Martin C. Barry

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Autoroute 50 north of Laval is one of more than a half-dozen major highways that the provincial transport ministry is monitoring closely following an especially mild winter and early spring, causing deer, bears, moose and other wildlife to awaken early and stir about prematurely.

The ministry says it has taken precautions along some highway stretches, including warning signs and special fencing to prevent deer and moose from crossing, although the risks of colliding with large animals remains high and drivers should be especially vigilant.

A list of the provincial autoroutes and highways that are considered especially risky includes the A-55 (which crosses from Shawinigan north of the St. Lawrence River downward through the Eastern Townships to the border with Vermont), the A-20 near Rimouski, and the A-73 which leads from the Quebec City-area southward into the Beauce region.

According to Transports Québec, the riskiest times of day for collisions with animals are at dawn and at dusk.

Should you spot deer or moose lingering on the edge of the highway, it’s best to slow down and exercise extra caution as they are known to suddenly dart across roadways and are generally unpredictable.

The ministry also advises drivers to brake repeatedly rather than steer suddenly to avoid a collision, as there is a higher risk of a more serious accident occurring in the latter case.

From 2020 to 2022, according to the transport ministry, there were an average 6,951 road accidents involving large species of wildlife – mostly deer, but also moose and black bear.

Mercedes stolen from car lot in Laval recovered in Toronto

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A Mercedes Benz reported as stolen in a spectacular vehicle theft incident at a Curé Labelle used car lot several weeks ago has been recovered by police in Toronto.

Working in conjunction with the Laval Police, the Ontario Provincial Police found the stolen Mercedes during the night of Feb. 15 to 16. According to car lot owner Marc Fournier, the OPP collared the thieves who were allegedly about to commit another theft at a Toronto business.

After recovering the car, the police reportedly had a good deal of cleaning to do on its interior as the suspects left behind a lot of trash, including merchandise with security locks and seals, but also ignition keys apparently for other stolen cars.

The car lot owner reported that the returned vehicle had 3,000 additional kilometres on its odometer. The windows had also been tinted and the engine oil had been changed.

TVA Nouvelles identified a suspect arrested in Toronto as Mohammed Qasim Chowdhury. He faces charges of car theft, possession of stolen property, armed assault and dangerous driving.

Speeding at 200km/h+ on the A-15 nets a $3,015 fine

A 23-year-old Laval man got slapped with a $3,015 fine recently after being stopped by SQ officers who recorded his speed on southbound Autoroute 15 as being 209 km/h – more than twice the posted limit.

According to the SQ, officers locked onto the driver around 1:30 a.m. on a weeknight and it took them a while to finally catch up in Montreal where he was pulled over along with a passenger.

An examination of the driver’s license found that it was no longer valid, resulting in immediate seizure of the vehicle for 30 days and a fine of $1,076. In addition, the ticket for exceeding the speed limit by more than 100 km/h came to $1,939. The driver then had 24 demerit points slapped onto his record.

SQ arrests Laval couple for alleged weapons and drug trafficking

A nearly three-year investigation by the Sûreté du Québec into a Laval couple’s alleged involvement in drug and weapons trafficking culminated recently when the provincial police force arrested the pair.

Officers with the Montreal Police (SPVM), the RCMP and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) provided assistance to the SQ when they executed an arrest warrant issued for Maxime Gagene-Charet, 29, and Jenny Lachance-Valiquette, age 26.

The SQ recently announced that they were sending reinforcements to certain outlying regions of Quebec because of an upsurge of organized criminal activity there, including gang-related weapons and drug dealing.

Five suspects arrested for alleged telecoms pirating

The Sûreté du Québec arrested five suspects recently in conjunction with a suspected telecommunications theft operation, including the suspected leader who is a resident of Laval.

The alleged leader of the operation, Éric Grenier, is listed in the provincial business registry database as the administrator of a numbered company which owns Arubox.TV, one of the telecom businesses alleged to have pirated signals from Bell and other major telecom service providers.

According to the Montreal daily webnews site La Presse, Grenier, who has been active in the adult entertainment business in Quebec, was at one time a member of the Red Devils biker club, which is an affiliate of the Hells Angels.

Arubox.TV, and a second service known as Stocker IPTV, are alleged to have pirated television signals, according to a complaint filed by Bell Canada Enterprises, which is the lead complainant in a group of several telecom service providers who claim they were victimized.

Arubox.TV and Stocker IPTV were offering access to 3,500 TV channels in Quebec, Canada, the U.S.A. and around the world for a $250 fee for a decoder box, followed by a $25 per month charge.

Vehicle theft is leaving its mark on thousands of Canadian and Quebec households

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

With auto theft incidents across Quebec and Canada soaring as never before, federal Treasury Board President Anita Anand tells Newsfirst Multimedia that the Trudeau government is raising Canada Border Services Agency funding by $28 million for more stolen vehicle investigations – including some that will be using artificial intelligence (AI).

Anand was one of the five Trudeau cabinet ministers who recently took part in the Liberal government’s National Summit on Combatting Auto Theft in Ottawa.

The issue is impacting the portfolios of several Quebec-based cabinet ministers, including Transport Minister Pablo Rodriguez, and Innovation, Science and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne.

Ministers’ SUVs stolen

The New York Times reported last month in a piece looking at how Canada has become a “candy store” for car thieves that two government-issued Toyota Highlander SUVs were stolen three times in Ottawa from the current and previous justice ministers.

Auto theft is leaving its mark on thousands of Canadian households every year, particularly in urban centres. Discussions held at the summit focused on finding solutions to the growing challenge of auto theft in Canada.

Federal, provincial and municipal police have concluded that the car theft wave increasingly involves organized crime groups, who are using the proceeds of those thefts to fund other illegal activities.

In a press release, Public Safety Canada, which organized the national summit, said the gathering “advanced work to keep Canadians safe and prevent auto theft from happening, to recover vehicles that have been stolen, and to ensure the perpetrators of these crimes are brought to justice.”

Significant gathering, says Anand

At the conclusion of the summit, participants endorsed a Statement of Intent, committing to work together to combat auto theft, and to finalize an action plan that will be released before the end of this winter.

“The auto theft summit was significant because it brought together stakeholders from across the country, industries, border services agents, frontline police, as well as the auto manufacturers, with federal, provincial, territorial and municipal governments,” said Anand.

“Never before have we had a conference like this to convene a conversation about how we can each do better to combat auto theft,” she added, noting that 54 cars were recently intercepted by the Sûreté du Québec at the Port of Montreal before they could be clandestinely exported out of the country. “That just highlights how we are making progress, but there’s much more work to do – together and individually.”

What Ottawa is doing

Recent immediate actions undertaken by the federal government to combat auto theft include:

• A $28 million injection to the CBSA to conduct more investigations and examinations of stolen vehicles, as well as to enhance collaboration on investigations and intelligence sharing with partners across Canada and internationally. This would includes exploring detection technology solutions, and exploring the use of advanced analytical tools, such as artificial intelligence.
• Pursuing all avenues to ban devices used to steal vehicles by copying the wireless signals for remote keyless entry, such as the Flipper Zero, which would allow for the removal of those devices from the Canadian marketplace through collaboration with law enforcement agencies.

More tools against car theft

Additionally, the government says it is using the following tools and authorities to further curb auto theft:

• Establishing a means of better information sharing between local police and railway police, including through the use of advanced data tools, to identify and find stolen cars before they get to ports.
• Public Safety Canada, the CBSA and the Royal Canadian Mounted Police (RCMP) will work with partners across Canada and internationally to increase collaboration and information sharing.
• Transport Canada will modernize the Canadian Motor Vehicle Safety Standards to ensure they consider technological advancements to deter and prevent auto theft. The department will also work with public safety partners to identify cargo handling vulnerabilities through targeted security assessments of port facilities.
• The Department of Justice Canada will examine potential amendments to the criminal code to further strengthen the legal framework related to auto theft, including by reviewing existing offences and penalties.
• Innovation, Science and Economic Development Canada (ISED) will work with Canadian companies, including the automotive industry, to develop innovative solutions to protect vehicles against theft.

Black public service initiative

In February during Black History Month, Anita Anand presided at the launch of a new Treasury Board of Canada initiative, an Action Plan to support Black public servants in federal government workplaces.

In Budget 2023, the Trudeau government committed an additional $45.9 million to complement initial funding in Budget 2022 for a Black mental health fund.

As a result, nearly $50 million is supporting the creation and development of the Action Plan for Black Public Servants, to establish career development programs and mental health supports for Black public servants.

Some specifics of the program:

• Health Canada is receiving funding for Black-centric enhancements to the Employee Assistance Program provided to more than 90 federal departments and agencies.
• The Canada School of Public Service is receiving funding to launch an executive leadership program for Black executives to support their career advancement.
• The Public Service Commission (PSC) is receiving funding to provide individualized assessment, counselling and coaching services to Black public servants.

“These and future investments will continue to be guided by the lived experiences of Black public servants,” said Anand.

“We will keep working with Black public servants to address all forms of anti-Black racism and discrimination because a diverse, inclusive, safe, and rewarding public service not only benefits employees, but it also strengthens our organizations and improves our service delivery for Canadians.”

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A new Covid vaccine manufacturing plant that has just been completed in Laval’s Cité de la Biotech will be up and running by the fall next year, according to the company that built the facility.

The $250-million plant, which officially opened on Feb. 23 with federal, provincial and municipal officials present, will eventually produce about 100 million doses of vaccines annually, which is enough for all of Canada, said Moderna officials.

Moderna chose Laval

“Our Cité de la biotech of Laval is expanding phenomenally today as construction of the Moderna manufacturing plant is completed,” said Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer.

“The arrival of a major player in life sciences and health technologies in the Laval economic ecosystem is a sign of a dynamic city in action,” he continued.

“Having a company of this magnitude on our territory is supporting our objective and vision of being a global leader where you can find quality facilities, vibrant living spaces and a qualified workforce.”

“Completing the construction of our mRNA facility marks a groundbreaking moment for Moderna and Canada as we progress towards delivering a domestic mRNA vaccine supply chain,” said Stefan Raos, general manager of Moderna Canada.

A ‘centre of excellence’

“This building is a tangible example of concerted collaboration with the federal government, the government of Quebec, and the city of Laval, reflecting the lessons of the pandemic. We are proud to help drive Canada’s reputation as an mRNA centre of excellence and contributor to global health initiatives.”

The initiative will also generate and support high-skilled employment opportunities. The building of the facility was made possible in part by funding from the provincial Investissement Québec development agency.

