Allyson Beauregard
PONTIAC ET MRC DE PONTIAC – After l’Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA)
Allyson Beauregard
PONTIAC ET MRC DE PONTIAC – After l’Union des producteurs agricoles (UPA)
members threatened to block the passage of snowmobiles on their private lands to protest the introduction of changes to the Farm Property Tax Credit Program that came into effect January 1, 2017, Transport Minister Laurent Lessard decided to suspend the new program and reinstate the old one.
According to Denis Dubeau, Pontiac UPA president, the change would have resulted in an approximate 30% increase in the property tax bills of some farmers.
Lessard said he reversed the decision due to the struggles Quebec farmers face as well as the loss of tourism revenues that could result from the closing of snowmobile trails.