JOHN JANTAK

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The Town of Pincourt posted a $4.3-million budget surplus for 2023, bringing its accumulated surplus to $14.3 million, according to its financial report unveiled last month.

The report, approved by the town’s municipal council Sept. 10, provides a detailed overview of the city’s fiscal performance in the last year.

According to the figures, the town posted total revenues in 2023 of $31,002,845, which include an allocated surplus from previous years of $1,203,193. All expenses for last year totalled $26,681,710. This left a surplus for the year of $4,321,135.

The surplus is largely attributed to increased revenue from real-estate transfer fees and savings on salaries as several positions remained unfilled last year, town officials said.

“There were more homes sold in Pincourt last year,” Mayor Claude Comeau told The 1019 Report, explaining the hike in transfer fees.

The town, however, could not provide specific details about how much was collected in property transfer fees.

The town’s unallocated accumulated surplus as of Dec. 31, 2023, hit $14.3 million and its long-term debt reached $26.7 million, a drop of 5.48 per cent, town spokesperson Vicky Sauvé said.

The mayor said the surplus reflects the town’s ability to ensure responsible development while providing diverse and high-quality services to its citizens.

“We’re very proud of our employees who were able to maintain excellent services for the population,” Comeau said.

“Their dedication was particularly remarkable during the ice storm in April 2023,” he added. “They worked tirelessly during the situation to ensure the safety of citizens. I am very proud of our entire team for their commitment and resilience.”

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

The West Island Assistance Fund (WIAF) – one of three food bank operators in the region – is hoping to acquire the former federal post office building in Roxboro to consolidate its operations into one building, providing a permanent home for the non-profit group since a fire in 2019 left it scrambling for space to operate from.

“It wouldn’t require a lot of changes and doesn’t need a lot of improvements for what we want to do,” said Michael Labelle, president of WIAF board of directors, referring to the building on Centre Commercial Street. “It would easily double the space that we have now.”

“It has a basement, too, so there’s a possibility of using it for storage,” Labelle added. “It’s fully functional and has wheelchair access, so it’s fully adapted. It’s a federal building, so we don’t need to put a lot into it and it would allow us to expand our operations.”

After a fire in December 2019 completely destroyed its former headquarters, which was also on Centre Commercial Street, including its ground-floor thrift shop and second-floor offices, the non-profit organization moved its store into another nearby building about a block away, where it now also operates its food bank.

The problem is the building that housed its offices and thrift shop before the fire had 6,300 square feet of floor space. The thrift shop is now crammed into a space of only 4,000 square feet, which also houses the group’s food distribution centre.

The organization has also been renting office space in a building across the street.

The WIAF will sell the empty lot of its former headquarters – which has been converted into a temporary community garden – to help fund the purchase of the former post office property.

“We’ve been around since 1966 and proven our ability to come back from a fire,” Labelle said. “We’ve hired a consultant to prepare a business plan to purchase the building.”

The organization can’t keep functioning in temporary premises, he said.

The organization distributes about 680 food baskets each month – just over 8,100 food baskets yearly.

The 1510 West

More than a month after the remnants of tropical storm Debby swept through the Montreal region causing torrential rains that overwhelmed municipal drainage systems and flooded basements across the island, West Island municipalities are still assessing the damage and looking at what can be done to mitigate the chaos that accompanies violent storms.

The exact number of households that were flooded in the West Island is still not known, with estimates in many towns topping 1,000 dwellings.

In Kirkland, the number of homes that were flooded Aug. 9 could be as high as 1,500, Mayor Michel Gibson told The 1510 West, while in Île Bizard, officials say the number is about 1,200.

In Beaconsfield, officials put the number of houses that were damaged by flood waters at about 1,000.

Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle was one of those flood victims.

“There was eight inches of water,” Bourelle said of his basement. “In the 27 years I’ve been living here, our sump pump never went on. How can you prevent such an extraordinary event like this from happening?”

These violent storms might not be preventable, but finding ways to prepare to deal with the risks they represent and mitigate their damage is being assessed.

In Ste. Anne de Bellevue, where the number of households that were flooded is not fully known, Mayor Paola Hawa said the city is gathering data to assess its emergency response to the storm, including looking at the type of equipment municipal crews needs to pump water out faster and improving communications with residents.

“We have a protocol and emergency plan that’s very well set out for floods from the Lake of Two Mountains and Lac St. Louis,” Hawa said. “When there’s a risk of a spring flood, we go into automatic overdrive. We need to adapt that same concept more towards these types of things, like ice storms and excessive rainfall.”

The city has applied for financial aid from the provincial government’s General Disaster Financial Assistance Program to help residents affected by water that backed up into their homes when drainage systems became overwhelmed.

“We asked the provincial government to change a rule to include these types of situations,” Hawa said.

It is still not known if the demand will be accepted.

In Kirkland, the Mayor Gibson sent a letter to the provincial government pleading for changes in the rules for compensation to include damage to homes caused by backflow flooding.

In a letter dated Aug. 30 sent to Premier François Legault, Gibson wrote: “These citizens are now turning to their municipality for support in this difficult ordeal. It is, therefore, on their behalf that I implore you to follow through on your promise of Aug. 16 to extend the General Disaster Financial Assistance Program to all families affected by the torrential rains of Aug. 9 and 10, regardless of the source of water infiltration in their homes.”

More than 8,000 cubic metres of debris pulled out of homes have been collected in Kirkland as homeowners set to the task of removing damage furniture, flooring and drywall.

“That represents up to four Olympic-sized pools two metres in depth,” Gibson said, putting the amount of refuse collected in the municipality into perspective.

In Ste. Anne, 102 truckloads of debris had been hauled away after being removed from homes by early September.

In Île Bizard, where some homeowners suffered hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of flood damage, according to borough Mayor Doug Hurley, many of them lived in areas of the island that have never been subject to flood threats.

“What’s ironic about it is that houses that were normally flooded in previous years because of the rising waters around the river mostly had no damage because of the protective measures they put in place after the floods in 2017, 2019 and 2021,” Hurley said.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

A new residential development in Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot that will see 72 housing units built in the coming months drew attention from residents earlier this week as crews began cutting trees on the wooded site.

It is not clear exactly how many trees were felled on the lot on the south side of Forest Avenue at the intersection of De Pinacle Street.

“It’s been in the pipeline for a couple of years,” town’s spokesperson Éric Leclair said, referring to the development plan. “It’s on private land that was sold to a private promoter and the area has been slated for densification.”

The plan calls for the construction of two residential building – one with 32 units and the other with 40 units.

The project is being built by Groupe Farand, a private developer.

“The promoter has all the permits and authorization needed to move forward,” Leclair told The 1019 Report.

The tree-felling permit was issued by the provincial Environment Ministry. City inspectors will ensure the remaining trees are well protected during the work. When the two buildings are constructed, a natural buffer strip will be maintained along Forest Avenue.

City inspectors have been monitoring the work to ensure the remaining trees are protected, Leclair said.

“We want to make sure everything that is going to be done complies to municipal bylaws,” he added. “It’s a big project that will bring in a lot of housing options at a different price range that we don’t have much of in Notre Dame.”

The 1019 Report

The city of Vaudreuil-Dorion is once again inviting citizens to pitch recreational and artistic projects they would like to see realized in the municipality as part of its latest edition of its participatory budget campaign.

The initiative, which aims to give residents a greater say in shaping the future of their municipality, will see the city invest $65,000 in making the winning project happen.

“Participatory budgeting is an initiative that allows citizens to familiarize themselves with the city’s budgetary process,” said Mayor Guy Pilon. “A citizen can submit a project and if it is selected, the city will carry it out. This results in a great collaboration between our citizens and the municipal departments involved.”

Vaudreuil-Dorion residents over the age of 18 have until Sept. 30 to submit their proposal to the city, either individually or as part of a team. Associations and corporations are not eligible to participate in the campaign, as they have access to grant programs sponsored by the city.

The projects retained by the city’s coordinating committee will be subject to a popular vote between Nov. 4 and Nov. 22. The project that receives the most votes will be announced during a special budget session Dec. 9.

Again this year, the campaign includes a youth component that encourages residents between the ages of 12 and 17 to submit their own proposals, with the city pledging to allocate $10,000 to the winning project. Those who apply to this component must be accompanied by an adult who agrees to co-sign the application form and provide supporting documents.

In 2023, the city received nine citizen-pitched proposals. The winning submission was an “object library,” which was subsequently launched last October. The library of things allows citizens to borrow a wide range of tools that are rarely used, difficult to store or expensive to purchase. Items on loan might include sewing machines, electric drills, musical instruments, slow cookers and camping equipment. Citizens can pick up and return these tools at the city’s municipal library.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

With the President’s Cup golf tournament expected to attract 30,000 visitors a day to the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Île Bizard later this month, the mayor of the borough says he will do his best to minimize the inconvenience to the island’s residents during the six-day event.

“I will make this promise to my citizens – I will guarantee that I will be surveilling how this will be implemented – the filtration process to allow people onto the island and the access for our citizens,” Mayor Doug Hurley told The 1510 West.

Set to run from Sept. 24 to Sept. 29, the golf tournament is one of the biggest events organized by the PGA Tour and attracts some of the world’s top golfers. Prime Minister Justin Trudeau has been named the honorary chairman of this year’s event. In 2022, U.S. President Joe Biden was the honorary chair of the tournament, which was held in Charlotte, North Carolina.

With ongoing work on the Jacques Bizard Bridge, the biggest challenge will be getting the crowds of spectators on and off Île Bizard, Hurley said.

“I will do my best to ensure that our businesspeople, who are already suffering because of the bridge since 2022, don’t suffer more losses because of the lack of pedestrian traffic to their businesses,” Hurley said.

Restrictions on access to the island will be put in place, including banning Uber drivers and certain delivery people from getting onto the island, the mayor explained.

“The new bridge was supposed to be completed in the spring of 2024, but they ran into construction problems, which now brings us to 2025,” he said, referring to when the new span is expected to be completed. “The organizers aren’t crazy about the situation too,” Hurley added, referring to tournament officials.

All three lanes on the old bridge are now open, which will channel traffic on and off the island. No construction is currently taking place.

Traffic onto Île Bizard during the tournament will be subject to a filtering system, Hurley said, to make sure everyone coming onto the island are residents or have business there.

“To verify that, we will provide a vignette for vehicles so they can enter the island between 7 a.m. and 7 p.m. After that, anyone can get on the island,” he said.

The Royal Montreal Golf Club last hosted the President’s Cup in 2007.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

Pickleball enthusiasts in St. Lazare are asking the city to consider building dedicated playing courts to meet the rising demand as the sport continues to gain popularity.

“It’s exploded so much that we’re worried about not having enough pickleball courts,” said Lina Salvati, a spokesperson from Club de Pickleball de Saint-Lazare earlier this summer.

The club wants the city build dedicated pickleball courts instead of having to play on the tennis courts that have been reconfigured.

The two pickleball courts where residents can play are at Saddlebrook Park and the other at Chaline Valley Park.

“Our goal is to hopefully have 10 dedicated courts just for pickleball,” Salvati told The 1019 Report.

“We want the town to build them immediately, but they told us their long-term projection is five years. Preferably, we would want to have them tomorrow or yesterday,” Salvati said.

As pickleball increases in popularity, so does the demand for more courts to be built to accommodate the rising demand.

“When our club started about three years ago, there were 20 members,” Salvati said earlier this summer. “Now, there are over 300 members on our Facebook page. It’s going to explode.”

“Every city in Quebec is starting to build their own courts,” she said. “If you look at St. Jerome and Sorel, all these places have beautiful installations, so, of course, we want our city to have them, too.”

St. Lazare is currently considering whether it will build additional pickleball courts as part of its urban planning review.

