Clarence-Rockland

Casselman investing 800,000$ in Bird’s Eye View Park, and over 5.6 million dollars in infrastructure for the future

TVCjournaliste — Fri, 19 Sep 2025 20:08:18 +0000

Casselman investing 800,000$ in Bird’s Eye View Park, and over 5.6 million dollars in infrastructure for the future TVCjournaliste Fri, 09/19/2025 - 16:08

Geneviève Lajoie, Mayoress of Casselman, is taking essential steps to enhance both community life and essential services. Federal funding was granted to build the Bird’s Eye View Park, while smaller initiatives like geocaches aim to attract visitors and engage residents. At the same time, critical infrastructures are being upgraded: the town acquired land to expand its sewage treatment system, and additional funding to do improvements to their pumping plant 1.

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Bird’s Eye View Park and tourism initiatives

Casselman received $800 000 to develop a walking path and bird observation platform for the Bird’s Eye View Park. “Right now, we’re just bulldozing the path so we can have a flat walking surface” said Geneviève Lajoie. Work on the park is estimated to be finished by the end of 2025, with later phases adding more amenities, such as bird statues to pay homage to the indigenous.

Lajoie confirmed the park was an incentive to attract more tourism to the town of Casselman. Smaller tourism projects, such as the addition of geocaches, also supported this goal. “There’s so many little things that you can do to just build connectedness in a community,” she explained.

Infrastructure upgrades for growth

Alongside green space investments, Casselman is prioritizing infrastructure improvements to keep pace with growth. The municipality recently obtained land from The Nation around its sewage treatment system, an essential step to support new development: “We have that land, and we’re still hoping for us to do the discharging continuously throughout the year, and that way we won’t need to expand [any further],” explained Geneviève Lajoie.

The town has also received over $5.6 million to improve pumping plant 1, ensuring reliable water services and increased capacity for future demand. “It had reached its maximum capacity so we were at risk of spillages and disasters, so it was a required construction project to have to happen,” she added. Together, these projects will help Casselman manage residential growth while maintaining essential services for residents and businesses.

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Fri, 09/19/2025 - 12:00

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The Mayoress of Casselman, Geneviève Lajoie, discusses her outlook for the future of the municipality

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Casselman; Infrastructure; Parks

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Tue, 09/23/2025 - 12:00

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Ultra-marathon runner raises funds for mental health in Rockland

TVCjournaliste — Mon, 25 Aug 2025 16:39:04 +0000

Ultra-marathon runner raises funds for mental health in Rockland TVCjournaliste Mon, 08/25/2025 - 12:39

The former first responder, Sachin Latti, partnered with Your Opportunity to raise funds and awareness for mental health in youth and first responders. Your Opportunity is a charity that offers sport and exercise programs for youth that don’t have the opportunity to participate in such activities.

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Since father’s day this year, Sachin has been running an ultra-marathon, or 50 km, everyday across Canada to raise funds and has now raised 146 045$ as of August 22nd. He started his journey on June 15 in Victoria, BC, and has been slowly making his way eastward across the provinces.

On August 18, Sachin Latti and his team set-up the run in Alain-Potvin Park in Rockland, inviting members of the public to join him for a portion of his run. Speaking about the park, Martin Irwin, the Manager of Recreation and Culture of Clarence-Rockland, explained that “We recognize the importance of recreation and infrastructure like this and the advantages it has on people’s mental health.

There’s a direct correlation with recreation and staying fit and positive mental health.”
“It’s very personal for me. I’ve struggled with my mental health for many years, and I think not enough people know the struggles of first responders”, answered Sachin Latti when asked about his experience as a first responder. He explained that this led him to want to raise awareness for their mental health, as well as youth’s.

