Category: Press Release

Chevery, December 10, 2024 –The MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent is pleased with the Quebec government’s decision to modify and improve the Regional Air Access Program (RAAP). The changes announced will have a positive impact on the development of the MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent, principally by facilitating transportation between communities.

We particularly applaud the decisions to apply the discount on airline tickets directly at the time of purchase, as well as the additional fare reduction for flights to and from our region. 

The changes announced will be effective as of February 3, 2025, and all relevant information on the changes to the RAAP program will be relayed on the MRC’s usual platforms.

“Today’s announcement meets a number of requests made by the MRC over the past few years, and we therefore appreciate the government’s sensitivity to our situation. However, we remain mobilized, as air transportation issues are not limited to ticket prices,” Gladys Driscoll Martin, Warden of the MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent and Mayor of Saint-Augustin.

The MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent is well aware of the other issues related to air transportation and will continue to advocate with both government and private-sector stakeholders to ensure that these problems are resolved. We remain concerned about service reliability and seat availability, especially as the announced changes are likely to contribute to increased traffic.

For the citizens of our remote and isolated communities, air transportation is an absolute necessity to ensure access to essential services, and improving this service remains a top priority for the MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent.

Main changes announced affecting the Lower North Shore as of February 3, 2025:

• Flights to and from the Lower North Shore airports (Blanc-Sablon, Saint-Augustin, La Tabatière, Tête-à-la-Baleine, Chevery and La Romaine) and Natashquan will be offered at a reduced fare of 85%.
• The reduced fare is available upon reservation, with no additional refund procedures.
• Tickets can be booked more than six months in advance.
• The annual limit on reduced-fare tickets no longer applies to North Shore residents or full-time students with a parent living in the region.

Source : Mrs Gladys Driscoll Martin
Warden
418 787-2016
info@mrcgsl.ca

Chevery, December 5th 2024 – With only one road link to the rest of the province, and nearly a third of its territory accessible only by boat or plane, the North Shore undeniably faces considerable mobility challenges.

Behind each meagre advance in the regional transport issue lie years of mobilization by elected representatives and citizens to convince governments of the merits of offering basic services to the North Shore population.

We can only deplore the criticism voiced by certain groups presenting themselves as protectors of the environment reflecting their poor knowledge of the territory or their indifference to North Shore issues. Let’s not forget that the ultimate mission of some of these organizations is to protect a unique resource exploited by their members.

The comments recently made by these organizations in various media concerning the extension of Route 138 between Tête-à-la-Baleine and La Tabatière betray this lack of understanding of local particularities and total indifference to the needs of the citizens of these territories. The Lower North Shore is largely covered by wetlands, and an honest environmental analysis must separate the impact of infrastructure construction in wetlands from other potential effects on the environment. It’s worth noting that salmon runs have been difficult this year in the vast majority of Quebec rivers, regardless of the presence of construction sites. On the contrary, many rivers have remained excellent salmon rivers in recent decades, despite the presence of bridges and roads.

Furthermore, we reaffirm our confidence in the wildlife officers who are already present on our territories to enforce the hunting and fishing rules in force, as well as in the government experts to determine the most appropriate road corridors.

These pressure groups also fail to mention the environmental impact of current transport and logistics operations. In the absence of road links, all transport is carried out by air or sea, whether for people, food, post, building materials, medicines, vehicles, furniture or any other item. These means of transport have a significant environmental impact, especially when serving remote communities.

In addition to improving the energy efficiency of supply to isolated regions, the construction of road links will open up numerous possibilities for reducing the environmental impact of communities, for example by facilitating recycling and composting on a regional scale, as well as opening up opportunities for sustainable economic development.

More importantly, we fear that the objections expressed reflect an urban-centric vision that ultimately proposes to put the natural territories of isolated regions under a glass bell to the detriment of the local populations that occupy these areas.

Today, it’s no longer a question of opposing economic development to environmental protection, but of building resilient communities that will be able to face up to the many challenges of tomorrow.

Above all, it would be a mistake to think that we are indifferent to environmental issues. The members of the Assemblée des MRC are involved in numerous projects to make their towns and villages greener places to live. Our members and our population are more aware than anyone of the challenges posed by climate change, particularly with the repeated impacts on our regional transport systems.

We all cherish our North Shore territory: from its rivers to its taiga, from its peat bogs to its mountains, but as precious as the virginity of its rivers may be, it is worthless if there are no surrounding communities left to admire them.

