Keith, member of the Genealogical Society of Sherbrooke that had the booklet commissioned, and translator, will emcee the event.

“The Genealogical Society here in Sherbrooke,” Keith explained, “published a bunch of volumes called ‘Hommages à Nos Militaires’.” The three volumes include genealogical and biographical information on local soldiers and were initially available only in French.

When Keith joined the Society, they wanted to translate all their material into English, but she suggested they start with these volumes first, since they were on the soldiers they knew were English and from Sherbrooke. They decided to put out self-published booklets that include 15-20 biographies each, with coloured pictures, and distribute them amongst the local small museums and historic sites. The booklets will cost $15 each. Keith did the translations herself.

The launch of the first volume will take place at The Hut Oct. 19, at 7p.m. Many have been invited, including local 103-year-old veteran Ralph Benson and numerous Lennoxville military members. They expect 150 to attend.

Keith enjoyed learning about the military while translating and is proud to emcee this event. We are nearing Remembrance Day, she said, and people should know more about their military and its history.

Military veteran biographical booklet launching at The Hut Read More »

The MRC of Avignon West launches a reflection process

MATAPÉDIA – Following in the footsteps of the eastern sector, the western part of the Avignon MRC has initiated discussions regarding the establishment of an intermunicipal fire protection board.

Presently, the municipalities of Pointe-à-la-Croix, Matapédia, and the Plateaux sector already share the same service manager.

“The municipalities to the west of Pointe-à-la-Croix have met in recent weeks with a similar objective to that of the east,” says Nicole Lagacé, the mayor of Matapedia.

“For the fire chief, it’s four different budgets and four different accountability reports. We could amalgamate all that into a single budget for all the municipalities concerned,” says the mayor.

A study has been commissioned from Icarium, which had already conducted a study in the Avignon MRC.

“Right now, the work is done, and people’s safety is well established. However, I think we need to go beyond the status quo to improve our service. That would benefit everyone,” says Ms. Lagacé.

Each municipality with a fire station has committed, by resolution, to continue the analysis.

It’s hard to believe that any amalgamation would happen quickly.

“Obviously, it would have been easier to do it at the beginning of the year. At this point, it may be a little too late. We’ll see how we can pursue this, but the objective is to do it as quickly as possible,” she says.

“If it’s more efficient to implement it by January 1, it will be in 2025 but, in 2024, there is a likelihood that major decisions will have to be made,” she adds.

The MRC of Avignon West launches a reflection process Read More »

Sharp rise in unemployment rate in September

The loss of 3,300 jobs has caused the unemployment rate to rise by 2.1% in September, reaching 6.8%.

GASPÉ – The loss of 3,300 jobs has caused the unemployment rate to rise by 2.1% in September, reaching 6.8%.

According to Statistics Canada, the losses occurred, both among full-time and part-time employees, as well as due to more than 2,600 people leaving the active job search in the last month.

A total of 2,800 full-time positions were eliminated from the job market last month.

At 32,800, the figure remains higher than the 29,500 people at the same time last year. However, the number of part-time positions decreased both in the last month and compared to last year.

There were 4,500 part-time positions in September, compared with 5,000 in August and 5,600 in September 2022.

The number of unemployed individuals increased from 2,000 in August to 2,700 in September.

There were 2,600 unemployed individuals a year ago.

Taking into account that the labour force, i.e., individuals employed or actively seeking employment, decreased from 42,600 in August to 40,000 in September, the unemployment rate climbed from 4.7% in August to 6.8% in September compared to 6.9% a year ago.

Sharp rise in unemployment rate in September Read More »

FIRE SAFETY: Escuminac, Nouvelle, Carleton-sur-Mer and Maria have come to an agreement

An intermunicipal fire protection agreement is about to be concluded between four municipalities in the eastern part of the MRC Avignon.

CARLETON-SUR-MER – An intermunicipal fire protection agreement is about to be concluded between four municipalities in the eastern part of the MRC Avignon.

