Local Journalism Initiative

TMR, Hampstead rank best for bus stop snow clearing

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Transit website (transitapp.com), which advocates for less use of cars, has ranked the Town of Mount Royal and Hampstead as the best Greater Montreal area locales in terms of clearing snow from bus stops in their respective areas.

Mayor Jeremy Levi of Hampstead posted an image of the article with the results on his Facebook page.

The website’s blog says that “as bus riders, we don’t need to unearth our automobiles with ice picks and backhoes every time the snow falls. But when a stop is snowed under, it turns a perfectly normal waiting area into a boot-freezing, foot-soggening, day-ruining expedition, especially for those who can’t climb a mountain of snow just to get to their bus.”

The site asked bus riders to rank how different cities and towns cleaned the area around bus stops following the Dec. 4 storm that resulted in 36 centimetres of snow. In a five-day period, transit users rated 6,500 bus stops in the great Montreal area, including Laval and the South Shore, and one in four STM stops in Montreal proper.

“Of Montreal’s 19 city boroughs and 15 suburban municipalities, it was two of the wealthiest suburban towns — Mount Royal and Hampstead — that took home the top prizes, followed closely by the Montreal borough of Ahuntsic-Cartierville. Over the course of the week, the average rating across the entire island was 3.41 out of 5. That means riders said their stops were usually on the ‘more side of ‘more or less clear.’ The only place to fall on the ‘less’ side of the equation: last-place was Montreal East, a heavily industrial area in the island’s east end.” Also near the bottom of the rankings was Ville-Marie, which includes downtown. Off-island, suburban bus stops in Laval and on the South Shore also underperformed. Though it’s not all doom and gloom in the ‘burbs: exo bus stops in farther-flung exurbs did almost as well as the average in Montreal itself.”

For the west end and West Island, the survey also ranked Dorval 9th for snow removal at bus stops, Dollard des Ormeaux 10th, Ste. Anne de Bellevue 11th, CDN-NDG 12th, Côte St. Luc 14th, Pierrefonds-Roxboro 15th, Île Bizard-Ste, Geneviève 16th, Beaconsfield 18th, Kirkland 20th, Baie d’Urfé 22nd, Outremont 24th, Westmount 25th, Pointe Claire 27th, Verdun 28th, Lachine 30th, LaSalle 33rd, St. Laurent 34th and Montreal West 35th. n

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Task Force seeking injunction against Bill 96

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

Joel Goldenberg – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Task Force on Linguistic Policy is seeking an injunction and judicial review from Quebec’s Superior Court against the province’s language law, Bill 96.

The injunction was filed last Wednesday by lawyer Michael Bergman, and says the language law could have an impact on all Quebecers.

“The issues raised in Bill 96 are all serious and justiciable as they constitute encroachment on constitutional and human rights with respect to rights to life, liberty, and security; equality; healthcare services; government services; education; employment; as well as freedoms of expression and mobility, and freedom from undue state interference,” the injunction says.

Task Force leader Andrew Caddell said in a news release that “our injunction contains evidence from 30 people who have been the victims of outright discrimination, and we know they are the tip of the iceberg. For this reason, we have to stop the application of the law before things become worse.”

Examples of discrimination cited in the injunction include a woman with a learning disability who says the Quebec Human Right Commission will not communicate with her in English; a person being asked for proof of entitlement to the English version of a traffic ticket; a RAMQ representative allegedly hanging up on a 64-year-old man who asked for service in English; a triage nurse at the Glen Hospital allegedly refusing to speak to a patient in English — the patient went to another hospital the next day and was found to have sepsis and ended up in the ICU; and catering staff being told they would be expelled if they spoke English.

Caddell adds that “the injunction outlines the serious implications of what it calls the Legault government’s zealotry in implementing the letter and spirit of the law,” and that “in doing so, the Government of Quebec has created and promoted a social climate where the use of the English language is restricted and disdained and is considered to be a threat to the survival of the French language and identity in Quebec.”

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Drivers strike hampers return to school for thousands

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

Joel Ceausu – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Some 15,000 Montreal students are walking, carpooling, taxiing and Ubering their way to school Tuesday as the Transco bus driver strike continues.

About 350 drivers of the school bus company serving the Centre de services scolaire de Montréal, the English Montreal School Board, the Lester B. Pearson School Board and the Marguerite-Bourgeoys School Service Centre have been on an unlimited general strike since October 31, with no settlement despite the return to school of more than 360,000 Quebec students following two months of public sector labour disturbances. The union has been negotiating with the employer for about 18 months.

Drivers’ demands center on boosting salaries which the union says can easily be financed by the 25% increase the company received from the CAQ government in 2021-2022.

The return of thousands of students, the loss of bus transportation and the arrival of the season’s first snowstorm makes for a perfect storm, says Colette Fortin, dropping off her daughters at École des Cinq-Continents’ two Snowdon campuses. “My employer said we could leave early today but that doesn’t help us this morning.” She was peeved, along with many other parents, that snow clearing operations for a very minor amount of snow on the opposite side of the street proceeded during drop-off time.

“It’s as if the city, school centres, bus drivers, unions, viruses and Mother Nature are conspiring to keep Quebec kids,” she laughs. “And parents too. I have to start work at 9:30 today instead of 8 a.m.. It feels like everything is broken.”

In November, the drivers’ union (STTT–CSN) served notice on the bus company, claiming illegal actions including attempts to negotiate directly with drivers and undermining negotiations at the bargaining table. They denounced the employer’s offer which amounted to a salary less than $32,000, which the union rejected outright, saying it was unacceptable considering employees must be available on a split schedule mornings and afternoons and prevents most of them from acquiring a second job for 10 months per year.

Most boards and service centres are offering increased supervision services after school to accommodate parents’ schedules. n

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CDN-NDG Mayor repeats commitment to fight antisemitism

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

Joel Ceausu – The Suburban LJI Reporter

One element of the Community Action Plan being developed to protect Montreal Jews during an unprecedented period of anti-Semitic intimidation, harassment and violence was met with harsh criticism by the mayor of Côte des Neiges—Notre Dame de Grâce.

Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, in whose borough sits numerous synagogues, Jewish schools, the main campus of Jewish organizations, where a Jewish school was shot at, and where posters of kidnapped children were removed by city workers and a Jewish community organization was firebombed, took issue with the idea that Quebec allow armed, trained security guards at community organizations, schools, and other locations where the public gathers during this emergency period, and establish rules under which such weapons can be carried.

“I deeply empathize with the Jewish community’s concerns about safety and security, especially given the troubling rise in antisemitic incidents in our country,” Katahwa told The Suburban, noting Montreal has spent over $2 million in police overtime to increase neighbourhood patrols, and reiterated her commitment “to supporting concrete and effective measures that fight all hate and discrimination, including antisemitism, but this proposal is not the solution that I believe is in our borough’s better interests.”

The immediate explosion of anti-Jewish hate, harassment and violence in cities across the globe, and particularly in Montreal, following the October 7 terrorist massacre of Israelis, prompted appeals from many Montreal Jews to provincial authorities to allow armed off-duty police officers to be stationed at vulnerable locations, or simply allow trained professionals to carry firearms — as they already do when transporting cash from private commerce in the midst of busy public roadways and parking lots across Montreal.

Katahwa had characterized that element of the 22-point Community Action Plan on combating anti-Jewish hate as “relaxing gun control” and “American style” solutions, accusing endorsers of the plan of inviting people “to give into fear,” singling out her opposition colleagues Snowdon city councillor Sonny Moroz and Darlington city councillor Stephanie Valenzuela. Quebec and Montreal have long had a strong gun control consensus that must be maintained, she said, particularly in a borough bearing the heavy scars of the Polytechnique massacre.

The Plan was also endorsed by Town of Mount Royal Mayor Peter Malouf, Côte Saint-Luc Mayor Mitchell Brownstein, Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi, Mount Royal MP Anthony Housefather, as well as D’Arcy McGee MNA Elizabeth Prass and Mount-Royal—Outremont MNA Michelle Setlakwe. Quebec’s Public Security Minister François Bonnardel had already rejected the notion, insisting existing public security forces are up for the task of protecting Montreal’s targeted Jewish population.

Ensemble Montreal stated it is not in favour of loosening gun controls and denounced what they called Katahwa’s “misinformation” about the Action Plan to Combat Anti-Jewish Hatred. The Opposition insists the Plante administration channel its efforts into finding solutions “and taking strong, concerted action to restore solidarity and peace of mind in our metropolis.” n

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West Bolton property values skyrocket

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

By Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative

Bromont mayor Louis Villeneuve summarized the feelings of many Brome-Missisquoi homeowners when he told a December council meeting, “Une année de rôle n’est pas une année drôle” – a property assessment year isn’t a fun year.

Rarely has that been truer than this year, when property values in some municipalities with new roles this year – assessed based on July 2022 market rates and updated in 2023 – more than doubled.

One of those municipalities is West Bolton. Several West Bolton homeowners have contacted the BCN in recent weeks with concerns about their property value rising. One homeowner who preferred not to be named said their property value jumped by 113 per cent since the last assessment, when no previous increase had exceeded 9.1 per cent. A nearby homeowner, Marie-Christine Moulin, said the assessed value of her home had risen by 80 per cent, and an unused adjacent piece of land she owned by 125 per cent. Michelle Chartrand said her property value had risen by 224 per cent.

“The mayor [Denis Vaillancourt] said the assessment role showed an average increase of 84 to 87 per cent,” Moulin said. “How can that have happened in three years?”

In response, West Bolton reduced the residential tax rate from 53 cents per $100 of assessed value to 36 cents and announced it would allow citizens to pay their tax bills in four installments instead of the usual three. “Some [property owners] will end up paying the double [of their previous tax bill] anyway.” (Although Vaillancourt told the BCN in a brief email exchange before the release of the budget that the tax rate would “naturally” have to go down, he did not respond to further requests for comment.)

The MRC Brome-Missisquoi coordinates property value assessments for 16 Brome-Missisquoi municipalities, including West Bolton, and mandates an external firm to do the actual evaluations. Evaluations must be carried out 18 months before the entry into force of a new assessment role – meaning that for West Bolton and other municipalities getting a new role in January 2024, their evaluations are based on property values as they were in July 2022 – near the height of the pandemic-driven bidding war over rural second homes, as Patrick Lafleur, assessment department co-ordinator at the MRC de Brome-Missisquoi, explained. “West Bolton has a special situation – there are places near Brome Lake that have sold for a lot.”

Marie-Hélène Cadrin is a board member and spokesperson for the Association des évaluateurs municipaux du Québec and an evaluator at J.P. Cadrin, a Sherbrooke-based firm which recently carried out Bromont’s assessment role. She said pandemic-driven demand put “strong market pressure” on the region.

“Inspectors visit the properties and collect data … on the size, the materials, the state of the building, whether there were renovations or a basement added. We analyze recent transactions and sales and apply that to the properties. We ask the question, ‘How much would this house sell for?’”

Lafleur and Cadrin note that homeowners can contest their property value assessment with the MRC. However, several homeowners are skeptical of this process, which they pay for out of pocket – $88.80 for a property which is valued at less than $500,000 and $355.00 for a property valued between $500,000 and $2 million. However, some homeowners are skeptical of that process. “I wrote to the MRC with very specific questions quoting the Ministère des affaires municipales qualitative criterion like access to commodities, risk associated with the land, noise, frontage, topography, dust, wind orientation, etc. They told me to fill a form. I sent another question and they sent me a link to a video which does not address my question at all. The MRC is judge and jury in this situation in which it is making money,” Chartrand said. Moulin said she plans to contest her assessment once she receives her tax bill.

Cadrin and Lafleur rejected any notion that political and economic considerations could affect property evaluations. “A lot of people think we are aiming for the highest value we can get, but as an evaluator, I don’t get any advantage from a higher value,” Cadrin said.

Jimmy Desgagnés, an evaluator with the Fédération québécoise des municipalités, noted that Quebec’s property evaluation system “dates back more than 40 years” and is applied equally to major cities with thousands of transactions per year and towns like West Bolton with only a few hundred total properties, although he said “extreme sales” weren’t factored in.

Moulin, one of the West Bolton homeowners, wondered aloud whether the system was built to respond to months and years of extreme sales. “We’re coming out of an exceptional period, and one day someone will look at that and say ‘What happened here?’ The method they use does not take into account the pandemic, and that’s something they maybe could have done – the current situation makes no sense.

West Bolton property values skyrocket Read More »

Tax increase in Ogden another blow for embattled campground

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

By Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative

The Municipality of Ogden has raised tax rates on industrial and commercial land, potentially dealing a crippling blow to the private seasonal campground operated by the Weir Memorial Park board.

Historically, Ogden has maintained a single tax rate for all residential, industrial and commercial property on its territory; however, this year, the municipality has raised the tax rate on commercial and industrial properties by 50 per cent, from 76 cents per $100 of assessed value to $1.14 per $100. Combined with an increase in overall property values, this would more than quadruple the park’s annual tax bill, raising it from just over $3,550 to just over $14,750, according to park board member and former Stanstead mayor Philip Dutil, who has accused the municipality of “bullying” the park board.

Ogden Mayor David Lépine, for his part, denies targeting the park, saying the tax increase on commercial property has one goal – to cushion the impact of soaring residential property values. “In Quebec, municipalities have only one real source of revenue, and that’s property taxes,” he explained. “We looked around and saw that most municipalities differentiated between residential and commercial taxes, which we weren’t doing. We have about 23 commercial enterprises and we increased their rate [without distinction]. Had we not done that, residential taxes would have increased by 11 per cent instead of 6 per cent. I’m not surprised that the [park board] feels they are being targeted… they think it’s revenge, but that’s conjecture.”

Decades of tension

Weir Memorial Park was established in 1957 by the four daughters of Robert S. Weir, a local judge who wrote the English lyrics to O Canada; the sisters gave the land to establish the park in honour of their parents, their two brothers who were killed in the First and Second World War, and all veterans. The park was not donated to the municipality; rather, it has been managed by a board made up of representatives from the Weir family, local nonprofits, the Municipality of Ogden and four surrounding municipalities (three of which now make up the consolidated Town of Stanstead). The campground was established in 1964 as a source of revenue for the park. According to Dutil and fellow board member Bill May, tensions between the city and the park board go back decades.

The city “has always wanted to control the park in some way or another,” said May, Robert Weir’s great-grandson, who has served on the park board since 2000 as the representative of the Weir family. “In 1995, we reached an agreement with the municipality where they would take over day-to-day operations. In 2003, we were asked to donate the park to the municipality, which we couldn’t do according to the deed of gift. It took us a while to get control of the park back, which we did in 2008. There have been politics going on ever since. They changed the zoning bylaws twice, in 2018 and 2022, but we have acquired rights.” In April 2023, according to Dutil, the municipality sent the board a letter saying the campground was illegal because permanent buildings weren’t authorized on the site. Two months later, the municipality sent another letter pressuring the board to shut down the campground, which welcomes 17 trailers every summer, in exchange for up to $20,000 in annual funding for the next 10 years. The board refused the offer. A third letter asking for the campground to be shut down was sent earlier this year.

Lépine said that although the campers go out of their way not to create grounds for complaint, the presence of the campground means that year-round Ogden residents can’t enjoy the park as they see fit. “We are stuck with a beautiful park on the lake with a bunch of trailers, two-thirds of whom are from all over the place – not from Ogden or Stanstead.”

Beyond the tax increase, however, Lépine appeared to put an end to speculation about further legal action, telling The Record he doesn’t plan to “waste any more time, energy or taxpayer money trying to get rid of the trailers.”

Dutil and May say they are concerned about the future of the campground in light of the tax increase. “If we are charged that much more [for taxes], we would need to find about $20,000-25,000 more,” May said. “The simplest solution would be to increase the capacity of the campground, which would defeat the interests of the mu

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Community collaboration aims to prevent homelessness in Gatineau

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

Photo caption: The organizer of the Symposium on change, Sylvain Henry, opens the conference held at the Aylmer Legion, February 4.

Photo credit: Christian Rochefort

While those who temporarily call “home” what has been dubbed as Tent City face a lesser risk offreezing to death since the installation of heated tents, organizer of the Tent City Network on Facebook Sylvain Henry said little has improved.

“It created new problems, but it was an emergency solution for the serious threat of them freezing to death,” said Henry. “Let’s solve the problem in a different way, with solutions.”

Henry became familiar with the encampment in the Hull district back in October when he and other Gatineau residents began distributing necessities to those experiencing homelessness.

Their efforts were later reinforced by an initiative known as Camp Guertin from Devcore Group which saw 48 heated tents being added to the Robert-Guertin arena parking lot as a temporary measure until May 15.

However, the initiative has been met with roadblocks in terms of Camp Guertin residents being able to access hot showers and a laundry facility.

