CALEB NICKERSON
CAMPBELL’S BAY Aug. 21, 2019
On Aug. 21, MRC Pontiac’s council of mayors met at the Elsie Gibbons Room in Campbell’s Bay for their monthly . . .
meeting, after taking their holiday in July.
During the meeting of the non-organized territories (TNO), the council heard a presentation from an association of residents from Coulton, Bertrand and Wright Lakes, who requested funding to fix their access road. The request was referred to the MRC’s Territory Director Regent Dugas.
Council approved funding to prepare land behind the MRC offices for the construction of a new garage for equipment used in the TNOs, as well as additional parking spaces.
A new addition to the regular MRC council session was the addition of an official declaration at the opening of the meeting that attendees could speak in either English or French, and be addressed in that language as well.
Presentations and
public questions
The first presentation of the evening was by Kathryn Dupuis of Mansfield, who voiced her concerns with the committee studying the possibility of allowing ATVs onto a portion of the PPJ cycling trail. As someone with property that borders on the trail, she said allowing motorized vehicles would be a public safety hazard.
Lynne Lavery of the Green PPJ Verte Committe gave a report on the group’s activities, such as organizing weekly cycling trips on different sections of the trail. She also handed out copies of the new PPJ business directory, and spoke about the use that the trail is getting from non-motorized traffic.
John Petty had the council enthralled with his presentation in advance of Pontiac’s 37th annual Terry Fox Run (Sept. 15 at Pontiac High School) , and even managed to get a $250 spontaneous donation from the council. He implored the mayors to put together a team and encourage people to participate, emphasizing that this is an event for all Pontiac residents.
In the public question period, there were several questions from citizens concerned about the mayor’s multi-use committee, and the effect that motorized vehicles would have on the cycling trail. Mayors Gaston Allard (Fort Coulonge) and Maurice Beauregard (Campbell’s Bay), explained that the council has a mandate to only study the issue and deliver their findings to their fellow council members. They refuted the claim that the committee is ‘biased’, emphasizing that they will make recommendations based only on the facts that they uncover.
The committee, made up of Mayors Allard, Beauregard, Sandra Murray (Shawville), Gilles Dionne (Mansfield et Pontefract) and David Rochon (Waltham), was formed at the council’s last meeting in June, and has yet to meet. Beauregard stressed that the public would have a chance to go over the committee’s findings when they completed their review.
Some also questioned whether enough was being done to advertise and promote the trail. MRC Economic Development Director Danielle Newman went over the various ways they market the trail, from online maps to appearing at tourism and cycling shows.
Regent Dugas laid out the 2019-2020 budget for the Sustainable Forestry Managment Program (PADF), with $50,160 allocated for forest management on TPI (public) land, $51,897 for a strategy to use wood resources and implement structuring projects as well as $25,000 for the Office des Producteurs de Bois du Pontiac to promote forest management on private land. It was resolved unanimously.
Grants and
funding
Newman introduced an amendment for Territory Development Fund (FDT) projects from this year, which would give recipients who received partial funding some additional flexibility to modify the scope of their projects, due to the extensive flooding in the region. Beauregard disagreed, noting that applicants affected by the 2017 flooding did not receive such accommodation.
He and Murray were the only mayors opposed to the motion.
Stéphane Labine of the Caisse Populaire was approved to be added to the FDT analysis committee, and Warden Jane Toller stepped down from the committee and was replaced by Sheenboro Mayor Doris Ranger. Nicole Thompson, owner of Thompson Depanneur in Portage du Fort was approved to sit on the MRC’s investment committee.
Council approved Newman’s grant submission for the regional investment fund (FARR), which was divided into three phases. Phase one is the creation of a territory marketing strategy, while phase two is investor attraction and would involve the hiring of a welcoming agent.
Speaking after the meeting, Toller was enthusiastic about the idea.
“This is a position that [MRC] Vallée de la Gatineau has and they’re getting good results,” she said. “Basically it would be to have someone in the MRC who, when people come or businesses want to invest here … it’s someone who could introduce them to where the schools are, where the services are, maybe just help introduce them to life in the Pontiac.”
Phase three was the conservation and enhancement of natural environment. Toller said that the first phase was partially carried out when the MRC hired a firm, CAI Global, to attract businesses to the region. Though some initial meetings had been made, she added that they were disappointed with the progress that had been made.
“The contract was supposed to finish in March, but we feel that they have not completed the mandate, and so, Danielle Newman is still in contact with them,” she said. “So here we are August and they’re still working on some details. What we’re hoping to obtain from them is one tangible objective which is a micro-site. A micro-site would be a place on our website, like a go-to place for economic development and we needed their expertise to create that.”
She said that the MRC will withhold a portion of the $49,000 in funding until the mandate is met. The majority of the money ($40,000) came from a grant from the Caisse Populaire, while the rest was covered by the MRC.
Roads, power lines and
environmental assessments
The council approved to support a letter from the Municipality of Shawville to the Ministry of Transport and Pontiac MNA André Fortin to pave the section of Rte. 303 that passes through the town (rue Centre).
They also sent a request to Fortin, Hydro Quebec and the local farmers union (UPA) to get an explanation for the numerous power outages that have plagued the upper Pontiac municipalities of Chichester, Allumettes Island, Sheenboro and Waltham. They requested a sit-down meeting with representatives and the council of mayors.
Council also passed a resolution that was passed by the MRC Vallée de la Gatineau, decrying the provincial environment ministry’s permit application process. Toller explained that former warden and current director of the Pontiac Sorting Centre in Litchfield approached the council and spoke about the difficulties the centre has had getting their site approved by the ministry.
Earlier this year, the sorting centre was hit with more than $40,000 in fines for the improper storage of construction waste. Toller noted that the MRC had requested a meeting with the ministry about the file and had been refused. She said that huge delays in the approval of permits and the amount of redundant information the ministry requires had hamstrung operations at the facilitiy.
It was also announced that the Piscine Pontiac Pool project was moving forward, with an application being put in for the FARR program for funds to have detailed plans drawn up. She said that current committee president Todd Hoffman had put forth a compelling application.
“There’s no amount of money stipulated, but they need the updated architectural drawings, and specs that would be needed for construction,” she said, noting that the project fit two key criteria, in that it contributes to health and wellness for the region as a whole, as well as improves the interprovincial competitiveness of the area.
Toller said that she was hopeful there would be funding announcements for the region coming in the near future.
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