Chelsea

Liberal’s Chatel cruises to victory

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By Trevor Greenway

Liberal incumbent Sophie Chatel was all smiles at Chelsea Pub, as she won a second term in the Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi riding and as her party formed a fourth consecutive government during Monday’s federal election on April 28. 

“I’m truly touched by the trust that you’ve given me to represent such a beautiful community,” said Chatel during her victory speech around 11 p.m. to a raucous crowd. “But this victory belongs to every one of you – everyone who believes in the power of community, the power of hope and hard work.”

And by the numbers, it was a breeze for Chatel in the riding. According to Elections Canada, with 97 per cent of the polls counted in this riding, Chatel took 52 per cent of the vote, with Conservative Brian Nolan taking just 30 per cent. The Bloc’s Suzanne Proulx took third place, while the NDP’s Gilbert Whiteduck fell to fourth on a night when his party lost official party status in the House of Commons with their projected seven seats. 

But it was a night of red and white at the Chelsea Pub, as Chatel cruised through the doors to the theme song from ‘Rocky’. There were close to 40 or so supporters cheering and waving mini Canadian flags. 

The cautious optimism that Liberals carried with them throughout the night quickly gave way to pure celebration, as the Liberals took an early lead and maintained it. And when Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre’s riding came on screen to show that he was losing by a large margin, the room erupted in cheers. 

Chatel told the Low Down that she felt the most significant shift in the campaign came when former Liberal prime minister Justin Trudeau stepped down, paving the way for Mark Carney to become the new face of the Liberal party, and offering the best chance at facing the tariff threats from the U.S. President Donald Trump. She called the move a “game changer.”

“Mark Carney is an amazing individual, but he has the experience, the vision, the plan, to face perhaps the biggest economic crisis that Canada has ever lived through since the Great Depression,” said Chatel. “And to face Donald Trump and also the AI revolution and the transition to a clean economy.”

Locally, Chatel spoke of the “opportunity” in the riding to remove interprovincial trade barriers, increase support for farmers and small business owners, and to support affordable housing in the region. On that note, she said the Liberals would support axing GST for new home purchases. 

Chatel also spoke about the schism that Canada had seen over the past few years with the pandemic, language and politics, but she said that she is done feeding into “divisive Canada.”

“There’s no time for division,” she said. “It’s time to unite. No matter who you voted for this election, it’s time to unite and build. It’s time to speak with one voice.”

Chatel also said she would stand up for English rights in Quebec and stated her support for a Liberal intervention at the Supreme Court of Canada over Bill 96 should Quebec’s controversial language law make it to Canada’s highest court. 

But Chatel voted for C-13, an Act to amend the Official Languages Act, and defended her stance, arguing that C-13 actually strengthens French outside of Quebec while supporting anglophones in Quebec. 

“C-13 to me is legislation to protect the French minority outside of Quebec, which is really at risk,” said Chatel. “It’s good legislation because it brought investment for our minority groups so that they have equal opportunities, especially for employment.”

As for her first order of business, Chatel said she is immediately dusting off her Gatineau Park protection bill and will work with Senator Rosa Galvez to push it through. 

“It’s a natural jewel,” said Chatel of Gatineau Park, which attracts more than two million visitors each year to the region. “It is an economic attraction. And when we talk about unlocking economic potential, there is a lot of eco tourism there, so we need to protect it.”

By press time, polls were still being counted, and it’s unclear if the Liberals will form a majority or minority government. 

Conservatives ‘proud’ of gains in riding

Brian Nolan’s Conservative campaign won a level of support for the Tories not seen in the riding in more than a decade. 

Though final counts are not quite complete, by press time Nolan had placed in second, with about 28 per cent of the vote in Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi – an eight-point increase from the 2021 election. 

After conceding the race just before midnight on April 28, Nolan told the Low Down he was proud of the campaign he ran and appreciative of the volunteers and supporters. 

“I was really present, and I tried to connect with people,” Nolan said in an interview after the results came out. He added that he thinks that’s why his campaign resonated with over 15,000 Hills voters.

At 9 p.m., Nolan saw a pathway to victory locally and nationally for the Conservatives. He predicted strong support for his campaign in the north and west portions of the riding. Standing outside his campaign office on Old Chelsea Road, waiting for results to come in, Nolan told the Low Down that he had been throughout the riding to polling stations on April 28, thanking supporters who were out casting their vote. He said he was happy with the campaign he ran, accumulating 9,000 kilometres on his truck and speaking with about 4,000 constituents in the month-long campaign.

At 9:30 p.m., when polls closed, the chatter and energy in the office increased as 18 people, including Nolan and his family, watched the TV for results. 

When Nolan’s name came on screen, there was a cheer and proclamation of, “We’re tied right now,” as the broadcast showed a 0-0 tie for all the candidates in the riding. 

Thirty-five minutes after Quebec polls closed, however, the broadcast called the election in favour of the Liberals, and the room sat motionless. Someone made a fake retching noise when Carney’s picture came on screen. 

Discussion of Pierre Poilievre in the room grew as the Liberals opened a wide lead, but criticisms of the party leader subsided, as results changed and it became clear that the Conservatives had made gains across the country but not enough to form government. 

Liberal candidate Sophie Chatel maintained a narrow lead over Nolan for a couple of hours, with Nolan keeping a close eye on the number of votes still to come. Just before midnight, however, Chatel’s lead had begun to widen, and Nolan conceded the election.

“It’s been a long day,” Nolan said at midnight. “Discouraged a little bit and disappointed.” 

Nolan told the Low Down that he had had a good feeling he had a chance, but said the residents had made their choice. 

“I think we did everything right,” he said, adding that he felt he “had the pulse” of the riding’s rural population in the north and west, but he said much of the riding was attracted to the message of Mark Carney. 

“I don’t think [voters] were supporting Sophie much because she hasn’t done much [for] the riding,” he said, criticizing her for focusing on the tourism industry. “People wanted to vote for Mr. Carney … Sophie was never selling herself, she was mostly selling Carney,” he added. 

Nolan wished the best for Chatel, and said he’ll be back at it again when the next election comes. He said he hopes the minority government will fall in two years so he can run again.

Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi NDP candidate falls to Liberals

NDP candidate Gilbert Whiteduck may have lost in Monday’s federal election, but the former Kitigan-Zibi chief and Algonquin from the Anishinabeg First Nation says he will continue to stand up for what he believes in.

“Tomorrow’s another day. Many of the issues in the riding are still going to be there. I’ll work on those that I have time to work on,” said Whiteduck to the Low Down. He said he will continue to advocate for environmental issues, the Gatineau River and many other issues in the riding.

Nationally and locally, the NDP came in 4th in the election, after the Bloc Quebecois. With so few seats, the NDP lost its official party status.

Whiteduck’s campaign team sat in campaign manager Toby Sanger’s house Monday night, in Wakefield, watching the election results coming in around 11 p.m. 

He got just five per cent of the vote – 2,921 by press time. 

Shortly after Whiteduck and his wife, Patricia, arrived closer to 10:45 p.m., the room erupted in applause, and he said a few words, including thanking his wife and the people gathered around the television. 

