Four multi-unit buildings built in recent years in agricultural areas in Saint-Narcisse in Mauricie may have to be demolished.
The Commission de protection du territoire agricole du Québec (CPTAQ) requires that the site be returned to the green zone, which opens the door to outright demolition.
This decision makes the mayor of Saint-Narcisse, Guy Veillette, fume. “It would be ridiculous to think of demolishing multiple dwellings when there is a housing shortage in Quebec,” he protests.
According to him, the territory of Saint-Narcisse is already made up of 98.6% agricultural area. “I don’t think we are amputating the agricultural area in a wild way and everything was done in good faith and in a continuous and peaceful way during all these years. Today we refuse to include that inside the urban perimeter. I find that it is simply aberrant”, he expresses.
The Municipality of Saint-Narcisse also asserted the acquired right since it was a commercial enterprise that previously occupied the site.
The Municipality has appealed the case so that the status quo prevails until further notice.
It was a notary who noticed the anomaly in the spring of 2021 and sounded the alarm. The mayor also argues that over the years, several professionals, notaries and surveyors have been active in the file without ever detecting anything abnormal.
Reference-www.journaldemontreal.com