The MRC Pontiac reveals economic development plan

0
132

Arnaud de la Salle
(tr. AB)

CAMPBELL’S BAY – In the presence of the MRC Pontiac’s 18 mayors, Pontiac Warden and Mayor of Fort-Coulonge, Raymond Durocher announced his development priorities for the area. The projects he outlined affect four key economic sectors from the Pontiac Vision 20/20 plan: agriculture, forestry, commerce, and tourism.

Arnaud de la Salle
(tr. AB)

CAMPBELL’S BAY – In the presence of the MRC Pontiac’s 18 mayors, Pontiac Warden and Mayor of Fort-Coulonge, Raymond Durocher announced his development priorities for the area. The projects he outlined affect four key economic sectors from the Pontiac Vision 20/20 plan: agriculture, forestry, commerce, and tourism.
 Some projects have already been put into motion. For example, from the actions recommended in the agricultural development plan (PDZA), the Pontiac Hops Cooperative recently received financial commitment from several government agencies to purchase a premium granulator which will give the Pontiac a significant
competitive advantage amongst Canadian and American microbreweries.
In terms of forestry development, a plan for developing the sector is underway and is about to be made public. “Serious partners have joined with the MRC to develop the sector; a public announcement will be made soon,” said Durocher.
In the tourism sector, the MRC has become involved in the renovation of the Bryson House as well as the re-opening of the Red Bridge. A rally in support of re-opening the bridge was held June 30.
For other projects: “It’s a matter of dusting off some files,” said Durocher. The creation of a national park on the Dumoine River is an example of an old file that could be revived, as well as the construction of a
federal penitentiary, which was discussed between 2007 and 2010.
Documents presented in 2007 from the Ministry of Economic Development, Innovation and Export, highlighted many advantages of building a federal penitentiary in MRC Pontiac and are still valid. Overcrowding in prisons in both Quebec and Canada continues to be a problem and could very well bring the project back to life. “We want to have as many assets as possible on our side, in terms of this file, in case
an opportunity presents itself,” he concluded.
Law 28 and MRC
restructuring
The recently adopted Law 28 placed responsibility for a territory’s economic development in the hands of local MRCs. When Law 28 was
implemented in the MRC Pontiac, one goal was to create a multidisciplinary team responsible for rural and economic development at the local CDE. The closure of the CLD
was also part of the
restructuring process which sparked the transformation of SADC Pontiac into a one-stop service station
for business people in the region, as of July 1.