“I don’t think I could have done it without all of you,” he said to the group. It was Whiteduck’s first time running in an election. 

A couple of the people in the room mentioned to the Low Down that Whiteduck was the reason they wanted to be involved in the first place. 

“He has the integrity I long for in a politician,” said Ilse Turnsen, a member of his campaign team. She said she’s happy to vote for someone she believes in.  

Whiteduck ran a unique campaign throughout the Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi riding, with no political pamphlets being handed out to residents. Instead, Whiteduck said he created dialogue “circles”  where people gathered and spoke.

As a message to all voters, he thanked them for considering him, and said that “the importance of working together and working on common issues is really important.” 

Despite falling to fourth place, the room remained positive throughout the night. 

Whiteduck said he may run again, but he mentioned that a lot can happen in four years, so he is unsure if he will run again at this time. 

By press time, the riding counted 97 per cent of the vote. 

Liberal’s Chatel cruises to victory Read More »

 QUAIL hosting dinner to help displaced residents

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By Trevor Greenway

Seven QUAIL House residents displaced by a house fire in mid-March still haven’t been able to return to their home in Chelsea. 

An electrical fire consumed the garage March 18, causing $100,000 in damages as it charred appliances, tools, supplies and the QUAIL van, which is used to take its residents – adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities – to doctors’ appointments and field trips. 

“We have not yet been able to return to the house, but all of our residents and staff are staying together at a temporary location in Wakefield,” said QUAIL volunteer Celine Nadreau. “It has been a big transition, especially for some of our residents, but the team has done an incredible job maintaining routines and a sense of stability.”

Nadreau said that QUAIL has been moved by the “outpouring of support” from the community, as many have donated meals and transportation to help support the local charity. QUAIL House is an independent living facility for adults with developmental and intellectual disabilities. 

 “We feel very fortunate to be surrounded by such generosity,” said Nadreau.

To help raise more money and expedite a return to the building, QUAIL is hosting a memorial dinner for QUAIL founding member, the late Audrey Jessup, at Les Fougères in Chelsea on May 14 at 6 p.m.

Chefs at Les Fougères are preparing a three-course meal for the event, which will cost attendees $125 per plate, which includes a $60 tax receipt. Tickets are available here: https://square.link/u/bumV1pwR. 

Visit www.maisonquailhouse.org for more information or to donate to the charity.

 QUAIL hosting dinner to help displaced residents Read More »

Quebec’s fantastic plastic overhaul

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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 »

School boards gearing up for Bill 94 fight

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By Trevor Greenway

While English school boards across the province are celebrating a key victory with Bill 40, another fight is brewing over Bill 94, the province’s extension of Bill 21 that restricts public servants from wearing religious symbols on the job. Bill 94 will extend the law to include all staff and volunteers – including janitors, after-care staffers, volunteers and librarians – from wearing religious symbols at work. 

Bill 21 had a significant impact locally in 2021 after a Chelsea teacher, Fatemeh Anvari, was banned from her Grade 3 classroom for wearing a hijab. The case reignited the debate around Bill 21, and the controversial law is now headed to the Supreme Court of Canada for a constitutional challenge. 

Labadie told the Low Down that the WQSB is hesitant to agree to the bill, as it contains language that could later be used against the school board when Bill 21 heads to the Supreme Court. 

“There’s a lot of language in that bill that if we adopted it as a code of ethics for staff and teachers, it would show that we supported Bill 21, and that we agreed with the policies,” said Labadie. She added that the WQSB lawyers are now parsing through the bill before the board signs off. 

“The last thing we wanted to do was to have this language that was embedded in these blanket laws that we were supposed to adopt as a board to then be used against us.”

Singfield said the extension of Bill 21 is an attack on the school board’s policy on inclusion, equity and diversity. 

“We speak about the importance of honouring the integrity of our diverse population,” Singfield told the Low Down. “We speak about inclusion, we speak about equity and not as things that we check off on boxes on a list, but rather things that we want to cultivate as pillars of our community.”

The legislation would also prohibit Muslim girls from wearing a full-face veil. The bill states that students will be obliged to “have their face uncovered when they are on the premises placed at the disposal of a school, a vocational training centre or adult education centre or a private educational institution.” The bill would also restrict parents from wearing face coverings when picking up their kids from school. 

School boards gearing up for Bill 94 fight Read More »

QUAIL fire displaces seven residents at independent living home

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Trevor Greenway

Seven residents at the independent living home QUAIL House in Chelsea were displaced after a fire tore through the home’s garage on March 18. 

According to Chelsea Fire Chief Charles Éthier, staff at QUAIL House called 911 just after 2 p.m., after they noticed smoke and flames coming from the garage. 

“The fire started in the garage, and it was contained to the garage area by the quick response of the fire department,” Éthier told the Low Down. He added that, while a cause hasn’t been determined, it was likely an electrical fire.

It took 17 firefighters about 45 minutes to extinguish the blaze, however Éthier said it could have been much worse. 

“Time is always essential in fighting fires,” added Éthier. “Every minute a fire can double in size – there’s a reason to call 911 before trying to extinguish a fire.”

Chelsea resident Dennis Walker was picking up his wife, who works at QUAIL, when the fire started and said that firefighters were on the scene within minutes. He said the fire spread quickly and could’ve ignited the rest of the house if the firefighters weren’t so quick. 

“Five more minutes and the house would have been gone,” said Walker. “The fire department was amazing. Thank god it didn’t happen at night, with the residents sleeping.”

There was only one resident and two staff members home at the time of the fire, as the others were out on a field trip. 

“Luckily, the fire happened during the daytime, and staff acted quickly to make sure that everyone was safely out of the house,” said QUAIL volunteer Lissa Heringer. She explained that the most challenging part of the incident is aiding residents, many of whom have intellectual disabilities, in adapting to new, temporary housing in the fire’s aftermath. 

“The most difficult thing for residents since the fire has been adjusting to unfamiliar homes and a big change to their daily routine. Our staff and volunteers have rallied to help residents settle in and adjust to the unfamiliar. They’ve really gone above and beyond the call,” added Heringer. “Our key concern throughout has been to keep our QUAIL family together under one roof.”

Heringer said the residents were initially housed at Motel Chelsea for the first few days before moving to Chelsea Vélo Nordic B&B. QUAIL has found a longer-term rental in Wakefield, where the residents can all stay together until they are permitted to go back into the home. Éthier said the home needs to be inspected by an electrician before the residents can return. QUAIL has no timeline for a return to the house. 

QUAIL lost everything in their garage, including a fridge, the residence van, equipment and more than 1,400 jars of jam that were ready for sale.  

“There has been a tremendous outpouring of support from the community from day one,” added Heringer. “We’ve had offers of meal prep, laundry services and temporary housing and accommodation. The QUAIL family is fortunate to be surrounded by such a caring and generous community.”

Éthier estimated the damage at $100,000.

Visit QUAIL online at www.quailhouse.org to donate.