Moderna currently has 45 therapeutic and vaccine programs in its pipeline across infectious diseases, immuno-oncology, rare diseases and autoimmune diseases, including nine in late-stage development.

Minimizing disease threats

“With infectious diseases continuing to pose a significant health challenge, our mRNA platform can play a pivotal role against current and future threats,” said Stéphane Bancel, CEO of Moderna.

“Canada’s role in global health is critical, and with this facility, Moderna is honoured to contribute to its robust scientific community and public health leadership in driving innovation and transformative medicine forward,” Bancel added.

The factory will be able to do a lot more than make vaccines against COVID-19, said federal minister of Innovation, Science and Industry, François-Philippe Champagne.

“Moderna is not just about COVID-19,” he said. “This is a range of vaccines that we will be able to produce at home. … There are even vaccines potentially for cancer.”

Reducing foreign dependence

Quebec’s economy minister, Pierre Fitzgibbon, said the project makes it possible to reduce local dependence on foreign-produced vaccines. Fitzgibbon believes Moderna’s project will also serve as a calling card to attract other pharmaceutical projects to Quebec.

“There are international pharmaceutical companies looking at what’s going on, at the talent at McGill, at the Université de Montréal, among others,” he said. “I think it’s going to create a pretty significant momentum for the life sciences.”

Projects sponsored by CHOC men’s collective and Collège Montmorency

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Acting on behalf of CAQ women’s issues minister Martine Biron, Laval-des-Rapides MNA Céline Haytayan has announced a $450,000 grant of money from the provincial government to support two local projects designed to raise awareness of sexual and domestic violence committed primarily against women.

Local CEGEP involved

The goal of the first project (Le harcèlement sexuel, c’est NON! [No! to sexual harassment]) sponsored by Collège Montmorency, is to raise awareness among the CEGEP college’s faculty of 1,300 employees, as well as among members of the student body who may be in high-risk categories (i.e. LGBTQ).

Another goal of the program is awareness-raising and prevention in communities close to Collège Montmorency, with a focus on local.

Men’s group sponsoring

The second project (Soyez Influenceurs! (La violence conjugale… C’est l’Affaire de tous!) [Become an influencer – domestic violence is everyone’s business]) is sponsored by the male collective Carrefour d’hommes en changement (CHOC).

Its goal is to reach out to the partners of the perpetrators of domestic violence, while properly equipping them through a guide book offering safe ways to become proactive and contribute to the prevention and halting of domestic violence. As with the previous project, this one also has goals over a larger region.

“These regional initiatives were retained [as finalists] as part of the 2023-2024 season of calls for projects for awareness-raising with regards to domestic and sexual violence,” Haytayan’s office said in a statement.

Gaining understanding

“They will contribute to a better understanding these types of violence, while assisting victims, the perpetrators of violence and others in their surroundings in Laval.” In all, the CAQ government allotted $4.8 million for a total of 29 similar projects across Quebec.

“The sums allotted for these two projects will help to counter domestic violence and sexual violence in Laval,” said Haytayan. “My thanks to Collège Montmorency and to the Carrefour d’hommes en changement for their initiatives and their respective contributions.”

‘A priority,’ says minister

“The fight against sexual and domestic violence is a priority of our government,” said Biron. “Acting preventively is a key so that this phenomenon ceases. I would like to thank the organizations who are hard at work in the field on this issue.”

“Everywhere in Quebec, women should be able to feel secure,” added Isabelle Lecours, MNA for Lotbinière-Frontenac, who is also parliamentary assistant to the minister for women’s issues. “I am proud that our government is devoting so much energy towards the prevention and struggle against sexual and domestic violence.”

In ex-mayor’s fading shadow, Laval takes back $60 million in skimmed sums

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Like a ghost who puts in appearances from time to time during the day, Gilles Vaillancourt is occasionally spotted enjoying a quick meal in the fast-food court at Carrefour Laval.

But even though current Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer admits he never actually ever met the former mayor, Vaillancourt’s lingering presence is proving to be something not easily exorcised.

Gilles Vaillancourt’s name was invoked repeatedly during a splashy press conference that officials with the City of Laval held at the interim city hall on Saint-Martin Blvd. late last month.

The purpose: to close the book on the legacy Vaillancourt left after he resigned from office in 2012, after nearly 40 years as mayor and as a city councillor before then.

Parti PRO got kickbacks

In the aftermath of evidence laid out by the Charbonneau Commission into public contracts corruption, the City of Laval filed a string of lawsuits against outside contractors over the past 10 years, to ultimately recover $60 million in funds which had been systematically overpaid.

It was a scheme that saw a percentage kicked back to Vaillancourt’s Parti PRO des Lavallois. The city undertook 18 civil cases, garnering 13 judgments in its favour. Cases still ongoing, if successful, would bring in an additional $20 million.

After serving part of a six-year jail sentence, Vaillancourt agreed to forfeit to the the city more than $7 million in savings from Swiss and Bermuda bank accounts, as well as his luxurious condo on Île Paton in the Rivière des Prairies off Chomedey, and the $36,000 annual retirement pension he would have received from the city.

As Boyer, 36, recounted to journalists, he was a university student living at home in Vimont with his parents in 2010, when former National Assembly member Vincent Auclair reported he had once been discreetly approached by Vaillancourt who offered an envelope of cash to be used in one of Auclair’s election campaigns.

A change of culture

Boyer insisted that the culture of corruption that reigned in Laval over the 23 years Vaillancourt was mayor has been broken. “Laval really started over from zero in 2013,” he told journalists, alluding to that year’s election when a virtually completely new slate of councillors came onto city council.

“It took time and we had to rebuild the administration, revise our way of doing things, our procedures in our by-laws,” he added. “But I think there was this renewal politically as well as administratively, which allowed us to say that the [old] system was done away with because all the players were changed.”

During a question-and-answer exchange, The Laval News pointed out that there remains a significant cluster of Laval residents who still speak admiringly of Vaillancourt, citing his accomplishments (the orange Metro line extension, the Cosmodôme, extensive residential, commercial and industrial development) while he was in office.

Vaillancourt/Trump comparison

“There’s people in Laval who admire Trump: what can I do about it?” Boyer replied somewhat sardonically, while noting that it cost the relatively small sum of $6 – $7 million in total for legal fees to recover the $60 million in stolen taxpayers’ dollars.

As for money that continues to come in (there are five more cases against former contractors pending), the City of Laval created a special fund in 2017 (the Fonds Place-du-Souvenir), which provides targeted financial support for youths from Laval up to age 17, who are regarded as being “at-risk.”

Some of the clawed-back funds also go towards purchasing green and forested areas of Laval for permanent conservation, as well as for making cash payments for goods and services in order to avoid adding to the City of Laval’s debts.

Opposition reaction

One of the City of Laval’s two opposition parties, Action Laval, isn’t altogether happy with how the city is spending the recuperated money. They believe it would have been better spent on tax relief.

“This year we got an increase of 4.8 per cent in our municipal taxes, and that’s unacceptable,” said Action Laval city councillor for Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Paolo Galati. “Especially with the fact that we just recuperated all this money, it could have been a way to balance the budget.”

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis has announced a repayable loan of $200,000 by the federal government to RNA Technologies & Therapeutics Inc., a startup biotech firm that was launched with help from Ottawa and the Laval-based Quebec Biotechnology Innovation Centre (CQIB).

Support from Canada Economic Development (CED) enabled RNA T&T to acquire automated equipment to streamline its productivity and increase its production capacity. CED is the key federal partner in Quebec’s regional economic development.

Focused economic development

With its 12 regional business offices, CED accompanies businesses, supporting organizations and all regions across Quebec for their economic development. The funds were granted under CED’s Regional Economic Growth through Innovation program.

The program targets entrepreneurs, leveraging innovation to grow their businesses and enhance their competitiveness, as well as regional economic stakeholders helping to create an entrepreneurial environment conducive to innovation and growth for all across all regions.

In Quebec, SMEs account for 99.7 per cent of the province’s businesses and 50 per cent of its GDP.

Messenger RNA production

Founded in July 2022, RNA T&T is an innovative business specializing in the design, production, and purification of intermediate carrier molecules called messenger RNAs (mRNAs).

Incubated at the CQIB on Cartier Blvd., RNA T&T produces and sells intermediate mRNA molecules in small and large quantities, in addition to implementing a research program for its clients to develop new therapies, obtain regulatory approvals for them and ensure intellectual property protection.

RNA T&T’s staff includes experts in the RNA field with combined experience totalling over three decades in in vitro transcription (IVT) therapeutic RNA synthesis.

Helping businesses grow

“The Government of Canada recognizes and supports innovative businesses and organizations that are a source of pride in their communities,” CED said in a statement regarding its loan to RNA T&T.

“Our government is committed to investing to ensure our SMEs remain competitive and innovative,” said Koutrakis, who is the parliamentary secretary to the minister responsible for CED.

“Helping a business grow and innovate so it can enable Canadians to benefit from an important technology is a priority for our government,” added Koutrakis. “That is why we are supporting this promising project by RNA T&T, which is a wonderful example of success after two years of incubation at the CQIB.”

Progress in just 18 months

“Thanks to the CQIB’s incubation structure, RNA T&T has made significant advances over its first 18 months of existence,” said Claude LeDuc, president and CEO of the firm.

With a 36-year track record of international experience and accomplishments in both private and Fortune 500 companies, LeDuc has been a key player in the success of various organizations, including many biotech startups.

He has led teams through various development stages, from early R&D and preclinical programs to successful market launches. The companies he has helped bring into being include BioSyntech, Skeltex Technologies, Axcellon Biopolymers, MRM Proteomics, RNA T&T and Ortho Regenerative Technologies.

Successful fundraising

At the same time, LeDuc has become known for his exceptional capital-gathering abilities. As the CEO of multiple start-ups, he raised more than $70 million in equity and debenture notes in private and public settings.

“We want to highlight the importance of government assistance programs such as this one from CED, which play a crucial role in supporting and funding the rapid growth of technological SMEs such as RNA T&T,” LeDuc said regarding this latest venture. “We express our deep gratitude for their ongoing support.”

“This investment in one of the businesses accompanied by our incubator confirms the role the CQIB plays as a seedbed for life sciences businesses in Quebec,” said Perry Niro, executive-director of the CQIB. “We are particularly pleased with RNA T&T’s progress as it completes its incubation process.”

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A petition tabled recently by Mille-Îles Liberal MNA Virginie Dufour in the Quebec National Assembly, signed by 243 people who are demanding noise-abatement measures for the REM train which will be passing through Laval, was rejected by the CAQ majority, Dufour says.