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Clarence-Rockland

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Health

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Ontario

Mon, 08/25/2025 - 12:00

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Sachin Latti, an ultra-marathon runner raising funds for mental health, ran his 50 km of the day in Rockland on Augus 18

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Mental Health; Marathon; First Responders

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Mon, 09/01/2025 - 12:00

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A community lottery bigger than ever

TVCjournaliste — Tue, 12 Aug 2025 14:21:58 +0000

A community lottery bigger than ever TVCjournaliste Tue, 08/12/2025 - 10:21

For this season of the lottery Catch the Ace of the Kin Club of Russell, the jackpot is now bigger than it has ever been, making it one of the biggest Catch the Ace in Ontario. The goal of Catch the Ace is to raise funds for charities and non-for-profits in the region through a distribution of the amount raised during the lottery between the lottery participant and the participating charities, in the likes of a 50|50 lottery. Every lottery buyer chooses a charity they want to support and the funds are redistributed at the end of the season during the end-of-season gala.

With the number of participating charities and non-for-profits getting bigger every season, and some of the new participants being larger organizations, the lottery attracts more buyers, which puts the jackpot much higher than before. This helps bring courage back to the local organizations. As Doug Anthony, the chair of Catch the Ace (Kin Club of Russell) mentions that for some of the charities and non-for-profits, “it’s actually keeping them alive”. For some of the larger organizations the lottery is taking under its wing, the lottery helps them offer more and more services. Mr. Anthony adds “everybody’s doing really well, very proud of all of them”.

As of August 11, the lottery is at its 38th week with the last winner having won 38 576$ and the jackpot has now accumulated to 953 000$, with the amount raised for charities hitting the million dollar mark at 1 210 000$.

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Clarence-Rockland

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Economy

Non Profits & Activism

Ontario

Tue, 08/12/2025 - 12:00

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The lottery to help raise funds for charities, Catch the Ace, has amassed a larger amount than ever before.

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Lottery; catch the ace; Kin Club of Russell; Doug Anthony

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Mon, 08/18/2025 - 12:00

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Solutions to increase in climate uncertainty for local agricultural businesses

TVCjournaliste — Fri, 13 Jun 2025 22:22:06 +0000

Solutions to increase in climate uncertainty for local agricultural businesses TVCjournaliste Fri, 06/13/2025 - 18:22

Springfield Farm and Les Vergers Villeneuve discuss how climate change has impacted their farms through rain, temperature, pests and share what they do to adapt.

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Springfield Farm and Les Vergers Villeneuve reveal how climate change is affecting crops through extreme weather patterns and new pests. They explain that while adapting through diversifying crops, they stress that real progress depends on civic engagement and stronger support for farmers.

The impact of climate change on agriculture

Springfield Farm reports that deforestation and extreme weather events, including rain and strong winds, are destroying trees that once served as vital windbreaks for their fields. The farm owner explained how these climate change impacts have led to significant challenges: "It means the weeds—because it rained, got ahead and the oats [were] sacrificed, you know… They never grew."

Additionally, Michel Villeneuve of Les Vergers Villeneuve highlighted that rising temperatures are creating new challenges for farmers in the region, introducing pests and diseases to plants that were nonexistent in previous years. As he explained: “it brings other problems, when it’s warmer you get all the bugs that we’re not used to here, or disease.”

Solutions and a call to action

When asked how they are responding to the growing impacts of climate change on agriculture, Les Vergers Villeneuve shared a temporary solution they’ve adopted for some of their crops: “We’re changing the products we produce, and we’re increasing the number of fruit and things we grow. So if something is affected one year, we have the other ones to rely on.” This approach not only helps ensure continued crop production despite unpredictable conditions but also demonstrates a way the farms have been resilient in the face of environmental challenges.

However, meaningful change requires more than just action from farmers, it also relies on the involvement of the broader community. As Springfield Farm explained, true progress and support demands advocacy and public pressure: “We have to lobby. We have to really engage the community of farmers, not just the consumer. We need to get people engaged. We need as consumers to start saying to our governments, to these bodies that look over agriculture, you’ve got to do more.” This highlights the importance of both grassroots organizations and civic engagement in addressing the challenges climate change poses to agriculture.

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Fri, 06/13/2025 - 12:00

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Two eastern Ontario's farms share their concerns about overcoming climate change impacts.