QUAIL fire displaces seven residents at independent living home Read More »

ACRE secures 11 more to expand Larrimac eco corridor

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

By Trevor Greenway

Local Journalism Reporter

ACRE has saved another 11 acres of undeveloped forest in Larrimac, which is full of old-growth trees, birds, coyotes, bears and a natural wetland. 

Action Chelsea for the Respect of the Environment (ACRE) announced the deal in December of last year and said the Brink Forest is an important property that will link up with the Larrimac ecological corridor, which is home to more than 190 species of flora and fauna, the latter travelling to and from Gatineau Park. 

“This was one of the larger properties that had potential,” said ACRE president Stephen Woodley, explaining that his non-profit organization had been eyeing the Brink Forest for a decade, but only started talking seriously with the owners about four years ago. He said ACRE saw the opportunity to expand the Larrimac ecological corridor and link this property up with other land in the area that it has already protected. 

The Larrimac ecological corridor is a federally-recognized protected area for wildlife to move between Gatineau Park and the Gatineau River. 

“We’ve gotten the golf course property. We’ve got the Dionne-Wilson Forest and we got the Jolicoeur-McMartin Forest,” said Woodley, referring to past land acquisitions. “They all come together to make a large block. We’re interested in other properties up there as well to really make a large protected area for Chelsea.”

ACRE preserved 77 acres of land in the Jolicoeur-McMartin Forest in 2022 after 144 donors in Chelsea came up with close to half a million dollars in funding. That same year ACRE also secured 44-acres of the nearby Dionne-Wilson Forest after landowners, Maryse Dionne and Mark Wilson, donated the land for ACRE to protect in perpetuity. 

Woodley praised the generosity of Hills residents – notably Dionne and Wilson, the 144 donors on the Jolicoeur-McMartin deal and Lars and Satya Brink, who donated the recent 11 acres of the Brink Forest to ACRE. 

“People love nature here,” said Woodley. “There’s also kind of a unique cultural thing happening in the Hills … but you know, culture and nature are intertwined, and protecting nature and loving nature is part of who we are in the Gatineau Hills. We [ACRE] are a tool, which is really implementing the community’s desire to conserve and protect nature.”

Woodley clearly noted that ACRE is “not anti-development,” but an organization that wants to monitor smart growth and work with developers to protect key areas while municipalities grow. 

“We’re for smart development, and smart development means that there’s areas which are important to protect as we build out,” added Woodley. “And we’ve always said we will be remembered for what we protect more than what we develop.”

Woodley said he was especially happy about protecting the Brink Forest, as it is rich in old-growth trees, including sugar maples, hemlock-white pine and other mature growth. But the forest is also an important nesting site for interior bird species, including the ovenbird, hermit thrush, American redstart and red-eyed vireo. ACRE cameras installed along the trails of the property have captured black bears, eastern coyotes and fishers moving through the corridor. 

Woodley also said that the forest contains many trails throughout, which link up with various other trails in the Larrimac area. Woodley confirmed that those trails would be maintained for community use. 

This latest acquisition marks the 11th property that ACRE has acquired, totalling an impressive 365 acres of greenspace worth $5.6 million, which will never be developed.

ACRES land acquisition by the numbers

365 acres

11 properties

$1.6M cash donations

$1.6M land donations

$3.3M total donations

$5.6M raised for land acquisitions

ACRE secures 11 more to expand Larrimac eco corridor Read More »

Marc CarriereMarc Carrière

We can’t ‘bury our heads’ on climate change: MRC prefect 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

By Trevor Greenway

Local Journalism Initiative

The head of the MRC des Collines regional government says that local municipalities in the Hills can’t “bury our heads in the sand” when looking at the threats of natural disasters in the wake of climate change. 

MRC des Collines Prefect Marc Carrière told the Low Down that his government, as well as municipalities in Gatineau, La Pêche, Pontiac, Cantley, L’Ange Guardian and others, are working together to map out five local rivers in terms of their floodplains. 

He said there is also concern for those who live near bodies of water – especially since Quebec’s Ministry of the Environment recently told the Low Down that it expects the “the surface area of floodplains would increase by approximately 40 per cent in the next-generation maps.” 

“We have had two major floods in 2017 and 2019, and you never know when this will happen again,” said Carrière. He noted that there was another massive storm in the Hills last summer, which flooded properties, damaged homes and washed out several roads in Hollow Glen in Chelsea. “With all this climate change, we have to be prepared. So, of course the MRC and the municipalities are worried, especially for the residents that will live in the next flooding zone.”

According to Craig Stewart, part-time Chelsea resident and the vice-president of Climate Change and Federal Issues with the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC), about 10 per cent of homes in Canada are “uninsurable” for flooding, as they are built in the 100-year floodplain. Insurers won’t cover them because it is nearly a guarantee that they will flood within 20 years, he said.

Carrière said his government will need federal and provincial help. 

“People will have to adapt, but we can’t bury our heads in the sand and think it will never happen again,” added Carrière. “It will happen again.”

The federal government is working on a national partnership program with insurance companies to offer coverage for these “high-risk” homes. The problem is that the program is taking time to iron out, and with the new flood maps expected later this year, homeowners could find themselves in an expensive bind if they want certain flood coverage added as a premium. 

Despite the alarming assertion by one government source that flood zones would increase by 40 per cent in Quebec, local Carleton University researcher Gary Martin, who studies climate change adaptation and flood risk management, said that while flood risk is clearly increasing across Quebec, it remains to be seen how the province’s maps will differ from existing municipal flood maps. He said that municipalities and the MRCs know where the risky areas are, and have worked for decades to keep housing out of those risky areas.

“Whose climate modeling and flood mapping are they using? What’s their level of certainty? How far in the future are they planning? The feds are working on new, publicly accessible flood zone maps across Canada too. Whose map will you use?” Questioned Martin.  “That 40% figure concerns me. Will it cause people to panic?”

“This is all up in the air, and I don’t think people need to freak out just yet,” Martin continued.  “The feds and the provinces and municipalities understand the problem, and are all working through this to ensure that people don’t lose the equity in their homes.”Carrière said that the local MRCs are mapping out five rivers in the area: Gatineau, Quyon, Outaouais, Du Lièvre in Masson-Angers and Blanche in Perkins. He said the maps should be completed by the end of the year.

We can’t ‘bury our heads’ on climate change: MRC prefect  Read More »

Drez Slezak and Kat Brooks pose with their daughter at their new shop, the Chelsea Wellness Market, which will sell health food products and host live workshops.

Chelsea gets healthier with new Wellness Market

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

By Trevor Greenway

It’s a snowy Friday morning at the Chelsea Wellness Market, and despite only being open for a week, owners Drez Slezak and Kat Brooks are trying to keep their shelves stocked. 

The two Chelsea residents opened their new shop on Old Chelsea Road on Jan. 29 and have already sold out of one of their popular products: Shilajit, a mineral-rich resin long used in Ayurveda healing.

“It’s an ancient resin that comes from the Himalayas, and it’s super dense in minerals, and people just really go crazy for it,” said co-owner Slezak. “We’re already sold out of this.” 

