Tête-à-têtes with your local elected officials
By William Crooks
Local Journalism Initiative
Andrew Pelletier, a well-established councillor in North Hatley, shared his views on the future of the small Eastern Townships municipality in a recent interview. With a rich career background spanning geography, environmental sciences, and the oil industry, Pelletier has brought a wealth of experience to his role on the council.
“I was in the oil industry for 37 years, working with companies like Gulf Canada and Petro Canada,” he shared. After retiring from the petroleum industry, Pelletier sought a quieter life and found North Hatley to be the ideal place. “We came to North Hatley right at the onset of COVID in 2020. My wife and I found a nice home here, and we’ve been very happy with our decision.”
Pelletier’s transition from the corporate world to public service has been seamless. “I was on a council before, in Candiac, between 1993 and 2005, so this isn’t new for me,” Pelletier explained. When the 2021 elections came around, he was acclaimed to the council. “It’s been a good situation, and I think we’ve accomplished a lot.”
Challenges facing North Hatley
When asked about the challenges facing the municipality, Pelletier was quick to emphasize the growing complexity of running even a small town. “Whether it’s a small municipality or a big one, the requirements of the provincial government are still the same. We need to be very cautious with how we spend the town’s money,” he noted.
One of the town’s biggest current projects is the Pleasant View development. Pelletier praised the administrative staff for their diligent work in securing funding for this project, which promises to significantly impact the town. “I think our admin has done an exceptional job going to get funding for Pleasant View. That’s a very big project, and it’s right to see that go forward.”
Other challenges on the horizon include the town’s marina and future development projects. “Any developers who might have projects for our municipality, we have to ensure they’re well managed—and they will be,” he emphasized.
