When the municipal members of Almaguin Community Economic Development (ACED) have their monthly meeting today, many may have the same question: Why is Burk’s Falls leaving the group?
Burk’s Falls council made that decision at its Dec. 17 regular meeting in a handwritten resolution, giving a year's notice of its intention to withdraw from ACED. That resolution, which followed a closed-door session at the same meeting, states council will revisit its decision one month before its departure takes effect.
Mayor Chris Hope, Burk’s Falls’ representative on the ACED board, says the reasons for leaving the board are “clearly financial.”
He noted the municipality pays the full membership price — about $20,000 — to be a part of ACED, while others pay about half that.
“So, we are subsidizing others and that's very hard to justify financially,” Hope, who will attend today's meeting via Zoom, said.
Hope notes that over the years Powassan, Magnetawan and Kearney all dropped out of ACED for their own reasons without the “rancour or emotional outburst” that’s presently on display.
Hope says Burk’s Falls has much if not more infrastructure costs and responsibilities than the other municipalities do, and he’d like to know why there is so much “sound and fury over an independent municipal decision.”
Meanwhile, the board's chair wants to hear for herself why Burk's Falls has decided to leave.
Wendy Whitwell, ACED chair and an Armour town councillor, says the organization is a valuable tool for businesses in the Almaguin Highlands and helps them remain healthy, which is good for residents. She noted today's meeting will include annual reports which show the success ACED had during 2024 and why it’s a valuable tool for all of the Almaguin Highlands.
“If you have a healthy business community, you have job creation and you have a sense of belonging,” said Whitwell.
“And healthy businesses give back to the community when (groups) come looking for sponsorships to support things like hockey and baseball. And people also have great businesses where they can shop and support.”
Whitwell said she believes it would be to Burk’s Falls' benefit to remain a member of ACED.
“I’m a firm believer in ACED and what we’ve been able to accomplish over the years,” Whitwell said.
As one example, Whitwell says ACED’s value was clearly evident during the COVID-19 shutdowns where it helped businesses set up or improve their websites to enhance online purchases.
Whitwell said despite Burk’s Falls' decision to withdraw from ACED, the membership is strong among the remaining members.
The remaining member communities are Armour, Perry, Sundridge, Joly, Strong, South River McMurrich/Monteith and the Almaguin Highlands Chamber of Commerce.
The vote late last year by Burk’s Falls’ council to withdraw from ACED was a close one, with the resolution passed in a 3-2 vote, with Hope and Coun. Ashley Brandt and Ryan Baptiste are in favour of leaving. Coun. Sean Cotton and John Wilson voted against it.
That session also proved to be Wilson’s last, as he resigned as a councillor after that meeting.
Wilson was asked if his resignation was related to council voting to leave ACED. Wilson responded that his reasons for resigning were his own and that he would not be discussing the matter.
Asked if Wilson’s resignation would be coming up at the ACED board meeting, Whitwell said it is not part of the ACED agenda.
Today's board meeting takes place at the Strong municipal office and is scheduled to begin at 6 p.m.
Rocco Frangione is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter with Almaguin News. The Local Journalism Initiative is funded by the Government of Canada.