The market’s two owners and life partners said they hope the early product sell-out is a sign of things to come at Chelsea’s newest and only health food store. Given that Chelsea’s population includes health-conscious skiers, cyclists, joggers, hikers and yogis, Slezak’s and Brooks’ values are likely a good fit for the community.

“We’ve been living here four and a half, five years, and kept having to drive to Ottawa to Healthy Planet,” said Brooks, noting that Wakefield has also had a great health food store for the past 15 years – La Forêt. “We just saw that need in the [Chelsea] community.”

The Chelsea Wellness Market might be small, but it’s mighty in terms of the amount of products that will eventually line the shelves once it fully hits its stride, according to the owners. So far, they’ve only had a soft opening and are continuing to get more and more health-based products. 

Slezak said he wants the Chelsea Wellness Market to be a “one-stop shop” where residents can buy everything from food – local eggs, milk and cheese – to toiletries, like organic and natural toothpaste. 

“We are making sure we have good quality food and snacks, and that’s why we’re getting really high-quality milk, eggs, butter and stuff like that,” added Slezak. “Alternative flours or pasta, sauces – all those different things so you can cook meals. But then there are also eco-natural cleaning products, laundry detergents and supplements, protein powders and vitamins. We will have beauty products like hair and skin products and natural toothbrushes.”

While they aren’t nutritional experts, Slezak and Brooks have wellness backgrounds and run sonic yoga events, sound therapy retreats and ecstatic dance parties. Brooks is also a holistic grief coach. The couple plans to host educational health workshops inside their shop, inviting nutritionists, naturopathic doctors and other practitioners to help people learn more about health products and healthy habits. 

The Chelsea Wellness Market is hosting its grand opening on Feb. 22 from 4–9 p.m. at 183 Old Chelsea Road. 

Chelsea gets healthier with new Wellness Market 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 »

Craig Stewart

Quebec flood maps to grow by 40%

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

By Trevor Greenway

Local Journalism Initiatve

The next generation of flood maps being developed by the Quebec government could spell out a nightmare for Hills homeowners who live in high-risk areas. 

According to Quebec’s Ministry of Environment, next-generation flood maps are being developed this spring. Due to climate change, the government expects flood zones to grow by a staggering 40 per cent. Insurance experts are sounding the alarm now that homeowners can expect big changes to their coverage—very high premiums or no flood insurance at all. 

“Although it is impossible to predict the outcome for a particular sector, it is expected that in the majority of cases, the next-generation floodplain maps will be larger following their new delimitation,” wrote Ministry of Environment spokesperson Josée Guimond in an email. “Sectors that were not previously identified on floodplain maps could thus become so. The Ministry estimates that the surface area of floodplains would increase by approximately 40 per cent in the next-generation maps, particularly due to the inclusion of the effect of climate change.”

In February 2024, the Desjardins Group announced that it would no longer offer mortgages to homes in some flood zones because the “impacts of climate change, including water damage, are growing in importance and causing substantial damage.”

Craig Stewart, a part-time Chelsea resident and the Vice-President of Climate Change and Federal Issues with the Insurance Bureau of Canada (IBC) told the Low Down that these new maps could mean homeowners wake up one day and find that they can’t renew their mortgages. 

“Can you imagine: you go to renew your mortgage, and you’re on the Quebec map, as you’re now in a floodplain, and you didn’t know it, and now you can’t renew your mortgage?” Stewart told the Low Down. “This could happen, absolutely. And so suddenly everybody’s looking at this problem and thinking, ‘Oh no, we’re going to have to figure our way out of this.’ And unfortunately, Ottawa has dragged its feet.”

Stewart said the problems began in Calgary in 2013, when major flooding there led the insurance industry to pay out $1.4 billion in flood claims. The industry said it would no longer cover overland flooding—water coming in from ocean surges, lakes and rivers, or even heavy rainfall—because the flood maps were out of date. 

Stewart said the IBC then spent several million dollars mapping the entire country. In 2015, some companies started offering overland flooding insurance as a separate product for homes in low—or medium-risk zones. However, the mapping data showed that 10 per cent of homes—those in the high-risk, 100-year flood plains—would not be covered because “it’s not an accident; we know they are going to flood.”

“These are the ones inside the 100-year flood plain – it used to be once in 100 years. Now, it’s like every 20 years. We know they are going to flood.”

For this 10 per cent of uninsurable homes, Stewart said the federal government has stepped in and is working on a federal insurance program in partnership with insurance companies to offer high-risk flood insurance. According to Stewart, under the proposed plan the insurance company would charge a premium for the flood product and remit that money to the feds, who would “backstop the risk.”

The problem, according to Stewart, is that Ottawa has “dragged its feet.”

“These sorts of partnerships are very common, but in Canada, it’s taken us forever,” said Stewart, referring to places like the UK, France and the US, which have national insurance programs for flooding. Stewart said that these conversations started in Canada in 2017, and everything has now stalled with parliament prorogued until late March. 

According to Stewart, the bigger problem is Canada’s housing plan—thousands of houses are being built to address the country’s housing crisis, but there is no real guidance on how or where to build them. He said that  Canada’s building code needs updating so that contractors start building the right homes in the right places. Without new legislation in the building code, he fears many of these new homes will be built in flood zones and will be uninsurable until Canada catches up. 

“The insurance industry has been saying for years, ‘don’t build in high-risk places,’ and yet, municipal governments have continued to build homes in places where they probably shouldn’t be, and the federal government has kicked building codes for resilience down the road,” added Stewart. “It should be in the building code – ways to build wildfire resilient homes or flood resilient homes – but we’re not going to get to that till 2030. So now, as a nation, we’re building thousands and thousands of new homes because we have a housing crisis, but those homes are going to be built poorly, and they are potentially going to be built in high-risk areas.”

The Hills has seen its fair share of increased storms and flooding, including last year’s Hurricane Debbie aftermath, which left Chelsea in ruin. Multiple homes flooded, roads were completely washed away, and homeowners were left with debris and mud after landslides in Hollow Glen. 

Locally, the MRC des Collines is working with other regional governments—Papineau and Pontiac—to map local rivers and develop a new risk assessment for the area. However, La Pêche Mayor Guillaume Lamoureux said it’s too early to comment on what those maps show, as they won’t be ready until next winter. 

No flood risk? Still pay more

Chelsea resident Stephen Woodley lives on top of Juniper Road, his home has never flooded and he’s never claimed flood damage with his insurance, but two years ago, he received a letter from his TD Insurance that flooding would no longer be covered on his insurance plan. To get flood insurance, he would have to pay more.  

“I mean, our whole economy is based on the single biggest purchase in our life, which is a home. And if we can’t get insurance on a home, you can’t get a mortgage, right?” Woodley told the Low Down. “We had a couple of big rain events right in Chelsea that flooded all kinds of people’s basements. My basement doesn’t flood, but I do have a sump pump. I’ve never claimed against it, but they cut it off.” Woodley said that TD did offer him flood insurance, but the premium was $1,800 per year. He said that if his basement floods, it would maybe cost $10,000 to fix it and with no flood history, he didn’t feel it was worth it to pay nearly $2,000 extra every year. 

