Gatineau Park group calls for development freeze

About 20 residents of Chelsea, Que., have taken their concerns over a proposed development project to municipal council.

They told councillors on Monday night that they're worried about a plan to build 18 new houses on Carman Road because the land is located in Gatineau Park.

Jean-Paul Murray ofthe Gatineau Park Protection Coalition toldthe meeting that the National Capital Commission should enact a law forbidding any development in the park.

The Carman Road project involves privately held land, which the Crown corporation NCC says is subject to municipal bylaws in Chelsea.

The 36,131-hectare park is 98 per cent public property, owned mostly by the NCC, with a minority stake held by the Quebec government. The rest of the land is privately owned.

The commission says it's currently working on an "acquisition strategy," with a long-term goal of trying to buy out private property owners in the park.

"Our objective is to prevent development in the park," NCC chief executive Marie Lemay told CBC News.

Lemay says she hopes to finalize and present the commission's strategy to stop future development in Gatineau Park within the next few months.

Last week, Chelsea Mayor Jean Perras said stopping housing in the park is impractical because property owners could sue any level of government that tried to limit property rights.