Kazabazua

 Kaz water access doesn’t float everyone’s boat

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By Madeline Kerr

The municipality of Kazabazua has created public access to the Gatineau River, but not without courting some controversy in the process. 

The river access point, located at the corner of Hwy 105 and Chemin du Village d’Alywin north of Kaz village, provides a sweeping view of the Gatineau River as it widens and bends. 

It is the only public access point to the river in the municipality, according to Kaz director-general Pierre Vaillancourt, who told the Low Down that the municipality made it a priority to “give the population access to the Gatineau River.”

But to do so the municipality expropriated a landowner who says she was left feeling “taken advantage of.” Some residents also question the environmental impact of the access point and say it’s regularly littered with garbage and hasn’t been authorized by the provincial government.  

In 2021 Quebec passed Bill 67 that encourages MRCs to create public access to bodies of water in the province. Despite this, a study of municipal land registers and property assessments published earlier this year showed that 98 per cent of Quebec’s shorelines are still inaccessible to the public.

Until 2024 the land where the access point is located in Kaz was owned by Alexandra Topolski, a resident of Hudson, who inherited it from her late father. 

Topolski told the Low Down that she initially co-operated in good faith with the municipality when she was approached a number of years ago about selling her land. Besides the lot that includes the access point, Topolski owns two adjacent lots, including an island on the Gatineau River.  She said that a few years ago, she was in need of money and was willing to sell, but added that she felt it was only fair that if the municipality wanted one of her lots, they should consider buying the others. 

“I said it’s not fair for you guys to take a bite out of the apple and take the best part and then leave me holding the two rump pieces that are going to be diminished in value…. I really pushed. I said I feel like you should buy all the land from me at a fair price,” she recounted.

Instead, she said DG Vaillancourt was “intractable” and she ended up being “low balled.” Rather than agreeing to purchase any of the land, the municipality moved to expropriate Topolski, ultimately paying her $50,000 for only one of the lots. 

Vaillancourt acknowledged that Topolski was very unhappy with the process, but said to the Low Down, “I told her that the municipality can’t just buy land for the fun of it.” 

Topolski ultimately accepted the expropriation and the case did not go to court. She said this was because she was in “dire financial straits” due to a costly divorce and she wasn’t in a position to hire lawyers or fight back.

“I was taken advantage of, absolutely,” she said. 

Litter and permits

The other issue plaguing the water access point, according to some residents, is frequent contamination and littering. 

When the Low Down visited the site in August, it was mostly free from garbage. But longtime resident Gabriel Geurtin, who lives nearby, showed the Low Down a number of pictures of garbage near the shoreline, including what appears to be a car battery. Guertin said he has seen evidence of environmental destruction to the shoreline, which is home to delicate ecosystems and wildlife.  

Guertin, who has run for Kaz council in the past and recently announced his intention to run for mayor, added that he believes the municipality does not have the proper authorization from the Ministry for the Environment to establish a boat launch to the river. 

To refute this claim, Vaillancourt sent the Low Down copies of email exchanges with staff at the ministries for the environment and transport as well as the provincial commission for protecting agricultural land, which all indicate authorization is not needed to create official access to the water. 

He added that the site is not technically a boat launch. Although small boats might be able to use the narrow ramp to the water, he said it’s too small to be a boat launch for larger motorized vessels. Vaillancourt explained that if the site was an official boat launch, it would require approval from the Ministry for the Environment. 

When asked about some residents’ complaints, Vaillancourt maintained it was important for the municipality to create access to the river. 

He also confirmed the municipality has plans to one day build parking spaces nearby – a proposal that Guertin and other residents the Low Down spoke to said they’re prepared to fight.   

 Kaz water access doesn’t float everyone’s boat Read More »

Kaz councillor wants to see locals R.I.S.E. and shine

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By Madeline Kerr

Brandy Killeen wants to give her community a lift. 

The Kazabazua municipal councillor recently purchased the former Desjardins building on Hwy 105 in Kaz and is turning it into a hub for the community. She’s calling it Rêver Imaginer Surmonter Exécuter or R.I.S.E., which translates to Dream Imagine Overcome Execute in English.

Killeen recently told the Low Down that she envisions a space where the community can come together, connect with essential services and find the resources they need – something that is often a challenge in rural areas.  

The trained paralegal and mother of five told the Low Down she is motivated by her own life experiences. 

“I grew up in difficult circumstances,” she said. “There are people in my life who have struggled, who continue to struggle, with things like addiction.”

