Meeting held June 3, 2025
2024 municipal audit results
An audit presentation by the accounting firm of Baker Tilly provided a snapshot of the financial health of the Municipality of West Nipissing, inclusive of its local boards (West Nipissing Environmental Services, West Nipissing Library, West Nipissing Power Generation, and a portion of Au Chateau) at the and of 2024. Jessica Dionne of Baker Tilly confirmed that the financial statements “present fairly in all material respects the financial position of the municipality” as of December 31, 2024. It was emphasized that these financial statements consolidate five different entities, meaning the numbers “will be significantly different than the numbers that management or staff present to you when they do financial updates,” which focus solely on the municipality’s direct operations. This consolidation is done “to comply with the accounting standards,” specifically public sector accounting standards.
The municipality’s cash position improved significantly, with cash increasing by approximately $2.2 million, primarily due to Au Chateau’s improved cash position from unspent grants.
Net debt was reduced by $5.4 million compared to 2023, bringing it to $13,803,000. This reduction was largely attributed to “a repayment of capital. There was no new debt issued during 2024.” Mayor Kathleen Thorne Rochon acknowledged this as “more than 25% reduction in our net debt. That’s good. It’s so nice to see that.”
The value of tangible capital assets increased by $4.3 million over the prior year, with “$11.6 million in additions, offset by $7.2 million in amortization.” Key capital projects in 2024 included work on John Street, Front Street, Eugene Bridge, the health center building renovations, and the purchase of a grader and loader.
Contrary to the budgeted plan to withdraw funds from its reserves, the municipality was “able to add instead $1,642,000” to reserves, rather than withdrawing the planned $1,260,000. This positive shift was attributed to factors such as unexpected grants and projects being deferred to 2025.
Total operating revenues were “approximately $1.5 million greater than budgeted,” totaling $63,200,000. This was driven by a $771,000 increase in government grants and transfers (primarily due to Au Chateau receiving grants for an increase in level of care funding), and a $697,000 increase in “other” revenues from sources like “sale of land, the interest and penalties on taxes, and building permits.”
While overall expenses were well managed, two lines showed significant variances. Environmental Services were under budget by $872,000 due to “Power Generation wind-up costs” coming in “less than expected.” Planning and Development was under budget by $230,000 (representing “25% of your budget line”) due to “a special project that was deferred to 2025.” The year concluded with a healthy “annual surplus of $9,896,000.”
In relaying the municipal debt position, Dionne told council the total municipal debt (excluding Power Generation) is $13,275,000, with Alisa Craddock, director of Corporate Services further explaining that “$2.7 million of that belongs to water and sewer,” and the remaining “$10.5 million is a combination of all facilities,” including the police detachment building. The total interest paid by the municipality of West Nipissing was $558,000 in 2024.
Council approved the audited financial statements. The documents become available to the public once the audit has been approved by council.
Former Tourism Centre: To Sell or Not to Sell?
The future of the former Tourism Information Centre at 30 Front Street was discussed, with councillors debating whether to declare the prime Hwy 17 property surplus for sale or explore alternative uses. CAO Jay Barbeau noted that the building, currently home to Sudbury East West Nipissing Economic Partners, is “extremely underutilized and probably has been for quite some time.” He explained that the municipality’s strategic plan encourages considering properties for surplus if they are no longer in active use.
The report presented to council detailed significant future maintenance costs for the building, estimated at “$589K in the next five years and an additional $300K in the year 10.” Councillor Georges Pharand raised concerns about these figures, questioning, “I don’t think it would appeal to anyone to pay a million dollars on a property that you need to spend a million dollars on over the next 10 years.” Barbeau acknowledged that the building’s current configuration is “difficult” and that “there would have to be quite a bit of leasehold improvement” to make it more appealing to tenants.
Councillor Rolly Larabie was a strong proponent for declaring the property surplus, emphasizing its “prime location right across the road from the developing property at the mill.” He suggested, “If we could let it go fairly cheap so the person can move on with it (…) I would recommend that we do declare it surplus so that way the taxes remain at the lower end of the bar.”