Petition rejected

Dufour, who is the PLQ’s official spokesperson for the region of Laval, had presented the petition on behalf of affected residents who live in the Îles-Laval area.

According to the text of the petition, the signers maintain that calculations used to evaluate noise levels that will be generated by the 250 train trips through the area contained errors and omissions which were acknowledged by the train line’s developer, CDPQ Infra.

Noise abatement sought

The petitioners, with support from Dufour, are demanding that CDPQ infra be held to a commitment to quickly implement noise abatement measures to fix the problem, and that this be done for the health, security and peace of the residents, before REM service begins in Laval.

“The residents of this sector in Laval are worried and fearful, with good reason, regarding the undesirable effects of noise pollution on their health, their quality of sleep and the environment,” Dufour said.

“Not only did the CAQ refuse de listen to them, but none of the CAQ MNAs from the region of Laval were present during a working session on the petition to defend the residents of the area,” she continued, saying that “this is deplorable.”

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Several hundred residents of the City of Laval’s Saint-Bruno district enjoyed some respite from the cold weather at Lausanne Park last Sunday when local city councillor David De Cotis staged his annual Lausanne en Hiver winter celebration event.

According to De Cotis, it was the first time that he and other organizers had been able to hold the popular gathering since the Covid pandemic, when most public events were halted.

Several local events

Lausanne en Hiver is one of several outdoor celebrations the Saint-Bruno councillor for Action Laval holds at Lausanne Park throughout the year, the others being the Fête de quartier during the summer and the Halloween party in late October.

Among the people, organizations and groups who turned out last Sunday were the Chevaliers de Colomb St-Elzéar council, as well as Vimont Member of the Quebec National Assembly Valérie Schmaltz. For the kids, there was a petting zoo featuring baby goats, sheep and chickens.

Lots of winter fun

The Chevaliers served up a true Québécois wintertime treat: maple taffy on snow.

As well, there was a custom-built igloo for all those wishing to learn more about it, skating, snowshoeing with the assistance of volunteers from Sports Laval, trail rides and a warm campfire to keep warm in the frigid outdoors during the mid-winter in Laval.

If anybody needed a little more inducement to warmth, there was also hot coffee and hot chocolate, and some fitness instructors kept the crowd warmed up and enthusiastic with an energetic Zumba workout.

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

A former truck driver responsible for a fiery crash that killed four people on Highway 440 in Laval in 2019 has been found guilty of criminal negligence causing death.

A Quebec Superior Court judge said last week that 57-year-old Jagmeet Grewal had shown a clear pattern of disregarding the life and safety of others and should have never even been driving a 53-foot-truck in the first place.

Four people died in the crash on Aug. 5, while 15 others were injured. Judge Yanick Laramée said the driver wasn’t paying attention at the wheel and that he wasn’t even medically fit.

His truck slammed into a line of vehicles at a speed estimated at between 93 and 100 km/h. According to the judgement, Grewal’s driving license for a truck that size had been permanently revoked by the SAAQ in 2014 after he’d been in a truck accident in 2012.

Sentencing proceedings will take place beginning on May 21, with a maximum possible penalty of life imprisonment without parole for 25 years, although that is considered unlikely.

Convicted killer and father found dead in Laval-des-Rapides apartment

A Laval Police Dept. spokesperson has confirmed that two deaths reported at a Laval-des-Rapides apartment were a homicide followed by a suicide and that the victims were a father and a son, the latter having received a life sentence for murder more than two decades ago.

A police source told media that one of the deceased, a 43-year-old man, was Richard Germain, while the other was his 67-year-old father, Pierre.

The bodies were discovered after the LPD received a request from their counterparts in the City of Montreal on the morning of Feb. 7 to conduct a wellness check on a resident on rue d’Orly in Pont-Viau.

Richard Germain received a life sentence after he pleaded guilty to the second-degree murder of Chrystelle Lavigne-Gagnon, a 15-year-old girl. Richard Germain was granted full parole in June 2022.

Lavigne-Gagnon died after being stabbed repeatedly in August 2000 after being in a brief relationship with Germain.

Germain had previously been charged with eight counts of uttering threats toward the girl.

A Parole Board of Canada report stated that Germain “grew up in an unhealthy family environment steeped in violence.”

Brazen car thieves drive off Curé Labelle dealership’s lot with open hood

The federal government’s pledge to crack down on an organized wave of car thefts that is currently sweeping the country contrasted recently with a glaring example recorded by security cameras at a used car dealership on Laval’s Curé Labelle Blvd.

Two suspects posing as buyers turned up at Auto Karetta a short time before the dealership was set to close for the day, asking to test drive a 2016 Mercedes CLA 45 AMG.

Although a dealership sales rep told them it was too late for a test drive, he agreed to let them start the car and he opened the engine hood. In spite of the driver’s obstructed view because of the open hood, he drove off, striking the employee.

When the driver stopped momentarily on Curé Labelle Blvd. to close the hood, the employee ran to catch up and tried to open a car door, but was pushed away. Investigators with the Laval Police are looking for the suspects, described as a man and a woman who are believed to be in their 30s.

According to news reports, a West Island Mercedes dealership alleged that someone stole a license plate from one of the dealership’s vehicles later on that same day and bolted it to a car that matched the description of the stolen vehicle.

LPD investigating de l’Avenir Blvd. mall murder attempt

Investigators with the Laval Police Dept. have launched an investigation into an apparent murder attempt which took place recently in a shopping mall parking lot at the corner of Saint-Martin and de l’Avenir boulevards.

Multiple gunshots were fired during the incident around 1 pm on February 9. The apparent target was a 33-year-old businessman sitting in a Mercedes SUV.

Shortly before, he had been conversing with a construction contractor regarding renovations to be carried out on a locale at the mall. According to media reports, LPD officers arriving on the scene found the victim had sustained a minor gunshot injury. He was transported to hospital where his condition was reported to be stable.

In a follow-up to these developments, media reported later in the week that a restaurant owned by the shooting victim was damaged by gunfire. On Wednesday last week, the LPD arrested a 27-year-old man after shots were fired into the door of a different restaurant in Ste-Dorothée. Media later identified the victim of the Feb. 9 shooting as part owner of the restaurant, as well as the owner of a used car business in Lachine.

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Chomedey Liberal MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier is asking the CAQ government to pay more attention to snow quality at the province’s ski hills, following a relatively snowless winter and two fatal ski accidents in the Laurentians north of Laval in January.

“What’s important is that they do provide good snow,” Lokhoyan Olivier, who is the PLQ official opposition’s spokesperson for tourism issues, said, referring to ski hill operators, in a recent interview with The Laval News.

Ski fatalities in January

On Jan. 16, a man died after a fall while skiing at Mont Avila in Piedmont, 50 kilometres northwest of Laval in the Laurentians. The incident happened after another one a few days earlier, when a 15-year-old teenager died after falling from a ski lift at a resort in Morin-Heights.

Although the Sûreté du Québec said at the time they were investigating both incidents for possible causes, they dismissed the notion that anything other than accidental factors were at play in either case.

In an exchange with Quebec Tourism Minister Caroline Proulx in the National Assembly in January, Lakhoyan Olivier asked Proulx to shed some light on the Legault government’s current level of support for ski hill operators – including possible assistance to help them upgrade snowmaking machinery (called snow cannons or snow guns in the industry).

Skiing and tourism

“As you know, Quebec’s ski stations are an important player in our tourism industry,” said Lakhoyan Olivier, noting that the province’s skiing industry generates an overall $870 million worth of business annually, while drawing up to 6 million tourists to Quebec.

Pointing out that climate change is changing ski hill conditions and making them potentially more hazardous, Lakhoyan Olivier said hill operators need better quality snow guns in order to remain competitive while continuing to provide adequate service when average temperatures are on the rise because of climate change.

Support for snowmaking

The Quebec Association of Ski Stations has appealed to the provincial government to provide subsidies to help ski hill operators renew their snowmaking equipment. The cost is estimated to be $65 million. It’s worth noting that in neighbouring Vermont, where the ski hill operators compete with those in Quebec, Vermont State officials provided operators with funding for snowmaking equipment renewal in recent years.

After pointing out that the Legault government is aware of the challenges faced by the province’s tourism industry because of the impact of climate change, and that it allotted some funding, Proulx said the government is leaning towards helping hill operators develop a year-around model of tourism, rather than only during the winter.

She said this means developing a strategy to place more emphasis on summertime leisure activities, such as mountain biking. As for the snow cannons, Proulx said the government had previously furnished funding for snow equipment renewal, although she offered no prospects of further assistance for gear replacement.

Towards year-around tourism

“We cannot only invest in snow cannons, we must invest in the diversification of commercial activities on mountains” so that it doesn’t become focused on just on one thing,” said the tourism minister, while adding that the CAQ government hoped to broaden the development of tourism at ski hills so that employment can be provided year-around, rather than just during the winter months as is often now the case.

Despite the tourism minister’s responses, Lakhoyan Olivier insisted to The Laval News that skiing in Quebec remains too important as a sport and leisure activity to be neglected. “Snowmaking machines are at the heart of the industry,” she said. “And the Laurentians are so beautiful, they are like the jewel of Quebec and need to be taken care of.”

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer as well as LPD police chief Pierre Brochet had this to say last week after taking part in a major gathering held in Ottawa by law enforcement officials from across Canada regarding the vehicle theft wave that has broken out in virtually every region of the country.

A concerted strategy

“Car theft is a crime against property which has a major impact on other types of criminality here as in other areas of the country,” said Boyer, while noting that a nationwide action plan will be needed with concerted actions.

“The Laval police service already has actions underway on the territory, although the challenges remain numerous,” added the mayor.

“Through our presence today, we wish to add the voices of local communities, while at the same time offering our complete cooperation to find solutions to this complex problem which cannot be resolved without strong coordination and additional resources.”

Criminals are profiting

“The issues are many and complex, including the necessity to have a global approach bringing together all the concerned players in order to ensure there are significant outcomes,” said LPD chief Brochet. “Car theft has become a market that is unfortunately too lucrative for criminals.

“Together, we have the ability to put the brakes on this phenomenon by prioritizing multiple solutions,” he added. “The impact on the sense of security of the population and the police force is real. Faced with the current situation, it has become more than necessary to coordinate things nationally with adequate investments so that the partners can mobilize quickly and efficiently.”

Some facts about car theft in Laval

Number of vehicles stolen annually on Laval territory *

• In 2021: 1,047
• In 2022: 1,567
• In 2023: 1,351, in addition to 77 arrests linked to stolen vehicles

* Numbers furnished by Laval Police

‘Unlike anything I’ve seen in Canada since Duplessis,’ he says of Premier’s treatment of minorities

Martin C. Barry, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

“Values – fundamental values – cannot be withstanded away.”