In October, Escuminac, Nouvelle, Carleton-sur-Mer and Maria will adopt resolutions formalizing an intermunicipal agreement to consolidate their fire safety services.

Carleton-sur-Mer will assume management of the service as of January 1.

“Our aim is to optimize our services, improve our practices and be more attractive for recruiting and retaining firefighters. We are very pleased with this progressive step, which will enable us to provide an enhanced service throughout the territory,” explains Mathieu Lapointe, mayor of Carleton-sur-Mer.

A service director will be hired, prevention will be transferred from the MRC to the régie intermunicipal administrative body, and a full-time training officer will work within the organization to improve practices.

“We will benefit from the combined expertise that will be added to the team,” says the mayor.

The four municipalities will consolidate their fire safety budgets, and participation will be slightly increased. “But, above all, there will be a huge increase in the service offered. We’re getting up to speed. We had some challenges in terms of upgrading prevention, among other things. We had a lot of work to do to improve our practices. By consolidating our budgets, we will be more efficient,” notes Mr. Lapointe.

Among the benefits highlighted are the reduced duplication of administrative structures, standardized working conditions for the 60 firefighters, maximized resources available throughout the territory during the day, and standardized prevention and service operations.

An advisory committee has been established to oversee the service.

The municipalities will retain responsibility for their fire stations and rolling stock, while the rest of the equipment will be pooled within the integrated service.

The new authority is also seeking funding from the Quebec government, which encourages such collaborations.

“The Department of Municipal Affairs has programs for service pooling. We are aiming to secure up to $250,000, which will assist us during the first five years of this new integrated service,” suggests the mayor.

The initiative commenced eight months ago following a fire safety study that recommended the creation of two units within the MRC.

FIRE SAFETY: Escuminac, Nouvelle, Carleton-sur-Mer and Maria have come to an agreement Read More »

Third mobilization for employment insurance reform

The mobilization continues to demand an overhaul of employment insurance, as another demonstration took place on October 11 in front of the Marinard plant and in the streets of Rivière-au-Renard.

RIVIÈRE-AU-RENARD – The mobilization continues to demand an overhaul of employment insurance, as another demonstration took place on October 11 in front of the Marinard plant and in the streets of Rivière-au-Renard.

This marks the third event since the forced layoffs of plant workers on September 1 due to the lack of marine products, essentially shrimp, to process.

About forty individuals gathered to urge a comprehensive revision of the system to avoid a seasonal black hole at the end of the benefit period.

“We sent a letter asking for a meeting with Randy Boissonnault (Minister responsible for Employment Insurance). We thought he would have responded to us. He seemed to want to meet with us, however, it hasn’t happened,” explains the coordinator of the Mouvement action chômage Pabok, Nadia Mongeon.

“We can see that if he had wanted to make a reform now, he would have told us, ‘Let’s meet, and I’ll tell you what’s going on.’ We get the impression that he’s always stalling,” adds Ms. Mongeon.

No indication has been given that a reform will be tabled, despite the promise to move forward in 2023.

“It’s at a standstill. Nothing is happening,” deplores the coordinator.

“We’re hoping that, by taking action at some point, they’ll take action with results. But for the time being, we’re not hearing anything,” she adds.

Respecting seasonal workers in Eastern Canada remains the central element of the future reform.

The demands include qualifying with 420 hours, for 35 weeks of benefits, benefits calculated based on 70% of the salary, and considering work in seasonal industries.

Meanwhile, approximately 30 Marinard workers who could not qualify for employment insurance when operations were suspended on September 1 still have no help.

“There are no plans or opportunities to help these workers in the short term,” says Dave Coulombe, Treasurer of the CSN Gaspésie-Îles-de-la-Madeleine Central Council, who met on October 10 with Fisheries and Oceans Minister Minister, Diane Lebouthillier, to assess the situation following what is now referred to as the shrimp crisis.

“We’re going to keep up the pressure and demand that the government help us reform employment insurance,” says Mr. Coulombe.

