On Thursday evening, the MRC Pontiac mayors held their monthly public council meeting at the MRC office in Campbell’s Bay. The meeting was chaired by Pro-Warden Raymond Pilon, as Warden Jane Toller was absent.
At the meeting, L’Isle-aux-Allumettes mayor Corey Spence introduced two resolutions recommended by the HR committee, which were both approved unanimously.
The first introduced a new policy for management staff. Director general Kim Lesage explained that it ended overtime and certain practices like banking sick days or vacation days year over year. Warden Toller said that the policy was supposed to be updated yearly and hadn’t been since 2024.
“This was just some sort of housekeeping that needed to be done,” she said. “The good news is that the managers were part of the discussion [ . . . ] and they were in agreement with the changes.”
THE EQUITY requested a copy of the policy, but did not receive it in time for print.
The second resolution ended work-from-home (telework) arrangements for all MRC employees, effective Apr. 27. The resolution states that the change is intended “to promote team cohesion, a sense of belonging, motivation, and availability.” The existing teleworking policy was put into place in late 2022 and allows for the employer (the council of mayors) to end the policy with five business days’ notice. In an interview Thursday night following the meeting, Lesage said the HR committee did not consult the employees on the change.
“It was just discussed with the council of mayors without any consultation from the management staff, or implication in the decision,” she said. “We just found out that they wanted to abolish it and put it on the table for tonight.”
She wrote in an email that around 20 employees, or just under half, “do not generally work from home or cannot work from home due to the nature of their position.” She said that previously, employees working five days a week were permitted to work two days per week from home, while those with fewer hours could work from home one day per week. She added that the employees would be informed the following day and she would be there to listen to their concerns.
“We’re here to listen to our employees and their preoccupations, starting tomorrow morning,” she said. “Whenever there is a will, or a request from the council, it’s for us to put it into action.”
Toller said that the work from home policy was a pilot project from the pandemic era, and pointed to the federal government’s recent return-to-office policy as one of the motivating factors to end it. The federal government recently announced a four-day-per-week return to office, and the Quebec government capped telework at two days per week earlier this year.
“I’m not sure that the residents of the Pontiac even know that we still have people working two days a week at home, but I do know that there wouldn’t be many other Pontiac employers that are offering this,” she said. “I would hope that most of our employees would understand that if other levels of government are calling people back that we should be doing the same. I think the taxpayers would like to see that.”
She agreed that the change may have come as a surprise for employees, but said that there was no need to consult them, as it was a pilot project that could be ended at any time.
“I believe that our taxpayers, many of them very concerned about the high level of taxes, often the MRC comes under criticism for all the benefits, etc, you know, it’s a great place to work … we’re very proud of all our employees, but this was a benefit that had a specific purpose when it was put in place,” she added, referring to pandemic public health concerns.
When asked if she thought the changes might have an impact on recruitment and retention, Toller didn’t think so.
“I don’t think it’s going to have an impact on recruitment. I hope not,” she said. “I think you have to remember that prior to this pilot project, everyone was coming to work five days a week. Again, I think that we also have to remember that at MRC Pontiac we are working for the residents of the Pontiac, and I think we always have to be making sure that we’re doing our best for them.”
Mayors named to four committees
Also at Thursday’s meeting, council approved the naming of members to several committees, the mandates and composition of which are detailed below (mandates are either from the MRC’s website or the resolution itself). It should be noted that Warden Jane Toller and Pro-Warden Raymond Pilon are able to sit on all committees as ex officio members.
Forestry: “The committee’s objective is to support the development of a forest resource industry in the MRC’s territory, particularly through the revitalization of the forestry sector. In addition, it allows the MRC to obtain a better understanding and a fairly accurate picture of the situation prevailing among organizations, entrepreneurs and processing plants in the forestry sector.”
Suggested non-elected members – Martin Boucher, Cash Allard, Frank Doyle, Yvon Migneault and Regent Dugas.
Elected members – Roger Lafond (Rapides-des-Joachims), Ed Walsh (Clarendon), Kevin Murphy (Portage-du-Fort), Colleen Larivière (Litchfield), Doris Ranger (Sheenboro), Sandra Armstrong (Mansfield-et-Pontefract) and Bill McCleary (Shawville).
Renewable energy: “Mandate is to examine the strategic planning of the development of renewable energy in the Pontiac territory, as well as to receive any request addressed to the MRC Pontiac, to analyze it and to present recommendations to the Council of Mayors.”
Elected members – Bill McCleary (Shawville), Ed Walsh (Clarendon), Colleen Larivière (Litchfield), Joanne Ralston (Bryson), and Pierre Cyr (Fort-Coulonge).
FRR analysis: “Within the context of the new FRR funding agreement … it is required to form an analyst committee to make recommendations for funding, following the launch and closure of public calls for projects. For this purpose, we are amalgamating the previous FRR2 analyst committee and the FRR4 vitalization analyst committee into one, with a singular mandate to review and give recommendations to the council of mayors in regard to submissions received through a public call for projects for funding.”
Elected members – Jennifer Quaile (Otter Lake), Sidney Squitti (Alleyn-et-Cawood), Pierre Cyr (Fort-Coulonge), Sandra Armstrong (Mansfield-et-Pontefract), Doris Ranger (Sheenboro), and Valerie Twolan-Graham (Bristol).
Non-elected members – Louise Grenier (L’Ile-du-Grand-Calumet resident), Stéphane Labine (Caisse Desjardins des Rivières du Pontiac) and one representative from the Carrefour jeunesse-emploi du Pontiac.
Agricultural advisory: “It reviews draft planning by-laws, amendments, and development proposals affecting agricultural areas, and provides recommendations to council to help maintain harmonious coexistence between agricultural and non-agricultural uses. Although its recommendations are not binding, councils are legally required to consult the AAC before adopting any planning instrument that could impact agricultural zones, and its opinions must be considered and documented.”
Elected members – Jean-Louis Corriveau (L’Ile-du-Grand-Calumet)
Non-elected members – David Gillespie (farmer), Scott Judd (farmer), Gema Villavicencio (farmer), Marjorie Groulx-Tellier (municipal employee), plus one more resident to be determined.
Non-voting members – Alan Dabrowski (support) and MRC Pontiac economic development commissioner for agriculture Shanna Armstrong (as needed).
Election activity report
The mayors approved an election activity report from the 2025 warden’s race, detailing the spending of each candidate, all of whom were below the limit of $8,836.74. The report will be sent to Elections Quebec, and candidates will be entitled to reimbursement proportional to their vote share:
Jane Toller (38.06 per cent of the vote) – $6,645.35
Jean-Pierre Landry (27.95 per cent of the vote) – $2,066.11
Josey Bouchard (26.53 per cent of the vote) – $954.30
Bruno St-Cyr (7.47 per cent of the vote) – $808.51
