Edmundston Participatory Budget: Winning projects announced!

Jul 1, 2022

The two winning projects of the City of Edmundston's very first Participatory Budget are known. Mayor Eric Marquis has just made the announcement, following five days of popular voting on the municipal website.

In the $10,000 category, the project proposed by Lise Beaulieu is the winner. She proposed to revamp a site on Nadeau Street, in the western sector of the city, which serves as the entrance to the Madawaska Trails. She proposed that the site be cleaned up to make it a park, planting all kinds of flowers along the edges to attract pollinating insects, involving local herbalists and landscapers. Benches will be installed to allow visitors to admire the view. Finally, Mrs. Beaulieu added that the park should become a celestial garden to observe shooting stars and the northern lights.

In the $30,000 category, the project proposed by Mathieu Roussel won the popular vote. The project consists of improving the existing trails between the Riviera Park neighbourhood, the bike path and the Fraser-Edmundston Golf Club to make them usable year-round and accessible to the entire population. The first step will be to add gravel to marshy areas, cut down fallen trees or trees that pose a risk, and build small culverts and walkways. In the second stage, signage will be installed throughout, and entry points identified.

"My colleagues on the city council are extremely proud of the results of this first experience with a participatory budget. Six projects were submitted in both categories, and we would like to thank the people who worked hard to submit great projects... and to the population who voted in large numbers. We can't wait to see the outcome of the winning projects... and we're already looking forward to next year's initiative," explained Mayor Marquis.

A participatory budget is a democratic process by which the population decides how to invest a portion of a public budget. Hundreds of cities around the world are conducting participatory budgeting processes through which thousands of people propose projects that enrich their living environment.

Both projects will be completed by the end of the year.

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CONTACT: François Boutot, Director, Development Department, City of Edmundston, 506.739.2125