Luce Jean, president of the CSN-affiliated Marinard employees’ union, points out that several dozen people have been unemployed since September 1.

“Around thirty workers have been unable to qualify for unemployment benefits. We’ve had all sorts of promises since September 1. The federal government told us it would help us, also the provincial government, but in practice we’ve got nothing. We’ve been waiting 41 days for the results of these promises and we’ve got nothing. Forty-one days without pay is a long time,” explains Ms. Jean.

Nothing is currently planned in the event of a moratorium on shrimp fishing.

“She told us that when she has answers, she will speak publicly to inform us. There is no program in place at the moment, nothing on the table, nothing at all,” continues Mr. Coulombe.

“We heard Ms. Lebouthillier say ‘no’ to these workers. That’s why we’re continuing to exert pressure,” stresses Ms. Mongeon.

Third mobilization for employment insurance reform Read More »

Cathy Poirier is confident about the future of the Percé Geoparc

The mayor of Percé remains confident about the future of the Geoparc, which experienced a major financial crisis in 2022. According to Cathy Poirier, 2023 has been much better.

PERCÉ – The mayor of Percé remains confident about the future of the Geoparc, which experienced a major financial crisis in 2022. According to Cathy Poirier, 2023 has been much better.

The mayor, who has been involved since the beginning and who has chaired the organization, did not want this situation to arise.

“I think financial difficulties happen to a lot of organizations. Interest rates make a huge difference on a $2 million loan. That’s just one factor among many. I think we’ve come to a reflection to improve the situation,” comments the mayor.

The organization is seeking a general manager who specializes in restructuring after recording a deficit of $350,000 in 2022.

“The Geoparc had a very good season, with very good visitor numbers. We had a general manager who did a very good job of restructuring. No one thinks that the future of the Geoparc is in jeopardy,” the mayor continues.

The pandemic years were busy, but on the other hand prevented any development.

“The Board of Directors is very committed and very present, with a new chairman, Daniel Leboeuf. This is excellent news for Percé. He was involved in the initial discussions and in the birth of the Geoparc. Now that he’s retired, he has all the time in the world to devote to the Geoparc,” says the elected official.

The organization aims to find stability in the general management after several people have occupied the position since 2020.

Finding the right fit is difficult in the current labour shortage.

Rue du Piedmont

Work will finally begin on Rue du Piedmont, which will connect Route 132 and the Geoparc.

The first phase involves building the water and sewer infrastructure for a project that the mayor did not have in her plans when she took office in 2017.

In 2016, the population rejected a $2 million project proposed by the former administration in a referendum.

“We worked on an eco-responsible project, which changed the game for developing the commercial street and a different way of subdividing the land and financing the project. We embraced this project,” explains Ms. Poirier.

“It took a while with the Ministry of Culture, the subdivision and the pandemic. The processing of the file slowed down during this period. The subdivision is finished, and we don’t want to go ahead with a global project. We want to phase it,” continues the mayor.

The start of the work will allow the sale of four of the six remaining plots still available.

“There are still plenty of people interested. People are asking around. We’re very confident that the sale of the four plots will enable the second phase to get underway,” explains the mayor.

Meanwhile, the recipe for making asphalt from recycled plastic has been found.

“The studies have been conclusive. An initial trial will be carried out in the autumn to conduct laboratory tests,” she says.

A good tourist summer

Contrary to previews, the summer of 2023 was better than expected, while elsewhere, a certain slowdown has been noticed or a decline was expected after three intense years.

Without having any concrete figures, the trend looks good.

“The Sépaq (Société des établissements de plein air du Québec) indicated that it is equal to or better than 2022. That’s what the tourism industry seems to be telling us. A very, very good season. Maybe a little less extreme traffic in the middle of the summer season, but an earlier start and a season that’s not over yet. What we’re hearing is that the season will be equal to or better than 2022,” says the mayor.

Seeing the tourist season extend is perceived as excellent news.

