Chelsey St. Pierre

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Montreal police (SPVM) are investigating a suspected arson that occurred recently in the industrial sector of Dorval.

The fire department was called to a building located near the corner of Hymus Boulevard and André Avenue. Firefighters quickly managed to put out the fire and the SPVM arson squad was called to the site to investigate. Officers found traces of accelerant near the building.

According to authorities, the damage mainly affected the exterior of the building. The full extent of the damages is yet to be determined.

“Preliminary information suggests that the suspect or suspects fled before officers arrived,” SPVM spokesperson Sabrina Gauthier told The Suburban.

Officers set up a perimeter to contain the site. Investigators are reviewing footage from outdoor cameras in the area.

“We are reviewing the camera footage on site to better determine the circumstances surrounding the event.” Gauthier said.

A “molotov cocktail” was thrown at the building located at the same address on Sept. 8.

Last April, 10 tractor trucks parked on a lot at the same intersection were set on fire. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Baie D’Urfé parents and toddlers gathered at the park in front of the lake across the street from Fritz Farm recently for National Truth and Reconciliation day.

“It’s tough to bring little ones to downtown Montreal. We keep it here and we keep it local and anyone who would like to join from neighbouring communities are always welcome,” Baie D’Urfé Mayor Heidi Ektvedt told The Suburban.

Ektvedt reached out to Baie D’Urfé resident Oana Silagui, who is commonly known in the neighbourhood for her initiatives in the community, particularly with creating innovative and unique activities for toddlers.

Silagui told The Suburban that she was pleased to host the event as it gives toddlers as well as their parents an opportunity to participate in a way that is possible for them at their stages in life. “It’s just so amazing to sit with the kids and read with the kids and hear their ideas.”

Baie D’Urfé Recreation Technician Megan Smith put together a craft activity for the event in which children, with the help of their parents, were encouraged to partake.

Pizza, beverages and snacks were served to participants.

Prizes from a name draw, including the book itself, were handed out at the end of the reading.

“We share culture and we share a connection and to me there is no better way than storytelling,” Silagui said.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Montreal Police (SPVM) handed out 6,246 tickets to drivers as part of its “Back to school 2023” operation that took place from August 28 to September 22.

Photo radar surveillance operations in school zones also took place during which 1,675 offenses were ticketed in 119 hours of operations counting just over five percent of all vehicles captured. “The safety of all road users is a constant priority throughout the year. The start of the school year is obviously a highlight because in addition to ensuring the safety of little ones, we sometimes have to call to order those who have lost certain safety reflexes during the summer period,” SPVM Road Safety Section Chief Stéphane Desroches said. The 2023 school year also saw 1,180 prevention activities taking place in the 29 SPVM neighbourhood station sectors, reaching more than 3,000 people. To further improve safety awareness in school sectors, the SPVM also launched their “living radar” project this year to address the dangers of excessive speed in school zones. The project relies on the participation of students at the start of the school year. A total of 6,246 violations were ticketed, 285 double fines related to school zone speeding, 2,144 for speeding outside, but in proximity to the zone, 93 for failure to stop for intermittent red lights on a school bus and 3,724 “other offences” within and surrounding the school-zone safety project.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A gathering led by Dr.Paul Saba’s Christian Coalition for Israel was held on Sunday at Place du Canada Park in downtown Montreal. Dr.Saba is the founder of Physicians for Social Justice. Religious leaders and concerned citizens spoke out in solidarity with the Jewish community following the terrorist attacks led by Hamas last week on innocent Israeli citizens as well as Canadian and American visitors to the country.

Prayers, songs and reflections took place throughout the two-hour gathering. Dozens of participants wore Christian Coalition for Israel t-shirts designed with a dove and Star of David intertwined signifying peace and solidarity with Israel.

“If you remain silent in the face of evil, then you are accepting and condoning evil. I cannot remain silent when I see evil acts committed,” Dr. Saba said. “I believe every life is valuable and Jewish lives deserve to be protected and the state of Israel must be defended.”

Remembrances were shared of five Canadians that were confirmed dead as of Sunday afternoon including 33-year old Montrealer Alexandre Look who was brutally murdered by Hamas terrorists while attending a music festival.

The “Our Father” prayer was led by Montreal artist Lisa Hanash and recited by the majority of attendees. “Israel and the Jewish people need our support, our intercession, they need our prayers.” Pastor Jacques Isaac Gabizon told the crowd as he led them into prayer.

