The Coasters Association is a non-profit organization formed in St. Augustine in 1988 by a
group of concerned citizens of the Lower North Shore. The association was incorporated
in La Tabatiere in 1991 with the clear objective of protecting and furthering the interests
of the population and contributing to the vitality of the Lower North Shore of Quebec. The
Association’s work is mainly funded by the Ministry of Canadian Heritage, while the remainder
of its funding is received from other government departments (i.e. federal, provincial, and
local), as well as fundraising, donations and membership drives. The Coasters Association’s
membership stands at 3,542 and with each new member, the Association becomes stronger!

The Association has had many Presidents over the years, each one uniquely contributing and
adding their own special touch. The Founding President was Mr. Denis Murray and the other
Presidents were: Mr. Medric Maurice; Ms. Joan Mckinnon; Mr. Barry Roberts; Mr. Wilson
Evans; Mr. Scott Buckle; and Mr. Tony Roberts. Our current President is Mr. Anthony Dumas.

The Founding Committee members are:

Denis Murray, President
Bill Flock, Vice-President
Randy Jones, Member
Medric Maurice, Member
Cornella Maurice, Member
Emmerance Murray, Member

To accomplish the various tasks at hand, thirteen elected directors, representing the five
municipalities of the coast administer the Association and ensure that it remains attuned to the
specific needs of the coast. Channelled through a Board of Directors, the Association serves as
a reliable source of information for residents of the Lower North Shore. The Association assists
residents of the coast by bringing new skills, developing new programs, offering new services
and by providing leadership training in each community to foster autonomy and development.

The Administrative Team are:

Cornella Maurice, Executive Director
James Buckle, Finance Officer
Lenora Keats, Office Manager

The Coasters Association is the only regional organization of the Lower North Shore
representing all of the communities on all issues, and voicing their concerns as one collective
body. The Board of Directors meets every second month to discuss common concerns and
lobbying strategies, to share resources and to find potential solutions to specific problems
linked to geographical isolation. These meetings serve to identify important issues and to
implement needed programs

Welcome to the Coasters Association’s new website! This site gives access to a wealth of
information about the Lower North Shore, its communities and its people. The goal of the
website is to provide quality data, share information, and link our multiple partners ensuring
increased accessibility to programs and services to the sixteen communities (including the
two native communities) on the Lower North Shore. The website is also a resource center
improving communications and social networking for the population throughout the Coast . . .
and beyond!


Vision

The vision of the Coasters Association, as a representative and responsive organizations, is
to enhance the quality of life on the Quebec Lower North Shore by creating and supporting
community development and community leadership.


Mission

The mission of the Coasters Association is to develop knowledge of the needs and expectations
of the fourteen communities on the Lower North Shore and act in partnership with community
leaders, organizations and stakeholders to design and deliver community strategies, programs
and services which respond to the region’s development challenges and which profile the
unique cultural and natural resources of the region.

Goals

• To nurture and enhance community capacity and leadership on the Lower North Shore
  
• To promote the social development of vulnerable groups of people within our communities on the Lower North Shore
• To encourage the sustainable development and diversification of the Lower North Shore economy
• To renew and constantly revitalize the Coasters Association