Allyson Beauregard
CAMPBELL’S BAY – The monthly MRC Council of Mayors met March 21, to discuss partnerships for TNO waste management and free access to ZECs by tax-payers, a study of Pontiac’s private businesses, and funding for the Bois Franc Road, and other items.
TNO garbage to local dumps
Allyson Beauregard
CAMPBELL’S BAY – The monthly MRC Council of Mayors met March 21, to discuss partnerships for TNO waste management and free access to ZECs by tax-payers, a study of Pontiac’s private businesses, and funding for the Bois Franc Road, and other items.
TNO garbage to local dumps
Council accepted partnership agreements with the municipalities of Sheenboro, Rapides-des-Joachims, Mansfield and Otter Lake to accept TNO waste at their municipal dumps, rather than placing unsupervised bins along bush roads. According to Regent Dugas, MRC Director of Territory, the move should result in
better and cheaper management of TNO waste and fewer clean-ups. Taxpayers were notified of the change in their tax bills and signs will be installed.
Council asked the three ZECs (Rapides, Pontiac, and St. Patrice) to offer free passes to those who pay taxes on properties in the ZECs, including outfitters. “Their tax bills already include a fee for road maintenance; they are paying twice,” said Dugas.
Agreements will also be signed with municipalities bordering TNO land for any off-road intervention.
Public presentations
Rick Valin, a Shawville Relay for Life board member, informed Council that the board will be retiring after this year’s relay in June. Without new volunteers, this could be the Shawville relay’s final year. Valin asked Council to help promote the event, and recruit new board members.
Tiziana Fortin-Rompelberg, project manager for Les amis de la PPJ, presented her group’s plans for six bicycle tours this year.
Bruno St-Cyr, General Manager of Davidson Pine, asked for support to re-start the sawmill with a co-generation plant. St-Cyr said he and his partners, after four years, have recruited a $50-million investor. Durocher said the correct procedure is to take the file to the new economic “swat team”, meeting March 27.
Durocher explained that because the MRC is now in “the big leagues” with the creation of a “swat team”, they must play by “big league rules”. For example, any business or organization making a written or email request for funding must be on the Quebec Lobbyist Register.
Private business survey and Velo certification
Emilie Chazelas, MRC Development Agent, announced the MRC will partner with Emploi Quebec and the SADC to inventory Pontiac’s business community for “what the Pontiac has, who they are, what they do, what their needs are.” This will be used to attract investors or families to the area. The study’s costs will come from the Ministry of the Economy, the SADC and Emploi Quebec; the MRC will contribute $5,000.
Council also approved obtaining “Velo sympathique” certification for the PPJ trail through Velo Quebec. Volunteer trail inspectors will travel the trail to list what is available and where improvements are needed. Winston Sunstrum, mayor of L’Isle-aux-Allumettes, said the certification could be helpful in grant applications. The study and certification are free, improvements are not.
Bois Franc Road
Following the MRC’s request for Québec to invest $2 million in the Bois Franc Road, the Ministry of Forests (MFFP) has granted an initial $436,000 to repair the south portion of the road for 2017-2018. This covers 90% of the costs; the MRC will contribute the rest (about $40,000).
The MFFP has also agreed to ask the government for another $700,000 to repair the road’s north portion in 2018-2020 and to hire a firm to assess the road’s condition, the work needed and its cost. The Ministry will put 5,000 more hectares of wood in this area on the market.
The next meeting will be held April 18