“Who kidnaps an 85-year old woman, who kidnaps a baby, who burns babies, who does that?” Rabbi Reuben Poupko exhorted. “Evil flourishes when good people are silent. We are not silent. We want peace but unfortunately there are some people who do not want that and that’s what we are united to stand up against.”

Several masked men waving Palestinian flags appeared across the street shouting anti-Israel slogans at the Christian Coalition gatherers. Montreal police intervened as one of the men crossed the road and began filming the crowd, approaching attendees in a provocative and intimidating manner.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The official groundbreaking of the new Denis-Benjamin-Viger seniors residence took place last week in Pierrefonds. This project is one of the 2,400 CHSLDs that are slated to undergo renovations or reconstruction over the coming years. The dilapidated CHSLDs will gradually be rebuilt into seniors’ homes with improved features in terms of functionality, safety, comfort, atmosphere, as well as infection prevention and control.

The MNA for Anjou-Louis-Riel Karine Boivin-Roy was present at the groundbreaking on behalf of the Minister responsible for Seniors Sonia Bélanger. “I share the community’s pride in knowing that the work will begin shortly. Soon, residents will be able to discover this new, more adapted living environment in which they will be able to flourish. By transforming CHSLDs into seniors’ homes, our government is demonstrating that it is attentive to the needs of communities. Thank you to the teams who contribute to the realization of this project,” Boivin-Roy said.

According to the Office of the Minister for Health and Seniors, the work currently underway is expected to be completed by winter 2025-2026. Residents of the existing Denis-Benjamin-Viger accommodation centre in Île-Bizard, deemed to be dilapidated, will be moved into the new building in Pierrefonds-Roxboro that will also serve Dollard-des-Ormeaux upon completion of the project.

The new residence will accommodate 192 occupants and will include individual rooms with adapted toilets and showers.

“The start of work on this new seniors’ home is an important step for the population of western Montreal. We will offer residents a warm environment, where the organization of care and services is focused on their needs. Seniors deserve the best. This is why our government is continuing to transform now dilapidated facilities into places of accommodation where the quality of the living environment is the priority,” Sonia Bélanger, Minister responsible for Seniors and Minister for Health said.

Assisting in the groundbreaking were Brigitte Garceau, MNA for Robert-Baldwin; Jim Beis, Mayor of Pierrefonds-Roxboro; Alex Bottausci, Mayor of Dollard-Des-Ormeaux; Jean-François Miron, CEO of CIUSSS West Island; and Marie-Ève Gaudreau, Political Advisor. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

Bombardier’s “Women in Engineering” group held a science fair for the families of its employees. Over 1,000 attendees visited one of the company’s facilities located at 500 Côte Vertu Blvd. West in Dorval.

The fair was designed to encourage girls and boys aged from six to 14 to consider careers in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. Security personnel guided participants on a walk through the warehouse where dozens of planes could be seen up close, into an open area with over 25 kiosks set up by some 120 employee volunteers.

The Suburban attended a guided tour led by Bombardier spokesperson Christina Lemyre McCraw, Manager, Public relations and communications. “Volunteers took the extra steps to find ways to make science fun for kids at this event. Bombardier supported the idea as it wants to be proactive in supporting initiatives to stimulate interest from youth,” she explained as she pointed out the various activities and kiosks.

The in-house initiative, organized entirely by Bombardier team members, introduced the attending employees’ children and spouses to the Ecojet research platform, aircraft configuration, industrial design, thermodynamics and aerodynamics with kid-friendly comprehensive activities and demonstrations at the various kiosks.

Participants were also able to “fly” via virtual reality headsets.

T-shirts along with other souvenirs were handed out to children at table-stops set up throughout the fair.

According to Kathleen Dussault — Technical expert in aircraft architecture and organizer of the science fair, the event was launched with the aim of challenging young people to consider the world of science for their future careers.

“We want to give them a taste of what the outcome of their studies could be. They can see what all the hard math, homework and science studies amount to in their future experience,” Dussault told The Suburban. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Lachine borough held a community concert last Thursday evening at Lachine’s cultural center, “L’entrepot” where it launched a video entitled “Making Lachine Dance”. Directed by Maude Lecours, creator of “Making a Village Dance”, 230 Lachine residents are featured in the video dancing in various symbolic places throughout the borough to a song Au rythme de l’eau composed by Lachine resident, singer-songwriter, Joseph Boonen.