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Climate Change; Vergers Villeneuve; Springfield Farms; Farming

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Mon, 06/16/2025 - 12:00

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Mario Zanth’s future plan for building a stronger Clarence-Rockland

TVCjournaliste — Tue, 03 Jun 2025 19:06:42 +0000

Mario Zanth’s future plan for building a stronger Clarence-Rockland TVCjournaliste Tue, 06/03/2025 - 15:06

Zanth outlines plans to strengthen the community with programs and activities, as well as addressing the growing need for industrial development.

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The town of Clarence-Rockland has sacrificed some of its small town charm and sense of community for rapid development. When the mayor was asked how he plans to re-built and strengthen the sense of community for his municipality, he said, “We’re definitely heading in the right direction of providing more services and more programs in that area, which in turn will definitely contribute to a sense of community.”

In addition to the new services and programs being offered, Mario Zanth confirmed the return of several annual Clarence-Rockland traditions alongside new offerings. These include the popular River Festival, coinciding with Canada Day, and a series of shows considered vital to the heart of the community.

The Towns Developments

Clarence-Rockland has experienced rapid growth in recent years, with new housing and infrastructure projects continuously reshaping the city. However, the pace of economic and industrial development has not kept up with this expansion. When asked about efforts to develop the industries in the area, the mayor responded, “We’re going to be launching this website this summer that is going to be absolutely incredible for economic development.” This website being one that will help settle businesses find areas they can develop and settle into Clarence-Rockland.

To continue, Mario Zanth stated that Clarence-Rockland is actively pursuing several initiatives beyond industrial development. These include the ongoing 7km Ottawa River waterfront development with connecting trails to future projects, continued focus on economic development, and upcoming decisions regarding the city's parks.

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Tue, 06/03/2025 - 12:00

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The mayor of Clarence-Rockland, Mario Zanth, discusses his outlook for the future of his municipality.

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Mario Zanth; Political Progress; Clarence-Rockland

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Tue, 06/03/2025 - 12:00

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Franco-Ontarian village becomes vacated following a geological discovery

TVCjournaliste — Fri, 09 May 2025 20:01:08 +0000

Franco-Ontarian village becomes vacated following a geological discovery TVCjournaliste Fri, 05/09/2025 - 16:01

The ghost town of Lemieux, which borders the Larose Forest and lies between the villages of Casselman, St-Isidor and Bourget, was established in 1850 to take advantage of a potential forestry industry. The community along the South Nation River, however, had no idea that this region in Prescott-Russel would eventually fall victim to two of the greatest natural disasters in the history of the United Counties.

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In 1971, a landslide covering more than 28 hectares took place at the edge of the village, 4.5 km away, on farmland. No one was hurt, but the consequences were still major. Stéphane Drouin, a retired teacher, discusses the experience of his parents-in-law, Marcel and Huguette Leroux, who were expropriated from the land that was affected: “The landslide for my parents-in-law was quite a catastrophe. It fell in... they call it an 'act of God' disaster, so it's difficult to be compensated for the loss of land that occurred there.”

John Mesman, Executive Director of South Nation Conservation (SNC) elaborates further on the consequences of the natural disaster: “That event in particular destroyed 28 hectares of farmland and also added over 6 million meters square of sediment into the South Nation River which ended up damming the river for months and disrupted local ecosystems.” This event exposed the risks facing the village and calls into question residential development choices.à

The relocalization of the village
“The SNC acted proactively in this scenario. We completed several geotechnical studies. We also mapped potential areas of risks and natural hazards in this area. An effort [was also made] to establish some developmental setbacks to limit construction in some of these ‘at risk’ areas. We also, after this event, eventually relocated the entire town of Lemieux. We also built a 2 km long dike called the Seguinbourg berm to protect the town of Casselman. And obviously through this process, we collaborated with local governments to increase public awareness but also to make sure that the area was being monitored correctly” explains Mesman. In 1991, the SNC and the government offered to buy the land and help relocate the residents. However, the latter showed at first some hesitation. “It had been 20 years and we forget quickly. So it was far from people's minds, and to be told that there was danger, again, when it had been 20 years since there had been almost anything. Maybe it wasn’t as bad as we thought. Maybe we can stay,” adds the retired teacher.

