Cantley

Marc Carrière elected to four more years as MRC prefect

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , , , , ,

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. 

Marc Carrière elected to four more years as MRC prefect Read More »

Cantley councillor seeks seat at Chelsea table

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , , ,

By Madeline Kerr 

The race for a new face in Chelsea’s Ward 6 is officially on.

Current Cantley Coun. Jean-Charles Lalonde has announced he will run for a Chelsea council seat, hoping to represent Hollow Glen, Kingsmere and Hendrick Farm. 

Lalonde explained his family is still in the midst of moving from Cantley to the Chelsea Creek neighbourhood, telling the Low Down that it was important for his daughter, who already attends Chelsea Elementary, be able to grow up around her friends and peers. 

Chelsea Creek is part of Ward 2, not Ward 6, but Lalonde explained that he wants to see current Ward 2 Coun. Dominic Labrie re-elected to represent the centre village. 

“Dominic brings a lot of good things to the table. I don’t think a competition for his seat would benefit the community,” Lalonde said. 

Current Ward 6 Coun. Kimberly Chan recently announced she will not be seeking re-election. Longtime Hollow Glen resident Donald Dery will be running against Lalonde for the seat. 

Lalonde said he can offer the council an unusual combination of experience and a fresh perspective. He would be a new face on council, but he said, “I bring with me valuable experience as a municipal councillor in Cantley.… I already know what to expect. The learning curve will not be so steep for me.” 

In a written statement, Lalonde said that Chelsea “has already felt like my home.…I’ve heard concerns around issues like road safety and parking, community infrastructure, river access and ensuring services are effective and responsive. I’ve also seen how important it is to build strong community partnerships … and I want to strengthen those relationships to better serve residents. I’m also aware that businesses are facing challenges – navigating permits and regulations and the need for clearer, fairer rules and more support.”

Lalonde is a trained social worker who currently works as a program manager for the local health authority CISSSO. His work involves supporting seniors who want to remain at home as they age. His work gives him an in-depth perspective on the challenges seniors face in Chelsea, he said, adding that retirees are too often driven out of the municipality due to the cost of living.  

Regarding unique challenges in Ward 6, Lalonde said he wants to address Hollow Glen’s isolation from the rest of the municipality. He proposes bringing more cultural and recreational programming to Hollow Glen to foster “a greater sense of belonging, rather than expecting everyone there to always be going to the Meredith Centre [in the centre village].” 

He said he also wants to prioritize traffic getting in and out of Hendrick Farm by “advocating to get streetlights installed at that intersection sooner rather than later.” 

Lalonde pointed to his work in Cantley as evidence that he knows how to manage municipal finances: At the start of his term, the municipality was running a budgetary deficit but council has since been able to balance the budget. He said that he has watched Chelsea’s finances “ballooning” adding, “Taxes are climbing at an alarming rate….I want to help bring greater stability.”

Lalonde was among five council members who voted in favour of a controversial resolution to increase densification in Cantley earlier this year. 

He told the Low Down, “Every decision I make [as councillor] will make some people happy, others less happy…I’m doing this job for the best interest of the masses.”

Municipal elections will take place on Nov. 2.  

Cantley councillor seeks seat at Chelsea table Read More »

Quebec’s fantastic plastic overhaul

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , , , , , ,

By Trevor Greenway


Plastic is everywhere. 

From water and pop bottles to coffee lids and milk containers, Canadians – and Hills’ families – can’t seem to get away from single-use plastics. 

Despite a federal ban on single-use plastic bags, straws and cutlery in 2020, plastic continues to pollute the country – and plastic bottles are one of biggest contributors. According to Statistics Canada, of the 43,140 tonnes of plastic leaked permanently into the environment in 2019, over three-fifths (62.7 per cent) were used in packaging, with plastic bottles accounting for more than 5,595 tonnes. 

Stats Canada also found that only nine per cent of all plastic in Canada is recycled, with the majority ending up in landfills while the rest litters parks, beaches and neighbourhoods. 

Quebec is trying to change that. The province has been overhauling its recycling system since 2020 and is implementing a phased-in approach to expand its list of recyclable items. 

