Author name: Brenda O'Farrell The 1510 West

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

The decision by the Société des alcools du Québec to shut down eight outlets across the province – including its store in Baie d’Urfé – has ruffled the feathers of both shoppers and municipal officials.

The Baie d’Urfé outlet, located at the Plaza Baie d’Urfé off Highway 20 at Morgan Avenue, is the only SAQ outlet in the West Island slated for closure. There are a total of eight provincially run liquor stores in the West Island.

“It has big implications if people are going to be going to another mall that has an SAQ,” said Baie d’Urfé Mayor  Heidi Ektvedt in an interview. “Most people who are short on time are going to use that opportunity to pick up their pharmacy items, go to the grocery store and grab what they need at the SAQ.”

Ektvedt said she is concerned that this may have a domino effect on neighbouring businesses.

Baie d’Urfé Plaza is the only shopping centre in the town.

In a joint statement released last Thursday, Ektvedt and Sophia Lavergne, general manager of the West Island Chamber of Commerce, voiced their opposition to the closure of the outlet.

Lavergne called the move by the SAQ “deeply concerning for the business community,” as local retailers in the plaza rely on the SAQ “not only for its products but also for the foot traffic it generates.”

No exact date has been set for the closure, but it is stated for some time in the 2025-2026 fiscal year, according to the SAQ.

Ektvedt has added her voice to another joint statement last Thursday issued by seven other Quebec mayors whose municipalities are set to lose their local SAQ outlet. They include the cities of Brossard and Chicoutimi; the towns of Stanstead in the Eastern Townships; Rivière Bleue, near the Maine border; and the neighbourhoods of Ville Émard in Montreal, Hull in Gatineau and Pointe de Ste. Foy in Quebec City.

Both statements shared a link to an online petition, calling for a moratorium on the store closures until the provincial government recognizes the SAQ as a “driver of local vitality” and adopts policies to protect it from such closures.

As of yesterday, the petition has gained nearly 1,600 signatures and has been circulated online by several Baie d’Urfé residents. The petition will be open to signatures until May 26.

Ektvedt said she’s encouraging “anybody who thinks that they would like to have these services remain close to their homes” add their names to the petition, adding that “this could very well be the beginning of other (stores) closing.”

Many residents have expressed dismay over the closure. Resident Brendan Buckley said he will miss the welcoming staff and convenience of having the store nearby.

“It seemed to always be busy and well stocked,” Buckley said, adding that “having it close by was very convenient and felt like a ‘local’ business.”

The decision to close the eight outlets comes as the SAQ reported a trend of declining sales revenue over the past two years. An online statement claims that the company had $514.1 million in revenue for the third quarter of the 2024-2025 fiscal year, which ended Jan. 4. This represented a $6.9-million decrease from the same quarter the year prior.

The SAQ’s report noted an overall “downward trend in volumes” sold, which it claimed was “largely attributable to changes in customers’ shopping habits.”

There are SAQ outlets in Beaconsfield, Pointe Claire, Kirkland, Dorval, Pierrefonds-Roxboro and two in Dollard des Ormeaux. There is also another in Île Perrot.

Following the closure, Baie d’Urfé residents looking to buy liquors or spirits will have to travel the next-closest SAQ branches in either Beaconsfield or L’Île Perrot.

Cutline:

The closure of the SAQ outlet at the Baie d’Urfé Plaza could impact the other business at the shopping centre, officials say.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

About 30 homeowners in Baie d’Urfé are being told they will have to dole out thousands of dollars to replace old, out-of-date septic systems within the next two years as the town looks to meet the latest provincial standards. But more could soon be in the same situation.

The residents live on two streets – Magnolia and Balsam – who had their septic systems inspected last year. The results of the inspections show the waste systems do not meet provincial standards and will have to be replaced before the end of 2026.

According to Quebec’s latest wastewater law passed in 2019, homeowners are required to foot the bill for their own septic system replacement, Baie d’Urfé Mayor Heidi Ektvedt told The 1510 West.

The municipality, she explained, has been communicating the importance of maintaining up-to-date septic tanks with residents since the law was enacted, adding that the urban planning department will keep its door open to residents and “provide them with any guidance and information that they need.”

Over a dozen residents from Magnolia and Balsam who have been informed of the upgrades required attended the March 11 town council. They questioned council why the town was not providing financial support.

The example of tertiary systems – known as one of the most advanced septic systems – was quoted to cost between $30,000 to $35,000 to replace.

Ektvedt took around 30 minutes to address the issue. The province’s wastewater law, she explained, places the responsibility for septic system upkeep and replacement on the homeowner, while municipalities are required to ensure that their citizens are complying with the law. The differing septic systems and soils from one property to the next would further complicate the issue if the project were carried out by the town, the mayor continued.

“We cannot get involved in telling you what contractor or professional service to use for your private property,” Ektvedt told the group.

Some residents have voiced concerns about the price and timeline for this project.

Magnolia resident Ping Wu had brought the issue before the council at the Feb. 11 meeting. He explained that he and his family were new homeowners and that paying for a new septic system was “completely out of our financial planning.”

Wu added that the high cost was “kind of turning our life into a little bit of a bouleversement,” and requested that the town extend the deadline to replace the system to four or five years.

While Ektvedt understands that expenses like this “can be very stressful,” she said, these necessary upgrades are, regrettably, an aspect of homeownership.

“The timeline that was given was very generous,” she said in an interview with The 1510 West. “Even a two-year timeframe is a very long time to do work like this.”

The council pointed out that homeowners can take advantage of a provincial government tax credit for this project of up to $5,500.

Ektvedt said inspections will be extended to septic systems on other streets, but she did not have a clear timeline.