Mayor Geneviève Lachance said adding new and different sports infrastructure will be considered when the town updates its parks master plan.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The rapid growth and increasing popularity of pickleball in recent years has prompted Vaudreuil-Dorion and Pincourt to build new pickleball courts to meet the demand.

“There are a lot of players and we know it’s a sport that’s going to grow in the future, so we want to have exclusive pickleball courts,” said Vincent Bastien, director of recreation and culture with the city of Vaudreuil-Dorion in an interview with The 1019 Report.

The first six courts in will be built at Parc St. Jean Baptiste beside the water tower at 98 De la Fabrique Blvd., north of Harwood.

There are tennis courts in the park, but the city has converted two tennis courts into six pickle ball courts this summer, Bastien explained.

“We are also going to start construction in the fall for eight pickleball courts and six tennis courts at a new park just in front of Dorion Gardens at Valois and Andrė Chartrand,” Bastien said.

Pickleball has also become very popular in Pincourt. The town opened its first two outdoor courts at Olympic Park last August and has added two new courts this summer.

“We need new courts because of the high demand,” said Pincourt Mayor Claude Comeau.

At the beginning of summer, there were 138 registered pickleball players with the Pincourt Pickleball Club, said club president Pierre Besner. That number is expected to continue rising.

The possible addition of pickleball courts is also being considered in St. Lazare. There are currently two pickleball courts – one each at Saddlebrook Park and Chaline Valley Park.

“It’s very popular for sure and it’s easier to play than tennis,” said Mayor Geneviève Lachance.

The city is also considering whether it will build additional pickleball courts.

“We have a master plan for parks that will be adopted in the next few months so that’s always something that’s being considered in terms of providing different infrastructure,” said Lachance.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

Property damage in Vaudreuil-Dorion caused by the torrential rains that swept through southern Quebec on Aug. 9 was far more extensive than first thought.

With damage reports now completed, the city claims 1,400 residences were flooded.

Two municipal buildings also suffered flooding damage, including the historic house at the Parc Maison Valois. Built in 1796, the building on the edge of Vaudreuil Bay, needed to be drained of flood waters that accumulated during the heavy rains.

A municipal building on St. Charles Ave. that houses the city’s human resources department also saw water damage.

“The first floor is OK,” Vaudreuil-Dorion director-general Olivier Van Neste said, “but we had to strip the entire basement and redo it.”

During the past three weeks, the city directed its municipal employees and hired contractors to clear up the debris homeowners piled alongside curbs outside flooded residences.

As of Aug. 29, a total of 662 truckloads of debris – about 2,500 metric tonnes – had been collected.

“We had from five to eight teams working every day,” Van Neste said.

The city is waiving its regular fees for renovation permits and is issuing them as quickly as possible to help affected homeowners, Van Neste added. But the city is not able to provide any additional financial help.

“There’s a lot of talk from the province that they could increase their current program, which is reserved exclusively for residents affected by flooding from a river or lake,” Van Neste said.

“It’s a really small proportion of the population that would be able to take advantage of a grant from the provincial government,” he added. “They are being told to go to their insurers first.”

With the large number of properties that have been affected by the floods, many homeowners will have to wait until 2025 before they’re able to hire a contractor to repair the damage, Van Neste estimated.

“There are a fixed amount of contractors on the market, and this means that reconstruction will take a while,” he said.

According to city officials, 219 millimetres of rain drenched the area in a 24-hour period Aug. 9 as the remnants of Hurricane Debby tore through the region, far more than the 176 mms of precipitation recorded in Montreal that day.

“There is no sewer network in North America that can handle that much water,” Van Neste said.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

Investing just over $14 million in outdoor refrigerated skating rinks and $4.5 million to build a pedestrian overpass that would straddle Highway 30 near the new hospital are two of a long list of proposed projects unveiled last week by the city of Vaudrueil-Dorion as part of a $466-million five-year capital investment plan.

The city is looking to operate two refrigerated skating rinks. One would be at the site of its new municipal hub on Émile Bouchard Street, behind the sports complex on De La Gare Blvd., which would cost  $475,000. The other would be installed in the park by Quatre-Saisons school, near the corner of Émile Bouchard Street and Jean Béliveau Street, which would have a $13.9-million budget. This rink, which would operate only in winter, would have a covered roof and feature a service building, lighting and cooling system integrated into the slab.

The pedestrian overpass over Highway 30 would be a multi-purpose archway that would create another access route to the hospital.

In all, the city has put forward plans for more than 100 proposed projects as part of its capital investment plan for 2025-2029. Not all projects, however, will be realized within that timeframe.

“The population’s ability to pay is always at the forefront of our minds and the municipal council will always ensure it is respected,” said Mayor Guy Pilon.

“These new projects will be in line with the new reality regarding climate change,” Pilon added. “Maybe some projects won’t be done and the money will be used for other things.

“For the next six months, we will have a final realignment of our five-year-plan,” he said.

Other projects include:

• $21.5 million to upgrade infrastructure in the old Dorion sector of the city, including water service and sewer system work
• $30.7 million to widen Cité des Jeunes Blvd., from Des Floralies Street to the future hospital, including the addition of a bicycle lane
• $20 million to increase the capacity of the sewer system for the Harwood-De Lotbinière sector of the city
• $14 million to redevelopment Chicoine Street, between De Lotbinière and Brown Street.
• $25 million for the construction of a new municipal garage on Henry Ford Street.
• $1.9 million to build two basketball courts on the grounds of Cité des Jeunes campus
• $1.45 million to install a synthetic sports field at École secondaire des Échos on De Clichy Street in the old Dorion section of the city.
• $675,000 to build volleyball courts, training facilities and add lighting and other minor improvements at Paul-Gérin-Lajoie Park along the waterfront on St. Charles Ave. across from Cité des Jeunes campus

Some projects, like planned infrastructure upgrades in the old Dorion sector and for the multi-purpose walkway across Highway 30, could receive financial assistance from the province.

The redevelopment of Chicoine Street has already received a $2.46-million.

provincial grant.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

With work set to begin to widen the section of Cité des Jeunes Blvd. in Vaudreuil-Dorion in anticipation of the opening of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges Hospital, the city’s mayor is concerned about the lack of action from the provincial Transport Ministry to begin the process to widen artery in St. Lazare.

“Over 3,000 people will be working at the hospital and then there’s the patients and delivery vehicles that will be going in and out 24 hours a day,” said Vaudreuil-Dorion Mayor Guy Pilon in an interview last week with The 1019 Report. “If the province doesn’t proceed now, there will be big problems when the hospital opens,”

But so far, despite repeated calls on Quebec from the town of St. Lazare to widen the two-lane boulevard to handle the anticipated increase in traffic along the route when the hospital opens and the expected development boom along the corridor, Transport Quebec has refused to act.

“The ministry has no plans to expand Cité des Jeunes in our territory,” said St. Lazare Mayor Geneviève Lachance. “And they’ve been very clear on that.”

“It’s been at least five years now, as a councillor and mayor, that I’ve been meeting with them and trying to get them to agree to expand it,” Lachance said, referring to the two-lane boulevard that will serve as one of the main access routes to the hospital that is already experiencing bumper-to-bumper congestion during rush-hour periods.

So far all that Transport Quebec has offered to do is add an extra exit lane at three intersections along Cité des Jeunes in St. Lazare – at Montée Labossiere, St. Louis Avenue and Ste. Angélique Road. That work should be carried out by 2027. The hospital is expected to open at the end of 2026.

“That’s about all they’re planning on doing right now,” Lachance said. “That sector is really going to expand drastically in the next couple of years. They already know that,” she added, referring to Transport Quebec officials. “We gave them our projections and it’s still not making them change their minds.

“We even tried to get them to lower the speed on certain sections of Cité des Jeunes and they’re not willing to do that,” Lachance added. “It’s just totally impossible to get them to budge on this. We have no power at all.”

St. Lazare cannot move to widen the artery because the western stretch of the road falls under provincial authority. The section that cuts through Vaudreuil-Dorion to the east of the hospital site, however, falls under municipal control. And that is why the city of Vaudreuil-Dorion was able to announce last week a $30.7-million plan to widen that section of the road into a four-lane boulevard.

The artery will be widened from the hospital eastward to Des Floralies Street.

Both the mayors of Vaudreuil-Dorion and St. Lazare are also concerned about the current state of the section of Cité des Jeunes that runs above Harwood Blvd. in St. Lazare. The overpass needs to be repaired.

Images of the overpass taken in September 2023 show sections of missing concrete and exposed rusty rebar underneath both sides of the structure.

“We told them about it four years ago,” Pilon said, referring to provincial Transport Quebec officials. “We even presented plans to them. Right now without the hospital, it’s packed and it will be worse if they don’t change the overpass above Highway 342 in St. Lazare,” Pilon said.

“It doesn’t impact our city very much, but for St. Lazare, it’s terrible,” he added.

Pilon said he is willing to work with St. Lazare to try get Transport Quebec officials to move forward with their requests.

“We can assist them on this matter and propose things, but at the end of the day, it’s the Transport Ministry that decides what they want,” he added.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The largest number of residents affected by flood waters caused by record-setting torrential rains earlier this month as the remnants of Hurricane Debby swept the region were in the municipalities of Vaudreuil-Dorion and Pincourt.

“The flooding was throughout the city,” said Vaudreuil-Dorion Mayor Guy Pilon last week. “There was no area that was worse than any other.”

In all, about 1,200 properties were affected, Pilon said.

About 180 millimetres of rain fell on the city during a 24-hour period Aug. 9, more than the twice the amount of rain it normally receives for the entire month.

“With this amount of rain there is no infrastructure that can handle that amount of water in one shot,” Pilon told The 1019 Report. “It’s impossible.”

The mayor noted that the large number of residences affected by the flooding could make it difficult for many homeowners to find available contractors to begin restoration work.

“Most of the people did the cleanup by themselves, but now they have to rebuild. Some people will be able to do it, but most will need to have their sewers checked. There will be a big demand for contractors, including plumbers and electricians,” Pilon said.

The mayor added that during the spring floods in 2017 and 2019 about 200 residences were affected during each event when rising water from Vaudreuil Bay flooded areas along St. Charles Ave. and some side streets.

In Pincourt, about 250 homes and buildings were affected, with municipal officials describing the level of damage inside many buildings as significant.

City officials also reported several vehicles were damage by flood waters, while two people were rescued as water surrounded their truck. There were no injuries.

According to the city, about 190 millimetres of rain fell in the Pincourt area. But now, the focus has shifted to the cleanup.

The debris from many flooded basements, including damaged appliances, drywall and carpeting, have been piled outside affected properties awaiting removal.

A special bulk waste collection is scheduled to begin today to remove the mounds of debris piled outside homes. Everything from furniture, mattresses, carpets, drywall and toilets will be collected.

The debris has been piled outside affected properties awaiting removal since the floods.

Pincourt Mayor Claude Comeau said the town will continue to put in place various measures, such as repairing underground infrastructures, greening mineralized areas, planting forests and increasing its emergency response equipment to deal with future extreme weather events.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

A request for financial assistance for a new aquatic complex in Vaudreuil-Dorion has been turned down by the province for a second time.

“We were extremely disappointed upon hearing the news,” said Mayor Guy Pilon in a written statement on July 11. “Our teams worked hard to put together a strong and convincing case.”

“Our project was not selected, nor were any major projects in Vaudreuil-Soulanges,” Pilon added.

The city requested funding for up to $20 million, the maximum amount allowed through the provincial Ministry of Education under its financial assistance program for recreational, sports and outdoor infrastructure.

The mayor said the city’s request was rejected due to a large number of applications for the funding, which exceeded the budget that was set aside for project proposals.