However, Councillor Kris Rivard urged caution. “I’m worried that when you sell it, then you lose your control as to what can happen there,” he stated. “I’d just like to take this one slowly because we’ve sold off quite a bit of land already in the past few years.” Mayor Kathleen Rochon echoed these sentiments, highlighting the building’s strategic importance. “I agree with Councillor Rivard as far as the strategic location of the building. The fact that I do believe it is a visually attractive building at the center of town, and the fact that we actually own all of the land [between the bakery and the car dealership]… there could be future potential in that building and in that site,” she said. The Mayor expressed reluctance to “do something short-sighted for financial gain without really thinking through whether or not there’s long-term benefit to the community.” Mayor Rochon further articulated that if the building continues to “cost the taxpayers money,” it “needs to serve a use in the community,” perhaps by being “available for community groups.”
Ultimately, council decided to have an evaluation done on the property and then revisit the issue once an appraisal was obtained.
Council formally objects to Strong Mayor Powers
West Nipissing Council is formally expressing its objections to the Province of Ontario’s “Strong Mayor Powers” legislation, with councillors voicing concerns about its impact on democratic process and future governance. Mayor Kathleen Rochon initiated a discussion on the new powers, noting that staff had gathered information from other municipalities and professional associations for review. Councillor Rolly Larabie quickly highlighted the sentiment among many municipalities, stating, “I saw a lot of municipalities that are not in favour of this at all, that they’re sending the letter to the government that they’re not interested in this.”
Mayor Rochon concurred, explaining that while sending a letter “doesn’t impact the fact that the powers are still there,” it “sends the message” and contributes to a larger advocacy effort. She emphasized her belief that “a mayor who is respectful of the democratic process and who values the contributions of each and every one of their members (…) would not use those powers, in my mind.”
Councillor Kris Rivard echoed concerns about the potential implications, citing examples of how the powers have been used controversially in other municipalities. “When you start reading the ones that have been used, there’s a lot of pieces here. It’s kind of scary,” Rivard said.
Councillor Dan Gagné was more direct, stating, “I hope that we actually oppose it and do send a letter to the provincial government to say that we don’t appreciate it because it’s not helping the democratic process that we were elected for.”
Chief Administrative Officer Jay Barbeau provided a broader perspective, advising council to consider the legislation “as a rule for future councils” and weigh both the positive and negative possibilities. Mayor Rochon reiterated that while she doesn’t intend to use the powers, the legislation could be abused “if it was in the wrong hands.”
Council ultimately agreed to draft a letter expressing its opposition to the Strong Mayor Powers, adding West Nipissing’s voice to a “growing number of voices, especially around smaller municipalities that just don’t feel the necessity” because they already have a system of democracy and collaborative councils that work well.
Tackling the “nail problem” on Eugene Road
Residents and municipal staff in West Nipissing recently teamed up to address a frustrating and costly issue on Eugene Road: a significant number of nails causing multiple flat tires. The problem, which saw some residents suffering “up to three flat tires in a short period of time,” prompted both grassroots efforts and a municipal response. Coun. Georges Pharand brought the issue to council’s attention, describing how “a huge number of nails on the road” led to citizens taking matters into their own hands. Residents “went out and started scanning with a few kilometers worth of road with some homemade magnets.” Councillor Pharand noted that “every time we went out there, we found a large number of nails,” sometimes as many as 60 at a time.
Barbeau acknowledged the municipality was “aware of this issue.” Initially, sub-foremen “walked the road” but “really couldn’t do anything visually.” After discussions with Councillor Pharand, the municipality escalated its efforts, hiring “a large commercial magnet truck” that swept the entire road. The result: 179 nails were retrieved. Barbeau stated he hasn’t received any further complaints since the sweep, suggesting “the problem seems to be resolved.”
Barbeau also highlighted the significant cost, noting he authorized $5,500 for the day. The source of the nails remains unconfirmed, with Councillor Pharand speculating it was “either a box that fell off the back of an open trailer, or it was done on purpose.” Public Works staff indicated that “the majority of them were old and looked like they had been on the road for quite some time,” although 71 were newer or galvanized nails.
The incident has prompted council to consider future preventative measures. Councillor Rolly Larabie suggested adding the purchase of a dedicated magnet to next year’s budget. Henning praised the public’s role in often self-managing such issues, stating, “I think this is a kudos to the public, and why we don’t see a lot of this, because I think the majority of people out there, they see these things and they deal with them.”
