Tashi Farmilo
LJI Reporter

The Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network marked its 25th anniversary this year, reflecting on a
quarter-century of cultural advocacy while directing new support to the communities it was
created to serve. Founded in Lennoxville in 2000, QAHN has grown into a province-wide
network of museums, archives and historical societies devoted to preserving the heritage of
Quebec’s English-speaking communities.

To commemorate the milestone, QAHN released a special publication, adopted a new strategic
plan, and hosted public events recognizing volunteers and long-standing contributors. These
included a recent conference in Cowansville honouring heritage advocate Marion Phelps, and
an awards ceremony held at Maison Louis-Joseph Forget in Montreal. Additional anniversary
programming is scheduled for the autumn, including a virtual heritage summit, a heritage fair on
October 4 titled Stones and Stories in Morin Heights , and a public screening of QAHN-produced
documentaries at the Lac-Brome Museum in Knowlton on October 25 at 1:00 pm.

“This year has been about honouring where we’ve come from but also making sure we continue
to serve the people and institutions doing this work across Quebec,” said Matthew Farfan,
QAHN’s executive director.

Separate from the anniversary, QAHN also completed the first phase of its new SHARE
initiative, a funding programme supported by the federal Department of Canadian Heritage. In
June, more than $300,000 in micro-grants was awarded to 25 grassroots organizations across
the province working to preserve English-speaking heritage.

In West Quebec, three groups received support through the programme: Fairbairn House in
Wakefield, Aylmer Heritage Association, and the Pontiac Archives in Shawville. Each is
undertaking a locally focused project rooted in storytelling, preservation and education.
At Fairbairn House, work is underway to develop educational materials for use in local
classrooms, with a focus on the intertwined histories of anglophone, francophone and
Indigenous communities in the Gatineau Valley. In Aylmer, heritage volunteers are researching
and sharing stories related to the town’s architectural and cultural legacy. The Pontiac Archives
is digitizing wartime documents and photographs, helping preserve the military history of the
region’s residents.

The SHARE programme will continue over the next three years, with future calls for applications
planned. For Farfan, the initiative reflects QAHN’s core purpose.

“We’ve always believed in working directly with communities,” he said. “In our twenty-fifth year,
that commitment feels more important than ever.”​

Photo: Julie Miller of QAHN (second from left) visited the Pontiac Archives in Shawville, meeting
with local volunteers as part of the organization’s ongoing support for community heritage
projects through its SHARE program. (TF) Photo: Courtesy of QAHN