She added, “I have a big heart. I love to see people succeed. I want to see the people in this community work to lift each other up.” 

Killeen explained she plans to outfit the basement of the building with an air hockey table, dart board, games and craft supplies, transforming it into a safe and fun space for local youth to hang out.

The main floor of the building is currently being renovated to include a flexible meeting space where Killeen said workshops and functions, including regular addiction recovery meetings, can be held. 

“There’s drug and alcohol abuse happening in our community but not necessarily anywhere to go for help,” Killeen said. 

She also plans on providing a closed office space where individuals can meet privately with therapists or other professionals. And there will be a space with tables and chairs for locals to come and drink tea or coffee and connect with one another.  

Killeen said she wants to help residents who need support to find work, make doctor appointments, connect with social workers or physiologists or apply for official documents by connecting them with the right resources to get what they need. 

“I don’t provide the service itself but I can connect you to it,” she explained. “I’m just here to link everybody together.” 

Killeen told the Low Down that she has had support from a number of local individuals and businesses, and she has put her sons to work painting and helping renovate. But she admitted that so far she’s funding this project “with faith and minimal savings.”

“Donations are welcome but not expected,” she said, adding, “The more that I’m able to provide to the community, the more doors will open for funding opportunities.”

Killeen took possession of the building in July and got straight to work making the space her own. The former bank has not been in use for about four years, she explained. She added that she has arranged with Desjardins to continue to maintain a bank machine in the vestibule of the building. This was important because, according to Killeen, it’s the only wheelchair accessible bank machine in the region. 

Killeen said that the hairdressing studio, Studio de Coiffure Danyka, which has been running out of the building for about 12 years, will continue to operate. Although R.I.S.E. is not officially open, Killeen said, “If someone walks in here, I won’t turn them away.” 

She plans to hold an opening event on Sept. 30, with the caveat that “things are very much still a work in progress.” 

To find more information about R.I.S.E. visit risequebec.com. 

Kaz councillor wants to see locals R.I.S.E. and shine Read More »

 Check municipal bylaws before having open fires

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By Trevor Greenway

Is there a fire ban in the Gatineau Hills?

That depends on where you live. 

Despite the lack of restrictions from Wildfire Prevention and Suppression in Quebec (SOPFEU) in La Pêche, Mayor Guillaume Lamoureux confirmed to the Low Down on Aug. 11 that open fires are currently banned in the municipality. 

“Right now, our index is at ‘tres élevé,’ so very high,” said Lamoureux. So, definitely no open fires allowed.”

Lamoureux explained that while the SOPFEU website shows no restrictions for La Pêche, the municipality has its own by-law that bans open fires when the fire danger index level reaches “high” or greater. 

According to the bylaw, open fires are also banned in La Pêche when winds exceed 20 km/h. 

“Only fires made in an installation equipped with a spark arrestor are permitted when the flammability index reaches the high or very high rating,” reads the bylaw. A spark arrestor is any device which prevents the emission of flammable debris from combustion sources, such as internal combustion engines, fireplaces, and wood-burning stoves.

All fires in La Pêche are banned when the SOPFEU levels reach “extreme.”

Open fires are also banned on National Capital Commission (NCC) property, including throughout Gatineau Park. According to the NCC, it places a ban on open fires, including campfires and charcoal barbecues, when the index level reaches “very high” or “extremely high.”

The current SOPFEU index for Chelsea is set at “very high.”

However, throughout the municipality of Chelsa, open fires are still permitted, as its bylaw states that open fires are banned only when the index level reaches “extreme.”

Despite the lack of a full fire ban in Chelsea, SOPFEU still has recommendations for homeowners when they are having open fires in their backyards. 

“There is currently no restriction, like a provincial-wide restriction, so whenever people are calling, we’re telling them that the fire danger index is very high, to extreme,” said SOPFEU spokesperson Melanie Morin. “We’re encouraging everyone to find out what their municipal bylaws are.”

Morin explained that each index level comes with a set of recommendations and considerations for homeowners when having open fires. 

“If the fire danger is low, that means that there is a very low risk of a spark making it to the forest, which would cause a wildfire. At the other end of that scale is very high to extreme, and there is a very, very high likelihood that if a spark were to make it to the forest, that it would cause a wildfire,” she added. 

