Session held September 16, 2025
Council grapples with new budget rules
Senior staff and council discussed a new tension in the upcoming 2026 budget process: the province’s “strong mayor” powers grants the mayor, rather than council, the central role in preparing and presenting the municipal budget, limiting previous flexibility in how the budget is brought forward and debated. CAO Jay Barbeau told council, “the budget process belongs to the mayor.” Treasurer and Director of Corporate Services Alisa Craddock explained that the law sets strict timelines. “The mayor is required to present the budget. Once the budget is presented… council’s got 30 days, then the mayor’s got 10 days, and then council has 15 days. These periods can be shortened, but otherwise you have to wait for all these dates to collapse before you move on.” Having had discussion with both Barbeau and Craddock concerning the changes, Mayor Kathleen Thorne Rochon said she is still working through the rules but stressed her intent to keep council involved. “When it comes back for final approval, it will say the Mayor’s Budget,” she said, “but I’ve been pretty consistent in valuing the opinions of everybody around this table.”
Councillors raised questions about how much would change. “Is the budget going to be prepared by the departments and presented like it was the last few years?” asked Coun. Dan Gagné. Craddock replied that departments are preparing figures as usual, but the traditional three-night budget sessions are “not as supported under this framework.” Coun. Kris Rivard suggested a hybrid approach, with staff preparing a draft for council to debate before the mayor formally presents it. Thorne Rochon agreed the goal is to “stay as consistent as possible to the foundations of democracy that we like around here.”
One of the traditional hallmarks of West Nipissing municipal budgeting has been continuous dialogue and amendment: staff propose, council debates and adjusts, staff responds, etc. Under the new regime, once the mayor presents the formal budget, the pathways for change are constrained to resolution amendments and vetoes — the informal back-and-forth is largely curtailed. The provincial legislation requires the mayor to table a budget by February 1, with council amendments, mayoral vetoes, and potential overrides all tied to fixed timelines. West Nipissing’s administration indicated they, along with the mayor, will continue refining a process that meets those rules while preserving council’s role in shaping the community’s financial priorities.
Petition to pave Salter Street declined
A petition from residents asking the municipality to pave Salter Street, between Dutrisac and Golf Course Road, was turned down at council following staff recommendations and discussion. The 1.5-kilometre stretch is currently gravel, like many rural roads in the municipality. Paving was estimated to cost about $500,000 if no major road base work was required, but Director of Infrastructure Elizabeth Henning cautioned that “there probably would be substantial base work required before doing paving,” which would increase costs significantly. By contrast, maintaining the gravel road costs the municipality about $1,800 per year for grading and calcium, with long-term costs projected at roughly $111,000 over 20 years. The petition also raised concerns about dust and the use of calcium chloride. Staff noted that calcium can affect vegetation but, as Henning explained, “application in West Nipissing is only carried out once yearly,” and studies show typical use does not pose a long-term environmental threat.
Coun. Georges Pharand sympathized with residents but stressed the broader context. “Salter Street is not the only relatively densely populated rural road that is not paved,” he said. “There are a lot of people in West Nipissing who do not live on paved roads and have to deal with dust. Maybe it’s a conversation we need to have (…) but I would be inclined to follow the recommendation of staff.” Mayor Rochon pointed to the municipality’s five-year Roads Needs Study, which ranks roads based on condition and traffic counts. “I did notice that the rating of the condition of [Salter Street] is relatively high in comparison to other roads,” she said, adding that the study helps determine priorities for capital spending. Other councillors echoed the need to stick with the established process. Coun. Rolly Larabie said the study provides consistency and fairness. “Staff has the big picture of all the roads,” he remarked. “We live on rough roads, and we think it’s the worst one, but if you drive around the municipality, there’s a lot worse than what we go through.”
Coun. Kris Rivard suggested increasing dust control rather than paving, noting, “Often what I’m hearing with these gravel roads is the dust (…). Maybe the most cost-efficient thing is we look at dusting twice throughout the season.” Staff estimated the municipality already spends more than $400,000 annually on a single round of calcium application. Coun. Jamie Restoule underlined the importance of sticking with the Roads Needs Study to avoid “jumping around on the list to pick things.” He noted that the dry summer likely amplified dust complaints, but in average years, calcium applications are more effective. In the end, council agreed to follow staff’s recommendation not to pave Salter Street, given the costs involved and the need to focus limited resources on repairing deteriorating asphalt roads already in the system.