Despite the setback, the city still intends to build the aquatic complex in the next phase of its municipal hub project that is being built behind the Centre multisports André-Chagnon on Émilel Bouchard St., adjacent to the Vaudreuil train station. The first phase of the project, a $67.2-million investment that includes the construction of a city hall, library and large outdoor public square, is nearing completion. This phase of the project received grants from the provincial and federal governments of about $4.8 million

“The need for an aquatic complex in this region is very real,” Pilon said. “We are not giving up on the idea of building a new swimming pool.”

“We will analyze the avenues that are currently available to us, including the possibility of consulting with our citizens to determine the next steps,” he added.

The city’s first request for financial aid to build an aquatic complex was made in 2019. At that time, the estimated cost of the project was $39 million. With post-pandemic inflation, the project’s cost estimates have now ballooned to $59 million.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The Hudson-Oka ferry will maintain regular service under new ownership, said former owner Claude Desjardins.

The decision to sell the ferry service, which first began in 1909, was a business decision, Desjardins said, refusing to disclose the price. It was purchased by father and son, Philippe and Serge Daignault.

“I cannot be sad,” Desjardins said. “I was not forced to sell the business. It was a decision that was made after much reflection and it was the right decision for me to make at this moment.”

The ferry service, which makes regular daily crossings on the Lake of Two Mountains, is very busy in the summer months, especially with the congested road network in the region.

In the past few winters, however, milder temperatures have prevented the opening of the ice bridge across the lake.

“The status of the ice bridge can be fragile,” Desjardins explained. “When winters aren’t cold – as we had the past two years –  we couldn’t operate the ice bridge because of the weather and warm temperatures.”

He attributes climate change and warmer weather as the culprits that have kept the ice bridge from opening, but Desjardins is optimistic there will still be some more good years to come for the ice bridge.

“Three years ago was an incredible year. It was very cold, the ice was solid and it was a long season. It comes and it goes,” he said. “When it’s open, the users are very happy because it really helps to make travelling easier.”

For now, Desjardins isn’t sure what he’ll do next.

“Right now I just want to enjoy life,” he said. “That’s my plan for now. I’ll see later on what I want to do.”

The Hudson-Oka ferry began service in 1909, where it was operated by the first of three generations of the Léger family, who ran it until Desjardins bought it in 1999.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

Many West Islanders love the outdoor market at the Marché de l’Ouest in Dollard des Ormeaux. And its indoor specialty food shops offer a wide variety of offerings that cannot be found anywhere else. So with that in mind, city officials last month held a public information session that focused on what the future of this popular commercial site would look like as demand for more residential housing in all corners of the West Island increases pressure to redevelop established areas.

“I would rather choose our destiny than to have it imposed on us,” Dollard Mayor Alex Bottausci told The 1510 West.

The city has not received any official plans to redevelop the sprawling 128,000-square-foot strip – almost three acres – along De Salaberry Blvd., but municipal officials outlined the city’s new proposed planning guidelines for the site. If these guidelines are adopted as part of the city’s new urban plan, which is currently being drafted, they would frame future redevelopment projects in this location.

It is those planning guidelines that were outlined at the public information session held June 19.

“If we do not do this, as we are working on our master plan, the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM) that is controlled by the City of Montreal, is working on their master plan,” Bottausci said, adding: “Their master plan calls for certain levels of density and other things that could happen on our territory if we do not come up with our own master plan.”

As part of the plan outlined by the city, the zoning for the site would be changed from strictly commercial to a mix of commercial and residential. In this way, residential development could be added to the location while specifically requiring that all the indoor commercial outlets as well as the outdoor market be maintained.

Keeping as much control as possible over the future development is the city’s aim. And it would allow Dollard’s new master plan to supersede recommendations made by the CMM, especially when it comes to the Marché de l’Ouest, the mayor explained.

“I want to hear from the community, and especially with the Marché. We want to make sure we capture everybody’s sentiments about this plot of land,” Bottausci said.

“I think this is a positive thing,” the mayor added. “It’s an opportunity for the community to get engaged and that’s exactly what I want. If we are able to draft a plan before them, then, essentially, our plan trumps their plan and they would move forward with something that we want.” he added.

“We all need to be reasonable, voice our opinions and collectively come together, design a plan and build something that makes sense for everybody. A plan designed by DdO residents for DdO. Something that makes sense to us,” Bottausci said.

The Marché de l’Ouest is owned by BTB Real Estate Investment Trust, a Montreal-based publicly-traded company that owns and manages properties across Canada. It opened in June 1982 and expanded in 2004. It underwent extensive renovations in 2016.

BTB REIT owns a total of 53 commercial and industrial properties in Quebec, including a strip mall on Sources Blvd. in Dollard, which includes a Pharmaprix and a Bank of Montreal; a commercial plaza in St. Lazare, and industrial buildings in Dorval and Vaudreuil-Dorion.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The city of Vaudreuil-Dorion posted a $4.7-million budget surplus for 2023, bringing its accumulated surplus to just under $9 million, according to its financial report unveiled last month.

The report, approved by the city’s municipal council on June 17, provides a detailed overview of the city’s fiscal performance in the last year.

According to the figures, the city posted total revenues for 2023 of $103,053,972, while all expenses totalled $98,346,667, leaving a surplus of  $4,707,305.

“The slowdown in the real estate market in 2023 was reflected in transfer tax revenues falling compared to the budget,” said city treasurer Marco Pilon in his presentation to council. “On the other hand, higher interest rates generated increased interest income, which helped to compensate.”

The city’s unallocated accumulated surplus as of Dec. 31, 2023, amounted to $8,914,479.

“City council will meet shortly to consider how best to apply this surplus, which could be made available, in part, for the preparation of the next five-year capital plan while setting aside an amount to deal with various unforeseen events,” said Mayor Guy Pilon in a statement. 

In addition to the unallocated surplus, the city also controls allocated surpluses and reserved funds totalling $4.19 million. Of that sum, $1.68 million has been assigned to the city’s 2024 budget in an effort to reduce the tax burden on taxpayers.

An additional amount of $2.09 million of the allocated surplus funds will be invested in parks and green spaces, the city stated.

The municipality’s long-term debt as of Dec. 31, 2023, hit $223 million, up 11 per cent from the previous year. The current figure represents 2.8 per cent of the city’s taxable valuation of $7.98 billion, which, falls within the acceptable range set by the provincial government for a developing city like Vaudreuil-Dorion, municipal officials stated.

About half of the city’s debt is carried by all taxpayers in the city, while 43 per cent is attributed to local improvements and specific infrastructure projects, therefore, attributed to the property owners who benefit from these services. The remaining debt mainly represents sums borrowed on behalf of the government of Quebec.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

The traffic spillover from the closure of the Pitfield bridges adjacent to Highway 13 in Pierrefonds-Roxboro almost two weeks ago has almost tripled the volume of vehicles on smaller streets in the area, and in particular on Sunnybrooke Blvd. in Dollard des Ormeaux. And there is no clear idea on how long the situation will last.

“The closure of both the northbound and southbound spans is affecting us in two ways,” said Dollard Mayor Alex Bottausci.

“Sunnybrooke is already heavily used because it’s a collector road, and we probably have between 2,500 to 3,500 cars going on it on any given day. Now, we’re looking at within the last week, there are maybe 8,000 to 10,000 vehicles going down that boulevard,” Bottausci said.

“The boulevard was built for heavier traffic, but now there’s 10-wheelers and 18-wheelers using the road. If you continue to pound the hell out of it, who’s going to pay me for that when it’s time to rebuild? These are my concerns.” he said.

The two bridges were closed by the City of Montreal on May 31 as a preventive measure after “serious cracks” were detected in an overpass that allows access to Highway 13 from Pierrefonds-Roxboro.

The structures span Betrand Creek, linking Gouin Blvd. and Henri Bourassa Blvd. on either side of Highway 13. Montreal has not said how long repairs could take. It simply said the routes have been closed “indefinitely,” according to an updated statement issued June 7.

“If it’s question of a few weeks to a couple of months, that’s one thing,” Bottausci said. “The indication we’re getting is that the solution is undetermined. We still don’t have any news on what the next plan is, what they want to do and how are we going to control this in the longer term if we have to.”

“It was just as if a bomb was dropped on us: ‘Here you go, you deal with it,’ ” he said.

The closures and detours have significantly increased the time it takes motorists to access Highway 13 north from Highway 40.

“People heading north in the morning now have to take a detour,” Bottausci said. “This changes the pattern, which puts you in more traffic rather than less, which is what they were trying to avoid in the first place.”

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

The planned construction of a new multi-unit seniors’ complex in Pointe Claire has one resident demanding the city unveil the plans before the project moves forward.

Nickie Fournier is concerned about how the multi-storey building that eventually will house 204 seniors will impact the surrounding neighbourhood, the area where she lives.

Although there is no firm timeline for construction of the planned building, she sees how close another new seniors’ complex that is currently under construction on Sources Blvd. is taking shape – a seven-storey facility that will house 192 seniors – and she is worried.

“It’s ridiculous what they’ve done, putting the building so close to the homes behind,” Fournier said, referring to the complex under construction on Sources. “It’s unacceptable.”

The height of the building, which towers over the neighbouring houses, will cast shadows on surrounding homes, Fournier said. She does not want to see the same thing in her neighbourhood. A tall structure would have a similar impact on her home and three other neighbouring houses.

“The building will be right behind the four houses on Maywood Ave.,” Fournier said.

Both new seniors’ facilities are projects put forward by the CIUSSS de l’Ouest de l’Île de Montréal, the regional health authority that will administer the care facilities. The building on Sources Blvd. is expected to open by winter 2025.

Plans for a similar facility in Pointe Claire will see the structure be built at the southeast corner St. John’s Blvd. at Hymus Blvd. The project is currently in the planning phase and the construction timeline has not been determined.

“There’s not much the city can do get the province to modify their plans,” said Pointe Claire Mayor Tim Thomas. “We can do our best to influence how the project will be developed, but they have the final say.”

“We can always try,” Thomas added. “There’s no reason we can’t appeal to reason if there’s something that doesn’t make any sense.”

Thomas said he is more concerned in how the project will increase traffic in the area.

“How people get in and get out is crucial,” he said. “Maywood is a small street, so we have to find a way not to put the bulk of the traffic onto it.”

“What’s crucial is how people get in and out of the building because that’s going to have an impact on the citizens,” Thomas added.

But that does not satisfy Fournier. She maintains residents should be able to see plans for the building before it’s too late. “Let us in on the plans. Let us know what’s going to happen,” she said.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

A proposal to merge the four municipalities on Île Perrot into one city is generating pushback from elected officials in the towns.

“I’ve always been against a merger and so is the majority of my council,” said Danie Deschênes, mayor of Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot, the second largest town on the island.

Each municipality has its own unique needs, Deschênes told The 1019 Report, and a merger would not address each town’s special characteristics.

“I don’t think a merger would be easy or harmonious because each municipality has very different needs financially and regarding planning the territory,” she said.

Deschênes was commenting on a plan put forward last month by a group of residents on the island to fuse the four municipalities on the island – Pincourt, Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot and Terrasse Vaudreuil – creating the second-largest municipality in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region.

Deschênes feels the best way forward is to maintain the status quo, which is to keep cooperating with the other municipalities and continue sharing resources.

“We worked so hard for collaboration between our municipalities and we’ve had a lot of success doing this, which is what the province wants,” she said. “I think this is what we’re going to keep doing because three out of the four cities on the island do it well.”

“The fire station is the best example,” she said, offering an example of inter-municipal cooperation. “We buy equipment together and we share services with Pincourt and Terrasse-Vaudreuil. We’ve been great at collaborating the last few years and it’s going well. Why would we want to change that?”

Pincourt Mayor Claude Comeau also opposes a merger, saying it wouldn’t benefit the town’s residents.

