Nelson Sergerie
GASPÉ – The region’s prefects discussed wind power, fisheries, forests and housing during a private meeting with the Minister of Economy, Innovation and Energy, Pierre Fitzgibbon, on February 9 in Gaspé.
Since Mr. Fitzgibbon has assumed the role of Minister of Energy, wind power has been a priority for elected officials, as emphasized during Premier François Legault’s visit to the Gaspé Peninsula in November.
Unsurprisingly, the prefects focused on transportation lines as a key concern, given the bottleneck hindering large-scale projects east of Rivière-du-Loup. Minister Fitzgibbon sought to reassure the prefects, echoing sentiments he shared with the press.
“We wanted to focus on the fact that in Gaspésie, overall, social acceptability is there. We could develop and strengthen existing wind farms provided that we can optimize or add transport lines to major centres. On this, the minister was very open,” stated Daniel Côté, prefect of the MRC of Côte-de-Gaspé.
The elected official says the region can produce more wind energy, a sentiment acknowledged by the minister. Additionally, the prefects advocated for the region’s status as a hub for wind power component production.
“If there are new wind (energy) tenders, there should be some form of content planned for our companies. If there are other companies in the components sector knocking on Quebec’s door, don’t set them up in regions that don’t know this. Install them in the Gaspésie,” demands the prefects through Mr. Côté, even if the region does not have an Innovation Zone designation in this sector.
The Town of Gaspé attempted to establish an Innovation Zone but faced challenges. “We wanted to try it, but it didn’t work. We paid for preliminary studies, but the problem is raising private funds. It must be 75% private investment before the public sector puts in money. On the other hand, even if we do not have the label, we are recognized as the wind energy manufacturing hub of Quebec. In the minister’s mind, if companies come here (to Quebec), this is where he will send them,” says Mr. Côté about the Gaspé Peninsula.
Regarding fisheries, although outside his portfolio, officials raised concerns with Minister Fitzgibbon.
“He is the Minister of the Economy and regional economic development. I found it important to whisper into his ear the difficulties of the fishing sector. He is committed to working with his colleague André Lamontagne on possible solutions to diversify the fishing sector to ensure that the 1,000 jobs on the line can work in this sector while we get through the crisis. The Member of the National Assembly (for Gaspé, Stéphane) Sainte-Croix was also reassuring to the effect that there were discussions between the federal and the provincial,” affirms the prefect of Côte-de-Gaspé who emphasizes that the file remains an absolute priority.
In terms of housing, the region has taken an innovative approach by implementing tax credits at both the Table of Prefects and municipal levels.
“One of the issues we addressed with the minister: he wants to stimulate economic growth. He is still in job creation mode. We even told him if we created 500 new jobs, where would we house them? He said: ‘Can we have a new model where we could work with developers who create jobs to stimulate housing construction?’ This is the kind of thing that we could work on, without being very precise at this time,” says Mr. Côté who believes that the ideas launched by the minister deserve to be worked on.
“The connection is excellent with Mr. Fitzgibbon. I think we will continue to work together,” concludes Mr. Côté.
However, Prefect Côté has barely addressed the issue of high gas prices in the Gaspésie, even though he has been denouncing the situation for five years.
“It’s indeed a fight, but the Energy Board has done its bit of work. It is up to the Competition Bureau of Canada to do the rest of the work, that is, to investigate to ensure that there is no cartel and, if there is a cartel, to dismantle it. The minister agrees with us,” said Mr. Côté.