Author name: The Gleaner

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Although voting on the agreements in principle negotiated with the provincial government last December by the various unions of the CSQ, CSN, APTS, and FTQ will continue until February 21, results are starting to come in.

A recent report by La Presse suggests that since voting began on January 15, the unions under the umbrella of the Front commun, which represents around 420,000 public sector workers, have been veering towards an overall acceptance of the proposed contracts.

Valley workers in the education sector have held true to this trend.

More than 230 members of the Chateauguay Valley Teachers Association (CVTA) participated in a special assembly on January 24. Members voted 56 per cent in favour of the sectoral agreement negotiated by the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (QPAT), which represents the CVTA. Members also voted 72 per cent in favour of the intersectoral agreement in principle, which was negotiated by the common front at the central table.

“I was very happy with the turnout,” says CVTA president Nick Ross, who notes there were more teachers in attendance at this meeting than the one held last year to ratify the strike mandate. Ross admits it is not easy to please everyone when it comes to collective negotiations. He insists, however, that “Negotiators were able to make many gains within the contract while conceding very little.”

To date, the CVTA results are very consistent with those reported by other QPAT unions. Ross confirms that with only one local union left to vote, “The QPAT as a whole has accepted both deals.”

Support staff employed by the New Frontiers School Board who are members of the Syndicat des employées et employés professionnels et de bureau (SEPB 576) local union voted 66 per cent in favour of the agreement in principle, during a special assembly held in Howick on January 31.

SEPB 576 local president Bonnie Gilmour, who served as a negotiator with the FTQ at the sectoral table, says the fact the results are low should send a message to the government.

“Members remain frustrated, and are looking for better working conditions to support our students and workloads continue to increase,” she explains. “Many felt there was no choice but to accept, and others felt that we should continue to fight during this historic time in Quebec.”

Gilmour admits to being frustrated by the negotiations. “Many of our important demands were not even discussed at the table. I feel we negotiated the best possible agreement in principle possible with a government who is not willing to invest in our public services,” she says, noting they managed to refuse some government demands that would have impacted members financially, or taken away rights that have been held for many years.

The New Frontiers Association of Professionals, which is a unit of the Syndicat des professionnelles et professionnels de l’Ouest de Québec anglophone, will hold a collective vote on February 6 to determine whether the proposed contracts will be accepted.

The Salaberry section of the Syndicat de Champlain, which is affiliated with the FSE and represents area teachers employed by the Centre de services scolaire de la Vallée-des-Tisserands (CSSVT), voted 72.5 per cent in favour of the sectorial agreement and 83 per cent in favour of the Front commun-negotiated intersectoral agreement on January 22.

The Syndicat de Champlain reported a participation rate of 57 per cent for this vote, which set a record for the number of members participating in a general assembly.

Support staff represented by the Syndicat du Champlain who are members of the Vallée-du-Suroît soutien section voted 88 per cent in favour of the agreements, with a participation rate of 45 per cent.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Expectant mothers across the Valley can now rely on the support of a midwife to carry them throughout their pregnancy, whether they decide to give birth at home or in a hospital environment.

The Centre intégré de santé et services sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest (CISSSMO) ceremoniously launched its Services de sage-femme de la Vallée midwifery program in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield on February 2.

CISSSMO president and CEO Philippe Gribeauval pointed out that the service meets a need within the area: a survey conducted in 2022 showed that 70 per cent of respondents were interested in improving the availability of midwives in the region. Prior to Friday’s announcement, Richelieu and Pointe Claire were the two closest cities offering these services.

A team of midwives is already supporting a dozen area women, with a first delivery expected early this spring. The service will expand gradually, taking on up to four new clients per month. The CISSSMO anticipates that within a year, midwives will be monitoring over 130 pregnancies and will assist with around 85 deliveries, either at home or in hospital.

Gribeauval explained that there was a certain coherence between the project and the Centre Mère-Enfant birthing centre at the Hôpital du Suroît in Valleyfield, before confirming the CISSSMO is hoping to open a separate birthing house that could support up to 400 pregnancies within the next few years. He acknowledged it could take between a year and 18 months for this type of infrastructure to be established, while admitting there were many elements beyond his control.

In the meantime, Gribeauval insisted on describing the current location on Victoria Street for the Services de sage-femme de la Vallée as temporary. He estimates the new program alone will cost just over a million dollars to fully implement.

Complete and accessible services

Services are offered in French and English and include complete pregnancy follow-up with all the associated tests and analyses, preparation for childbirth and parenting, clinical responsibility for deliveries, breastfeeding support, and post-natal follow-up for up to six weeks for both mother and baby.

Beauharnois MNA Claude Reid, who spoke during the inauguration on behalf of Health Minister Christian Dubé, highlighted the importance of improving access to such essential services. “It is excellent news for our community!” he exclaimed, while pointing out that women will be able to enjoy a more intimate and personalized approach within a reassuring framework of high-quality care.

Reid saluted the work of the CISSSMO and the team of midwives led by Cynthia Perreault, who have worked over the past four years on this initiative. A parent committee has also been involved with the project throughout its development.

Perreault was intrigued by the profession after becoming a mother herself at the age of 18. A year later, she enrolled at university, where she graduated as part of the first cohort of licensed midwives in Quebec in 2003. She has been working in the profession ever since.

She explained that midwifery offers a more holistic and compassionate approach that is focused on the physical, mental, and emotional well-being of both mother and baby. “Most who come looking for this service are interested in the opportunity to deliver at home,” she said, while confirming the program is available to all women.

Perreault currently works with a team of two midwives and an administrative assistant at the Valleyfield location. Three additional midwives as well as four birth assistants are expected to join the Services de sage-femme de la Vallée this year.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Hydro Quebec has approved the Kruger Energy-backed Les Jardins wind energy project, developed in partnership with the MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville and the Mohawk Council of Kahnawà:ke (MCK). The project, which has a capacity to generate 147 megawatts, will see the construction of wind turbines in the municipalities of Saint-Patrice-de-Sherrington, Saint-Édouard, Saint-Michel, and the Township of Hemmingford.

The project was one of eight bids accepted by the public utility following a call for tenders issued last March. It will include 21 seven MW wind turbines, of which at least two will be in Hemmingford township. The turbines will stand around 130 metres tall, with a 160- to 170-metre rotor diameter. They will eventually connect with the grid via an existing transmission corridor that bridges with the Hemmingford substation. The contract for the wind farm extends over 30 years.

In a statement, Jean Roy, the senior vice president and CEO of Kruger Energy, pointed out the wind farm will generate significant economic spinoffs for local communities. Representatives for the company have said the project will create around 250 jobs during the construction phase, which is scheduled to end in December 2028, when Kruger Energy anticipates the completed wind farm will be commissioned.

Before construction can begin, the project will undergo several more consultations with regional partners and host communities, as well as numerous studies and processes, including an environmental impact assessment with the Bureau d’audiences publique sur l’environnement (BAPE) planned for 2024-2025, as well as requests for approval from the Commission de protection du territoire agricole (CPTAQ).

“The current energy transition is a vast undertaking, and all players in society must be involved in its success,” says Roy, who describes the partnership with the MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville and the MCK as an excellent model of sustainable and socially responsible development. 

Kruger Energy previously partnered with the MCK on the Des Cultures Wind Farm, a 24 MW project including six turbines in the municipalities of Saint-Rémi and Saint-Michel that was completed in 2022.

“Throughout our previous projects, Kruger has demonstrated unwavering support and a deep understanding of our community’s needs, and this new partnership will allow us to foster a crucial partnership with the MRC that benefits not only our community but the broader region as well,” said Alex Beaupre, the MCK’s executive revenue officer.

Yves Boyer, the prefect of the MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville, added that the project will allow for the generation of collective wealth while contributing to sustainable development and environmental protection for the benefit of citizens and future generations.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

“We are getting our plans in place,” says New Frontiers School Board general director Michael Helm, of a board-wide initiative to ensure students can catch up following teaching days lost to strike action late last year.

The board decided to rely heavily on the results of an interactive survey launched on the ThoughtExchange online platform to determine how best to provide support services and additional tutoring to students who need it. Over 500 people participated in the polling process, which revealed a preference for tutoring services to be offered immediately following the school day. “It was very powerful,” says Helm of the response to the survey. “It was clear what staff, parents, and the community preferred. Having those voices really helped us,” he revealed.

Helm says the response from teachers and support staff regarding after-school tutoring has been very positive. “Over 140 in the board said they would volunteer to put in this extra time to support these plans,” says Helm. “They want to see their students succeed and work through the time that was lost,” he explains, while noting that additional resources may be offered during the school day to students who need extra support.

“The goal is to put this into action for term three,” Helm confirms, pointing out that 60 per cent of final grades are determined during the final stretch. “This is really where the push needs to be,” he explained.

As the new support services will start in the third term, the board has decided to maintain the original schedule for term two report cards. The upcoming parent/teacher interviews will also not be affected by any of the plans being put in place.

There will also be no change to the schedules at the vocational level, where teachers have said they will be able to adjust within the remaining timeframe without affecting students’ ability to complete the various programs.

