MIKE ATHEY
MUNICIPALITY OF PONTIAC Nov. 10, 2020
The Municipality of Pontiac has passed a resolution during a council meeting on Nov. 10 to seek representation concerning a payment dispute by the National Capital Commission (NCC).
The MRC des Collines altered the designations of some property in the municipality following a cadastral reform survey, which decides whether a property is zoned as residential, commercial, or conservation areas. Some properties controlled by the NCC were . . .
affected in the review and the commission contested how the review was conducted and how much they should be required to pay.
The NCC is a Crown Corporation responsible for development, urban planning, and conservation in the National Capital Region, including the management of Gatineau Park.
Mayor Joanne Labadie said the main area of contention is what portion of land is designated for conservation and what portion is designated commercial, where commercial land would cost the NCC considerably more. The NCC also has similar ongoing disputes with the City of Gatineau and the Municipality of Chelsea.
“Both are challenging the NCC’s refusal to pay the evaluation for their payment in lieu of taxes,” said Labadie. “This is the first year in our municipality where the NCC is not paying what, we feel, the MRC has evaluated their property at.”
The resolution passed at council would allow the same law firm that represents Gatineau and Chelsea to represent the MoP as well.
A tribunal took place on Nov. 16 between the Municipality of Chelsea and the NCC to address their concerns. Labadie said the MoP would be listening in to the proceedings to “see how that was going to impact us.”
She said the tribunal process can make recommendations to the NCC but it cannot force their hand despite Gatineau Park’s overlap of many municiple juristictions.
Overall, Labadie said she is pleased with the cooperation between the MoP and the NCC and has spent three years fostering a good working relationship.
“We are partners and of course in any partnership there will be disagreements from time to time, but we work hard to build a good relationship with the NCC,” said Labadie.
