Deux-Montagnes Holds First Municipal Council Meeting of 2025: Key Discussions on Waste Management, Property Evaluations, and Upcoming Infrastructure Projects
By Dylan Adams Lemaçon, LJI Reporter
The first municipal council meeting of the year was held on January 16, 2025, at the city hall building on Chemin d’Oka. The meeting, attended by over a dozen local residents, was presided over by Mayor Denis Martin and the members of the municipal council. As the town moves into 2025, the council addressed several issues on the agenda while providing updates on ongoing projects.
The session began with Mayor Martin wishing the public a happy new year, marking the start of the first meeting of the year. The council swiftly proceeded to review the order of the day, which included the adoption of new municipal regulations. The mayor mentioned that all the proposed resolutions were being approved without any significant objections so far.
Some of the notable discussions involved updates regarding the REM (Réseau express métropolitain), a major transportation project. The mayor also spoke about the inconveniences caused by delays in the distribution of waste collection calendars, which were affected by the strike at Canada Post. Mayor Martin explained that the city has also partnered with a new waste management company, which may have contributed to some of the slight inconveniences. Mayor Martin acknowledged the issue and apologized while stating that it should all be sorted out soon enough.
The topic of property evaluations was also brought up, with the mayor emphasizing that the municipal council has no authority to intervene in property evaluation matters, despite the ongoing discussions about increased property values and their impact on taxes.
During the public question period, a couple concerns were raised by residents. Andrew Brown, a local, inquired about the future of the Roger-Lemoine Boisé area that is at risk of being damaged by a potential new parking lot . He wanted to know what is happening to this forested sector. In response, the mayor expressed his commitment to protecting the area and explained that there were previous parking agreements in place before the REM project came to fruition. Now they are negotiating with REM for additional parking spaces which would not affect the forest area .
Another question from Brown concerned a new housing development behind his property. He joked about how a new number of people would now be able to look down and have a great view of his property due to the new project. The mayor directed him to the appropriate municipal departments for more information on the development and its impact on the surrounding area.
Brown also asked about a potential project with EXO, related to the introduction of electric buses in the area. The mayor clarified that the project is still under consideration, with ongoing discussions about the availability of garages for charging the buses.
Another resident, Nicholas Proulx, raised concerns about the ice rink in the town, asking for more maintenance to ensure the rink remains usable. He mentioned that he often travels to Rosemère to use their rink due to the lack of consistent availability in Deux-Montagnes. The mayor acknowledged the issue and explained that the town is in the process of building a proper cement foundation to support an ice rink. However, as the project is estimated to cost nearly one million dollars, it is still under serious discussion.
As the meeting concluded, Mayor Martin and the council members expressed their ongoing commitment to improving services, while navigating the challenges of property evaluations, transportation infrastructure, and recreational facilities.
The next town hall session will be scheduled for February 13, 2025, where further updates on infrastructure projects and community concerns are expected to be discussed.
