Council resolved to allow mail-in-voting for the upcoming municipal general election in order to help prevent the spread of COVID-19. If requested, residents of the unorganized territories (TNO) over the age of 70 will be able to cast their ballot by mail in the Nov. 7 election.

Council discussed the recently established waste management committee, which saw previous discussions in May and June’s plenaries.

The committee’s mandate is to work to improve the management of residual materials such as recyclables, composting and construction waste.

“I think the Pontiac can set an example in the Outaouais of a rural region that can be doing a lot more,” said Toller, who hopes the committee will be able to identify improvements in Pontiac’s waste management, such as how to dispose of plastics more efficiently and responsibly.

The committee’s first meeting will take place in August.

Toller thanked the mayors for flying flags at half mast for 215 hours in recognition of the 215 Indigenous children found buried at a residential school in Kamloops, B.C. Council moved to express support for Indigenous peoples and to make a formal request that all former residential schools be inspected.

Council resolved to ask the provincial government to ensure that Bill 96 not impose measures that would have a negative impact on businesses in regions where English is the common language, and that a sufficient number of spaces are provided in English-language post-secondary institutions where students from the Outaouais can study in English.

New strategic development plan

The final version of the Vision 2030: Strategic Development Plan, which outlines development of the Pontiac for the next 10 years, was presented to council. The document is considered a living document, and as such may be reviewed annually.

Mayor Serge Newberry of L’Île-du-Grand-Calumet raised concerns over how mayors had the final French version for only a week and that the English version had not yet been released. He proposed delaying the vote on the document until the council’s next meeting, which will take place in August.

“I think one week for such an important document is not enough for us to review,” said Newberry.

Toller responded by saying that the mayors had access to previous versions of the document and that it had been discussed in other meetings. She said it would be better to vote now instead of delaying until August.

Mayor Doris Ranger of Sheenboro moved to approve the new plan. Newberry was the only mayor to stand opposed.

Financial support

Council approved a request to provide $50,500 in financial aid to eight libraries that may otherwise be forced to close. They also agreed to provide $43,325 for IT and technology, as well as $180 to purchase three bins to dispose of used COVID masks. The bins will be installed outside the MRC Pontiac building.

Council also resolved to increase the funding cap on financial aid available to businesses from $150,000 to $225,000 over 12 months. This was done in the hopes that it will help stimulate the post-pandemic economic recovery and ensure that businesses have enough available funding to relaunch economic activities.

High tensions over border checkpoints and forestry

In a discussion on the reopening of the provincial border, several mayors complained about the OPP’s treatment of Quebecers crossing into Ontario, stopping any car with Quebec plates while letting Ontario-plated cars pass without issue.

L’Isle-aux-Allumettes Mayor Winston Sunstrum blamed Warden Toller for the problems at the border, saying that the issue dates back to March 2020 – when Toller, alongside other wardens of the Outaouais, came out in favour of closing the border.

“I’m not happy at all,” said Sunstrum. “I’m totally disgusted with those police checkpoints.”

Toller claimed she was not responsible for the closures and that such things are not within her power, attributing responsibility to Ontario Premier Doug Ford for his handling of the situation.

“In March 2020, a small gang of police officers were actually making a difference,” said Toller. “This time, with what Premier Ford put in place at 43 different locations, there was an inequity because they put all their efforts into preventing people from Quebec from entering their province.

“They had enough resources that they could have helped us, especially when we had less cases of COVID in Quebec.”

Toller said that she would follow up on the issue on behalf of the Pontiac.

Later, tensions once again came to a head while discussing forestry.

Council approved a request to reallocate $25,000 from the Energy from Waste plan’s $50,000 budget to forestry. The forestry committee plans to use this money to hire a new consultant to help form a new strategic action plan.

While all mayors were in favour of the motion, Litchfield Mayor Colleen Larivière raised questions as to why this was being done now after the board’s previous consultant had been let go last year.

“I’m just wondering why now, a year later? Because nothing happened in that whole year – something could have happened between June and December when we had a consultant,” said Larivière. She went on to say that if council had kept its previous consultant, it could have saved $25,000.

Toller responded by saying that nine of the 18 mayors did not support that consultant.

“I think the benefit today is that we have three former mill sites that all have a very good chance of reopening,” said Toller, who hopes that if the mills reopen, it could create more jobs in the region.

Mayor Sunstrum expressed support of Mayor Larivière’s concerns and requested that before approving of a consulting firm, council should receive a presentation on what the firm would hope to accomplish.

Finding a firm will be left up to Jason Durand, Director of Land Use Planning and Environment. Durand said that he is currently in talks with a firm, but nothing is yet certain.

The Council of Mayors will not meet in July but will reconvene in August.

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