Henry hopes to aid some of these challenges with community collaboration. Equipped with over 450 possible solutions from the public, Henry hosted the first Citizens’ Symposium on Change event focusing on preventing and reducing homelessness on February 4 at the Royal Canadian Legion Branch 33.

Joined by five panelists, speakers offered their own solutions to preventing homelessness.

“Homelessness is actually kind of new, new being 40 years old,” said Katie Burkholder Harris of Alliance to End Homelessness Ottawa. “We didn’t have homelessness, but we’ve always had trauma. We’ve always had family violence. We’ve always had mental illness. We have not always had mass homelessness with 300,000 plus Canadians a year experiencing homelessness.”

What changed? Burkholder Harris pointed to a decision by the federal government to stop building social housing that is geared toward a tenant’s income.

“All the increased income in the world is irrelevant if you just keep having an increasing housingcost,” said Burkholder Harris.

Although she did not have any new solutions, Burkholder Harris offered the tried-and-true solutions of prevention, coordination with our “mess emergency system”, and housing, but the proper type.

“I love that we think right now that private market supply is the solution, but it really isn’t,” she said. “As long as we’re in that circumstance, all of the new housing in the world is not going to make a huge difference unless we balance it with housing that is officially low cost.”​Burkholder Harris emphasized housing was on a spectrum. It is the extreme end of a housing market that has housing as an investment rather than a right.

“Some of the solutions we presented yesterday would help many of the homeless almost immediately,” Henry wrote in an email. “But we need people to test some of these solutions and implement the successful ones.”

The top ideas are to be shared with the Mayor of Gatineau as well as other mayors tackling a similar issue. Henry also plans to meet with Hull-Aylmer MP Greg Fergus ahead of the second symposium.

“I have full faith that our government, or any government, may adopt a few of our suggestions. Regardless, I will test some of these solutions and report any, and all, success stories at symposium two.”

The next symposium is set for March 24, but Henry noted on Facebook a larger venue was needed.

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Pontiac Pride hosts square dance at Shawville Lions Hall

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Glen Hartle, reporter
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

Pride is all about making the world a better place. While its roots may be from a more complicated and existential time, it continues to champion identity, inclusion and equality across the entire spectrum of humanity. The Pontiac Pride group has been around, unofficially, for a few years and has been making strides for a stronger community presence with a broad range of social-oriented activities and events.
Slightly longer in the tooth than Pride, The Lions Club is all about making the world a better place too and has long been considered as one of the best that community has to offer through its more than 46,000 clubs worldwide. Its motto is “We Serve” and there is ample indication that the Shawville version, which has been around since 1949, is living up to both its mandate and reputation.
Together, they partnered and invited the community with open arms this past Saturday to join in a first-of-its-kind Pontiac Pride Square Dance.
“Our end goal is for there not to be a need for a Pride group. For there to be no difference between gay and straight couples, and trans people, and that we can all just go to events and not be worried about it,” event organizer and Pontiac Pride member Emma Judd said.
She said she believed a Pontiac Pride square dancing event was the perfect opportunity to get everybody out, “so we can be a little more out and proud.”
The event invitation was pretty open. “Come as you are and everyone’s welcome. Folks who have been dancing for years and those who don’t even know what a square dance is. You’re all invited,” the Facebook invite read.
And? The community responded, and how.
Those who arrived late to the dance were greeted by audible enjoyment from the Lions Club Hall situated on the top floor of the Shawville Arena. Audible is an understatement as it was more akin to a rollicking party where the more than 60 attendees, ranging in age from 3 to 85, made clear their enthusiasm and delight.
The hall was bedazzled in lights and decor, with evidence of just who was hosting the event at every turn. In a modern show of inclusion, there was signage making sure that gender was understood to be at the heart of identity, an undeniable and unquestionable truth and, as such, this was a space made for all. Pride Pontiac members Julianne Dooks, Emma Judd, Will Bastien, Christine Rieux, Ashley Sutton, Greg Goyette and Darlene Pashak all played welcoming committee, usher and host ensuring everyone had a place at the heart of this event.
Justin Bertrand on fiddle with Andrew Jones and Marie Chapet on guitar were ready with their musical instruments, and callers Paul Bertrand, Scott Judd and Tyler McCann were all set to call the steps. Lions members Robert St-Amour, Eric Smith and Steve Sutton had the bar up and running, and the dance floor was clear. The stage was set.
Square dancing has history in the area and has been around for generations. The callers at the event were testament to that as Paul Bertrand learned calling from his father, Alexander Bertrand, a well-known caller in his day who called regularly at the Lions Club in Bryson as well as at countless weddings and other community events. Scott Judd learned from his father, Chris Judd, who learned from his father Louis Judd. Tyler McCann learned the ropes from his own time as a leader in the 4-H Club and now helps guide the club as coach and caller. That’s quite a litany and all at one event.
Event mastermind Emma Judd remembers fondly her own experiences with square dancing through the 4-H Club as she was growing up and, together with fellow 4-H alumni Will Bastien, she brought the idea to life.

“This was a perfect mix for me of something that is super traditionally straight couples dancing, but it’s also become such a non-gendered dance as well,” Judd explained, recalling how when she was first getting into square dancing through 4-H there were never enough boys to play the male role in the dance, so young girls would take that on.
In keeping with that heritage, members of the local 4-H club were invited to show the gathered just how square dancing was supposed to be done, and a gaggle of young would-be experts were happy to lead the way. With McCann calling, they showcased the many moves of square dancing that were to follow including do-si-dos, promenades, elbow swings, dips and spins. Their energy was effusive.
Following some initial easing into things, Scott Judd took the mic and things really started to roll. But not before he took a moment to express just how amazing it was to see so many people. “When was the last time there were four squares at a Shawville dance?” he exclaimed.
From there, the band played spirited music, the callers directed the action, boots and shoes scooted across the floor, laughter was in the air and the dance floor came alive.
For many, the appeal of the event lay in getting out with a group known to be inclusive and, for others, it was finally a chance to square dance after covid threw a wrench into things. And for yet others, it was just an occasion to get out and have a great time. Whatever their reasons, all seemed to endorse Pride Pontiac’s invitation for an “incredibly fun evening to ward off those February blues” and whether volunteer, spectator or participant, joy was unanimous.
For Emma Judd and her crew: “It was an incredible night and for it to be such an inclusive and accepting space was awesome. We can’t wait to host another one.”

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Giant Tiger gives $1,500 to Blessed Cupboard

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Charles Dickson, Editor
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

Marie-Eve Lizée, grocery supervisor at Giant Tiger, and wife of store owner/manager Brandyn Gauthier, handed over a cheque for $1,500 on Monday to Jenn and Mike Rusenstrom for the Blessed Cupboard, a charity operated by the Bethel Pentecostal Church in Shawville.

The money raised goes into giving out food baskets just before Christmas, and wherever else they can help out on an as-needed basis.

“We usually help about 100 families at Christmas, from Quyon to Campbell’s Bay, families that are not eligible for support from other food banks,” explained Jenn Rusenstrom. She and her husband, Mike, have helped organize Blessed Cupboard for the past 10-plus years, raising about $10,000 per year.

“The funds are all raised locally, different service clubs and businesses, and people in the community who make donations,” said Mike.

“Say you get laid off in the wintertime, and you hit a stretch for six weeks when there’s no income, we’re able to help bridge that gap. If someone finds themself in that kind of situation, they can reach out for a hand by calling the church,” he said.

The Rusenstroms said that the cost of food has doubled since they started 10 years ago, and that the number of families they’re helping has doubled as well, from about 50 families then to 100 families now.

With a $10,000 annual budget, how significant is a $1,500 contribution?

“Huge. It’s really, really good. It goes a long way,” said Jenn. “And all the money that we raise goes back into local businesses. All the food we buy is local.”

Marie-Eve said the $1,500 was raised through donations by Giant Tiger customers made at the cash when paying for purchases.

“We’re just very glad we can help in any way we can,” she said, adding that she and her husband have raised more than $20,000 for local organizations since taking over at Giant Tiger.

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Portage community programming lacking, focus group finds

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Camilla Faragalli, reporter
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

Residents of Portage du Fort gathered at the town’s municipal hall on Tuesday evening to discuss an array of economic and social challenges faced by the community and brainstorm potential solutions.
The meeting, put on by the Connexions Resource Centre, was the fourth in a series of five the organization is hosting in communities across the Pontiac to gather information about the needs, challenges, strengths and opportunities defining each.
Portage du Fort was the smallest municipality of those selected for a focus group, but last Tuesday it boasted the largest turnout of any session so far.
Attendees identified issues including access to healthcare, transportation, and loss of local economic opportunity due to cross-border shopping in Ontario as some of the main challenges for the community.
Particular concern was also voiced over a lack of local community programming, despite the need and desire for it from individual community members.
“[There is] not a lot of organization or knowledge of how to do that, or a sense of empowerment around how to get things started,” Caitlin Brubacher, owner of art and framing business Elephant in the Attic told THE EQUITY. Brubacher moved to Portage from Toronto three years ago.
“There really needs to be some enthusiasm that is a bit contagious for people to feel empowered to bring their own skills to the table, to create more community engagement in whatever way, whether it be in physical activities, artistic endeavours, for all levels of the population.”

Connexions hosts focus group in Portage du Fort

Nicole Thompson attended the session with her husband Edward. The couple have raised 10 children in Portage du Fort, own and run the Maison Mont-Blanc retirement residence, and owned the town’s general store, Dépanneur Thompson, for 13 years before selling it to their daughter.
“We [residents] don’t have much access to what goes on at the municipal hall, so people would end up coming to the store to find out what was going on,” Thompson later told THE EQUITY, explaining that residents would often show up to find the hall empty, and its voice-mailbox full.
“People stopped going to the [town hall] meetings because they didn’t feel welcome there,” she added.
“Any questions that were asked were viewed defensively. The general sense was that there was no use going.”
Thompson said she hoped the Connexions focus group session would help to identify and reduce barriers of access and communication between Portage residents and the municipality.
Lynne Cameron, mayor of Portage, was also in attendance at the meeting. She told THE EQUITY she was very happy to see the community coming together to discuss its wants and needs.
She too acknowledged a lull in participation in community events, especially since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic.
“I think the word gets out, but it’s encouraging participation [that is needed]. It’s a small town, there’s a lot of new people, maybe they don’t want to come because they don’t know anybody,” she said.
Cameron was optimistic that renovations currently underway at the town hall would provide a space for group functions and different activities, further enhancing participation in community events.
“We’re going to have computer courses for seniors,” she said. “In doing that it brings people together. I’m very excited.”
She was also optimistic that the increasing presence of children in Portage would further enhance community engagement.
“Usually when it’s to do with kids, there’s big turnout,” she said. “[There were] a few years where there were hardly any kids. Now we have enough for a baseball team.”
Brubacher said she thinks there is great potential in bringing together two of the largest factions of the Portage population, children and the elderly.
“There is a great need for the young people of our communities and the elderly of our communities to share space, to support each other through intergenerational aid,” she said.
“They both have similar needs for engagement and for community care, and so there’s a wonderful opportunity there [for them] to come together in some way.”
Connexions is a non-profit organization that aims to link the English-speaking community of the Outaouais with a variety of health and social services.
Shelley Heaphy, its community outreach coordinator for the MRC Pontiac region, said the information gathered during the sessions will be used to update a series of “community portraits” first created in 2018.
These updated portraits will help the organization target its services according to the information gathered, as well as advocate to community partners and apply for relevant funding.
The final Connexions focus group will be hosted Feb. 6 in L’Isle-aux-Allumettes.

Portage community programming lacking, focus group finds Read More »

New study permit cap divisive amongst international students

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Photo Alice Martin

Hannah Vogan
Local Journalism Initiative

On Jan. 22, Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) announced a temporary two-year intake cap on study permit applications in Canada to “protect international students from bad actors and support sustainable population growth in Canada.” 

The government will only approve approximately 360,000 study permits in 2024, a 35 per cent reduction from the 579,075 approved study permits in 2023. With this new number, the IRCC will hand out a chunk of the cap to each territory and province for them to delegate the permits accordingly. As for the number of study permits accepted in 2025, the government will reassess the potential number at the end of 2024. 

Upon announcement of the new policy, IRCC minister Marc Miller justified that this cap is not against international students but to ensure the quality of education. According to the IRCC, these measures are enforced to correct the abuse of international students by institutions. 

Kareem Rahaman, an international student from Trinidad and finance coordinator at the Concordia Student Union, agrees that international students are being taken advantage of, “and part of me wants to believe that the government is doing this to prevent [taking advantage of international students].” However, another part of Rahaman believes this is a “genius political move” in which the government is shifting the blame on international students instead of taking responsibility for poor health care and the housing crisis.

“When resources are limited, and you let this amount of people in, of course housing and cost of living are going to rise. I mean, that is just bound to happen,” said Mitchell Mak. Mak is an international student from Hong Kong studying a double major in psychology and linguistics at the University of Toronto (UofT). Mak’s family has been considering immigration for a while, as Mak moved to Canada in grade 12. “I don’t think there is anything wrong with a country trying to protect its own interest,” Mak said. 

The IRCC will now require all study permit applications to be submitted with an attestation letter from the territory or province of the desired study. Territories and provinces have until March 31, 2024, to solidify a plan to provide student attestation letters.
 
The cap will not impact current permit holders or those pursuing elementary, secondary, master’s, or doctorate degrees.

The cap will not negatively affect Quebec, this new policy allows the province to—if it wishes—take in more international students. Although Quebec can potentially take in more international students over the next couple of years, the guarantee appears slim, given that international students who wish to study at English institutions in Quebec “will see their minimum tuition fees set at roughly $20,000” for the fall 2024 semester, in addition to an obligation to learn French. According to Concordia’s website, the university will keep fees at the currently published tuition rates for international students for the 2024-2025 academic year. 

The cap will, however, drastically affect Ontario and British Columbia, two provinces that harbour the top percentage of international students in Canada. 

Last year, Ontario accepted 300,740 study permits, 51.9 per cent of the entire 2023 approved batch; that number is also 83.5 per cent of what the government will approve this year nationally. B.C took in the second most international students last year, approving 108,535 permits, 18.7 of the 2023 batch, and 30.1 per cent of the 2024 cap. These provinces will receive about half their usual number of international students this year. 

For Sofia Solano, a second-year international student from Belize who studies commerce at UofT, Ontario offered a higher level of education that was not possible at home. 

It is undeniable that Toronto is pricey for Solano, “I have a scholarship for $100,000, and it is barely making a dent,” she said. Yet Solano sees this high cost as a cost of a better life, “it does suck that we get charged a ridiculous amount more than domestic students. But again, I just view [studying abroad] as something that needs to be done,” she said.

This policy also came shortly after Miller announced an update to the financial requirement for those applying for a Canadian study permit. Applicants will now have to prove they have $20,635 in addition to their tuition and travel fees to be considered. 

The cap also puzzles Solano as she begs the question: “If you can’t afford it, you wouldn’t be here. Right?” She believes the cap is not about saving students from exploitation but reducing the number of international students in Canada.

Still, Mak does not think Canada is obligated to carry the burden of “improving the quality of international students’ lives.” 

“(Especially) not at the expense of worsening your own quality of life in your own country,” he said. 

Solano has two sisters looking into post-secondary education in the U.S. and Canada and might be affected by this cap. “It’s sad because I feel like everyone kind of deserves a fair shot,” Solana said.

A previous version of this article stated that international student tuition will double for fall 2024. Concordia has announced that for the 2024-2025 academic year, tuition for international students will remain the same. The Link regrets this error. 

New study permit cap divisive amongst international students Read More »

Citizens’ groups call on feds to halt nuclear waste disposal plan

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Charles Dickson, Editor
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

“People need to wake up and realize the truth that this waste is full of deadly long-lived, man-made radioactive poisons such as plutonium that will be hazardous for many thousands of years,” says Johanna Echlin of the Old Fort William (Quebec) Cottagers’ Association.
Echlin was quoted in a press release issued Monday by a collection of citizens’ groups from both the Ontario and Quebec sides of the Ottawa River that are pressing the federal government to halt the construction of a near-surface disposal facility for radioactive waste approximately a kilometre from the Ottawa River.
“If I hear one more time that the mound will hold ‘only low-level’ radioactive waste including mops and shoe covers, I’m going to scream so loud they will hear me at the IAEA headquarters in Vienna,” Echlin is quoted as saying.
According to the joint press release, the IAEA (International Atomic Energy Agency) says waste from research facilities such as Chalk River Laboratories generally belongs to the “Intermediate-level” waste class and must be kept underground, tens of metres or more below the surface.
A letter sent by the citizens’ groups to elected officials on Feb. 4 cites evidence that “waste destined for the mound is heavily contaminated with very long-lived radioactive materials produced in nuclear reactors, which are capable of causing cancer, birth defects and genetic mutations in exposed populations.”
The letter calls for the Government of Canada to halt the disposal project and stop all funding for construction.
“We believe Cabinet or Parliament has the power to reverse this decision and they need to do so as soon as possible,” said Lynn Jones of Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County and Area.
Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL) was recently granted permission by the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC) to build the proposed Near-Surface Disposal Facility (NSDF) on the Ontario shore of the Ottawa River roughly across from the Pontiac community of Sheenboro.
According to the press release, if built, the seven-storey mound “will hold one million tons of radioactive and other hazardous waste from eight decades of operations of the Chalk River Laboratories (CRL), a highly contaminated federal nuclear research facility owned by the Government of Canada.”
The signatories to the letter are Concerned Citizens of Renfrew County and Area, the Old Fort William (Quebec) Cottagers’ Association, Ralliement contre la pollution radioactive, and the Canadian Coalition for Nuclear Responsibility which have been opposing the proposal to build the radioactive waste disposal facility since 2016.