Acquisition of CN Rail lands – River Valley
CAO Barbeau requested a deferral on the acquisition of the CN rail lands in River Valley because of the conditions of the lands, and he wanted to do some further “due diligence”. Coun. Dan Gagné agreed, noting, “I’m aware that there’s issues with some bridges and some wash over areas, so I would like to have a deferral notice.” The matter has been deferred to August.
June 17th Council in Verner
The Council is taking a road trip to Verner for the next council meeting. Mayor Rochon indicated the meeting may not be livestreamed because of technical issues, but it will be recorded. “I would like to remind both members of Council, staff, and members of the public that our next meeting will be … taking place in Verner at Club Amitié, and it will commence at our regular time, Tuesday at 6.30. There may be limitations on our ability to live stream the meeting, but the meeting will be recorded and posted on the website. … I do invite any member of the public to come out. We always enjoy going out into the communities to host these meetings, and after we’re finished with the regular portion of our meeting, we do open the floor for the question-and-answer session.”
Session held May 20, 2025
Trans-Canada Trail land transfer
A longstanding project to transfer CN Railway lands for trail use in West Nipissing is back on the table. The municipality is re-engaging with Trans-Canada Trail and CN representatives to finalize a beneficial ownership agreement for approximately 19 miles of former rail line from Crystal Falls through River Valley to the municipal border.
Originally initiated in 2013, the project was prompted by community concerns around dust from the old rail beds and the broader vision of converting the abandoned CN rail corridor into a multi-use recreational trail. “This has been a very long file for West Nipissing,” said CAO Jay Barbeau. “The council of the day thought it would be a great idea (…) for healthy living and creating opportunities here in West Nipissing.” The land in question would be transferred under a “beneficial ownership” model, allowing the municipality full use without the full costs of title transfer. “This gives us all of the perks without perhaps the financial liability that would come with it,” Barbeau explained.
The trail, already used and maintained primarily by local snowmobile groups, is designated a “Top Trail” by the province. “There’s potential to link communities (…) and it’s great for local business,” said Councillor Rolly Larabie, who also helped construct the Sturgeon River bridge with local support. “The trail is already existent (…) It’s been in motion since 1995.” Some infrastructure, including a destroyed bridge north of River Valley, remains an open question. However, Barbeau clarified: “With beneficial ownership rights, we would have the right to do (upgrades…) and to ensure safety.” Council is expected to receive a resolution at an upcoming meeting to formally proceed with the renewed agreement.
Funding application for Verner waterline project
The municipality is moving ahead with a significant infrastructure funding application aimed at improving water quality in Verner. As confirmed by municipal staff, the application targets a provincial health and safety stream that includes federal funding components. Director of Infrastructure Elizabeth Henning explained, “We are applying for the Verner Waterline project (…) [but] this funding is not 100% funding.” If successful, the municipality would be required to cover 27% of the project cost – potentially between $4 and 6 million.
While the grant would provide the majority of funding, CAO Jay Barbeau noted that “we’re entertaining a fairly large risk to the municipality in terms of finance, but a big boost and a big benefit to West Nipissing (…) obviously clean water to Verner, or easier to treat water, definitely.” He added that staff will explore opportunities to “stack” additional funding from other levels of government to reduce the local financial burden. The funding stream was initially announced in January at the ROMA conference but experienced delays due to the provincial election. It recently reopened for applications. Henning confirmed the project also includes an agreement in principle with Canadian Pacific (CP) to run the waterline, though lease negotiations are still ongoing. Council members expressed strong support for the application, recognizing its long-term benefits for Verner residents.
Sturgeon Falls water clears PFAS testing
Residents of West Nipissing can breathe easy following recent testing for PFAS – per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances – in Sturgeon Falls’ water system. “As expected, there is none,” confirmed Elizabeth Henning, Director of Infrastructure. “They didn’t find any trace amounts in the water that was tested.”
Testing was conducted on both the untreated raw water entering the Sturgeon Falls treatment plant and the treated water distributed to residents. “I believe it would have been in March or April. It was recently,” said Henning, who noted that the results were also shared with the North American Centre for PFAS (NACP) to contribute to province-wide data collection.
The total cost of testing was approximately $1,000. Council was assured that the results are publicly accessible. “I can share that,” said Henning, in response to a request to see the full report.
