On February 27, Champlain Township Council appointed its new Director of Public Works (DPW), Maxime Lafrance. He was unanimously approved to fill the open position as the department continues restructuring.
Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Kevin Tessier explained that the Public Works Department has been changing in the township. The Civil Engineering Technologist position is also planned to be eliminated in mid-April 2025.
Previous DPW Sebastien L矇vesque held the position from May 10, 2021, and has now moved into the position of Municipal Engineer.
Generally, the DPW is responsible for strategic leadership, directing the departments operations, and enhancing the townships transportation infrastructure, water and sewer services, and facilities.
Tessier stated that Lafrance previously worked for six years for the City of Ottawa, gaining extensive experience in water networks, risk management, and asset management planning.
Additionally, Lafrance was involved in developing several requests for proposals and tenders, as well as serving as the lead engineer and technical team supervisor for the Britannia Water Purification Plant between 2020 and 2023. He holds a Ph.D. in Materials Engineering and is a registered professional engineer with Professional Engineers Ontario (PEO).
With experience in both operational and asset management roles within the municipal sector, I am eager to bring my expertise to this community. My primary goal is to foster a collaborative approach, working closely with municipal employees, council members, and the public to ensure efficient and effective service delivery, Lafrance stated.
Lafrance officially replaced L矇vesque on March 3, and his contract, salary, benefits, and other terms and conditions of employment will be determined by the CAO.