Citizens’ groups call on feds to halt nuclear waste disposal plan Read More »

Shawville community bonspiel sees biggest turnout since pandemic

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Camilla Faragalli, reporter
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

The Shawville Curling Club’s 48th annual community bonspiel kicked off on Thursday, with 48 teams competing for the glory of the first place toilet seat trophy.
“We’ve increased the number of teams from last year, and are just enjoying seeing faces we haven’t seen around here for five or six years,” said club vice president Gerry Ireland.
The curling tournament saw 14 more teams register to compete this year than it did last.
“I think it’s people coming back from after covid. It’s taken a while but it’s good to see some new people, and some old people coming back,” Ireland said.
“I think it’s been great. We had a good signup, we’ve had people staying around [after the games], there was a good band last night,” said club president Joey Hannaberry, one of the event’s main organizers.
The band, Reg & Shag, was made up of local musicians Reg Carkner, Shane Presley and Mark Latreille.
“It’s a good bonspiel, it’s a lot of fun and it’s great for the community,” said Brad Peck, skip on the Municipality of Shawville team. “It’s competitive in your own calibre.”
The tournament also includes a nightly 50/50 draw, so far taken home by lucky winners Teri Smart, Joey Hannaberry, Brandi Hahn and Jordan Palmer.
The bonspiel will conclude next weekend.
“Everyone will finish playing, we’ll do the final tallies of all the divisions, and whoever has the most points wins,” Hannaberry said.

Shawville community bonspiel sees biggest turnout since pandemic Read More »

Laframboise leads Shawville-Clarendon Fire Department for 25 years

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Sophie Kuijper Dickson, reporter
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

When Lee Laframboise was a child growing up on Shawville’s Willow Street, he lived just a few doors down from Bill Black, then firefighter with the Shawville-Clarendon Fire Department. He would watch in awe as Black would speed down the street in his own car, decked out with all sorts of make-shift sirens, on his way to the station to respond to a call. Laframboise never imagined he would join that very fire department, let alone lead it as fire chief for a quarter of a century, but that is exactly what he did. “I’ve been on call since ‘91,” he laughed, seated in the second-floor meeting room of the Shawville-Clarendon Fire Department on a quiet Thursday afternoon. “I get up in the morning, I get dressed, I put my pager on. It gets to be a way of life.” The firehall was empty, its 26 volunteer firefighters tied up in their regular lives, and so Laframboise was taking the opportunity to do some tidying of a station that, to an untrained eye, seemed already to be spotless. The station’s five fire trucks were lined up, ready to be taken out on their next call. The floor was clean. Clutter was non-existent. In the locker room, 27 cubbies, each labeled with a firefighter’s last name and assigned number, housed 27 pairs of protective gear. Pant legs sat piled into boots, ready and waiting so that when the time came, the regular residents of Shawville and Clarendon could leap into them and transform themselves into the firefighters they had signed up to be. Laframboise is proud of the speed at which his firemen respond to a call, and remembers the days when he was one of them, often the first to the station when the call went out. He said these days, most of the firemen, including his own son Ryan, are already leaving the station in the trucks by the time he gets there. “I have enough guys that can do that, because I’m old. That’s why. I use the old excuse,” Laframboise said, earnestly. While it was the adrenaline rush and the glamour of the job that initially seduced him into volunteering for the department all of those years ago, his 25 years as chief have offered him a more intimate understanding of the behind-the-scenes diplomacy and attention to detail needed to keep a fire department going. Laframboise describes the job of chief as governed by a series of less glamorous tasks that make daily operations of the department possible, like checking and rechecking systems and keeping equipment updated, including Shawville’s one hundred or so fire hydrants which he ensures are inspected annually. But his attention to detail extends beyond what equipment maintenance demands to an attunement to the personalities that make up his team. “I’m not going to say I’m a good chief, but you do have to wear two hats,” Laframboise said, referring to the dual roles he plays as both friend and boss of the men who make up the department. “You’ve got to make them feel important and make the job worthwhile,” he said, adding that this requires a bit of a balancing act. Laframboise said that even though pay for what is still referred to as a ‘volunteer’ position has improved since he started, training and certification demands have made recruiting new firefighters to the department more challenging. While the standards for firefighters are higher than they used to be, Laframboise does not shy away from enforcing them, both because it is the law in Quebec, and because he cares that his fire department does well. At the same time, he is keenly aware that he is leading a team of firefighters at a time when rural departments are struggling to bring in volunteers, often joining forces with neighbouring departments to stay alive. Laframboise knows that being too strict or stern with the men that make up his team might push them away, and so he does what he can to walk a fine line. “Here’s an example,” he said, reaching to grab a crumpled up Freezie wrapper that had been left on a table in the meeting room. “I buy them Freezies because I know they like them, but they’ll get crap for this,” he insisted, waving the tube of plastic in the air before throwing the wrapper in the trash. “I do baby them a lot,” Laframboise admitted. “But I get paid to be here.” ‘Like another father’ Larry Stevens has been deputy chief under Laframboise’s leadership for over 10 years, and a good friend of his for much longer. “The Shawville-Clarendon Fire Department is a pretty good fire department, and it’s a lot because of his leadership,” Stevens said. He believes the success of Laframboise’s leadership is largely to do with his ability to motivate the team. “Motivation comes in a whole bunch of different ways. Sometimes it’s being a little cross, sometimes it’s a pat on the back,” Stevens said. “Every now and then he can get a little bit cross if it’s not going how he wants, but he has a level of performance he’d like and pushes hard for that level. I think that’s about the biggest compliment I could give him.” “Twenty-six firemen . . . do you know how many personalities that is?” Vaughan Bastien, one of two captains with the department laughed, crediting Laframboise for his ability to both support the firefighters and push them to meet his standards. “Lee has a big heart. He’s like another father,” Bastien said. Bill Black’s trace While Laframboise would not describe his role as fatherly, he did allude to an impulse he has to protect the younger recruits on the team from having to see serious injuries at car wrecks, which he knows from experience can haunt a responder for years afterwards. “They don’t need to have that memory,” he said, adding that when he can’t protect them, he reminds them of what his predecessor Bill Black always told him. “Don’t look at the person. Do the job you’ve got to do but don’t look at the person.” Laframboise was recruited to the department in the days he owned and ran Bean’s Service Station on the highway. The chief at the time, Roy Thoms, convinced him to sign up as a firefighter, which paid only $5 for a call. Laframboise agreed but warned Thoms he would only respond to calls if he was not already serving a customer at Bean’s. His dedication to his customers quickly waned as he grew to love the thrill of responding to a call. Thoms was replaced by Neil Sharpe, who led the department for two years from 1991 to 1993, at which point he was replaced by Bill Black, the firefighting neighbour from Laframboise’s childhood. Laframboise credits Black with having taught him many things, including how to tie a bowline knot and how to help at a devastating fire or crash scene while staying collected. But Laframboise said Black’s influence on his career was wider reaching than a simple lesson here or there. Laframboise was the fireman standing right next to Black when he died of cardiac arrest responding to a brush fire at the Clarendon dump in May 1998. Black was only 51 years old. “That’s probably why I became chief. I took the responsibility right then. Some other guy was freaking out. I said ‘Get your head together’,” Laframboise recalled. Black’s original signature can still be found protected under a piece of plexiglass on the fire station’s chalkboard which was saved when the new fire hall was built in 2000. “If Black was still living, he would still be chief. I wouldn’t care if he was 75.” Laframboise and his deputy chiefs are all in their sixties, and he knows their days at the fire department will soon come to an end. “There’s a good chance that I will retire and the deputy chiefs retire all at the same time,” Laframboise said. He has started to reach out to a few firefighters he believes might be candidates for replacing him, but knows that finding the right fit requires a rare combination of dedication, organization and personality that is harder and harder to come by. “For example, you need to have a few papers behind you to be chief,” he said. “We do have some that have the papers, but do they have the heart?” For now, Laframboise leaves this question of future leadership unanswered, reassured by his confidence that the team he leads cares deeply about the work it does. “I know they guys that are here want to be here. They have heart.”

Laframboise leads Shawville-Clarendon Fire Department for 25 years Read More »

Remise des diplômes de l’ÉSSC: La cohorte 2022-2023 peut dire : Mission accomplie!

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Pierre St-Cyr, reporter
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

L’atmosphère était à la fête samedi dernier à l’auditorium de l’École secondaire Sieur-de-Coulonge. Et pour cause. La cohorte 2022-2023 s’y trouvait pour la remise officielle des diplômes ainsi que la présentation de bourses d’étude.
C’est au son du thème musical de Star Wars que les quelque 125 parents et amis présents ont accueilli chaleureusement dans l’enceinte les 15 filles et 10 garçons revêtus de leurs toges de graduation.
La fierté se lisait sur leurs visages. Leur succès académique a été obtenu au prix de grands efforts. Des efforts d’autant plus méritoires au vu du difficile contexte des dernières années, dû à la pandémie, la grève du transport scolaire, l’inondation et le deuil vécu à la suite du décès de membres très appréciés du personnel scolaire.
Pas étonnant dans les circonstances que la communauté du Pontiac ait répondu à l’appel quand est venu le temps de leur témoigner sa solidarité.
Ainsi, plus d’une quarantaine d’organisations, d’institutions et de municipalités du secteur ont remis un total de près de 28 000$ à ces jeunes pour récompenser leurs performances, leur assiduité et leur persévérance. De l’argent qui sera vite mis à contribution compte tenu que la très grande majorité des diplômés 2022-2023 poursuivent depuis leurs études dans divers établissements de la région.
Visiblement émue, Julie Martin, directrice de l’ÉSSC, a prononcé les mots de la fin en rappelant aux jeunes diplômés que le chemin parcouru – si difficile qu’il ait été – avait forgé en chacun d’eux une persévérance qui augurait bien pour l’avenir.
Un bel avenir semble également se dessiner pour l’ÉSSC qui, selon l’Institut Fraser, est l’une des écoles secondaires qui s’est le plus amélioré au Québec depuis cinq ans.
Nul doute que les cohortes à venir pourront attester de cette belle remontée.

Remise des diplômes de l’ÉSSC: La cohorte 2022-2023 peut dire : Mission accomplie! Read More »

Third annual ice fishing derby in Otter Lake ‘best overall’

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Camilla Faragalli, reporter
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

An assortment of brightly coloured jackets and ski-doos dotted the frozen white surface of Lac de la Ferme in Otter Lake on Saturday; contestants at the 3rd annual ice-fishing derby hosted by the municipality’s RA.
“It’s very successful so far,” said Shane Presley, president of the Otter Lake RA and a key organizer of the event. He explained that 184 fishermen had registered and more were on their way.
Presley said the day had begun before breakfast for many of the contestants present.
“We were out drilling holes [in the ice] at 5:30 [a.m.].”
Presley explained that the derby would be won by the fisherman who caught the longest fish.
“They have to bring them in alive,” he said, adding that $500 in prize money would be split between the top three contenders. He said that while some fishermen would keep their catch, most just threw them back in the lake after having them measured.
Devon Lafleur and his friends were taking the competition seriously, with playing cards fastened onto stationary lines set up in several places on the frozen lake.
“Instead of always going to jig it [the line], it [the card] makes it look like the minnows are alive and swimming,” Lafleur explained.
“The wind catches on the line so it moves the minnow. That’s how come nobody else has any fish and we have five.”
Yan Leduc and Carl Vincent said they were participating in the derby as part of a family tradition, and were waiting on more family members to show up.
“I grew up fishing around this area, my father has an outfitter around here,” Leduc explained. “I think it’s just seeing friends, being outside, we’ve got nice conditions today. I’m super happy to be here.”
Rachelle Villeneuve, who attended with her mother and children, had a similar story.
“It’s my hometown. We’ve come every year that it’s been organized since I was little,” she said, explaining that while the derby was in its third official year, ice-fishing tournaments have been held annually in Otter Lake for decades.
For Annick Lance, who was fishing with a large group of family members, the event was all about supporting the community.
“We like to encourage Otter Lake. We’re from here,” she said.
The all-day event on Saturday also included a poker tournament, breakfast, lunch and dinner options, 40-plus prizes to be won by derby contestants and a dance in the evening featuring DJ Fletcher of Shawville.
“It was too cold the last couple years but this year was fantastic,” said Presley, “This was our third year and this was the best overall.”

Third annual ice fishing derby in Otter Lake ‘best overall’ Read More »

City launches subsidy program for environmentally friendly hygiene products

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

Quebec City residents who buy reusable diapers or menstrual products can now have a portion of the cost covered by the Ville de Québec through a subsidy program, launched Jan. 30. Those who take advantage of the subsidy can have 60 per cent of the purchase price of each pack of reusable products reimbursed, up to an annual ceiling of $100 for menstrual products and $200 per child for diapers. If the products are purchased from local businesses, up to 75 per cent of the cost is reimbursed. The program was first announced in December, but has since been revised to allow participants to apply more often. People can submit two applications every five years.

“For many, this program will provide the necessary boost to take action,” said Coun. Marie- Josée Asselin, the member of the city executive committee responsible for waste management. “A person could, for example, equip themselves at a reduced price with a set of washable diapers, or a menstrual cup and panties, depending on their needs. It’s one more tool toward a sustainable lifestyle.” In a statement, Asselin added that encouraging the use of reusable products is also expected to reduce waste and boost local businesses.

Limoilou Coun. Jackie Smith and her party, Transition Québec, championed the program alongside Coun. Alicia Despins (Vanier–Les Rivières; Québec d’abord) and the Regroupement des femmes de la Capitale-Nationale. Smith said it’s “amazing that it took so long” to put the program in place.

She said she pitched the proposal in May 2022. “There was a multi-party committee that was put in place; we all agreed it should happen, but then nothing happened for a really long time. The city did not want to manage it [directly] … they asked a few community organizations and then found an organization in Montreal [the Groupe de recommandations et d’actions pour un meilleur environnement (GRAME)] who manages it for a bunch of municipalities.” Lévis, Sherbrooke, Cowansville and the Sud-Ouest borough of Montreal have similar subsidy programs.

According to the GRAME, a person who uses disposable menstrual products will use about 15,000 tampons or pads over the course of a lifetime, and each disposable pad takes about 450 years to decompose.

Every year in Canada, 771 million disposable hygiene products are thrown out. Smith said while the “startup costs” are relatively significant for people who replace dispos- able diapers and menstrual products with reusable ones, the environmental benefits are significant. Pads and diapers “are used briefly and then thrown out and sent to the incinerator when they’re wet, so they reduce the efficiency of the incinerator, and it’s a lot of waste in terms of kilos.”

Smith said many local organic grocery stores, zero-waste stores and stores that sell baby products also sell reusable diapers or other hygiene products. Quebec-based companies Mme L’Ovary and Marie fil sell reusable menstrual products which can be found online or in select stores.

To learn more or apply for the subsidy, visit grame.org/protection-hygienique-lavable-subvention-grame.

City launches subsidy program for environmentally friendly hygiene products Read More »

Quebec raises minimum wage to $15.75 amid economic uncertainties

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Photo: Quebec announces a notable minimum wage increase to $15.75 starting May 1, targeting economic stability in the retail and restaurant sectors amid uncertainties. (TF) Photo: Tashi Farmilo

With notes from Mary Baskin, Marie-Eve Turpin and Lily Ryan

In a move aimed at adjusting to the economic fluctuations, particularly in the retail and restaurant sectors, Quebec has announced a significant increase in its minimum wage. Starting May 1, the province will see its minimum wage rise by 50 cents an hour, reaching $15.75. This decision, as outlined by the Labour Department, is set to impact over 200,000 workers, with more than 111,000 of them being women.