With those words – echoing perhaps another politician’s assertion in the Quebec National Assembly 36 years earlier that “rights are rights are rights” – former NDP leader and Chomedey MNA Tom Mulcair denounced current Quebec Premier François Legault’s endorsement these past few years of various pieces of nationalistic and protectionist legislation.

Hard times for Anglos

Although the year is still young, already it’s shaping up to be a tough one for supporters of English-language Quebecers’ rights, Mulcair, currently a political advisor, academic and media commentator, told an audience of lawyers and law students at Concordia University on Jan. 24.

Elected three times to the Quebec National Assembly as the MNA for the Laval-area riding of Chomedey, Mulcair also served four times in the House of Commons in Ottawa, during which he became leader of the NDP and head of the official opposition.

‘People who discriminate’

During his talk to followers of Concordia’s Jurist-in-Residence Conference series, on Tolerating the Intolerable: Racisms and Discriminations Remain a Societal Challenge Beyond the Charter, Mulcair described Legault as a cynical politician caving in to political pressures from Francophone nationalists, while suppressing other people’s rights.

“What exactly does that mean? You have people who discriminate, who are intolerant, who want to restrict somebody else’s rights. It means you have to finally listen to them,” Mulcair said. “Just like that? Just a little bit? But not a lot? That’s where we are.”

Neither ethical nor moral

According to Mulcair, Legault’s overall stance as the sponsor of laws like Bill 21 (preventing the government from hiring workers who wear religious symbols like head scarves), Bill 96 (adding to linguistic restrictions in Quebec’s French Language Charter) – as well as the English universities tuition hikes – reflects “a total lack of ethical and moral” foundation.

“It’s not resting on anything other than a political need to move ahead and to come up with an answer,” he said.

Just as former West Island Liberal MNA Clifford Lincoln stated his position in 1988 while announcing his resignation from the Bourassa cabinet after the Liberals added to Bill 101 with Bill 178, Mulcair also maintained the current CAQ government cannot justify the suppression of fundamental rights by invoking a notwithstanding clause.

Trudeau’s complicity

He said the attacks by Legault on the English-speaking community of Quebec have also included attempts to remove Canadian constitutionally-guaranteed English school boards, as well as efforts to do away with the equality of French and English before the courts.

“Oh, did I mention that Trudeau’s not done anything about that?” he quipped, taking a shot at the current Prime Minister (against whom Mulcair ran and lost in the 2015 federal election). Back to Legault, he said the Quebec Premier’s moves show “a mean spiritedness by Legault that is unlike anything I’ve seen in Canada since Duplessis.”

Attacking les Anglais

Noting that in recent years Legault had flip-flopped on key issues in the Quebec City area, such as the proposed Québec/Lévis bridge tunnel project, “but never at a complete loss Mr. Legault, it came to him in a flash, the golden rule of Quebec politics: when you are in desperate trouble, when there is nothing left for you, you attack les Anglais.”

He suggested that the CAQ government’s legislated move to limit registration of Francophone students at Anglophone CEGEPs by establishing quotas, hearkens back to another era when McGill had quotas for the number of Jews it would admit as students.

“And that’s not that long ago – that was right into the 1960s – a sad and dark era indeed,” he continued. “Here Legault is telling young adults, as I say, that he’s going to decide for them what language they use in their post-secondary education … It’s an anathema in a free and democratic society to have that sort of distinction being made.”

Martin C. Barry

The Ontario Provincial Police (OPP) say they arrested two people, including a man from Laval, following what they describe as a “routine traffic stop” near Cornwall in eastern Ontario.

Members of the OPP Highway Safety Division stopped the driver of a rental car for speeding on Jan. 30 in the eastbound lanes of the 401 in South Glengarry Township shortly after 3:00 pm.

With the help of the Stormont, Dundas and Glengarry OPP, officers located unsealed cannabis, over 40 cell phones and more than 40 pre-paid credit cards that had a variety of names on them.

Among those arrested and charged was 23-year-old Mehdi Aloui of Laval. He has been charged with:

• Three counts of failing to comply with a probation order;
• Three counts of failing to comply with a release order;
• And breach of recognizance.

Also arrested was 23-year-old Rousseley Castan of Montreal. He was charged with:

• Speeding;
• Driving a vehicle with cannabis readily available;
• Having a dirty and illegible license plate;
• Two counts of failing to comply with a probation order.

The two were released from police custody and are scheduled to appear in court on March 6. Two other individuals detained during the operation were released while an investigation continues.

Around 30 people suffer pepper spray effects at Saint-Martin McDonald’s

As many as 30 people who were enjoying an early evening meal on Jan. 28 at a McDonald’s restaurant on Saint-Martin Blvd. near Le Corbusier Blvd. in downtown Laval suffered burning eyes as well as respiratory irritations after four individuals released pepper spray, while apparently targeting a specific 18-year-old male.

According to a report of the incident by the French-language TVA network, some of those who suffered effects had to be transported to hospital. It was also reported that a general panic broke out inside the restaurant for a few minutes after the suspects released the pepper spray.

“I was blinded. I couldn’t breathe,” one of the victims told the network, adding that the spray spread rapidly. “I was trying to get back to the table where I was seated in order to get my children. People were screaming and most of the people rushed towards a door which was blocked. It was chaos.”

The restaurant was crowded at the time as a children’s birthday party was underway. Another victim reported that she had no choice but to seek refuge in the washroom with her daughter to escape the fumes. She said that at one point, not knowing what the panic was about, she thought that maybe a gunman was on the loose.

She said that she and others used snow on the ground outside the restaurant to soothe their eyes. According to the report, the Laval Police have launched in investigation into the incident.

Laval among 11 cities where raids conducted by SPVM for illicit cannabis

Although marijuana use and its controlled sale has been legal in Quebec and the rest of Canada for more than five years, the police continue to conduct raids on unlicensed producers who distribute and sell the psychoactive substance through clandestine channels.

Laval was one of nearly a dozen cities in the Montreal region as well as north of the city where raids were conducted on Jan. 31 in what was described by the SPVM as the “dismantlement of a network of illegal production and distribution of cannabis on a large scale.”

Besides Laval, where the Laval Police Dept. provided assistance, search and seizure warrants were also executed at residences as well as commercial and industrial buildings located in Montreal, Blainville, Saint-Lin-des-Laurentides, Mirabel and Sainte-Anne-de-la-Pérade.

According to the police, more than a ton of cannabis was seized during the wide-area operation. This included 4,930 cannabis plants with an estimated value of $6 million. Results of a preliminary investigation have led the police to conclude that a significant amount of the substance seized was meant for export to the United States.

In a press release issued after the raids, the police maintained that some members of the network were using certificates issued by Health Canada for legitimate medicinal cannabis production in order to give the illegal operation an air of legitimacy.

The SPVM were also assisted by the Sûreté du Québec, the Ontario Provincial Police and enforcement officials from Health Canada. Three suspects, aged 30, 36 and 41, were detained, although charges and formal arrests were pending subject to further investigation by Quebec’s Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions.

A conceptual rendering of what the Trudel Studios main building might look like, which was submitted by the developer at an early stage of the project.

Martin C. Barry

Elected officials from both sides of the Laval city council floor enthusiastically greeted council’s overwhelming decision last week to approve a zoning change in the Saint-François district that will allow the development of a sprawling film production complex to be known as Trudel Studios on a tract of land currently owned by the city.

During the same council session, the council members were presented with the report of a commission that oversaw a month-long public consultation on related issues which took place from December last year until this past January, while hearing views from 360 residents.

New zoning regulations

Council’s decision to approve rezoning for the project, which was first proposed by its developer two years ago, took into account new zoning code norms which came into effect in November 2022. They require that more green space should be part of the film studio project once it is completed.

“After consulting the population twice rather than just once, we are giving the green light for the creation of this important cinema production complex in Laval,” Mayor Stéphane Boyer said in a statement. “Should it be built, this project will enable the creation of hundreds of jobs, while also developing an altogether new industry on Laval’s territory.

Most residents in favour

“It should be recalled that since the very first time it was presented to the population, the project was enhanced to include more green space and to improve the integration of the building into the sector,” he continued. “The public consultations and the surveys done in the past few months demonstrate that a majority of the citizens support this project.”

During the public consultation, 243 interventions were officially registered, including 32 during public meetings and 211 which were submitted in writing. Out of all the interventions, 173 expressed approval for the project, 21 were neutral and 49 were against.

Some unsettled issues

The mayor said he remains fully aware that some of the people responding during the consultation were against the project. “If a project of this size potentially involves major benefits, I understand that it can also raise preoccupations,” he said, noting that the city plans to undertake more studies starting this year to ensure the harmonious integration of the project into its surroundings, some of which are agricultural.

Before the project can proceed, it will need to be certified as conforming to provincial and Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM) urban planning regulations. As well, the developer will have to submit detailed plans before obtaining a construction permit.

Major production centre

When completed, Trudel Studios is expected to be among the largest film production complexes in North America, with seven interior studios, including one that measures 60,000 square feet, making it the largest of its kind on the North American continent.

In the meantime, among those opposing the project is a lobby of people who object to farm land in east-end Laval being put to a use other than for the cultivation of agricultural products. Should the project continue as planned, the city would sell the 2.2 million-square-foot lot for more than $32 million to the promoter, Michel Trudel, a former senior management official at Mel’s Cité du Cinéma studios in Montreal.

Councillor Piché in favour

The local city councillor for Saint-François, Isabelle Piché who sits with the Action Laval opposition party, issued a press release last week saying she would support the project, while taking into account that the majority of residents from the area appear to be in favour, based on a survey Action Laval conducted in the area.

“I cannot ignore the fact that the majority of the citizens of my district are in favour of the by-law project, although I nonetheless took the time to raise several concerning issues that came up in the letters and memoranda that the commission received,” she said. “I find it very important for these issues to be included in the recommendations to the executive-committee,” she added.

Mayor Stéphane Boyer (centre) is seen here with Quebec Culture and Communications Minister Mathieu Lacombe (immediately left), Sainte-Rose CAQ MNA Christopher Skeete (immediate right) and other Laval MNAs during the $44 million funding announcement at the Maison des Arts de Laval last week. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Martin C. Barry

The City of Laval was gifted on Friday last week with a windfall of funding for its $180 million central library and cultural centre project, scheduled to be completed in 2027 in the downtown Montmorency district.