“Each town is unique in its own different way and our citizens are proud and enjoy living here,” Comeau said. “A merger wouldn’t be good for our citizens, projects and finances.”

Pincourt, with a population of about 14,540, is the largest municipality on the island.

Adding his name to the mayors who oppose the idea of a merger is Terrasse-Vaudreuil Mayor Michel Bourdeau.

“It’s not at all good for us,” Bourdeau said. “We prefer to keep the same collaboration like we have with the Notre Dame library and Pincourt public security.”

Bourdeau is also worried about how a merger could impact its financial status.

“We don’t have a debt. If we go ahead, we could be faced with accumulating the other municipalities’ debts,” he said.

“It’s hard enough when two towns merge. Can you imagine what it would be like if the four towns merge?” he added. “It’s best for us to keep it as it is and continue sharing services.”

L’Île Perrot Mayor Pierre Séguin did not respond to requests for a comment.

The bilingual non-profit grassroots group Avenir Île Perrot – Becoming Île Perrot officially launched a campaign in May to foster support for the merger of the towns. It has outlined a series of benefits for residents, including formulating a global vision to better provide existing services and expand that offering to encompass more sports and cultural facilities and events as well as financial benefits through reducing redundancies and overlaps.

The new municipality would have a population of about 40,600, only slightly smaller than Vaudreuil-Dorion, the largest municipality in Vaudreuil-Soulanges, which has a population of just under 43,300, according to the 2021 census. It would also be represented by one municipal council – a single mayor and eight councillors, down from four mayors and 24 councillors.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

When it comes to water usage in St. Lazare as the warm weather takes hold, the town is not on red alert yet, but it has creeped into the orange zone.

This has sparked municipal officials to advise residents to conserve water.

And the warning comes with knowledge that if the summer-like weather continues, the demand for water will likely increase, according to Mayor Geneviève Lachance.

“This year we’re actually under the number compared to last year, so we’re not abnormal,” Lachance said in an interview. “Last year for the entire month of June we were in the excessive (red) zone.”

“We can pretty much foresee if the nice weather continues, we could be following the same pattern as last year,” she added.

According to information obtained from the town, water consumption hit 8,275 cubic metres last week, that was down slightly from the 8,362 cubic metres consumed during the week that ended May 27, but up from the 7,721 cubic metres used the week ending May 20.

These figures are below consumption recorded in the same period in 2023, when St. Lazare residents used 10,985 cubic metres during the week that ended June 5 and 9,081 cubic metres for the previous week, which ended May 29. Water usage for the week that end May 22, 2023, hit 8,301 cubic metres.

The town is using colourful billboards that have been posted at key intersections throughout the municipality to inform residents  of water consumption levels in an effort to encourage vigilance and avoid wasting water.

“The signs are there to tell residents they’re using too much water than they should and they should reduce consumption,” Lachance said. “It’s not an indicator of the state of our wells or the level of water that we have left. It just indicates the level of usage,” said Lachance.

If residents do not reduce consumption, the municipality will consider implementing restrictions.

“But there are no red flags at this point,” Lachance said. “We’re above the objectives the government has set for us in terms of usage, but we still need to reduce consumption,” she added.

In 2022, the Quebec government demanded water meters be installed in all commercial, industrial and municipal buildings in St. Lazare after the municipality failed to reduce its water consumption in 2021 to meet provincially targets. The town had till 2025 to comply. So far no meters have been installed.

In 2021, residential water use in the municipality was 211 litres per person per day. That is 27 litres above the provincial target of 184 litres per person per day.

In 2020, water usage in St. Lazare was estimated at 224 litres per person per day, while in 2019, it was 260 litres.

Cutline:

The barometers of water usage posted across St. Lazare point to the increasing level of water consumption in the town.

Credit:

The 1019 Report

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

Work to rebuild Côte St. Charles United Church in St. Lazare is expected to resume now that the town has issued a new reconstruction permit.

But the timeline on exactly when work will resume is still not known.

“The permit has been issued,” said St. Lazare spokesperson Christelle Paré in an email to The 1019 Report on Monday.

“As of today, all the steps leading to the issuance and delivery of the reconstitution permit have been completed,” Paré added.

Reverend Kent Chown, minister of the church, confirmed the permit was received but he would not  confirm a date when construction will begin.

“We don’t have a lot of significant news yet on when the reconstruction will begin,” Chown said. “But we have the building permit from the town.” He would not discuss any other details.

The original church building, which dated back to the early 1900s, was torn down last November, after a number of issues were discovered while trying to renovate the old building.

At that time, the plan was to rebuild it, expanding its footprint to better accommodate the congregation of the former Wyman Memorial United Church in Hudson which was sold in the fall of 2020.

But as Chown explained earlier this year, after the city halted work as it was not expecting as much of the building to be demolished.

The stone facade of the front entrance of the building, which was not demolished, will be incorporated into the design of the new church, as well as the stained glass windows that were removed from the old structure and stored before the church was torn down.

The Côte St. Charles United Church was originally a Methodist church that was built about 150 years ago. That structure was destroyed by fire in 1905, and was rebuilt shortly the same year.

Cutline:

Plans to rebuild Côte St. Charles United Church is set to move forward now that the town has issued the congregation a new construction permit.

Credit:

The 1019 Report

JOHN JANTAK
and BRENDA O’FARRELL
The 1019 Report

A merger of the four municipalities on Île Perrot into one city would most likely spell the end of bilingual services in Pincourt, according to Mayor Claude Comeau.

“There’s a danger this could happen because we’re the only town on the island with bilingual status,” Comeau told The 1019 Report. “I’m pretty sure we would not be able to keep it.

“It might not be allowed because the other three towns on the island do not have bilingual status and I think the combined population wouldn’t bring it up enough to justify having it,” he added.

Only 34.7 per cent of the population of Pincourt reported their mother tongue as English, according to the 2021 Census, compared with 41.7 per cent who listed French as their mother tongue. Although below the 50-per-cent threshold, Pincourt was confirmed eligible to maintain its bilingual status last year after its municipal council voted to keep the designation in the wake of the National Assembly’s adoption of Bill 96, which updated the provincial Charter of the French Language.

But if Pincourt forfeits its charter as an independent municipality in the event of a merger, the number of anglophones in the new municipal entity under a new charter would not surpass 50 per cent.

If a merger of the four towns on the island is approved – as proposed early this month with the official launch of grassroots citizens’ group advocating for the amalgamation of the towns of Pincourt, Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot, the town of Île Perrot and Terrasse Vaudreuil – Pincourt would cease to exist, along with its bilingual status.

For Pincourt residents, the end of bilingualism would mean they wouldn’t receive any services or documents in English.

“Right now everything is bilingual, like our website and all our documents,” Comeau said. “If there is a merger, everything would have to be analyzed and a study done. That would be the first step.”

Losing bilingual status wouldn’t be good for the town, Comeau added.

“A lot of people are happy and proud of having bilingual status,” he said. “It was a big issue during my election campaign in 2021. People asked if I was going to keep it going. And that’s what I did,” he added, referring to the requirement under Bill 96 that required municipalities with bilingual status to pass a formal resolution to keep the status.

Last May, the province’s language watchdog, the Office québécois de la langue française, confirmed that all 48 municipalities in danger of losing their bilingual status in the province – including two of the three with the designation in Vaudreuil-Soulanges – had taken the necessary steps to keep the designation following the adoption of Bill 96.

Bill 96, which came into effect in June 2022, tightened Quebec’s language laws and asserted that French is the province’s only official language. According to a provision of the legislation, bilingual municipalities were at risk of losing the right to communicate with their residents in English if fewer than 50 per cent of their population claim English as a mother tongue. However, these municipalities could vote to maintain the designation regardless of demographics if elected officials approved a resolution to keep the status.

In all, there are 91 officially bilingual municipalities in Quebec, including three in Vaudreuil-Soulanges – Hudson, Pincourt and Île Cadieux. Last December, the OQLF sent notices to the 48 bilingual municipalities that were at risk of losing the status. In this region, that included Pincourt and Île Cadieux. Hudson was never deemed at risk as 60.4 per cent of its population claims English as a their mother tongue. As such, its status was automatically renewed.

Pincourt, where 34.7 per cent of residents list English as their mother tongue, adopted the resolution on Jan. 10, 2023, while elected officials in Île Cadieux, where only 25 per cent of residents list English as their mother tongue, adopted the resolution a week later.

“(The status) is part of our identity,” Pincourt Mayor Claude Comeau said at the time. “We’ve always had it. Out of respect for all our English-speaking and allophone citizens, we need to keep it.” The bilingual cities and towns will keep their status until the next federal census, in 2026, when statistics about English speakers are likely to change. All bilingual municipalities will then have to go through the process of confirming this status all over again.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

After almost a decade of starts, stops and legal wranglings, construction of what is being described as one of the largest Islamic centres in Quebec is now set to move forward in Dollard des Ormeaux.

The Islamic Centre West Island, a mosque that will serve as a Muslin prayer centre and community event space, received the green light last month from Dollard municipal council, which voted to suspend its legal proceeding against the non-profit centre after reaching an agreement with the organization.

The organization has launched a $2.5-million fundraising campaign to help finance the project.

The project is moving forward after Dollard des Ormeaux council adopted a motion April 9 to suspend the city’s legal proceedings against the organization after an agreement was signed between both parties.

The issue goes back more than 10 years when the Islamic centre signed a contract with the city in 2013 regarding the transfer of a vacant lot for the project.

The city then issued a construction permit for the mosque in June 2015. But three years later, in June 2018, the project had yet to be completed.

In fact, construction of the building had stalled. According to the minutes of the April 9 Dollard council meeting, the site had been left for an extensive period with just an open foundation. The project had been stopped due financial reason, the town claimed.

The municipality at that time launched legal proceedings, citing that the Islamic Centre West Island had failed to construct the building within the delays outlined in the deed of exchange that provided for the transfer of title to the lot.

Both the town and the organization subsequently entered into negotiations to resolve their dispute and to allow the Islamic centre to complete the mosque.

This led to an agreement in 2019 to suspend proceedings, according to which the organization would be allowed to complete the construction of the proposed building subject to a number of conditions. But that timeline was interrupted by delays caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In July 2023, the town issued the organization another permit to allow completion of the exterior of the building. Officials with the Islamic centre are expected to submit an application for subsequent permits to then proceed with the third and final phase of the building with the aim of completing it later this year.

Officials at the centre could not be reached for comment.

The mosque is being built on a 50,000-square-foot lot in an industrial sector of the municipality, on Montrose Street north of Brunswick Blvd. The main floor will include 10,000 square feet of space, with an additional 5,000-square-foot community hall in the basement.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

Construction is progressing on a new long-term seniors care home in Dollard des Ormeaux at the site of the former Adonis supermarket on Sources Blvd., the first of two such facilities operated by the regional health authority planned for the West Island.

The seven-storey CHSLD in Pierrefonds/Roxboro – Dollard-des-Ormeauxis expected to be completed by the winter of 2025-26, when the first of 192 residents are scheduled to move in.

Thesecond facility, which will be built on St. Jean Blvd. near Hymus Blvd. in Pointe Claire, is still in the planning stage. There is no firm date as to when construction will begin. When completed, however, it will house 204 residents.

Both new CHSLDs will accommodate residents who currently live in outdated facilities as well as welcome new residents, according to Alexandre Cadieux, a spokesman for CIUSSS de l’Ouest de l’Île de Montréal, the regional health authority that administers the care facilities.

In the case of the new facility on Sources, it will become the new home for residents who will be relocated from the Centre d’hébergement Denis-Benjamin-Viger facility in Île Bizard.