Cutline:

About 30 homeowners on Magnolia and Balsam streets in Baie d’Urfé have been told they must have their septic systems replaced.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Elected officials from Dorval and Montreal have teamed up to call for a green space next to the airport to be protected.

Dorval Mayor Marc Doret, St. Laurent Borough Mayor Alan DeSousa, Montreal city councillor Alex Norris and former provincial and federal representative Clifford Lincoln last week made a pitch to protect Lot 20 – 140 hectares of green space located next to the Montréal-Trudeau International Airport – by excluding it from the airport’s expansion project.

“The urgency is to protect what we have,” said Doret in an interview.

Doret and the other officials argue the undeveloped land acts as the “green lungs” for a neighbourhood surrounded by the airport and nearby industrial parks.

Lot 20 includes the Golf Dorval course and Monarch Fields. Located in Dorval, just northwest of the airport, it borders the Montreal borough of St. Laurent. To the east are Lots 3 and 4 – 25 hectares of protected green space, including wetlands.

All of the lots are federally owned and managed by Aéroports de Montréal (ADM), which announced an ambitious $4-billion redesign plan last year. The project includes reclaiming surrounding federally owned lands, including Lot 20, for airport use. As this land belongs to the federal government, no permission nor consultation is needed from the surrounding municipalities for the ADM to go forward with this project.

The expansion project has already forced Manoir Kanisha, a pet boarding service located just southeast of the airport, to close its doors in January after 35 years due to its property being reclaimed by ADM.

So far, ADM has dismissed calls to include Lot 20 among the protected green space to the east, offering instead to create what it describes as a “decarbonization zone” on the land within the next 20 years.

Doret, however, rejects this proposal.

“We have an incredible biodiversity here, and it’s all at risk over this concept of a development of a decarbonization zone,” Doret said. “Let’s just think about what that means: the best decarbonization zone is exactly what we have today.

“We have the best tool right here, right now,” he continued. “Leave it as it is. Let’s agree to preserve the space once and for all.”

Norris, who also acts as an associate councillor for major parks, affirmed the city of Montreal’s commitment to advocating for the protection of Lot 20.

“Yes, we do need to decarbonize transport,” Norris said, “but this cannot be done at the expense of natural wetlands and natural green space.”

According to an information package provided by the City of Dorval, Lot 20 acts as an important space for local biodiversity. The land is part of an area that is home to 216 species of birds, some of which are threatened or endangered.

The Monarch Fields are aptly named for being a stop-off for hundreds of monarch butterflies during their seasonal migration. The park also is home to thousands of milkweed plants, which is the only species of plant on which these butterflies lay their eggs.

The ADM, however, has been vocal about its opposition to designating the space as a nature park. In an op-ed published in the Montreal Gazette last Thursday, ADM President and Chief Executive Officer Yves Beauchamp stated his organization would be against any project that would increase the presence of wildlife near the airport.

“Wildlife hazard is a very real and serious threat to aviation,” he wrote, adding: “The creation of a 140-hectare nature park on our airport site would clearly go against the best practices and actions adopted by our partners and ourselves.”

But former politician Clifford Lincoln disagrees with Beauchamp. He addressed the op-ed at last Friday press conference, dismissing the ADM’s reasoning as “completely phony.”

“If today the airport can live with (wildlife), why not tomorrow?” Lincoln asked. “There is no reason at all why this wonderful ecosystem cannot live side-by-side with the airport. It has since 1941 (when the airport first opened). Nature hasn’t changed since. The birds are still there. The biodiversity is still the same.”

He warned that once nature is abandoned for development, “it is gone forever.”

 “I am for nature and against concrete,” Lincoln said.

The group would like ADM and the federal government “to sit down with us in working groups so that we can find a way that we can reach all of our objectives without compromising the protection of this very important green space,” said Norris.

“We’re convinced that we can reconcile the objectives of the airport with the necessity of the protection of the natural green spaces,” he added.

Cutline:

Map shows the 140 hectares – which includes Golf Dorval and Monarch Field – the City of Dorval wants excluded from the airport’s expansion plan.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

The City of Beaconsfield will spend more than $840,000 to restore a pillar of the pedestrian bridge that straddles Highway 20. 

The project will restore a single pillar of the bridge that has visibly deteriorated over the past few years, said Beaconsfield director-general Patrice Boileau. Motorists travelling along Highway 20 can see the decaying concrete at the base of the pillar in the median between the east and westbound lanes of the autoroute.

The project will see the pillar repaired both for esthetic reasons and for the protection of the integrity of the overpass, Boileau explained in an interview with The 1510 West. The municipality is aiming to have the project completed “before the end of this year,” he added.

For now, the project is expected to be funded by a $844,270 loan bylaw approved by Beaconsfield council last month. However, as a pedestrian bridge falls under the category of “active transport,” the city may have the chance to take advantage of provincial funding support, Boileau explained.

A Quebec government fund that aims to “support the development, improvement and maintenance of active transportation infrastructure,” according to the provincial government’s website, includes providing grants to municipalities for projects that encourage active transportation. This includes restoration projects for infrastructure designated for pedestrian use.

However, the program has not been accepting applications for grants since this past summer. “Normally, it comes back in the fall,” Boileau said, “but so far, it hasn’t come back.”

Transports Quebec spokesperson Sarah Bensadoun confirmed the ministry is not accepting applications for grants under the program at this time, but the funding initiative will be renewed. No date for the renewal, however, has been released.

Cutline:
The pedestrian overpass next to Beaconsfield High School straddles both Highway 20 and the railway tracks north of the expressway.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

One of the oldest building in Ste. Anne de Bellevue is for sale. The asking price: just under $1.3 million.