Helm says the board has also decided to make every effort to ensure March break is not impacted. There is some discussion around the possibility of offering online services at the secondary school level during this time. “We are looking at pros and cons,” he admits, saying there are no concrete plans in place yet.

The additional support being offered to students will be funded by the provincial education ministry, which announced a $300 million catch-up plan in early January. Ministerial exams that had been scheduled for early January were postponed to the end of the month and the beginning of February. End-of-year exams will also be delayed by a few days and will not be weighted as heavily.

Helm says the NFSB’s primary focus is setting up the tutoring services, so students will be supported through the third term and prepared for final exams come June.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Parents who are planning to register their youngsters in a kindergarten class starting next fall have a lot on their minds as they contemplate the next stage in their child’s development, including everything from new lunchboxes and indoor shoes to pencil cases and eligibility certificates.

Some parents may not realize the registration period for both the bilingual K4 and K5 programs at New Frontiers School Board (NFSB) elementary institutions is already open. It’s a fairly common occurrence, says NFSB director general Michael Helm. “At some point before the end of the year, people realize they have to register their child,” he says, suggesting some families leave this important step to the very last minute.

Helm says the schools will do everything they can to accommodate late registrations, but he cautions that obtaining proof from the provincial government that a child is eligible to be educated in English can take time. “Kids can’t be in school unless we have this document,” he confirms, noting that even parents who are on the fence about registering their child in English public education might consider securing their eligibility certificate – just so they are not caught out.

Helm says it is important that parents start thinking now about decisions down the road and consider the possibility a child may want to attend an English institution at a later time. Currently, English-speaking students attending school in French must apply for their eligibility certificate before graduating from high school.

Under the French Language Charter, children living in Quebec qualify for English eligibility if they or a sibling completed the majority of their elementary or secondary school studies in English in Canada. The children of a Canadian parent who did most of their elementary education in English will also qualify, as will children of parents residing in Quebec on a temporary basis. And, while subject to government approval, children with serious learning disabilities may also attend an English institution. Families that are unsure of their status can contact the school board for more information.

Helm says once the question of eligibility is settled, the NFSB offers an especially welcoming bilingual environment for its youngest students with a curriculum based entirely on play. He says learning through play and exposure to social interactions are key components of the program, and they help prepare students mentally and emotionally for more academically challenging content through progressive grade levels.

Kindergarten is also beneficial for students who may have special needs, says Helm. “We can start to identify, support, and work with some of these difficulties or special needs right away,” he explains, suggesting this can be very helpful to the school, as well as the students and their families.

Children must turn four-years-old before September 30 to be enrolled for the 2024-2025 school year. More information is available on the NFSB website, including links to help parents find their school and the corresponding contact information. Helm encourages parents with questions to contact their school to set up a meeting.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The municipal council in Havelock is regrouping after a public audience, requested by the municipality before the Commission de Protection du Territoire Agricole (CPTAQ), was cancelled.

The municipality had been preparing to plead its case against the operation of an asphalt factory already installed in the Carrières Ducharme quarry on Covey Hill before the commission on February 7. Over 20 other organizations, groups, and individuals were also planning on presenting, either in person or by submitting a memoire or brief in opposition to the plant owned by Groupe Chenail Inc.

As of press time, a new date was yet to be confirmed by the commission.

Testimonials were expected from the municipality and its ad-hoc committee that has been studying the potential impacts of the factory over the past several months, as well as local conservation group Ambioterra and the UPA, among others. It is anticipated that they will dispute the CPTAQ’s favourable assessment of the proposed project, issued last September, which concluded that an asphalt factory in its current location would not impact soil resources, the production of nearby maple operations and orchards, or the overall homogeneity of the area.

The CPTAQ assessment, which does not represent a final decision, suggested Groupe Chenail Inc. be allowed to operate the plant for five years while respecting certain conditions. After this period, the file would be reassessed.

Havelock, which has already waged a lengthy court battle against the factory, maintains such a project is inconsistent with the agricultural and forestry vocation of the community.

“The municipality is not letting this go,” says Mayor Gerald Beaudoin adamantly. “We want to make our case heard, and we are hoping that they will judge us favourably,” he adds.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Last February, during a snowstorm, a group of 17 nursing students arrived in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield from various African countries. They were about to begin refresher courses as part of a pilot project between the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation et de l’Intégration, the Cégep de Valleyfield, and the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest (CISSSMO).

In December, this first cohort completed their attestation d’études collégiales (AEC) in the nursing program at the Cégep. As of January 29, the students officially began working as candidates to the nursing profession with the CISSSMO, while they prepare to obtain their nursing licences by passing the Ordre des infirmières et infirmiers du Québec (OIIQ) exam.

Two of the graduates were awarded bursaries for their academic performance and perseverance from the Cégep de Valleyfield and the Hôpital du Suroît Foundations.

Diane Songwa, who received one of the bursaries, says this past year has been one of adaptation. From her first introduction to winter weather to the stark differences between the expectations of nurses in Quebec compared to her home country of Cameroon, she has been learning how to manage the culture shock.

The 32-year-old admits that when she first came across an advertisement for the program, she didn’t think it was real. She was studying in Belgium at the time, and decided there was no harm in sending an application since there was no requirement to pay anything up front. She laughs, saying she only began to believe in the program when she started receiving communications about language proficiency tests and immigration documents.

Songwa lived in the dormitory at the Cégep for several months after her arrival and worked three days a week as an orderly at the Suroît hospital while attending classes to familiarize herself with the Quebec healthcare system and hospital environment. She says she received a warm reception from officials at the Cégep and the CISSSMO, who were eager to help with everything from grocery shopping to finding more permanent housing.

Now living within walking distance to the hospital where she works full time, Songwa says she appreciated the classes and felt well prepared while transitioning from classroom simulations to real-life hospital situations.

She says the importance of caring for patients doesn’t change between countries, but the technology and the materials available to Quebec practitioners “is a big plus we don’t have [in Cameroon]. “The nurses are more autonomous and have more responsibility than in my country,” she notes, suggesting nurses here are responsible for much more than administering medications. “The profession is a bit more restrained back home,” she adds, explaining that in Cameroon, the role of a nurse is to support the doctor.

Songwa says she is looking forward to remaining in Quebec and following this next step in her career, though she admits Quebec’s infamous nursing exam has her feeling more than a little stressed. “It is a new challenge, and I am excited!” she exclaims.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent is talking trash, and it wants your help.

It will be holding a public consultation on its draft residual materials management plan (PGMR) for the region on March 12. The document, which is focused on managing and reducing all types of waste generated within the 13 municipalities of the Haut-Saint-Laurent, was adopted by the regional council of mayors on January 17 for a period extending to 2031.

Émilie Escafit, the MRC’s waste management coordinator, began revising the regional government’s plan last spring. The PGMR provides a regional portrait of waste management, determines the orientations and objectives pursued by the MRC, and establishes the means and actions to be implemented to achieve them. The plan is bound by the provincial Environment Quality Act, as well as by the objectives of the Quebec Residual Materials Management Policy, its 2019-2024 Action Plan, and the government’s plan to recover organic waste.

“Despite these government targets, the PGMR allows for the consideration of regional realities in achieving government objectives,” says Escafit, noting the deadlines for reaching certain targets have been adjusted to take elements particular to the MRC into account. These include budgetary restrictions, relatively low residual materials output, vast distances for collection, and limited human resources.

The document includes an inventory of residual materials generated within the MRC at the residential, institutional, commercial, and industrial levels, as well as construction, renovation, and demolition waste. It also features a territorial diagnosis based on the inventory and previous PGMR, clear objectives, and an action plan. Escafit confirms the action plan was drawn up in collaboration with the MRC’s waste management committee, following multiple consultations with the municipalities.

A series of regional objectives were established. Some highlights include measures to reduce the quantity of disposed materials to 525 kg per capita by 2031, by encouraging actions to reduce waste generation at the source. The MRC aims to provide access to organic waste management services in the residential and institutional, commercial, and industrial sector across 20 per cent of the territory by 2027, with the long-term goal of recycling 60 per cent of organic waste by 2031. The MRC also aims to recycle 70 per cent of waste generated through construction, renovation, and demolition. In all, the updated PGMR presents 34 measures within the action plan spread over the next seven years.

The document is accessible online on the MRC website, while paper versions can be read at the MRC office in Huntingdon and at any of the municipal town halls across the region.

The public is invited to comment on any section of the document during the public consultation evening on March 12. Citizens are welcome to present suggestions on improving composting services, access to ecocentres or drop-off sites, or curbing waste generation in all sectors. Citizens, groups, and organizations may also submit briefs to the MRC before March 4 by mail, or by email to emilie.escafit@mrchsl.com.

Escafit says all comments will be considered, and the document can be modified accordingly before it is finalized. The meeting will take place in the council room of the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent in Huntingdon, starting at 8 p.m.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The New Frontiers School Board is reacting positively to a $300 million catch-up plan recently announced by the provincial government.

Education Minister Bernard Drainville has confirmed that the government will not cancel March break, and the school year will not be extended to make up for time lost during public sector strikes last November and December.

Instead, Drainville outlined plans to help balance things between those who missed 23 days of school, those who lost nine days, and students in the private system who did not miss any classes. The plans include voluntary tutoring during school hours, support outside of school hours, free summer school, funds for community groups that provide homework programs or literacy aids, and help during spring break.

