Thank you, Mr. Chairman. First of all, I would like to thank you for inviting us to participate in your committee's work. With me are Malcolm MacTavish and Claude Garand, who will speak after my introduction. Following that, we will be able to answer some of your questions.
First, who are we? The Municipality of Chelsea is located in west Quebec adjacent to the Gatineau Park. It is the home of 7,000 residents, 500 who live on privately owned property in the park. The Kingsmere Property Owners Association and the Meech Lake Association represent some 140 families who live in the Gatineau Park.
Chelsea is a recognized municipal leader in environmental protection. Chelsea's mission statement is to improve the quality of life for current and future generations by offering community, cultural, and recreational services and activities, the protection and enhancement of the environment, and the preservation of territorial boundaries.
We have won several awards: the Quebec public administration award for its ban on pesticides, and the Canadian Federation of Municipalities sustainable community award for the H2O project developed by the Municipality of Chelsea, Action Chelsea for the Respect of the Environment, and the University of Ottawa. This innovative project comprises three major components: water quality and quantity testing; the measurement of static water levels in local wells; and testing of Chelsea lakes and waterways, which include Kingsmere Lake and Meech Lake.