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Ottawa River declared a Canadian heritage river
It has been a key part of Canada’s history for centuries for the First Nations people who lived along its shores and the European colonists who later came seeking furs and timber. Now the Ottawa River has official designation as a CanadianHeritage River. CatherineMcKenna, federal minister for environment and the minister responsible for Parks Canada, and Kathryn McGarry, Ontario’s natural resources minister, issued a joint announcement July 28 that the Ontario side of the Ottawa River is now designated a CanadianHeritage River “for its outstanding cultural heritage values.” The designation applies just to the Ontario portion of the river.The federal government is still talking with Québec about future heritage designation for the eastern shore portion of the river. McKenna expressed confidence during a media scrum session that will happen at some future date. “We have a good relationship with Québec,” McKenna said, “and I think we’ll be able to get it done soon.” “I think it’s good news,” said Guy Desjardins, mayor for the City of Clarence-
Rockland and current warden for the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR) during a Thursday morning phone interview. Desjardins noted that heritage designation for the Ottawa River has been a federal concern since 2003 under the Chrétien Liberal government. The new heritage designation for the Ottawa River applies to the 590-kilometre length of the river on the Ontario side, from the head of Lake Timiskaming down to East Hawkesbury Township.This portion of the river now falls under the Canadian Heritage Rivers System (CHRS). There is a 681-kilometre portion of the river which flows entirely throughQuébec. Incorporation into the CHRS conservation program does not take away any existing responsibilities and rights that exist for senior and local governments and landowners which involve the Ottawa River. The Ottawa River, known as “the original Trans-Canada highway” for its historical role in the early settlement of the region, during both First Nations times when the Algonquin people first arrived in the area and the later
The Ottawa River is an important part of the history and heritage of communities in Prescott-Russell and other regions located along its shores. The river now has official designation as a Canadian Heritage River. —photos Gregg Chamberlain
colonial period when French, English and other immigrants came in search of land and livelihoods. The river provides habitat for more than 300 species of birds and is an important migratory flyway for the North American continent. It is also well-known as a world- class paddling and whitewater rafting destination for recreational tourism. The river was the focus for both economic and political growth in the region during the fur and timber trade eras. For the town of
Rockland and other communities in what is now the Prescott-Russell region, the Ottawa River was the lifeblood of their own early economic growth through establishment of sawmills and other industries which used the river for transportation.The annual Ottawa River Festival, now celebrated each year in riverside towns and villages like Rockland, Hawkesbury, Wendover and others in the UCPR, highlights the historic and heritage value of the river.
Council reviews salvage rights and wrongs
Échec au crime verra le jour bientôt La MRC d’Argenteuil, en collaboration avec la Sûreté du Québec et la Gendarmerie Royale Canadienne, mettra sur pied un Comité Échec au crime , qui aura pour but de créer une ligne anonyme de dénonciation du crime dans la région. « Cela fonctionnera un peu comme la ligne Info-crime à Montréal. Les citoyens qui seront témoins d’actes criminels pourront téléphoner et donner des informations », a expliqué Luc Grondin, maire de Grenville lors de la séance de la MRC du 13 juillet dernier. Des panneaux arborant le numéro de téléphone à contacter seront installés au courant des prochains mois dans chacune des 9 municipalités de la MRC. Selon M. Grondin, dans la région de Granby, et ce jusqu’à Sherbrooke, une baisse de 50 % du taux de criminalité a pu être observée suite à l’instauration d’une ligne téléphonique de ce genre. – Alexandra Montminy
bins before the actual recycling contractor arrives to empty it out. The challenge, the report noted, is to catch “recycling pirates” in the act of pilfering bottles, cans and other such materials from home collection bins. Even then, if the person refuses to give their name and address to a municipal bylaw officer when caught, then it is necessary to call the police to the scene to deal with the person. Dealing with any unpaid fines for illegal scavenging would also mean legal fee costs added to the municipal budget. Mayor Gary Barton indicated that the townshipmust remind residents that there is a local non-profit group which is contracted to do residential and commercial recycling collection of bottles, cans, and other materials and that this group employs local residents fromHawkesbury and Champlain Township. Illegal scavenging of recycling bins means this group loses a source of its revenue, which affects its operation cost and its ability to provide local jobs. Council tabled the matter for further discussion during its August session following the summer break.
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN gregg.chamberlain@eap.on.ca
These days everyone is looking for ways to make a few extra dollars, including scrounging for pop bottles and beer cans. But Champlain Township council wonders whether or not it needs to create an official anti-scavenging bylaw to deal with a fewpeoplemaking “midnight raids” on residential recycling bins. Township administration recently presented council with a brief report on research into anti-scavenging bylaws aimed at dealing with individuals who raid residential recycling bins left out for pickup by local groups who havemunicipal contracts for recycle collections. Coun. Jacques Lacelle commented that such a bylaw might be necessary now. “Just to tell people that we have a bylaw,” he said. The report noted that some communities recognize they have an “illegal scavenging” problemwith individuals raiding recycling
Restructuration financière • Consolidation des dettes en un paiement mensuel • Propositions à vos créanciers • Faillites personnelles et corporatives
Consultation gratuite www.faillites.deloitte.ca
Syndics et gestionnaires Jane Mitchell, Conseillère
Hawkesbury 300 McGill
Ottawa 800-100 Queen
613.632.4178
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