The plan also resorts to several measures that were put in place during the pandemic to limit the impact of absenteeism on final grades. End-of-year exams will be delayed by a few days and the weight of these assessments will be diminished. Students, especially those in secondary four and five, will only be tested on essential learnings in each subject.

There is also an option for school service centres and boards to delay the preparation of March report cards to the end of the month.

“We need to do everything that we can, to help the students to catch up and overcome the delays in the teaching and learning that they have suffered due to the strike,” said Drainville, who suggested there are ways to “make it almost a normal year.”

Drainville added he was very confident that there will be a “great mobilization” within the school networks between administration, teachers, support staff, and parents to work together to help their students.

NFSB looks ahead

“We are pleased that the government will be providing us with funding to support a plan,” said NFSB director general Michael Helm, who noted he is especially content that the ministry is allowing school boards and service centres the flexibility to develop plans to suit the needs of their students.

“This is indeed an unfortunate situation we all find ourselves in – especially for our students,” said Helm. He added that the government’s modifications to the weighting of final exams, the focus of final evaluations, and the possibility to extend the second term will be helpful.

The NFSB has met with the directorate to begin the planning process. Helm explained the goal is to quickly establish a rough draft that will then be used to consult with different stakeholders and partners, before finalizing the approach to the remainder of the school year.

The board has since launched an interactive ThoughtExchange survey to allow parents and members of the community to provide input regarding additional instructional support for children who may be struggling due to the lost school days. The questions touch specifically on the timing of tutorial sessions, and whether these should be done virtually or in person. At least 419 individuals have participated in some way in this survey, with over 321 thoughts having been shared. The survey will close at midnight on January 25.

Still some uncertainty

As the NFSB and the Centre de services scolaire de la Vallée-des-Tisserands work to find ways to help students, the different public sector unions representing teachers, support staff, and educational professionals will be meeting over the next three weeks to vote on contract agreements negotiated with the government in late December.

Nick Ross, the president of the Chateauguay Valley Teachers Association, has confirmed that its members, for whom information sessions were given on January 17 and 18, will gather for a special general meeting on January 24 to vote on the proposals.

Support staff members of the Syndicat des employées et employés professionnels et de bureau (SEPB 576) will meet on January 31 in Howick to decide whether to approve the agreement in principle reached with the government.

Teachers working for the Centre de services scolaire de la Vallée-des-Tisserands who are members of the Syndicat de Champlain met virtually on January 22 to vote on the agreements, while support staff will meet on January 29.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The New Frontiers School Board has published its renewed Commitment to Success Plan, which sets out the orientations and priorities for the institution to follow over the next four years.

“It is about each student and what each student’s needs are,” says NFSB director general Michael Helm. He notes that this philosophy plays a significant role in the Commitment to Success Plan, which was developed following a series of extensive public consultations that took place between November 2022 and September 2023.

The revised plan was adopted during the regular meeting of the Council of Commissioners in October and was submitted to the Ministry of Education for approval. The Ministry accepted the plan officially on October 26, and Helm says they are now working with the document to develop objectives that will eventually become an action plan.

A roadmap for the way forward

This was the first time the NFSB has consulted on the wording of its vision, which now centres on fostering success for each student. The board’s mission revolves around engaging students, staff, parents, and the community as educational partners, while the values of the NFSB include community, adaptability, responsibility, and equality/inclusion.

“We are very pleased with the outcome,” says Helm, who suggests that as a school board, “We are going to see some significant gains for our students.”

To better encourage student success, the NFSB will be looking at increasing access to specialized programs while also considering the learning environment and the importance of listening to students. The Plan outlines a series of Ministry of Education orientations and the NFSB’s commitments to achieve these objectives, which include making student success a top priority for Quebec society, making vocational education truly attractive, and making schools and centres welcoming spaces. The board does not shy away from admitting there will be challenges in meeting these targets over the next few years.

For example, the NFSB acknowledges it has seen a three- to six-per cent increase in employee turnover, especially in terms of teachers. High absenteeism rates and the level of student engagement are also areas of concern. To help, the board will be providing increased support to new teachers as well as mentoring and coaching initiatives for all employees. Students will see an increased focus on extracurricular activities and specialty programs.

The success rate of students with special needs is well above the provincial average, as is the proportion of students scoring between 70 and 100 per cent on the grade 6 compulsory mathematics exam; however, graduation rates and success rates for boys are currently below the provincial average. The participation rate in special educational projects by secondary students is also below the average across Quebec. The NFSB has committed to improving these areas, with the goal of achieving results above current provincial averages by 2027.

When it comes to adult learners and vocational programs, the graduation rate among NFSB students is slightly below the Quebec average. Here, the board has committed to being as flexible as possible to accommodate adult learners in their work/life balance. The board is hoping to attain permanent authorization for the Health Assistance and Nursing program, while looking to offer new programs that support the needs of the community.

In tandem with the ministerial orientations, the NFSB has developed its own orientations in consultation with students, staff, families, and the community. These objectives revolve around strengthening employee engagement, leveraging the power of data to make informed decisions, and fostering relationships and partnerships that will lead to collaborative and inclusive educational environments.

The NFSB has just launched its registration period for its kindergarten programs. Interested parents can access the Commitment to Success Plan to learn more about the Board’s engagements, as well as its bilingual programs, online at nfsb.qc.ca.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Public sector workers in the education, health, and social services networks will decide whether to accept the contents of a collective agreement in principle that was negotiated with the provincial government.

The leaders of the Front commun released additional details concerning salary and working conditions that were included in the five-year deal on January 7, saying the 420,000 members from at least 300 affiliated unions must now sign off on the agreement. The common front leaders agreed to a 17.4 per cent increase, with a six per cent jump in the first year, retroactive to April 1, 2023. The unions say this is the largest salary increase since 1979.

The contract also includes up to three per cent to protect purchasing power over the last three years of the contract, and improvements in terms of vacation leave, retirement, group insurance, parental rights, and other issues.

“It’s important to see the agreement as a whole,” said CSN first vice-president François Enault, CSQ president Éric Gingras, FTQ president Magali Picard, and APTS president Robert Comeau. “Gains achieved at the central bargaining table are added to those obtained at sectoral tables regarding conditions of work and practice. We’ll be seeing some very important debates within our unions over the next weeks.”

The members of the Chateauguay Valley Teachers Association (CVTA) will be voting on the proposed contract at some point between January 22 and February 9. “Members will be well informed before the special general meeting that will be held in order for members to vote on the proposal,” said CVTA president Nick Ross.

Information meetings will take place beforehand with the CVTA executive committee and members of the representatives’ council. An information session for CVTA members will also take place in mid-January with the Quebec Provincial Association of Teachers (QPAT) negotiating team.

The New Frontiers School Board director general, Michael Helm, said he is relieved that the negotiations are going in the right direction, and he is hopeful they continue to develop in the coming weeks.

Catching up

Across the Valley, students were out of school for eight days, while others in some French schools in and around Montreal lost 22 days after teachers affiliated with the FAE launched an unlimited strike on November 23.

The Education Minister, Bernard Drainville, released final plans to help students catch up on time lost to public sector strikes on January 9. Helm confirmed he met with representatives from the Education Ministry on at least two occasions prior to the release of the plans, which aim to support students and their learning between now and the end of the school year.

The ministry has already pushed back supplemental ministerial exams to allow students the time to properly prepare.

Sarah Rennie – LJI Reporter

During a brief meeting to discuss the fall session in parliament, Salaberry-Suroît MP Claude DeBellefeuille confirmed that changes to the name and boundaries of her riding had quietly been formalized by the Federal Electoral Boundaries Commission for Quebec in June.

The new electoral map became official in September when it was proclaimed by the Chief Electoral Officer. The new ridings will be used during the next general federal election, so long as it is called after April 22.

At that time, the Salaberry-Suroît riding will become known as Beauharnois-Salaberry-Soulanges-Huntingdon, and the current Chateauguay-Lacolle riding will be known as Chateauguay-Les Jardins-de-Napierville.

Significant changes to the boundaries of the two ridings were also formalized as a result of a process started by the publication of the Commission’s proposal on July 29, 2022. Public hearings took place in September and October of that year, before a report was tabled in February 2023. MPs were able to voice any objections to the proposed changes before the representation order was established on September 22.

The Beauharnois-Salaberry-Soulanges-Huntingdon riding will be the second most populous riding in the province after the new Vaudreuil riding. It spans across sections of the MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges, including the Town of Coteau-du-Lac as well as the municipalities of Les Cèdres, Les Coteaux, Rivière-Beaudette, Saint-Clet, Saint-Polycarpe, Saint-Télesphore, Saint-Zotique, Sainte-Justine-de-Newton, Sainte-Marthe, Très-Saint-Rédempteur, and the Village of Pointe-des-Cascades.

The riding includes all the municipalities of the MRC de Beauharnois-Salaberry except for Saint-Urbain-Premier and Sainte-Martine. The new boundaries split the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent in two, while including the Town of Huntingdon as well as the municipalities of Elgin, Hinchinbrooke, Ormstown, Saint-Anicet, Sainte-Barbe, and the township municipalities of Dundee and Godmanchester. The riding also includes Akwesasne.

