Richard Sauvé is seeking the mayor’s seat in East Hawkesbury in the upcoming municipal election on Monday, October 26. Sauvé, 72, was born and raised in Ste-Anne-de-Prescott and previously served as an East Hawkesbury councillor from 1991 to 2000.

Sauvé returned to municipal politics in 2003, serving as deputy mayor until 2022. He did not seek re-election in the 2022 municipal election.

He said his experience in municipal government, as well as his background experience as a farmer, motivated him to seek the mayor’s position.

One of Sauvé’s primary concerns is the proposed Alto high-speed rail project, which he said could significantly impact farmland and rural properties in East Hawkesbury.

“I’m not in favour of it,” Sauvé said, saying the project could divide farmland and affect family farms and businesses.

Sauvé said he wants the municipality to examine what it can do in response to the project and its potential effects on residents.

Another issue he wants to revisit is natural gas service in the municipality. Sauvé said that while he was involved with council, the municipality received a $4.5-million government grant toward a natural gas project running along the frontage road toward Chute-à-Blondeau.

Sauvé questioned why the project did not move forward and said he would like to determine what happened and whether the municipality can pursue the matter again.

Infrastructure is also among Sauvé’s priorities. If elected, he said he would seek government funding for projects involving roads, bridges, and community centres.

Sauvé also emphasized the importance of listening to residents and working with them to address local concerns.

“I listened to people, and we tried,” Sauvé said, referring to his time on council. “There’s always a solution to a problem, but we have to sit down with people and talk.”

If elected, Sauvé said Alto would be the first issue he would want council to address.

Sauvé did not make specific promises about what he could accomplish during his first year in office, saying municipal issues can be complicated.

“I can’t promise nothing, but I promise to do my best,” Sauvé said.