Both facilities will cater to individuals living with what is considered a significant loss of autonomy, 80 per cent of whom also have significant neurocognitive disorders, according to information obtained from CIUSSS de l’Ouest de l’Île de Montréal.

The new buildings are part of a major transformation of Quebec’s residential and long-term care facilities for seniors, which aims to create residential settings to benefit both the residents and their loved ones.

They will provide services to a growing senior population in the region. Currently, there are 270 people in the West Island who are on a waiting list for a spot in a CHSLD.

According to the last national census in 2021, there were 10,275 residents ages 65 and over in Dollard. That is up almost 10.5 per cent from the figure of 9,300 in 2016.

The number of seniors in Pointe Claire in 2021 was 9,310, according to the last census, up almost 25 per cent from the 7,475 reported five years earlier.

The CIUSSS de l’Ouest de l’Île de Montréal projects that this upward trend in the number of elderly residents in the region will see a marked increase in the next decade.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

The completion of the new $85-million Jacques Bizard Bridge has been pushed back again – to 2025.

The main reason for the latest delay is complications in setting a pillar of the new span on solid ground, said Île Bizard-Ste. Geneviève Borough Mayor Doug Hurley.

“The second reason, as we knew in the past, was because of previous dynamiting in the area,” Hurley told The 1510 West. “They found the plans didn’t correspond to what they expected, so that added another delay of four months.”

Construction of the new four-lane span next to the current bridge began in 2022 and was expected to be completed by fall 2023, but various snags have pushed back the completion date. Last August, it was predicted the construction would be completed by this spring.

An estimated 30,000 vehicles use the bridge, which spans Rivière des Prairies providing the only route off the island to Pierrefonds-Roxboro. The work along with repairs on nearby Jacques-Bizard Blvd. have also caused traffic headaches and huge delays for residents of the island.

“Between 7 o’clock and 10 o’clock, driving 750 metres to leave the island takes 50 to 60 minutes, wrote retired resident Claude Boyer in a letter to Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante last year, expressing his grievances about the traffic.

The prolonged bridge repairs are expected to have an impact on traffic on the island later this year, when the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Île Bizard hosts the prestigious President’s Cup golf tournament from Sept. 24 to 29. The event is expected to attract thousands of spectators.

“That’s going to be one of my challenges – to try and be ready for that one,” Hurley said.

“All of us are going to have to get together, look at how we’re going to handle the influx of traffic, have a great event and not disturb the daily lives of the citizens who are living there,” he said. “There’s going to be a little bit of juggling with more traffic control and security,” he added.

Built in 1966, the existing bridge is expected to reach the end of its useful life in 2026, according to city of Montreal officials.

The new bridge will have four traffic lanes, one more than the three lanes on the existing bridge. It will also feature a two-way bike path, a lookout, public art and a sidewalk that is double the width of the walkway on the old span.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

A Vaudreuil-Dorion resident who has been asking the city for years to slow the speed of traffic along one of the municipality’s most scenic routes is throwing her arms up in frustration following a recent two-vehicle crash that, fortunately, left both drivers uninjured, but pedestrians along the road shaken.

The accident happened during the early evening of April 20 on Chemin de l’Anse near the bay, just east of the Hudson border.

According to resident Laura Defay, who was walking her dog along the road at that time, two cars raced passed her, travelling at speeds she estimated to be about 85 kilometres per hour, well above the posted limit of 40 km/hr.

The driver of one vehicle “overtook a car on a solid yellow line and crashed into a car on the other side of the road,” Defay wrote in an email to The 1019 Report.

There were no injuries reported in the accident, according to Sûreté du Québec spokesperson Valérie Beauchamp.

“We’re really fed up with the situation,” Defay said, pointing to the risk speeders pose not only to other drivers but pedestrians who use the narrow scenic road along the waterfront.

This latest incident, she said, highlights the needs for the city to implement measures to make the road safer, a plea she has been making for three years.

“Requests were made to the city, but nothing has been done,” Defay said.

Among the requests Defay has made is a call for the city to install a dedicated lane for cyclists and pedestrians.

“We were told everyone would have to agree 100 per cent, but if not, they can’t do anything,” she said. “It’s impossible that many people would agree to this proposal.”

For its part, the city said it has implemented several measures to reduce speeding along the narrow scenic route.

“It’s an intermunicipal road that generates more traffic volume than a local street,” said Tommy Thibault, Vaudreuil-Dorion’s director of public works. “Also, our municipal influence is very limited. Consequently, it is impossible to create a sidewalk or a cycle path without all citizens agreeing to give up part of their land for this type of development.”

The city has adopted several measures to reduce speeding on the road in the past four years, including lowering the speed limit to 40 km/h from 50 in 2021, Thibault said.

Two digital signs that flash a motorist’s speed as they drive by have also been posted along the route, painted markings on the road surface reminding motorists of the speed limit have been added, signs indicating the road is a scenic route that advise motorists in a hurry to use another route have been installed and police surveillance has been increased, Thibault added.

The city has also completed six traffic studies of the route since 2021.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

In the wake of major power outages caused by a late-season snowstorm earlier this month that left thousands of households without power in St. Lazare for more than a day, Hydro-Québec has vowed to be out on the streets this summer to trim back tree branches near power lines.

“Most of the breakdowns are due to the vegetation, like trees and branches, that fall onto power lines,” said Hydro regional spokesperson Mélanie Destrempes.

Hydro is working with the city to develop a plan to tackle the overgrowth of trees, branches and other vegetation within their servitudes beginning this summer and for the next two years as part of its Action Plan 2035.

On April 4, the vast majority of homeowners in St. Lazare were left without power, as heavy snow blanketed the region and temperatures dipped. Many homeowners in Hudson and Rigaud were also affected.

Hydro’s action plan aims to reduce the number of power outages across the province by 35 per cent over the next seven to 10 years. And St. Lazare is one of the areas it will focus on this year and next.

“There’s a lot of vegetation in St. Lazare,” Destrempes said in an interview with The 1019 Report. “It’s a big issue there, and there’s a lot of work to be done.

“Almost 100 per cent of the breakdowns are because branches and trees fall on the power lines,” she added. 

Part of Hydro’s plan is to communicate with property owners to make sure they understand the importance of keeping power lines clear of all vegetation.

“A communication plan is being developed with the municipality,” Destrempes said. “It’s not just about cutting trees. We want to make sure Hydro service remains reliable. There are a lot of expectations from the citizens that we work closely with to increase the quality of service.”

The last time Hydro-Québec did maintenance work clearing trees and branches within their servitudes in St. Lazare was between 2017 and 2019 as part of a three-year pilot project.

“It was a three-year pilot project where they did a major cutting and trimming,” said St. Lazare Mayor Geneviève Lachance. “There were six targeted lines that were addressed.”

“Their data showed it had a really positive impact on the reduction of power outages,” Lachance explained. “But trees grow back, and this is something that needs to be done continuously.”

Lachance is calling on residents to allow work crews to have access to their properties if necessary.

“Sometimes, homeowners refuse to let Hydro-Québec to go onto their land to cut trees or trim branches,” she said.

“You just need one resident that says no for their tree to take down the power lines,” she said. “This can sometimes be an issue.”

“If there are power lines in a backyard, it’s a joint responsibility between the private owners and Hydro-Québec to maintain the trees,” she added.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

With residential construction projects already in the works on Sources Blvd. in Dollard des Ormeaux, the city last week signalled it is seeking to see its population grow in the coming years as it plans for several residential projects along other major arteries.

Among plans highlighted in public information sessions were two residential projects currently under construction at the intersection of Brunswick Blvd. and Davignon St., next to Promenades Sources – a 12-storey complex and a 14-storey high-rise.

Work on another eight-storey residential building recently broke ground at the intersection of Sources Blvd. and Hyman St. which is next to the Faubourg Dollard des Ormeaux.

Several projects are also being considered along St. Jean Blvd., including around the Blue Haven and Shakespeare commercial plazas.

“We’re looking at our boulevards that are in industrial and commercial zones and saying, ‘How can we retool these to meet the needs and demands of our future residents by bringing in a residential element,’ ” Dollard Mayor Alex Bottausci said.

“The urban plan has not been touched since 1982,” Bottausci added. “Some 40 years later, we don’t have a harmonious urban plan.”

Part of the city’s strategy as it revises its urban plan, officials said, is to encourage commercial space on the ground floor of new residential buildings.

This would help to support local commercial activities and “offer a wider range of housing types to meet needs of a greater number of citizens,” said Kerri-Lynn Strotmann, section chief with the city’s department of urban planning and territorial management.

Among the areas that would see the addition of residential units in what are now exclusively commercial zones is the Marché de l’Ouest mall on De Salaberry Blvd. The city is proposing to allow nine-storey residential buildings on the property while maintaining the existing indoor and outdoor retail space, including conserving the popular outdoor farmers’ market.

“There are certain elements we are bringing in,” Bottausci said. “And what residents have asked for is not only the residential component being added in for mixed use, but also how these buildings will be built, the materials that will be used and their proximity to transportation.”

The city also aims to introduce what it terms sustainable mobility strategies into its new urban plan to encourage active transportation corridors to the REM commuter rail stations at St. Jean and Sources boulevards by optimizing the bus network and expanding its bicycle paths.

The city’s strategy is “to create stimulating living environments on a human scale, while addressing housing issues,” Strotmann said.

The goal of the two public information sessions held last Thursday and Saturday at the civic centre was to present the urban plan to its residents “to validate its acceptability with the population,” Strotmann added.

The aim of the public consultation process is to continue getting feedback from residents regarding the city’s proposed urban development plans.

“Not everything will happen within the next year, just as not all sectors with transformation potential will be developed within the next year,” Strotmann said. “The planning horizon is part of a long-term perspective of 10 to 15 years.”

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The countdown is on until the opening of Vaudreuil-Dorion’s $67.2-million town hall and square is completed.

The project, the first part of a multiple-phase Municipal Hub project that will centralize municipal administration and recreational facilities around a public square, is expected to open in April 2025.

“We hope the construction will be done this year so that we can begin moving by next winter,” said Vaudreuil-Dorion director-general Olivier Van Neste. “April is the latest I would be comfortable with.”

The opening will mark the first time the region’s largest and fastest-growing municipality will house its administrative staff in a building it owns. The city has been renting its current offices on the second floor of a mall at 2555 Durtisac Street since 1977. In 2021, the annual rental cost for the space was about $400,000.

“The project is at 70-per-cent general advancement,” Van Neste said.

The new building, located on Émile Bouchard Rd., behind the Centre Multisports on De la Gare Blvd., will include both offices and a library complex, and a public square. Plans include eventually adding an acquatic centre at the site.

The city awarded the $67.2-million construction contract for the first phase of the project to Groupe Geyser of Laval in late 2022.

The city had planned to begin construction in 2021, but opted to delay the launch after rejecting the only bid it received for the project, citing post-pandemic inflationary pressures that had pushed costs above original estimates. In 2020, the city had estimated the first phase of the project would cost about $33 million.

The city received a combined total of $6 million in subsidies from the federal and provincial governments for the first phase of the project.

Plans to move forward to build the anticipated aquatic centre at the site will depend on the city obtaining additional grants from Ottawa and Quebec, city officials say.

Cutline:

This is an image of what the new building will look like once completed, including the vast area for a town square, which will host a number of activities throughout the year.

Credit:

Image courtesy of the City of Vaudreuil-Dorion

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The six-month closure of the Lucien-L’Allier train station for renovation work that began on April 1 means Vaudreuil-Soulanges Exo train users who take the Vaudreuil-Hudson train line will now have to exit at the Vendome métro station to continue their journeys.

The Vendome station, which is on the orange métro line, will allow commuters to continue their journey to the Lucien-L’Allier station or any other stations on the system, said Exo spokesperson Jean-Maxime St-Hilaire.

