Quesnel Road Water Project Falls Through
Petition Deemed Invalid Following Property Owner Withdrawals.
A contentious proposal to extend municipal water services to Quesnel Road has hit a major roadblock after a recent memo from the Municipal Clerk confirmed that the petition driving the initiative is no longer valid.
On January 30, 2025, Municipal Clerk Melanie Ducharme issued a memo to the West Nipissing Council detailing the results of a notification process that sought to confirm continued support from property owners. The results showed that several petition signatories had withdrawn, rendering the petition invalid under Ontario’s Local Improvements Regulation (O. Reg. 586/06).
Background on the Quesnel Road Project
The debate over municipal water services on Quesnel Road has been ongoing for a few months. In November 2024, a petition signed by 73% of affected property owners was presented to council, requesting a water main installation under a "local improvement charge." This process, legislated under the Local Improvement Act, would have made the project’s costs the responsibility of adjacent property owners rather than the municipality.
However, many homeowners expressed concern over the financial burden, particularly those who did not wish to connect to municipal water but would still be required to pay. The estimated total cost of the project was just over $1 million, translating to approximately $314 per metre of property frontage.
Petition Falls Apart Following Notification
A critical issue raised in council discussions was that the petition was signed before property owners had full clarity on the cost implications.
At the November meeting authorizing this project, Quesnel Road councillor, Kris Rivard supported the move saying that in the long term this is the right move for the municipality. However, this did not sit well with other councillors. Councillor Fern Pellerin noted that this would be a steep cost for someone who has a functioning well with no issues and insisted that proper communication take place with the affected residents before proceeding.
In December, municipal staff sent official notices to all affected property owners outlining their expected financial contributions. They were given until January 8, 2025, to confirm their participation.
According to the latest memo from the Municipal Clerk, five signatories requested to have their names removed from the petition after receiving the cost estimates. Additionally, several non-signatories formally confirmed their opposition to the project. With these withdrawals, the petition no longer meets the threshold of at least two-thirds property owner support or more than 50% of the assessed value in the improvement area. Consequently, the petition is now considered invalid, and the project cannot proceed under local improvement regulations.
With the petition no longer viable, council will need to decide whether to pursue alternative funding models or revisit the issue at a later date.
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Knowing that the cost of this project, undislosed to residents, would be a significant burden, and knowing that residents who could not pay stood to have their properties confisicated, Kris Rivard stood out as a major voice of support for this project. Be careful who you vote for people. Foolhardly politicians have no sense of justice and egos as big a the Reichtaug.
Billions go missing, billions handed out to politicians private businesses, we pay for their trips, dinners, wages, yet they found a way to shut down a million dollar project that provides the basic necessity, water… We need a logic task force to deal with political absurdity.