By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
In Hatley Township, the state of the roads dominated discussion during the May 6 council meeting, with Mayor Vincent Fontaine openly acknowledging the staggering cost of bringing the municipality’s network of roads up to standard: $40 million.
Held at the town hall, the meeting was attended by six residents, several of whom raised concerns during the question period about deteriorating road conditions across the township. Their complaints ranged from potholes and collapsing surfaces to roads damaged by heavy vehicle traffic.
One resident described calling the municipality about a gaping hole on a road in the area. Within 15 minutes, workers were on site and promptly installed a barrier to secure the area. While residents expressed appreciation for the quick response, they also emphasized the overwhelming scale of the issue. Mayor Fontaine confirmed that Hatley is responsible for maintaining approximately 98 kilometres of roadway—no small task given spring thaw damage.
“In the spring, it’s terrible,” Fontaine said. “We’ve got 98 kilometres of road to maintain. We’ve done the main arteries, and now we’re moving on to the rest.”
The mayor revealed that a recent report presented by the MRC put the total cost of fully restoring Hatley’s roads at $40 million. “When we saw that report, everyone had a tear in their eye. We knew we’d never be able to do it all,” he admitted. “We have an annual budget of about $5 million. For the entire territory, $40 million is just impossible.”
However, some funding is being strategically allocated. The mayor explained that proceeds from the local quarry—amounting to over $500,000—will be spent on specific roads near the extraction site, including Chemin d’Albert-Mines, and Chemin Rogers. The upcoming $1.375 million project on Chemin du Lac will be financed in part by that fund, as well as with provincial grants and a long-term loan.