Alas, in 1993, another landslide, this time smaller than the one in 1971, hit the now abandoned village. However, one man was caught in the landslide when the street he was driving on collapsed beneath his car. He escaped with a few serious fractures.
Since then, the village has been nothing more than a graveyard surrounded by nature. The SNC continues to analyze the area for geological changes, especially as it is now 30 years since a landslide comparable to those of 1971 and 1993 occurred in the area

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Fri, 05/09/2025 - 12:00

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A near-miss disaster puts back into question residential development 30 years later

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South Nation Conservation; landslides; Lemieux

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Mon, 05/12/2025 - 12:00

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Freedom and identity: People’s Party federal candidate Deborah Perrier

TVCjournaliste — Tue, 22 Apr 2025 22:52:04 +0000

Freedom and identity: People’s Party federal candidate Deborah Perrier TVCjournaliste Tue, 04/22/2025 - 18:52

Deborah Perrier, candidate for the People’s Party of Canada, explains in an interview her relationship with the riding of Prescott-Russell-Cumberland, the main issues in her electoral campaign, and her views on gender identity and personal freedom.

Benjamin Richard - Local Journalism Initiative

When asked about her relationship to the Prescott-Russell-Cumberland riding, Perrier shares that she chose this region for her retirement coming in the near future and that she has been living there for three years. Later, when explaining her decision to become a candidate for the People’s Party, she says “I’m not in there for position, I’m not in there for power, I’m not even in there for a paycheck, I’m in there for the people.” She remarks that she does not consider herself to be a politician, but rather a concerned citizen who saw her country deteriorating over the years.

Concerns about wokeism
Some of the core issues that Perrier wanted to bring up are personal freedom and gender identity. She expresses that she thinks people should be able to say comments, which they believe to be their opinion, without being afraid of being arrested. Furthermore, about her party, she explains that they "have amazing policies for the woke agenda. For example, gender identity. Man, woman: there are only two genders, and I’ll say that straight up and upfront.” She finally remarks that she “want[s] to make common sense common again.”

Television communautaire de la cité de Clarence Rockland

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Clarence-Rockland

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2025 Federal Election

News & Politics

Ontario

Tue, 04/22/2025 - 12:00

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The People’s Party of Canada’s candidate outlines what matters to her in this election.

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Federal Election; Deborah Perrier; People's Party of Canada; Prescott-Russell-Cumberland

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Thu, 04/24/2025 - 12:00

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Respect and pride: Liberal Party federal candidate Giovanna Mingarelli shares her concerns and desires

TVCjournaliste — Thu, 17 Apr 2025 23:04:40 +0000

Respect and pride: Liberal Party federal candidate Giovanna Mingarelli shares her concerns and desires TVCjournaliste Thu, 04/17/2025 - 19:04

Giovanna Mingarelli, candidate for the Liberal Party of Canada, explains in an interview her relationship with the riding of Prescott-Russell-Cumberland, the main issues in her electoral campaign, and her desire to support women and children who are victims of domestic violence.

Benjamin Richard – Local Journalism Initiative

"I see my riding as my home. [...] I love my community, it’s where I feel safe and stable" says Giovanna Mingarelli of the riding she's running in. She also mentions that she is proud to be bilingual, having attended a French-language elementary school and an English-language high school, both in Rockland. As for her path to becoming a candidate, she explains that she always knew she wanted to become a federal MP. So, when Francis Drouin, the riding's current MP, told her a few months ago that he wouldn't be running again, she took the opportunity to make her dream come true by running as the Liberal candidate for Prescott-Russell-Cumberland.

Fighting domestic violence
When asked if there was a particular issue close to her heart, Mingarelli mentioned her desire to support women and children, particularly those who are victims of conjugal and domestic violence. She mentioned the Maison Interlude project, a housing service in Eastern Ontario for abused women and their children, which has been in operation for over 30 years. The project offers several free and confidential support services in French and English, and is looking to build new houses. “That is something that I would very much like to support as one example” explains Giovanna Mingarelli.

