ACTUALITÉ / NEWS
biggest fires in town in recent memory.
The total loss will be about $1 million,
says Hawkesbury Fire Chief Ghislain
“Rocky road ahead”
Pigeon. “Fortunately, there was no loss of
life,” he noted.
The alarm was raised at 6:57 p.m. Fire
newsroom@eap.on.ca
fighters were on the scene until 4 a.m.
Results of a comprehensive financial study of Eastern Ontario municipalities
Thursday.
paint a sobering picture of a region struggling with a limited tax base, rising debt
At the same time, fire fighters from
levels and a growing need to invest in infrastructure.
Fournier,St-IsidoreandSt-Bernardinwere
An Eastern Ontario Wardens’ Caucus (EOWC) initiative, the Eastern Ontario
trying to control a blaze that gutted a two-
Financial Sustainability Update Project examined the economic condition of all 114
storey home on Fournier’s main street.
urban and rural local governments in Eastern Ontario.
Nobody was at home when a neighbour
“We’ve known for some time that Eastern Ontario communities are facing tough
noticed flames at 5089 County Road 10 at
challenges,” said Mel Campbell, Chair of the EOWC.
about 7:20 p.m. “The cause will remain
“Now we know exactly what these challenges are and how they will affect the
undetermined,” related Fournier Fire
ability of the Region’s local governments to provide vital community services and
Chief Tobias Hovey. “The building was
maintain our roads, bridges and other infrastructure.”
too badly destroyed to determine how it
The report, Facing our Fiscal Challenges, identifies numerous factors that contribute
started.”
to the region’s overall financial sustainability. In addition to challenges faced by the
The family of four who lived in the
Photo Richard Mahoney
Region as a whole, the Report identifies long-standing difficulties unique to Eastern
house, which was built in 1890, is staying
Ontario’s 103 rural municipalities.
Aburnedshellisallthatremainsofa120-
with relatives in Greely.
Local governments must cope with a limited tax base to pay for services and
year-oldloghomeinFournier.
This was the fourth fire in The Nation
maintain existing infrastructure. Residents contribute almost 90 per cent of property
since Christmas, reported Hovey.
“Fortunately,
taxes collected in the region’s rural communities due to low levels of commercial and
December 25, a two-storey house in
industrial activity, and large areas of Crown land and managed forest that are
Riceville was razed; December 27, a shed
partially or completely exempt from municipal property taxes. In addition, these
there was no
in the area was burned while December
residents are more likely to have lower incomes, be unemployed, and be over age 65
29, a two-storey St-Bernardin house was
compared with the rest of the Ontario.
destroyed. In all cases the cause was
Municipal debt levels have increased about 300 per cent over the past decade.
loss of life”
accidental.
There is a growing and critical need to maintain existing infrastructure and meet
future needs. Municipalities in Rural Eastern Ontario need to find an additional $500
Richard.mahoney@eap.on.ca
Deschênes élu
to $600 million per year to maintain existing capital assets, including roads and
Fire destroyed two Hawkesbury
bridges.
apartment buildings and a 122-year-old
Municipalities in rural Eastern Ontario must fund higher service delivery costs
nouvelles@eap.on.ca
log house in Fournier last Wednesday
with a limited tax base, said Janet Gutowski, Vice Chair of the EOWC. “Roads in the
M ONTEBELLO
night. The Fournier blazewas the fifth fire
rural region span an area roughly equal to 1.5 times the distance around the world.”
in The Nation since Christmas.
In cities the cost of rebuilding a kilometre of a one-lane road is split between 25
In Hawkesbury, nobody was seriously
Martin Deschênes remplacera Robin
households, while in rural areas, the same cost is shared by only five households.
injured as eight apartment units were
Duguay comme conseiller municipal à
Residents of Eastern Ontario pay their taxes. However, the Report makes it clear
consumed in the rapidly-moving blaze that
Montebello à la suite de sa victoire lors
that these residents are reaching the limit of their ability to pay for existing services
was ignited by a cooking fire at 292
d’une élection partielle dimanche.
and meet long-term infrastructure needs.
Hampden St., and quickly engulfed units at
M. Deschênes a obtenu 214 voix, Alain
Eastern Ontario governments cannot face this challenge alone.
294 Hampden and at 665 and 667 Régent.
Larivière, 187 et un ancien maire, Jean-Paul
The EOWC is initiating a series of discussions at both federal and provincial levels
Two fire fighters received minor injuries as
Descoeurs, 70 voix. L’élection spéciale était
to find ways to address our Region’s unique concerns and issues over the long term,
Hawkesbury, L’Orignal and Vankleek Hill
nécessaire à la suite de la démission du
while recognizing that all levels of government face major financial challenges.
fire fighters battled what was one of the
conseiller Duguay en décembre.
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