When the fire danger index is very high to extreme, SOPFEU recommends not having open fires and using propane fire pits instead. SOPFEU also warns against using fireworks or smoking in forests.  “Whenever those fire dangers are present, we ask people to abstain from the use of fire if it’s possible, follow any and all rule regulations that are in place – use a propane fire pit,  don’t use an open-air fire,” she said.  “Don’t use anything that will cause sparks, such as fireworks. If you’re out and about in the forest, then abstain from smoking and that sort of thing.”

Kazabazua firefighter Melanie Irwin said that while there may be no official fire ban in the municipality, she urges homeowners against having open fires when the levels are “high” or greater. 

“I believe that they do have a fire ban in Bristol and places like that, but I haven’t seen anything like for Kaz, although I think that there should be, because it’s extremely dry out there – even the weeds are dying,” Irwin told the Low Down. 

“We’ve been super lucky – we haven’t had [any wildfires] and I think that people are getting smarter over the last few years because of the amount of fires that have been burning out of control,” she added.  “So I think that people are being more careful.”

Despite this recent prudence, Irwin said she personally wouldn’t risk having an open fire. 

“I don’t have the authority to say yes or no, but common sense would say no.” 

There are currently six active fires burning across the province, according to SOPFEU. Of the 194 wildfires, 176 of them – or over 90 per cent – have been ignited by humans. Nine other fires were caused by lightning. 

Locally, there were two wildfires burning in La Pêche over the past week, one near Lac Notre Dame this weekend and another near Lac Bernard. Both have been extinguished. 

There are currently three active fires in the Outaouais. 

Check with your municipality on the status of its fire danger index or visit the SOPFEU website at www.sopfeu.qc.ca. 

 Check municipal bylaws before having open fires Read More »

Kaz man dies in motorcycle crash on Hwy 105

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By Trevor Greenway and Madeline Kerr

A man in his late 60s from Kazabazua has died following a crash involving a motorcycle and a truck on Hwy 105 Aug. 2. 

According to Kazabazua firefighter Melanie Irwin, who was among the first on the scene, the crash happened at around 6:30 p.m. as a young male driver was turning into a driveway off Hwy 105 he collided with the bike. Irwin said she was en route to the accident when she learned that the motorcyclist was receiving CPR on the side of the road. 

“I’m heading down, and then I can hear on the CB radio the deputy chief is asking 911 if they have any details, and they said, ‘It’s a motorcycle and a truck, and they’re doing CPR,’ and I knew it was bad,” said Irwin. “Right in front of the truck, there was a paramedic who was on her way to Gracefield to take over the shift in the ambulance, and she saw it happen in her rearview mirror and stopped, pulled him out of the ditch and started CPR in the driveway.”

When firefighters arrived, they continued CPR, and Irwin connected a defibrillator to his chest. But it was too late. The man’s injuries were too severe, and he was pronounced dead at the scene. 

“The fire chief from Low started doing chest compressions, and I grabbed the defibrillator, cut the guy’s shirt off, put the pads on and there was nothing. He was gone,” she said.

Officers from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) continue to investigate. According to information officer Marc Tessier no criminal charges have been laid, and it could take the SQ weeks to determine if there was any wrongdoing on the part of the young male driver. 

Following the accident, Irwin was parking the firetruck back at the municipal hall when a woman approached and asked why the highway was closed. When Irwin told her there was an accident, the woman asked, “Did it involve a motorcycle?”

Irwin immediately asked the woman if she was expecting someone travelling on a motorbike, and the woman replied that her husband was driving up to their new Kazabazua home, and he was travelling on a BMW motorcycle. After conversing for a few more moments, Irwin was able to confirm the man’s name and that it was her husband who died on the highway. But, according to Irwin, she was in no position, nor authority, to deliver this tragic news to his wife. 

“What do I say to her?” asked a shaken Irwin. “They just moved here from Cantley. They just retired, and she is about to have the worst day of her life. That really hurt. I didn’t know what to say.”

Irwin said she remained professional, and told the woman to consult the SQ for information, but she said she knew what kind of heartbreaking news they would give her. 

The SQ has not confirmed the name of the deceased driver. The Low Down has chosen not to name him out of respect for the family. 

The accident is part of what the SQ is calling the worst construction holiday in a decade, as 38 people died in 30 collisions across the province from July 18 to Aug. 3. The death toll of 38 for this year is nearly double last year’s 17 deaths over the construction holiday. 

Locally, numbers have remained relatively low, according to Tessier, who said that the fatal accident in Kazabazua was the only one to occur in the region during the construction holiday. 

