The expansion of the outskirts into agricultural land continues to concern citizens of Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures, who are demanding a consultation report.
• Also read: Expansion of the outskirts in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures: two groups of citizens are concerned about agricultural land
Even if Mayor Sylvain Juneau denies the motion for the time being, protecting farmland remains an important issue for many, as the question and answer session lasted nearly 75 minutes during Tuesday night’s city council meeting.
“They said there would be no consultation report. Basically, a consultation report is a document that summarizes what people have proposed. It is not necessary to clear 164 hectares of agricultural land to pass a road,” said Denis Guénette.
“Every councilman will read all the documents,” Mayor Juneau assured.
“It will make us more dependent on foreign countries for our food products. It will affect the poorest people in Quebec. I don’t understand why our leaders are insensitive to this situation,” added Jacques Landry.
In the study
“Can the people still trust you? asked Félix Meisels, a question which Mayor Sylvain Juneau immediately answered in the affirmative.
“We will read the documents and then decide. Nothing is decided. This is a project that is on the table,” the mayor reiterated.
After a long first round of questions, the majority of the citizens left the hall.
Recently, Vivre en Ville, the Regional Council for the Environment and other organizations have expressed their concern about the risk posed by the extension of the outskirts to agricultural land in Saint-Augustin-de-Desmaures.
Last June, the Québec-Jacques-Cartier Agricultural Producers Association was alarmed by the revision of the municipality’s city plan. In their opinion, it is possible to achieve the residential and industrial development of the municipality without going through the destruction of agricultural land.
Do you have any information about this story that you would like to share with us?
Do you have a scoop that might be of interest to our readers?