JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1019 Report
One of the people that founded a group advocating for the merger of the four municipalities on Île Perrot has stepped forward to run for a council seat in Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot, a move that will put the issue of municipal fusions on the debate table.
“This will surely be a subject that will be discussed with people I meet to see how they feel about it,” said Lise Chartier, who announced her candidacy for the District 3 council seat last Wednesday. “I think one must see people, meet with them, talk with them (and) see what their positions are.”
“I intend to ask people ‘What would this mean for you? Do you want it? Would you like to know (about it)?’” said Chartier, who is a former journalist, communications professional and historian who’s written three books on the history of the island of Île Perrot. “Knowledge is the basis for good decision-making.”
The topic of a possible merger of the municipalities of Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot, L’Île Perrot, Pincourt and Terrasse Vaudreuil dates back to the 1980s. The subject was revived last year, when Chartier and a small group of residents on the island launched Avenir Île Perrot – Becoming Île Perrot, a grassroots group that is advocating for the merger and currently pushing for the four municipal councils on the island to request a free, no-obligation feasibility study conducted by the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAMH) to give residents all the facts on the pros and cons of a merger. A petition created by the group calling for each of the four municipalities to request the study has collected more than 500 signatures.
Chartier, who served as a board member and communications director for the group recently left Avenir Île Perrot – Becoming Île Perrot as she makes her run for council.
While she agrees a feasibility study would provide a much-needed “base” of information on this topic, she will listen to and respect the will of the constituents.
In July, L’Île Perrot council adopted a resolution requesting the merger study by the MAMH. However, a study can only be done if two or more municipalities adopt the resolution, and the topic has not gained much traction among the three other municipal councils.
Last week, Notre Dame council approved a resolution stating it was not in favour of a merger feasibility study. At the Aug. 12 meeting Notre Dame Mayor Danie Deschênes said a merger would complicate finances for the town, the largest and wealthiest on the island.
“We collectively experience enough instability in other areas of our lives that we do not wish to experience the same in our city and community,” she wrote in a message to The 1019 Report.
“That’s her opinion,” said Chartier of Deschênes’s opposition to municipal mergers. However, she added that the opinions of a mayor are not always shared by a majority of citizens. “I think the citizens should give their opinion.”
District 3, where Chartier will run covers the town’s northeastern section, north of Perrot Boulevard, bordering Lake St. Louis. The seat has been held by Daniel Lauzon since 2009. Lauzon did not respond to an inquiry as to whether he will run for a fifth mandate.
Encouraging more citizen engagement
While the merger question matters, Chartier said she is not a one-issue candidate. If elected, she aims to promote citizen engagement through increased communication.
A former journalist and communications specialist, Chartier said she understands the value of open communication. She had co-founded Caisse, Chartier et associés, a media-monitoring firm that operated Canada-wide for 30 years until it was bought out in 2001.
She has also been involved with various local historical and cultural groups, including the Notre Dame de l’Île-Perrot cultural committee, the Ste. Jeanne de Chantal Heritage Foundation and the Pointe-du-Moulin Historical Park Development Society. She also chaired the Île Perrot 350th anniversary committee in 2024 and serves as president of the Île Perrot History and Genealogy Society.