“It’s a trend we’ve been working on for a long time. When the Geoparc opened in 2016, the plan was that we should stay open all winter to attract new investors. As well as those that are very seasonal, we’re seeing more and more businesses open all year round,” suggests the mayor.

Cathy Poirier is confident about the future of the Percé Geoparc Read More »

Four new free public Wi-Fi zones available in Vieux-Gatineau.

Djeneba Dosso

On Tuesday October 10, AGAP announced the launch of their new project Zone d’accès public

du Vieux-Gatineau during a press conference held at their office at 330, rue Notre Dame. The

business association’s president Daniel Baril described the project as an initiative that will aid the

dynamization and development of the neighbourhood’s atmospheric streets.

“After several months of discussion, consultation, preparation, identification of partners and

mapped designs, we are delighted to launch Vieux-Gatineau’s new public access zone, aptly

named ZAPVG; a collective project costing $79,600,” he added.

The four designated zones will encompass the commercial portions of Main and Notre-Dame

streets, Notre-Dame Place et Lavictoire park. Each zone will benefit from free public Wi-Fi to

encourage citizens to participate in the appropriation of public space, encourage active travel on

foot or by bike and optimize the discovery of urban revitalization circuits.

In order to maximize the use of the new service, ZAPVG put a strong emphasis on making the

access to public Wi-Fi simple for all.

“To access the Wi-Fi zone, people have to come to our streets or the park,” explained AGAP’s

director Pauline Bouchard. “To connect, they have to spot the little ZAPVG mascot, either as a

sticker, poster or large sign in shop windows, [after that] all they have to do is scan the QR code

on ZAP’s belly, and the connection is automatic.”​Posters and stickers will be placed on shop windows to support local shops and services while

attracting new businesses to the area. The idea is to transform Main and Notre-Dame street’s

commercial sectors into mall shopping centres but in the open air as part of ZAPVG’s

deployment of four season programming.

This initiative is the first phase of ZAPVG’s three-year plan, scheduled to be carried out from

October 2023 to October 2026 to revitalize Vieux-Gatineau’s business and commerce sector.

Honorary Chairman, Mathieu Lévesque believes this first phase “will promote greater

accessibility and is essential for inclusion.”

“Digital technologies are part of our daily lives and the arrival of Vieux-Gatineau in the area of

public connectivity represents an essential service to the commercial vitality of the area,” he said.

“For the local population, the installation of free public Wi-Fi terminals will enable wider access

to online services and activities. For shops and businesses in the area, it’s an effective way of

attracting and retaining customers.”

Lévesque confirmed an injection of $16,500 into the project. The City of Gatineau’s contribution

is $44,577 as part of their COVID-Dynamization Fund. Other private and public partners include

Éric Mathieu of l’Imprimerie Grégoire, co-owner of the commercial building on 395 Main St.

Patrice Poulin, Yannick Dompierre of RPGL Avocats, Caroline Massé of Centre depédiatrie

sociale de Gatineau, Jacques de Bellefeuille of l’Amicale des personnes handicapées physiques ​de l’Outaouais, and Gérald Émery from l’Église de la Nouvelle-Alliance.

With notes from Mary Baskin, Marie-Eve Turpin and Lily Ryan.

Photo cap:

Photo #1: On Tuesday October 10 th , AGAP held a press conference to announce the launch of

their new project ZAPVG. Giving access to and pouring resources into public zones in four key

areas of Vieux-Gatineau, phase one of the three-year plan will consist of the installation of free

public Wi-Fi in each zone. As pictured, AGAP’s president, director, partners and Honourary

Chairman were all in attendance to reveal the project. (DD) Photo: Djeneba Dosso

Four new free public Wi-Fi zones available in Vieux-Gatineau. Read More »

Alberta seeks pension plan like the one Quebec fought hard to get

Peter Black

Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Peterblack@qctonline.com

Alberta Premier Danielle Smith wants her province to have its own pension plan. To do that, she wants to separate out Alberta’s share of the Canada Pension Plan and create the province’s own plan, just like Quebec has.