Television communautaire de la cité de Clarence Rockland

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Clarence-Rockland

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2025 Federal Election

News & Politics

Ontario

Thu, 04/17/2025 - 12:00

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The Liberal Party of Canada’s candidate outlines what matters to her in this election.

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Federal Election; Giovanna Mingarelli; Liberal Party of Canada; Prescott-Russell-Cumberland

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00:10:38

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Fri, 04/18/2025 - 12:00

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Community and democracy: Green Party federal candidate Thaila Riden

TVCjournaliste — Fri, 11 Apr 2025 22:24:52 +0000

Community and democracy: Green Party federal candidate Thaila Riden TVCjournaliste Fri, 04/11/2025 - 18:24

Thaila Riden, candidate for the Green Party of Canada, explains during an interview his connections to the Prescott-Russell-Cumberland riding, the general strategy for his party’s platform, as well as his message for disengaged voters.

Benjamin Richard - Local Journalism Initiative

Thaila Riden explains in the interview that he is a proud member of the Prescott-Russell-Cumberland riding, and has many strong connections to the community. Indeed, he has lived there since he was six years old, is part of a music band that plays around the region and is on the board of directors of Eco East, an organization promoting sustainability in Prescott-Russell.

So why become a candidate? “Politics is not my calling. [...] But, there’s a need” he responds. As for his choice in political parties, he explains, “I really like what the Green Party has been proposing. [...] I can represent those ideals. And the go-to strategy has been: we have a solid platform, we don’t own this platform [...] we would share this platform with other parties.”

Strengthening democracy
When asked about a core issue that matters to him, Thaila Riden wanted to address voter disengagement. In the federal election of 2021, 38% of eligible voters didn’t go to the polls, while for the Ontario provincial election earlier this year, it was 55%. He states, “Now is the time to say, instead of dismantling democracy, what can we do to strengthen it, make it work for people, make it more honest, transparent, efficient.” One way to do that, he says, is through proportional representation.

“We need electoral reform. If you’re not thinking about coming out to vote this election, maybe come out and vote for that” he suggests. He points out that with proportional representation, like in France or Germany, parties come together to form coalitions and therefore compromise, which guards against polarization and ultimately strengthens democracy.

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Clarence-Rockland

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2025 Federal Election

Politics

News & Politics

Ontario

Fri, 04/11/2025 - 12:00

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Thaila Riden, candidate for the Green Party in Prescott-Russell-Cumberland, explains what matters to him in the election

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Federal Election; Thaila Riden; Green Party of Canada; Prescott-Russell-Cumberland

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00:14:15

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Mon, 04/14/2025 - 12:00

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Development of an industrial park in the Township of Alfred and Plantagenet

TVCjournaliste — Wed, 09 Apr 2025 22:23:13 +0000

Development of an industrial park in the Township of Alfred and Plantagenet TVCjournaliste Wed, 04/09/2025 - 18:23

On the agenda with Yves Laviolette, the Mayor of the Township of Alfred and Plantagenet, the development of Wendover’s industrial park, a community hall in Alfred saved by the Township, and the expansion of the lagoon in Plantagenet.

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The Township of Alfred and Plantagenet has set its sights on developing the Wendover industrial park, which was purchased last year. “Right now, there’s about 19 people [...] that are interested in buying a piece of land. We're going to be selling that by acres, if somebody wants two or three acres, [they’re] gonna be welcome to do this” explains Yves Laviolette, the Mayor of Alfred & Plantagenet. He hopes to develop the 28-acre site this year.

A much needed expansion to Plantagenet’s lagoon The water needs of Plantagenet are increasing, so the Township of Alfred and Plantagenet is applying to the provincial government to expand its lagoon system in Plantagenet. “We want to make sure that people [have] access to this lagoon. So we’ve made a couple of changes right now but hopefully we’re gonna get the money from the province” remarked Yves Laviolette, the Mayor of Alfred and Plantagenet. Indeed, according to Mr. Laviolette, the expansion is going to cost at least 17 million dollars.

Television communautaire de la cité de Clarence Rockland

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Wed, 04/09/2025 - 12:00