“Still, one is too many,” Tessier added. 

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Kaz dad raises stink over smelly wedding

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By Trevor Greenway

If you smell something, say something. 

Brent Gabie certainly smelled something fierce during his daughter’s wedding reception on May 31 at the Kazabazua Community Hall – raw sewage – and he certainly said a few choice words during the subsequent council meeting as he pleaded with councillors for a full refund over the hall rental. 

“It was real bad, like really, really bad,” Gabie told the Low Down, describing the wafting smell of raw sewage that plagued his daughter Lisa’s wedding reception. “At around 10 or 11 o’clock [p.m.], you couldn’t go outside because the smell was so bad.”

According to Gabie and other wedding attendees the Low Down spoke with, guests couldn’t get away from the smell of sewage – during dinner, the first dance and all throughout the night. Many were flushing toilets constantly to rid the building of the stench, but the smell from the septic tank outside permeated into the building. Wedding organizers then closed the doors, but it got stiflingly hot, so the doors had to remain open, and the smell was “just awful.”

“As soon as you opened the door, you could smell [it],” said Gabie. 

Two weeks later, Gabie showed up at the June 3 Kazabazua council meeting to demand answers – and a refund for the $320 hall rental for his daughter’s wedding reception. At the meeting he was told by Mayor Robert Bergeron that they were basically sh*t out of luck. 

“So, are you going to give us our money back?” asked Gabie. 

“I’m sorry, no,” replied Bergeron with a laugh. “We would like to, but no. This has to be tabled. For any decision from council, it has to be brought to council, tabled, analyzed and then brought for a resolution.”

His answer flared up the room, with residents demanding a vote from councillors on whether or not to issue a refund, but Bergeron shut it down quickly. 

“If you have questions or desires for a decision from council, it has to be forwarded to the municipality in order to request a decision,” Bergeron fired back. 

During the meeting, Gabie claimed that the septic problems at the Kaz municipal hall were not new and had been going on for the past five years. He told the Low Down that they had to stop hosting the Kaz heavy-horse pull there because of the terrible smell and poor planning.

“It’s too bad to say, but Kaz is a real f*cking sh*thole,” said Gabie. “Like, they don’t do anything. They have spoiled everything.”

Bergeron agreed that the smelly septic at the Kaz hall has been a problem for “four or five years” and said that the municipality had hired plumbers multiple times, who thought they had fixed the problem, only for the smell to return during larger events. Bergeron told Gabie and other members of the public that the stinky septic was a priority file as a new splash pad will soon be built there, and he anticipated the increased use to cause more odorous problems. 

“No matter what, we’re going to fix it,” he said at the meeting. But the mayor wouldn’t budge on a refund for the Gabie family despite repeated calls from the attendees throughout the meeting to do so. When asked how long it would take to fix the smell, Bergeron said it will “take the time that is necessary.”

“That’s fu**ing bullsh*t,” yelled Gabie during the meeting. 

Gabie shot back at the mayor and argued that it was unfair for municipalities to penalize residents for non-compliant septic systems.

“I don’t understand it: If we have problems with our septic, we would be in trouble, but when you have problems with your septic, there’s no problem,” said Gabie about the municipality. 

Weeks later, when the Low Down contacted Bergeron for an interview, he immediately said that the Gabie family would in fact be getting their refund back for the hall rental after they did find problems with the septic system. 

P-Trap Problem

Bergeron told the Low Down that after plumbers found no issues, Kaz hired a technologist, who analyzed the town hall’s septic system and found that there were no P-traps installed in the drains. 

“For now, we closed off the drains,” said Bergeron. “The toilets have P-traps. The sinks have P-traps. But the drain, in case there was a flood, there was no P-trap. So now we’ll meet, we’ll find out what we’ll do and then we’ll take it from there. But for now, the drains are completely blocked.”

The Gabie family confirmed that they have been told the Gabies will receive a full refund for the hall rental and added that they were satisfied with Kazabazua’s response. 

Aside from the stench, Brent said his daughter’s wedding “went perfectly.”

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SPCA based in Kazabazua coming soon

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By Kendall Knowlton

Kazabazua is getting an SPCA facility in the municipality. 

The facility is being organized by and for the MRC Vallée-de-la-Gatineau (MRCVG) to serve all of its municipalities.

Low Mayor Carole Robert announced the news during the May 5 council meeting, saying, “There’s going to be an agent working there, and we’re going to have it locally for calls to the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) instead of each municipality.” 

