QCNA NEWS

Bonhomme Carnaval opens his Winter Beach starting Dec. 21

Bonhomme Carnaval opens his Winter Beach starting Dec. 21

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Even though summer is over, it will soon be time to go to the beach! That’s right! Bonhomme Carnaval is inviting everyone to join him at his Gougoune & Doudoune Winter Beach behind Espace Quatre Cents at 100 Quai Saint-André.

Bonhomme will open the frosty festivities here as early as Dec. 21. 

People can once again attempt to conquer the climbable giant iced polar bear, slide down the Blizz Slide, jump into the giant ball pool, try out the snow racer tri-ski trail, or compete in the ice canoe races (weather permitting). There will also be family activities such as mini-golf, beanbag games, snowboard swings and a small obstacle course.

“Even though this event is a production of the Ateliers du Carnaval, it is not part of the 71st Winter Carnival, from Feb. 7 to 16,” said Marie-Ève ​​Jacob, executive director of the Quebec Winter Carnival. This means that the effigie does not give access to the activities. Daily passes cost $15 plus taxes for children (12 and under) and $25 plus taxes for adults; and season passes cost $54 plus taxes for children (12 and under) and $79 plus taxes for adults.

“Our objective is to offer winter activities while waiting for the carnival to start,” said Jacob. “We want to enrich and liven up the city in December and January by offering locals and tourists a new attraction over a long period. It helps that the site is near the popular tourist areas of Place Royale and Quartier Petit Champlain. We are even setting up a shuttle service to get from major tourist areas including the German Christmas Market in Upper Town to our site. The schedule is yet to be finalized.” 

The site will be open throughout the holiday season, including on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, on all weekends from Jan. 11 to Feb. 5, and throughout Winter Carnival (Feb. 7 to 16). 

For more information, visit carnaval.qc.ca.

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Buyer wants to bring back Provisions Inc. as grocery

Buyer wants to bring back Provisions Inc. as grocery

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Those longing for the return of the popular Provisions Inc. grocery store on Ave. Cartier may get their wish.

Although the deal is not yet signed and sealed, the would-be buyer of the building, rental property owner Jean-François Picard, is talking about his plans. He told the Journal de Québec, “We really want to revive what it was and everyone is converging towards the same thing.”

Picard said, “There were citizen surveys, merchant surveys. I did my homework and [decided] a grocery store will go there.”

Picard, who lives close to Ave. Cartier, said he was a frequent patron of the store. “It brought life; it brought a beautiful magic too because it was very family-oriented. That’s what we want to revive.”

The Drouin family ran the store until the fall of 2022, when cousins Vincent and Bruno Drouin sold it to a couple from France. Stéphanie Bouillon Guessas and Christophe Bouillon operated the store until January 2024 when it was suddenly closed. The building was put up for sale by the National Bank following the couple’s default on the mortgage. Meanwhile, the Drouins are suing the couple for some $450,000 still owing on the purchase.

The three-storey building has two apartments above the grocery. The equipment to operate the store, such as refrigerators, shelves and cashier counters, remains intact.

Picard said he is now looking for a partner to run the grocery. “It’s realistic to think that well before Christmas, we’ll be in operation,” he said. Picard also said he hopes to work with for- mer employees of the grocery to get it back up and running.

The website for his company, Picard Immobilier, describes the business as “proud to be a Quebec company that is 100 per cent manager and owner of its buildings” with “nearly 700 apartments of all styles in the Quebec region.”

Among the company’s holdings are several buildings in the Montcalm district.

The impending purchase of Provisions Inc. was raised at a meeting of the Montcalm neighbourhood council meeting last week. Attendee Paul Mackey told the QCT Picard “may attend the next neighbourhood council meeting at the end of October to discuss his plans, if the sale is formalized.”

Hugo Asselin, the real estate agent who handled the deal, said it might take a few weeks for the sale to be processed by a notary. The listed price for the building, zoned for a variety of uses, was $2 million.

The QCT was not able to contact Picard before press time.

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Photo Credit: Andrae Lewis, The Link Rosie Awori, Montreal Community Contact David Venn, Nunatsiaq News

QCNA Announces 2024 Better Newspaper Competition Winners

Photo Credits: Andrae Lewis, The Link

Pictured: Rosie Awori, Montreal Community Contact & David Venn, Nunatsiaq News

QCNA is proud to honour our member newspapers once again this year through the Better Newspaper Competition, recognizing excellence in news coverage, including reporting on education, agriculture, environment, health, and civic affairs.

An in-person Awards Gala highlighting this years winners was held on June 28th at The Holiday Inn & Suites Centre-Ville Ouest in Montreal, Quebec by over 100 participants. The prestigious Awards Gala was succeeded by a two day strategic planning session, organized and developed through QCNA and facilitated by strategic consultant Frances Ravensbergen, inviting 28 delegates from official language member publications across Quebec to join us in shaping a new vision, mission and focus for the organization.

We were thrilled to see the number of entries into the contest rise this year to over 600 submissions, which evidenced a continued passion for journalism, reflected in the work of every participant organization and individual in this profession. Over 100 participants were in attendance at the awards gala.

Photo Credits: Andrae Lewis, The Link

QCNA Board Members (left to right): Cynthia Dow, Charles Dickson, Nikki Mantell, Brenda O’Farrell and Lily Ryan. Missing from photo: Michael Sochaczevski and Sharon McCully

Among 40 awards presented that evening, some highlights included:

  • The Low Down to Hull & Back News, who took home 11 awards (many 1st place!) and was named Best Overall Newspaper for 2023-2024.
  • The Eastern Door newspaper (located in Kahnawake) had 13 big wins, including young journalist Eve Cable, who was presented with the honorable Paul Dumont-Frenette Outstanding Journalism Award for reporter of the year.
  • Two new QCNA awards were given out that evening, inlcuding the Best Contributed Photo Award (won by Anthony Qrunnut, a Grade 9 student at Igloolik’s Sivuniit Middle School) and Best Nature/ Environment Photo (won by Sarah Rennie for The Gleaner).
  • The first Egbert Gaye Dare to Make a Difference Award in tribute of founding owner/editor of newspaper Montreal Community Contact, was presented by Rosie Awori on behalf of the publication.

A full list of this year’s winner is available here.

The QCNA would like to thank the following sponsors who helped ensure the success of this years event:

The Department of Canadian Heritage
MP Anthony Housefather
MP Anna Gainey
MP Marc Miller
MP Marie-Claude Bibeau
The Honourable Greg Fergus, P.C., M.P.
Elizabeth Prass Deputy of the National Assembly of Quebec

And many thanks to businesses who provided services or donations:

The Holiday Inn & Suites Centre-Ville Montreal & Encore
Sabrina’s Linen Rentals
Michèle Desormeaux – the supplier of the trees
The Royal Canadian Mint
Via Rail Canada
NAV Canada
Moulin Wakefield Mill Inn & Spa
Hebdo Litho

And lastly, to the volunteers

AV Tech support provided by Tom Hansen and event volunteer extrodinaire Skye Metcalfe.

QCNA Announces 2024 Better Newspaper Competition Winners Read More »

QCNA announces the 2024 Better Newspaper Competition Finalists list!

The QCNA is proud to recognize the journalistic excellence of our member newspapers.

This competition year our members showed up stronger than ever, with over 600 entries by 21 different member publications, setting a new QCNA record!

We were thrilled to see the level of commitment from our membership!

Congratulations to all our finalists!

Finalists in each category are listed in no particular order. To view the list of finalists, scroll below or download and view. First, second and third place winners will be announced at our annual Awards Gala. The date and location will be announced soon!

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