On this point, it’s worth remembering that the North Shore continues to lose its population, with a negative migration balance, and that the situation is even more acute in areas without road links.

Poor accessibility is a major irritant that seriously affects the attractiveness of the region.

The construction of basic infrastructure such as roads and bridges is essential to ensure the resilience of our territory for years to come. At the end of the day, we simply believe that North Shore residents, like all other Quebecers, have the right to occupy their territory, to travel on it and to use its resources sustainably.

While these discussions on environmental protection are certainly constructive and worthwhile, we invite environmental protection groups to analyze the situation as a whole, from a long-term perspective and taking into account all the human and territorial factors specific to the North Shore region.

Source : Mrs Gladys Driscoll Martin
Warden
418 787-2016
info@mrcgsl.ca

Each month, the MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent will share with you the highlights of the Council meeting to better inform the population about the work of the MRC Council.

The MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent is announcing the temporary suspension of programs related to Component 2 of the Regions and Rurality Fund.

This component has allowed the MRC to invest more than $7 million in businesses and organizations on its territory since 2020.

The temporary suspension of FRR2 is necessary to ensure that the MRC can meet its sectoral and salary commitments until the envelope is renewed in 2025.

The following funds remain available:

• Signature Innovation Program – FRR3
• Vitalization Program – FRR4
• Cultural Agreement 

The FRR2 financial agreement will be renewed on April 1, 2025, and you can contact one of our agents if you have a project requiring financing.

Each month, the MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent will share with you the highlights of the Council meeting to better inform the population about the work of the MRC Council.

Each month, the MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent will share with you the highlights of the Council meeting to better inform the population about the work of the MRC Council.

Chevery, September 19, 2024 – The MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent is continuing its efforts to accelerate the completion of Route 138 by hiring Mr. Glen McKinnon as coordinator for the development of Route 138.

The coordinator’s main role will be to establish working relationships with all players involved in the completion of Route 138. He will be called upon to forge links with the various levels of government, as well as with local, regional and Newfoundland players, in order to promote the advancement of this crucial project for our region.

The mandate will also include keeping the communities of the MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent mobilized, organized and informed in order to maintain political pressure on the various levels of government.

“The issue of completing Route 138 is not progressing quickly enough. A dedicated coordinator for this file will maintain political pressure so that the government prioritizes the completion of Route 138 on the Lower North Shore” says Gladys Driscoll Martin, warden of the MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent and mayor of Saint-Augustin.

Source : Mrs. Gladys Driscoll Martin
Warden
418 787-2016
info@mrcgsl.ca

Additional informations : https://shorturl.at/WV4IE

Each year, Municipality Week is an opportunity to put the spotlight on the municipalities, their role, their work, the people involved and the democratic life associated with them.

Through the services they offer and the initiatives they deploy, municipalities are at the heart of citizens’ daily lives. Whether it’s for community services and projects, park and street maintenance, economic development or water infrastructures, municipal institutions play an important role.u, les institutions municipales jouent un rôle important.

The MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent wishes to highlight the essential work carried out by municipal organizations, their employees and elected officials. Our Lower North Shore municipalities have to manage complex challenges with limited resources, and we’d like to take this opportunity to recognize their ongoing efforts.

SPECIAL NOTICE is given by the undersigned General Director and Secretary-Treasurer of the MRC du Golfe-du-Saint-Laurent than an extraordinary sitting of the Council is convened by Karine Monger, General Director, and Secretary-Treasurer, in accordance with article 152 of the Municipal Code, to be held on July 23^rd, 2024, at 4:00 p.m., and that the following topics will be considered:

1. Opening of the meeting;

2. Resolution 2024-07-25
Reading and adoption of the agenda;

3. Administration;
                3.1 Resolution 2024-07-26
                Financial report 2023 – Presentation by Mr. Jean Lelièvre, chartered accountant;

                3.2 Resolution 2024-07-27
                Auditor’s offer 2024;

                3.3 Resolution 2024-07-28
                Service offer – Route 138 Development Coordinator;

                3.4 Resolution 2024-07-29
                Tourism Development Agent – Posting and selection committee;

                3.5. Resolution 2024-07-30
                Travel authorization – Cruise project;

4. Closing of the meeting.

Given at Chevery, this 19^th, day of July, 2024.