Jean Boulet, the Labour Minister, highlighted the government’s cautious approach toward this wage increase. The adjustment, a little over three per cent, is intended to strike a balance between supporting low-income workers and not overburdening employers, especially those in the critical sectors of restaurant and retail. Boulet emphasized the potential negative effects of a rapid increase in the minimum wage on these industries.

This wage hike is designed to align with the government’s objective of maintaining the minimum wage at about half the average hourly pay for workers in Quebec. According to Boulet, the three per cent increase surpasses the province’s estimated inflation rate for the 2024-25 fiscal year, which stands at 2.3 per cent. He stated, “We have, with this minimum wage, a better percentage of our capacity to answer the essential needs of the low-income people,” during a recent press conference.

However, the increase has stirred concerns within the business community, worried about the potential strain on their finances due to the rising costs of raw materials and other expenses.

The government acknowledges these apprehensions but defends its decision as a necessary adjustment to keep pace with economic conditions and inflation. Boulet described the wage hike as “a big step,” marking the largest increase the province has seen in two decades.

The government’s stance reflects a delicate balancing act, aiming to support workers while considering the broader economic implications. As Quebec navigates through these uncertain times, the minimum wage increase represents a significant effort to ensure that low-income workers can meet their essential needs, despite the challenges posed by inflation and economic shifts.

Quebec raises minimum wage to $15.75 amid economic uncertainties Read More »

Confusion around centre-ville de Gatineau governance

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

Photo caption: Ville de Gatineau general director Simon Rousseau joins Mayor France Bélisle and councillor Steve Moran in sharing the findings from a recent study from l’Observatoire de l’Outaouais.

Photo credit: Taylor Clark

A shift is needed within the Ville de Gatineau to deliver an ambitious plan for the future of its centre-ville, Mayor France Bélisle told journalists at a press briefing following a meeting of the Table de concertation du centre-ville on February 2.

“Sometimes I find that what we have heard is very positive. We are not here in a world of cuddlybears where we tell ourselves that everything is perfect,” said Bélisle. “We are in a world where we say we roll up our sleeves. Let’s become ambassadors of solidarity. And to be ambassadors ofsolidarity, we need a clear plan.”

For the first time, members at the table were joined by the commission du développement du territoire et de l’habitation and commission de développement économique to review the findingsfrom a study by l’Observatoire de l’Outaouais.

Carried out at the request of the city, the study, entitled Étude sur l’attractivité et la diversification économique du centre-ville de Gatineau , highlighted various challenges faced by the sector and recommended possible solutions.

The study laid out six courses of action and three conditions for success. It underlined the fact that recommendations do not establish a public policy proposal or action and that the final say would be up to the Ville de Gatineau and its partners to prioritize actions.

“I don’t think the data we saw concerning the downtown is surprising,” said Bélisle. “What I feel is that the plan is not clear; people are looking for what is happening. People clearly don’t understand where we’re going. We need to take note of that and do better.”

Bélisle was joined by Hull-Wright district councillor Steve Moran, who also sits on the Table de concertation du centre-ville, and general director Simon Rousseau.

The research revealed a “certain confusion” that has emerged around downtown governance and the multitude of roles and responsibilities which Rousseau said would be reviewed.

“I don’t want us to pretend to take what has been done and throw it in the trash,” said the general director. “That’s not how we’re going to do things. I think we will really be in continuous improvement. If we want to move to another level, we must do it a little differently.”

Another hurdle comes with citizens’ sense of belonging to the centre-ville. In a city that has been amalgamated for over 20 years, Bélisle noted that people’s attachment was naturally to their sector.

“We have to get out of this logic of competition because we’re actually responding to different needs for the various people in the region,” said Moran. “Our downtown must be defined as a collective. This means that it must meet the needs of the entire region, not just the people of a certain sector, but of the entire Outaouais.”​

But a sense of belonging takes time, said Bélisle. “We won’t see gains in 48 hours, nor next year. We will have to talk about it again in ten years.”

In the meantime, an annual action plan should come to light in March, as well as budget requests in the context of the 2025 budget.

“Then, we will have a little clearer idea of what we are doing and what the financial commitments are.”

Confusion around centre-ville de Gatineau governance Read More »

Shortage of dental hygienists in Quebec and Outaouais: Professionals seeking solutions

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Photo: Outaouais region faces a dental health crisis due to acute shortage of Dental Hygienists. (TF) Photo: Tashi Farmilo

With notes from Mary Baskin, Marie-Eve Turpin and Lily Ryan

The Outaouais region is seeing a significant shortage of dental hygienists causing major disruptions in dental health services. Catherine Roberge, representing the Order of Dental Hygienists of Quebec (OHDQ), offers detailed insights into the factors contributing to this crisis and its impact on the community.

Roberge highlights a stark disparity in the availability of dental hygienists. “The number of graduates in dental hygiene techniques in Outaouais is clearly insufficient to meet demand,” she explains. This shortfall is reflected throughout Quebec, where the ratio of dental hygienists to the population significantly lags behind neighbouring areas. “In Quebec, there are 80.2 dental hygienists per 100,000 inhabitants,” she notes, in contrast to Ontario’s 95.8.

The consequences of this shortage are widespread. Patients are experiencing longer wait times for dental appointments, with some clinics unable to take new patients for up to a year. “The waiting time before getting an appointment at a clinic is four, five, even six months,” Roberge states. Due to the lack of hygienists, some dentists have been forced to perform tasks typically reserved for hygienists, such as cleanings, or to refuse patients.

To address this issue, efforts are being made to expand educational programs for dental hygienists and to recruit internationally trained dentists into specialized programs. “At the provincial level, it would ideally be necessary to increase the number of places in CEGEPs offering the Dental Hygiene Techniques program,” Roberge suggests. This strategy is aimed at increasing the number of qualified professionals entering the field.

Looking ahead, Roberge advocates for long-term strategies to ensure a stable supply of dental hygienists in the region. This includes focusing on student recruitment and retention in educational programs and potentially recruiting from outside the local region if necessary.

The shortage of dental hygienists in Quebec, particularly in the Outaouais region, highlights a critical need for strategic interventions to ensure adequate dental care for the population. The OHDQ’s analysis and recommendations point toward a concerted effort required to address this growing concern in the dental health sector.

Shortage of dental hygienists in Quebec and Outaouais: Professionals seeking solutions Read More »

Bobino Bagel: Outaouais welcomes its first Montreal-style bagel factory and shop

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Photo: The first Montreal-style bagel factory in the Outaouais region is poised for its grand ​opening on February 2nd at 7:0 0 am, promising a unique culinary experience for bagel enthusiasts. (TF) Photo courtesy of Bobino Bagel

With notes from Mary Baskin, Marie-Eve Turpin and Lily Ryan

The much anticipated opening of the first Montreal-style bagel factory in the Outaouais region is set to happen on February 2 at 7:00 am. Bobino Bagel, the brainchild of the creative agency Orkestra, will open its doors in downtown Hull, marking a significant addition to the local culinary scene. Gatineau Mayor France Bélisle, along with the project’s financiers and partners, gathered earlier today for the inaugural bagel cutting ceremony.

Located at 61 Laurier Street, right across from the Canadian Museum of History, Bobino Bagel is poised to become the premier destination for authentic Montreal-style bagels in the region. The menu features a classic range of bagels, including sesame, poppy seed, and whole grain options. Patrons can also enjoy a selection of coffees, “bobicinnos,” craft beers, and a strong focus on local products.

Orkestra’s co-president, Alex Van Dieren, expressed excitement about the launch: “We are thrilled to open the doors of the first and only Montreal-style bagel factory in the Outaouais, righthere in the heart of downtown Hull. Our agency aims to bring smiles to people’s faces, just like we do with our involvement in various festivals, and we anticipate Bobino Bagel will be no different.”

Bobino Bagel pays tribute to the longest-running children’s show in Quebec’s history, situated in the neighbourhood of the real Bobino. Indeed, Guy Sanche, the actor who created and portrayed the character of Bobino from 1957 to 1985 on Radio-Canada, was a native of Hull.

The opening of Bobino Bagel was made possible by a generous grant from the Downtown Revitalization Program, funding from Desjardins, and the contribution of Brigil, the site’s owner.

Behind this visionary project is Chef Éric Auclair, a master pastry chef who has spent nearly two years perfecting his bagel recipe. The result is a bagel of unparalleled quality, crafted with care and passion, offering a unique culinary experience to customers.

Annie-Pier Caron Daviault, Executive Director of Vision centre-ville Gatineau, commended Orkestra for their creativity and contribution to downtown vitality. Local businesses, including Brigil and Desjardins Entreprises, have played a crucial role in supporting this endeavor. Jessy Desjardins, Vice-President of Development and Design at Brigil, and Martin Richer, General Manager of Desjardins Entreprises Outaouais, both expressed their pride and support for the project, emphasizing its significance in revitalizing the downtown area and promoting local culture.

As Bobino Bagel prepares to welcome guests at its charming location in Outaouais, a delectable bagel topped with cream cheese symbolizes the delightful experiences that await visitors.

Bobino Bagel: Outaouais welcomes its first Montreal-style bagel factory and shop Read More »

Addressing the housing crisis in Outaouais: Quebec’s CQCH takes innovative steps

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Photo: Innovative strategies unveiled by Quebec Housing Cooperative Movement to combat intensifying housing crisis in the Outaouais Region. (TF) Photo courtesy of the CQCH

With notes from Mary Baskin, Marie-Eve Turpin and Lily Ryan

As the housing crisis in the Outaouais region intensifies, the Quebec Housing Cooperative Movement (CQCH), led by Sandra Turgeon, Director General, is implementing innovative strategies to address this complex issue. The CQCH, a pivotal entity in the cooperative housing sector in Quebec, is focused not just on building houses, but on reshaping the cooperative housing framework to meet contemporary needs.

A comprehensive interview with Turgeon shed light on several key future projects and initiatives that the CQCH is undertaking. “We are in the midst of a crisis that calls for a multifaceted approach, one that considers affordability, sustainability, and community needs,” Turgeon stated, emphasizing the need for a broad and inclusive strategy.

One significant future project is the development of approximately 1,000 housing units in the Outaouais region. The aim of this ambitious project, which is a collaboration with the Solidarity Economy Network of Quebec, is to provide a substantial boost to the available housing in the area. Turgeon acknowledged that such large-scale projects require considerable government support and time to realize.

Turgeon also discussed the CQCH’s plans to adapt to the “Habitation Abordable Québec” (HAQ) program, a shift from the previous “AccèsLogis” program. “Adapting to HAQ necessitatesa strategic pivot in our approach to housing projects and funding,” she noted, underlining the need for agility in response to changing policies.

Looking to international models for inspiration, Turgeon highlighted plans to develop a more resilient and independent housing sector in Quebec. “We are drawing lessons from housing strategies in cities like Vienna and Paris, aiming to create a stable and autonomous cooperative housing sector,” she explained, indicating a direction toward innovative, globally-informed solutions.

Furthermore, Turgeon emphasized the CQCH’s commitment to addressing the needs of an aging population within cooperatives. “Developing tools and strategies to maintain comfortable housing for our older members is a priority,” she said, showcasing the organization’s dedication to inclusive and sustainable housing solutions.

The CQCH’s future projects also include enhancing communication and collaboration within the cooperative movement. “By regularly convening with managers and stakeholders across Quebec, we aim to share insights and develop collective solutions to our common challenges,” Turgeon remarked, highlighting the cooperative spirit that guides their efforts.

In addressing the Outaouais region’s housing crisis, Turgeon’s leadership and the CQCH’s innovative, collaborative approach provide hope and direction. The path ahead is laden with challenges, but the organization’s commitment to long-term, sustainable solutions in cooperative​housing is clear and unwavering.

Addressing the housing crisis in Outaouais: Quebec’s CQCH takes innovative steps Read More »

Montrealers urge government to stop Bill 31

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Protesters hold up a sign reading “it took three months to recognize a genocidal ‘state’. Do you really think the CAQ is worried about its tenants? Liberation for all.” Photo Andraé Lerone Lewis

Sarah-Maria Khoueiry
Local Journalism Initiative

On Feb. 3, around a thousand protesters gathered in front of the Saint-Édouard Church on the corner of Beaubien and Saint-Denis Street, where organizers handed out pamphlets and chant guides to the crowd.

The protest, organized by the Coalition of Housing Committees and Tenants Associations of Quebec (RCLALQ), aimed to publicly oppose  Bill 31. This bill, if passed, will allow landlords to reject lease transfers with no valid explanation, and then cancel the lease.

“The rents are already too high, and they will be higher after that,” said Martin Blanchard, the coordinator of the RCLALQ. “There are other things that we are mad about, but the lease transfer thing is the most damning.”

Among other concerns expressed by organizers such as Rosalye, the community organizer of the Comité logement de la Petite Patrie, is the discrimination against tenants from marginalized communities. Rosalye’s last name is revoked for fear of being refused an apartment in the future. She believes that expressing a negative opinion on current housing management could deny her housing in the future. Rosalye thinks France-Élaine Duranceau, Quebec’s housing minister, is directly “attacking tenants” by only consulting with landlords rather than talking to tenant rights’ organizations.

She also explained that the bill would allow municipalities to sell social housing (HLM).

“The fact that people will be able to buy HLM [is] so problematic,” she added. “That’s something we should be proud of as Quebecers to have for people that have less revenue.”

Most chants called for the resignation of Duranceau. The RCLALQ also demanded a rent freeze, rent control, abolishing security deposits, and the conservation of lease transfers.

The protesters marched down Beaubien Street, all the way to Marché Jean Talon by way of Little Italy, and finally reached the Centre de Ressources et d’Action Communautaire de la Petite-Patrie (CRACPP). The centre is home to the Comité logement de la Petite Patrie, an organization that helps people facing issues with housing, such as rent increases, vermin, discrimination, and gentrification.

Many speeches also brought up the link between the housing crisis, immigration influx and asylum seekers.

Cédric Dussault, the spokesperson of the RCLALQ, argued in an introductory speech that the housing crisis had touched regions with low immigration rates, like Gaspésie, discrediting the link between the two issues.

“It’s trying to deviate the tension from something else,” said Blanchard. “The problem [is] that the rates are too high and that the owners have too much leeway driving up rents.”

Among the attendees was Rich, a 64-year-old man living in Notre-Dame-de-Grâce who was recently evicted from his house, and who wished to remain anonymous. He believes the government doesn’t have a clear idea of how passing this bill will affect the population on a long-term basis.

“I just wish we weren’t here today,” he said. He expressed his disappointment in regards to the government’s lack of vision as to what the decisions are today and how they’re going to affect us. “It’s just going to get worse,” he said.

He believes that protesting gets exposure in the news that can help bring change.

“Through advocacy, you’re never alone,” Rich said.

Multiple attendees were waving Palestinian flags and wearing keffiyehs. A sign written in the colours of the Palestinian flag read, in French, “Three months to recognize a genocidal ‘state.’ Do you really think the CAQ cares about tenants? Liberation for all.”

Juan Carlos Angel Ramirez, a protester with the Alliance Ouvrière contingent, thinks that the issues are interconnected.

“If the people here rise up against the [Canadian] government […] maybe, that’s how we can change things [everywhere] somehow,” he said.

Montrealers urge government to stop Bill 31 Read More »

Former Danville mayor, councillors call for inquiry into past finances

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

By Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative

A former mayor of Danville and two former councillors have launched a petition calling on Minister of Municipal Affairs Andrée Laforest to launch an independent inquiry into the situation that led to the municipality falling three years behind on its financial statements.

“We don’t want to accuse anyone – the inquiry will tell us if anyone on the council or the administration did wrong, including any of us,” former mayor Michel Plourde, who served from 2013-2021, told The Record. Plourde and his former council colleagues Nathalie Boissé and Jean-Guy Dionne launched the petition Jan. 25. “We’re sticking our necks out. People might say, ‘You’re doing it to clear your reputation,’ and in a way, we are, but we want answers too.”

Between 2017 and the departure of the previous city manager in 2021, the city did not file a single annual financial statement according to Plourde. “The mayor has a duty of surveillance [but] the mayor and council cannot do that job [of filing the annual reports],” he explained, citing the Cities and Towns Act, which gives that responsibility to the town’s clerk or treasurer. In addition to the missing annual statements, Plourde alluded to missing interim statements and delayed council meeting minutes. For legal reasons, he is unable to discuss the circumstances of the town manager’s departure, although he said he hoped an inquiry would allow more information to be made public and shed light on whether financial misdeeds were committed.