DeBellefeuille voiced her objection to the changes, though her opposition was mainly over the proposed name of the riding, which was Salaberry-Suroît-Soulanges. She notes it was understood that the Commission had little choice given the sprawling population growth in Vaudreuil but to balance this within the region.

The Chateauguay-Les Jardins-de-Napierville riding will include all the municipalities in the MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville, as well as the municipalities of Saint-Urbain-Premier and Sainte-Martine from the neighbouring MRC de Beauharnois-Salaberry. The boundaries reach into the MRC de Roussillon to include the towns of Chateauguay, Léry, Mercier, and the parish municipality of Saint-Isidore. Finally, the riding gains the municipalities of Franklin, Howick, and Saint-Chrysostome, as well as the township municipality of Très-Saint-Sacrement and the township.

More information on the redistribution of federal electoral districts is available on the Elections Canada website at elections.ca.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The municipality of Ormstown narrowly adopted its budget for the 2024 fiscal year during an extraordinary municipal council meeting on December 14.

Ormstown mayor Christine McAleer presented the balanced budget, which includes projected revenues and expenses of over $7.7 million. She qualified 2023 as a difficult year, and she did not mince her words in describing the financial situation facing the municipality as precarious “like never before.”

“When we started the exercise, the tax increase [that was] needed to balance the budget exceeded 50 per cent,” she stated. As Quebec municipalities are not able by law to run a deficit, McAleer explained the council was forced to prioritize what was essential, requiring some very difficult decisions. “Each department has been scrutinized. Each expense was reviewed line by line, analyzed, and decreased where possible,” she said.

McAleer referred to the 2024 budget as disciplined and responsible. The municipality introduced a five-year plan for infrastructure last year that requires significant investments per year to carry out urgent and necessary work on the aqueduct system, as well as infrastructure to treat sewage and rainwater, and provide drinking water for the municipality.

She explained that the plan remains a priority for the council, and the budget respects this commitment. “To do this without having a major financial impact on citizens, the council decided to adjust downward the base tax rate for each of the tax categories,” said McAleer.

Lower property tax rates

The mayor also explained the impact of property evaluations on this year’s financial exercise. She noted the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent is responsible for the evaluation of the municipal assessment roll according to a three-year cycle. A new roll was completed this year after the MRC mandated the Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM – Évaluation) to assess the estimated value of all properties in Ormstown. As a result, property values in Ormstown have shot up by 58 per cent on average.

During the presentation, McAleer provided several examples of the impact of the municipal evaluation on citizens’ tax accounts. A private residence valued at $184,500 in 2023 will jump to $301,100 in 2024, while an agricultural property valued at $740,700 in 2023 is now estimated to be worth $1,205,100.

A significant proportion of the revenue generated by all municipalities comes from taxes based on property evaluations. The council in Ormstown was also mindful of this balance in deciding to drop its residual tax rates.

The residential tax rate will fall from $0.8118 per $100 of assessment to $0.5133/$100, which represents a decrease of nearly 30 cents per $100. The rate for agricultural properties will drop from $0.5903 to $0.5133, for a difference of just under eight cents per $100 of assessment. The rate for residences including six dwellings or more will be reduced from $0.8443 to $0.6842, or 16 cents per $100, while the commercial and industrial rates move from $1.4681 to $1.2833, or just over 18 cents.

Investments in capital program

The three-year capital investment program includes around $8.7 million in planned spending for 2024. Of this, $3.8 million will go towards the filtration plant, wastewater overflow plan, and the water and sewer network.

McAleer noted that the previous administrations also struggled with the issue of the municipality’s decrepit water infrastructure. She explained that hundreds of thousands of dollars have been invested in studies to advance the various interrelated projects. The mayor confirmed that after two years, the planning stage is nearing completion and detailed plans will soon be sent to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. “Hopefully we will get the required approval and funding soon after,” she said.

Other highlights of the three-year program include $2 million for road maintenance and asphalting, as well as around $903,400 to revitalize sidewalks and $300,000 for the installation of a municipal splash pad.

Opposition to the budget

The budget was successfully adopted by council, but it was not a unanimous decision. Councillor for seat number two, Jacques Guilbault, voted against the budget, as did councillor number four, Eric Bourdeau.

Several residents also expressed their reservations during the question period following the budget presentation. Philippe Besombes, who lives in Ormstown and is the president of the Association des gens d’affaires d’Ormstown et des environs (AGAO+), noted he was especially concerned about the capacity of Ormstown residents and business owners to afford tax increases.

Other questions focused on the stalling of developments that would add revenue to the municipal budget. The mayor explained that the problems plaguing the water and sewer systems were negatively impacting development and noted that the state of the sewer system is such that the municipality has had to block the construction of 24 homes, because the network is unable to handle any additional load.

“Despite the planned tax increase and spending cuts for 2024, we will be continuously monitoring the budget throughout the year to see if we can decrease the tax burden in the future, while still maintaining the services citizens expect us to provide,” said McAleer.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The New Frontiers School Board will ask for intervenor status in the court challenge launched by the English Montreal School Board (EMSB) against the provincial government over the right to communicate in English.

The EMSB announced on November 8 that it had filed a motion in Quebec Superior Court, requesting a stay of provisions of Bill 96 and the Charter of the French Language that require most of the board’s written communications be in French.

Many of the provisions in Bill 96, including a requirement that those in the public service make “exemplary” use of French, came into effect this past June. Since then, the EMSB began to receive internal complaints about the language used in internal written communications.

Narrow exceptions to these rules for English language school boards mean pedagogical communications, or those that are directly connected to teaching, can be written exclusively in English, while administrative communications that relate to the management or organization of the school board must be either in French or in both French and English.

According to the Office québécois de la langue française, examples of administrative communications include back-to-school information, registration procedures, school calendars, policies, annual reports, governing board meeting agendas and minutes, etc. The same would apply to school board internal documents, written communications between English school boards, and school social media accounts.

The law also requires that English school boards communicate exclusively in French when writing with key institutions of the English-speaking community, such as the Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) or the English Parents’ Committee Association of Quebec.

In a press release issued by the EMSB, Joe Ortona, the chair of the school board said he finds the requirements shocking. “These requirements should not apply to the EMSB as we are not a school service centre, given the Superior Court’s ruling in Bill 40. If they are found to apply to the English sector, then these provisions should be suspended, as they would cause irreparable harm to the English-speaking community.”

The EMSB argues the implementation of these provisions will alter its linguistic culture, while imposing translation burdens on staff, including principals. They may also make it more difficult to staff English schools if boards can no longer employ unilingually English teachers and support staff.

The EMSB is challenging the constitutionality of Bill 96, however it is expected that this will be a lengthy process. In the meantime, the EMSB is arguing a stay will prevent the board from undergoing irreparable harm until a court decision on the law is rendered.

During the December 5 regular meeting of the NFSB Council of Commissioners, a motion was unanimously passed for the board to become an intervenor in the EMSB’s request for a stay.

“Most boards are planning to intervene, and we have chosen to do so as well,” said NFSB chair John Ryan. An intervenor in a court case is a third party that is permitted by the court to make arguments in a case.

The lawyers will examine the situations of the intervening school boards to determine whether this interpretation of Bill 96 by the OQLF and the Quebec government could result in irreparable harm to the institutions involved. The boards will then be able to intervene in the case by presenting written or oral submissions to the court.

It is expected that the QESBA will ask for similar intervenor status in this case.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The town of Huntingdon continues to boom. Along with a rapidly expanding residential sector, the town is now seeing rapid growth in commercial and industrial developments within its territory.

In partnership with real estate developer Capital Maurice, Huntingdon announced the creation of a light industrial development project during a brief press conference on December 6.

Estimated to cost around $20 million, the new industrial complex will involve the construction of at least eight buildings ranging in size from 2,500 to 12,600 square feet. The buildings will be built in a 330,000-square-foot expanded section of the existing industrial park next to the Maison Russet facility on Route 202.

“There is a shortage of this type of light industrial building in Huntingdon,” said Jean-Christophe Paquin, the president of Capital Maurice, who spoke on the versatility of the project. The buildings, which can be customized according to specific needs, will all be equipped with a separate septic system and access to municipal water. Each unit will feature one to five suites, 16-foot-high garage doors and 22-foot-high ceilings, with the possibility of adding a mezzanine.

Designed with small service companies in mind including electrical, welding, or mechanical workshops, the developers intend to keep rental rates affordable to attract young entrepreneurs. There will be a total of 40 commercial leases available, with the possibility of financial assistance and subsidies from the municipality.

Mayor André Brunette of Huntingdon welcomed the initiative. “It was time,” he said, noting the industrial park was completely full. “With these new buildings coming, it is going to create new jobs,” he added, suggesting these would be needed given the pace at which the town is currently developing.

“We have the infrastructure to accommodate everything that is being built now,” said Brunette, who maintains the town is developing with the community and its growing needs in mind. Capital Maurice is also involved in the development of a 42-unit residential and commercial building along the Ridge Road in Huntingdon.