“I live up on Juniper Road at the top of the hill, so I’m not a big flood risk,” said Woodley. “But they don’t care about that. I’m sure it was a blanket policy.”

Quebec says that storms in 2017 and 2019 cost the province more than $1.4 billion, which, aside from impacts on infrastructure, public services and the economy, can also lead to “socio-sanitary impacts, affecting both health status and physical, psychological and social well-being.”

Quebec’s most recent floods
  • In 2017, a historic flood affected 293 municipalities, including some in the Gatineau Hills, forcing the evacuation of more than 4,000 people. 
  • In 2019, a historic flood affected more than 240 municipalities, flooded thousands of homes, forced the evacuation of more than 10,000 people and caused the closure of several roads. Municipalities in the Gatineau Hills were impacted.
  • In 2019, the sudden rupture of a dike in Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac led to the flooding of more than 2,600 properties and the evacuation of approximately 6,500 people.
  • In 2023, flooding occurred in several regions, including the Hills. The failure of a protective wall in Baie-Saint-Paul caused a rapid rise in water levels, flooding nearly 300 homes and forcing the evacuation of more than 1,000 people.

Quebec flood maps to grow by 40% Read More »

Chelsea lawyer charged with fraud

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

by Trevor Greenway

A real estate lawyer in Chelsea has been charged with fraud, theft, false pretense and criminal breach of trust over real estate transactions completed between 2022 and 2024.

Chelsea resident Julian J. Hutchinson of Hutch Law was arrested and charged on Jan. 23 after Ottawa Police launched a fraud investigation in the fall of 2024. Police believe there are more victims who have yet to come forward and are urging those who have information to contact them immediately. 

According to court records, Hutchinson runs Hutch Law on Preston Street in Ottawa. He specializes in real estate, corporate, and environmental law and lives in Chelsea.  In a Dec. 30, 2024 tribunal decision, the Law Society of Ontario suspended Hutchinson’s licence and alleged that he “falsified documents in real estate transactions, provided false documents to parties as if they were authentic; made misleading statements in the course of real estate transactions; and  failed to co-operate with the Law Society’s investigation.”

The tribunal decision refers to 12 separate complaints in which Hutchinson’s clients allege that he tampered with documents, misled them, engaged in misconduct, and misappropriated trust funds. 

Ottawa police urge anyone with information to contact its Fraud Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 7300. Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477 or crimestoppers.ca. 

The Low Down reached out to Hutchinson; however, he said that, on the advice of his lawyer, he would not comment on the case. 

Chelsea lawyer charged with fraud Read More »

Fatemeh Anvari

Bill 21 heads to Supreme Court

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

by Trevor Greenway

Fatemeh Anvari is exhausted. 

But the former Chelsea teacher who was banned from her Grade 3 classroom for wearing a hijab in 2021 says she will never give up the fight over Quebec’s controversial Bill 21. 

“I think that if I don’t speak out any chance I get, then it will just be forgotten,” said Anvari. “And this is not just about me; it’s just that so many people are affected. And you know, if I have the chance to speak about it, why wouldn’t I?” Anvari’s comments come on the heels of the Jan. 23 announcement from Canada’s highest court – the Supreme Court of Canada – that it would hear a challenge to Quebec’s controversial Bill 21. This will be the final legal battle between Quebec and civil rights and community groups who argue that the bill is discriminatory and unconstitutional. 

Bill 21 prohibits certain public workers in positions of authority, such as judges, police officers, prison guards and teachers, from wearing religious symbols while on the job. The Bill was passed in 2019 during the first mandate of the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government. To protect the law from court challenges, Quebec legislators invoked the Constitution’s notwithstanding clause, a provision that must be renewed every five years. It was last renewed in 2024.

Anvari said while she’s happy that Canada’s high court will finally take on the case, it’s “alarming” that people are celebrating their right to be heard.

“It was a relief that it finally got to this stage,” Anvari told the Low Down. “But at the same time, it really made me think that, if in 2025 in Canada we’re being excited about having the right to be heard in the Supreme Court, that’s pretty alarming.”

The face of Bill 21

Anvari became the face of Bill 21 in Quebec after she was removed from her Grade 3 classroom at Chelsea Elementary School on Dec. 8, 2021. The Low Down first reported the story, which was later picked up by every major news outlet across the country, and some US-based publications. Anvari even penned an op-ed for Maclean’s magazine last October, defending her decision to wear a hijab in Canada. 

It’s been three years since her story reignited the debate over secularism in Quebec, and politicians as high up as the Prime Minister have weighed in on her personal story. 

“Nobody in Canada should ever lose their job because of what they wear or their religious beliefs,” PM Justin Trudeau wrote in a statement to the Low Down at the time. In his statement, he praised parents and students in Chelsea, who launched a “For Fatemeh” campaign that included letters from students and parents and green ribbons tied to the fence of the school – Anvari’s favourite colour.  “What we’re seeing in Chelsea is a community coming together to stand up for their neighbour – a teacher, Fatemeh Anvari. And parents are having really difficult conversations with their kids,” wrote Trudeau. 

Anvari also said the support from the school, her students, parents and this local paper are what keep her motivated to stay in the fight. 

Empowered by Chelsea community

“Honestly, it was just the community in Chelsea, you know, if it hadn’t been for you guys – the parents, the Low Down, the kids, it just, it wouldn’t have been at all possible because I wouldn’t have felt empowered to talk about it ever,” said Anvari. “I really hope everybody acknowledges that – that it’s not something that is achievable without this support. It takes a village.”

And she knows it will still be a big fight at the Supreme Court. Quebec Premier François Legault on Jan. 24 posted on X that the government will “fight” for secularism in Quebec.

“Quebec has opted for secularism in the public sector, banning religious symbols and covered faces for government employees in positions of authority,” he wrote on X. “We’ll fight to the bitter end to defend our values and who we are.”

This response isn’t surprising to the Canadian Civil Liberties Association (CCLA), especially since Quebec has won every Bill 21 challenge it has faced in the lower courts. However, the CCLA, which first launched a challenge against Bill 21 in 2019, is hopeful that the high court will provide some clarity and a precedent on Quebec’s use of the notwithstanding clause, which it used to push the bill through in 2019.

Restricted by notwithstanding clause 

“I think what the problem was that the lower courts recognize the harms of Bill 21, but they felt restricted because of the use of the notwithstanding clause,” said CCLA spokesperson Harini Sivalingam. “Because of the use of the notwithstanding clause, it’s an opportunity for the highest court to provide some clarity on what the rules should be of the courts when governments use the notwithstanding clause to pass laws that violate fundamental rights and freedom.”

The CCLA argues that the bill violates Canadian rights and freedoms, whether or not the notwithstanding clause was used. The CCLA also argues that the Quebec government has overstepped its powers. “There’s actually a power that is beyond the scope of the provincial government because of federalism and the distribution of power. The government is actually trying to regulate morality, which has traditionally been the domain of criminal law, which is a federal power.”

