The fish pond project at Grande-Entrée submitted for popular approval


The company Les Pêcheries SBL wants to build a building 46 meters long by 18 meters wide containing two tanks to keep live lobsters. No processing of crustaceans would be done on site.

This is a project of approximately 2 million dollars allowing the creation of about twenty seasonal jobs.

However, the site targeted for construction is in a residential area located on chemin des Fumoirs, which is causing concern among some residents of the area. A petition with 25 signatures was also tabled during a public consultation held on April 12.

A model shows an imposing building near the sea.

The Municipality asks the developer to change the orientation of the building so that it is perpendicular to the shore, and not parallel, in order to reduce the visual obstruction for the neighborhood.

Photo: SBL Fisheries Facebook page

Despite everything, the Municipality tabled a second draft resolution on Tuesday evening for the construction of the building, subject to compliance with certain recommendations issued by the Planning and Environment Advisory Committee:

  • change the orientation of the building (rotate 90 degrees from the initial proposal),
  • installation of wood clapboard as exterior wall cladding,
  • allow outdoor storage, only at the back of the building,
  • prohibit the parking of refrigerated trailers,
  • limit daytime hours of operation only,
  • eliminate the buffer zone of 18 meters with the limits of the lot (allow the usual setbacks for this type of use).

The pond construction project is analyzed under the Regulation respecting special projects for the construction, alteration or occupation of an immovable.

The By-law concerning special projects for the construction, modification or occupation of an immovable allows the carrying out of a project, under certain conditions, although it derogates from municipal planning regulations. It allows a zoning by project because the new zoning is attached to the project itself and not to the territory where it takes shape.

Source : Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing

The Municipality of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine will indicate in the coming days the details surrounding the keeping of a register which can be signed by the citizens concerned who wish to oppose the project.

For the first stage, there are a dozen citizens concerned, so if a majority of those citizens sign the register, there could be a referendum process.explains Mayor Jonathan Lapierre.

The company Les Pêcheries SBL considers that the fishpond construction project is essential because the launching of lobster baskets at the wharf will no longer be allowed in 2023 under a change in regulations.

We are the only holder of a buyer’s permit [de homards] in the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, which does not yet have a fishpond and 80% of our fishermen are in Grande-Entréecan we read in a presentation note of the project distributed in April by Les Pêcheries SBL

No land available in the port area

The project promoter had initially wanted to set up on the La Pointe site, i.e. the port and industrial zone of Grande-Entrée, but no land large enough to accommodate the imposing building was not available, according to the mayor of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine.

Also, the building must be near a source of uncontaminated seawater and that it is drawn from a certain depth.explains Jonathan Lapierre. The place that seemed to us the most suitable for this kind of use was the Chemin des Fumoirs, which previously housed smokehouses. The area on the edge of the cliff, away from the road, seemed appropriate to us, in this context that there was no other possible site.

Is this the ideal zone? No. Is this a compromise zone? Yes. The rest belongs to the citizens of the sector who will have to approve or not the project. »

A quote from Jonathan Lapierre, Mayor of the Magdalen Islands
The mayor of the Îles-de-la-Madeleine, Jonathan Lapierre, photographed during the council meeting on May 10, 2022.

Mayor of the Magdalen Islands, Jonathan Lapierre

Photo: Radio-Canada / Isabelle Larose

Residents of the area concerned about the location chosen for the fish pond construction project showed up at the municipal council meeting on Tuesday, but did not wish to speak publicly during the question period or to journalists.



Reference-ici.radio-canada.ca

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