The infrastructure for the project is complete, and work is being done to build an access road from Route 202. According to Paquin, the foundation for the first building is expected to be poured in February or March, with the goal of opening the building by April.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Striking workers from the education, health, and social services sectors affiliated with the common front of Quebec unions were joined on the picket lines this week, by nurses and care professionals who began a four-day walkout on Monday. The members of the Front commun plan to end their seven-day strike action on Thursday.

Public sector unions all rejected the most recent offer by the government of a 12.7 per cent salary increase over five years, saying this offer falls below current inflation estimates and would mean a pay cut for employees. Both the common front and the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé du Québec (FIQ), which represents 80,000 nurses and other care professionals, submitted counteroffers to the government late last week. The FIQ is proposing a 20-per cent increase over four years, while the common front has agreed to negotiate a longer-term contract as well – up to five years – but only if this includes an indexation clause and salary catch-up.

The four union leaders of the common front have said they will meet on December 18 and 19 to take stock of progress at the negotiation tables. If they have not received a serious offer from the government at that point, the union group says it is prepared to call an unlimited general strike after the holidays.

“The intensity of the negotiations has definitely picked up,” says Nick Ross, the president of the Chateauguay Valley Teachers Association (CVTA). He notes that the negotiating teams at the provincial level are meeting almost daily and trying to work out the best possible scenario for the workers. In the meantime, he confirms the morale among local CVTA members remains high. “It is great to see all of the workers from the education sector together at mobilization activities: support staff, blue-collar, professionals, and teachers standing side-by-side in solidarity,” he says, noting striking workers are keeping things upbeat and positive by playing music and dancing to keep warm.

“The support of the community is unprecedented, and everyone appreciates each small gesture whether it be a honk and a smile or a delivery of coffee, hot chocolate, muffins or cookies,” says Ross, who reiterates that area teachers do not want to be on strike, but it is necessary to move things forward with the government.

Michael Helm, the director general of the New Frontiers School Board, says the strike is starting to stress the education network. He says he is concerned about the number of teaching days that have been lost. “Our focus is going to have to be on essential learnings,” he says, suggesting that if the strike continues there may be less time for enrichment or self-exploratory work with students. He says there has been no word from the Education Ministry to date about compensating for lost time. He is also keenly aware that over the course of the winter, there will likely be more school days cancelled due to weather.

Helm says he is also concerned about NFSB staff, students, and their families. “It has an impact on many levels, and everyone is still pretty fragile,” he says.

Nurses and care professionals also frustrated

For Dominic Caisse, the interim president of the FIQ-syndicat des professionnelles en soins de Montérégie Ouest, the government is not being fair. “Flexibility, efficiency, power: these are all words the government talks about, but what we want our patients and the public to understand is that it can’t be a one-way street,” he says.

“We too want the flexibility to be with our families; stable and efficient work teams to provide better care; and the power to set our own schedules. Authoritarian management is no longer acceptable to care professionals,” he states, while suggesting care professionals deserve to be paid what they are worth and won’t stand for a reduction in purchasing power.

Premier François Legault has said he is willing to increase the salary offer, but only in return for concessions on the part of the different unions.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Bank of Montreal held a public information meeting on November 21 to answer questions about the upcoming closure of its Huntingdon branch.

A presentation was given by BMO regional vice-president Katy DeGrandpré to a crowded room at the Huntingdon Legion. “This is a difficult situation,” she said. “We recognize that this change is significant for this community and that it will be hard.” Nonetheless, she confirmed the decision to close the bank on April 26 was final, and that all accounts will be transferred to the Salaberry-de-Valleyfield branch.

DeGrandpré said that final decision was made over the summer; the town of Huntingdon was not consulted. The bank’s imposing building on Chateauguay Street will be put up for sale.

She acknowledged that travelling to Valleyfield might be difficult or impossible for some clients, but guaranteed the local team will help with the transition, both to the new location and to virtual banking, as Huntingdon’s full-service ATM will also be removed.

During a question period that followed the presentation, clients focused on ATM access, withdrawals, and deposits, as well as accessibility issues with the Valleyfield branch. One participant referred to the decision as shortsighted, considering Huntingdon’s booming population. “This is a real blow,” she said.

Concern was also expressed for local employees. DeGrandpré reiterated the bank will help with the transition; she said several Huntingdon employees will transfer to Valleyfield, while others will be relocated elsewhere.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The housing crisis affecting the rest of the province has not spared the Haut-Saint-Laurent, where there is a dire shortage of affordable housing options despite new residential developments going up in several municipalities.

Home sharing may offer a solution to this issue, but finding a home or a compatible individual to live with can be difficult or overwhelming. A group of community organizations and area businesses have united to create Les Habitations Partagées, an innovative shared-housing initiative aimed at tempering the housing crisis without relying on new social housing construction.

Around 20 people gathered on November 14 in Ormstown to learn more about the initiative, which aims to pair home seekers, or those who are looking for affordable housing, with compatible home providers who are currently living alone with room to share. “There are so many lonely people living in large homes; why not use this untapped resource to increase the supply of housing in our region?” said Joanie Gravel, the director of the Habitations des Tisserandes social housing complex.

The Habitations des Tisserandes has partnered with Une Affaire de Famille as well as the Centre de recherche d’emploi du Sud-Ouest (CRESO), the CDC du Haut-Saint-Laurent, and Maison Russet to develop this program. Representatives from each organization spoke in turn about their interests in the project. For example, Une Affaire de Famille has experience with pairing individuals through its various programs, while the CRESO works with temporary foreign workers and new arrivals to the region who face additional roadblocks in terms of finding housing. Maison Russet is actively recruiting foreign workers to staff its sweet-potato processing facility in Huntingdon and is finding it difficult to provide adequate housing. All have a vested interest in ensuring more sustainable housing in the region.

“We are here to respond to the needs that are here right now,” said Thomas Gauvin, an immigration counselor responsible for intercultural pairing, accompaniment, support, and employment with the CRESO.

According to Gabrielle Limoges, the director of Une Affaire de Famille, the project was well-received and many of those present were interested in potentially becoming hosts. The model is based on successful initiatives that have taken root in the Outaouais region and in other provinces. For the moment, recruitment will take place through the partner groups’ various networks. Home seekers and home providers will be accompanied through the entire process of being paired, with weekly follow-ups taking place once a compatible match has been made.

Those interested in participating in the program or learning more about the initiative can contact Une Affaire de Famille by phone at 450-829-3782, or by e-mail at uaf.reception@gmail.com.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Opposition is mounting against proposed changes to the boundary of the Huntingdon riding, following a report published by the Commission de la représentation électorale du Québec that recommends adding five municipalities to the constituency.

The commission is proposing to offset population growth in neighbouring ridings by adding the municipalities of Saint-Étienne-de-Beauharnois, Saint-Stanislas-de-Kostka, Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague, Saint-Blaise-sur-Richelieu, and a section of the city of Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu to the Huntingdon riding.

Public consultations on the proposed changes ran from mid-October to November 15. A total of seven briefs were presented during an in-person session on November 7 in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. Beauharnois MNA Claude Reid, Soulanges MNA Marilyne Picard, and Vaudreuil MNA Marie-Claude Nichols presented their perspectives, as did Miguel Lemieux and Patrick Bousez, the prefects for the MRC de Beauharnois-Salaberry and MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges. None spoke positively of the commission’s recommendations. Huntingdon MNA Carole Mallette was especially critical, arguing the changes would see the riding expand even further without any additional resources to meet new needs.

The CDC du Haut-Saint-Laurent also denounced the proposed changes in a memoir submitted to the commission, suggesting the addition of more populous municipalities could disproportionally impact the MNA’s available time to address issues facing smaller communities.

A resolution adopted by the municipality of Havelock on November 6 requests the status quo be maintained for the riding.

A parliamentary commission will review the recommendations and a revised proposal will be debated in the National Assembly before any new electoral boundaries will be adopted. The revised electoral map will be in place for the 2026 provincial election.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The picket signs, banners, and flags have been stowed for the moment, as local members of the Front commun have returned to work at Valley schools and heath care institutions after staging a three-day walkout last week in protest of lagging contract negotiations.

Nurses, auxiliary nurses, and other care professionals with the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé (FIQ) are also back at work after striking for two days last week. Only the teachers who are members of the Fédération autonome de l’enseignement (FAE) remain on the picket line after launching an unlimited strike on November 23. This strike is not impacting local schools, however.

Nick Ross, the president of the Chateauguay Valley Teachers Association (CVTA), says the demonstrations in Ormstown and Chateauguay were well-attended, and he notes that the three-day strike was a new experience for many teachers. He says the pressure from the public sector strikes is starting to motivate the government to negotiate, while suggesting that the Front commun’s request for a conciliator worked well to quash government talking points that said the unions were not willing to negotiate.

“Hopefully we won’t have to continue along a progression towards a general strike,” Ross says, before confirming that as of press time, no further action is being planned by members of the Front commun.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Quebec has suspended the application of certain sections of its controversial school governance legislation for English school boards.

Education minister Bernard Drainville tabled an amendment at the National Assembly on November 21 that would delay the coming into force of 13 sections of Bill 23 within the English education network.