The Simon Fraser House, located at 153 Ste. Anne Street, is on the market after plans to convert the heritage building into a condo site fell through due to restrictions placed on how the property could be redeveloped, multiple sources confirmed to The 1510 West.

Base Spaces Inc., a property investment company operating in the West Island, had intended to turn the historic home into a condominium project, but found out “the hard way” that this would be impossible due to the building’s heritage status, according to Ste. Anne Mayor Paola Hawa.

The 200-year-old home’s designation as a heritage building creates “a lot of restrictions in terms of updates/renovations,” Hawa explained.

She added that while the Town of Ste. Anne does not plan to purchase the property, she hopes that a buyer “appreciates its historical value.”

Base Spaces Inc. head Chris McLean was not available for comment.

A for-sale sign on the lot beside the house, located near the locks at the west end of the village, went up earlier this month.

The three-storey building is being marketed as being a conversion project with “endless potential,” according to the listing on the Royal LePage webpage. The building is described as having potential for “business, restaurant, office or condo conversion.”

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

As the growing number of service interruptions on the South Shore have raised questions about the reliability of the REM light rail system in winter – a situation that was exaserbated last week by heavy snowfalls – officials says the opening of the West Island line is still on schedule for this fall. And this despite acknowledging that recent service problems on parts of the network already in service have forced a pullback on the schedule of tests on the West Island tracks.

“This winter, particular challenges have been compounded,” said Francis Labbé, assistant director of media relations for CDPQ Infra, the consortium overseeing the rail service.

Labbé said REM workers managing the West Island tests were called to Brossard last week as the line running from downtown Montreal to the South Shore – currently the only line in operation – has been experiencing continued technical issues.

The REM has experienced multiple delays and service disruptions this month as Montreal was hit with a record-breaking 74 centimetres of snow – 10 centimetres more than the previous record set in February 1954. Shuttle buses were deployed to compensate for the delays.

“Our teams are already hard at work to remedy them,” Labbé said, referring to the issues on the South Shore line.

The latest phase of dynamic testing along the West Island tracks between the Anse-à-l’Orme station in Ste. Anne de Bellevue and the Bois-Franc station in St. Laurent, which began Feb. 3, has been reduced in the past week. Up until the record-breaking snowfall this month, trains had been running along the West Island line from 6 a.m. to midnight every day, preparing for its service launch in October.

Labbé added that changes to better winterize the South Shore line would be valuable to the whole operation.

“Any improvements to our equipment will benefit branches not yet in service,” he explained, adding the reduction of these dynamic tests will not hamper the goal of opening the West Island line in October.

Quebec Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault told the media last week that riders expect “efficient and reliable service” from the REM, adding that the number of delays caused by winter weather these past two years is unacceptable.

Since its launch in July 2023, the South Shore REM line has been plagued by frequent service interruptions. But this past month has proven to be particularly challenging. In early February, a power outage shut down service for several hours, while switch malfunctions disrupted transit during morning rush hours. Shuttle buses are now in use regularly to ferry South Shore commuters to and from downtown.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

It has been the biggest and longest snow removal operation in recent memory, but West Island municipalities have either completed or have almost completed all street clearing since two major storms dumped a record-setting accumulation earlier this month.

“I could just lift my hat and say thanks to all our blue-collar (workers) who are working tirelessly,” said Beaconsfield director-general Patrice Boileau, adding municipal employees have worked long hours over the past two weeks to clear snow from the town’s streets, sidewalks, bike lanes and fire hydrants. “We’re very happy and proud of our teams.”

Boileau described the snow removal process as “very challenging,” given the unprecedented 75 centimetres of snow that fell in back-to-back storms from Feb. 13-16.

“It’s the equivalent of four to five regular storms,” he said. “It’s a lot of work for all the (workers) who we have in Montreal, Beaconsfield – or any other city.”

Both Pierrefonds-Roxboro and L’Île-Bizard–Sainte-Geneviève, whose snow removal services are managed by the City of Montreal, were just over 75-per-cent complete in their snow removal process as of yesterday, according to the City of Montreal.

All other West Island communities have announced that they have completed removing snow from streets, sidewalks and bike lanes, with some left to clear snow from parking lots and around fire hydrants.

When budgeting for snow removal services, West Island municipalities pay a flat fee that is included in their annual budgets. However, extra costs may be incurred if trucking services are needed to haul the snow away or if city employees are required to work overtime.

Beaconsfield will see added expenses for these services, Boileau said. The city had reserved $945,598 for snow removal this year but that figure could increase by 10 or 15 per cent due to “non-stop overtime.” This estimate, Boileau added, is assuming that there will be no more major snowstorms for the rest of the winter.

Kirkland is another municipality that expects to incur added costs to cart snow away. Its municipal snow dump on Ste. Marie Road just north of Highway 40 is closing in on its maximum capacity, Bruno Possa, Kirkland’s Public Works director, told The 1510 West. 

The mountain of snow at the snow dump is usually so large that it normally survives until well into the spring and summer months before it is completely melted away.

“We are currently reviewing our loading strategy,” Possa said. “Several potential solutions are on the table.”

Kirkland had completed its clearing of streets and sidewalks last Friday, but has been working on snow removal in parking lots this week. The city had budgeted $1.47 million for snow removal in 2025.

As Kirkland continues to look at different options this week, Possa added that the municipality’s priority “is to ensure the best possible solution for the taxpayers.”

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

West Islanders driving along Highway 40 this past week have surely noticed trains zipping along the elevated REM tracks. The light rail network is being tested, simulating real-time travel in the West Island, marking another significant step forward for the public transit project.