The video highlights maritime, heritage and industrial attractions unique to Lachine. It highlights the collective culture native to Lachine residents inclusive to persons of all ages, ethnicities and religious backgrounds. Elected officials, borough staff, firefighters, merchants and residents gathered in a variety of locations to demonstrate their attachment to Lachine by dancing.

“Composed by a young singer-songwriter from Lachine, this video is a great way to celebrate a sense of belonging in our community,” Maja Vodanovic, Mayor of Lachine told The Suburban. “We are so happy to participate in this project which celebrates our collective pride in being ‘Lachinois’.”

Boonen says that he was glad to answer the call to bring people together. “It was easy for me to find inspiration. I am proud of my roots as a French Quebecer and ‘Lachinois’,” Boonen said to The Suburban.

The Making a village dance project was launched in 2018 by Maude Lecours and Marie-Claude Lord to demonstrate the joy of living in the Brome-Missisquoi region. At the end of May 2018, the team produced and directed the first video in a series by filming people dancing in their community in Cowansville, Dunham and Frelighsburg.

The duo continues to expand the project to other regions by encouraging Quebec communities to dance in order to promote themselves and gain a sense of pride as members of a collective community.

Lachine is the first borough of Montreal to join the movement.

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

The Minister responsible for Social Services, Lionel Carmant, as well as the session chair and Member of Parliament for Anjou-Louis-Riel Karine Boivin Roy, held the official inauguration of the Kirkland “Open Air” youth drop in centre in the West Island of Montreal last week.

Located at 2820 Saint-Charles Blvd. in Kirkland, the drop-in centre houses a network of integrated services for young people aged 12 to 25. It was developed in collaboration with young people in the community, families and partners in order to meet the needs of the clientele it serves.

The drop in centre is equipped to receive youth seeking mental health services, in particular. Youth can also find support concerning a wide range of issues that may affect all areas of their lives.

The $40 million Open Air project is one of the measures that are an integral part of the 2022-2026 Inter-ministerial Mental Health Action Plan.

According to Carmant, by 2026, the (CISSS or CIUSSS) expects to have 27 of the 80-90 planned centres for the province on its territory.

Currently, 24 establishments offer services throughout the province, of which 22 service points are officially open.

Carmant advocates on the importance of local accessible services for youth.

“Speaking to youth, they often say that when they knock on a door for help and there is no response, they don’t go back,” Carmant told The Suburban.

For Carmant, the participation of youth in the creation of the project was key to manifesting an environment that answers their actual needs in a way that is familiar and recognizable to them. “The concept was created by youth for youth on every account from choice of services right down to the décor.”

Youth services are normally geared towards pre-teens and teens aged 12-18, however the new Open Air centres offer services for youth until age 25.

“Youth fall between the cracks between 18-25. This is why it is important to assure a continuum of service until 25 years of age,” Carmant explained.

This new centre offers the services of a general practitioner directly on site.

The realization of the Kirkland centre was made possible as a result of a collaborative effort between Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi de l’Ouest-de-l’Île, the YMCA and the surrounding school network (school boards and CEGEPs).

This site also benefited from a generous vehicle donation, which allows team members to expand their awareness activities and provide assistance to young people in need of transportation.

“This is a magnificent project that will allow young people in Kirkland and the surrounding area to benefit from a range of free and confidential services. I am proud to see this great team, made up of workers who will be able to listen to young people and help them, regardless of their concerns or their needs, settle in the region. I would like to thank all the partners as well as all the young people who have worked hard over the last few months to implement such a unifying project for the community,” Karine Boivin Roy, MP for Anjou-Louis-Riel, said. n

Chelsey St. Pierre – The Suburban LJI Reporter

A 43-year-old man was the victim of a violent assault in an apartment in Lachine. The scene of the assault was on Louis-Paré Street, near 30th Avenue. Police at the scene had the victim transported to hospital by ambulance. He is in critical condition.

According to authorities, the victim suffered multiple wounds caused by a sharp object and is currently recovering in hospital. SPVM spokesperson Carolyne Chevrefils said police officers questioned a 31-year old woman who accompanied them to the police station voluntarily. She was not under arrest at that point.

Following further police questioning, the woman was charged and arraigned in court Wednesday. “The circumstances surrounding the event were not clear at the moment when the woman was initially transported to the investigation centre,” Chevrefils told The Suburban.

According to Chevrefils, the stabbing victim is also expected to be questioned as soon as his health allows.

The apartment has been sealed off while the investigation continues. Authorities have not confirmed what the connection is between the man and the women allegedly involved in the incident.