This is great news for families like the Merrills in Masham. With four on-the-go children, it’s safe to say the family goes through a lot of pop and water bottles throughout the year. 

Heather Merrill, the Low Down’s general manager, said that Quebec’s new Consignaction refund system, with its increased payouts, makes the headache of returning bottles finally worth it. 

“When the kids were little, we used to save the cans for them to bring in for candy money, but it wasn’t worth the trouble,” said Merrill. “The bags would sit outside for months until filled, which was super annoying: we’d have to separate the tall cans from the shorties, and in the summer, the wasps were all over the bags – all for about $12. No thanks. Into the blue bin with them.”

But with the amount received doubling – $24 bucks a bag – it’s more than “worthwhile,” according to Merrill, especially now that she has teens and goes through even more cans. Merrill said she is also excited about Consignactions’ new plastic bottle return program.

“Adding the plastic bottles to the return system was a great idea. Water bottles, coffee cream bottles, Black Fly bottles … all now go in a bag that can be returned for $18. We plan to find some outdoor bins to store them in until full [in order] to discourage the wasps, and so I won’t be annoyed by looking at the bags,” she added.

Consignaction launched in 2023, with the amount collected for aluminum cans doubling –  from five to 10 cents – and with the addition of the plastic bottle return program in March 2025. All glass, including wine bottles, will be phased in by 2027. 

How much can I get back?

All aluminum beverage containers from 100 ml to 2 L = 10 cents

  • beer, pop cans
  • ready-to-drink beverages: fruit juices, sparkling waters, flavoured waters, cocktails or small vegetable juices

All plastic ready-to-drink beverage containers from 100 ml to 2 L = 10 cents

  • bottles of water, sparkling water, juice 
  • any other beverage containers, such as flavoured water, spirits

Glass – certain 500 ml to 2 L glass bottles = 25 cents

  • Presently, most Quebec-based craft brewery bottles, but check full returns list: www.consignaction.ca
  • by 2027, all glass to be phased in 

Where can I return my bottles?

La Peche:

  • Marché Masham – 245 Hwy 366 
  • Beausoleil Luc Épicerie et Quincaillerie – 292 Ch. Pontbriand
  • Le P’tit Magasin Général – 952 Ch. Cléo-Fournier

Chelsea

  • Charles Family IGA – 1703 Hwy 105
  • Marché Chelsea – 528-A Hwy 105

Cantley

  • Charles Family IGA – 455 Montée de la Source

Gracefield:

  • Marché Kelly Gracefield inc. (Metro) – 27 Rue Principale

By the numbers

  • 43,140 tonnes of plastic leaked permanently into environment in 2019 in Canada
  • 62.7% of leaked plastic from packaging
  • 5,595 tonnes of plastic bottles in landfills
  • 1.5 billion plastic beverage containers now returnable under Consignaction
  • 5 billion items recycled annually is program’s goal
  • 90% recovery rate is project’s aim
  • 9% of all plastic recycled in Canada

Quebec’s fantastic plastic overhaul Read More »

Teens identified in string of car thefts

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

By Trevor Greenway
Local Journalism Initiative

MRC des Collines Police say they have identified four suspects in connection with a string of 30 car break-ins and stolen vehicles in Cantley and Val-des-Monts over the last month. 

According to MRC des Collines Spokesperson Martin Fournel, three male teenagers, aged 17 and one adult male, 18, are the main suspects in at least 30 reported break-ins and car thefts. Fournel said that two of the 17-year-old suspects are Cantley residents. 

Police seized a vehicle in Gatineau on March 2, believed to be in connection with this string of thefts.  

Fournel is urging motorists to lock their doors and to report thefts after his precinct fielded more than 30 complaints regarding vehicle break-ins and car thefts. 

“These are opportunity thefts,” said Fournel, explaining that these vehicle thefts are not linked to the rise in car thefts across Canada, in which thieves are using the Flipper Zero gadget that can reprogram key fobs. “Unlocked doors, leaving valuables in the vehicle, and in some cases, the keys were left in the car.”

Fournel said that a lot of Gatineau Hills residents feel that, because they live in a rural setting, they don’t need to lock their car doors while at home or while they are in local villages shopping. However, with thefts on the rise, police are urging motorists to take precautions. 