The SPCA facility won’t be a burden on taxpayers, according to Low Coun. Maurren McEvoy, who explained that it’s being funded through a Regions and Rurality fund from the province.

“I believe most municipalities have some kind of arrangement to deal with animal protection, stray dogs etc.,” wrote McEvoy in an email to the Low Down. 

“Low will be saving these direct costs with this new regional solution; also with the service based in Kaz, we may find that response times will be even more effective,” she added.

The new SPCA in Kazabazua will replace the individual arrangements that Low had with the SPCA based in Gatineau. 

Robert told the Low Down that waiting for an SPCA agent to “come from downtown” takes too long and the new facility will give residents a closer, more reliable option for residents dropping off feral animals or injured pets.

The MRC will host a press conference in June to discuss the new service. 

About four people attended the meeting. During question period, resident Marc Coutoure asked why there is no development in Low. 

According to Robert after the meeting, she said that the municipality recently bought three lots to develop. 

“There is development coming. It doesn’t happen overnight,” she said, explaining that the municipality wants to develop the municipal dock to access the Gatineau River. She did not provide a timeline. 

Another resident, Jacques Dusseault, requested that the municipality fix potholes near Chemin Burrough, indicating to Robert that he had asked about this last May. Dusseault said he was worried about safety in the meeting, and council said they would take a look at the issue. 

In other business, council:

  • paid two outstanding invoices for $175,115 and $152,504;
  • authorized an inspector to train someone to be an aqueduct inspector for $1,379;
  • earmarked $12,000 in funding for Canada Day celebrations on July 1. However, taxpayer costs will amount to just $6,000, as the municipality secured $4,000 in donations from the Chase the Ace fundraiser through the CHGA radio station in Maniwaki and $2,000 from the Wesley M. Nicol Foundation, an organization that supports Canadian-based charities. 

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Kaz 2025 budget promises to keep taxes down, invest in rec spaces

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By Zenith Wolfe

As the population in Kazabazua slowly rises, the municipality is promising to keep property taxes down, build more recreational spaces and hire two more municipal employees, according to the annual and triennial budgets published in December.

The municipality anticipates around $2,490,000 in revenue this year, up six per cent from $2,350,000 in 2024. The annual budget also foresees $2,540,000 in expenses, up 8.5 per cent from $2,340,000 the previous year, for an overall budget increase of around 2.5 per cent.

Kaz Mayor Robert Bergeron says every year since 2020, between five and 10 properties have been built across the municipality. Combined with property assessment values that have increased by an average of 50 per cent across much of the region in recent years, this has increased the Kaz property tax revenue by around $1M. It’s allowed the municipality to reduce the tax rate to $0.55 per $100 of property assessment, down from $0.79 in 2024, he explains.

Bergeron says the tax for waste disposal has decreased as well: septic and organic waste went up by a total of $6 per household, but residual waste went down by $5, and recycling went down by $41.

“That’s a saving of $40 right there for all houses,” Bergeron says.

This increase in revenue coincides with the municipality’s population boom. According to Canadian census data, Kazabazua had a population of 786 in 2001, but Bergeron says now the number is close to 1,100.

“Cantley and Chelsea [are] overflowing, and we’re sort of inheriting the people. People want to buy, and now is the time because the tax rate is lower than most municipalities,” he says about Kaz.

To accommodate the growing population, the mayor says Kaz is increasing investments in recreational spaces. In 2025, $20,000 will go towards a small swing set, a picnic table, and a walking path at the Lee Road park, which the municipality hopes to name soon. Another $20,000 will finance a small wharf for kayaks and canoes on the Gatineau River.

The most expensive community development planned for Kaz in 2025 is a new splash pad and well, at a price of $137,000. The municipality will then spend $25,000 a year until 2027 to install a volleyball and badminton field behind the community centre and fix the current baseball field.

“We’re making the investment for our kids. It’s been long overdue,” the mayor says. “For municipalities to develop to bring in new citizens, [they have] to bring in new activities. Development is coming to Kazabazua.”

The higher population has also increased demand for road work, maintenance and municipal cleaning services, Bergeron says, so the municipality is using part of its budget to hire a road work employee. According to the triennial budget, Kazabazua will commit more than $580,000 to road maintenance between 2025 and 2027, subsidized by Quebec’s Local Roads Assistance program.