“This is a phase during which we subject our cars to all kinds of situations,” said Francis Labbé, assistant director of media relations for CDPQ Infra in an email.

Labbé said the consortium that manages the rail line has been testing the trains at various times of the day – in the morning, afternoon and up until midnight.

“Tests are going well so far,” he said.

The consortium started the latest round of simulations between the Anse-à-l’Orme station in Ste. Anne de Bellevue and the Bois-Franc station in St. Laurent on Feb. 3, making stops at the Kirkland, Fairview-Pointe-Claire and Des Sources stations along the way.

The tests have been taking place from 6 a.m. to midnight every day as the transit network prepares for its service launch this fall.  When in service, the REM will operate daily between 5:30 a.m. and 1:30 a.m.

CDPQ Infra had announced in November that it is targeting the fall of 2025 for the launch of the Deux-Montagnes and West Island branches of the REM. Labbé explained that this target has not changed.

“We’re still aiming for next fall, but we can’t be more precise at the moment, since it’s the tests that will dictate what happens next,” he explained.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

It was a “worst-case scenario” decision when Pointe Claire-based pantyhose manufacturer Sheertex made the call to temporarily lay off around 40 per cent of its employees last Wednesday. The decision was made amid ongoing threats by U.S. President Donald Trump to impose 25-per-cent tariffs on Canadian goods entering the U.S. – a move that would severely impact the company’s revenues.

To Pointe Claire Mayor Tim Thomas, this regrettable development hammers home the need for Canadians across the country to support Canadian businesses by making the extra effort to choose Canadian products and brands while shopping to reduce the blow from U.S. tariffs.

“We’ve got to learn how to support ourselves and support Canadian and our local businesses,” Thomas said in an interview. “It’s a no-brainer.”

The decision “was not made lightly,” said Katherine Homuth, the company’s founder and CEO referring to the layoffs of about 90 of the 350 workers at her facility on the Trans-Canada Highway. Her statement posted on LinkedIn went on to explain the company will look to re-hire its impacted employees within the next six months.

About 85 per cent of Sheertex’s total revenue comes from U.S. sales. The company, Homuth explained, is currently rushing to move as much inventory as it can across the border before the end of the month.

She also explained that Sheertex’s business-to-business sales done in the U.S. are already tariffed at 16 per cent, as more than 9 per cent of the raw materials used in the company’s tights and leggings are sourced from outside Canada and the U.S. The tariffs being threatened by the Trump administration would also eliminate the de minimis exemption – a loophole which allows direct-to-consumer sales of less than $800 to cross the border duty free. Altogether, this would mean a 41-per-cent tariff on all Sheertex products sold in the U.S.

“The financial burden is now immense,” Homuth wrote.

This panic over tariffs in Canada’s business community should serve as a wakeup call, Thomas added. “We’ve been avoiding this reality for a long time now ­­– for decades.”

According to Statistics Canada, about 76 per cent of Canada’s total international exports are shipped to the U.S., valued at around $590 billion in 2024.

In Quebec alone, the U.S. accounts for around 70 per cent of exports. According to the Institut de la statistique du Québec, the province shipped around $87.3 billion worth of exports to the U.S. in 2023.

“Canada has got to start to look at itself and start to (increase) interprovincial trade and support locally, but also support Canadian,” Thomas added.

Since the start of the U.S.’s tariff talks, Thomas said he has seen many Pointe Claire residents step up and choose to support Canadian products over U.S. imports. He recalls one recent instance when in a store “and somebody said (buy Canadian) out loud to everybody in the store, and everybody nodded their heads and started behaving accordingly. Everybody was buying Canadian.”

In a subsequent LinkedIn post published last Thursday evening, Homuth described how she was “incredibly moved” by the support her company had received. She called on consumers to reach out to Canadian retailers, such as Shopper’s Drug Mart (Pharmaprix in Quebec) and Jean Coutu to encourage them to work with Canadian-based manufacturers. The support “gives me hope that we might find a path to reduce our U.S. market dependency and bring our team back to work,” she added.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Years of debate over how and who should restore the historic windmill in Pointe Claire seems headed to finally culminating in action after the Pointe-Claire Heritage Preservation Society and the Archdiocese of Montreal last month struck a deal.

The move, granting the local historical society a 50-year lease on the iconic stone structure on Pointe Claire’s historic point that juts into Lake St. Louis, means the group can now rev up its fundraising efforts to restore the weathered building and transform it into a cultural and educational hub.

“We were delighted,” said Linda De Witt, an executive member of the historical society, describing the group’s energy after confirming the deal. “We negotiated for several months and when the deal was finalized, it was just wonderful. We think it’s good news for us (and) good news for the city.”

“Above all, this new partnership will allow the people of Pointe Claire to be at the heart of the project,” said Stefano Marrone, head of real estate for the Archdiocese of Montreal, in a statement when the lease was announced on Feb. 27.

The new agreement will ensure the “continued legacy” of the windmill, Marrone said.

The windmill, which dates back to early 1700s, has been showing its age in recent years, most notably when a storm in 2019 broke off two of its four rotor blades. Along with replacing the blades, the historical society will oversee work on the building’s foundation and exterior walls, as well as fix damage done to the roof and replace a missing window.

The cost of renovating the structure has been estimated in the millions of dollars, but the group is unable to provide a precise estimate amid rising inflation and economic uncertainty.

One of the first steps needed, however, will be to complete an archaeological study of the structure, something De Witt said will be done in the spring.

“When the snow melts, we’ll be there,” she said, explaining that the group is ready to move forward quickly.

