By Trevor Greenway
Marc Carrière has been reappointed for another four years as prefect of the MRC des Collines, and he says climate protection is among his top priorities.
Carrière was elected by acclamation on Oct. 3 after no one stepped in to challenge him for the prefect seat of the MRC des Collines regional government.
He said his first priority is to continue the climate work he started when he was elected in 2021.
“That will be one big issue for us and the six municipalities: we’re finishing our climate plan with Kitigan Zibi and all the wetlands plan and so on,” said Carrière. “So there’s a lot to do and we have to be resilient with all those environmental changes.”
The MRC des Collines worked with its six municipalities – Cantley, Chelsea, La Pêche, L’Ange-Gardien, Pontiac and Val-des-Monts – to establish a climate commission. One of its first orders of business was analyzing the region’s greenhouse gas emissions. The 2022 study found that road transportation was the leading source of greenhouse gas emissions in the area, accounting for 62 per cent of emissions. The next largest emitter was off-road transportation, accounting for 24 per cent. In 2022 the total emissions amounted to 318,095 metric tons of CO2 equivalent.
Carrière told the Low Down that work is underway to develop solutions to limit these emissions. He said the MRC is building a new eco-centre for hazardous waste and electronic waste drop off in Val-des-Monts, off the corner of Hwys 366 and 307. The $3 million eco centre is expected to be built next spring.
“It’s in the centre of the MRC, so it’s the perfect location,” added Carrière.
The MRC is also looking to become a leader in solar energy, said Carrière, as the land’s topography provides maximum exposure to sunlight. He said the MRC is working hard at building a new solar program that would allow it to sell energy to Quebec as a revenue stream.
“Quebec is looking for more and more energy, sustainable energy,” said Carrière. “We don’t have any potential for windmill power but we have a lot for solar panels. “I think the Outaouais could be a leader in solar energy.”
Other priorities include working on sustainable development and implementing the MRC’s social development strategy, which was finalized earlier this month and will aim to support local non-profit organizations in the region. Carrière said the MRC is also exploring the possibility of amalgamating fire departments, however that study is in its preliminary stages.
Carrière said that he was proud of the work he did in his first mandate, namely helping the region’s police service implement a mental health and domestic violence unit when dealing with sensitive calls or distressed individuals.
The MAINtenant ensemble program, implemented in 2021, sends social workers on domestic violence calls to help de-escalate encounters and ensure kids and women are safe. In 2023 the MRC and local police launched the MAINtenir le lien program, which pairs police officers with mental health experts during distress calls.
“We put on the domestic violence squad and also the mental health issues squad, and that’s a big thing for our citizens,” he said.
Carrière will be officially sworn in within the next 30 days.