Plourde, who left office in October 2021 and did not seek a third term, said he asked the Ministry of Housing and Municipal Affairs (MAMH) on three occasions – in May and December 2020 and September 2021 – to put the town under administration in order to address the delayed financial reports. The MAMH denied the requests at the time. Plourde, Boissé and Dionne are now calling on Laforest to intervene and name an independent investigator to review the town’s finances dating back to January 2017. “We’re calling for an independent investigator because the MAMH didn’t do its job the first time,” he said.

Plourde’s successor, Mayor Martine Sartre said she felt “kind of foreign to the file” because she was not involved in municipal politics or administration during Plourde’s tenure. “It’s his right [to call for an inquiry] but for the municipality, it doesn’t change anything,” she said. “Since our administration came in, we’ve seen nothing that led us to believe there has been wrongdoing.”

She said the town had appointed external auditors to assess the town’s financial well-being, and the 2018, 2019, 2020 and 2021 financial statements had been completed in the past two years.

“It’s really difficult, because it’s hard to access government subsidies [for development projects] if our financial statements aren’t up to date.”

Amid a labour shortage, inflation, deteriorating infrastructure and a divisive dispute over taxation and service fees, Sartre said she and her administration “didn’t have the energy to go back over the past.”

It is unclear whether Laforest has the inclination or the power to order such an inquiry. An inquiry to her office was redirected to the MAMH. MAMH spokesperson Sébastien Gariépy said the Commission municipale du Québec (CMQ) is “the only one-stop shop” for citizens and internal whistleblowers calling for “municipal integrity investigations.”

“The town of Danville is currently [receiving] specialized support in municipal finances offered by the MAMH. The ministry is monitoring the situation closely and remains available to answer questions from elected officials, municipal officers and citizens,” Gariépy added. No one from the CMQ was immediately available for comment. [1]

…although I am hoping to get someone tomorrow!

Former Danville mayor, councillors call for inquiry into past finances Read More »

Masquerade Party Fundraiser: unleash your inner wild side

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

Photo caption: A human rainbow assembles on a hospital bed to present the coveted golden toilet plunger in 2023.

Photo credit: Chrissy Shannon

Get wild and give back to the Des Collines community with the return of the “Get into Bed with

the Des Collines Health Foundation” masquerade on February 10 at the Centre Wakefield La

Pêche.

Des Collines Health Foundation is back with the fifth edition of the event and it promises to be

as wild as ever.

In partnership with the Outaouais Integrated Health and Social Services Centre, the health

foundation works to raise funds to support 34 beds across two long-term care facilities, along

with four community health centres and the Wakefield Memorial Hospital.

Needing to secure donations and reinforce its volunteer force, the board of the foundation

devised a cheeky idea to bring together the community and relish in positivity.

Teams of local groups strut their stuff on a runway leading to a hospital bed and perform various

styles of entertainment in wild costumes.

“I’m always blown away each year by what happens on stage. It’s crazy,” said Chrissy Shannon,

one of the executive committee members for the masquerade.

With the anything-goes attitude and wild theme; this year’s theme is open for interpretation.

“It makes people come to their own conclusion of what my costume is going to be and what the

vibe is going to be when we show up,” said Shannon. “You have this breadth of creative

opportunity and it’s very cool what these community members will come up with.”

The winners will be determined by a line-up of representatives from each municipality and

awarded the golden toilet plunger and other prizes.

The event is run completely by volunteers and works specifically to support improvements to the

area’s two long-term care facilities.

With hopes to top last year’s donations, the event is aiming to raise $25,000 to assist in covering

the cost of a CellaVision DMI machine with a $45,000 price tag.

The health foundation has already received a substantial donation for this fundraiser. $8,500 has

been given by Rupert Treasures, a non-profit second-hand store that runs out of the basement of

the Rupert Community Centre.

“Every year we’ve done a special thank-you skit on stage, and though I can’t reveal the content,

let’s just say that we will need a cleanup crew after,” said Shannon.​

The 18-plus event kicks off at 6:00 pm with food from The Village House, specialty cocktails,

and local beer, followed by the show at 7:00 pm. Tickets are $40 in advance and are available

through the foundation’s website or directly on Eventbrite.

Masquerade Party Fundraiser: unleash your inner wild side Read More »

Moisson Outaouais and La Cantine pour tous filling the void and filling tummies

Local Journalism Initiative / /

Photo caption: Moisson Outaouais chef David Gagné readies a nutritious meal that is to be served hot and ready to 1,250 students across four primary schools in Outaouais.

Photo credit: Courtesy of Moisson Outaouais

One thousand two hundred and fifty students across four additional primary schools in the

Outaouais region will be able to learn on a full stomach thanks to a collaboration between

Moisson Outaouais and La Cantine pour tous.

Since January 15, the two have joined forces to supply accessible meals to primary schools in the

region in an effort to combat the growing issue of food insecurity.

With costs rising across all avenues, the increasing total at the grocery till has taken its toll on

Canadians’ wallets.

PROOF, a research program out of the University of Toronto, found household food insecurity in

the ten provinces rose from 15.9 per cent to 17.8 per cent from 2021 to 2022, the highest
recorded to date.

Leaving almost 1.8 million children under 18 to experience some level of food insecurity

throughout 2022, meaning one in four children lived in households who suffered food insecurity.

But the need for access to a healthy meal doesn’t stop at the home dinner table. A recent study

from l’institut de recherche et d’informations socioéconomiques discovered only 13 per cent of

primary school students in Outaouais have access to a meal service at school.

Without the necessary funding and a kitchen to call their own, it can become difficult, if not

impossible, for a school to provide a meal service to its students.

Moisson Outaouais has been pumping out ready-to-eat meals for the Outaouais region since the

inclusion of its transformation kitchen in 2020.

Supporting mainly food banks, soup kitchens, shelter services, and family homes, an average of

26,000 kilograms of food is distributed to affiliated organizations each week. The initiative

continues to grow with the addition of four primary schools.

“Our mission is twofold: to ensure that every child in our schools can eat their fill with dignity,

without stigmatization, and to strengthen our mission to our community,” said Moisson

Outaouais general director Armand Kayolo. “It is a model that not only nourishes our children,

but also our collective future.”

Through La Cantine dans les écoles program, healthy and nutritious meals are distributed across

11 regions of Quebec, benefitting 34,379 students.

“La Cantine dans les écoles program is an accessible practical solution to make life easier for

parents so that their children can eat well at school, regardless of the economic situation at

home,” said Amandine Paulin, director of La Cantine dans les écoles. “School feeding is a social

issue. The collaboration with Moisson Outaouais means that we can reach 1,250 children through​four additional schools. There is something to be proud of.”

Despite pushback from Canadians, Canada is the sole country among the Group of Seven, an

intergovernmental political and economic forum, without a national school nutrition program,

according to the Breakfast Club of Canada.

La Cantine pour tous works to ensure every person in Quebec can benefit from healthy and

accessible food. The collective brings together social and solidarity economy organizations to

help combat food insecurity and other food issues in their area.

Through La Cantine dans les écoles program, over 100 primary schools have gained access to

affordable school meals in collaboration with 25 social caterers.

With three alternating menus containing 60 recipes, Moisson Outaouais has created a varied

menu to please even the pickiest of eaters.

“Every day offers a new culinary experience, promising to nourish not only bodies but also

curious minds,” read a press release from Moisson Outaouais.

Dishes range from teriyaki chicken with rice and vegetables, Chinese pork macaroni to

vegetarian options like the barbecue tofu plate or bean alfredo pasta.

Along with a dessert, meals are delivered hot and ready to eat to schools 180 days a year at a

flexible cost to parents.

With a $6 per meal cost and a $1 per meal minimum, parents are able to select the amount that

meets their budget.

“We’re very optimistic that we will be able to add more schools in the future,” said Moisson

Outaouais communication coordinator Rabinzel Hanna.

Moisson Outaouais and La Cantine pour tous filling the void and filling tummies Read More »

Protest against Quebec Bill 31, banning lease transfers, happening in Montreal on Saturday

Local Journalism Initiative / /

by Lorraine Carpenter, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

A protest against Quebec’s Bill 31 will be taking place in Montreal on Saturday. The demonstration’s organizers, the Coalition of Housing Committees and Tenants Associations of Quebec (RCLALQ), are also demanding a rent freeze in Quebec and that Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau step down.

“As Quebec goes through the most profound housing crisis in its history, as rents surge and evictions multiply, the government has proposed a bill that represents a direct attack on tenants. This is shameful!”

The protest will begin at noon at 425 Beaubien E. (corner St-Denis).

Protest against Quebec Bill 31, banning lease transfers, happening in Montreal on Saturday Read More »

Quebec to raise minimum wage by 50 cents to $15.75 per hour on May 1

Local Journalism Initiative / /

by Lorraine Carpenter, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

The Quebec government announced today that minimum wage in the province will increase by 50 cents per hour to $15.75 on May 1. This corresponds to a 3% increase in the minimum wage, which is less than the current rate of inflation of 4% in Quebec.

Québec Solidaire MNA Alexandre Leduc, who represents Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, called the announced increase “not sufficient” and “ridiculous.”

Quebec to raise minimum wage by 50 cents to $15.75 per hour on May 1 Read More »

Quebec Mosque tragedy commemorated seven years on

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

By Daniel Kirchin

Local Journalism Initiative

In a solemn remembrance ceremony held at Plymouth Trinity United Church on Monday evening, community members gathered to reflect on a harrowing incident that occurred seven years ago. The event, etched vividly in the memory of those present, unfolded on a Sunday evening when a shooter entered the Islamic Cultural Centre of Quebec, leaving six people dead and five injured.

The annual commemoration activity, organized by Actions interculturelles executive director Mohamed Soulami and Abdelilah Hamdache, president of the Institute of the Arab and Muslim World of Estrie, saw the participation of 12 organizations, including the Federation of Cultural Communities of Estrie, the Transcultural Educational Association, the Diocese of Sherbrooke, and the Islamic Cemetery of South-Eastern Quebec.

Others including Samuel Dansokho, Ahmed Chraibi, Aurélie Caldwell, and Gérard Coté, collaborated in the commemoration ceremony. As a diverse assembly gathered for a symbolic minute of silence and contemplation, candles were lit by young people from the Muslim community, symbolizing a collective remembrance and a call for unity.

Inside the Plymouth-Trinity Church, over 50 people paid tribute. Voices of diversity project members, Nesrine and Jessica hosted the ceremony, adding a nuanced touch influenced by the current global context.

Mohamed Soulami said during the ceremony that, “I turned on the television. The news was everywhere. What I felt at that moment, yes, it was a great shock. Lots of misunderstanding too. How could anyone do something such as that?”

Reflecting on the tragic day, Soulami emphasized the importance of commemoration ceremonies. He stated that, “We must always remember what happened if we want to reduce the risks of such a tragedy happening again.”

The ongoing war in the Middle East, with its impact on Muslim communities globally, became an integral part of the commemoration’s tone. Soulami condemned the conflict as a “dirty war, totally unacceptable, which violates the human and universal values established by all countries since 1945.”

Soulami stressed the need to distinguish between global conflicts and local initiatives. “We are aware that we must not mix things up. Today, what we want is to remember the inclusive and pacifist values of our society. It is a call that wants to stop gestures of Islamophobia as well as those of antisemitism, a call that wants to stop all discrimination. What we advocate is living together.”

Living together, however, faces challenges, as evidenced by incidents of racism or discrimination, such as the one Mohamed recalled from the fall. Despite such challenges, efforts to build bridges and connections persist.

The commemoration ceremony was held in Pastor Samuel V. Dansokho’s church, which symbolized unity beyond differences. The pastor, who recently commemorated the Shoah (The Holocaust), expressed solidarity with the victims of Islamophobia.

“These are different events that call us to go beyond everything that divides us to connect with everything that unites us. Each time it is a fight against hatred, each time a fight for peace, understanding, harmony.”

Quebec Mosque tragedy commemorated seven years on Read More »

Making winter recreation accessible

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

François Carrier
Local Journalism Initiative

CAMPBELL’S BAY – On January 17, Carrefour jeunesse-emploi du Pontiac (CJEP) announced a new ski and snowshoe loan program to be hosted in a cabin adjacent to their Campbell’s Bay office. The program is part of the Circonflex Project, an initiative of Loisir Sport Outaouais (LSO) in collaboration with Ski at School and several local partners including CJEP, the Maison des Jeunes and Le Patro de Mansfield. Sylviana Geoffray, a development officer at LSO, explained that Ski at School is looking to expand its popular programs to make cross-country ski equipment accessible to the general public. She said that to begin, the loan centre will be open on Saturdays from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. and that anyone can borrow skis or snowshoes for free, on a first-come, first-served basis. She said they are working on implementing an online booking system.

Campbell’s Bay Councillor Jean-Pierre Landry said the project fits well with his municipality’s vision for outdoor recreation, as they have invested heavily in the infrastructure of nearby Maurice Beauregard Park and the municipality wanted to offer something for the winter months. “It fits in well with the development of our year-round activities. So, Maurice Beauregard Park has been ‘3 seasons’ and now we’ve just added a fourth season, with skiing. As a result, we will have a year-round service offer for recreation and sports right here in Campbell’s Bay.”

According to Karim El Kerch, Executive Director of CJEP, this new project should also generate economic benefits for merchants and demonstrates the potential of the recreational tourism sector in the Pontiac. “The Carrefour, their main role, or mission is supporting the development of the population of the Pontiac in a general way through continuing education, access to the job market, and personal, social and professional autonomy.” explained El Kerch. More details are available on site in Campbell’s Bay or on the CJEP website.

Making winter recreation accessible Read More »

MRC meeting: Law 25 denounced, cell service for Route 148 West needed NOW!

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

Bonnie James
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE

MRC PONTIAC – The MRC Pontiac’s Council of Mayors’ monthly meeting was held January 24 at the MRC headquarters in Litchfield.

Law 25 denounced

Council denounced legislative amendments introduced by Law 25 – an act to modernize legislative provisions regarding the protection of personal information. They’re concerned Law 25 will impose an administrative burden on municipalities at a time when the municipal workforce is already stretched thin and overloaded due to labour shortages.

The resolution claims the new law accentuates bureaucratic burdens citizens and municipal stakeholders face by “increasing the complexity of the legal environment in which municipalities must operate.” It goes on to say the new legislative provisions are imprecise and difficult to interpret, thus risking disparities in application between different municipalities and levels of government. Council stressed the government has failed to provide support tools, including funds to hire new staff and compensate for additional hours needed to meet the Law’s obligations, in a timely manner.

The resolution will be forwarded to the Minister of Municipal Affairs (MAMH), the Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ), the Fédération québécoise des municipalités (FQM), local members of the National Assembly, and other Outaouais MRCs.

Lights, camera, action!

The MRC was approached by TVA Sports with an offer to film episodes highlighting the Pontiac’s winter recreation. Two episodes of Alexis le Randonneur will be filmed showcasing winter tourism in the Pontiac and one episode of Motoneiges.tv will feature Pontiac snowmobile trails. Both programs promise to highlight local businesses as well.

The filming of Alexis le Randonneur is in partnership with Tourisme Outaouais and the Pontiac Tourism Association, with the MRC contributing up to $4,500. The MRC will contribute $6,000 to filming the Motoneiges.tv episode, with funds for both projects coming from the 2024 tourism envelope ($75,000 available) of the second stream of the Regions and Rurality Fund (FRR 2).

Cell service, NOW!

Council passed a resolution brought forward by Waltham Mayor Odette Godin and L’Isle-aux-Allumettes Mayor Corey Spence demanding that the western portion of Highway 148 – Mansfield, Waltham, and L’Isle-Aux-Allumettes – be made an immediate priority to receive cellular coverage. The resolution states the absence of cell service impacts residents, emergency services, the economy, social health, and the region’s overall connectivity.

“Emergencies documented in Waltham have revealed the life-threatening consequences of unreliable cellular connectivity,” says the resolution. Godin stated that two Letters to the Editor published in the Journal last November will be attached to the resolution when it’s sent to the provincial government. The letters detail two recent emergencies in Waltham that were worsened by the lack of cell service. In one instance, a death may have been prevented if those present had been able to reach 911.

The resolution explains that new fibre optic landlines are vulnerable to severe weather events as they run along above-ground hydro poles, so it’s impossible to reach emergency services during infrastructure failures. It proposes government-owned infrastructure, including the Chapeau/ Chichester CBC Tower and Brennan’s Bluff Sheenboro, be leveraged as immediate solutions.

The resolution will be forwarded to Premier François Legault; Pierre Rodrigue, Associate Secretary General for High Speed Internet and Special Connectivity Projects; Pierre Fitzgibbon, Minister of Economy, Innovation, and Energy; Mathieu Lacombe, Minister responsible for the Outaouais region; François Bonnardel, Minister of Public Security; and MNA André Fortin.

The next Council of Mayors meeting will be held February 21.