The CCLA said it won’t be satisfied until the bill is struck down in its entirety. 

Bill 21 heads to Supreme Court Read More »

Calling all parents! School cuts on the agenda

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

By Trevor Greenway

A local school board commissioner is asking for parents’ help to figure out how to cut nearly $1 million from the education budget without affecting students. 

Chelsea Elementary School Board commissioner Caryl Green told the Low Down that staff from the Western Quebec School Board will present their proposed budget cuts at its January board meeting, and she’s calling on parents and the general public to get involved and have a say in the region’s education plans. 

“The WQSB must cut $906,000 for the remainder of the 2024–2025 fiscal year. Staff will present the commissioners with their proposed cuts at our January meeting for discussion and approval,” Green told the Low Down. 

“It is important for parents with children in the WQSB system, and the community at large, to be aware of the consequences that, for example, a complete hiring freeze and no further spending for school expansion projects could have on their children’s education,” she said. “Although the government states that the budget cuts should not have a direct impact on student services, the reality is that they will impact education now and for years to come.”

The cuts are part of wider provincial austerity measures that will see $200 million cut from the education system. Green said the cuts represent 0.6 per cent of the WQSB budget. 

Other schools in the Outaouais – including French school service centres – will also see cuts. The Portages-de-l’Outaouais (CSSPO) board will be forced to reduce its expenses by $2,164,556.08. 

Green also said that, while the details of the cuts are not yet clear, a number of portable buildings that were planned for Chelsea Elementary will no longer happen. 

The upcoming Jan. 28 board meeting is open to the public and is offered both in-person or virtually. Those who wish to attend can show up to 15 Rue Katimavik in Gatineau at 7 p.m. or log on virtually. Those who wish to attend are asked to RSVP 24 hours before the meeting via the website at www.westernquebec.ca 

Calling all parents! School cuts on the agenda Read More »

School board to cut nearly $1M from budget

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Trevor Greenway
Local Journalism Initiative

A local school board commissioner says that it will be impossible to cut nearly $1 million from its budget without affecting students. 

Chelsea Elementary school board commissioner Caryl Green told the Low Down that the province’s Ministry of Education has ordered the Western Quebec School Board (WQSB) to chop $960,000 from its budget by March 31, 2025 – without affecting students. 

“It is concerning, because we have to make cuts with no direct impact on students, but everything we do has an impact on our students,” said Green. “The impacts could touch Indigenous education, support for rural schools and even the extra resources for schools with high socio-economic needs.”

The cuts are part of wider provincial austerity measures that will see $200 million cut from the education system. Green said the cuts represent 0.6 per cent of the WQSB budget. 

Other schools in the Outaouais – including French school service centres – will also see cuts. The Portages-de-l’Outaouais (CSSPO) board will be forced to reduce its expenses by $2,164,556.08. 

Green said commissioners aren’t sure yet where the cuts will come, however she did say that a number of portable buildings that were planned for Chelsea school will no longer happen. Green said the current board hiring freeze won’t help either. 

“This is just for the fiscal year, and then there’ll be a new budget in April from Quebec,” said Green. “But certainly, education has taken a big, big hit.”

School board to cut nearly $1M from budget Read More »

Ditch the second car, Communauto is here

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

BY:TREVOR GREENWAY

After close to four years of planning and negotiating, Chelsea and La Pêche residents will have a new option to get around the Hills.

And they won’t even have to pay for gas. 

The Outaouais’ regional counsel on the environment and sustainable development, CREDDO, has partnered with both municipalities to bring a fleet of 16 Communauto hybrid cars to the region. Twelve of them will be stationed in Chelsea, with the remaining four spread out throughout La Pêche. 

It’s an initiative that CREDDO president Benoit Delage said he hopes will change residents’ car-centric habits. 

“If we want to build a centre village, we can’t have a sea of parking,” said Delage, referring to Chelsea. 

He explained that the project is in collaboration with four Chelsea developers: Cargo, Multivesco, DACM Investments Inc. and In Harmony Developments, which will host the cars in their parking lots for the public to use. 

With the developers on board, Chelsea changed its urban planning bylaw to bring the minimum number of parking spots per unit for new developments from two, to just one. In the process, it has eliminated several “heat islands” that would have been spread out over Chelsea’s centre village, explained Delage. A heat island is an urban area that experiences hotter than average temperatures than outlying areas due to infrastructure.

Benoit said that the municipality will have 150 fewer parking spots in the village because of the project.

“Can you imagine what the difference will be for what will be our centre village without that parking?” asked Delage. “It’s more trees, it’s more space for people.”

According to CREDDO, 79 per cent of greenhouse gasses in places like Chelsea and La Pêche come from transportation, and the organization said it is confident the addition of 16 community hybrid cars will bring that number down. The organization said it also hopes that the car-sharing initiative will entice residents to ditch their second family car, which will create less impact on the environment and help residents save money. 

“It costs residents $12,000 per year to own a car,” said Delage, referring to maintenance costs, insurance, gas and other repairs. With Communauto, residents can sign up for a number of various membership packages from as low $0 per month and $12.75 per hour, or up to $30 per month, which will allow residents to use the cars for just $2.75 per hour. And users won’t have to pay for gas. The packages are built to cover the cost of gas through membership fees. Each car will have a Communauto credit card for users to fill up when they need to. But all the cars are hybrid – 12 Prius’ and two RAV4 SUVs. 

Chelsea Mayor Pierre Guénard said the project presents a “decisive turning point for our municipality.”

“This project is perfectly in line with our environmental values, offering Chelsea residents a transportation solution that complements active mobility and Transcollines services,” said Guénard. “Through this initiative, we are creating a more integrated transportation network, helping to reduce our carbon footprint.”

The project relied on $500,000 worth of funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ green fund, with Chelsea chipping in $75,000 and La Pêche contributing another $25,000. The four developers also chipped in a total of $300,000, according to CREDDO. 

The vehicles will be available in November and will be parked at the four developments above, as well as at town hall in Chelsea. Two cars will be located somewhere in Masham, and CREDDO said it hopes to station two more in Wakefield. 

Residents can take advantage of $45 off of certain membership packages using the promo code:  HORIZONS online at: www.communauto.com

Ditch the second car, Communauto is here Read More »

Pencil pusher turned designer making mark in Chelsea

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

By Trevor Greenway
editor@lowdownonline.com

At the height of her career in governance policies, Kate Wightman kept asking herself what she wanted to be when she grew up. 

The Chelsea-based interior designer had been at the helm of governance and administration at CBC, working long hours, travelling frequently and grinding away at her busy government job, when she realized that “something’s got to give.”

“I’ve always kind of wondered, ‘What do I want to do when I grow up?’” said Wightman, who was enduring a difficult divorce, navigating a teenager through COVID and travelling “constantly” for her job.

“I left the government, drove seven-and-a-half hours to Timmons, Ont., bought a vintage camper trailer, hauled it home and spent two months with my dad gutting it and renovating it and ran it as a pop-up shop in Chelsea,” she explained.