Quebec Culture and Communications Minister Mathieu Lacombe’s announcement of $44 million from the CAQ government was greeted enthusiastically by Mayor Stéphane Boyer along with councillors from his team, with three Laval-area CAQ National Assembly members and one of Laval’s two Liberal MNAs also giving thumbs up.

Underfunding corrected

That said, the Legault government seemed to agree with the mayor’s frequent assertion that Laval had previously been underserved by the provincial government in funding ($59 per local resident on average, compared to $87 elsewhere in Quebec) for the city’s cultural needs.

However, the city may have to get down and do some creative thinking in order to come up with the $136 million balance that will still be owing on the project, although they’ll have at least the next three years to pull some strings.

In the education district

“I would like to thank the government of Quebec for the financial aid announced today, which will enable the construction of cultural infrastructure for Laval,” Mayor Boyer told officials and reps from local cultural organizations at the Maison des Arts de Laval in the heart of the city’s higher-education district. (Both the Université de Montréal and Collège Montmorency have nearby campuses.)

“This commitment is clearly a clear sign of endorsement for this project which is crucial for a large city like Laval,” said Boyer.

“Unique for this kind of project, this pole of discovery and experience has long been awaited by the Laval cultural and artistic community, and will serve to enhance the experience of being downtown, while also benefiting all of the population. Our teams are already at work to turn this into a signature project for the centre of our city.”

Arts and economic synergy

“Access to culture is an important priority for our government and I believe that today we are proving this beyond a doubt,” said Lacombe. “Thanks to this investment, culture in Laval will be undergoing a transformation. The existence of this infrastructure in the heart of downtown Laval will give rise to a synergy in the arts and the economy that will prove to be beneficial for the greater agglomeration.”

“As a Laval resident, I feel especially proud to be participating in this phase of very important cultural development of my city,” said Sainte-Rose CAQ MNA Christopher Skeete, the delegated Minister for the Economy as well as Minister for the Laval Region. “This major project announced today will push our region forward so that it stands out even more.”

‘Audacious and distinctive’

While the city has yet to release any substantial preliminary information on what the building could look like, a press release issued last Friday by the city referred to the building being designed with “audacious and distinctive architecture” in line with the cultural development of Laval as a theme.

“It will allow the cultural experience of Laval by creators as well as the public to be reinforced, just as it will be part of the dynamics and effervescence of the Montmorency pole, but also of all the centre city.”

Boyer claimed that combining a library and a cultural centre into a single building with overlapping multimedia functions would be a first-of-its-kind in Canada, while adding that it would also help to substantially expand the city’s network of public library branches.

Green space with library

Last summer, Laval city council’s two opposition parties, the Parti Laval and Action Laval, came together to say they agreed that the site chosen by the city, on Jacques Tétreault St. a short distance from the Montmorency Metro, should also serve for the creation of a new park, because green space downtown is seriously lacking.

In a short interview last Friday, Mayor Boyer confirmed to The Laval News that the city is taking the park recommendation under serious consideration and that some green space will be set aside on the central library grounds for a public park.

According to the city, applications from architects and developers bidding on the project got underway in September 2023, from which three were chosen based on a point rating system. Subsequently, an invitation to submit design proposals was made just before the end of last year, although that process has not yet been completed.

Members of Denise and Bobby Vourtzoumis’ family, including children and grandchildren, are seen here with an enlarged cheque for $325,000, representing Pink in the City’s latest donation to the MUHC Foundation. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Martin C. Barry

In 2006 while driving to school with his mother, an 11-year-old Lawrence Vourtzoumis heard an advertisement on the radio requesting volunteers to shave their heads as a demonstration of solidarity for those who had lost their hair due to chemo treatments for breast cancer.

Lawrence was captivated by this idea and asked his mother, Denise, if he could participate. He wanted to shave his head to show support, which was a pretty brave thing for a pre-teen to do. Denise agreed and helped Lawrence raise the required amount of money to be able to participate.

Eighteen years and many fundraising gala evenings later, Pink in the City (the organization he and his mother helped found) has raised more than $1 million for the MUHC Foundation, which remits funds to the McGill University Health Centre’s Breast Clinic Wellness Program.

$325,000 since last year

The latest annual contribution was an astounding $325,000, presented to MUHC officials during a rousing celebration, including a Pink in the City plaque unveiling, at the hospital in Montreal last week The event, held in the MUHC’s towering interior atrium, was attended by a good number of political and community leaders from the Laval and Montreal regions.

They included Laval city councillor for l’Abord à Plouffe Vasilios Karidogiannis, Montreal city councillor for Parc Extension Mary Deros, Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board chairman Paolo Galati, Senator Tony Loffreda, and a delegation of students from SWLSB schools who helped add tens of thousands of dollars to this year’s sum with matching amounts from Avon.

More than $1 million raised

“The MUHC Foundation is so grateful for Pink in the City,” foundation officials wrote on Pink in the City’s Facebook page. “Since their inception, Pink in the City has donated over 1 million dollars to the MUHC Foundation. Thank you, Denise Vourtzoumis, for your leadership and dedication to making a difference in the lives of women and helping them thrive after cancer. We look forward to what you have stored for 2024!”

“Grateful to stand with Pink in the City today as we celebrate their incredible journey in the fight against breast cancer,” Senator Loffreda wrote on Pink in the City’s Facebook page last week. “Witnessing the impact of their work, from fundraising milestones to shaping young hearts, is truly inspiring.

“Congratulations to the entire Pink in the City family, and a heartfelt thank you to Denise Vourtzoumis for her unwavering passion,” added Loffreda. “Let’s continue to paint the city pink and support one another in this important cause.”

Humble beginnings

Pink in the City started as a single event in 2006. This heightened an already existing awareness about breast cancer in the community and the need to support those who had been touched by this insidious disease. It also embedded the idea that every selfless gesture of support makes a difference.

“From this first experience it was clear that there was much more to do and my family and I have been blessed to be able to create new opportunities to support this important cause over the years,” Denise writes on one of Pink in the City’s web pages.

Having been raised with a strong belief in volunteerism and giving back to the community, she said it was important to rally like-minded people to the cause – people who cared and wanted to make a difference. Over time, volunteers, sponsors, partners and medical advisors allowed Pink in the City to attain and exceed its goals.

Student leadership

But at the same time, community partners have played a key role by supporting and attending Pink in the City’s various functions and events. Partnerships have extended to leadership programs at Laval-area high schools through the Model the Way program.

“Model the Way assures that the commitment to our cause will be carried forward by young people in the future,” added Denise. Last week, a Laval Senior Academy delegation, including students Alejandro Gutierrez and Zoe Scappaticcio, attended Pink in the City’s cheque presentation ceremony, accompanied by SWLSB chair Paolo Galati.

Almost from the beginning, Pink in the City has worked closely in partnership with the breast clinic at the MUHC. Under the guidance and leadership of Dr. Sarkis Meterissian, the clinic has helped define goals by providing updated information about breast cancer, the needs of patients and of the medical practitioners who provide care.

Martin C. Barry

Although it may sound like somewhat of a cliché, ‘Out of the frying pan and into the fire’ might be the expression that best describes the overall mood last year.

After nearly three years of living through the Covid pandemic, a lot of people probably expected they’d be going from a bad situation towards some improvement.

But what with galloping inflation, shaky investment markets and new wars threatening to destabilize the world, 2023 turned into a year when it was hard to believe things would ever get back to normal.

July 2023

Opposition parties agreed: New park needed in downtown Laval

In a relatively rare instance of agreement, Laval city council’s two main opposition parties and a third political entity without council seats all agreed that a vacant lot owned by the city in Laval’s rapidly growing downtown sector should be used for a badly-needed public park, rather than for a library as planned by the Boyer administration.

The lot, on Jacques Tétreault St. and a short distance from the Montmorency Metro, had been singled out by the city as the location for a new municipal library building with a cultural centre.

However, the three parties as well as some residents in the mixed commercial/residential area believed it would be wiser to establish a park because of a local lack of green space in an area over-saturated with asphalt and concrete.

Two local members of the Quebec National Assembly, two Laval city councillors and an eminent neurosurgeon met at a Laval-area park to throw their support behind a province-wide campaign to encourage all children and adults to wear protective helmets to safeguard against the devastating effects of head injuries.

“Although we are proud of the cutting-edge care that our entire team is able to offer to patients who have suffered a head injury, the best defence remains prevention,” said Dr. Mathieu Laroche, a neurosurgeon at Hôpital du Sacré-Coeur in Cartierville.

While the crowds were somewhat thinner than usual, a steady downpour of rain during the late afternoon on Canada Day didn’t deter some patriotic Laval and greater Montreal residents from celebrating the country’s birthday, as they got back in touch with their cultural roots at the 2023 Laval Hellenic Summer Festival.

Suspected professional shoplifters believed to be connected to organized crime in Romania were arrested this month in connection with the theft of more than $70,000 worth of merchandise in Quebec. Officers with the Laval Police made the arrests and were encouraging shopkeepers to report similar thefts that may also have been committed by the suspects.

August 2023

Delayed sunshine made up for two days of rain at the Symposium de Ste-Rose

Although two days of rainfall put a dent in the usually strong attendance at the Symposium de Ste-Rose, abundant sunshine on the art exhibition’s last day made up for the shortfall.

The annual three-day artists’ gathering and exhibition drew thousands of appreciators of fine sculpture and exquisite art from all over Quebec as well as other parts of eastern Canada.

“I have to admit that things haven’t been great over the past two days and I was a little discouraged,” Oprina Felicia Dolea, the president of the Corporation Rose-Art which organizes the symposium, said in an interview with the Laval News on day two. “However, they are calling for sunshine tomorrow so let’s hope,” she added.

When Nathalie Seukpanya, whose two children attend Crestview Elementary School in Chomedey, saw that students with autism needed a new tool to help improve communications, she set out along with other parents to find a practical and affordable solution.

The one-of-a-kind bilingual communication board they came up with, made from a rigid durable material and weatherproof for Laval’s challenging weather conditions, held the potential to transform the way children with autism engage and communicate in their educational environment.

“Basically, the board helps them communicate with their educators and their peers,” Seukpanya said in an interview with The Laval News.

In a bid to obtain financial aid from Ottawa’s Housing Accelerator Fund, the City of Laval said it had made a formal application to the federal government for $102 million in order to answer increasing housing needs here.

In a statement the city issued, it noted that funding from the Housing Accelerator Fund must pass through the Quebec government first before being transferred to municipalities and that the logistics of the transfer were yet to be announced.

