The mayor of Trois-Rivières, Jean Lamarche, has announced that he is resigning for a few weeks due to the unhealthy climate prevailing in the town hall on the fringes of the industrial park 40-55 expansion project.
• Also read: Expansion of industrial park 40-55 in Trois-Rivières: E-mails cause trouble
The mayor’s office explained that it was a “necessary break to reposition oneself in view of the unhealthy working atmosphere at the municipal council table”.
“Regrettably, he is having to take a temporary break from his duties, but this break is essential for him to replenish his energy and reassess his ability to work in accordance with his deep values,” the mayor’s entourage added.
Normally, the elected officials, who meet at the local council on Tuesday, would have had to vote to approve or reject a loan agreement to carry out the drainage work necessary for the expansion of the industrial park. However, this vote will be postponed to a later date.
The expansion of the Carrefour industrial park sparked lively debates between its supporters, including the mayor, who praised the opportunities for economic development, and opponents, who deplored the resulting destruction of wetlands.
According to information from TVA Nouvelles, Mayor Lamarche would have been particularly shocked if community groups had resorted to children over the weekend to tackle this project.
In addition, according to TVA Nouvelles, a local councilor was threatened by another elected official in connection with the project.
More broadly, Mayor Lamarche and some local councilors have been at odds for months. In particular, three elected officers – Pierre-Luc Fortin, Luc Tremblay and Pascale Albernhe-Lahaie – were not invited to a community meeting last November. Her exclusion had drawn a number of criticisms, prompting the mayor to pledge that all meetings would henceforth be public to encourage transparency.
The Commission Municipale du Québec had also been asked to investigate “violent, misogynistic and racist” statements made in the city council, but these allegations were dismissed in the autumn.
Deputy Mayor Daniel Cournoyer will take over for the next few weeks.
The resignation of a mayor is not uncommon in Trois-Rivières. In 2018, tensions in the city council also forced Yves Lévesque to take a break before resigning from office.
– In collaboration with Louis Cloutier, TVA Nouvelles