MRC Meeting – MRC awards $500K recycling deal, eyes solar power boom
Bonnie James
Local Journalism Initiative
Published in the Pontiac Journal on July 2, 2025.
MRC PONTIAC – The Council of Mayors held its monthly meeting June 18 at MRC headquarters in Litchfield, with key discussions on green projects, financial staffing,
and recycling contracts.
Green initiatives
Economic Development Officer Rachel Soar Flandé outlined the MRC’s ongoing environmental efforts, originally presented at the Quebec Federation of Municipalities’ (FQM) My Green Municipality conference in May.
She highlighted four projects:
• SAUVéR electric car-sharing – Since 2021, the MRC’s electric vehicle has served both its employees and local organizations like TransporAction. A recent awareness campaign led to a 240% increase in mileage over the previous year.
• Electric vehicle charging stations – Five stations have been installed at MRC headquarters, with 22 across the region. Soar Flandé said the network is becoming “not just symbolic, but functional.”
• Carrefour Transport Project – Plans are underway to make the MRC
headquarters a mobility hub, featuring a park-and-ride lot, carpooling zones, a Transcollines bus shelter, picnic areas, and an electric bike rental service. An on-demand transit service is being developed with Transcollines.
• Solar energy – In February, the MRC launched a call for interest for developers to propose solar energy projects in the region. The goal was to identify potential partners to submit projects to Hydro-Québec. Several developers responded, signalling their intent to pursue installations that would feed directly into the provincial grid. Hydro-Québec launched a call for 300 MW of solar energy in May, with selected projects generating revenue for the MRC. A renewable energy committee has also been established to guide long-term planning.
Dickson family honoured
Retiring Equity publisher Charles Dickson received the Pontiac Paddle of Accomplishment for the Dickson family’s 72 years of service in the community. The paper was recently sold to Calumet Media; Dickson’s daughter Sophie remains editor.
Public questions
Linda Davis of Shawville asked if the MRC’s claimed jurisdiction covered all forms of renewable energy. Warden Jane Toller confirmed it includes solar, wind, water, and
forestry biomass.
When asked whether this could allow the incinerator project to be revived, Toller said incineration is not legally considered renewable energy in Quebec, calling it “elimination, not transformation.” She added, “We had a resolution last year that put the Energy-from-Waste project to rest, and that’s where it stopped.”
Davis also asked if organic waste could be used for energy. Toller said it hadn’t been considered, but she was open to exploring it.
Finance department support
Council approved a short-term contract with CPA Lynn Kearney of Gestion K to assist with budget preparation and monitoring, fund allocations, and complex transactions.
Kearney will work a minimum of 10 hours per week until the end of July, when the arrangement will be revaluated.
The Finance Manager role has remained vacant since the departure of Annie Vaillancourt
in May.
Assessment review deadline extended
Council voted to extend the response deadline for property assessment review requests from September 1 to November 1 due to a high volume of applications. Alleyn-et-Cawood Pro-Mayor Sidney Squitti opposed the motion. The process is managed by the FQM property assessment service.
Recycling contract awarded
The MRC issued a call for tenders on May 8 for the collection and transport of recyclables, divided into three lots. The call closed June 9, and results were submitted to Éco Entreprises Québec (EEQ) for approval.
Location Martin Lalonde Inc. of La Pêche was the sole bidder and awarded the first lot —door-to-door pickup—in several municipalities, under a two-year contract valued at $504,610 before taxes. The EEQ will reimburse the MRC for the cost.
Door-to-door pickup will be offered in Bristol (seasonally in certain areas), Bryson, Campbell’s Bay, Portage-du-Fort, L’Isle-aux-Allumettes, Chichester, Sheenboro and Waltham. Shawville, Fort-Coulonge, Mansfield and Alleyn-et-Cawood will continue managing collection locally.
The other two lots—container collection/transport and rental—remain under review.