The ultimate goal, De Witt added, is for the windmill to serve as a cultural centre, with the historical society offering guided tours and hosting information sessions catering to attendees of all ages, as has been done with other historical landmarks in the city.

So far, the group has raised about $350,000 in donations that will go towards the restoration project. And now with a lease on the property secured, the group will move forward with what De Witt called a “serious fundraising campaign.

“We will, of course, explore all avenues,” she added, including possible financial assistance from Quebec’s Ministry of Culture and Communications.

Complications around funding from city

In 2023, the City of Pointe Claire approved a bylaw to provide funding for the windmill restoration. It allows a maximum of $967,000 in funding. However, money would only be provided once the work has been completed.

“This procedure is widely used in Quebec,” said Caroline Thibault, the city’s director of legal affairs, in an interview with The 1510 West, adding that this ensures that taxpayer money does not go toward uncompleted projects.

Thibault added that if money for the project is needed up front, the Archdiocese, which maintains ownership of the property, could consider taking out a bank loan to fund the project until the city provides the reimbursement.

De Witt, however, considered the process for receiving the city funding after the work is completed somewhat disjointed. The Archdiocese, she explained, does not have access to millions of dollars to be used as collateral for a bank loan, nor does the historical society.

 “It’s going to be an ongoing process,” she said, adding that the group is confident that the community will be in favour of this project.

Information on donating to the project can be found on the Pointe-Claire Heritage Preservation Society’s website. “Any amount, big or small, that people want to contribute will help,” De Witt said.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

As the race for leader of the federal Liberal party gears up, two of the three West Island MPs have declared their support for former governor of the Bank of Canada Mark Carney.

Lac-Saint-Louis MP Francis Scarpaleggia, however, is still mulling over who to back, as he explained that there are several strong options for the role.

“It’s an embarrassment of riches, in a way,” Scarpaleggia told The 1510 West lastweek.

“We’re very fortunate that we have so many highly qualified people who are seeking the Liberal leadership,” added Scarpaleggia, who marked 20 years as an MP last June.

He is looking to support a candidate who can connect with Quebec.

 “I think all candidates appreciate the importance of appealing to Quebecers and that Quebec is essential for any desire to form government,” he said.

Pierrefonds-Dollard MP Sameer Zuberi announced his endorsement of Carney earlier this month.

Zuberi consulted with Liberal voters in his riding and found the vast majority were looking for a candidate with fresh ideas and a strong economic background.

“The main thing Canadians and Quebecers want is a fresh start,” Zuberi said in an interview. “There’s a lot of excitement around Mark Carney and that’s a big reason why he is a very good potential leader.”

Dorval–Lachine–LaSalle MP Anju Dhillon also voiced support for Carney in a social media post last Sunday. She encouraged voters to register for the Liberal Party in order to vote for Carney in the leadership election this March, accompanied by a photo of the two.

Dhillon was not available for comment.

Candidates for the Liberal leadership have been gathering endorsements from MPs over the past weeks. Recent reports show that Carney has received more than 50 endorsements from Liberal MPs, followed by 27 for former deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland. Government House leader Karina Gould has received three MP endorsements so far.

Montreal businessman and former Pierrefonds-Dollard MP Frank Baylis, the only candidate from Quebec, has not yet publicly received any endorsements from Liberal MPs.

Zuberi pointed out that the voting system in this leadership election allows voters to rank candidates. While he hasn’t yet decided in what order he will rank the candidates after Carney, he said Baylis would be another candidate who could give the party a much-needed shot in the arm.

“The good thing about the ranked ballot system is that you can (support) multiple people,” Zuberi explained. “It’s not necessarily one’s first choice who will take the day; it might be one’s second choice.”

Baylis, Zuberi added, “is very well-respected as a successful businessperson, philanthropist, and somebody who has a lot to offer.”

Other candidates include Sydney–Victoria MP Jaime Battiste and former Brampton–Springdale MP Ruby Dhalla.

Nepean MP Chandra Arya announced in a post on X on Sunday that he was “informed by the Liberal Party of Canada that I will not be permitted to enter the leadership race.” Arya did not offer a reason for his disqualification but had stirred controversy earlier this month by saying he did not speak French and dismissed the importance of the French language in Quebec.

Citizens had until this past Monday to register for party membership in order to participate in the vote to decide the next leader.

The election for party leader will be held on Sunday, March 9.

Cutline:
Pierrefonds-Dollard MP Sameer Zuberi endorsed Carney last week in a social media post.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

A “slap in the face.” That is how a West Island tenants’ advocacy group described the annual recommended rental increase announced last week by provincial authorities, prompting a protest in Pointe Claire on Monday.

The news “was quite a shock,” said Lily Martin, a community organizer for the West Island Tenants Action Committee (CALODI), referring to the announcement last week by the provincial housing tribunal that recommended a 5.9-per-cent increase in rental rates – the largest one-year jump in rental rates in more than 30 years.  

“It felt really like a slap in the face,” Martin added, as her group called on the provincial government to halt hikes in monthly rent bills.

CALODI outlined its call to action during a small protest at the Fairview bus terminus in Pointe Claire on Monday. Around 20 protestors braved the cold to show solidarity with renters and gathered dozens of signatures on a petition calling for a province-wide freeze on rents.

Freezing rents “is the bare minimum that needs to happen in order to prevent a severe and imminent escalation of the housing crisis,” Martin said.

Last Tuesday, the Tribunal administratif du logement (TAL) unveiled its annual recommended rent increase for landlords in the province. It recommended a 5.9-per-cent increase for rental properties that do not include heating. Units that include heating by electricity, gas or oil were recommended to increase rent by 5.5, 5 and 4.1 per cent, respectively.

