The Low Down to Hull & Back

A new Chelsea swimming dock at Farm Point was installed earlier in June at Farm Point - including a lengthy list of rules the Municipality of Chelsea says swimmers must obey to get in the water. A whistle, a buoy and a brightly coloured swim cap are just some of the gear the new rules require. The dock and swimming lane are officially designated as open-water swimming, according to legislation passed by Chelsea's municipal council in April.

Investigation continues to find Bill Lidington, but ground and water search concluded MRC des Collines Police have called off a ground and water search for a missing Chelsea man last seen on June 2. Bill Lidington, 78, is still missing, according to police, but after two days of searching - both on water and on the ground - police have concluded their search operation. The elderly man suffers from memory loss and police say they fear for his safety.

This story has been updated as of June 4, 2026 at 7:48 a.m. A diving team from the Sûreté du Québec has arrived in Chelsea, Quebec, as police continue to search for 78-year-old Bill Lidington, who has been missing since the afternoon of June 2. He was last seen near his home on Hellard Road in Chelsea around 3 p.m. on June 2. The elderly man suffers from memory loss and police fear for his safety.

No outdoor fires of any kind are permitted in the Outaouais after a fire ban was issued June 1. Quebec's wildfire organization SOPFEU issued an "extreme" warning for the region - the highest level fire warning possible. Everything west of the Laurentides is under the extreme warning, with lower fire danger levels for the Montreal and Quebec city areas. The high level of danger is projected to continue oever the next few days, according to SOPFEU.

Chelsea is once more pausing its plan to move forward with the bylaw that would give the municipality the authority to take over or remove resident-constructed docks in the Gatineau River. “We’re going to put a pause on the community dock regulations in order to establish a municipal regulation that … has everyone’s input,” Mayor Brian Nolan said at the Feb. 3 council meeting. Nolan said he wants to exchange ideas with residents to come to the best solution.

Wakefield’s celebrity kitty is in need of some scratch. Specifically, the Wakefielders who have been collectively caring for Titan, the beloved village cat, are accepting donations to cover some recent vet bills for the free-wheeling feline.

Big changes are coming for Chelsea’s trash. Chelsea recently announced that there is a new schedule for collection, new rules for sorting and a new way you must place your bins – all starting in February. There will be a grace period in the first weeks, but make sure you know the rules before February or you may be left with full bins at the end of your driveway. “This significant change will take time for all parties concerned to adapt.

Liberal leader candidate Mark Carney is Sophie Chatel’s choice to head the party in the next election. Chatel, the MP for Pontiac-Kitigan Zibi, shared a post on social media Jan. 15 endorsing Carney for the role: “I have made my choice, it is Mark Carney,” she wrote. Carney is one of three frontrunners in the race alongside former finance minister Chrystia Freeland and leader of the Government in the House Karina Gould.

January 22nd,2025 | Municipal News, News Property owners in Chelsea looking to rent out their home on vacation rental sites like Airbnb will face a $750 administrative fee imposed by the municipality – a skyrocketing 780 per cent hike. The adoption of the bylaw occurred during a council meeting on Jan. 14. Previously, the administrative fee for vacation rental sites was $85. Council passed the changes by a vote of 4-1. Coun.