The Municipality of Petite-Vallée deplores that Ottawa refuses to finance the dredging work necessary to restore its fishing haven, which has been unusable for several years.
A text from Catherine Poisson
The issue has been stagnating for around thirty years, according to the mayor of Petite-Vallée, Monika Tait.
Given the geographical location of our fishing haven, at the end of a river, when there are big bursts of water like we have been used to seeing for several years, it means that all the gravel and sand in the river flows into the fishing harbor
she explains.
This makes it impassable and completely blocked by sand.
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The fishing haven of Petite-Vallée is located at the end of a river.
Photo: Radio-Canada / Adrianne Gauvin-Sasseville
A hefty bill
Monika Tait estimates that it would take between $40,000 and $50,000 to carry out the necessary studies and obtain the required permits, and the same amount to carry out the dredging work, for a total that is close to $100,000. A fortune for the small municipality.
Furthermore, the responsibility for restoring the harbor falls to Ottawa, which owns it. However, as the harbor does not accommodate any commercial activity, it is deemed surplus by the federal government, according to the mayor.
We’re always told: “we don’t have the funding to do it, you can start your studies”… But no, I don’t have the funding to do that either. I have a population of around 160 people, I can’t give them that burden for a small fishing haven with eight or nine small pleasure boats.
She suggests that the harbor could also accommodate several recreational and tourism activities, if it were in good condition.
The Municipality says it is in favor of the federal government ceding the harbor to it, but not before the work is done. I don’t want a poisoned chalice
says Ms. Tait.
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Monika Tait had to meet with Petite-Vallée boaters this year to explain to them that they still would not be able to use the fishing harbor.
Photo : Facebook
MPO must commit to bringing everything up to standard before we say we’re taking it back.”,”text”:”There, we’re just talking about my side, the small boats. But on the west side of the fishing harbor there is also a lot of work to be done. The old quay is no longer accessible at all, it is dangerous, so there is riprap to be done. DFO must commit to bringing everything up to standard before we say we’re taking it back.”}}”>There, we’re just talking about my side, the small boats. But on the west side of the fishing harbor there is also a lot of work to be done. The old quay is no longer accessible at all, it is dangerous, so there is riprap to be done. THE MPO must commit to bringing everything up to standard before we say we’re taking it back.
A meeting is planned on this subject at the beginning of July with an attaché of Minister Diane Lebouthillier.
More and more, we are going to put pressure because we also have pressure from our citizens, and we understand them
concludes Ms. Tait.
At the time of publishing these lines, the MPO was unable to answer our questions on this matter.
