Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter
Area farmers are still recovering from the torrential rain and subsequent flooding brought on by the remnants of hurricane Debby in early August.
During the annual fall consultation held by the Haut-Saint-Laurent syndicate of the Union des Producteurs Agricoles (UPA) on September 13, regional federation president Jérémie Letellier confirmed the storm resulted in material damages and financial losses for producers impacted by flooding. He also spoke about the important role played by the different MRCs when it comes to waterway management, and the impact that poorly maintained ditches and waterways can have during extreme weather events.
One of the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent’s many responsibilities is to ensure the free flow of water through the various waterways that course through the region. The MRC confirms that a “communications and collaboration” channel exists between citizens, the municipalities, and waterway manager David Rousseau. This allows the MRC to identify the nature, location, and delimitation of the problem reported by citizens so their requests can be processed as quickly as possible. Following this, mandates are given to engineers to determine the necessary maintenance work, which is then carried out in accordance with the laws and regulations in place.
According to the MRC, five requests were received and processed from agricultural producers following the flooding in August. The MRC notes that this work did not impact any of the work already scheduled, except for the removal of a tree that had fallen into the water, and the prioritization of a tree branch in an area that was already identified for inspection.
The UPA says that despite this, there is much more work waiting to be done.
Éric Leboeuf, the president of the local syndicate, said that waterway maintenance remains one of the most significant issues facing area farmers. So much so, that a resolution proposed by Saint-Anicet farmer Marius Trépanier calling for better management of the region’s waterways was passed unanimously during the fall consultation.
The resolution calls for better collaboration with the MRC, the municipalities, and Huntingdon MNA Carole Mallette, to ensure work to clear waterways is carried out according to a schedule that is reasonable for all concerned.
The local syndicate is also requesting a complete overview of pending requests, so the UPA can better understand the progress being made or delays to specific files.
The management at the MRC has previously confirmed they are ready to participate in a strategic approach aimed at improving procedures in line with ministerial guidelines and current legislation.
For local farmers already concerned about the next weather event, this collaboration cannot come soon enough.