MRC meeting: Law 25 denounced, cell service for Route 148 West needed NOW! Read More »

Pontiac man sentenced to 78-months in jail for sexually assaulting a minor

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

François Carrier
Local Journalism Initiative

CAMPBELL’S BAY – On January 9 at the Campbell’s Bay courthouse, a Pontiac man was sentenced to 78 months (6 1/2 years) in prison for sexually assaulting a minor. To protect the victim, a publication ban was issued and the identity of the convicted man hasn’t been revealed.

Simon Pelletier, Criminal and Penal Prosecution Prosecutor for the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DCPC), elaborated on the sentence and publication ban.

“In almost all cases involving a minor who is the victim of a sexual crime, their identity will be protected by the courts. In some cases when there’s some connection between the victim and the accused, the name of the accused can’t be reported either. That’s the case here. I can’t go into detail on the relationship, however. If we were to report the name of the accused, it would have the almost inevitable effect of identifying the victim,” he said.

Pelletier said the sentence was a mutual agreement between the Crown and the defence. “It’s common. In the majority of cases, we look at the crime’s details and suggest a fitting sentence. In cases involving sexual crimes against children, the sentences are always very severe. Since the Supreme Court’s Friesen decision, the sentencing scale for sexual crimes against children has been increased. Why? The Supreme Court has sent a message that sexual crimes against children are unacceptable and if a person commits this offence, they should go to jail and receive a sentence that hurts,” he told the Journal.

Crime Victim Assistance Centres (CAVACs) provide front-line services to victims, their loved ones, and even witnesses. Janie Landry of the Pontiac CAVAC said help is available whether or not the perpetrator is identified, arrested, prosecuted or convicted. More details about CAVAC are available at https://chipfm.com/chip-1019-d….

Pontiac man sentenced to 78-months in jail for sexually assaulting a minor Read More »

Taxes up 8.6% in La Peche

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

By Trevor Greenway

On average, homeowners in La Pêche will pay an extra $208 on their taxes this year as the municipality has adopted its 2024 budget with an 8.6 per cent tax increase for the median homeowner – the highest tax increase in the municipality over the last five years.

Of the $208, almost half of that – $85 – is due to the municipality’s new 1,400 square-metre town hall, with a price tag of $10.7 million. La Pêche Mayor Guillaume Lamoureux explained that the municipality secured over $5 million in grants for the project, bringing the overall contribution by La Pêche to $4.87 million.

He explained that the town hall’s financial impact – for the owner of a median home priced at $290,300 – will be around $85 this year, but added that in following years it will be lower, around $47 for the remaining 20-year borrowing period.

“In 2024, the cost of financing the project is $516,000, but this includes costs for a temporary line of credit,” he said. “But these costs are not going to be repeated in 2025. Next year, without the short-term loan impact, if interest rates stay at five per cent, it’s going to be $396,000, starting in 2025.”

La Pêche adopted a $23.1 million budget on Jan. 22 – a 15 per cent increase from 2023’s $20.1 million budget, with the biggest jumps coming in waste management – up 13.24 per cent – and snow removal, which comes in at a whopping increase of 29.45 per cent.

Lamoureux said that his council is aware of the big jump in snow removal and garbage services, and that the municipality is now analyzing the cost-benefit of providing snow removal in-house.

The municipality would have to purchase its own fleet of vehicles. While that would require a more significant up-front investment, Lamoureux said the municipality would be better positioned to control costs.

“We are at a point now where we estimate that the comparison between what [snow removal] would cost internally and what it costs externally, was about even,” said Lamoureux. “If you do it internally, the yearly increases are much more predictable and consistent.”

La Pêche is also looking at a similar garbage, compost and recycling pickup solution. With costs rising by over half a million for waste, Lamoureux said the significant increase is coming from the MRC des Collines side of things, as the cost of taking waste to the landfill in Lachute has increased considerably.

Lamoureux said that La Pêche, Cantley and Chelsea are joining forces to work on an “inter-municipal service” for waste management.

“The three municipalities would contract out their waste management to one company,” he explained.

“So, there are always efficiency cost savings that can happen or you can attract bigger companies or other companies. We had one bidder in our last [waste management] call for tender, so having a larger contract, you can attract more players and save money.”

Lamoureux said that police costs rose “reasonably,” rising 2.7 per cent to just over $3.3 million. Much of that increase is due to the cops’ new contract, which saw them receive a 17.6 per cent raise over the next five years. The mayor admitted that it was difficult to adopt this year’s budget with a more than eight per cent increase, especially with inflation rising and grocery and gas costs increasing across the country.

He said he understands how difficult this may be for some residents but added that the municipality broke this year’s tax levies into four payments instead of three to help struggling families.

The municipality also realized some quality green projects in 2023, with La Pêche doling out more than $190,000 for eight projects, including a waste reduction plan at the Rupert Community Centre, Lac Gauvreau environmental remedies and Phase 1 of a septic compliance inventory and inspection program.

Lamoureux said he’s looking forward to funding more green initiatives, and added that calls for projects will go out in the spring and fall.

In its triennial expense program, La Pêche has several projects on its wish list, including a generator for the Masham arena at an estimated cost of $400,00 – half of that expected to come in provincial grants. La Pêche also has put aside money to upgrade the Wakefield and Masham sewer systems at nearly $1 million over the next three years.

The new town hall will also impact the municipality’s debt load. While Lamoureux didn’t have 2023 numbers, he confirmed that La Pêche’s debt load was at $12.8 million on Dec. 31, 2023. He added that the $4.87 million for the town hall will be added to that debt load. La Pêche’s 2024 budget presentation states that the municipality is spending $2.3 million – or 9.9 per cent of its 2024 budget – on debt servicing.

Taxes up 8.6% in La Peche Read More »

Hang up that phone!

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

By Madeline Kerr

Are cellphones a major distraction for students or an invaluable resource for education? It’s a question being asked by many in light of the recent decision by the Quebec government to ban cellphones in classrooms.

In August 2023, Quebec’s Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, announced that the government would be implementing a directive to ban cellphones in all public elementary and secondary classrooms beginning on Dec. 31, 2023.

The directive does offer some flexibility for teachers to include cellphones or other personal devices for pedagogical purposes.

By Dec. 31, schools must have made a policy detailing specific parameters for cellphone use on campus.

The Low Down has seen the policies in place at three regional secondary schools: St. Michael’s in Low, Hadley Junior & Philemon-Wright in Hull, and Des Lacs in Masham.

Here’s how each institution is handling the challenging task of managing teenagers’ cellphone use during the school day.

St. Mike’s and Hadley Junior & Philemon-Wright

Although there are very slight variations between their policies, for the most part St. Mike’s and Hadley Junior & Philemon-Wright, which are both part of the Western Quebec School Board, have a nearly identical approach to dealing with cellphone use in school.

Both schools offer exceptions to the ban, including if teachers require personal devices to be used during a lesson; if a cellphone or other personal device is deemed necessary for a student’s health; or to accommodate a student’s special learning needs.

At both schools, departments are responsible for deciding what constitutes appropriate use of a personal device for educational purposes.

If a student needs to have a phone or other device with them for health reasons, it is up to parents to contact administrators to arrange this.

At St. Mike’s, a student’s special needs are determined by the content of their Individual Education Plan, whereas at Hadley Junior & Philemon-Wright parents need to make a request to administrators for accommodation.

Consequences for inappropriate cellphone use at both schools include: a warning for the first offence; a 25-minute detention for the second; a 50-minute detention and a note home to parents for the third; a 50-minute detention and one hour of community service for the fourth; and a one-day suspension for the fifth offence.

Hadley Junior & Philemon-Wright’s policy states that devices used without permission will be confiscated and remain in the office for the remainder of the school day.

St. Mike’s policy states that students must have their phones turned off and kept in their pockets unless given express permission otherwise.

Des Lacs Secondary School

“At Des Lacs Secondary School, the possession and use of personal electronic devices [including smartwatches and listening devices] is prohibited in the classroom during class hours. Students must place their devices in their locker before coming to class,” the school’s cellphone policy states, according to regional school service centre communication’s director Maude Hébert.

A modification to the rule of conduct was added on Jan. 15 stating, “However, an electronic device may be permitted when use is required by the educational intervention methods taken by the teacher, by the state of health of a student or by the particular needs of a student with disabilities or who is struggling.”

Hébert did not disclose consequences for students who break the rule. Unlike the policies at St. Mike’s and Hadley Junior & Philemon-Wright, Des Lacs does not appear to outline the procedure for determining when cellphone use is considered necessary for a student’s health or to assist a student’s special educational needs.

Hang up that phone! Read More »

Cool real estate market set to heat up this spring

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

By Trevor Greenway

There may not be much movement on the real estate market right now, but with interest rates holding firm this winter, the Hills should see a busy, “frenzied” spring, according to at least one Hills realtor.

“I think we’re gonna see a pretty active spring,” said The Agency’s Erica Bernstein. “We live in a pocket where there’s always demand to live here. But there’s never really enough listings to meet that demand.”

The Bank of Canada announced on Jan. 24 that it would be holding its overnight interest rate steady at five per cent, which prompted economists at TD Economics to predict a potential rate drop this spring – the first since the early days of the pandemic.

Because of the desirable nature of the Gatineau Hills, which most real estate agents agree on, Bernstein said the region didn’t see the significant drop in sales like other regions did, including across the river in Ottawa, which saw home sales drop 11 per cent from 2022, according to the Ottawa Real Estate Board.

Local agents agree that November through to the New Year has been slow, but with “buyers chomping at the bit,” Bernstein expects the market to get red hot this spring.

She added that the market has been quite unpredictable lately, with some homes selling immediately while other, similar homes sit empty on the market for months.

“It’s not quite frustrating; this is just sort of the nature of the game,” said Bernstein. “Real estate is kind of emotional. And it’s a bit of a roller coaster.”

Century 21 broker Stephen Lynott told the Low Down that, while January–February is typically the slowest time in real estate, a home priced well is still selling and fetching top dollar. But he said there isn’t much to shop for online, and until more homes show up on MLS.ca, the market won’t start moving until the snow starts melting.

“It’ll be interesting come April–May, I think, as more stuff comes on the market, but no, prices aren’t really going down because there’s no supply,” he said. “The demand is still pretty strong, and there’s really no supply still.”

A search on MLS.ca brought up just 56 properties in La Pêche at one point during the winter – less than half of what is usually available, said Lynott.

“Pre-Covid, that would be 90 to 110 listings active. So again, there is not a lot of supply. Demand is still pretty good, so if the right house comes along, we have a lot of buyers.”

Part of the reason sellers aren’t showing up right now is because of the interest rate. Lynott explained that many potential sellers aren’t ready to bow out of their low-interest mortgages and are waiting to see if the Bank of Canada drops the interest rate. Lynott said, while the market is still strong for well-priced and quality homes, sellers shouldn’t expect to unload their homes within 24 or 48 hours.

“We may very well sell your house quickly, but you can also count on three to six months as a normal time,” said Lynott. “We live in a place where people want everything yesterday, so if they want to move now, they are going to move now, but that’s not always possible.”

Cool real estate market set to heat up this spring Read More »

Pontiac hospital welcomes new adjustable beds, honoring local farmer David Rusenstrom

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

From left, Allan Dean (Foundation); Natalie Romain (Coordinator); Rusenstrom family: Joan and children Heather, Stephen, Michael and Edward; and Nicole Boucher-Larivière (Director of Pontiac Local Service Network). (Photo: CISSSO)

Tashi Farmilo
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE

SHAWVILLE – The Pontiac Community Hospital has taken a significant step towards enhancing patient comfort by introducing adjustable beds, a move made in memory of local farmer David Rusenstrom. Rusenstrom, who stood at 6’4”, found the hospital’s standard beds inadequate during his extended stay. In his memory, his family encouraged donations to the Pontiac Community Hospital Foundation (PCHF) to buy an extra-long bed suitable for taller patients.

Rusenstrom’s wife, Joan, reflected on the initiative: “The idea came from my personal experience with my husband, who often struggled with the length of hospital beds during his illness. Through this I realised the need for more suitable beds… Our goal was to make everyone comfortable, regardless of their height.”

Terry Campbell of the Shawville Lions Club recalled: “Dave Rusenstrum spent far too long in a hospital bed during the last inning of his life. His legs were always bent because he couldn’t stretch out. The beds were too short; not something the average patient would have to consider.”

On the anniversary of Rusenstrom’s passing, the hospital celebrated the arrival of an $8,000, longer bed as a result of the combined efforts of the PCHF, Shawville Lions Club and donations in Rusenstrom’s memory.

“The PCHF and hospital board started the initiative, with initial contributions coming from donations in Dave’s name. The Lions Club committed to topping off whatever dollar value was needed to make the purchase of the first bed in Dave’s name a reality,” added Campbell.

The hospital has since committed to replacing all existing beds with adjustable models that can extend as required. To date, 15 new beds have been installed.

Nicole Boucher-Larivière, director of the Pontiac local service network, said the change ensures all patients, regardless of their height, can rest comfortably. “It’s a fitting tribute to Mr. Rusenstrom and a testament to the community’s spirit,” she told the Journal.

Campbell reflected on Rusenstrom’s legacy: “He was incredibly community oriented. His family carries on his legacy in Shawville and Bristol through various community activities. His heritage is in the Pontiac, and his connection to many members of our club crossed virtually every aspect of our daily lives.”

Pontiac hospital welcomes new adjustable beds, honoring local farmer David Rusenstrom Read More »

“Did you see me?” campaign calls for safer roads for school buses

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

TASHI FARMILO
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE

QUÉBEC – The Federation of Bus Transporters is launching its annual “M’as-tu vu ?/Did you see me?” campaign, calling on road users, schools, students and parents to enhance safety on and around school buses through various measures and precautions. The awareness campaign spans from January 29 to February 9.

The campaign’s central theme, prominently featured in its online content and YouTube series, emphasizes school buses aren’t just vehicles, but protectors of young lives. The initiative highlights the necessity of vigilant driving near school buses, advising drivers to slow down for flashing yellow lights and to stop at least 5 meters away when confronted with flashing red lights or the bus’ extended stop sign. The YouTube videos play a crucial role in the campaign, demonstrating the critical importance of alert drivers and safe bus operations in safeguarding children. The videos showcase appropriate reactions to various traffic situations involving school buses, using relatable stories to educate and foster safer driving habits.

Schools like Dr. Wilbert Keon in L’Isle-aux-Allumettes are actively participating in the “M’as du vu?/Did you see me?” campaign with unique safety activities and strategies. Klinda Brennan, a teacher at the school, elaborated: “We take part in the “M’as du vu?/Did you see me?” campaign every year with various activities to promote bus safety, including visits and presentations from bus drivers, which are much more effective when conducted on the bus itself. We also try to arrange visits from the Lasalle mascot ‘Bubus’. Our approach includes using YouTube videos on bus safety, and displaying posters and artwork around the school, which involves coloring sheets and crafts. Additionally, we organize a drawing contest for posters, brochures, and banners, which is coordinated by Lasalle Bus Lines. Our curriculum involves reading books on bus safety and bus safety modeling. To reinforce these messages, we frequently remind students of bus safety rules and have drama classes where they can reenact them – an activity students absolutely love. Furthermore, we conduct frequent check-ins with bus drivers, when necessary, to address school bus behavior.”

In addition to road safety, the campaign sheds light on the often unrecognized dedication of school bus drivers. On the campaign’s social media page, Diane Loranger, a driver with 35 years of experience, spoke passionately about her profession, emphasizing the importance of recognition and gratitude for bus drivers throughout the year. “[We’re repsonsible for] the most precious cargo one could ever have,” she said.

The “M’as du vu?/Did you see me?” campaign is a crucial reminder of the shared responsibility of road users to ensure the safety of children. It aims to instill a culture of vigilance and respect around school buses, ultimately creating a safer environment for everyone. For more information about the campaign and its initiatives, visit www.mastuvu.info.

“Did you see me?” campaign calls for safer roads for school buses Read More »

Education minister announces multi-step catch-up plan

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

CARL HAGER
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE

QUEBEC – On January 9, following an agreement in principle with striking teachers, Quebec’s Education Minister, Bernard Drainville, announced a $300 million academic catch-up plan to help students who’ve fallen behind. How much money each school board receives depends on the resources each school in its jurisdiction has requested. For the Western Quebec School Board, it boils down to about $1 million.

The support measures, based on recommendations from school staff following an assessment of student needs at the beginning of January, began January 29. Parents were informed of supports proposed for their child during the week of January 22.

The Minister’s plan includes: tutoring during and outside school hours; specialized help outside school hours for students needing special instruction; free summer classes for Secondary 4 (math and science) and 5 (history and French) students; support for organizations involved in education (dropout centres, literacy); and schools will be open during spring break to pursue catch-up activities.