“The closure will add around five more minutes to their regular commute,” St-Hilaire said in an interview yesterday. “We understand there will be a period of adaptation in the beginning, but we think people will get used to the new journey.”

The Lucien-L’Allier station is being completely renovated to make it more accessible and safer for commuters.

“The platforms will be redone, which will improve accessibility and there will be a new roof above them. The signage will also be completely modernized to make it easier to get around the station,” St-Hilaire said.

The renovation work is expected to be completed within six months.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

To say the plan to rebuild Côte St. Charles United Church in St. Lazare has gone without a hitch would be a bit of an overstatement. But what exactly went wrong is still not clear.

According to Reverend Kent Chown, minister of the church, the plan was to replace the structure on Côte St. Charles Road, which was torn down in November. But shortly after the building was demolished all work was abruptly halted.

“There was miscommunication between ourselves and the town,” Chown said yesterday. “The town was not expecting as much of the building to be removed as was removed.”

“We’re working with the town to straighten things out,” he added. “We submitted all of our materials to the town. We’re expecting and hopeful to receive a new building permit in early March.”

Officials with the town of St. Lazare refused to comment.

The municipality’s planning advisory committee has received a new request for a building permit. It is expected to make its recommendation to St. Lazare council later this month, Chown said.

“When we get the go-ahead, we have our contract ready to go. It won’t be long after that when work will commence,” Chown added.

The new church will be built on the same site and will have the same appearance as the original building, except it will be 21 feet longer. The style of the roof of the new building will be different as well, Chown said.

The stone facade of the front entrance of the building, which was not demolished, will be incorporated into the design of the new church, as well as the stained glass windows that were removed from the old structure and stored before the church was torn down.

The church, which is also home to the congregation of the former Wyman Memorial United Church in Hudson, which was sold in the fall of 2020, opted to build a new structure after discovering a number of issues as it attempted to renovate the old building.

Chown couldn’t give a timeframe on when the new structure would be completed except to say it would take “several months.”

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The future development of St. Lazare’s Cité des Jeunes sector and its village core were the focus of a public information meeting held at city hall last night, where municipal officials unveiled their plans that envision what both areas could look like in the next 10 years.

With the planned opening of the Vaudreuil-Soulanges regional hospital in 2026, the city noted the Cité des Jeunes area is now under increased pressure for real estate development.

The sector is currently characterized as a multi-use area with all types of activities and buildings in addition to large tracts of vacant land that could be developed.

While the area offers a range of assets and features to encourage development, the city said the sector may not necessarily be suitable for every type of project. Careful planning is needed to meet the diverse needs of current and future residential and commercial residents.

For its part, the village core represents what was described as the beating heart of St. Lazare, where a variety of activities and uses – including residential, commercial, institutional, cultural and leisure areas – are carried out each day to create a living environment that drives the city’s dynamism.

Renewing its vitality depends to a large extent on the development of a coherent mix of current and future uses.

Artistic renditions were displayed to show how both areas could like in 2035. The city said the aim is to enhance its community life, culture and heritage, promote economic revitalization and develop a renewed ecological and sustainable commitment for the city.

A public consultation meeting will be held at a future date to discuss the regulatory amendments that will be made to the city’s urban planning bylaws that will provide the framework for the development of these areas.

Both project plans will be posted on the city’s website over the next few days. Residents have until Feb. 23 to submit final comments by e-mail to ppu@ville.saint-lazare.qc.ca.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The owner of an old house with a breathtaking view of Vaudreuil Bay will have to wait until next week to find out whether he will be granted permission to tear down the dwelling and move ahead with a plan to build a new home.

The municipal demolition committee in Vaudreuil-Dorion is reviewing a request by the owner of the property – a heritage house that was built in 1920. The owner claims the deteriorating condition of the structure would cost more than the building is worth.

The residence at 54 des Chenaux Rd. overlooks Vaudreuil Bay. It is part of the city’s heritage inventory, according to a report prepared by the committee and presented during a public meeting on Jan. 15.

The demolition committee must now determine whether it is worth saving. As part of its evaluation, the committee is required to evaluate the history of the building, its contribution to local history, its heritage value and, if applicable, its status under the provincial Cultural Heritage Act.

The committee must also determine the current condition of the building, the cost of restoration, whether its demolition will lessen the quality of life in the neighbourhood, the impact it will have on neighbouring houses and the environment, and whether there is any opposition to the request.

The owner of the house made the request to tear down the building because of the general deterioration of the house, including the absence of adequate foundations, certain weakened structural elements and insufficient floor/ceiling height on the second floor.

An inspection report prepared by a private contractor on behalf of the owner supports the reasons given by the applicant for the demolition application.

The cost to repair the house is estimated at $270,000, while the value of the building on the city’s assessment roll is $76,000.

A reconstruction plan was not submitted because if the request is refused, the owner does not want to invest the time and money to prepare plans for the new house.

According to a city official, the committee will make its recommendation to Vaudreuil-Dorion council later this month. Council will then vote on whether to approve a demolition permit.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The tolls on Highway 30 are set to go up 40 cents on Feb. 1 to hit $3.90, marking an almost 22-per-cent increase in the passage fee since 2020.

The higher fees are directly linked to an increase in the number of vehicles crossing the toll area, located just south of the Soulanges Canal in Les Cèdres. About 25,000 vehicles passed through the tolls each day in 2022, according to A30 Express, the consortium that manages the highway. The number of vehicles using the highway increased last year to 27,800 vehicles daily.

“There’s a formula to increase the fares,” said Dominique Lemay, the new chief executive officer of A30 Express. “The rate varies for every 2,000 vehicles crossing daily. It’s a mix of the traffic volume during the year and the inflation rate. Both are used to calculate the toll rate changes.”

“It may seem like a big increase, but if you look at how the inflation rate has hit people in many ways, the increase in tolls over the past four years is a little bit lower than the inflation rate,” Lemay added.

The money collected from the tolls is used to maintain the road. The new rates will remain in effect until February 2024.

“More traffic means there is more degradation of the road and more interventions are needed,” Lemay said.

The new $3.90 toll applies to regular passenger vehicles. For larger vehicles, like delivery vans, some pickups, transport trucks and vehicles towing trailers, the fee jumps to $2.90 per axle, up from the current $2.60 per axle. 

Due to the ongoing work on the Île aux Tourtes Bridge, tolls on Highway 30 are suspended in the eastbound lanes from Monday to Friday, from 5:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. This is the period with the highest volume of traffic headed toward Montreal, according to Transport Quebec. Outside of this period, tolls are charged.

Electric cars have been exempted from the tolls since 2016. This exemption has been extended until April 2027.

To qualify for the toll exemption, owners of electric vehicles must be registered with a green licence plate from the Société de l’Assurance Automobile du Québec and equipped with a transponder.

Motorists who regularly use the highway are also encouraged to get a transponder which will allow them to use the express lane and avoid line-ups at the pay toll booths.

“Sometimes people feel there are administrative fees for the transponder. There are no fees as long as a minimum amount of about $5 is kept in the account, Lemay said.

A30 Express is the private partner in charge of maintaining Highway 30 between Châteauguay and Vaudreuil-Dorion. They signed a public-private partnership (PPP) agreement with the provincial Transport Ministry in September 2008.

“If we look at the increases between 2020 and now, it’s about the same as the inflation rate,” Lemay told The 1019 Report.

“The increase between Jan. 1, 2020, to Feb. 1, 2024, was about 21.9 per cent. During this same period the inflation rate was 23.7 per cent,”  Lemay said.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

A $25,000 grant from the Vaudreuil-Soulanges MRC to the Pointe-du-Moulin Historical Park last October will help the Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot organization that maintains the windmill to continue providing its various cultural activities this year.

“Our mission is to offer different kinds of animations for the population of Île Perrot, Vaudreuil-Soulanges and all the population of Quebec,” said Charles-Olivier Bellerose Bélanger, the general manager of the park.

“These are mostly free activities that have an educative and cultural purpose,” Bélanger said.

The park also received a $45,000 provincial grant from the Société de développement des entreprises culturelles (SODEC).

.

“The park is owned by the government of Quebec,” Bélanger explaind. “They have a mission to keep this place alive with activities so they mandate our non-profit organization to create the activities and animations that keep this place alive.”

Several reenactment groups participate on weekends during the summer to show visitors how people lived in the early 1700s, when the windmill was built along the waterfront on the eastern tip of Île Perrot.

“It serves an educative purpose as well. We try to educate people about the history of Quebec, its colonization and the traditions learned from the First Nations at that time,” Bélanger said.

An actual miller is hired to operate the windmill on windy days.

The windmill, which was built in 1705, is the oldest in North America and is one of the two functional windmills among the 18 that still exist in Quebec. The adjacent miller’s house – which features the bedroom and kitchen from that time – can also be visited.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

Nearly three decades of community involvement through volunteerism inspired Doug Hurley to run for mayor of the borough of Île-Bizard–Ste. Geneviève under the Ensemble Montréal banner last fall, winning the by-election Dec. 17.

Hurley, a former police officer and currently a teacher at John Abbott College, won the support of residents with 78.42 per cent of the votes. He replaces former borough mayor Stéphane Côté, who resigned in August because of health problems. Hurley beat opponent Ghassan Baroudi of Valérie Plante’s Projet Montréal party.

“I’m a local boy,” Hurley told The 1510 West. “I’ve been here for 37 years and I’m literally humbled by the amount of people who voted for me.”

Hurley said he ran for mayor because it’s an extension of what he already does in the community as a volunteer.

“I’ve been the president of the local Optimist Club for the past seven of the 10 years I’ve been with them,” said Hurley. He has also coached hockey, baseball and softball in the community for 27 years.

“This probably explains why when I was doing my door-to-door election campaign, I was surprised at how many people I knew,” he said.

Overseeing the construction of the new Jacques-Bizard Bridge, improving public security and keeping the green aspect of Île Bizard are his priorities.

“That’s the one thing we’re famous for,” he said. “We have the land mass necessary for parks and green spaces. I’d compare it to living in Hudson. We want to keep that orientation.”

The city will also prepare for the influx of traffic expected into Île Bizard during the President’s Cup golf tournament at the Royal Montreal Golf Club in Île Bizard in late September.

“This is going to be another one of our challenges, especially with the bridge under construction,” Hurley said, as thousands of spectators are expected to attend the event.

“That’s where my background with 32-and-a-half years as a police commander is going to come into play, plus my 28-plus years training police officers at John Abbott College as a teacher,” he added.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

Homeowners in Kirkland will see their tax bills increase an average of 6.5 per cent this year after council adopted its $73.76-million budget for 2024 in December.

For the owners of an average residence assessed at $810,982, they will receive a tax bill of $5,189 this year, which is an increase of $311 compared with 2023, and includes a $90 fee for water.

The residential property tax rate for 2024 has been set at $0.6288 per $100 of valuation, a decrease from the 2023 rate of $0.6628.

“The overall tax increase is in line with what the city was projecting to do,” Mayor Michel Gibson told The 1510 West. “If you look at our history over the last 10 years, the average increase per year was 2.3 per cent.”

Kirkland will spend about $2.5 million more this year compared with 2023, according to the $73.76-million budget, which represents an increase of 3.52 per cent.

A 2.2-per-cent wage increase included in the latest collective agreements with the city’s blue- and white-collar workers and the hiring of staff in the public security and urban forestry departments were factored into this year’s budget, Gibson said.

The city’s contribution to the Montreal Agglomeration rose by 3 per cent this year to just over $38 million — up from the $36.9 million it contributed last year. Fees paid to the agglomeration represents 52 per cent of Kirkland’s total budget for 2024.