The hike would see the average monthly rent for an unheated unit in Pointe Claire – the municipality with the most expensive average rent in the West Island – to increase to $1,971, up from $1,862.

As a community organization that educates West Island renters on their rights, Martin said CALODI “almost immediately started getting calls from tenants who had seen the news and were struggling to comprehend how such a high number could be possible.”

The TAL’s calculation takes into account annual increases in expenses for property owners. Landlords across the province may choose to use this recommendation as justification for rental increases, but frequently raise it at an even higher rate, Martin explained.

This latest recommendation will make a bad situation worse in the West Island, the group claims.

According to a survey conducted by CALODI, the acronym of the group’s French name, Comité d’acion des locataires de l’Ouest de l’Île, rental increases in the West Island emerged as the top issue tenants in the West Island struggling with.

The survey was the first of its kind conducted in the West Island. Martin claimed that about 40 per cent of renters in the West Island live in “unaffordable housing.” This refers to having to pay rents that account for more than 30 per cent of their gross household income.

On Monday, the group also called on provincial authorities to change the way TAL calculates landlord expenses when determining annual rental increases. The group says the calculation is skewed in the landlords’ favour.

That message has been echoed by numerous community organizations in the province, including the Centrale des syndicats du Québec and the Regroupement des comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec.

Last week, Quebec Liberal Opposition Critic for Housing, Virginie Dufour, called the formula “outdated,” and claims it creates an “inflationary spiral,” and called on Quebec Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau to review and “modernize” the TAL formula.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Homeowners in Baie d’Urfé will see their municipal taxes go up by an average of 3.5 per cent this year, according to the town’s $29.5-million budget unveiled last month.

That means the owner of an average home, valued at about $1.18 million, will receive a tax bill of $5,202, or $176 more compared with last year.

The residential property tax rate for this year was raised slightly. Homeowners will pay 44.61 cents for every $100 of value for their property. This is almost two cents higher than the rate set for 2024.

The town approved its 2025 budget at a special council meeting Dec. 10. Total spending for the year is set at $29.5 million – up by $1.2 million, or 4.3 per cent more than in 2024. More than half of the budget will go toward payments to the Montreal Agglomeration, which is responsible for providing emergency services, public transport and water management among other services for demerged West Island municipalities.

Other areas of significant expenditure for the town include transport – $1.27 million – and general administration – $1.25 million.

The Dec. 10 meeting also saw the council approve the town’s three-year, $22.6-million capital expenditures program, aimed at funding upgrades and renovations to public facilities and infrastructure, with a little over $9 million to be spent in 2025.

The program includes the installation of a septic tank system to accommodate the curling club, Red Barn and aquatic centre; the purchase of several vehicles for municipal use; and the reconstruction and renovation of several streets as well as foot and bike paths.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

The average homeowner in Kirkland can expect to pay about $140 more in property taxes this year, according to the municipality’s $76-million budget approved on Dec. 16.

For the owner of an average home valued at $899,508, this means a tax bill of around $5,330, up 2.7 per cent from last year. This includes a $90 water charge, which is unchanged from 2024.

The residential property tax rate has been lowered to 58.25 cents per $100 of property value, which is down by about half a cent from last year.

Kirkland’s annual budget will see a total of $76 million in spending – up by $2.3 million, or 3.1 per cent from last year.

The lion’s share of the budget will go to the Montreal Agglomeration, which is responsible for managing emergency services and public transport among other services provided to Kirkland and the other demerged towns on the island of Montreal. In total, the agglomeration will receive $39.6 million, or 52 per cent, of Kirkland’s total budget.

Other areas of significant spending in the budget are wages and benefits, which account for $16.2 million this year, and contracts for projects and services, which total $9 million.

The town also pointed out that it had made strides in reducing its long-term debt in 2024, which now sits at $17.1 million. For reference, Kirkland’s long-term debt had hovered around $34 million for over a decade prior, until being reduced to $27.8 million in 2023.

The town’s three-year capital expenditures program outlines $44.2 million in spending from 2025 to 2027, with $17.1 million to be spent this year. Significant areas of spending this year include $7.6 million to upgrade the sewers and waterworks; $4.5 million for management of parks, green spaces and bike lanes; and $3.1 million for roadwork.

Detailing the program at the Dec. 16 meeting, Kirkland director general Joe Sanalitro pointed out that $3.4 million of the $4.5 million reserved for park management would go toward resurfacing the town’s tennis and basketball courts. This project would also include refrigeration of these terrains so that they can be transformed into ice rinks during the winter season.

“With climate change, the weather patterns are unpredictable,” Sanalitro explained, adding that the town has been having “a very, very hard time getting outdoor ice for the winter season.” This new feature, he explained, will ensure that Kirkland residents have access to outdoor skating all winter long, no matter the weather.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Homeowners in Beaconsfield will see another property tax increase this year as the average tax bill is set to go up by 3.3 per cent, according to the city’s $63.2-million budget approved last month.

The owners of an average single-family house now valued at over $1 million, at $1,033,418, can expect to pay $7,261 in municipal taxes in 2025, up by $231 from last year.

The municipality’s taxation rate also saw a slight increase – homeowners will pay 62.32 cents per $100 of home valuation, which is almost two cents more than in 2024. Fees for garbage collection are up by $5 for a total of $215, while water fees remain stable at $40.

Overall, Beaconsfield will increase its spending in 2025 by $3.3 million compared with 2024 for a total this year of $63.2 million.