The sections of the bill referred to in the amendment revolve around three clauses related to school board governance. The first allows the government to appoint or to remove the directors general at school service centres and boards. The second bestows new powers on the minister of Education to annul decisions taken by school boards or to force a decision at the minister’s initiative. The third clause sees school boards enter into management and accountability agreements with the Education Ministry.

The bill was first introduced on May 11 by Drainville, who insisted at the time that it respects the rights of the English-speaking community to manage and control its educational institutions. The Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA) disagreed, and accused the government of infringing upon these rights while threatening legal action if changes were not introduced.

The decision to amend the bill follows meetings between Drainville and representatives from QESBA. “It was something we have been working on,” said John Ryan, the chair of the council of commissioners of the New Frontiers School Board, which is a member of QESBA. Still, he said, the announcement was “almost unexpected.” Even more of a surprise was the reaction of other parties and MNAs at the National Assembly. “The prediction was that it was going to be problematic, but it went through!” he exclaimed.

Ryan considers the amendment as a win for English school boards. “It takes a lot of pressure off of us,” he explained, while acknowledging that if Bill 23 were to have been adopted without the amendment, QESBA would have immediately applied for a stay. “It saves us energy, time, and more expense,” he added.

The QESBA is also celebrating a partial victory. In a statement, QESBA president Joe Ortona maintained the sections of Bill 23 are unconstitutional, while conceding he was pleased with the understanding reached with the minister to exempt English school boards from these sections of Bill 23. Drainville also promised to consult with QESBA and the English-speaking community before enacting any of these sections in the future.

“Would we have preferred to have been completely exempt? Absolutely, but this is a step in the right direction,” said Ortona.

The bill, if adopted, will apply in full to French education service centres. The government says it hopes to pass the bill before the National Assembly breaks for its Christmas recess.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Area businesses are under pressure as the deadline to repay federal emergency loans without losing a forgivable portion is now fast approaching.

During a November 16 press conference, Salaberry-Suroît MP Claude DeBellefeuille was flanked by the heads of the local chambers of commerce and industry as she called on the Canadian government to extend the repayment period while demanding greater flexibility for small businesses.

Accompanied by Mathieu Miljours, the director of the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Vaudreuil Soulanges (CCIVS), and Éliane Galipeau, the director of the Chambre de commerce et d’industrie de Beauharnois-Valleyfield-Haut-Saint-Laurent (CCIBVHSL), DeBellefeuille insisted that an extension to the repayment period is necessary to avoid putting businesses in her riding at risk.

“The federal government’s inaction is weakening many of our businesses,” said DeBellefeuille, who noted the lack of flexibility while alleging there are errors within the program that are not possible to correct. “At the moment, there is no direct contact with the ministry, and companies are unable to speak to anyone. There is no one to talk to about specific issues with the program,” she lamented.

Introduced in April 2020 to help businesses and non-profits that were forced to close during the height of the pandemic, the federal government’s Canadian Emergency Business Account (CEBA) offered interest-free loans of up to $60,000 through the program. Up to one-third of the loans are eligible to be forgiven if businesses can pay back the outstanding amount by January 18, 2024. Businesses that are not able to make this deadline will lose the forgivable portion, and the debt will be converted into a three-year loan with five per cent annual interest.

The government has offered an additional extension to March 28, 2024, for those businesses who refinance their debt to remain eligible for the forgivable portion of the loan.

Nearly 900 small businesses and non-profits across Canada took out loans through the program. In Quebec, a total of 182,923 businesses were approved for CEBA loans, for a total of over $10 billion in funding. Between 85 and 90 per cent of small- to medium-sized businesses in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges area benefitted from the CEBA program. Miljours explained that the immediate repayment of these loans, or the conversion to interest-bearing loans, would have a negative impact on the regional economy.

“If government assistance was greeted with relief during the Covid-19 pandemic crisis, it must be said that this massive injection of money into the Canadian economy accentuated the inflationary crisis we are currently experiencing, not to mention the labour shortage that is forcing our companies to increase the wages paid to their employees. These are just some of the challenges to which the addition of further financial pressure could have serious consequences on our businesses,” said Miljours.

Galipeau agreed, while suggesting that at a time of economic stagnation – when the cost of living is putting pressure on businesses from all directions – the inaction and rigidity on the part of the government will create additional pressure. “This will undoubtedly force many companies to take drastic measures, such as shutting down their operations for good – either voluntarily or as a result of bankruptcy,” said Galipeau.

Similar calls for an extension have now come from all 13 Canadian premiers, as well as the federal NDP, Bloc Québécois, and Green Party. Over 50,000 small business owners have signed a petition by the Canadian Federation of Independent Businesses calling on the government to extend the deadline.

“We intend to continue to pursue the government, and to use every means at our disposal to obtain an extension. The survival of many businesses in my riding and in the rest of Quebec depends on it,” concluded Claude DeBellefeuille.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Quebec government announced in late October that it will be offering paid fast-track career education programs to meet a growing demand for trained employees within the construction industry. Both the New Frontiers School Board (NFSB) and the Centre de services scolaires de la Vallée-des-Tisserands (CSSVT) have responded quickly to the government’s offensive and are now offering accelerated training programs in construction and in tinsmithing.

“The need is really coming up right away,” says the NFSB director general, Michael Helm, of the current labour shortage in the construction industry. In response, the NFSB has added two new carpentry groups that will start in January at the Chateauguay Valley Career Education Centre in Ormstown. There are 44 spots in total between the two courses, which will take place either during the day or at night. Registration opened just a little over a week ago, and “They are almost completely full at this point,” says Helm.

The government is hoping to train up to 5,000 new carpenters, excavator operators, heavy machinery operators, refrigeration technicians, and tinsmiths (or sheet metal workers) over the winter so they can start next summer on construction sites.

To encourage enrollment in the accelerated programs, the government is offering a one-time measure that will pay students $750 per week while they work to obtain a professional studies certificate. Under certain conditions, scholarships may also be available upon graduation to those who enroll in these vocations as well.

The NFSB was authorized to offer other courses as part of the government’s training push, but Helm says the timeframe to organize any more than the accelerated carpentry classes in just six weeks was simply not possible. He is pleased, however, the NFSB can be part of the program. “For us and for the communities looking for skilled labour persons, this is really going to help,” he says.

The CSSVT is also now registering students for its intensive tinsmith training program at the Centre de formation du Suroît (CFPS) as part of the government’s construction recruitment initiative.

“We are delighted to have been able to respond so quickly to the government’s announcement,” says CSSVT director general Suzie Vranderick, who notes the service centre is proud to be “putting our shoulder to the wheel to help counter the labour shortage in the construction sector.”

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The families of individuals with intellectual or physical disabilities in the Haut-Saint-Laurent have been on the road a lot more, since cuts to the adapted transportation services offered by the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent were put in place on November 6.

The hours for the service, which offers door-to-door transportation during the week to eligible residents within the MRC and to Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, have been reduced by two hours and now stop for the day at 5 p.m. Transportation to Montreal, Chateauguay, and Longueuil for medical purposes has also been affected by this change.

“I was never even notified,” says Marlene Harvey, the director of Melissa’s Sunshine Camp, a non-profit organization supporting the social lives and integration of individuals with intellectual or physical disabilities in the Haut-Saint-Laurent as well as their families. She says that while the reduced hours will not significantly impact the camp’s day services, their evening programs may be at risk. “We are trying to create more respite for parents,” she explains. “This is very limiting. We will have to modify our activities,” she laments.

The changes will also increase pressure on families with Special Olympic athletes who rely on the adapted transport system to travel to and from training sessions in Valleyfield. Harvey says she became aware of the new hours after a parent notified a Special Olympics coach of the change. “This impacts their autonomy,” she explains. It could also limit their participation in the Special Olympics program.

Harvey notes some coaches have expressed concern that certain athletes may not be able to continue with the program, as the additional transport costs and travel time will be very difficult for some parents to assume. For athletes living in a residence, the change will also be very limiting.

Harvey will now be driving her daughter Meghan Condie home from Valleyfield several nights per week. Condie is a decorated competitive swimmer and track-and-field athlete with the Quebec Special Olympics. This winter she will be heading to Calgary to compete in snowshoeing events at the Special Olympics Canada Winter Games. Harvey says it simply isn’t an option for her to miss training sessions.

High costs and little support

The MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent, which coordinates the area’s adapted transportation services, says the decision came down to budgetary considerations and a lack of government support.

Between 2019 and 2022, the operating costs for adapted transport doubled from $338,893 to $675,922, resulting in an accumulated deficit of $161,193 in 2022. Of these costs, the provincial transport ministry covered $302,806, or 44 per cent, while the community’s contribution amounted to 56 per cent, or $373,116. The projected deficit for 2023 sits at $203,000.

The MRC carried out an analysis and adopted several recommendations to balance the budget. These include a reduction in service hours to between 7 a.m. and 5 p.m., as well as fixed service hours to Valleyfield, a limit of five out-of-territory trips per year, and a limit to the number of out-of-territory destinations available to those travelling for medical purposes.

In a statement issued to The Gleaner, the MRC notes that government subsidies have not been indexed since 2019, and points to underfunding as one of the main reasons so many transport organizations are facing deficit situations, suggesting they are not alone in having had to intervene on the supply side to balance budgets.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Striking teachers, support staff, and educational professionals, as well as public sector employees in health and social services, were out in force across the Valley on November 6 to protest stalled contract negotiations.