The pop-up shop was the gateway to her new career as an interior designer, as she was curating vintage products, showcasing local artisans and helping customers with home design. This is when she was approached by a customer to redesign an Airbnb rental, and she immediately jumped at the opportunity. 

“It was a blast,” said Wightman. “I loved just having a bit more time to chit chat with people being in a creative realm, as opposed to, you know, the hectic job that I had in government.”

That was nearly three years ago, and now business at her Kiosk Route 105 shop is ringing off the hook. 

“I do absolutely no advertising – it’s all word of mouth and repeat clients,” added Wightman. “[Our firm] always got a list of a half dozen projects on the go at any given time and leads in the pipeline. And we just keep ourselves as busy as we kind of want to be.”

Wightman, who was clear that she’s not an accredited interior designer, said that her lack of accreditation actually works in her and her clients’ favour, as she is about “half the price.”. But even more than this, Wightman’s entire philosophy around design is using what’s already there and discouraging her clients to buy a new couch or dresser when it’s not necessary. 

Wightman said she believes that most homeowners have great things – mementos, collectables, antiques – but don’t know how to showcase them well or arrange them in a way that provides flow. She said the most common design flaw she sees in Hills homes is “a lack of intention.”

“When you move into a home, you’re bringing your existing stuff, and then you’re trying to put that wherever it fits in the home,” said Wightman. “And then you go, ‘Okay, I need a new couch to fit this space.’ You’ll go and find the couch to fit the space, but you’re not looking at the picture as a whole. You’re not saying, ‘What do I already have that could do this? How can we rejig it to work with other items in your home?’”

Wightman spoke a lot about the difference between a house and a home, and said that, while both are “form and function,” a home takes on a more emotional and personal feeling than just having a roof over your head. She said residents should feel their shoulders drop in relief when they arrive home, and the space should be a “refuge” from their busy lives. 

“I think ambiance is hugely important in a home, so things like lighting, flow of your furniture, plants and making sure that your home includes your own personality,” she said. “Where we work our magic really is working with what is already existing. We can keep projects to a really low budget because we can either revamp, reuse or repurpose existing items to improve flow and improve the aesthetics of someone’s home.”

Wightman’s Kiosk offers styling and staging services, custom decor solutions and full home renovations. 

The switch in careers has done more than light the creative fire in her soul, she said, it has allowed her to be a mom again. 

“I’m at a point now where I can pick and choose the job and the clients that interest me, and I have time for my family…,” said Wightman. “I have time for a new relationship. I can get back into cooking and baking and all that kind of stuff.”Prospective clients can meet with Wightman by appointment through her www.spacesbykiosk.com website, or you can visit her pop-up shop near Bougie Doozy Candle on Old Chelsea Road.

Pencil pusher turned designer making mark in Chelsea Read More »

If you build it, they will come

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

By Trevor Greenway

‘Field of Dreams’ may not be Tyler Langfield’s favourite movie, but he certainly believes in the “If you build it, they will come” mantra. 

On hot summer days, Langfield and his wife Stephanie Seddon’s Chelsea backyard is full of neighbourhood kids. 

They’re not watching Netflix; they’re not on their phones; they’re not scrolling on social media. They’re skateboarding. 

“When we have the kids over here…it’s a cool vibe,” said Langfield, standing on a half-pipe skateboarding ramp that he built himself during COVID. “Our neighbours come over; there’s a couple of boys next door, and they come over. They use it, but it gets everyone together, chilling.”

Langfield is a skateboarder himself and grew up, like other skaters, skating at places where he wasn’t supposed to be: city parks, courthouse staircases and any place where there would be a good “gap” to clear or a rail to grind. This was until cities and towns started building skateparks, like Wakefield did in 2013. 

Langfield could always be found at a local skatepark somewhere until COVID hit in 2019. During the pandemic, he wasn’t allowed to skate anywhere publicly. Impatient for government restrictions to ease, he brought the skatepark to the community. 

“At the time, my kids were pretty young, but I wanted to get them into skating,” said Langfield. “Literally, the minute [the pandemic] happened, I planned on doing this, and I reached out to a company in Montreal who manufactures the top sheet.” 

That “top sheet” he referred to is called Pure Surface, which is 27 layers of kraft paper laminated and glued together to create a smooth, gripping surface that is durable. And while it’s not cheap  – $210 per sheet – seeing his kids and neighbourhood friends rock a kickflip is all worth it, according to Langfield. 

“They spend a lot of time out here,” added Seddon. “Especially right now, with the beautiful weather, it’s amazing. Our eldest loves it, and it gets our youngest out here to try a bit harder.”

Langfield is aware that not everyone can build a $12,000 skatepark in their backyard, but if you ask Chelsea resident Brad Stewart, who has been dubbed “the king of freecycle,” you don’t have to break the bank to convert your backyard into a summer paradise. 

Stewart said he was paying attention to the Steamwhistle acquisition of Beau’s in 2022 and realized that the new owners were scrapping the yearly, epic Oktoberfest, and with it, their big skateboarding demonstration. He reached out and scored the half-pipe for just $800. 

“They were looking at burning it all,” said Stewart about a pile of wood and ramps that he will soon piece together for his own backyard skateboard halfpipe. The skateboard half-pipe is just one feature of Stewart’s impressive backyard that boasts a large above-ground pool, hot tub, trapeze line and trampoline – most of which he either scored for free or heavily discounted on Facebook Marketplace. 

Stewart’s pool – 29 feet by 15 feet – was scooped for free after a neighbour was looking to get rid of it before they sold their house. All he needed to do was disassemble it himself, move it to his house and reassemble it. He spent $400 on a new liner and a few hundred on chemicals to get it up and running. 

“It was an older pool, so it needed some TLC,” said Stewart, explaining that wooden pools of this size can cost between $10,000 and $20,000. 

When winter rolls around, Stewart’s pool acts as a polar dip for the kids going back and forth into a hot tub. 

Similarly, in winter Langfield converts his front porch into a snowboard run, and his backyard is just as busy when the snow hits. 

The hot tub was another major score for Stewart, who scooped it off Facebook Marketplace for just $600. Again, all he had to do was move it. 

Stewart offered up some tips for residents buying off Facebook Marketplace. 

“Know what you want and make sure that you jump on stuff early,” said Stewart. “And don’t be paranoid,” he explained, noting that sometimes buyers are weary of scammers.  Stewart also urged those looking for deals to set up Facebook Marketplace alerts so that they can be first to show interest in a product. And, he added, if you know it’s a good deal, “don’t haggle” for a lower price. 

“No matter what good deal you give people, they still will ask for $100 bucks off and that’s not cool,” he said. “Because you could have been selling it for $2,000.”

Stewart also recommended getting to know local repair people, as discounted items often need a piece here or an extra part there, and knowing who can fix things locally will save a lot of time and money. 

If you build it, they will come Read More »

Ditch the second car, Communauto is here

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

By Trevor Greenway
Local Journalism Initiative

After close to four years of planning and negotiating, Chelsea and La Pêche residents will have a new option to get around the Hills.

