CALEB NICKERSON
CAMPBELL’S BAY
May 16, 2018
At the monthly council of mayors meeting that took place on May 16 at the MRC offices in Campbell’s Bay, Pontiac Warden Jane Toller spoke of several ongoing projects, including a request for a special agricultural status for the region and the announcement of a public engagement tour.
Following the meeting for the Territoires non organisés (TNO), the council heard a presentation from Danick Boisvert on the plans for the new senior hockey league that’s coming next winter. Boivert explained that he would be helping to renovate the arena in Fort Coulonge over the summer in preparation. The council expressed its full support for the league.
Toller announced that she would be hosting an agricultural town hall at the Campbell’s Bay R.A. Hall on June 4, followed by a string of public meetings across the region that she called a “listening tour”.

“I always had town hall meetings in Toronto,” she explained after the meeting. “It’s a really good way to put your finger on the pulse of the community. It’s nice for them to be able to ask any questions.”
She revealed that at the agriculture meeting she would unveil more details about a request for the region to be given a special status.
“We reviewed it all in detail as a council last month, but the last thing to do was choose an amount.
It’s two million dollars we’re asking for,” she explained. “We believe this will be enough money to put into place all the things that we want to do to benefit agriculture.”
She explained that the region had applied for a similar fund in the past, which had a host of benefits for local producers.
The listening tour will provide updates on the 11 priorities that Toller laid out earlier in the year, including more details on the new Pontiac pool project.
The council approved a new communications policy, and resolved to request that the local Sûreté du Québec detachment regularly publish information updates in the local newspapers.
Marketing officer Jérémi Vaillancourt was nominated to represent the MRC with Tourism Outaouais, and economic development officer Chakib Ahmimed was nominated for representation with Loisir Sport Outaouais.
It was announced that the MRC would be hiring a new employee to help attract and retain new workers in the region. Toller explained that with big projects like the new abbatoir in Shawville or the planned cannabis facility in Litchfield, it will be important to ensure as many employees settle in the region as possible.
“It’s only a two year contract. It’s not a permanent position, it’s not a union position,” she said. “With LiveWell coming to the Pontiac, they’re asking where their employees can live, where the schools are …. We believe that more and more, we’re going to be getting these questions at the MRC. We need one central place where anyone that needs information can get it.”
She said that she had gotten assurances from LiveWell that they would hire as many locals as possible, but she said that the arrival presents an opportunity.
“I think the next two years are going to be pivotal in attracting people to the region,” she said.