The Front commun, which represents four major trade unions, issued a statement before the expected end of the innovative strike at 10:30 a.m., announcing the timing of a second round of strike action later this month. Workers will strike over three days from November 21 to 23 if an agreement is not reached before then.

Nick Ross, the president of the Chateauguay Valley Teachers Association (CVTA), says there was a lot of honking and waving on November 6. “It was great to see,” he admits, while suggesting the high levels of public support for striking workers is likely being stoked by the simple fact that almost everyone relates to someone who works in the public sector and is affected by this situation.

Ross says he hopes the government was listening and presents something over the next few days “that can at least be considered by those who represent the members.”

The Front commun resoundingly rejected the most recent contract offer presented by Quebec Treasury Board president Sonia LeBel, which included a minimum 10.3 per cent salary increase over five years. Ross says that in order to keep up with current inflation predictions, the government would have to offer at least 17.7 per cent. He argues that the government’s offer ignores the inflationary purchasing power that has already been lost by workers since 2022. “The government is literally ignoring that it even happened,” he says of rising interest rates.

In a message to the government, Front commun spokespersons promised their negotiating teams will be fully available over the period leading up to the 72-hour strike. LeBel countered by insisting that negotiations are not unidirectional. In a post to social media, she invited the unions to table a constructive counteroffer if they are dissatisfied with the government’s current offer.

Schools to close

New Frontiers School Board director general Michael Helm confirms the board has received 72-hour strike notices from the different unions representing its staff. “For us, that means our schools, offices, and centres will be closed,” he states, suggesting there is no other option.

Helm says that while the NFSB supports its staff completely and understands their situation, he hopes this next round of strikes will result in some movement at the negotiating tables. “The thing we would like to see is no lost days for our students,” he says, noting it will be up to the board to make sure students are getting what they need for their education. The board is currently analysing strategies to ensure “all the essential learning pieces are captured by the students in case we are looking at a shortened school year.”

Teachers in the French system who are represented by the Fédération autonome de l’enseignement (FAE), which includes 65,000 elementary and secondary school teachers, have already announced they will start an unlimited strike on November 23 if an agreement has not been reached.

Though this will not directly impact the NFSB, the Front commun has the mandate to push its protest all the way to a general strike. A general walk out would be disruptive, Helm admits, but he is hopeful contracts can be resolved before it comes to this.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Area nurses and other health professionals sent a clear message to the provincial government on November 8. The 2,790 nurses, auxiliary nurses, respiratory therapists, and clinical percussionists at the CISSS de la Montérégie-Ouest launched a 48-hour strike along with others across the province in response to lagging contract negotiations.

They staged protests outside hospitals, health institutions, and long-term care centres, walking off the job for the first time in nearly 25 years. With its 80,000 members already on the picket line, the Fédération interprofessionnelle de la santé (FIQ) announced that two additional strike days will take place on November 23 and 24 if an agreement is not reached before then.

Passers-by signaled their support of the nurses and care professionals demonstrating outside the Barrie Memorial Hospital in Ormstown with enthusiastic honks. Others brought doughnuts, coffee, and even propane to ensure the protesters kept warm. The support is much appreciated, says Dominic Caisse, the interim president of the Syndicat des professionnelles en soins de la Montérégie-Ouest.

“We are just arms, and our patients are nothing but numbers to this government,” he says, noting the institutions with the CISSSMO have long been understaffed. “The lack of personnel is nothing new. It dates to before the pandemic,” he explains.

“With better working conditions, more people will come back to the public sector,” says Caisse, suggesting many care professionals have left to work in the private sphere. “But to be honest, there has been no advancement at the tables,” he says. “Nothing has been addressed. We are at status quo, and what the government is proposing is a step backward from what we presently have.”

The FIQ is concerned about wages, but also work-life balance and work overload. It is asking specifically for the government to legislate safe nurse/patient ratios, while seeking more stability in terms of work assignments. Union representatives argue the government wants to be able to change nursing shifts when necessary and transfer personnel between institutions.

“Right now, you know when you have to come in, but you never know when you will be able to leave,” says Caisse, who is also critical of the government’s demand for mobility. “Instead of trying to create attractive working conditions, they prefer to do this,” he says, adding that nurses’ working conditions directly impact patient care.

Caisse is hopeful there will be some movement at the negotiation tables but is doubtful this will happen in time to prevent another 48-hour strike. “Unless the government has an extraordinary epiphany, we will be back on the picket lines,” he laments. And, he says, it will not only be nurses on the picket lines– over 600,000 public sector workers could be protesting on November 23, as several separate strike actions are set to take place across the province.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Efforts by the provincial government to avert strike action on November 6 by 420,000 workers in the education, health and social services sectors fell short on Sunday, when a new contract offer was quickly rejected by the Front commun. As a result, workers are expected to walk off the job at midnight on Monday in what they are calling an “innovative strike” that will last until 10:30 a.m.

Leaders for the common front of unions say they were dismayed and insulted by the offer put forward by Quebec Treasury Board president Sonia Lebel over the weekend, which proposes a 10.3 per cent increase over five years for public sector workers as well as a one-time payment of $1,000 during the first year of the contract. The offer also includes additional increases for certain positions, including nurses working night shifts and technicians in secondary schools. Those earning less than $52,000 a year would receive an additional one per cent increase.

A statement issued by the Front commun bluntly declared there was nothing in the offer that could head off a strike.

The union representatives accuse the government of being out of touch with the realities facing public sector workers currently struggling to maintain the province’s fragile public services network. They point out that the proposed contract, which is over a five-year term, fails to keep up with forecasted inflation rates over the same term. Despite their frustration, the union heads will present the new offer to their respective bodies this week, but they have no doubt it falls well short of their members’ expectations.

The unions continue to point to the 30 per cent wage increase granted to parliamentarians earlier this year, and a 21 per cent raise offered to Sûreté du Québec police officers: “All of that needs to be taken into account in any wage agreement to be reached with the Front commun.”

LeBel says she is now waiting for the unions to present a counteroffer.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The New Frontiers School Board will be impacted by the strike action planned by its employees on November 6, but only minimally.

The NFSB had previously announced a pedagogical day for the youth sector on November 6, meaning all elementary and secondary schools in its network will already be closed to students when staff walk out as of midnight on Monday. Daycare activities at the elementary level will be affected, however, and parents relying on this service will need to find an alternative solution during the day.

NFSB director general Mike Helm says the expectation is that school staff will report to work at 10:30 a.m. on November 6. Morning classes at adult and vocational centres will not take place, but courses will resume in the afternoon. Evening courses will not be impacted by the strike action.

“In the past we have had to make decisions, so for us, not having to worry as much for this first strike day is very fortunate,” says Helm. However, he is anticipating further strike action to come as negotiations continue between the government and the Front commun, which includes the Chateauguay Valley Teachers Association (CVTA) and SEPB 576 which represents support staff at the NFSB.

The “ped day” on November 6 was scheduled to allow teachers to prepare first-term reports for their students. Helm says the focus for the remainder of the day at the elementary and secondary level will be the inputting of student results. The strike is not expected to have an impact on the delivery of report cards.

As of press time, the Centre de services scolaire de la Vallée-des-Tisserands had not announced any contingency plans for the morning of November 6.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Commission municipale du Québec (CMQ) is recommending that the municipality of Franklin undergo an audit. This follows an investigation by the Direction des enquêtes et des pursuits en intégrité municipale (DEPIM) that looked into irregularities in the taxation process and the establishment of tax rates adopted by the municipality.

“As a result of its investigation, the DEPIM has made a number of findings that call into question the budgetary process followed by the municipality, particularly with regard to compliance with the rules governing the setting of tax rates,” writes CMQ president Jean-Philippe Marois in a letter accompanying the report issued by the Commission on October 16.

The report contains the CMQ’s conclusions and recommendations that were made after the DEPIM received information alleging the municipality has “rapidly increased municipal taxes over the past two years and has imposed tax rates that exceed those permitted by the Act respecting municipal taxation.”

In its assessment, the Commission notes that the decision by a municipal council to impose a tax increase falls within the discretion of the council, and the DEPIM does not have the mandate to investigate such decisions. However, regarding tax rates that are higher than allowed under provincial law, the DEPIM concludes that “A cursory examination of the most recent taxation by-laws reveals, at first glance, certain irregularities in the setting of certain tax rates.”

The report recommends the CMQ verify that the municipality’s operations comply with the applicable laws, regulations, policies, and directives, and that the processes in place respect the principles of sound management of public funds. The Commission will publish a report at the end of the fiscal year outlining its findings and any further recommendations.

Franklin director general Simon St-Michel confirms the Commission is initiating a performance audit of the municipality’s budget adoption processes to ensure all legal obligations were in fact respected. According to St-Michel, the CMQ has informed the municipality that “There have been no reprehensible acts in terms of ethics or professional conduct.”

St-Michel says the CMQ’s recommendations following the audit “will enable us to continue improving the administrative practices in place at the municipality of Franklin.” He notes that similar audits have been carried out in the past in Franklin, the most recent having taken place in November 2021.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Citizens in the Jardins-de-Napierville region will soon be able to benefit from the first fully enclosed composting facility to open in the province. The Centre de compostage du Haut-Richelieu was officially inaugurated on October 23 in Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu.