Chomedey resident Jacob Abramson’s son, Marc, also from the neighbourhood, sent The Laval News reports of his work as a “Helitack Crew Chief,” fighting fires in Manitoba last summer. (Helitack stands for Helicopter Transport Initial Wildfire Attack.)

Large areas of Western Canada were engulfed in wildfires last year and Marc Abramson was at the front where all the action was. He was stationed in the Paint Lake region of North East Manitoba about 750 kilometres north of Winnipeg.

September 2023

Canadian Forces parachuters drop in at Souvenir Elementary

Shortly after 8 am one day in early September last year, when the students would normally be arriving to begin their day, a phalanx of the Canadian Armed Forces Parachute Team – better known as the SkyHawks – jumped out of a small plane hovering around 2,500 feet over the Souvenir Elementary School yard and made a gradual parachute drop into the centre of the field – getting the academic year off to an exciting start.

The 17^th annual FILIA Walk a Thon on Sept. 16, which was also the fourth held in Laval, drew a loyal following of FILIA supporters, as well as elected officials who have provided help to the organization over the years.

It was a good day for a refreshing walk in and around the streets surrounding St. Norbert Park in eastern Chomedey, in order to raise awareness of the needs of senior citizens – which includes regular physical exercise.

Laval city councillor for the district of Souvenir-Labelle Sandra El-Helou, an associate member of the executive-committee, said she was focusing increasingly on FILIA, as well as on how the group can help the city meet Laval senior citizens’ needs.

“Every year I come to the walk to show my support for FILIA and also to thank them for the amazing job they do on the ground with our elderly population,” she told The Laval News.

In her final report as the City of Laval’s auditor-general before reaching the end of her 7-year mandate in December, Véronique Boily singled out the Laval Police Dept. for having insufficient controls over motor vehicle fuel purchases made with city credit cards, while taking into account the volume of purchases last year.

“The controls exercised by the Police Department are clearly insufficient for the volume of purchases, which amounted to $1.5 million in 2022,” Boily’s department stated in a summary of her report.

The report also pointed out that the city’s fuel card management system “lacks rigor since there is no mechanism to ensure that active cards are associated with vehicles in service.” The report noted that the city had not carried out monitoring activities or implemented appropriate corrective measures in light of the credit card issues.

The Al Sultan, a Middle Eastern-style restaurant familiar to many because of its strategic location on Curé Labelle Blvd. just north of the Cartierville bridge, became the focus of an arson investigation on Sept. 21 after an unidentified suspect tried to start a fire outside the establishment around 1:30 am. (The restaurant was finally destroyed by fire after another arson attack later in the year.)

October 2023

At work and play, meet Fabre MNA Alice Abou-Khalil

In a wide-ranging interview a year after first being elected to the Quebec National Assembly, CAQ MNA for Fabre Alice Abou-Khalil told The Laval News she was on the verge of persuading the Legault government to build at least one new high school in Fabre to meet the needs of an expanding population that included a large number of families.

“In Fabre there is no école secondaire – there is no high-school,” Abou-Khalil pointed out. “I’m pushing for it,” she said. “But I can’t push if the student numbers are not there as required to build one. I’m not making any promises. But the discussions are there.”

In the meantime, as far as Chomedey Liberal MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier was concerned, until you’ve actually served as a member of the Quebec National Assembly, you can’t have a real idea of just how demanding the job is.

Lakhoyan Olivier was back in Laval one afternoon this month for the Thanksgiving long weekend, after spending the previous week in Quebec City working on National Assembly business.

In her role as MNA for Chomedey, Lakhoyan Olivier said she was worried about the riding’s situation with regards especially to the rising number of homeless people, and the challenging security problems they are beginning to generate.

The federal government should build two new military bases in Canada’s Arctic – including one with a deep-seawater port – to boost the country’s presence in its farthest northern regions, while also honoring a commitment to help maintain global peace, former Quebec Liberal Premier Jean Charest suggested during a talk at Concordia University on Canada’s prospects as a “middle-power.”

“Sovereignty over the north and the Northwest Passage in particular for me is an emerging development and an emergency issue,” said Charest, whose Liberal government launched the northern-Quebec-focused Plan Nord in 2008, with an eye to opening up the province’s far northern reaches for industrial/ economic development.

A cooking fire in Chomedey left six families homeless. According to authorities, the blaze started around 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 19 in the basement unit of a six-unit apartment building on 80th Ave. near Perron Blvd. Other units in the building were damaged by smoke, and for that reason, occupants were not be able to return for several days.

November 2023

[31-21 p 3]

Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis marked her fourth year in office

Four years after first being elected as the Member of Parliament for the Laval riding of Vimy, Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis was recollecting on the two mandates she received, as well as some of the crises she found herself facing.

“So many differences – the world is a different place from when I was first elected in 2019,” she said in an interview with The Laval News. “It’s a real honour to have been entrusted with the portfolio that I have been,” added Koutrakis. “I have an amazing team of colleagues who are helping. We have an amazing staff.”

Quebec public sector union workers who walked off the job in late September, announced three more strike days for Nov. 21 to 23, unless a deal could be reached before then with the provincial government. Around 420,000 public sector employees were on strike as part of a walkout to protest the Quebec government’s latest contract offer.

The common front was demanding an increase of up to 20 per cent over the next three years. The impact of the strike was felt at public schools throughout the province, where teachers picketed and classes could only start by late morning or by the afternoon. A tentative resolution to the labour conflict was finally announced early in the new year.

The Laval Police said they arrested a person under the age of 18 in connection with a stabbing that took place near École secondaire Curé-Antoine-Labelle in Laval’s Sainte-Rose district. On the afternoon of Oct. 23, the LPD had rushed to Roi-du-Nord Park, in front of the high school, where a brawl between several people saw a teenager get stabbed. Although not life threatening, the victim’s wounds were serious.

Although Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer previously announced the 2024 property tax rate while emphasizing that the hike is less than the rate of inflation, there was no getting around the fact it was a whopping 4.8 per cent increase, even though that would only translate into $162 more on a house worth $440,742

In order to make ends meet next year, some serious cost-cutting would lie ahead, according to a statement issued by the mayor’s office. The mayor had already revealed that one way to keep expenses down next year would be to “greatly limit” new employee hirings,

December 2023

Canada positioned to dodge the recession bullet, says federal minister

Pondering the economic outlook for the coming year during an interview with Newsfirst Multimedia, Hochelaga Liberal MP Soraya Martinez Ferrada (the federal minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency in Quebec) maintained that since the country isn’t in a recession now, “that puts it in a good position” in terms of future investments, employment and economic renewal.

“Contrary to what some people might tell you or what Conservatives will tell you, that Canada is broke, Canada is not broken, Canada is in a good position,” she said, while acknowledging that “these are difficult times and we’re making sure that we will continue to support Canadians through this.”

Asked whether the government agrees with some economists’ forecasts that 2024 will see an economic downturn leading into a recession, Ferrada said, “Not at this moment. I think we’re looking at that very closely. But our economy right now is in a very good position.”

For the last 32 years, when many women and children have been in crisis in the greater Montreal region, they turned to the Shield of Athena for help. With that in mind, a cross-section of supporters from the community came together this month to raise $150,000 to help fund Shield of Athena’s biggest expansion to date: the Second Step Shelter, which is being built in Laval.

The Shield of Athena’s Lilac Event, which was held at the Palace Convention Centre, celebrated the work the Shield and its staff conduct on a daily basis. Set to open in 2024, the Second Step shelter will have 17 apartments which will be able to house women and children for up to two years.

If you were hoping to get into the holiday spirit with Christmas less than three weeks away, there was still time to get over to Laval’s Centre de la Nature in Duvernay for the city’s 12^th annual Marché de Noël.

Some fifty exhibitors will be offering their creations, including handmade crafts, jewellery, clothing, beauty products, decorations and delicacies. Some of Santa’s helpers were even on hand, making their way around while entertaining the moms, dads and kids.

While soaring inflation and labour shortages are just two of the issues currently afflicting restaurant operators in Laval, Montreal and the rest of Quebec, the province’s restauranteurs were cautiously optimistic about their prospects in the new year, although there were still problems to be worked out.

The Association Restauration Québec (ARQ) had serious concerns about labour shortages, as well as customers who don’t show up after making table reservations, leading the RAQ to ask that they be penalized $20 in instances like these.

Martin C. Barry

The Laval Police have released photos of a man they say is a suspect in multiple fraud cases involving a “grandparent scam” perpetrated in Laval last summer.

In the scheme, a suspect called the victim claiming to be their son. The fraudster said he was in jail after causing an accident by using his cell phone while driving. He also claimed a pregnant woman was injured in the accident.

A second suspect then claimed to be a lawyer, took over the call, insisted the situation was very serious and there was an immediate need for about $5,000 in bail money.

He also told the victim that a collection agent would show up at the victim’s home to collect the funds with a file bearing a special number for the case. The victim was also told they had to write their name and bank account number on the envelope and turn it over to the collection agent.

The suspect sought by the LPD is 25-30 years old, speaks French, stands 6’ 4” tall and weighs about 250 pounds. He has short dark hair, dark eyes and a tattoo on his right wrist that extends slightly to the top of the hand.

Anyone with any information that could further the investigation is urged to call the Laval police information line at 450-662-4636 or call 911 and mention file LVL-230704-066.

Guns were fired less often than usual in Laval last year, according to the LPD

In a report on criminal use of firearms in Laval in 2023, the Laval Police Dept. says the number of incidents leading to a firearm being discharged took a sharp decline last year compared to the year before.

According to the force, there were 13 events in 2023, compared with 24 the previous year and 43 in 2021.

Jean-François Rousselle, assistant director of the force ‘s criminal investigation division, said a new strategy produced encouraging results.

The LPD attributes the decline to the success of Projet Paradoxe, which focuses on firearms-related events.

He said there had been a drop in gun-related incidents over the past two years.

In 2023, 57 firearms were seized by the LPD in Laval and 30 suspects were arrested.

Man dies in house fire on Jarry Blvd. in Chomedey

The Laval Police have opened an investigation after a fire last week that left a 71-year-old man dead on Jarry Blvd. in Chomedey.

According to the LPD, a 9-1-1 call was received at about 11 p.m., reporting flames at a residence on Jarry. Firefighters who entered found a man unconscious inside. Although attempts to resuscitate him were made on the spot and he was taken to hospital, he was later declared dead.

While a preliminary investigation suggests the fire was accidental, an on-site inspection of the residence’s kitchen found a smoke detector that had no battery. The Laval Police routinely opens an investigation into fires when the Laval Fire Dept. finds grounds to suspect arson or when there has been a fatality.

