N EWS
THE NEWS MP MINGARELLI WON’T SUPPORT TRAIN ROUTE LAND GRAB EAP NEWSROOM news@eap.on.ca so that residents and community leaders know what will happen.
groups, and federal government officials about the project during the consultation period “to ensure that our community’s voice is heard” about the project. During the past week, Mingarelli noted, she hosted three roundtable sessions in her Prescott-Russell-Cumberland riding: one with local farmers and other representatives of the agricultural community at the St-Isidore Community Centre, one with residents of the riding at the Hammond Community Centre, and one with business leaders at Ivaco Rolling Mills in L’Orignal. That session included federal transport minister Steven MacKinnon as a special guest. Mingarelli also hosted a meeting last Friday in L’Orignal between MacKinnon, Warden Mario Zanth of the United Coun- ties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR), Bonnie Clark, chair of the Eastern Ontario Wardens Caucus (EOWC), and Champlain Township Mayor Normand Riopel. The EOWC issued a resolution earlier this year opposing the proposed high-speed rail project until both the federal government and Alto take steps to ensure that the final route does not impact local communities in Eastern Ontario, involve loss of farmland or wildlife habitats, and that both the federal government and Alto make use of existing infrastructure corridors for the final route plan to reduce or eliminate the need to expropriate private lands. In the UCPR there has been growing opposition to the proposed high-speed rail project, starting with a January resolution from East Hawkesbury Township council opposing the project because of fear for
the impact on local farmlands and the lack of clear information to municipalities about where the route will go and how it will affect communities. Other municipalities in Prescott and Russell have since approved similar resolutions. Mingarelli stated that one reason she organized the April 24 face-to-face session between the federal transport minister and representatives for the UCPR, EOWC and Prescott and Russell municipalities was “to ensure the voices of our local and regional leadership are firmly anchored in Alto’s public consultation process.” The MP indicated that the recent discussions have now “reinforced a clear message” from her riding demanding “a process that is transparent, respectful, and grounded in meaningful consultation”
“Families, farmers, property owners, and municipalities wish to be heard,” stated Mingarelli, “and they need clear information about what this project could mean for their homes, land, livelihoods, and communities.” Mingarelli affirmed she will keep in contact with Alto and the transport minister about issues raised in her riding over the proposed high-speed rail project. “The community has been clear they are open to alternative solutions for the path of the train,” stated Mingarelli. “Wherever there are opportunities to avoid the most serious consequences for property owners and families, those options should be fully explored.” expense for winter road maintenance due to the increased demand for road salt for snow removal. Companies that supply road salt were getting more demands for extra deliveries of salt than their available inven- tory could handle so they began raising the price for delivering extra road salt supplies. There are also a number of public works and service projects included in the UCPR 2025 budget that did not go ahead as planned or are unfinished. Parisien said the funding allocations for those unfinished projects are put into specific reserves to help finance completion of those project this year as part of the overall 2026 budget. The UCPR almost always finishes each year of operations with a budget surplus, either small or large. That surplus is either added to the working capital reserve fund or other reserve funds or may be used to help reduce any possible big tax increase in the next annual budget. Parisien noted that the 2025 budget deficit was not a surprise to her department because it anticipated the revenue shortfall impact of the delayed ope- ning of the Prescott and Russell Residence “It’s unusual, but we were expecting it,” she said, citing the anticipated deficits for the Residence and the public works department. The UCPR finance department will cover the 2025 budget deficit using funds drawn from the working capital reserve. Parisien said that the working capital reserve exists to help the UCPR deal with special or unex- pected financial needs like the 2025 deficit. Parisien also confirmed that the 2025 budget deficit will not affect the property tax rates that were approved as part of the 2026 budget. Homeowners and other property owners do not need to fear any surprise increases in their property tax bills to cover the deficit.
The Member of Parliament (MP) for the region has made it plain now that she will not support any blanket expropria- tion of land for a proposed high-speed rail project . “I wish to be clear that I do not support widespread expropriation in Prescott-Russell- Cumblerland,” stated MP Giovanna Minga- relli, in a news release issued to regional media April 24. “It is my expectation that Alto will undertake the necessary due diligence and engage in careful conversation with landowners in order to secure the support of the majority of our community as the Alto high-speed rail project continues.” Mingarelli’s office issued the press release to noted that Alto finished the first phase of its public consultation process about the high-speed rail link it proposes to building connecting Toronto and Québec City, with five other designated stops that include Ottawa and Montréal. The Crown corpora- tion held more than 70 public information events about the project, including several virtual information sessions, and collected comments, criticisms, and concerns from more than 12,000 people. Alto will publish a “What We Heard Re- port” compilation document that will include a summary of the feedback and the key themes of concerns and issues raised during the consultation sessions. Mingarelli noted that she also met with residents, municipal leaders, representatives for stakeholder
UCPR 2025 BUDGET ENDS UP WITH $2 MILLION DEFICIT
GREGG CHAMBERLAIN news@eap.on.ca
The United Counties of Prescott and Russell ended up with a deficit budget for 2025 but it isn’t a surprise or a disas- ter and won’t mean an extra expense for taxpayers. “It’s unusual and it’s due to exceptio- nal circumstances,” said Valerie Parisien financial director for the United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR), during an interview following the April 22 UCPR council session. Parisien spent about half an hour explai- ning to the eight mayors on UCPR council how the 2025 budget plan approved last year ended up with a $2.2 million deficit instead of a $4.8 million surplus as predicted. Most of the blame goes to the delayed opening of the new Prescott and Russell Residence long-term care and retirement facility and higher-than-expected winter road mainte- nance costs for the UCPR public works department because of road salt shortages. The new Prescott and Russell Residence was supposed to open last year but delays resulted in getting the final occupancy permit approved for the facility. The new Residence is designed to accommodate 224 tenants, 78 more than the old Residence. “A large portion of our (provincial) funding envelope for the Residence is driven by the number of beds that we do have,” Parisien told UCPR council. “So we were expecting to move in in January (2025). We budgeted accordingly and, of course, we haven’t moved in, so that affected our (budget) results this year with important revenue losses. However, they (losses) were countered by some (other) surpluses.” Parisien’s report showed that $1,633,509 in combined surpluses from the year-end budgets for the emergency services, social services, and planning and forestry depart- ments, and the UCPR’s taxation department offset some of the $3,873,866 in combined deficits from the general government and public works departments and the Pres- cott-Russell Residence. The PR Residence accounted for about two-thirds of the deficit at $2,725,664. The public works deficit share was $1,144,286, and general govern- ment $3,936. Part of the reason for the public works department’s deficit was the increased
PUZZLE NO. 783
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ANSWER TO PUZZLE NO. 783
Fill in the grid so that every row, every column and every 3x3 box contains the numbers 1 through 9 only once.
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Property owners do not need to fear any increase in their property taxes to cover the deficit. The UCPR will use funds from its working capital reserve to cover the deficit. (File photo)
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