William Crooks
Hatley Township council members, chaired by Councillor Jacques Bogenez in the absence of the mayor, discuss zoning, infrastructure, and local services during their regular monthly meeting

By William Crooks

Local Journalism Initiative

At its monthly meeting held April 1 at the town hall, Hatley Township council addressed a wide-ranging agenda in the absence of Mayor Vincent Fontaine, who was off sick. Councillor Jacques Bogenez presided over the meeting, which drew approximately eight residents and touched on zoning, waste management, cultural planning and infrastructure challenges.

Zoning changes open door to new commerce

Two significant zoning amendments were passed to allow more commercial activity near Highway 410 and in the EX4 zone, close to local quarry operations.

Council adopted a bylaw modifying the zoning plan to allow light commercial activity along the highway corridor. “We’ve been trying for a long time to diversify permitted uses in that area,” said a councillor. “We’re not talking about disruptive businesses—just some small commercial options.” After years of opposition from the MRC, the municipality can now move forward with limited commercial development.

A second bylaw focused on conditional uses in the quarry-adjacent zone. It introduces criteria-based conditions that would allow certain commercial projects, provided they are compatible with the surrounding environment and land-use constraints.

$1.67 million landfill expansion approved

Council gave its approval to a $1.67 million investment in expanding part of the regional technical landfill in Coaticook. The project is overseen by the intermunicipal waste management board, of which Hatley is one of 22 member municipalities.

“This new cell has to be built with membranes and drainage systems to prevent water from seeping into groundwater or nearby streams,” explained one councillor. “It’s costly—much more than what citizens are charged in fees.”

Although Hatley’s share is relatively small compared to larger municipalities, elected officials acknowledged the challenge of being tied to group decisions. “Politically, it’s not easy being part of a million-and-a-half-dollar borrowing plan, but this is a collective responsibility,” said one councillor.

Gas tax funds: Past project closes, new phase begins

Council passed a resolution completing the final steps of its 2019–2024 TEC (Gas Tax and Quebec Contribution) infrastructure funding agreement. This allows the township to qualify for the 2025–2029 cycle.

“This is one of the biggest subsidies municipalities receive,” said a councillor. “For us, it brought in about $1.5 million.” Past projects included infrastructure improvements such as road upgrades. The new round is expected to continue funding similar work.

Waste collection schedule set through 2029

Council adopted a new waste and organic material collection calendar that will run from 2026 to 2029. Organic waste will be picked up weekly from April to October and every two weeks in winter. Garbage will be collected biweekly in the summer and monthly in winter. Large-item pickup will take place once annually in August, and Christmas trees will be collected in January.

The township also approved the purchase of 50 new rolling green bins for organics, at a cost of just under $7,600.

Township joins national economic campaign

Council voted to join the “Defend Canada” campaign, a national initiative encouraging Canadian municipalities to support domestic industries in response to trade barriers from the United States.

“We’re trying to buy Québécois and Canadian as much as possible,” said a councillor. “Given the changes in leadership south of the border, everyone is going to feel it. We need to stick together.”

Culture committee appointments and survey ahead

The newly created culture committee was officially staffed, with appointments retroactive to Jan. 31. A survey will soon be distributed to residents to gather input on the township’s cultural life.

“We want to write a cultural policy that reflects who we are and what people want,” said a councillor. “We’re not trying to organize events ourselves—there are already great groups doing that. Our role is to support them with facilities and coordination.”

The councillor added that the committee sees cultural life as encompassing not just events, but also landscapes, heritage, and local history. “It’s up to us to help keep that alive.”

Roads dominate question period

The second question period brought forward long-standing frustrations about the condition of township roads. One resident asked why the municipality wasn’t rebuilding even a few roads each year. “If you did just one or two each year, eventually they’d all get done,” he said.

“You’re right to be frustrated,” responded a councillor. “We have nearly 100 kilometres of road, and not all of them have been repaired in 30 years.” Another added, “We can’t do everything at once, but we’re not ignoring it either.”

Council said a professional assessment was recently completed that ranked every road in the township and laid out priorities. “Engineers looked at the entire territory and provided prioritization charts. Now it’s our job to act on them.”

The issue is also financial. “Our roads budget—including snow removal—represents a third, maybe even 40 per cent, of the entire municipal budget,” one councillor noted. “If we want to do more, taxes would have to go up.”

A councillor also shared insights from an expert who had visited earlier that day: “He told us that only one in five municipalities actually gets the provincial subsidy for roads. That’s why we need to have our files complete, with estimates and documents ready, to have a chance.”

Reaction to provincial budget

In response to a question about the recently tabled provincial budget, councillors said they were monitoring its implications but hadn’t discussed it in depth.

“We’re in a period of restraint,” one councillor said. “We’re seeing cuts to health, education, and municipalities too. We’ll need to respond accordingly.” Another emphasized the role of the regional prefect, who sits on both provincial and federal municipal bodies. “He speaks with authority and represents us well.”

Other matters

Council also:

• Approved a $23,500 contract for liquid calcium dust suppressant.
• Accepted a $766 per-tonne offer for 10,000 kg of granular calcium for summer use.
• Accepted architectural plans for two residential construction projects.
• Appointed a representative to the Saint-François River watershed council.
• Named new officers to oversee invasive species prevention.
• Hired two student patrollers to monitor summer activity on local waterways.

The meeting lasted approximately 45 minutes. The next regular session is scheduled for the first Tuesday of next month.