This weekend, the municipality of North Hatley released a wonderful press release featuring several images of future projects to beautify and improve the village. These include architectural sketches for a potential marina. However, the project that particularly caught my attention concerns the redevelopment of the intersection of Main Street and Chemin de la Rivière—a project […]
Budgetary pressure on North Hatley residents
Following the submission of budgets by North Hatley and surrounding municipalities, I compared the budgetary burden on residents of surrounding municipalities for the year 2025. It is important to note that these are the municipalities’ 2025 budgets, as the actual data will only be available when the audited financial reports are submitted in July 2026, […]
Reclaiming Lake Massawippi in winter: it has begun!
For several weeks now, I have been going out onto the ice to drill holes and measure its thickness. With ice measuring 6 inches or more, consistently observed at the various points checked, I was able to begin ice fishing in North Hatley with due caution. Last Sunday, I also invited a few friends from […]
Council meeting summaries: a loss of momentum or simply a delay?
The first two public council meetings of North Hatley held following the elections were summarized and sent to citizens the very next day through the Entre Nous municipal bulletin. However, no summary has been distributed since December 12, despite the fact that two additional public council meetings have been held since then. At the beginning […]
2026 budget: more elected officials and municipal employees than citizens in the room
Only four citizens attended the presentation of North Hatley’s 2026 budget, despite the importance of this exercise. The schedule, which was not very convenient for workers, raises questions about accessibility and citizen participation. Nevertheless, the session took place in an open and interactive atmosphere, allowing for many questions to be asked. Key findings: The budget […]
December 17 at 4:00 p.m. — Presentation of the 2026 Municipal Budget of North Hatley
Presentation of the 2026 Municipal Budget in North Hatley This Wednesday, December 17 at 4:00 p.m., the Municipality of North Hatley will present its annual budget for 2026. The budget is a pivotal moment in municipal life: it is when the Council’s orientations, priorities, and commitments take concrete, quantified, and measurable form. In practice, what […]
Call to North Hatley ambassadors: let’s come together to promote the village
North Hatley can count on a large number of citizens who are deeply devoted to their village. A few months ago, together with a small group of citizen ambassadors—mainly entrepreneurs from North Hatley—we launched an initiative: ANHA, short for Ambassadors of North Hatley and Surrounding Areas (Alentours). For now, the association is aimed at project […]
Ice rink ready in North Hatley: delighted children and parents
Sunday, December 14: our first family skating outing. And today, two of my children are putting on skates for the very first time. With gentle snow falling and a temperature of −3 °C, the ice gives us a truly joyful moment. On the rink, the atmosphere is already there: younger kids mix with older ones, […]
Everything indicates that the skating season is about to begin in North Hatley
My kids keep asking me when they can finally go skating. So today, we went to check out the ice… and honestly, it’s very encouraging. There’s already a good layer of ice in place. In our opinion, it’s possible to skate. Yes, there are a few bumps here and there, but nothing dramatic: for 5-year-olds, […]
What if we reclaimed our Lake Massawippi in winter?
Winter is usually quiet in North Hatley. Yet, when Mother Nature gives us a solid freeze—as is the case right now—there is tremendous room for creativity. Solstice Sauna is already proving that it can be done. In simple terms, once the ice reaches about 4 inches thick, it becomes possible to access the lake. Caution […]
Access to Lake Massawippi: between protection and exclusion
As you know, I have long been campaigning for access to the lake to be truly open to everyone. I often repeat that 98% of Quebec’s bodies of water are private or difficult to access. This issue is very close to my heart, because I am both a passionate fisherman and a lover of water—like […]
Dinner on the municipal dock: when citizens reclaim the shores of Lake Massawippi
A few weeks ago, I published an article presenting a series of ideas to restore true access to the lake for everyone in North Hatley. I would now like to explore each of these ideas separately, in its own dedicated article, to better illustrate their potential. To give people access to the lake again, we […]
Reinventing access to Lake Massawippi: the shared electric boat option
Electric cars have experienced tremendous growth in recent years. Now it’s the turn of watercraft to enter the electric age. Imagine a lake where only silent boats travel, without smoke or the smell of gasoline. It’s no longer just a dream: electric boats can already be seen on Lake Massawippi. Take an interest in this […]
Access to the lake for all: myth or reality in North Hatley?
Let us recall that 98% of Québec’s waterways are private or inaccessible. In North Hatley, almost every access point to Lake Massawippi — as well as most nautical activities — is directly or indirectly controlled by the municipality: On top of that, extensive water-related activities (swimming, marinas, boat rentals, etc.) are only permitted in three […]
Renovating rather than demolishing: a truly sustainable choice?
