Council | La ville de Barkmere

Our mission

Protection

We will continue to maintain existing measures, to propose new ones, and most of all, to fully enforce them, in order to protect Bark Lake, and its inflows and outflows, from environmental threats. These include, amongst others: deforestation, residential development, their impacts on shorelines, and the installation of roads and other infrastructure. We understand that the protection and survival of the Lake are inextricably linked to that of the Municipality, which was originally established for this very specific goal.

Communication

We will continue communication tools with all the residents, in both official languages of Barkmere, in order to foster a climate of collaboration, listening and mutual understanding. We will strive to ensure that the population is well informed at all times of the activities of the Municipal Council.

Management

We will continue to work to maintain the integrity of the Town of Barkmere, while looking for ways to share services and costs with neighbouring municipalities to our mutual benefit. We believe that, by effectively managing the budget of the Town and in controlling its development, we will be able to maintain reasonable taxation levels. In turn, this will allow the Town to continue existing and its residents to live harmoniously within its boundaries.

Representation

We will continue to represent all the citizens of Barkmere without exception, whether they inhabit the village or are seasonal residents accessing their property by road or by boat.

Our team

Luc Trépanier

Mayor

A few years ago, I decided to devote my time and my energy as Mayor, to help Our Community and Our Lake. I do not regret this decision at all: it allowed me to meet so many fascinating people who share my love for Bark Lake. Together, with our amazing team of councillors, and with the help of our devoted employees, we will continue to protect our heritage, to pass it down to the future generations of Barklakers, as perfect as it was passed to us. I am very proud of our accomplishments.

We have stabilized the finances of the Town, which enabled us to reduce our taxes by more than 10%. We have created a park for our residents who do not have a direct access to the Lake. We have worked with the municipal administration to establish a fair enforcement of our bylaws, and to put in place an approach aiming to help people doing their projects while respecting these bylaws. And finally, we have succeeded in finding the necessary financing, to allow us to build a new municipal building for the benefit of all of our community, permanent residents as well as seasonal. And all this, without having to face an additional tax burden.

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Stephen Lloyd

Councillor

I am a third generation Bark Laker who is passionately committed to and proud of our community. Barkmere is a jewel that we should all be able to enjoy and prosper within. Through my work in business, law and on the boards of many non-profit organizations, I have been fortunate to develop a skill set which is helpful in contributing to a solid and equitable governance of our Town.

Our "new" by-laws are now almost 10 years old. Over the last 8 years, under the leadership of Mayor Trepanier, our Council has worked to fine-tune those by-laws by removing some unnecessarily complicated rules and tightening other measures with the goal of reinforcing our key values: a harmonious and respectful community, a beautiful landscape and a healthy and protected environment. We have tried to do so on a consensus basis, striving to help all our individual citizens to best enjoy their Barkmere properties while ensuring that the common good is taken into account.

I want to carry on this work. My next focus is on a re-assessment of the scope of the grandfather rights for crib docks. We need to better understand the true environmental factors at stake vis-à-vis our Barkmere construction realities and recent difficult experiences of our citizens with piling docks. It is an honour to serve our community.

Legal Portfolio

Marie-Hélène Lemarbre

Councillor

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Chantal Baron

Councillor

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Charles Morgan

Councillor

To avoid any possible confusion, I'm the one sitting in the back! 😊

As a relatively new resident of Barkmere, I am deeply grateful to the lake's residents who, for generations, have preserved its natural beauty and maintained a sense of community with shared values that encourages mutual support. This is rare and precious.

Living on the lake year-round, “off the grid” and without road access, gives me a relatively unique perspective on the challenges of living here in winter (it's beautiful, but complicated!), including the desire (not yet achieved!) to try to live “net zero.” It has also deepened my gratitude to the lake's residents, who are always there to help those in need.

In addition to wanting to continue to protect the lake and its surroundings, I would also like to promote “community,” inclusion, active listening, and transparency. On behalf of my wife Valérie, our daughters Chloé, Anaïs, and Magalie, our dog Albert, and our two cats (Simone and Gaspard), I thank you for your warm welcome. I hope that I can be of service to you and look forward to seeing you at the municipal dock!

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Grant Elliott

Councillor

I am honoured to serve as a City Councillor for the Town of Barkmere, a place where I have been privileged to spend my summers as a third-generation resident.

Through my years of volunteering with the Bark Lake Sailing Club, I have witnessed firsthand the dedication, cooperation, and community spirit that make Barkmere so special. As councillor, my goal is to preserve that strong sense of community while supporting thoughtful, sustainable improvements that respect both our traditions and our shared vision for the future.

I am committed to representing Barkmere with care, transparency, and enthusiasm, and to ensuring that our town continues to be a welcoming and vibrant place for all who call it home.

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David Castonguay

Councillor

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