Theresa Bergeron
Courtesy Photo
SOUTH MOUNTAIN – Theresa Bergeron became a North Dundas councillor in January of 2022, replacing the seat held by Trevor Hoy. She was selected to fill the vacant seat on council, following the resignation of Tyler Hoy. She was the candidate with the most votes, after those elected, during the 2018 Municipal Elections.
Now she has announced that she is running for a seat at the North Dundas council table for 2022.
Election day is Oct. 24.
She said she has enjoyed taking on the role of councillor.
One of the reasons why she wants to stay on as a councillor is due to the challenge North Dundas faces when it comes to growth. The municipality is anticipating a great deal of it over the next few years. Growth means the municipality has to have the infrastructure to support it.
“One of the main issues in this community is growth. What limits growth is water,” she said.
Bergeron pointed out that even though the municipality is working on new wells to service Winchester and Chesterville, that may not be enough to service the growing populations.
“That’s like putting extra straws in the same glass.”
She is concerned that the water in any new wells will not be enough, so other options will have to be found.
One idea is to pump water up from the St. Lawrence River to Winchester and Chesterville, which is a good but expensive idea.
The cost to bring St. Lawrence water into the area has been estimated at around $50 million, and the current base is relatively inadequate to carry that kind of debt.
If more water does not become part of the municipality’s plan, then future growth will be curtailed.
Bergeron wants to be part of the decision a new North Dundas council will have to make when it comes to growth, and how to afford it.
Bergeron feels that even though there are many other “everyday” issues that come to the council table that she would like to be able to work on, the issue of community growth is a big one.
Joseph Morin is the Editor of the Eastern Ontario AgriNews, and the Record. He is, despite years of practice, determined to eventually play the guitar properly. He has served the Eastern Ontario community as a news editor, and journalist for the past 25 years with the Iroquois Chieftain, Kemptville Advance, West Carleton Review, and Ottawa Carleton Review in Manotick. He has never met a book he did not like.