Gunmen mistakenly target two homes in Chomedey

The Laval Police are investigating two separate targeted shootings on de Normandie Blvd. in Chomedey last week, committed by gunmen who apparently got the address wrong in both cases. Officers with the LPD were called to one of the addresses near the corner of d’Alençon Ave. around 5:30 am.

The owner, an 86-year-old man, complained that gunshots had been fired on the garage door of his residence, although there were no reported injuries and the perpetrators fled quickly. The police said later that the man had no known connections to criminals and didn’t have a police record.

Nearly a week before, also around 5:30 am at a nearby house, near the corner of de Normandie and 100th Ave., gunshots were fired through a residence’s large front window into the living room, as well through a smaller window into a bedroom where a woman in her 20s was sleeping.

After interviewing the family, the police told them they were probably mistakenly targeted.

Suspect charged with murder after man fatally stabbed in Laval-des-Rapides

The Laval Police rushed to the scene of a stabbing incident last week on Place Robin in Laval-des-Rapides where they arrested a male suspect who allegedly attacked a 66-year-old man who died from his injuries.

Although the victim was taken by ambulance to hospital, he was pronounced dead upon arrival, according to the LPD.

An LPD spokesperson said the suspect and the victim knew each other, without providing further details. The Journal de Montréal identified the victim as Abdelhak Ajaba, the suspect’s father. The suspect, identified by Montreal media as Mohamed Reda Ajaba, was charged at the Laval courthouse with second-degree murder.

According to The Gazette, Mohamed Reda Ajaba has a criminal record. In 2018, he was sentenced to an eight-month prison term and two years of probation after he pleaded guilty to armed robbery and the unauthorized possession of a restricted or prohibited firearm.

As well, according to the daily, he has a case pending at the Valleyfield courthouse where he is charged with possession of material obtained through a crime and possession of burglary tools.

Martin C. Barry

Elected officials from the federal, provincial and municipal governments, including Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and representatives from the cities of Laval and Montreal, expressed support for the Tamil people during a major event for Tamil Heritage Month held at the Château Royal congress centre in Laval last Sunday which drew more than 1,000 persons of Tamil origin.

In a speech, Prime Minister Trudeau called out human rights violations against Sri Lanka’s Tamil minority. “Canada has one of the largest Tamil diasporas in the world,” said Trudeau, noting that Liberal government under his father in 1983 welcomed more than 1,800 Tamils who came to settle in Canada, starting a wave of further immigration to this country by the Tamil community.

Support from Trudeau

“Your contributions to this country are extraordinary,” he continued. “We know that even as we celebrate rights and freedoms and diversity and culture identity here in Canada, there continues to be challenging situations in Sri Lanka. And that’s why Canada will continue to stand with the international community, including at the United Nations’ human rights council, to call for accountability, call for justice, call for reconciliation.”

Trudeau said Canada will “continue to stand with the Tamil community” and that he stood by Canada’s decision last year to sanction several Sri Lankan state officials for gross and systematic violations of human rights during armed conflict in Sri Lanka from 1983 to 2009. He said it is important “to demonstrate that nowhere around the world will we put up with the kinds of human rights abuses that we’ve seen. We will continue to stand with the Tamil community.”

Celebrating the Tamils

First launched in 2010, Tamil Heritage Month celebrates the history of Canada’s Tamil community and its contribution to the social, cultural, political and economic strength of Canada.

The federal government declared January Tamil Heritage Month in 2016, recognizing the importance of the Tamil community on a national basis. Last Sunday’s celebration was Montreal’s sixth Annual Tamil Heritage Month event, organized by more than 50 organizations from all over the region. While recognizing the Tamil community’s accomplishments and tracing its roots, Tamil Heritage Month also provides opportunities to celebrate the Tamils’ history in Canada.

Pongal festival month

The month of January was chosen as Tamil Heritage Month for a number of reasons. The Pongal festival, the most important and widely-celebrated festival amongst Tamils around the world, falls in the middle of the month. Pongal is both a time of thanksgiving for the blessings of a past year and a time to look forward to the start of a new year. The first month of the Tamil calendar, Thai, begins in the middle of January.

Throughout the morning and early afternoon, members of Tamil cultural and community groups performed musical numbers and folk-dance routines. Short documentary film presentations were also projected, providing background on the history of the Tamil people, as well as more recent developments in Sri Lanka where a civil war raged and came to an uneasy conclusion more than a decade ago.

Understanding the Tamils

Delivering a message on behalf of Conservative Party of Canada leader Pierre Poilièvre, former Laval Tory candidate Agop Evereklian said that as an Armenian, he identified strongly with the Tamils who endured tens of thousands of fatalities during the 26-year-long civil war between Tamil and Sinhalese forces.

“As a Canadian of Armenian origin, I really feel the history, the pain and the wounds of the Tamil people and I will always be a friend of the Tamil people,” Evereklian said.

Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis, who tabled a resolution in June 2022 calling on the city to recognize the extreme violence committed against the Tamil people as a genocide, was presented by Montreal Tamil community representatives with a symbolic gift in thanks and recognition of her support.

Deros proud of the Tamils

From the City of Montreal, city councillors from the governing Projet Montréal party, as well as from the opposition Ensemble Montréal, also came forward to express their solidarity with the Tamil community in Montreal.

“It is always a pleasure participating in your community’s events,” said Parc Extension city councillor Mary Deros, a leading member of the Ensemble Montréal caucus. Deros’s district is home to a large number of people of Tamil origin.

“I want you to know that I am extremely proud of your community,” she added. “Why? Because you continue to teach your culture, your language to your children. Your children are being educated in both English and French, but you still continue to teach them about their roots and I congratulate you for that.”

Martin C. Barry

Laval city council took an additional step recently towards expanding the use of “dynamic” signage along streets to better inform motorists and residents of parking restrictions whenever there is a need for this, such as during snow storms.

During a recent council meeting, the council members awarded a contract to Pierre Brossard (1981) ltée to implement electronic parking regulation signage.

The signs, which are programmable remotely, will allow municipal employees to inform motorists and residents in “real time,” rather than with sandwich board signs which have been in usage for decades and must be set up one at a time manually on the side of the street.

“The implementation of dynamic signage will translate into an improved efficiency of the system thanks to real-time displays on the street indicating that operations are underday,” says Laval city councillor for Sainte-Dorothée Ray Khalil, the executive-committee member responsible for public works.

“It’s all with an eye on improving citizens’ experience, as well as the management of snow removal including cleaning the streets during the summer in some of Laval’s most densified sectors.”

The illuminated panels will be lit up when needed to display specific times when snow removal or street cleaning operations will be taking place, meaning that motorists and car owners must move their vehicles. The city decided to opt for the system following tests with several pilot projects on its territory over the past few years.

According to the city, residents were polled for their level of expected satisfaction with the system, as well as the public works department’s views on how it would improve their efficiency.

Widespread implementation of the system is expected to begin during the summer of 2024. It is expected to become functional in Chomedey beginning next winter, followed by Pont-Viau and Laval-des-Rapides during the summer of 2025.

Laval council unanimously backs De Cotis motion calling for swimming lessons

A motion tabled by Action Laval city councillor for the district of Saint-Bruno David De Cotis, asking his council colleagues to support a suggestion that Laval residents should receive free swimming lessons, was favourably received recently.

The motion, which has the backing of the Société de sauvetage du Québec (Lifesaving Society), received unanimous support. It also had the backing of Raynald Hawkins, the executive-director of the society.

De Cotis and the motion’s supporters agreed that as a municipality located entirely on an island surrounded on all sides by water, Laval is at a higher risk from hazards having to do with water-related incidents.

Laval at elevated risk

As well, supporters of the motion note that there are a large number of private and public pools in the City of Laval, and that many residents, including immigrants, may never have had the opportunity to learn how to swim.

“We have 38,000 private pools on the city’s territory,” said De Cotis, while adding that there was a sharp increase in the number of drownings in Quebec last year compared to previous years and that “we must do something to find solutions.”

“A project like this brings back a lot more than just swimming lessons,” said Hawkins. “It’s also an important way of introducing newcomers to Laval. The elected officials shouldn’t look upon this proposal as an expense for the city, but rather as an investment for the security of our children.”

Swim lessons for kids

The Lifesaving Society is a nonprofit organization whose mission is to promote safe interactions with water to prevent drowning and other injuries. The society’s Swim to Survive program (offered to 8+ year old students in the 3^rd to 6^th grades in elementary school) was created to prevent drowning.

It has been designed as an educational and active field trip. In addition to playing a key role in drowning prevention, the program gets children to move and gain self-confidence, and encourages them to visit aquatic facilities on a more regular basis.

Laval takes a new step forward by appointing the first director of its Office of Social Innovation and Ecological Transition

The Mayor of Laval, Stéphane Boyer announced recently the appointment of Sophie Paradis, who becomes the first Director of the Office of Social Innovation and Ecological Transition.

The Office, which is scheduled to launch in early February, will be responsible for supporting the City’s administrative units in aligning the delivery of services to citizens with the principles of carbon neutrality and equity in the face of environmental issues. Climate change and the importance of biodiversity in Laval require better coordination at all levels within the municipal organization.

“I am very excited to welcome Ms. Paradis to the Director of the Office of Social Innovation and Ecological Transition. We have great ambitions in terms of sustainable development and one of our wishes was to have a cross-cutting vision to guide our decision-making.

“In the context of the deployment of our climate plan – Horizon 2035, the Office will allow us to ensure that the ecological transition is applied everywhere and in a systemic way.”

Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis.

Martin C. Barry

Looking ahead at the various actions and projects she expects to undertake over the course of 2024, Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis said in an interview with The Laval News that some of the most significant issues for her constituents will be bringing down the cost of living, building more housing and finding ways to improve the health care system.

Federal health spending

While health care is actually a provincial jurisdiction, Koutrakis pointed out that the federal government also plays a role by transferring billions of dollars each year to the provinces to be spent on their health care services.

“We need to make sure that we strengthen and support the health care that Canadians are looking for, because we are an aging population, although we also have young people and others who face affordability issues,” said Koutrakis.

Business and employment

“That’s something I want to focus on,” she continued. “And I want to make sure that by creating well-paying jobs and helping small businesses, we can help the middle-class get ahead. As far as I’m concerned, when I look at Vimy and I see all the entrepreneurship that happens in this riding, like a small little enterprise or a depanneur or a pharmacy, these are the engine of our economy.

“I mean sure, the super conglomerates have a lot of capital that’s available to them to grow as multinational companies. But in Vimy we have a thriving community. And so, I want to make sure that the small businesses locally in Vimy that are having challenges can have extensions for things like the CEBA loans, because this is something I advocate for every day and I will continue doing so.”