“What can we say,” Gibson said, referring to the agglo charges. “We don’t have any control over the budget which is set up by the agglo. It’s completely under the control of Montreal, unfortunately, and these expenses are still going higher. It seems they don’t know how to control their own budget. We don’t have a say.”

“The agglomeration is something that should be eliminated completely and we should look at a more democratic way of being able to share expenses,” Gibson added. “We still have a long way to go in this area.”

Kirkland will spend $16.84 million for various projects in 2024 as part of its triennial capital works program. The amount includes $8 million for road repairs, $2.6 million for sewers and aqueducts, $5.4 million for the development of parks, green spaces and bicycle trails, $641,000 for it municipal vehicle replacement program and $207,000 for the repairs of buildings and street lights.

The various projects planned for the city’s parks include work at Paiement Park; an overhaul of Heritage Park, which will include adding a splash pad; and three new tennis courts at Holleufer Park.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

Homeowners in Ste. Anne de Bellevue will see their tax bills increase an average of 5.5 per cent this year after council adopted its $23.19-million budget for 2024 last month.

The residential property tax rate for this year has been set at $0.7221 per $100 of valuation, up from the 2023 rate of $0.6755.

For the owners of an average residence valued at $575,000, they will receive a tax bill of $4,152 this year, an increase of $268 compared with 2023. 

The town’s share of expenses to the Montreal agglomeration, including potable water this year, increased by $599,800, a hike of 5.9 per cent compared with 2023. The total amount set aside for the agglo is just over $10.7 million and represents 46.2 per cent of the town’s total operating budget this year.

The 46.2-per-cent increase represents the fourth highest percentage jump in agglo charges among the 15 demerged municipalities on the Island of Montreal.

In terms of local improvements planned, Ste. Anne will make significant investments in its parks and playgrounds this year as part the city’s triennial program, which also includes repairs to streets and municipal buildings.

The city has set aside $1.5 million for phase 2 of work that will take place at Robillard Park, $1.57 million for the construction of an open pavilion at Lalonde Park and the relocation of the parking area at the park, and $1.4 million for the redevelopment of Aumais Park to include water games, and new tennis and pickleball courts.

Improvements to the city’s road infrastructure include $750,000 to repair the intersection at Garden City Avenue and Pacific Avenue and $350,000 for the installation of permanent traffic lights on Anciens-Combatants Avenue at the east side entrance to the new Dev Méta Clinic.

The town has also allocated $3.2 million for the renovation of Industriel Boulevard and Daoust Street from Chemin Ste. Marie to the end of the existing sidewalk on Daoust Street.

Work slated for the village area includes $1.5 million earmarked for upgrades to the waterfront boardwalk and retaining wall as part of flood mitigation measures at the Lalonde parking lot, and $1.5 million to repair the retaining wall and paving stones at Kelso Park, which is also being done to reduce the risk of flooding.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

Homeowners in Senneville will see their tax bills increase an average of 7.3 per cent this year after council adopted its $7.95-million budget for 2024 last month.

The residential property tax rate for 2024 has been set at $0.4800 per $100 of valuation, up from the 2023 rate of $0.4532.

For the owners of an average residence valued at $1.33 million, they will receive a tax bill of $7,236 this year, an increase of $481 compared with 2023.

The village’s share of expenses to the Agglomeration of Montreal this year increased by 4.63 per cent compared with 2023, which is less than the 13.18-per-cent increase last year. The total amount set aside for the agglo is just over $4.38 million and represents 55 per cent of the village’s total operating expenses this year.

The village has allocated $2.78 million this year for several projects as part of its three-year capital program, including the conversion of the town hall into an emergency shelter with a stand-alone generator to maintain emergency operations.

Other infrastructure projects include the redevelopment of Pacific Avenue/Ste. Anne Street/Anciens-Combattants Road intersections in collaboration with the neighbouring municipality of Ste. Anne de Bellevue.

Also included on the list of investments is the shoreline development at Souvenir Park, upgrades of the playground and pool equipment at Senneville Park, studies for a path at Grand Parc de l’Ouest, and eco-territory forest conservation and tree planting for a total cost of just over $937,000.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

Homeowners in Notre Dame de l’Île Perrot will see their tax bills increase an average of 7.2 per cent this year after council adopted its $22.99-million budget for 2024 last month.

The residential property tax rate for this year has been set at $0.6585 per $100 of valuation, up from $0.6379 in 2023.

The owners of an average residence valued at $465,000, will receive a tax bill of $3,821 this year, which is an of $257 compared with 2023. The owners of a house valued at $750,000, will see a tax bill will be $5,665, an increase of $369. 

Overall, he town’s $22.99-million budget represents about $1.64 million more in spending this year as compared with 2023. Among the biggest increases are services beyond the municipality’s control.

Some of those charges include the town’s contribution to the MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges, which jumps to $1.12 million in 2024, a 13.7-per-cent increase compared with 2023; and its fees for the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal, which account for $293,500, which represents a jump of 13.7 per cent compared with last year.

Notre Dame will pay almost $2.26 million is fees for policing services from the Sûreté du Québec this year, which represents an 8-per-cent increase compared with 2023. Also, the town’s contribution to the regional transit authority, or Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain, comes to almost $579,700 this year, a 3.1-per-cent hike over 2023.

To reflect the real costs of the various municipal services, a rate increase of $14 per household was also adopted to cover the cost of the new contract for the collection, transport and disposal of household waste.

“This increase remains reasonable this year,” said Mayor Danie Deschênes. “But it is only the tip of the iceberg. We anticipate an explosion in costs over the next five years.”

Council also approved the town’s three-year capital expenditures program. About $12.98 million will be invested in projects in 2024, $12.74 million in 2025 and $18.52 million in 2026. Among the expenditures for this year is $1.14 million for street paving and sidewalk improvements.

As part of the town’s cost-cutting measures, the monthly tree branch collection will be reduced to three this year – in April, May and October – which will enable its blue-collar workers to focus on other priorities.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

Residential property taxes in Rigaud will be going up slightly for some in 2024 and down for others. It all depends on where in the town you live, according to the municipality’s $18.05-million budget adopted last month.

The general property tax rate assessed to all homeowners in Rigaud will not increase in 2024. It remains at $0.6924 for the second year.

“The zero tax represents the basic tax that everyone pays depending on the valuation role, and then you have additional taxes that are paid for specific services depending on where you live and if you have potable water, a septic tank and sewer service,” said Geneviève Hamel, the town’s director of communications.

“It really depends on where you live,” Hamel explained. “You pay for the services you get.”

So for an average single-family home valued at $270,020, the basic residential rate remains at $1,883. Additional charges are then added depending on which of the town’s seven sectors you live in.

For example, an average house valued at $270,020 located in the mountain sector will receive a total bill of $2,566, that’s up $59, or 2.35 per cent, from the $2,507 charged last year.

A property with the same valuation in the village sector, however, will see a total tax bill of $2,929, a jump of $66, or 2.31 per cent, compared with 2023.

In the sector that borders Hudson, known as the Hudson Club development, the owner of a property valued at $272,020 will receive a tax bill of $3,253 for 2024 – an $8 drop compared with last year.

“Some services have increased slightly,” said Hamel. “But overall, if you take all the different sectors regardless of the services they receive, there’s an average of about 2.5 per cent in terms of increase for specific services.”

These services include water, sewers, garbage collection, compost collection and recycling.

Overall, the town will spend almost $769,000 more this year compared with 2023, which represents a jump of 4.45 per cent. The town will see its contribution to the MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges increase to just under $1.02 million, which represents a hike of 1.5 per cent. It will also see its policing costs for the Sûreté du Québec increase 4.6 per cent.

Council also approved the town’s three-year capital expenditures program. About $3.3 million will be invested in projects in 2024, $17.6 million in 2025 and $8.2 million in 2026.

Among the expenditures planned for this year is $620,000 to create a cycling path along the former railway corridor. This project will see an additional expenditure of $2.05 million in 2025. Another $643,000 will be spent on cycling paths in other parts of the town. The town will buy a new Zamboni for ice resurfacing and a street sweeper for a total of $373,100, install water games in Chartier Park at a cost of $210,000 and spend $275,000 on street repaving.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The owners of an average home in Pincourt will see their property taxes rise by 3.4 per cent in 2024, according to the town’s new $29.96-million budget approved last month.

The increase means the owners of an average house valued at $371,835 will receive a tax bill of $3,320 this year, a $110 increase over the $3,210 charged in 2023. Last year, the taxes on that same home jumped $150, or 4.9 per cent, bringing the overall hike in taxes on that property since the end of 2022 to $260, or 8.5 per cent.

The residential property tax rate for 2024 has been set at $0.6585 per $100 of valuation, up from the 2023 rate of $0.6379.

Included in the calculation of each tax bill is a $218 annual water tax, up from $210 last year; a $280 sewer services tax, unchanged from last year; and a $228 garbage tax, up from $202 last year.

“Since the last election, the municipal administration, council and I have worked towards improving the daily lives of our citizens,” said Pincourt Mayor Claude Comeau in a prepared statement. “Despite inflation, we managed to curb the increase in municipal taxes from 2022.”

“We understand that any increase can be a burden on some households,” Comeau added. “However, this measure remains essential to ensure the safety and well-being of our citizens.”

Overall, the town’s $29.96-million budget represents about $1.4 million more in spending this year as compared with 2023. Among the biggest increases are services beyond the municipality’s control. Some of those charges include the town’s contribution to the MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges, which jumps to $1.9 million in 2024, a 5.41-per-cent increase compared with 2023; and its fees for the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal, which account for $331,500, an increase of 13 per cent compared with last year. Pincourt will pay $2.26 million is fees for policing services from the Sûreté du Québec this year, which represents a 6.54-per-cent increase compared with 2023. Also, the town’s contribution to the regional transit authority, or Autorité régionale de transport métropolitain, comes to almost $759,000 this year, a 4-per-cent hike over last year.

The cost for the town’s garbage collection contract for 2024 also took a sharp increase, hitting $761,500, representing a 27.55-per-cent jump over the $597,500 spent in 2023.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

Workers and students who are being forced to spend hours daily commuting to and from the island of Montreal are not the only people feeling the effects of the long lines of traffic as the Île aux Tourtes Bridge is restricted to one lane in each direction. Businesspeople on this side of the span are experiencing serious and immediate economic impacts.

“It’s real,” said Helen Henshaw a Hudson-based real estate broker with Royal LePage Village.

“I have people looking to sell to go back to the island because they can’t stand it,” Henshaw said, referring to the long daily commute times.

Home buyers looking to purchase a property in Vaudreuil-Soulanges are having second thoughts, said Patricia Wright, another Royal LePage Village broker.

Wright says the number of prospective buyers visiting properties listed for sale on the western side of the bridge has dropped off in the last few weeks.

“It has had a huge effect,” Wright said.

But that effect cuts both ways for some real estate brokers. Not only are there fewer people looking at homes in Vaudreuil-Soulanges, she said, getting across the bridge to show listings in the West Island is now a major hurdle for real estate professionals based in this region.

Wright said she is considering partnering with a broker in the West Island to facilitate showing houses in that area on days she just can’t make it across in a timely fashion.

Restaurants are feeling the pinch, too.

“It is having an impact,” said Bill Tallman, owner of Mon Village restaurant in St. Lazare. “We have a lot of customers from the West Island. It takes an hour-and-a-half to get across the bridge.

“Lots of times we’ll have a group of 10, or whatever, and some of them are coming from the West Island, so we’re losing a lot of business,” Tallman said. “It’s definitely affecting us.”

But some restaurateurs are trying to find the bright spots.

“It is going to stop people coming in from the West Island, but there’s also a lot of people living in Vaudreuil-Soulanges,” said Patricia Wenzel, co-owner of Auberge Willow Inn in Hudson. “Where are they going to go? It works both ways.”