The largest areas of expense in the 2025 budget are general administration ($12.37 million), road work ($12 million) and public security ($11.76 million)

The budget was passed at the town’s Dec. 16 special council meeting. At the meeting, Mayor Georges Bourelle acknowledged the large role the Montreal Agglomeration council plays in the taxation of Beaconsfield residents.

The agglomeration manages shared services across the island, including transit, social housing and emergency services. Around half of Beaconsfield’s annual budget – $31.9 million – will go toward agglomeration payments.

However, several mayors of demerged West Island municipalities, including Bourelle, have claimed that their towns have been overtaxed and underserved by the agglomeration. Beaconsfield launched a lawsuit in 2020 claiming the agglomeration council was overcharging for regional services. The lawsuit is ongoing.

During the Dec. 16 meeting, Bourelle recommended that residents who are curious as to why their taxes keep rising participate in question-and-answer sessions with the agglomeration council.

“That budget has a huge impact on your taxes,” he said at the meeting.

Beaconsfield council also approved the city’s three-year capital expenditures program, which will see $93.5 million spent in 2025-2027 on upgrades and renovations to public parks, facilities and infrastructure.

Notable expenditures will include continued funding for the construction of a cultural centre at Centennial Park, the development of several bike paths, a renovation project for the interior of city hall, and maintenance and upgrades for numerous parks, public pools and community centres.

Of the $93.5 million, the town has marked just under $22.1 million to be spent this year.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Many longtime residents of Pointe Claire were saddened to hear of the passing of former mayor William “Bill” McMurchie on Jan. 1 at the age of 93 in Toronto. Though the McMurchie family is still organizing the details of their father’s forthcoming celebration of life, one thing is certain: he will be laid to rest in Pointe Claire, likely this spring.

“It’s a special place, and will always be home,” McMurchie’s daughter Lyne told The 1510 West last Friday, detailing her father’s deep connection to the community.

“Pointe Claire was where he met the love of his life, where he built our beautiful family home, and where he had an opportunity to serve. He was a special man,” she wrote in an email.

Born and raised in the small town of Paynton, Saskatchewan, McMurchie moved to Montreal as a student in 1956. It wasn’t long after that he met and married Denise Chartrain, with whom he shared his life for 65 years.

McMurchie spent 57 years in public service for both Pointe Claire and Montreal. This included serving as mayor of Pointe Claire for 15 years, during which he manned the helm as the city demerged from the City of Montreal. McMurchie was also responsible for opening the West Island’s first Ecocentre, reducing speed limits on city streets and protecting the city’s shoreline ecosystems. He was mayor until his retirement in 2013.

Many Pointe Claire residents and elected officials took to social media to share their fond memories of McMurchie following his passing.

Lac-Saint-Louis MP Francis Scarpaleggia called him “one of the most down-to-earth, principled and clear-eyed politicians I have ever had the pleasure of meeting.”

Jean-Pierre Grenier, who served as a councillor during McMurchie’s administration, called him a “true leader.”

Former Montreal Gazette reporter Dave Stubbs commended his “kindness and generosity.”

“He was wise and witty and kind to his core,” wrote Lyne of her father. “He never lost his sense of humour or his respectful demeanour. He charmed people until his last days. We appreciate all the comments and memories people of the West Island have shared.”

McMurchie is survived by his wife Denise, his three children – Kathleen, Neil and Lyne – as well as his six grandchildren and three great-grandchildren.

A private memorial service will be held in Toronto. The family is planning a public celebration of his life in Pointe Claire at some point this spring, as well as laying McMurchie to rest at St. Joachim parish’s cemetery on St. Jean Blvd., across from the Pointe Claire City Hall.

In the meantime, the City of Pointe Claire has lowered its flags to half-staff in his honour.

The following are descriptions of five possible scenarios on the future of the annex building at 12 Dahlia, presented on Nov. 26 by Dorval city officials.

Scenario 1: Status quo – The annex would be left as is. However, the building could not be occupied in its current state. The city calculates that the combined annual cost for energy and maintenance of the annex would be around $95,000, with costs expected to vary year by year.

Scenario 2: Partial demolition – Brick cladding would be removed at certain locations of the annex’s exterior and replaced with fibreglass panelling to overcome structural deficiencies. The building’s windows would be replaced. The estimated cost of this option would be just over $9.5 million. This plan does not, however, include the cost of refitting the interior to bring it up to code.

Scenario 3: Full demolition of exterior walls – The annex’s exterior envelope would be demolished and rebuilt. All brick cladding and windows would be replaced. The estimated cost of this option would be around $9.9 million. Like Scenario 2, this plan does not include the cost of refitting the interior of the annex.

Scenario 4: Complete demolition for green space – The annex would be torn down and turned into a community green space. The estimated cost for this scenario would be around $1.2 million. This includes the cost of relocating materials within the annex, like the heating system. It does not, however, include the cost for sealing the wall of the adjoining Quatre Vents building, which would be exposed following the annex’s demolition.

Scenario 5: Complete demolition of the annex to be rebuilt for different uses – Like in Scenario 4, the annex would be completely demolished. Unlike in Scenario 4, however, a new building would be constructed attached to the Quatre Vents residence. The use of the building will depend on public desire. Examples provided include the conversions of historic religious buildings into cultural centres in Bromont, Granby and St. Hyacinthe. Presenters said it would be impossible to determine an exact cost for such a project at this time but noted that the approximate costs could range between $5.4 million and $20.6 million.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

Earlier this fall, opposition to plans to demolish a former convent in Dorval prompted city officials to reconsider proposed plans. But now, continued pushback from residents has pushed officials to put all discussions of the future of the four-storey building on hold.

That was the decision announced by Dorval Mayor Marc Doret earlier this month.

