$4,078,000 for the New Pleasant View Building: Which Good Neighbours Will Help North Hatley Foot the Bill?

The construction contract for the new building at Pleasant View Beach was awarded to COMCO on July 16, 2026. The contract now amounts to $4,078,000, not including the technical studies and resources already devoted to the project, including the time invested by our demolition committee, made up of our elected officials, Mr. Pelletier, Ms. Haller, and Ms. Danielle Dupré.

Construction Contract for the Pleasant View Beach Building – July 16, 2026

To understand how this project has evolved, we need to go back a few years.

In 2024, the estimated cost to renovate and bring the existing building up to code was approximately $1,596,000.

Reference: Municipal Council Document – October 7, 2024

2025

A publication by the Master Plan Committee subsequently indicated that the construction of a new building was estimated at $2,500,000, with a PRACIM grant covering 95% of the projected cost, leaving an expected contribution of $125,000 from North Hatley. The publication also indicated that the municipality hoped the Township of Hatley and other neighbouring municipalities would contribute toward this amount.

Reference: North Hatley Master Plan Committee

End of 2025

When I attended the municipal council meeting for the December 2025 budget presentation, the amount presented was instead $3,000,000, with no clear indication at the time that there could be cost overruns, particularly from Mr. Benoit Tremblay.

2026

Today, the construction contract stands at $4,078,000.

This may not technically be considered a “cost overrun.” However, the fact remains that the projected cost of the project has increased considerably over time: approximately $1.6 million in 2024 for renovation and code compliance, $2.5 million for a new building in a subsequent presentation, $3 million in 2026, and now $4.078 million for the construction contract.

And who will pay the bill?

This is where the question of cost-sharing becomes particularly interesting.

The municipality’s publication indicated that it hoped the Township of Hatley and other neighbouring municipalities would contribute toward the $125,000 required — based on a $2.5 million project budget — to cover North Hatley’s share after the grant.

I therefore checked directly with North Hatley’s Director General, Mr. Demers, to determine whether an intermunicipal agreement had ultimately been reached with the Township of Hatley and whether the Township would be making a financial contribution to the project.

The answer is no in both cases. The Township of Hatley will therefore not contribute to this cost.

Recall that Mr. Vincent Fontaine stated that North Hatley had sent invoices to the Township whose amounts had more than doubled, without supporting documentation, despite multiple requests for explanations that went unanswered. This situation reportedly led to the failure of negotiations and the end of the collaboration.

This raises a legitimate question: if Pleasant View also serves residents and visitors from neighbouring municipalities, why should North Hatley bear the entire cost?

One can also wonder whether the deterioration of intermunicipal relations and the concerns expressed by the Township regarding North Hatley’s financial management contributed to this situation.

I do not claim to have the answer. But these are questions that citizens have every right to ask, particularly when the cost of a project increases from approximately $1.6 million to more than $4.078 million.

And above all: which “neighbours” will ultimately agree to share North Hatley’s bill?

Fortunately, perhaps there will be no bill for North Hatley to pay after all. Perhaps everything will ultimately be covered by the PRACIM program, funded through our tax dollars.