Compo-Haut-Richelieu launched its innovative regional compost centre in the presence of Benoit Charette, the minister of the Environment, the Fight Against Climate Change, Wildlife and Parks, as well as numerous elected officials, dignitaries, and partners.

The facility has a capacity of 50,000 tonnes, which will allow Compo Haut-Richelieu to receive organic material from the residential, commercial, institutional, and industrial sectors in the MRC du Haut-Richelieu, as well as neighbouring municipalities including those in the MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville. The regional compost centre is expected to produce around 17,000 tonnes of top-quality mature compost every year that will be distributed to citizens.

The centre relies on an active composting process of both food and green residues in bunker-type silos with fully automated and controlled systems, as well as passive maturation, which involves no turning or active aeration, in megadome-type buildings. By the fifth year, the new facility will contribute to a reduction in the region’s greenhouse gas emissions by an estimated 4,185 tonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent per year.

Compo Haut-Richelieu received a $21.2 million grant from the provincial government to create the regional centre through the Programme de traitement des matières organiques par biométhanisation et compostage (PTMOBC), which aims to reduce the quantity of organic materials being sent to landfills.

According to Charrette, investments in collective infrastructure improve the quality of life of citizens, while helping to increase the volume of organic matter recovered in Quebec and more actively combat climate change. “Cities and municipalities play a key role in achieving this objective. Already, the new residential composting services set up in several local communities in Quebec are well appreciated. For many, they are the fruit of partnerships with innovative local companies, as is the case with the Haut-Richelieu composting centre inaugurated today,” he said.

Compo Haut-Richelieu is a joint venture between the MRC du Haut-Richelieu and its 14 municipalities, and their private partner, GFL/Matrec, a leader in the field of residual materials recovery. Compo-Haut-Richelieu has been planning, coordinating, and managing residual materials in the Haut-Richelieu RCM since 1994, and in the Jardins-de-Napierville RCM since 2023.

For Suzanne Boulais, the president of Compo-Haut-Richelieu and mayor of Mont-Saint-Grégoire, the new centre is a complement to the work the company has been doing for 25 years. “Citizens’ efforts in the various recycling and recovery programs have already led to a significant reduction in landfill waste,” she said, while adding she is convinced the momentum created by this project will produce spectacular results.

Huntingdon MNA Carole Mallette highlighted the positive impact the new facility will have on the environment. “This will be very beneficial for our fellow citizens, our municipalities, and our farmers. It will help put an end to the landfilling of organic materials and increase the reduction of greenhouse gases in Quebec.”

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The town of Huntingdon has been ranked in second position in terms of untreated wastewater spills amongst Quebec municipalities in 2022.

The Fondation Rivières released its annual ranking of Quebec municipalities based on the intensity of wastewater spills, or discharges of untreated water into rivers and waterways, on October 26. The list compares the performance of municipalities in terms of waste-water management and considers municipal infrastructure and the duration of spills. It features several Valley municipalities including Huntingdon, Ormstown, Saint-Chrysostome, Howick, and Hemmingford.

The ranking is based on data from the Ministry of Environment (MELCCFP), and the spill intensity index per inhabitant developed by the Fondation Rivières. It considers the duration of spills as measured by an electronic overflow recorder (EED), and the size of the overflow structures within municipal sewer networks.

The province saw 57,263 wastewater spills discharged without treatment into waterways in 2022, where the Montérégie ranks first among the regions in terms of spills. Combined, the five Valley municipalities on the list recorded 430 wastewater spills in 2022.

Huntingdon received an intensity ranking of 109.88 per capita, which is considered very high and second only to the municipality of Caplan in the in the Gaspésie–Îles-de-la-Madeleine region. There were 48 spills recorded in Huntingdon in 2022 from its nine overflow structures; however, the data on these spills may be incomplete, as the Fondation Rivières gave the municipality a failing grade for the quality of its measurements and listed it as one of 21 priority municipalities not adequately measuring overflow durations.

Martin Forget, the water treatment supervisor for the town of Huntingdon, disputes the way the duration of the spills was reported by the Foundation, which calculated 24 hours for every overflow event that was not measured by an EED. Forget says the town installed these recorders last November and is working on calibrating the devices. He is concerned that the report grossly misrepresents the situation in Huntingdon, as some overflows only last for minutes – during heavy rain events, for example.

Ormstown is also included on the list in 49th position with 203 spills in 2022 and an intensity of 16.18 per capita. Saint-Chrysostome is ranked in 60th position with a spill intensity of 13.42 per capita and 97 spills. Howick ranked in 89th position and Hemmingford is in 101st position with 28 and 54 spills respectively. All four of those municipalities received an A+ for the quality of their measurements.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

“It’s been a huge year,” says nurse Amy Tolhurst of numerous developments at the Ici Santé health co-operative, which has locations in both Howick and Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague.

As of September 1, the co-op began operating out of its new space in the Saint-Louis-de-Gonzague presbytery, which is located right next to the Catholic church. The office has been equipped with a new centrifuge for treating blood samples as well as an ECG machine; these were purchased over the summer, after the co-op received a donation from both the both the Haut-Saint-Laurent and Beauharnois-Salaberry Caisse Desjardins.

The co-op also received a $53,000 grant from the federal government’s Community Services Recovery Fund to help it adapt to some of the long-term impacts of the pandemic. Tolhurst says the funds will be used to “establish the equipment and furniture required to accommodate more medical personnel.” Purchases have so far included furniture with surfaces that are more easily sanitized, wireless equipment including an otoscope and an ophthalmoscope for the doctor’s office, and stretchers for the triage room. “This is very exciting,” says Tolhurst, who is hopeful the upgrades will help the co-op to recruit new medical personnel.

To be considered for the grant, the co-op had to demonstrate how it was able to maintain services during the pandemic. Applicants were also asked to describe what they learned while going through the experience. “One of the things we recognized was the importance of our service offer of vaccination for the population,” says Tolhurst. With this in mind, the co-op applied for and recently received a needleless injector that will be used exclusively during this year’s flu vaccination campaign.

Tolhurst says the idea came from a medical student visiting from Cuba who completed some mentorship hours with the co-op. She suggested the injector which has been approved for general use by Health Canada and the Protocole d’immunisation du Québec for use with flu vaccines. “It is all done with compressed air,” says Tolhurst of the Med-Jet H4 injector, which she suggests resembles “a little paint gun.”

Instead of an invasive needle, the vaccine is administered as a microjet that passes through the skin. Patients may feel a slight pressure during the injection, but the procedure is considered to be less painful and less anxiety-inducing than a conventional vaccination. The staff at the co-op have been trained to use the device, and so far, at least ten vaccinations have been administered with the new technology.

“This also helps us move forward on a carbon-neutral footprint, because every item that we use for these injections can be recycled,” says Tolhurst, who is especially pleased with this development. “It is a first step,” she says, while insisting the co-op “can’t be afraid to be proactive if it makes sense.” It is a philosophy that Tolhurst hopes will allow the co-op to continue to expand its services, all while treating Valley patients in new and progressive ways.

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Students at École Arthur-Pigeon (EAP) in Huntingdon got their hands dirty on October 24 as they helped to plant over 280 trees, edible plants, berry bushes, and shrubs that will grow to become their school’s new food forest.

As the winners of the “L’Écocitoyenneté, j’en mange!” contest, which was initiated by Quintus and the Jeunes engagés pour le développement durable (JEDD) organization, the high school officially inaugurated its food forest last week in the presence of representatives from JEDD, the Centre de services scolaire de la Vallée-des-Tisserands, and local elected officials. The contest prize, valued at $25,000, includes the creation of the food forest as well as eco-educational supports for the school over the next three years.

The contest organizers were impressed by the seriousness of the school’s approach, as well as the detailed and well-structured project that was proposed. The project stemmed from a career exploration activity launched by teacher Marianne Forget that involved planting seeds and caring for seedlings while learning about the horticulture profession. Last year, she decided to expand the project and stumbled somewhat serendipitously on the description for the L’Écocitoyenneté, j’en mange! contest.

“This competition was an incredible opportunity for the school and for our students,” said teacher Sophie de Montigny, who was also part of a team behind the project at EAP that equally included Lydia Ranger and Simon Lecompte. “We had a lot of ideas in mind. We wanted something that was immediate for the students and for the community,” she explained, noting the project was concrete and hands on for the students, but also very visible so they would be reminded daily of the project. “We hope that this experience will inspire students and help raise their awareness of environmental issues and food self-sufficiency.”

To make the edible landscape a reality, students received help from Arbre-Évolution, a co-operative specializing in social reforestation, edible greening, carbon technology, and environmental awareness. Students will now be responsible for cultivating and maintaining the forest, as well as harvesting. The food will then be offered through the school cafeteria and will be used in cooking classes with students where the prepared dishes are distributed in the community.

The school is also counting on the Les Complices Alimentaires organization to support students as they learn to process the harvested food. During the summer months, the school will also partner with the Maison des jeunes de Huntingdon and the Carrefour Jeunesse-emploi de Huntingdon to help maintain the food forest.