United Counties of Prescott and Russell (UCPR) council met on August 24, and it was a full session with several issues addressed and decisions made.
Seven of the eight mayors were present for the meeting. The Nation Mayor Francis Brière was absent. Council approved a motion made by Casselman Mayor Geneviève Lajoie and seconded by Clarence-Rockland Mayor Mario Zanth to include discussion of financial support for the Conseil des Arts Prescott-Russell Arts Council (CAPRAC) in the 2024 UCPR budget. The motion followed a presentation made by CAPRAC Lead Coordinator Margot Malboeuf requesting funding from the UCPR. Lajoie indicated her preference for the option presented by CAPRAC which would see the arts organization receive $169,000 per year from the UCPR plus a three per cent adjustment each year for inflation, for three years.
New Official Plan
After months of preparation and waiting, the UCPR has a new Official Plan for land use planning. The draft plan had been approved by council on September 28, 2022, but the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing did not give its approval until July 7, 2023. Director of Planning and Forestry Louis Prévost said the new Official Plan includes updated Ottawa River flood mapping but will require some amendments to include recent changes in provincial planning legislation.