The move came after the city held a public consultation meeting on the future of the building known as 12 Dahlia, a 40,000 square-foot annex building on Dahlia Avenue, at the site of the former Congrégation de Notre Dame.

Doret cited the Nov. 26 public presentation on the future of the building that had seen pushback from several attendees as one of the reasons to postpone a decision on the building’s fate until 2025. He added at the beginning of the meeting that he would not be answering questions on this topic.

This, however, did not have the intended effect, as the meeting saw more than an hour of questions and debate about the future of the building from both residents and councillors.

“Citizens clearly expressed their concerns on how the city has not given serious study to alternative use of (the annex) and the entire site,” said Fernando Pellicer, a retired architect with a specialization in the restoration of heritage buildings, during the question-and-answer period at the Dec. 9 council meeting.

Animated public presentation

The Nov. 26 presentation offered residents a look at five possible scenarios on the future of the building and their approximate costs.

Two scenarios would see the annex building demolished, two would see restoration work done to the exterior of the building, while one would have the building left as is.

Participants took turns voicing their disapproval with each of the scenarios. Many lamented the fact that they had no decision-making power over the future of the annex, as the presentation did not constitute a public consultation.

“I want to just remind the audience that they’re here to listen to the scenarios, but that we don’t have a vote on these scenarios,” resident Bruno Fournier told attendees.

“I want to see the city solicit proposals from the community, that the community can think about, research and come together,” said resident Rachelle Cournoyer.

Doret and the councillors had attended the Nov. 26 presentation, but did not participate in discussions. Questions from attendees were addressed by Benoît Lévesque and Jad Kadi, Dorval’s directors of urban planning and engineering, respectively.

“I think what came out of the presentation is that everybody wants a public debate with all the real costs on the table,” said councillor Pascal Brault at Monday’s council meeting.

A building with potential

“There are many potential uses,” said Pellicer at the Nov. 26 presentation. He is opposed to demolishing the building.

“The commercial kitchen has fantastic potential,” he said. The annex “could be a music centre. It could be an arts centre (. . .) the usage can be multiple.”

Speaking with The 1510 West, Pellicer said he had voluntarily inspected the annex and had drawn up a mock budget for the building’s restoration. His budget sets the price tag for restoration at around $7 million.

“Total restoration, complete upgrade to code – envelope, roof, windows, everything new,” Pellicer explained.

The two scenarios presented by the city that would see the annex’s exterior restored had an estimated cost of just under $10 million. However, Pellicer maintained that the figures that had been presented “are totally arbitrary.”

Given the public pushback, Doret said council will not rush to a decision on the future of 12 Dahlia. Instead, he said city officials will reflect on the subject “through January and possibly even February,” and that the file will be reopened “maybe as late as March.”

The City of Dorval purchased the former Congrégation de Notre Dame site in 2022 for $8 million. It has two adjoining buildings: the “Quatre Vents” section, and the annex section. The Quatre Vents manor was built in 1873 and was the home of Dorval’s first mayor, Désiré Girouard. It currently is the site that hosts city council meetings.

The four-storey annex is a brick building that was added to the Quatre Vents manor in 1965. The structure served as a residence for the nuns of the congregation and contains a large commercial kitchen, a dining room, two floors of meeting rooms and two floors of bedrooms.

In April, council adopted a resolution of intent to demolish the annex, citing an architectural report stating that the building had no heritage value and did not meet the requirements in the Quebec Construction Code to be used in its current state.

An ongoing petition, organized by residents looking to preserve the annex from demolition, has collected just over 600 signatures.

JOSHUA ALLAN
The 1510 West

The Cinema Des Sources in Dollard des Ormeaux closed its doors Monday after 26 years. With some residents saying they’re sad to part with their local neighbourhood cinema.

“Of course, it’s always sad to see such a business having to close up shop,” said West Island resident Katherine Pottier in a message to The 1510 West. Though she explained that her trips to the cinema were few and far between, “it was a convenience to have Guzzo so close by (. . .) Beats going downtown or other areas so far from me.”

“I was shocked when I heard it would be closing because I grew up living near it,” said Hassan Danab, adding that he had “always felt a sense of it being part of the community.”

Danab had even been part of a group studying the business operations of the Cinema Des Sources as part of a market research course at LaSalle College earlier this fall.

“Part of our project was to choose a business that has seen some decline in sales,” Danab explained. “We thought (Cinema Des Sources) would be the perfect candidate for the project.”

The movie theatre’s final screening was of the highly anticipated Hollywood musical Wicked, which occurred at 9:45 p.m. on Sunday.

Cinema Des Sources was the smallest among the Cinémas Guzzo outlets, with nine digital screens and one IMAX screen. With its closure, Cinémas Guzzo is down to nine movie theatres – three in Montreal, two in Longueuil and one each in Laval, Deux Montagnes, Terrebonne and St. Jean sur Richelieu.

The closure came amid financial struggles for Cinémas Guzzo. A Quebec Superior Court judge placed the company under interim receivership in November, citing the Bankruptcy and Insolvency Act, following a legal motion by CIBC claiming that the Guzzo Group owed the bank more than $38 million.

Cinémas Guzzo president Vincenzo Guzzo had cited the COVID-19 pandemic as a contributing factor to the company’s financial difficulties. Movie theatres across Quebec had been completely shut down in March 2020. Despite being permitted to reopen in February 2021, Guzzo announced that his theatres would continue to remain closed, protesting the Quebec government’s restrictions on selling snacks. The company reopened its theatres in June 2021.

With the closure of Cinema Des Sources, the sole remaining movie theatre in the West Island now is the Cinéma Cineplex Kirkland.