Following the recently published demolition notice, several residents seem to be questioning the real environmental impact of tearing down buildings like the one at the beach. After looking into it, I discovered that an average 1,000- to 2,000-square-foot house typically represents 30 to 100 tons of materials to manage. And depending on how carefully the […]
December 1, 2025 – North Hatley council meeting summary
Here is a summary of the Entre Nous newsletter – Follow-up to the public meeting of December 1, 2025. Ethics and Transparency Human Resources MRC Memphrémagog – 2026 Budget Local Road Assistance Program (PAVL) New Agreement with the Magog Ecocentre Urban Planning and PIIA Projects Modernization of Boat-Wash Stations and Launch Ramps Recreation Agreement with […]
Tip: Know who owns a piece of land or lot
Did you know that it is possible to identify the owner of a lot—land, zoning, property value—and even verify, if necessary, the purchase price and the mortgage attached to it using tools such as JLR. Here’s how to do it: 1. Locate the lotFirst, go to:https://appli.foncier.gouv.qc.ca/Infolot/Info/LicenceUse the interactive map to find the lot you are […]
Tip: Know the transaction amount and the mortgage on a property
Did you know that in just a few seconds, you can find out the date a property was sold, the transaction amount, the welcome tax, the identities of the sellers and buyers, and even download the mortgage details if there is one on the property? Yes, you can! The jlr.ca website offers all this information […]
North Hatley undergoing transformation: demolition and reconstruction underway
Following the recent demolition of 190 Main Street and the upcoming demolition of the Pleasant View Beach building, a public notice of demolition has now been issued for 2013-2015 Lake Road. In all these cases, we are talking about large-scale construction projects intended to replace existing buildings. I remain both surprised by the disappearance of […]
The main points of North Hatley’s new master plan
In order to better understand the issues surrounding North Hatley’s new master plan, recently adopted by the municipal council and set to be rolled out over the next few years, I will be publishing a series of articles focusing on its main themes and the projects that could come to fruition. To begin with, here […]
Public notice – Minor variance request 4340, chemin Magog
The Municipal Council of the Village of North Hatley will hold a public meeting on December 16, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. in the community hall of St. Elizabeth Church (3115 Capelton Road). At that time, the Council will review a minor variance request concerning the property located at: 4340 Magog Road, North Hatley (Québec) What […]
Municipal transparency: missing audio recordings, late minutes…
As you know, I regret that audio recordings and minutes are no longer posted on the North Hatley municipal website within days of council meetings. 1. Why are there no more audio recordings? According to the response I received this morning from Ms. Davis-Gerrish, the lack of audio recordings since June is due to the […]
Public contracts: a minefield that is too often underestimated
Public contracts too often end in disaster: cost overruns, delays, disappointing results. An article published in La Presse on Sunday, November 30, 2025, bluntly reminds us that without solid public administration skills for these projects, mistakes are not the exception—they become the norm. Do we have the management expertise to see these projects through to […]
Is it possible to be trapped in your municipality?
As you know, I believe that not making minutes and audio recordings available within a reasonable time frame is a real obstacle to citizen participation. The regulations stipulate a 30-day deadline for filing minutes, as they must be approved at the next meeting according to the municipal elected officials’ welcome guide. And if the municipality […]
The intermunicipal recreation agreement on the agenda this Monday, December 1, in North Hatley
Ce mercredi 1er décembre 2025, à 19 h, à la salle Lucien-Vachon de l’église Sainte-Élisabeth de North Hatley, le conseil municipal se penchera, au point 10.1 de l’ordre du jour, sur la proposition d’entente intermunicipale de loisirs entre le Canton de Hatley et North Hatley. On Wednesday, December 1, 2025, at 7 p.m., in the […]
Le fonctionnement du procès-verbal dans les municipalités du Québec
Selon la LCV (art. 333) et le CMQ (art. 201), le procès-verbal doit être rédigé par le greffier ou, le cas échéant, par le greffier-trésorier. Une fois rédigé, il passe par différentes étapes internes : adoption, signature, puis publication. À North Hatley, le greffier-trésorier est M. Benoit Tremblay, qui agit également comme directeur général, ainsi […]
Construction projects are multiplying in North Hatley
At least three major construction projects are underway or about to begin in North Hatley. The most advanced is the 22 condos at Parc de la Rivière, which will soon be joined by the refrigerated skating rink and the new building at Pleasant View Beach. North Hatley is clearly undergoing a transformation. New residential construction […]
Executive management vs. elected officials: who really runs our municipalities?
Things are getting turbulent in the municipality of Cookshire-Eaton, not far from where we live. After a by-election marked by the presence of a candidate linked to the biker “farm club”—who was ultimately defeated—the new mayor and the entire municipal council now find themselves at the centre of a storm, under investigation by the CMQ […]
A wind of pride and proactivity is blowing through North Hatley
Following my post about the “permanent orange cone,” I received a message from North Hatley’s new Public Works Superintendent, Mr. Francis Nadeau. He’s a proud resident of the village who, like many of us, wants streets without abandoned cones and a road network in good condition. It’s refreshing to finally feel that we’re speaking the […]
What is a reasonable timeframe for a municipality to post its minutes online and make them available to the public?
As you know, I regret that the municipality does not publish the minutes and audio recordings of council meetings on its website within a reasonable time frame. In my opinion, this hinders citizen participation, since citizens simply do not have access to information about the decisions made by their elected officials. One wonders how many […]
