On July 5, the Quebec Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing and the Outaouais Ministry of Family announced that the provincial government will dish out $4.2 million to MRCs in the region over the next four years with the purpose of funding 23 projects and one sectoral study through the Fond d’appui de Rayonnement des regions (FARR).

Out of the total amount, nearly $650,000 will go directly towards subsidizing projects benefitting the Pontiac, while several other initiatives will help the region as a whole.

Among the planned projects, $180,000 will help develop and revitalize six downtown cores in various municipalities in the Pontiac in the next three years, with the goal of making them more vibrant and attractive for business people to launch enterprises.

Dividing the share into $60,000 per year, the money is expected to find its way into each of the 18 municipalities by the end of the project, according to MRC Warden Jane Toller.

“We’ll start working possibly with six of the municipalities and try to do six each year,” she said.

According to the press release, the initiative will enable the MRC’s to examine the development and revitalization projects taking place in the region with the purpose of building them around collective resources, maximizing investments and encouraging collaboration between community organizations and MRC’s in the Outaouais.

In addition, $68,000 will go towards finding the ideal location, purchasing the land and building infrastructure for three Famer’s Markets in the region. With one already established in Bristol, the grant will help put together two new ones in different municipalities while reinvigourating the one already in place.

“It will be great for our tourists to sample fruits and vegetables from the Pontiac,” she said. “It will also be great for the farmers to have a local place to sell to the public.”

In line with the region’s top priorities towards the population and vitality of the territory, just under $100,000 will be granted to the MRC’s Pontiac and Vallée-de-la-Gatineau to help fund the Picanoc Fibre Connection project.

Designed to maximize fibre connections in rural regions, the funds are intended to ensure that residents in both territories have fast and ready internet access at reasonable cost.

“We’re looking for the fastest most efficient way to improve high-speed internet in the Pontiac,” said Toller.

For the entire Outaouais, $210,000 will help implement and develop mentorship abilities for business people in all MRC’s.

Put in place by the Conseil Regional de Mentorat de l’Outaouais, the initiative will involve veteran and up and coming entrepreneurs teaming up to help develop their business instincts and entrepreneurial capabilities.

There will be $237,962 dedicated to economic intervention in rural areas by encouraging entrepreneurs and community organizations to collaborate around specific projects aimed at benefiting the area’s socioeconomic status.

Plus, $69,000 will help subsidize the Ski at School program to purchase new skiing equipment for schools throughout the Outaouais.

Having provided countless kids with unforgettable life-time experiences over the years, including a group of students from l’Ecole secondaire Sieur de Coulonge who embarked on a trek from the Pontiac to Parliament Hill last winter, the grant will certainly mean a lot for youth in the region, Toller said.

To bolster recruiting for jobs in the forestry industry, $100,000 will be distributed throughout the Outaouais over the next three years, something will have the biggest effect on the Pontiac as the local logging industry prepares for a resurgence, Tolller said.

“That’s mainly to benefit us,” she said. “Because as we reopen our forestry operations, we need to know that we have workers.”

“Forestry built the Pontiac,” she added. “Forestry is in everyone’s family. It’s in their blood. I personally believe that for the psychological recovery of the Pontiac we need to be involved in forestry again.”

For the entire Outaouais, $300,000 will go towards a regional consultation agreement of establishing a strategy and activities supporting the region’s developmental priorities and examine the main issues affecting Outaouais residents.

During the next round of government funding starting this fall, Toller is hopeful that, with a substantial number of pertinent projects put forward by local organizations and residents in the coming months, an even larger portion of money will be granted to the MRC Pontiac.

“I think that the MRC staff and mayors should collaborate to ensure that we have a good list of projects for the MRC Pontiac.”

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