Thieves have become more brazen these days, with locals reporting daytime thefts at their country homes. Masham resident Jean Bernard Bertrand had his 16-foot trailer stolen out of his driveway in October of last year. 

Low resident Maggie Early left the Low arena after volunteering only to find that a thief had smashed her rear passenger window and stolen her wallet with “a good sum of cash in it,” along with her credit cards and driver’s driver’s license. 

“You try and give back to the community, and this is the thanks I get,” Early, a longtime arena and community volunteer, posted on Facebook Feb. 12. She said her truck was locked, as it “always is.”

Fournel told the Low Down that police have recovered some evidence from the Cantley thefts, including surveillance footage of the suspects, but he is urging more residents to come forward with complaints. 

He said that police suspect there could be more culprits and more incidents and he urges anyone who has been a victim of theft to report it to police immediately.

“So if they don’t report it, we cannot investigate it, and maybe in some cases, we could have found some footprints, or, you know, fingerprints,” said Fournel.

Teens identified in string of car thefts Read More »

Cop shortages in Hills

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , , , , ,

By Trevor Greenway

The head of the MRC des Collines regional government says that the Hills’ police force is not the only precinct facing officer shortages, as the problem is also across Quebec and the country.  

MRC des Collines Prefect Marc Carrière told the Low Down that staff shortages at the region’s police force are putting pressure on active officers and creating a tension-filled working environment for those on the frontline. 

He said that the police force is facing a lack of resources, with senior officers working atypical shifts, and many officers are being forced to work long overtime shifts to make up the shortfall. He added that the MRC des Collines precinct is currently struggling to fill about 12 roles. 

“It’s all across Quebec and in Canada,” said Carrière about the shortages, referring to places like Montreal and Gatineau. He noted that, at one point, Montreal was short 400 officers and Gatineau was short 40-50 officers.

“We are at the point where officers are doing forced overtime and that doesn’t please anyone.”

Carrière said that he is working with local police unions to form a recruitment committee to attract more officers to the region. The MRC des Collines police force is the only MRC in Quebec to have a regional police force, with the rest of the province being served by either a city detachment or the provincial force, the Sûreté du Québec. 

One of the main challenges for this region’s police force, according to Carrière, is the sheer size of the region. The region covers six municipalities that are spread out over 2,000-plus square kilometres. 

According to Quebec’s Police Act, passed in 2000, municipalities with more than 5,000 residents must have their own police force. When the law was being enacted, instead of La Pêche launching its own police force, it banded together with Val-des-Monts, Chelsea, Cantley, L’Ange Guardian and Pontiac to form the MRC des Collines Police. 

Carrière said his government is studying the benefits and detriments of switching to an SQ police force in the region but added that those discussions are at the very early stages. 

Past problems at MRC precinct

This isn’t the first time the MRC des Collines precinct has had issues. A report by Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) in July of last year found that the work environment under the direction of former MRC des Collines Police Chief Yves Charette was “toxic and unhealthy.” 

The report was spawned by a 2021 complaint from a lieutenant who said he was the victim of psychological harassment at work for several years, which caused “major depression and a resurgence of post-traumatic stress.” The report did not name the lieutenant. 

“The actions of the police director towards the worker over a period of approximately three years are objectively traumatic, beyond the normal scope of work,” wrote Judge Manon Chénier in the July 2024 decision. “These events do not fall within the scope of a reasonably exercised management right,” the decision emphasizes. “These are events that take place in a toxic work climate, while the worker is constantly criticized, belittled and humiliated.”

Charette left the MRC des Collines Public Security in early 2022 after being celebrated for 40 years of “distinguished service in the police force” during a recognition ceremony. A year and a half later, CNESST released its damning report on Charette.

Despite the past toxic culture, Carrière said he feels like current Police Chief Martial Mallette has cleaned up his precinct. 

“We’re not looking backwards,” said Carrière, adding that the issues took place before he was prefect and before Mallette was named chief. “We want to go forward, find a permanent solution and that’s what we are working on.”

Cop shortages in Hills Read More »

Scroll to Top