Delegation requests for 2025 AMO Conference
Council discussed potential delegation requests for the upcoming Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) conference. Councillor Larabie called for a delegation with the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) concerning recent highway work in River Valley. While acknowledging the overall quality of the work, he raised concerns about open roadside ditches that pose safety risks to both residents and businesses. He proposed that culverts be installed to address the issue. CAO Barbeau noted he had already communicated these concerns to the regional MTO director, who indicated staff would inspect the site, though no date had been confirmed. Larabie emphasized the need for a formal delegation should the ministry not take appropriate action.
Mayor Kathleen Thorne Rochon supported a presentation on MTO-related issues, referencing ongoing conversations with the ministry about Highway 64 safety zones in Verner and Lavigne, and the long-discussed four-way stop at the Hwy 17 juncture. While the stop sign issue is under MTO review, staff confirmed that work on community safety zones had yet to begin.
The conversation shifted to the long-standing matter of the Sturgeon Falls Champlain Bridge. Councillor Jamie Restoule asked for an update. While initially guarded, CAO Barbeau deferred to Mayor Thorne Rochon, who shared positive news: the province has approved the municipality’s bridge project. Though specific details such as funding structure and whether it involves new construction or rehabilitation remain unclear, it marks a significant step forward. Thorne Rochon stressed that the outcome validates the value of repeated delegations and relationship-building with provincial officials.
Councillor Dan Gagné proposed revisiting a previous delegation regarding a 45-unit non-profit seniors housing application by Au Château. The last two funding requests for this project were unsuccessful. The Mayor questioned whether this fell more appropriately under the purview of the District of Nipissing Social Services Administration Board (DNSSAB), but CAO Barbeau suggested a multi-pronged approach, with both the municipality and DNSSAB advocating due to the project’s local significance. Given the appointment of a new housing minister, Council agreed it was timely to reintroduce the matter.
Councillor Larabie also brought forward the long-standing desire to expand natural gas service to Ward 6 and other areas such as Kipling, Cache Lake, and Field. Though a pipeline runs nearby, the necessary connections have not been made. CAO Barbeau suggested deferring this request to the Rural Ontario Municipal Association (ROMA) conference, where rural infrastructure issues are more directly addressed. Larabie agreed, noting the risk of overwhelming the AMO agenda.
In closing, Mayor Thorne Rochon proposed a new delegation with the Minister of Francophone Affairs in support of NOSM (Northern Ontario School of Medecine) University’s efforts to become a bilingual institution. During a recent meeting with West Nipissing General Hospital and healthcare stakeholders, the importance of French-language medical training in rural communities was emphasized. The mayor suggested partnering with other municipalities with designated Francophone service hospitals to jointly advocate for NOSM’s funding. Councillor Georges Pharand strongly supported the initiative, sharing the story of a recently immigrated doctor from France who is interested in relocating to West Nipissing with his family but is hindered by licensing barriers and a lack of French-language medical training options in Ontario.
“It appears that the government of Ontario decided to fast track anyone who’s from the United States or from the UK (…) I mean, he’s from France, and we can’t really say that French qualifications are any less good than American ones or UK ones, so if we want to attract French doctors to serve the French members of the community, we need to be looking in France and Switzerland and Belgium. Another obstacle is to practice as a family doctor, the doctors do something called a practice-ready assessment, and it’s a course they have to follow, and it’s not available in French in Ontario, only in English, and that would be a problem for him, because he’s not comfortable enough in English to be able to do the course. If we had a meeting with the Minister of Francophone Affairs, it’s certainly something that I’d like to raise (…) If we don’t lobby, and if we don’t go out there and say, make it easier for us to bring doctors in, because we’ve got 4,000 people without a doctor in West Nipissing, we have to shout and we have to scream,” Pharand stressed.
While there were many issues raised, West Nipissing will request and prepare delegations to the MTO regarding the shoulder of Highway 539A in River Valley and community safety zones and the four-way stop on Highway 64; to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing regarding the Au Château non-profit housing project; to the Ministry of Energy regarding WN Power Generation; to the Ministry of Francophone Affairs and the Ministry of Health regarding the bilingual NOSM initiative; and to the Ministry of Long-term Care regarding the financial implications of the Au Chateau reconstruction project.