Avenue du Lac petition
Residents of Avenue du Lac submitted a petition requesting upgrades to their road, citing long-standing issues with flooding, mud, and unsafe conditions. Director Henning confirmed the road is already identified in the municipality’s five-year capital plan, with drainage and granular work scheduled for 2029 at an estimated cost of $200,000–$300,000. Coun. Pharand described the road’s deterioration as “extremely dangerous” during spring thaws, noting that Avenue du Lac, once a cottage road, now serves 63 homes and several businesses. Other councillors agreed that upgrades are needed but emphasized the challenge of balancing priorities within limited capital budgets. Mayor Thorne Rochon recommended that staff prepare updated costing and present options during upcoming budget deliberations, cautioning that moving Avenue du Lac forward would mean delaying other high-priority projects. Councillors also discussed potential interim fixes, such as adding gravel properly crowned, or phasing improvements over several years. Council agreed to leave Avenue du Lac in the capital plan but directed staff to provide cost scenarios and possible short-term measures for consideration during the next budget cycle.
Total confusion on Scout’s Island sale
West Nipissing council spent considerable time on September 16 trying to untangle the accounting rules behind the $175,000 sale of Scout’s Island — and why the proceeds don’t appear in municipal reserves. Treasurer Alisa Craddock explained that while the municipality received the cash, the property was already listed on municipal books with a “book value” of $210,000, assigned during a province-wide change in accounting standards in 2010. Because the land sold for less than that amount, the transaction shows up as a paper loss of $35,000. “You have $175,000 in your pocket,” said Craddock, “but on paper, it is actually going to look like a loss on disposition.” For that reason, the money does not flow into reserves as it would if the sale price had exceeded book value.
CAO Jay Barbeau compared it to selling an old grader: if the grader was valued at more than the sale price, the municipality records a loss even though the cash is in hand. “The cash we receive is cash in hand, but it’s a global fund,” he said. “It doesn’t disappear — it just doesn’t show up as a reserve transfer.”
Several councillors admitted they remained confused. Coun. Pharand asked whether the $175,000 could be used for projects like Goulard Park, but Craddock said no: the money went to balance the loss of the asset on municipal books. Coun. Jamie Restoule summed up the frustration: “I understand the accounting side but (…) the funds have to be somewhere.” Going forward, council agreed it would help to see both the appraised market value and the book value of properties before deciding whether to sell. “I think we were all excited with $175,000 we could spend somewhere,” said Coun. Rivard, “but it seems like there’s more to it.”
When the municipality owns land or equipment, it assigns a value to that asset in its books. This is called the book value. If the asset sells for more than book value, the municipality records a gain and the extra money can flow into reserves. If the asset sells for less than book value, the municipality records a loss — even though cash still comes in.
Goulard Park ball fields to be re-tendered
Council has decided to re-tender the Goulard Park ball field project after the only bid received came in roughly $159,000 over budget. Community Services Director Stephan Poulin explained that four contractors attended the site meeting, but just one submitted a bid. “We’re recommending to re-tender the project through the fall and winter,” he said, noting this could attract more interest, provide better pricing, and give time for word on the municipality’s pending $500,000 funding application to the Northern Ontario Heritage Fund Corporation.
The project already has $149,000 committed from the Blue Jays Care Foundation, though that grant was initially tied to completing the fields this year. Poulin said the municipality has asked the foundation to amend the agreement to allow for completion in spring 2026, and he was optimistic about a positive response. Several councillors supported re-tendering as a fiscally responsible move. “We’re not very often over budget with our projects,” said Coun. Restoule. “Taking the time now could lead to savings for taxpayers.” Coun. Gagné added that many contractors were too busy this season to bid and materials would have been difficult to secure. Coun. St-Louis disagreed, arguing that after more than a decade of planning, further delays risk losing momentum. “This municipality has been waiting for this project for the last 10 years,” he said, warning against the uncertainty of waiting. In the end, council voted to re-tender, with hopes of securing better pricing and confirmation of outside funding before construction begins in 2026.
