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Members of the city’s economic development committee yesterday kept a 2002 promise and voted to help fund a boat bypass around Chat’s Dam in Fitzroy Harbour despite community opposition.
After getting a legal opinion that there could be civil repercussions if the money wasn’t approved, the committee voted to recommend handing $300,000 in city funds to members of the Ottawa River Project Inc.
The total cost of the project is $2 million, and the city’s contribution, if approved by council today, will trigger the Ontario, Quebec, federal, and Renfrew County governments and Ontario Power Generation, which owns the dam, to provide the remainder of the funds.
In 2002, the city tentatively approved its total portion and put most of the money aside. At the time, council told project backers, led by Gary Wiseman, the money would be turned over when all appropriate environmental studies were completed. These are done, and the provincial and federal governments have approved the proposed plan.
The project will see boats taken out of the Ottawa River by trucks and trailers near the Quyon ferry at the end of Ferry Road downstream of the dam, trucked 18 kilometres around the village, and put back in the water in Lavergne Bay at the end of Dewolfe Street upstream from the dam and vice versa.
It will be the last link in a system of six bypasses allowing boats to travel the Ottawa River from Ottawa to Temiscaming, Que., a distance of about 500 kilometres.
The idea of handing over $300,000 for a project to serve pleasure boat owners at a time when city staff are searching to find ways to cut $10 million and there is a push for more fiscal responsibility was a difficult sell.
“There are many, many other projects and needs this money could be used to support,” said Gail Clark, who lives near the upstream boat launch. “It’s wasting taxpayers’ money.”
Mr. Wiseman, meanwhile, could provide no studies showing there would be any economic benefits as a result of the project, and said they would be hard to gauge. However, he assured committee members his group would never return to the city for more funds.
He also said his group wouldn’t publicly disclose the business plan for the operation or building of the bypass. A city staff member said he had reviewed the plan and it met city criteria. The same staff member said the federal government had reviewed and approved the funding for building the bypass.
Councillor Maria McRae, who eventually voted to release the funds, clarified the river project’s status with former West Carleton Councillor Dwight Eastman. He assured her the project’s board of directors, including himself, are volunteers, and that Mr. Wiseman is under contract to the board.
The committee was also told there could be significant legal ramifications if the money wasn’t approved—presumably because project officials had done everything the city directed them to do in 2002 in order to get the money.
Councillor Peter Hume said, “So we have a legal obligation.”
Still, Councillor Alex Cullen voted against the project because of the potential harm to the environment, including zebra mussels making their way up the Ottawa River.
Councillor Rainer Bloess, who previously voted for the project, said he likes the idea of opening up the river to boats, but that he couldn’t support it in today’s tight fiscal climate. “I keep coming back to the dollars,” he said. “I can’t support this, not right now. The dollars don’t make sense to me.”
The last word went to Councillor Eli El-Chantiry, in whose ward the dam is located, and who has tried to balance all interests. “Quite frankly, I’d like to see this issue dealt with once and for all by passing it,” he said.
Seconds later, by a six to two vote, with Mayor Bob Chiarelli supporting, Mr. El-Chantiry got his wish. The matter goes to council this afternoon.