Kazabazua will then spend around $875,000 in 2026 to repair Chemin Village d’Aylwin after it was partially destroyed by a landslide. Bergeron says that, despite the provincial government pre-approving a grant for 75 per cent of the project costs in the early 2020s, the Quebec Ministry of Environment has since requested several environmental impact reports that have stalled construction.

“We never seem to be able to meet their ever-changing expectations. Now they turn around and say our analysis was three to four years ago, so we need to do another one,” he says about the environmental report on Chemin Village d’Aylwin. “In 2026 we should be able to start [repairs], and it takes about two to three months.”

The budget also includes funds for a new assistant director-general. That person will help the director-general finish revising municipal zoning bylaws for urban, heavy industrial and mining sectors, a process that has been ongoing since 2021.

Around $26,000 will also be used to purchase a new air compressor for the local fire department this year. The mayor says it will be shared with fire departments in Lac-Sainte-Marie, Low and Denholm, each paying the same amount. In 2026 Kaz will also invest $70,000 in a new fire truck.

$1.4 million municipal garage

Kaz Mayor Robert Bergeron says the $1.4 million municipal garage that began construction in 2024 will open in March this year.

“We’ve been gathering money since 2009 for the garage and that meant no loans or payments from the citizens,” Bergeron says, adding that the province subsidized around 70 per cent of the costs. “Because of the subsidies, we had extra, so we also purchased a snowplow, and the good thing is we still have some money left from that to start our triennial plan.”

The 4,000-square-foot garage behind the municipality office will be used to store fire trucks, snow plows and tractors, as well as welding equipment and other maintenance or construction equipment for municipal staff, Bergeron says. It will also have an office and kitchen.

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Kaz councillor wants youth to ‘dream big’

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By Trevor Greenway
Local Journalism Initiative

Brandy Killeen feels like the kids in Kazabazua aren’t dreaming big enough.

The municipality’s newest councillor says that there aren’t enough resources for up-the-line youth  – especially those aged 18 to 34 – and she’s working with the region’s Be and Become Youth Centre to change that. 

“In this area, I find there’s a disconnect between high school-aged kids and those who are 34 years old,” said Killeen. “We have resources for everyone in the two schools, but then, when they’re out of school or when they’re getting to an age when they are leaving high school, for example, there’s that drop off where a lot of youth don’t get anywhere –  they don’t get the resources they need.”

Some of these “resources” she referred to are simple things like giving youth access to computers and Wi-Fi, helping older students or fresh graduates apply for college or university, walking students through how to get a driver’s licence or applying for rewarding jobs in a field they enjoy. 

“I feel like we don’t dream big enough around here,” said Killeen. “You know, if you ask the kids what they want to be when they grow up, they’re not saying the same things as … kids who go to Ashbury College. There’s a drop off, and there’s no reason for it. Just because we maybe don’t have as much financially doesn’t mean you can’t have more, [that] you can’t be something more.”

And while Killeen has only been in the councillor seat since October, it hasn’t taken her long to become a part of the fabric up the line – although she said she’s always been a part of the community, even before she moved from Chelsea a year ago. 

The mother of five has children aged nine to 28 and many of them attended St. Mike’s while she was a Chelsea resident. As such, she’s been volunteering at the Low arena, the Be and Become Youth Centre, the Gatineau Valley Retirement Village and, lately, flooding the ice in sub-zero temperatures at the Kazabazua Community Centre so kids will have a place to skate. 

“I’m in that area of my life where I believe that I need to focus on doing what I love and giving myself the opportunity to work in the areas that I volunteer in, rather than work full time and do hours of volunteering,” she said. Since taking office in October, Killeen has become the chair of several committees, and is the social agent for the Table de Development for the MRC Vallée-de-la-Gatineau, where she works on mental health, youth and seniors. 

As for politics, she said she’s still getting to know her way around various municipal files, but one thing she said she wants to improve on are ambulance response times in the La Vallée-de-la-Gatineau region. 

While she didn’t have official stats and was clear that she was basing her research on anecdotal evidence, she said most people have reported waiting an average of 45 minutes for an ambulance to arrive at an emergency. 

Hockey fans in Low can verify that it took an ambulance close to an hour to show up to an emergency, which occurred during a Paugan Falls Rapids game last year, involving an opposing player, who got slammed into the boards and broke his neck. Killeen said she’s aware of the challenges rural municipalities face with limited health resources, and while she hopes to improve response times, she knows it won’t happen overnight. 

Kaz councillor wants youth to ‘dream big’ Read More »

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