The Minister said this extra work is voluntary and teachers will be remunerated. He called on retired teachers, student teachers and professional staff to assist in this major catch-up plan.

In addition to these initiatives, a new calendar will be established for ministerial exams, with up to a week delay to allow more teaching time because of the compressed exam schedule. There will be no exams after June 24.

In terms of the weighting of ministerial exams, Secondary 1 and 2 exams will be worth 10% of the final mark (instead of 20%) and Secondary 4 and 5 exams will count for 20% of the final result (instead of 50%).

The second report card period may be delayed until the end of March, as determined by each school board.

Katherine Korakakis, president of the English Parents Committee Association (EPCA), said she’s pleased with the initiative; “If done correctly, this will help children succeed. We’ll need everyone on board, including parents.”

Korakakis said this kind of initiative should’ve been implemented after COVID when many days of instruction were lost. Students in level 4 and 5 writing ministry exams endured two major impacts on their learning (COVID and striking), so she’s optimistic weighting formula changes will help them immensely.

Korakakis is hopeful school boards will find the specialized help for those who need it. “School boards with rural populations may have difficulty enacting some of these tutoring measures because of problems with bus transportation for after school activities,” she said.

According to George Singfield, director of the Western Quebec School Board, the Ministry recognized schools need extra support by providing meaningful assistance.

Education minister announces multi-step catch-up plan Read More »

Cellphones banned in Quebec schools

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

CARL HAGER
LOCAL JOURNALISM INITIATIVE

QUEBEC – Students are no longer allowed to use cell phones in Quebec public school classrooms except for pedagogical purposes, following a province-wide policy that took effect January 1.

Quebec’s Minister of Education, Bernard Drainville, made the initial announcement in August, giving school boards a four-month heads-up. Drainville based his directive on a UNESCO report that found student learning is hindered by cell phone use in classrooms for non-instructional purposes.

Quebec isn’t the first to enact such a prohibition. Ontario did so in 2019 and countries including Great Britain, Portugal, Italy, China, Ireland and the State of Florida are pursuing similar policies.

Policies banning cell phones don’t go far enough, say some. While 92% of teachers in Quebec’s Federation autonome de l’enseignement (FAE) approve of the measure, some believe cellphones should be banned totally on school grounds. Others like Katherine Korakakis, president of the Anglophone Association of Parents, contend that the policy should include studies on issues like the effects dependence on technology and social media have on youths.

Brian Smeltzer, president of the Western Quebec Teachers’ Association, worries school boards may lay enforcement at the feet of teachers, potentially adding to their duties. It’s not clear if the Ministerial directive came with suggestions on enforcement or punitive measures.

Cellphones banned in Quebec schools Read More »

Heritage College Hurricanes rise to the top after winning first two games of 2024

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

Heritage Hurricanes men’s basketball team with head coach Justin Edwards (right). Photo: Saīda Sambour, Heritage College.

By Greg Newing, The Aylmer Bulletin LJI Reporter

The Heritage Hurricanes men’s basketball team had a successful start to the 2023-2024 season, finishing 2nd in the South West Division 2 league at the end of the Fall semester and climbing to 1st after winning against Cegep André-Laurendeau on January 20 and Brébeuf College on Friday, January 26.

With a record of eight wins and two losses and lying ahead of Montreal’s Dawson College, the Hurricanes are optimistic about the second half of the season, “We’re really on a good path right now. We finished six and two at the end of the first semester and we’re going into the second semester strong,” said Franck Abraham, a small forward from Aylmer.

Players highlighted the supportive team spirit and encouragement from their new head coach, Justin Edwards, as reasons for their strong performance this season. “It’s an amazing team,” said guard-forward Joyce Dumbu. “Some of us have known each other for years and others are new this year, but we’re really like a family. We care about each other and we always push each other to improve.” Hans Biboum, who plays shooting guard and small forward, added, “Our coach really keeps us accountable. He tries to look for the best opportunities for us and really looks out for everyone. All of us are grateful to have him.”

Coach Justin Edwards said he expects the Hurricanes will make the provincial championships again this year after the team participated in the 2022-2023 championships last April. “I’m very optimistic about this season. Last year we finished 5th in the province and I think we’re going to be back in the mix again this year,” he said. “We have a competitive basketball program at Heritage, I think it has a lot to do with the culture. The quality of the student athletes has been getting better and better in recent years,” he said.

Edwards, who is serving his first year as Head Coach after nine years as lead assistant Coach, added that the team has not only been successful on the court, but has also excelled academically. “We’re proud that our student athletes continue to perform well in competition and in the classroom. Playing collegiate sports is a lifestyle; it’s not for everyone. It takes tremendous focus, effort and motivation to be an organized individual and balance all the competing responsibilities,” he said. He noted that an increased focus on academic performance in Heritage’s athletic programs meant that only a handful of the approximately 130 student athletes at Heritage ran into academic difficulties this year – a significant improvement compared to recent years.

The Hurricanes have four games coming up in February against Vanier, Édouard-Montpetit, Ahuntsic, and Dawson. If the Hurricanes maintain their high ranking, they will move on to the provincial championships in April.

Heritage College Hurricanes rise to the top after winning first two games of 2024 Read More »

Pontiac council passes tax rate bylaw

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

Mo Laidlaw
Local Journalism Initiative

MUNICIPALITY OF PONTIAC – The Municipality of Pontiac’s monthly council meeting was held January 23 at the Luskville Community Centre; three residents attended.

Administration

Bylaw 01-24 establishing tax rates for 2024 was passed. The residential tax rate per $100 of property value is 0.6081 and 1.218 for businesses. Services like recycling and garbage pick-up and in Quyon, drinking water and sewage, are extra.

Several contracts were awarded for services in 2024 (tax not included): Legal services from RPGL Avocats: 97.5 hours; legal services from DHC Avocats, a bank of 40 hours; services from PMB Huissiers de justice, a maximum of $25,000; planning services from Cardo Urbanisme, a bank of 20 hours; for the Quyon and Luskville parks development project, A4 Architecture+Design, $20,000 based on a bank of hours, and Loisir Sport Outaouais, $12,500; biological advice on various road and urban planning projects, AP Enviro-conseil, $9,900 (90 hours); appraisals from Société d’évaluation immobilière de l’Outaouais, max $3,500; and staff training by PG Solutions, $2,565.

Draft bylaw 02-24 regarding agreements between residents and the municipality on municipal infrastructure work and cost sharing was tabled.

Council confirmed to the Ministry of Transport that they will use the remaining local roads grant (PAVL) on eligible work, with work already done on Braun, Hammond, Wilson, Rivière, Elm, Beaudoin, 3rd, 5th, and 6th Concessions, and Proven.

The municipality’s share (10%) of the Pontiac housing office’s deficit for 2023 is $4,001.

A law student from the University of Ottawa will provide volunteer legal assistance to citizens, as part of the U of O’s community involvement learning program.

Public works

The best offer received through SÉAO to buy an excavator was from Empire for $165,179 including tax.

Managers of the drinking water and sewage plants were asked to provide administration details with a report on their potential capacity, including the network and pumping stations.

Planning

Draft bylaw 03-24 on maintaining buildings was tabled to control dilapidated buildings.

Two “flood lots” owned by the municipality will be leased to neighbouring owners on Du Ruisseau and Saphir roads.

A 1.6 km recreational trail on the former rail-line between Terry-Fox and Sumac roads will be created as planned, at the developers’ requests.

DHC Avocats were mandated to continue legal proceedings in the Superior Court against the owner of a cottage at 217 Cedarvale road, which should be demolished.

See the online minutes for full details of new bylaws including tax rates.

Pontiac council passes tax rate bylaw Read More »

Trial of Emily Rumleskie set to begin

Local Journalism Initiative / / /

François Carrier
Local Journalism Initiative

CAMPBELL’S BAY – The trial of Emily Rumleskie, charged in the accident causing the death of Sylvain Bégin in Mansfield in September 2020, is expected to begin at the end of February.

However, Rumleskie has already been behind bars for a few months for failing to comply with the conditions of her release. Simon Pelletier, Prosecutor for Criminal and Penal Prosecutions for the Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DCPC), elaborated on the next steps and what put Rumleskie behind bars:

“Ms. Rumleskie is charged with, among other things, dangerous and impaired driving causing death and is now detained. She was released initially [but conditions were violated] so she was detained and released yet again before [committing more breaches] … So, she’s been in custody since September or October. Preliminary hearings took place over about 8 days. On February 27, there will be a preliminary inquiry before a judge at the courthouse in Campbell’s Bay where the investigating officer and witnesses will be heard. This date will hopefully end the preliminary hearing [process] in Ms. Rumleskie’s case,” he explained.

The February 27 hearing, to take place at the Campbell’s Bay Courthouse, will be open to the public.

Trial of Emily Rumleskie set to begin Read More »

All-night party zoning and nightlife districts part of new City of Montreal policy proposal

Local Journalism Initiative / /

by Lorraine Carpenter, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

On Tuesday, the City of Montreal unveiled a new plan for nightlife in Montreal, which aims to identify areas most conducive to nightlife activity, and build on offerings in the area, in conjunction with the boroughs as well as “cultural, economic and community partners.” Regulations in these areas would be adapted accordingly, says the draft policy, with tranquility in residential neighbourhoods being a priority.

Having already announced intentions to build an all-night party zone in the Quartier Latin, Projet Montréal’s proposal covers three stages of nightlife (evening: 6 p.m. to 12 a.m., “heart of the night” 12 to 4:30 a.m. and early morning: 4:30 a.m. to 6 a.m.). The plan highlights the following goals:

  1. Offer new business opportunities and distribution possibilities to our commercial and cultural partners, ensuring healthy coexistence between nighttime activities and the needs of the population. 
  2. Offer a dynamic and safe nightlife, which focuses on entrepreneurship and the Montreal cultural experience. 
  3. Ensure the maintenance of current nocturnal activities and equip developing sectors.  

This proposal will be evaluated by the Commission on Economic and Urban Development and Housing, which will hold a public consultation Feb. 13.

All-night party zoning and nightlife districts part of new City of Montreal policy proposal Read More »

St-Paul Scouts of Aylmer’s “Souper bénéfice”: A night of community support

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

In the vibrant community of Aylmer, the St-Paul Scouts stand as a shining example of how scouting can positively shape the lives of young people. This movement, dedicated to the holistic development of children and adolescents, comes alive through their engaging and diverse activities. At its heart, scouting is about more than just outdoor skills; it’s a journey of learning and growth. Young members learn essential life skills like setting up tents, making wood fires, and organizing campsites. More importantly, they learn the value of teamwork, creativity, and fun outside the confines of technology.

The St-Paul Scouts of Aylmer, the largest group in their region, is an exemplary model of this philosophy. With 118 young members aged between 7 and 17, supported by 63 adult volunteers, they represent a diverse cross-section of the community. Their inclusivity extends to children from all cultural and socio-economic backgrounds, offering them opportunities for self-discovery, community service, and resourcefulness in nature. To support their activities, the Scouts usually engage in fundraising activities like selling calendars, soaps, cheese, and chickens, and wrapping gifts at grocery stores.

This year, the St-Paul Scouts are excited to announce the return of their “Souper bénéfice” event on February 24th. This dinner event, a major fundraiser, aims to support the adolescent groups within the scouts. Proceeds will go toward new camping equipment and funding various camps throughout the year. Last year’s highlight was a memorable canoe camping trip in the Verendrye Park for 28 scouts aged 12-15.

The event promises an evening of fun and camaraderie. It will feature a sketch competition among various scout groups, including Beavers (ages 7-8), Wolf Cubs (ages 9-12), and Explorers (ages 12-15). The Pioneers (ages 15-17) will host the evening, engaging attendees with quizzes and entertaining competitions. Additionally, a silent auction and a mocktail bar managed by the scouts will be part of the festivities. Popular mocktail choices like “Akéla on the beach” and “Bloody Mowglie” are expected to be a hit.

Tickets for the “Souper bénéfice” are available online and at the door, with special pricing for early reservations. The Scouts also welcome support from local businesses for their auction. This event is not just a fundraiser; it’s an embodiment of the Scouts’ spirit – bringing the community together, celebrating the achievements of their young members, and laying the groundwork for more adventures and growth.

Every contribution, big or small, is greatly appreciated. Donations can be made through various means, including Interac transfers, cash, or cheques made out to the Corporation des scouts de l’Outaouais. The Scouts also welcome in-kind donations or gift certificates for their auction. All donors will receive an official receipt from this registered charity organization.

The St-Paul Scouts of Aylmer’s commitment to the holistic development of youth through ​engaging and challenging activities stands as a testament to the enduring relevance and positive impact of the Scouting movement. For more information or to purchase tickets, visit: https://lepointdevente.com/tic….

Photo: Upcoming ‘Souper bénéfice’ event by the St-Paul Scouts of Aylmer, set to unite the community for a night of fun and fundraising in support of youth scouting activities. (TF) Photo courtesy of the St-Paul Scouts of Aylmer

With notes from Mary Baskin, Marie-Eve Turpin and Lily Ryan

St-Paul Scouts of Aylmer’s “Souper bénéfice”: A night of community support Read More »

Pontiac Agricultural Society elects new president

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Charles Dickson, Editor
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

Ralph Lang was elected president of the Pontiac Agricultural Society (PAS) for 2024 at the organization’s annual general meeting held in Shawville on Thursday evening.
The meeting, held at the PAS office at the Shawville fairgrounds, also saw four new members join the board – Gerald Lance, Scott Lemay, Ben Younge, Kait Meilleur-Theriault – bringing its membership to a total of 29.
“We got four brand new directors with a diverse skill set and backgrounds, and we got all of our current directors returning,” a buoyant Mavis Hanna, the PAS general manager, told THE EQUITY on Friday.
The meeting reviewed the financial statement for 2023 and, according to Hanna, it told a very positive story.
“It was a very positive year. We had a lot of projects on the go. We had summer students who did a lot of work around the grounds. We made a lot of capital improvements, painting and execution of other projects around the grounds and buildings, so that worked out really well.
As for attendance at Shawville Fair, “We had lots of people through, between 40 and 45,000 people coming through the gates. We’re back up to pre-covid times,” Hanna said.
Vaughan Bastien, who operates a Shawville-based tire business, nominated Clarendon crop farmer Ralph Lang for president at Thursday’s meeting. When someone else nominated Bastien, he declined.
After serving as president for the past three-and-a-half years, he says it just felt like it was time to go.
“I just felt it was time. Sometimes you know, new blood is good,” Bastien told THE EQUITY on Friday.
“It was time to let somebody else come in with new ideas, maybe better ideas, and take over,” he said.
Recalling his time as president, Bastien said parts of it weren’t easy.
“The second year, we came out of covid, it was tough, we lost money. And then the third year, we did well,” he said.
“You know, they worked so hard last year as a team, and we did such a great job,” he said referring to the board.
“There was not a director there that would not help another director, or go out of their way to do something for them. We achieved so much, but we also came out almost like family. I felt part of a family, I could depend on them at any time. “I’m going to miss it, truly I’m going to miss it,” Bastien said.
“It’s great to take over from Vaughan. There’s no issues,” Ralph Lang told THE EQUITY on Sunday.
“It’s kind of like a boxer stopping when he’s on top, so it makes it easier for me to come in because there’s no issues to deal with,” he said.
“So, we’re in a good position,” Lang said, looking forward.
“We want to reinvest in the fairgrounds again, and rejuvenate the arena. It’s been 30 years since it’s been revitalized. So, it’s time to form a committee in the community and hopefully revitalize it and renovate again, whatever we have to do.”
“I think it could be a great facility for daycare, camps, or lacrosse or basketball, or whatever, with people managing it all year long, but that’s only my idea,” said Lang.
“Vaughan brought up the idea of pickleball the other day, it could be our new thing,” he added.
Lang has a long history with the fair board. He has served on the board for a total of 15 years, and as one of the vice-presidents last year. His father, Elwyn was a president almost 40 years ago, and his late mother, Lynn, was president about 15 years ago. His aunts Joan and Joyce and his late uncle Jack, and their families, have long been part of the volunteer workforce that makes the fair happen every year.
“It’s always like a family homecoming for the Langs to come back and help out, and do whatever. It’s like a reunion every year. And it’s like that for a lot of families that are involved” he said.
Lang is a crop farmer. His company, RM Lang Farms grows corn, beans and wheat on about 4,000 acres of land from Luskville to Calumet Island, half of which it owns and half it leases. It also operates a commercial grain elevator, buying and selling grain, with a trucking company on the side. Last year, he added sunflowers to the mix.
Raised on his parents’ dairy and beef farm, which he took over in 2005 and switched to cropping, Lang has deep roots in agriculture.
“I learned how to run a meeting at 4H, so hopefully I’ll be able to run a meeting at the fair board,” Lang said.
“We have a good general manager in Mavis Hanna, and that’s going to make my job easy,” said Lang. “She’ll make me look good, hopefully.”

