On January 14, Alain Gauthier was elected mayor of Témiscaming, succeeding Pierre Gingras, who resigned in December.
In the event of a mayor’s resignation in the fourth year of his term, the municipality can appoint a councillor rather than holding a new election, which reduces the number of councillors to six instead of seven and avoids holding two elections in the same year, with another already scheduled for November.
An engineer by training and former general manager of Tembec, Gauthier has also worked as a coach in management, leadership and team management, notably by turning around companies in the United States, Ontario and Quebec.
“In 2021, I set myself a challenge: to test my leadership model in a public environment like Témiscaming,” he confides. Responsible for the human resources and administration subcommittee for three years, he is convinced that private-sector leadership models can also be applied effectively in the public sector, especially in administrative management.
One of his priorities as mayor is to improve the work environment at city hall and fill the many vacant positions. With Témiscaming’s new general management, he has worked to fill these positions and implement better management practices.
“My goal is to transform our organizational culture by integrating values of humility and collaboration. By November, I also want to complete our 10-year plan for the maintenance of our infrastructure, a plan that has been delayed, while managing the level of taxation,” he explains.
Another major issue is the situation of the Rayonier Advanced Materials (RYAM) plant, which was closed, causing the loss of 275 jobs.
See: Union leader wants RYAM to sell as layoffs begin
“Negotiations with buyers are progressing slowly. It is a complex site with three plants, one of which is closed. Although not confirmed, the idea would be that the buyers first verify the viability of the two remaining plants before making a decision. A non-compete agreement with Ryam will also be necessary for the plant to be taken over,” he says.
“For our part, a committee has been formed in collaboration with the mayor of Kipawa to look for solutions. We have asked the Ministry of Industry to finance a study on the revaluation of the abandoned plant. This project will take time and resources, but it is crucial to preserve what remains of the plant. Today’s world requires compromises,” he says.
He also stresses the importance of diversifying sources of economic development, beyond the plant and tourism.
At the same time, the Université du Québec en Abitibi-Témiscamingue (UQAT) will conduct an opportunity study for the economic development of Témiscaming. This study will highlight assets such as access to quality water, a railway network – a rare advantage in Quebec municipalities – and the availability of a local workforce.
Supporting local entrepreneurship and encouraging the emergence of small or midsize enterprises.(SME) are also among its priorities.
“We must not forget the hydroelectricity project (Onimiki), in partnership with the MRC and three Indigenous communities, which could bring financial benefits to the municipalities. There is also the exploitation of a rare earth mine, a project revised compared to the Matamec project of a few years ago, in order to strengthen its social acceptability.
Discussions are still ongoing, and the city has not yet taken a position, considering that it is too early to do so. However, job creation remains one of the main advantages of this project. We must show compromise to move forward,” he insists.
The municipality of Témiscaming has been a vibrant municipality with several family-oriented activities for several years. They will continue on this path, emphasizing citizen participation and community spirit even more in the future.
“The new director of sports, recreation, and community, Mélissa, has already planned a program of activities for 2025 full of promise, including a swimming pool, walking club, summer camp, golf, soccer, baseball, public holiday celebrations, a range of shows tailored to the wishes of citizens and more, aimed at making Témiscaming a pleasant place to live,” he concludes.
Claudie Hamelin, is a Local Journalism Initiative reporter for Le Reflet Témiscamien. LJI is funded by the Government of Canada.