Without going into the disputed details of Smith’s proposal, based on a study she commissioned, it’s clearly an explosive issue with serious national implications.

Whatever dangers the Alberta plan may pose for national unity, though, they pale next to the high stakes of Quebec’s bid 60 years ago to have its own independently managed plan, separate from the national scheme Ottawa was proposing.

The showdown was so risky and fraught with political tension that Liberal then-prime minister Lester Pearson said in retrospect, “That issue could have broken up our country. If Quebec had gone ahead with a pension plan of its own that bore no relation to the national plan, it would have been a disaster.”

How that deal was struck was a combination of James Bond-style cloak and dagger tactics, actuarial chess and desperate persistence, conducted with a backdrop of simmering nationalist sentiment in Quebec.

The key figures at the top were Pearson and Quebec premier Jean “Maîtres Chez Nous” Lesage, but the real grinding work of coming up with a win-win deal was left to brilliant civil servants – policy advisor Tom Kent and cabinet minister Maurice Sauvé for the feds, and Claude Morin, Quebec’s deputy minister for federal-provincial affairs.

The federal Liberals had promised an improved pension plan in the 1963 election, and finally having gained power – albeit a minority government – they now had to act. The proposal they came up with, basically a pay-as-you-go plan, clashed with Quebec’s vision of a compulsory contribution scheme.

Talks with the provinces broke down, with Ontario’s John Robarts, for one, liking the Quebec notion better than Ottawa’s. With a serious rift between Ottawa and Quebec brewing, Sauvé began getting calls from Morin; the two had been friends for years in political circles.

What ensued was a round of intense negotiations between Morin, Sauvé and Kent, with Quebec City actuary and future medicare creator Claude Castonguay joining the talks. Between April 7 and 18, 1964, the emissaries travelled in secret back and forth between Quebec City and Ottawa; Lesage had a budget speech scheduled, but postponed it with a possible deal – or a fatal breakdown – looming.

A crucial moment in the talks, as Peter C. Newman describes it in The Distemper of Our Times, is the stuff of theatre. With the negotiators gathered at 24 Sussex Drive for a final consultation, Morin was left alone with Pearson, lying on a sofa and bemoaning his situation: “I just don’t know what to do. I don’t want to be praised. But I don’t want to be criticized all the time either. Sometimes I wonder whether I’m really fit for the job.” (Take note, present and future prime ministers).

Morin replies, “You may be criticized now, but I’m sure that a few years from now they’ll say, ‘Well, Pearson was the man who had to be there at that particular time.’” (Morin, still active at 94, would go on to be a key minister in the René Lévesque government and an admitted informant for the RCMP, codename: French Minuet.)

They concluded the deal that day, which involved Ottawa making many concessions to Quebec on tax measures and the like. Thanks to Pearson’s wisdom and Quebec’s preparation, persistence and vision, working Canadians, whether living in Quebec or elsewhere in the country, have a well-funded, portable and relatively generous pension.

The bonus for Quebec was the creation of the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec, whose assets now total $424 billion.

Lesage, naturally, milked the moment in announcing the pension plan deal in the legislature on April 18, 1964: “During the past month, I have lived a terrible life. I have worked for my province as no man has ever worked before. I used all the means that Providence has given me so that Quebec, in the end, would be recognized as a province with special status in Confederation – and I have succeeded.”

Swap out “man” for “woman” and “Quebec” for “Alberta” in that speech, and imagine it coming from Danielle Smith’s mouth.

Alberta seeks pension plan like the one Quebec fought hard to get Read More »

Reopening of Murdochville mine by Osisko: water quality concerns citizens

The Mines Gaspé revival project by Osisko Metals has sparked environmental concerns among Murdochville citizens, albeit relatively contained fears.

MURDOCHVILLE – The Mines Gaspé revival project by Osisko Metals has sparked environmental concerns among Murdochville citizens, albeit relatively contained fears.