2024 Pontiac Agricultural Society
Board of Directors

Ralph Lang President
Vaughan Bastien Past President
Josey Bouchard First Vice President
Holly Campbell Vice-President
Kelly King Vice-President
Kendal Lang Vice-President
Jason Wilson Vice-President
Hayley Campbell Secretary
Heather Dale Financial Officer
Ken Bernard Director
Rayden Besharah Director
David Bobier Director
Lisa Coles Director
Ryan Currie Director
Gerald Dagg Director
Sandra Dale Director
Tanya Greer Director
Beth Knox Campbell Director
Gerald Lance Director
Elwyn Lang Director
Scott Lemay Director
Kayla McCann Director
Tyler McCann Director
Kait Meilleur-Theriault Director
Mike Rusenstrom Director
Paul Scheel Director
Lee Stanley Director
Nancy Tubman Director
Ben Younge Director
Mavis Hanna General Manager

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Lumberjack Dinner celebrates Pontiac forestry

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Camilla Faragalli, Reporter
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

A sea of plaid filled the Pontiac Conference Centre at the Spruceholme Inn in Fort Coulonge on Friday evening for the annual “Night of Memories” Lumberjack Dinner, a gathering dedicated to remembering and celebrating the forestry industry that for so long was at the heart of Pontiac life.
“They say you have to know where you’ve come from to know where you’re going,” Pontiac Warden and host of the event Jane Toller told the crowd.
Over 100 guests dined, mingled and reminisced as video footage displayed both historic and modern scenes from the logging industry on a loop behind the stage.
“They [forestry workers] didn’t wear lifejackets, they didn’t wear helmets. And yet they had that thrill of being out on the water, running across the logs with their cork boots,” Toller said.
“And that is what built the Pontiac.” Toller, also mentioned her own great-great grandfather, George Bryson, a key figure in the development of Pontiac’s forestry industry in the 1800s.
Quyon’s Gail Gavan provided musical entertainment for the evening, joined onstage by renowned fiddler Louis Schryer, Gillan Rutz on guitar, Erin Leahy on keys, and Marie-Jeanne Brousseau on accordion.
The group performed an array of music highlighting the various cultures of the Valley, including Irish logging songs (to the stomping feet of the attendees), and some Scottish tunes as a nod to Robbie Burns Day, which had fallen a day earlier.
Schryer’s daughters, Chelsey and Kaitlyn also performed, showing off the Ottawa Valley style of step-dancing, which originated in lumber camps.
“When I meet these gentlemen that risked their lives to get on the Ottawa River, to make log drive happen, I get pretty emotional,” Gavan said as she took the stage. She invited a round of applause from the audience for “every single log driver, lumberjack and woodsman that ever worked in the Pontiac,” before explaining that her own father, as well as a number of other men in her family, worked on the log drive.
“My dad taught me all these old songs when I was a kid and I didn’t know what they meant and I couldn’t have cared less about them,” she later told THE EQUITY. “Now I realize the value of them.”
“In Pontiac here, we’ve got to keep staying proud of our heritage, because it’s pretty special. And if we don’t do nights like this, we forget, and the next generation won’t even know about it,” she said.
Lumberjacks new and old
Retired bushman Frank Doyle worked as a “timber cruiser” – collecting data on trees on a given piece of land, including size, quality and species, to determine the value of the timber before it is harvested.
“I also did the Schyan River drive,” Doyle said, recalling his time on the river northwest of Sheenboro.
“I was in a pointer boat and I got quickly thrown out of it,” he said with a laugh, crediting his dismissal to his inability to follow the pointer’s instructions.
Doyle said he attended the event with his wife, as well as his “chum” Roger Rivet.
“I was glad to bring Roger here tonight,” said Doyle, explaining that Rivet, 91, first started on the log drive at the age of 14.
“He lived, worked and raised a family in the bush all his life. There was no solar power then. You had to heat your home with wood and go out and get your own food,” said Doyle of Rivet’s experience.
“I appreciate this night, I appreciate people coming from all over the place, Ontario, Quebec and maybe other provinces as well,” he said. “It’s our history.”
Melanie McCann Lang recently moved back to the Pontiac after a number of years away and decided to attend the event with her husband to reconnect with the community, and to celebrate their family’s history.
“My father-in-law worked at the pulp and paper mill for many years and retired there as well,” she explained.
Sarah Christick, a student in urban forestry at Algonquin College, was perhaps one of the youngest ‘lumberjacks’ at the event.
“I thought it would be cool to meet some people in the industry, and just check it out, learn some things,” she said. “I’m glad I came.”
Also in attendance were three MRC Pontiac mayors, Sandra Armstrong of Mansfield-et-Pontefract, Christine Francoeur of Fort Coulonge, and Lynne Cameron of Portage du Fort.
A silent auction boasting a vast array of work by local artists lined the back of the conference hall, the proceeds of which would be donated to the Canadian Parks and Wilderness Society (CPAWS).
“With this event, we remember the past but we look forward to the future,” said Toller, who promised more details in the coming months of “major investment” being made to the local forestry industry.
“Forestry is going to move further ahead in 2024. For certain,” she said.

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New flood maps to be presented this spring

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Sophie Kuijper Dickson, reporter
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

The Quebec government has plans to release new permanent flood maps for the province this spring, to replace the interim maps and zoning regulations that were introduced following the floods of 2017 and 2019.
The maps will update which areas are considered to be at risk of flooding, will change how the flood risk information is presented, and will include new regulations to be implemented by municipalities around how land in flood zones can be used.
“Although it is impossible to presume the result for a particular sector, it is expected that in the majority of cases the flood zones will be more extensive following their new delineation,” Josée Guimond, a spokesperson for the province’s environment ministry, wrote in an email to THE EQUITY.
Guimond emphasized that while the maps will likely place new properties within a flood zone, “the mapping simply illustrates the risk of flooding that is already present or will become so due to expected climate changes.”
Kari Richardson is an environmental land use planner with MRC Pontiac. She said the MRC has been involved in a working group that has been giving feedback to the province on how the new flood zones should be drawn.
Richardson confirmed flood zones will be redrawn in some places to include homes that were not previously in flood zones, but that changes will include feedback municipalities offered on the original set of maps that were rolled out after the 2019 flood.
“It’s really going to be helpful for municipalities in their day to day management, including the issuing of building permits and that kind of stuff,” Richardson said.
Flood risk presented differently
Pascale Biron is a hydrologist and professor at Concordia University in Montreal. She has been working with a group that the government has been consulting on the development of its new maps.
Biron explained the updated maps will present flooding data in two new ways.
First, the assessment of risk in each flood zone will be presented differently. Rather than describing a zone’s likelihood of flooding as a one in twenty year or one in one hundred year chance, a framing of flood probability that is often misunderstood, the maps will categorize flood zones as high, medium, or low risk.
Each risk category will be determined by both how often an area floods, and at what depth it usually floods.
Extreme weather events will also be included in the modelling, but coded differently. “So far, in the current flood maps, nobody is talking about the depth. It’s either you’re inside or outside a zone, but you don’t know what will happen if you are indeed flooded,” Biron said.
But the new maps will do this differently.
“They’ll represent not just the probability or likelihood you’ll be flooded, but how much water there will be if you are flooded,” she said.
Each risk zone will be accompanied by its own set of regulations that will determine how the land can or cannot be developed.
“In my opinion the main use [of the maps] is to better plan in the future and stop developing areas where we should just give it back to nature,” Biron said. “If that space is available to be flooded, then less flooding will happen downstream.”
Biron said she imagines the government’s new legislation will distinguish between people who are already living in new flood zones and people with ambitions to build in new flood zones, but said she is not sure of the details.
The municipality of Mansfield-et-Pontefract sits on a piece of land that is hugged by the final bend in the Coulonge River before it flows out into the Ottawa.
The municipality’s mayor, Sandra Armstrong, has lived there her whole life, and so has grown familiar with how and when the community floods in the spring.
She said she does not anticipate the updated maps will present any surprises when it comes to where the new flood zones are drawn.
“There’s flooding every year. We know what sectors will be affected really bad,” Armstrong said.
She is, however, unsure about how the accompanying flood zone regulations will affect land zoning in her municipality.
According to Armstrong, Mansfield now owns 20 waterfront properties that residents sold to Quebec’S Ministry of Public Security following the 2019 floods, that the ministry then sold back to the municipality for a dollar – an effort on the part of the province to move residents away from flood-prone shorelines.
Armstrong explained that holding onto these waterfront lots, which used to be some of the most valued land in town, has been somewhat of a burden for the municipality because it has had to keep them clean while not collecting any tax revenue from them.
“We cannot sell those lots because we don’t know the regulations from the government yet,” Armstrong said.
The release of the maps this spring will be followed by a 45 day consultation period, open to the public, after which a finalized set of maps will be implemented.
Once the maps are made official in the fall of 2024, the MRC will have to integrate the new regulations into its own land use planning framework, which municipalities will then need to implement.

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First Nation asks Environment Canada to intervene in nuclear waste decision

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Sophie Kuijper Dickson
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

Kebaowek First Nation has requested the federal government step in to halt construction of the nuclear waste disposal facility at Chalk River, which was given a green light by the government’s own nuclear safety regulator in January.
The First Nation, located near Témiscaming, Que., is requesting Environment and Climate Change Canada not issue the proponent, Canadian Nuclear Laboratories (CNL), a permit under Canada’s Species at Risk Act until Kebaowek is given the chance to present its own findings and concerns to the review board.
A species at risk permit is required before construction begins, and will contain mitigation measures to be followed by CNL. The application for the permit is currently under review.
In a Jan. 23 press release, Kebaowek cited concerns around what it views as a lack of proper evaluation by the regulator, the Canadian Nuclear Safety Commission (CNSC), of how the disposal facility, which is is set to contain up to 1,000,000 cubic metres of low-level radioactive waste, will affect species at risk on the site it is to be built.
The CNSC’s record of decision assures the disposal facility “is not likely to cause significant adverse environmental effects,” but Kebaowek’s Chief Lance Haymond says the regulator has not adequately investigated the impact the nuclear waste disposal facility will have on certain key species.
“The extent of the presence of endangered species, as well as the potential impacts on their crucial habitat have not been adequately investigated,” Haymond said in the release, listing the black bear, the eastern wolf, the peregrine falcon, as well as the endangered black ash tree as species of concern.
Kebaowek also said CNSC had not done sufficient work to understand the long term effects of the disposal facility on the lake sturgeon and the hickorynut mussel that live in the bodies of water surrounding the site, two species scientists at the Canadian Museum of Nature have also flagged as vulnerable.
CNSC’s final record of decision notes that in the final licensing hearings, a representative of Environment and Climate Change Canada confirmed the department was reviewing the permit application, and did not raise any concerns in their testimony.
Justin Roy, Kebaowek’s consultation coordinator, said on Jan. 29, the First Nation had not received any response to its request, which it sent out nearly two weeks earlier.
Kebaowek cries wolf, proponent says there are none
Led by long-time conservation expert Rosanne Van Schie, Kebaowek’s consultation team spent several months on the site of the proposed waste facility tracking species at risk to understand how many might be vulnerable.

First Nation requests
licensing pause

CONTINUED FROM PAGE ONE
The team paid special attention to the eastern wolf which is currently listed as having “special consideration” under the Species at Risk Act but which the federal government is considering reclassifying as “threatened” to ensure the species is afforded appropriate protections.
“If it gets uplifted to threatened, and we can show that there are active wolf dens on site, now that area becomes a species at risk habitat, so then there’s no going in there whatsoever,” Roy said, explaining he believes this could lead to the cancellation of the nuclear waste facility mound altogether.
Roy explained that in Kebaowek’s extensive ground research on the waste facility site, team members spotted evidence the site is an active habitat for what it believes are eastern wolves, including wolf dens filled with wolf pups and wolves caught on trail cameras at other locations.
The federal government says these wolves have not been genetically tested, but that similar wolves on a nearby CFB Petawawa property have been confirmed to be eastern wolves.
CNL, for its part, stated it is aware there are eastern wolf packs and dens on the larger Chalk River Laboratories site, but that the dens on the site of the future waste facility are inactive.
Roy said his team has photo evidence that proves the opposite, and hopes ECCC will wait to approve any Species At Risk permit until Kebaowek is able to present its findings.
“We’re not just Indigenous people crying wolf,” Roy said. “No, there’s scientific facts that we want to present.”
Beyond this request for a licensing pause, Roy confirmed the First Nation is considering filing for judicial review of CNSC’s licensing decision, and is also looking into requesting an injunction to immediately pause any construction.

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Access to healthcare primary concern for Campbell’s Bay residents

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Camilla Faragalli, reporter
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

Access to healthcare emerged as a major area of concern at the Campbell’s Bay community focus group organized by the Connexions Resource Centre at AutonHomme Pontiac on Tuesday evening.
“We don’t have enough doctors around here, we need better healthcare,” said Paulette Lamothe, one of the session’s attendees.
Connexions is a non-profit organization that aims to link the English-speaking community of the Outaouais with a variety of health and social services.
Its focus group on Tuesday was the third in a series being held across five different Pontiac communities to gather information about the needs, challenges, strengths and opportunities defining each.
“My wife has been diagnosed with pulmonary thrombosis and she doesn’t have continuity of care,” said Earl Greer, who moved to Campbell’s Bay with his wife two years ago and has been on a waitlist for a family doctor ever since.
“Without a [family] doctor, nobody’s looking after you. Nobody is responsible,” Greer said, explaining that his wife now depends on doctors in walk-in clinics.
“You see them once, he [the doctor] does what he thinks is the right thing in the moment, and the next time you go there’s no follow-up. And if you die, it’s nobody’s fault, because you didn’t have a [family] doctor. It’s horrible,” Greer said.
Manon Cronier retired to Campbell’s Bay in 2021 after 35 years as a registered nurse, 25 of which were spent working at various locations around the Pontiac.
She believes access to healthcare in the area will only become more problematic once the province’s recently passed healthcare reform legislation, Bill 15, comes into effect. Sshe fears the bill will further centralize care and limit local access to essential services.
“How bad is it going to get?” Cronier asked. “You can’t even have your baby in Pontiac anymore . . . There’s been so many cut-offs [to services].”
“We need to do something, especially for the elderly,” Cronier said. “They’re at home with no care.”
Another key issue that arose during the focus-group session was the need for easily-accessible information for residents, particularly pertaining to community programming and social events.
As put by attendee Richard Gratton, “The most important thing is to find a way to let people know exactly what’s going on.”
Shelley Heaphy, Connexions community outreach coordinator for the MRC Pontiac region, said the information gathered during the sessions will be used to update a series of “community portraits” first created in 2018.
These updated portraits will help the organization target its services according to the information gathered, as well as advocate to community partners and apply for relevant funding.
Connexions’ final two community focus groups will be hosted Jan. 30 in Portage du Fort and Feb. 6 in L’Isle-aux-Allumettes.

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Extra long bed now available for patients at Pontiac Hospital

Local Journalism Initiative / / /
Camilla Faragalli, reporter
Funded by the Local Journalism Initiative

The Pontiac Hospital is now equipped with a new “long bed” for taller patients, thanks to donations made in memory of local farmer David Rusenstrom.
Rusenstrom, who passed away last January, was a patient of the Pontiac Hospital for an extended period of time. At 6 ft. 4 in., he found the existing hospital beds to be short and uncomfortable.
“I had seen the problems he had had with short beds over the years,” said Rusenstrom’s wife, Joan, explaining that her husband had been hospitalized on several occasions.
Joan explained that the hospital tried as best it could to accommodate, but that a series of health conditions caused sores to develop on her husband’s feet from repeatedly trying to push himself up in a bed that was too short for him.
“I knew there was something, somewhere that was available,” Joan said. “Kids aren’t getting any smaller these days!”
When Rusenstrom passed away, his family requested any donations be made to the Pontiac Hospital Foundation to collect funds to purchase an extra-long bed for tall patients, valued at $8,000.
On Jan. 5, the eve of the anniversary of Rusenstrom’s passing, a brand new long bed arrived at the hospital.
Allan Dean, board member of the Pontiac Hospital Foundation, said when the Rusenstrom family approached the hospital about the possibility of ordering a long bed, the foundation got involved.
“We were able to secure some extra funding from the Lions Club,” Dean said. “But it had originally started with the donations that were made when Mr. Rusenstrom passed away, just from the community.”
Going forward, the existing beds at the Pontiac Hospital will be replaced by adjustable beds, which can extend as necessary.
To date, 15 adjustable beds have been installed to ensure greater comfort for patients.

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