Thank you, Madam Chair. Thank you to our witnesses. This has been a rich panel.
I want to raise a particular example of a heritage challenge we face in the Pontiac region.
I would like to talk about one specific case in order to get your advice, but also in order to see how it could help us in other similar situations.
The old Pontiac Hotel is located on the site of the former Fort William trading post, which once belonged to the Hudson’s Bay Company. The hotel has now become a well-known tourist destination. Everyone from Pembroke and the region along the Ottawa River goes there for ice cream. There's also a beach right there. It’s a magical place. But the owner does not have the funds he needs to repair the building, which would cost a lot of money. He is subject to regulations on conserving built heritage.
What can he do in a situation like that?
Federal assistance is limited. Since the owner will not or cannot invest the amount that is necessary, one of these days, the building is going to reach such a state of disrepair that it will be impossible to do anything about it.
What can he do?