And they won’t even have to pay for gas. 

The Outaouais’ regional counsel on the environment and sustainable development, CREDDO, has partnered with both municipalities to bring a fleet of 16 Communauto hybrid cars to the region. Twelve of them will be stationed in Chelsea, with the remaining four spread out throughout La Pêche. 

It’s an initiative that CREDDO president Benoit Delage said he hopes will change residents’ car-centric habits. 

“If we want to build a centre village, we can’t have a sea of parking,” said Delage, referring to Chelsea. 

He explained that the project is in collaboration with four Chelsea developers: Cargo, Multivesco, DACM Investments Inc. and In Harmony Developments, which will host the cars in their parking lots for the public to use. 

With the developers on board, Chelsea changed its urban planning bylaw to bring the minimum number of parking spots per unit for new developments from two, to just one. In the process, it has eliminated several “heat islands” that would have been spread out over Chelsea’s centre village, explained Delage. A heat island is an urban area that experiences hotter than average temperatures than outlying areas due to infrastructure.

Benoit said that the municipality will have 150 fewer parking spots in the village because of the project.

“Can you imagine what the difference will be for what will be our centre village without that parking?” asked Delage. “It’s more trees, it’s more space for people.”

According to CREDDO, 79 per cent of greenhouse gasses in places like Chelsea and La Pêche come from transportation, and the organization said it is confident the addition of 16 community hybrid cars will bring that number down. The organization said it also hopes that the car-sharing initiative will entice residents to ditch their second family car, which will create less impact on the environment and help residents save money. 

“It costs residents $12,000 per year to own a car,” said Delage, referring to maintenance costs, insurance, gas and other repairs. With Communauto, residents can sign up for a number of various membership packages from as low $0 per month and $12.75 per hour, or up to $30 per month, which will allow residents to use the cars for just $2.75 per hour. And users won’t have to pay for gas. The packages are built to cover the cost of gas through membership fees. Each car will have a Communauto credit card for users to fill up when they need to. But all the cars are hybrid – 12 Prius’ and two RAV4 SUVs. 

Chelsea Mayor Pierre Guénard said the project presents a “decisive turning point for our municipality.”

“This project is perfectly in line with our environmental values, offering Chelsea residents a transportation solution that complements active mobility and Transcollines services,” said Guénard. “Through this initiative, we are creating a more integrated transportation network, helping to reduce our carbon footprint.”

The project relied on $500,000 worth of funding from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ green fund, with Chelsea chipping in $75,000 and La Pêche contributing another $25,000. The four developers also chipped in a total of $300,000, according to CREDDO. 

The vehicles will be available in November and will be parked at the four developments above, as well as at town hall in Chelsea. Two cars will be located somewhere in Masham, and CREDDO said it hopes to station two more in Wakefield. 

Residents can take advantage of $45 off of certain membership packages using the promo code:  HORIZONS online at: www.communauto.com

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Gatineau River not swimmable at three sites

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

By Trevor Greenway

Local Journalism Initiative

The Aug. 26 Friends of the Gatineau River (FOG) tests show three sites from Wakefield to Chelsea that are not recommended for swimming. 

After a lab error during previous month’s testing of the Gatineau River, data now shows two concerning spots in La Pêche and another near the Alonzo Wright Bridge in Chelsea, where all recreational activities should be avoided, according to FOG. Several pieces of data were missing from the initial sample. 

FOG announced on its Facebook page that all three sites are not recommended for swimming. 

On FOG’s map of the test sites, one point near the Alonzo Wright Bridge has a red dot over it, with the tests reading more than 1,000 fecal coliforms per 100 millilitres. Standards for “good” or “excellent” readings are between 0 and 100 fecal coliforms per 100 millilitres. 

“So there should have been a no swim advisory actually issued,” said a FOG director, who wished to remain anonymous. “Whenever there’s a red dot, it means no swimming.”

A second site in south Chelsea at Mill Road is reading as “good,” but that area has been a constant concern for FOG, as historical data shows sites south of Chelsea’s sewage treatment plant have consistently yielded poorer results than most other river sites throughout the Hills. 

Last year’s tests showed the area around Alonzo as “mediocre” with tests showing between 101 and 200 fecal coliforms per 100 millilitres. In 2022, the Alonzo site was showing “good” results, however the Mill Road site at that time was “very poor” with fecal coliforms hitting over 1,000 per 100 millilitres. 

FOG said it can’t conclusively link Chelsea’s sewage treatment plant to increased bacteria in that area, but it remains a theory for the river advocacy group and something it will continue to monitor. 

The FOG director was adamant about including the missing data, as they feel that much of the attention is given to the river upstream from the Chelsea Dam, as that’s where most of the popular swimming holes are and where most of the motorboats and paddlers are. However, they said with new people moving into the area, it’s important to ensure residents are clear about the quality of the river. 

While much of the river has favourable results that are either “excellent” or “good,” two sites in La Pêche consistently show higher levels of bacteria: The McLinton Creek and near the entrance of the La Pêche River. Both have been deemed not recommended for swimming by FOG. 

FOG director Stephen Ferguson alluded to the fact that the bacteria could be coming from beaver dams upstream. Another FOG director also noted that there are two horse farms and a cattle farm above McLinton Creek, and FOG believes that could be part of why the fecal levels are so high.  

There was also the question around the septic treatment plant on top of Chemin de la Vallée-de-Wakefield and whether or not its effluent was contaminating sites in the village. However Mayor Guillaume Lamoureux confirmed that the exit pipe is near Kaffé 1870, which is downstream from McLinton and the La Pêche River sites.  

With global warming bringing more intense storms and rain to the region, FOG is now starting to test the river after rain events – 24 and 48 hours after a storm – to see how runoff from the roads and forests above the river affects its quality. 

FOG wants to be clear that its boating safety campaign, in which the organization is trying to lower the speed limit for motorboats on the Gatineau River, is not only about safety but also about preserving and protecting the river. FOG says that boat wakes are the top contributor to shoreline erosion, and legislation to slow boats down will both save lives and protect the river’s shoreline. 

What can you do to protect the river?

FOG has a section on its website where residents can gather information on how to be a steward of the river and how to limit our impact on the river

Eliminate household toxins

FOG encourages riverfront residents to refrain from using household toxins like herbicides, pesticides and exfoliating cosmetics, as they promote algae growth, affect animal biodiversity and can be found in the fish that residents catch and eat from the river. 

Maintain good septic systems

FOG encourages residents to “use healthy products” like biodegradable detergents and solutions that can break down in your system. 

Residents should also save water as much as they can, as increased consumption of water speeds up the circulation of the tank and stops the separation of sludge and scum. 

FOG also recommends keeping septic systems away from sheds and swimming pools to promote air circulation. 

Shoreline regulations

FOG also wants to remind residents of the shoreline regulations, as it is against municipal bylaws to cut vegetation within 15 metres of the shoreline. Permits are required for all docks on the Gatineau River and private boat launches are prohibited. 

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