“People from Vaudreuil-Soulanges are not going downtown, so they’re looking for a local place to eat. Their loss is our gain,” she added.

Wenzel’s optimism, she points out, is somewhat stemmed in the fact the Willow is scheduled to close on Saturday for what she calls the “winter vacation period. It will only reopen in March.”

Yet, many agree, this region is being penalized.

“It really is criminal,” said Henshaw. “We are not being treated properly,” she added, referring to having adequate access to the island of Montreal.

“I don’t think we are being heard,” said Wright.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

The owners of an average single-family home in Vaudreuil-Dorion will see their property taxes rise by 8.5 per cent in 2024, according to the town’s new $110.7-million budget adopted during a special council meeting last week.

The value of an average single-family home, pegged at $419,200, will be assessed a municipal tax bill of $2,586 next year, which is $196 more than $2,420 in taxes for a property of the same value this year.

The residential property tax rate for 2024 has been set at $0.5984 per $100 of valuation. Last year, it was $0.5515. Included in the calculation of each tax bill is a $275 water tax, which remains unchanged from this year.

Overall, municipal spending in 2024 will increase by $9 million compared with 2023, which represents 8.8-per-cent increase.

Among the biggest expenditure items, the city will allocate just under $5.3 million for snow removal services, up almost $700,000 from $4.6 million spent in 2023, an increase of just over 15 per cent. The amount for Sûreté du Québec services will rise to $7.25 million, up almost nine per cent from the $6.6 million set aside this year.

During the special meeting, the council also approved the city’s five-year capital expenditures program. The plan will see $114 million invested in 2024 on various infrastructure projects, including $15.7 million for the widening of Cité des Jeunes Boulevard, a project that will be carried out over the next three years.

The city’s fixed expenditures, which include salaries, debt servicing, police services and snow removal, represents 88 per cent of the 2024 budget, said city treasurer Marco Pilon. The budget also includes nearly $1 million in financial assistance for citizens and organizations.

Even though property taxes and water rates are among the lowest among similar cities, the city will face budgetary challenges over the next two years because of inflation and higher interest rates.

“Subsequently, significant cash inflows are expected, including income linked to the arrival of the hospital in 2026,” said Marco Pilon.

The city’s budget issues also means certain activities in 2024 will be rigorously analyzed to cut costs, including its annual Circus Festival, said Mayor Guy Pilon.

“It will take place but in a more modest version,” he said. Maybe we will simply have a holiday with shows, fireworks, rides and food offerings.”

“Other activities that had a low participation rate will be withdrawn in order to focus on programming that reaches a larger number of people, like the 405 Park, Summer Rhythms or our day camps,” he added.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

Homeowners in L’Île Perrot will see their property taxes rise by 2.86 per cent next year after council adopted its $22.1-million municipal budget for 2024 on Dec. 12.

The residential property tax rate has been set at $0.5984 per $100 of valuation, up from the $0.5515 charged last year.

The increase amounts to $96 for a home with an average valuation of $341,000, which includes a $275 water tax, the same amount charged this year.

The city set aside $22,140,631 for its operating expenses next year, an increase of almost $1.6 million from 2023.

The amount allocated to the Sûreté du Québec has risen to just over $1.67 million, up almost 8.6 per cent from the $1.53 million set aside in 2023.

The city’s contribution to the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal has also gone up by 17 per cent to $243,335, up from the $207,896 allocated in 2023.

The collection fee for residual materials also was increased by $12 per household due to higher labour costs outlined in the town’s contract renewal with its service providers.

Council also approved the city’s five-year capital expenditure program. The plan will see $4.92 million invested in 2024 on various infrastructure projects.

Among the projects planned for next year, the city will replace the ozonator at its water filtration plant at a cost of $1.05 million and will spend $200,000 for preliminary plans to eventually renovate its wastewater treatment plant.

Almost $2.7 million has also been set aside for the start of construction of a new fire station, $2.69 million for various road projects and $371,000 for renovation work at the Guy-Godin Library.

The city has also earmarked $367,500 to replace the 45-litre brown compost bins with 240-litr bins.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

Food banks in the West Island have seen requests for food baskets increase by up to 30 per cent this holiday season, leaving officials at the West Island Mission in Pointe Claire wondering if they will have enough in the new year.

“It’s alarming,” said Suzanne Scarrow, executive director of West Island Mission. “Typically, what came in at Christmastime pre-pandemic would last us until June and then we would run our Hunger Doesn’t Take a Vacation campaign.”

“The last couple of years the supply lasted until March, and right now we honestly don’t believe it will last us until March next year,” Scarrow said in an interview with The 1510 West. “It’s very surreal times.”

While food assistance requests from families have risen significantly in the last year, there also has been a noticeable increase among single adults and seniors.

More seniors asking for help

“That is very concerning to us,” Scarrow said. “People who are potentially collecting their pension and should be enjoying their lives are now in a position where they have to go to a food bank. That’s scary.”

“This is something we’ve never experienced before,” she added.

Food assistance requests have also increased by 20 to 30 per cent this year at On Rock Community Services in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, said president and founder Kim Reid.

“A lot of families are coming in who would have never used the food bank before, but with the cost of living increasing, it’s becoming really hard on families,” Reid said.

“We also have a fair amount of elderly people, too, who are using our services,” Reid added.

While demand has increased, Reid said some people are reluctant to ask for help.

“You’ve got to show up at the door and look people in the eye. There’s a shame there for a lot of people. We do our best to give as much dignity as we can to people that come to us,” Reid said.

“But at the end of the day, they’re still coming and asking for food because they can’t take care of their needs on their own,” he added.

Reid said On Rock is still able to meet the demand by networking with different distributors instead of relying solely on donations from Moisson Montreal, the largest food bank in Canada.

“Luckily, through our networking, we’ve always able to bring something extra,” Reid said. “I know it’s a struggle for a lot of food banks to keep up with the demand.”

Strikes affecting collections at schools

The West Island Assistance Fund in Pierrefonds-Roxboro has also seen demand for its food bank services increase, with an average of five to seven new applicants each week. It currently serves 1,600 people.

“It’s getting harder and harder for the population,” said Dillimah Nawosah, a spokesperson for the fund.

The organization is also worried its current food supply could run out by mid-February. It is appealing to the public to make whatever donations they can to keep their shelves stocked.

The provincial teachers strike has also put a crimp on the amount of food donations it would have normally received from schools in the area at this time of the year, Nawosah said.

“This is also impacting us. They give lots of donations during the festive times, and we’re already in a tough situation,” she said.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1510 West

John Abbott College is planning to build a $30-million multi-sports complex on its campus in Ste. Anne de Bellevue – if it receives a grant from the provincial government.

Officials at the CEGEP are seeking a $20-million subsidy from the province for the project. A grant application was submitted last week to the provincial financial assistance program for recreational, sports and outdoor infrastructures (PAFIRSPA), said Patrice Lemieux, manager of the Casgrain Sports Centre at the campus.

If approved, the new facility will provide indoor space for a wide range of sporting activities.

“We’re bursting at the seams,” Lemieux said. “The new sports complex will complement the services we already provide at our sports centre.”

Feedback from the students and staff at the college has been positive.

“Everyone is onboard with the idea,” Lemieux added. “It will free up space at our sports centre.”

“It’s also a great opportunity for the college to fulfill its internal needs and to also have that additional link with the communities we serve. It’s a win-win situation,” said Lemieux.

It could take two to three years for the multi-sports complex to be built if the college receives the grant. Details about the scale and scope of the project will be announced at that time.

“We’ll wait for the grant first to see if project goes forward,” said Lemieux.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

Commuter train service to and from the stations in Hudson, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Pincourt and Île Perrot will be free, with two extra trains added to the Hudson-Vaudreuil line into Montreal in the mornings and one extra train added to the afternoon rush-hour schedule from Montreal to Hudson in the wake of the latest lane closure on the Île aux Tourtes Bridge, Transport Quebec announced last weekend.

The first train leaving the Hudson station weekday mornings will be at 6:13 a.m., bringing the number of morning departures from this point to two.

An additional train leaving the Vaudreuil station weekday mornings at 7:30 a.m. has also been added to the schedule.

In the afternoons, a train departed from the Lucien L’Allier station in Montreal at 4:40 p.m. that will stop in Vaudreuil and Hudson has also been added to the schedule.

Tolls on Highway 30 have also been suspended for motorists until further notice.

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

Rising food costs and higher demand for food baskets since the start of the pandemic has resulted in a 300-per-cent increase in the number of residents using the services at La Source d’Entraide in St. Lazare.

“We’ve had an average of two to three more requests for assistance each month since 2019 and more families are seeking food assistance,” said Andrée-Anne Lavigne, director-general of La Source d’Entraide.

“It’s difficult because everything costs so much,” Lavigne said. “Some families may have three, four or five kids. So for them, the food baskets make a huge difference.”

The demand for Christmas baskets has also increased.

“We’ve had a 150-per-cent increase since last year,” she said, referring to the holiday food baskets the centre prepares. “There’s a lot of requests from more families. Before we had many single persons and couples.”

The demand for food baskets in Vaudreuil-Dorion has also seen an uptick, with The Dorion Dream Centre reporting a 25-per-cent increase this year compared with last year.

The centre distributed about $540,000 worth of food from January to November this year – representing 4,507 boxes, totalling 448,680 kilograms of food.

“It’s keeping us on our toes,” said Pete Vasiliev, manager of the Dorion Dream Centre.

“Prices are a lot higher these days,” he said. “We help single parents and the working poor who have a job but can’t make ends meet. For them, food is way too expensive.”

About 120 families are receiving food assistance every week form the centre, he said, which includes about 300 adults and 120 children.

“We’re stable right now, but that’s no guarantee that we’ll be able to continue at this pace,” Vasiliev said. The Dorion Dream Centre is the only food bank in the region that provides food baskets on a weekly basis.

Demand for help in Hudson is stable, said Carol Laws, founder of Le Pont Bridging.

The organization, founded in 1996, provides food baskets to about 40 families on a monthly basis, the most it has ever had to help.

All types of people, from single parents, to the elderly and younger people who are struggling to make ends meet, use the food bank, she said.

“We help them once a month,” Laws said. “They’re from all types of income levels. We also provide help to surrounding communities when the CLSC calls us.”

“We’re also the only food bank that provides perishables,” she added. “When there’s children in the family, we’re able to get them milk, fresh vegetables and fruit.”

JOHN JANTAK
The 1019 Report

A proposal to amend the municipal code of ethics regarding the conduct of elected officials in Vaudreuil-Dorion was rejected by a majority of municipal councillors last month, with the mayor saying it wasn’t necessary.

Councillor Jasmine Sharma proposed the modification at the council meeting Nov. 20. It was rejected by a vote of four to three.

The proposal would have created a committee to look into integrating the same civility standards on elected officials as are required from the city’s municipal employees.

“She wanted to create something that is already a part of our city regulations,” said Mayor Guy Pilon in an interview. “It’s been there for many, many years. There’s no reason to do that.”

Sharma said the councillors who voted against it showed a lack of transparency and cooperation because they didn’t ask how the proposal could be amended before it was put to a vote.

“I thought it was an interesting tool that perhaps could be adapted for the political reality at the municipal level,” Sharma said.

“If we’re required to giving this type of example to our employees, I believe that as elected officials we should hold ourselves to the same standard,” she said. “We should set an example.”

Pilon said Sharma should focus on issues that affect her district.

“She wants to create a committee with our city councillors to react to and fix problems when there are none,” Pilon said. “We already have a system in place for our employees where they can report problems.”

“She doesn’t understand her role as a city councillor,” he added. “She wants the attention because she has a political agenda and wants to move into the position of mayor. It’s obvious.”