This insight follows a meeting on October 5 in Murdochville between a hundred residents and the chief executive officer of Osisko Metals, Robert Wares. Osisko Metals intends to reopen the Mount Copper open-pit mine.

The primary concern raised is the management of the dewatering process, involving the drainage of a huge pond that has formed in the open pit mine since its closure in the early 1980s. Underground mining in Murdochville ceased in October 1999.

Citizens expressed worries about the environmental impact of withdrawing a significant volume of water to restart mining activities. However, Mr. Wares assures that the water is not contaminated.

“It is not. Glencore, in their environmental monitoring process, has done a lot of analyses. In our current study, we will do a specific analysis on the water in the pit from the surface to the bottom,” explains Mr. Wares.

“The goal is to dewater the pit without any impact on the York River. If it takes three years, it will take three years. The goal of the studies and the government permit is to aim for zero impact with a sufficiently low dewatering rate,” says Mr. Wares, who has no idea of the quantity of water to be released.

It is already certain that water will not be sent into the river in the spring, nor during the salmon run.

“It’s all about the details, how it will be done. This is a very large volume of water that will be dumped into a salmon river which is still fragile, with a fragile fish population. We want to be consulted in the process to respect the capacity of the river and the wildlife population to absorb this volume of water,” mentions the director of the Gaspé River Management Society, Rémi Lesmerises.

The director general carried out water tests this summer for different reasons – tests which will also serve as a witness once the dewatering process is launched.

The issue of dust was raised, but to counter this, Osisko’s management intends to build a bypass road to avoid driving in populated areas.

Discussing with the population is an important element for Osisko Metals, stresses Robert Wares.

“The venture update is part of our policy of continuous project information for the communities involved. We had constructive discussions with the Mi’gmaq community. This is something that we will maintain over the coming years,” explains Mr. Wares.

Regarding ongoing discussions with the Mi’gmaq Nation, Mr. Wares refrains from revealing too much.

“They have several specific requests. This will be disclosed when we forge an agreement with the Mi’gmaq Nation. It’s not yet public,” says the manager who is not surprised by the requests.

The royalty aspect has not been addressed with regional stakeholders.

Upcoming steps and infrastructure

The year 2024 will be important for the continuation of the project involving additional drilling, metal tests, the launch of a preliminary economic study and the first phase of environmental impact studies.

“We will also explore, with the Town of Murdochville, how Osisko can contribute to infrastructure. Rebuilding the infrastructure is essential,” says Robert Wares, who is willing to contribute to upgrading it.

“We can get leverage from governments for what we invest. For critical minerals, for example, the federal government has a $1.5 billion program for infrastructure,” he adds.

The mayor of Murdochville, Délisca Ritchie Roussy, notes that a 2014 study estimated municipal infrastructure revitalization work at $37 million.

“Today, it’s up to $52 million. We don’t have money for that. Governments won’t give us that. We ask governments for small amounts and they don’t have any,” underlines the elected official.

The Osisko chief executive officer says the mine will have a lifespan of 20 years. For the rest, the current economic context will have an impact going forward.

The mayor plans to negotiate an agreement with the mining company when the mine closes. “I will negotiate the closure. Everything will be recorded in the books. If I had known at the time everything I know today, rest assured that Noranda would not have left like that, leaving such outdated infrastructure. It’s being negotiated everywhere now,” warns Ms. Richie Roussy.

Noranda Incorporated operated the copper mines and the smelter from 1953 and their respective closures, in 1999 and 2002.

On the environmental aspect, the mayor trusts environmental studies.

“The government gives them permits on the condition that it is done well. I have no worries, because it will be done according to the rules. They will have to undergo a BAPE,” declares the elected official, referring to an environment assessment with public hearings.

The Osisko objective is still to relaunch activities around 2030. Once operational, approximately 700 jobs would be created in this once-prosperous town which had around 5,000 inhabitants in the 1970s. Today, the population hovers around 700 people.

(with the collaboration of Gilles Gagné)

Reopening of Murdochville mine by Osisko: water quality concerns citizens Read More »

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