Hellenic Heritage

Koutrakis, who is parliamentary secretary to the Minister of Tourism and Economic Development for Quebec, has been advocating to other MPs as well as to members of the Senate to adopt a motion she was instrumental in developing which would declare March as Hellenic Heritage Month.

The bill, which she helped write, has been passed in the Senate and she expects that at least two House of Commons MPs will agree to sponsor it. “Hopefully, we can have that introduced sooner rather than later, so that we can get it done once and for all this year,” added Koutrakis, noting that she hoped it would demonstrate her support for her Hellenic origins.

Laval-Les Îles Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury.

Martin C. Barry

When asked earlier this week about his political intentions in the coming year, Laval-Les Îles Liberal MP Fayçal El-Khoury told the Laval News that, among other things, he will be focusing on providing additional affordable housing to constituents, while also working towards improving the living conditions of the senior citizens in Laval-Les Îles.

Focus on seniors

In an interview, El-Khoury said he is currently working on several legislative issues involving senior citizens.

“In most caucus meetings, I raise the issue of our senior citizens,” he said, noting that Laval-Les Îles is home to an elevated number of seniors.

El-Khoury said he was among the first MPs to call upon the Trudeau government to create a new ministry to focus closely on senior citizens’ issues.

He said his efforts continue to persuade the government to implement the Canada-wide dental coverage plan, announced last year, which begins with an initial phase for senior citizens this year.

“And I will continue to play a major role in order to finalize once and for all the dental plan for our seniors,” added El-Khoury.

Students needed: El-Khoury

Another area the Laval-Les Îles MP said he will be concentrating on over the coming year involves immigration generally, as well as the issue of visas granted to students coming from overseas into Canada to undertake academic studies.

“Because students when they come to Canada, they pay rent, they pay tuition fees and other expenses, and this helps to push our economy forward,” he said.

At the same time, he noted that students whose skills and talents are developed at Canadian universities can often end up taking up permanent residency or citizenship here, thus contributing even further to the strengthening of the country’s economy.

Visiting students issue

Last week, Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Marc Miller said he was looking at ways to rein in an international student system that has “gotten out of control.”

Miller said that because of housing shortages and soaring rents, he would be looking at ways to reduce the number of international students, which has hit 800,000 students a year.

El-Khoury said the government’s plans haven’t been finalized and will be subject to fine-tuning in the coming year to ensure the issue is dealt with equitably.

While acknowledging that some incoming students may have abused the system and that better screening could be needed, he suggested it would be better to keep the door open to most foreign students, rather than enact policies that would place onerous restrictions on them.

Former NDP leader Tom Mulcair addressed lawyers and jurists at Concordia University last year on the impact of Quebec’s Bill 96. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Martin C. Barry

Although it may sound like somewhat of a cliché, ‘Out of the frying pan and into the fire’ might be the expression that best describes the overall mood last year.

After nearly three years of living through the Covid pandemic, a lot of people probably expected they’d be going from a bad situation towards some improvement.

But what with galloping inflation, shaky investment markets and new wars threatening to destabilize the world, 2023 turned into a year when it was hard to believe things would ever get back to normal.

January 2023

Storm fiasco galvanized demands for better air passenger rights

[31-01 p 3] Were you among the thousands of people from across Canada whose travel plans were overturned just before the Christmas season last year when airlines postponed or cancelled flights as a major storm wreaked havoc across Canada and the U.S.?

While Air Canada and other airlines got caught up in the ensuing mess, if anything it was Canadian low-cost carrier Sunwing that got hit with the most flack.

Gabor Lukacs, founder of the independent non-profit Air Passenger Rights group, took issue with Sunwing’s and the other airlines’ claims they were caught off-guard by the pre-Christmas weather disruption. “That’s the airlines’ story that there was a storm,” he said during an interview with Newsfirst Multimedia.

In police and local crime news, an alleged fraud artist from Laval was facing more than 30 charges in Atlantic Canada after allegedly taking part in a scheme to cheat senior citizens while posing as a police officer, a lawyer or a bail bondsman. Omar Zanfi, 24, from Laval was arrested in Moncton NB. It was alleged he defrauded 15 seniors in Nova Scotia using the so-called “grandparent scam.”

In a talk at Concordia University in January last year, former NDP leader Tom Mulcair said that in an election he expected later in 2023, Quebec’s Anglophone community should “express clearly what its views are” on the Trudeau government’s Bill C-13, as well as on “the abject failure” by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and federal Justice Minister David Lametti “to do anything to defend” the constitutional rights of Anglo Quebecers.

“I can tell you that if you want a result, let people who want your vote know that you’re dissatisfied with what they’ve done so far,” Mulcair said.

Federal Immigration Minister Sean Fraser (centre).

Martin C. Barry

Although federal Immigration Minister Sean Fraser insisted during an interview in February last year with The Laval News that Quebec was entirely within its constitutional rights to set limits on immigration into its territory, he said he personally favoured higher levels of immigration for economic reasons.

“My own view is that Canada needs more people for economic reasons,” he said. “My view is that we need to embrace immigration in the short term to address some of these gaps in the labour force …”

Under Quebec Premier François Legault’s immigration plan for 2023, the province could admit up to 52,500 new permanent residents last year – exactly the same as Quebec’s immigration plan for 2022. The plan had come under fire, especially from the province’s business community, which had serious concerns about post-pandemic labour shortages.

The Feb. 8 2023 issue of The Laval News profiled Jonathan Goldbloom, a longtime Montreal public relations professional who was appointed to the board of directors of Hockey Canada, following the national governing body of hockey’s collapse under the weight of scandal. (Goldbloom has been appointed chair of the board since then.)

“I wouldn’t be on the board if I didn’t think there was a crisis and that it needed to be addressed,” he said in an interview. “Yes, there was a lack of transparency. Yes, there should have been a proper investigation from day one and it should have been followed through with whatever ramifications there are.”

In one of the most controversial news stories to emerge from Laval last year, the driver of a Société de transport bus was charged with first-degree murder, attempted murder and assault in early February after he drove into the front entrance of a daycare in Sainte-Rose.

Two children, Maëva David and Jacob Gauthier, who were enrolled at the daycare on Terrasse Dufferin, were killed in the crash, while another six children were injured, when Pierre Ny St-Amand drove into the Garderie Éducative Ste-Rose, demolishing a corner of the building.

A small but angry nucleus of residents on Chomedey’s Ridgewood and Korman avenues was threatening to launch a lawsuit against the City of Laval over what they claimed were persistent problems with snow removal.

The problems were being blamed on a change the city had been gradually implementing in the width of Chomedey’s residential streets, which were previously nine metres wide with 128-centimetre-width sidewalks.

Andrew Caddell, president of the Task Force on Linguistic Policy.

Martin C. Barry

In March last year, the Task Force on Linguistic Policy was facing a challenge meeting a fundraising goal to contest Quebec’s Bill 96 in the Supreme Court of Canada, but hoped to make up the difference through new pledges.

“It’s been somewhat disappointing – we haven’t gotten the kind of response that we would have liked to have seen,” said Andrew Caddell, president of the task force. In the end, the group met its goal and filed its lawsuit.

Following a three-year hiatus when the Agape Youth and Parents Association couldn’t hold fundraisers because of Covid pandemic restrictions, a faithful supporter made up for the shortfall early last year with a generous donation to the Chomedey-based social services provider.

Brendt Schonfelder generously donated $1,000 towards funds gathered during Agape’s annual Denise Williams Valentine’s Day Love Walk.

“We really went down in the donations when we were online,” Agape co-founder and board member Betty McLeod said in an interview with the Laval News. As for Brendt Schonfelder’s $1,000 donation, McLeod said, “He’s a big donor to Agape. He’s a fantastic man. He’s known hardship, but he’s always been there to help us out and we have appreciated it.”

In March last year, the City of Laval joined agencies and governments around the world that were banning the use of the Chinese-owned TikTok video app from being used on electronic devices assigned for official business. The city said it was taking the action in order to prioritize the protection of the security of its citizens, employees and suppliers.

In March 2023, the City of Laval became one of 10 municipalities along the Mille Îles River that agreed to create a massive waterfront linear park more than 40 kilometres in length to enlarge overall green space in the Montreal region, while also assuring ongoing access to clean drinking water.

“This is one of our electoral commitments that is coming together today,” said Mayor Stéphane Boyer, who also sits on the Montreal Metropolitan Community’s executive-committee. “In Laval, not only is it one of our priorities to project natural areas, but it is also our wish to further develop them so that citizens may be able to take advantage of them fully.”

The Nuits de Beyrouth restaurant in the heart of Chomedey was targeted by arsonists this month for the third time since last year. In the latest incident, a front window was broken and an incendiary device was hurled in by a suspect or suspects. (The restaurant has since then closed, saying it was impossible to continue with ongoing arson threats.)

Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez .

Martin C. Barry

In an interview published this month last year in The Laval News, Canadian Heritage Minister Pablo Rodriguez (who is the Trudeau government’s pointman for Quebec) said Ottawa was focusing on affordability issues for families across the country as it unveiled details of the budget for the year ahead.

Among the elements was the Canadian Dental Care Plan, due to be fully implemented by 2025, providing dental coverage for up to nine million Canadians. “No one should have to choose between taking care of their teeth and paying their bills,” Prime Minister Justin Trudeau said about the plan in an earlier statement.

As reported in our April 5 issue, elected officials from three levels of government gathered at the war cenotaph near Laval city hall to pay respects alongside residents of Hellenic origin to Greek veterans and soldiers on the occasion of the 202^nd anniversary of Greece’s independence.

“We are all proud Greeks,” Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis said in an interview with The Laval News. “You have to remember our history. It’s because of the heroes of 2021 that we were liberated and we’re here today.”

If male attendance during an event held recently at the Laval English Speaking Senior Wellness Centre was somewhat higher than it usually is, this was perhaps not completely surprising, since men do tend to have a greater appreciation for sports heroes like legendary former Montreal Alouettes quarterback Anthony Calvillo.

Perhaps in anticipation of the Als’ surge later in 2023 when they won the Grey Cup, Calvillo predicted to the audience of seniors that there was “a lot of excitement” under new Als owner Pierre Péladeau, because he was going to let general manager Danny Maciocia “do his job” without owner interference.

An ice storm that raged through the Laval region in early April made a devastating impact on trees in neighbourhoods like Chomedey – although not to the same extent as the far more disastrous 1998 ice storm.

If anything, older trees with brittle trunks and limbs seemed to have been more susceptible to shearing off and falling. In Chomedey, on 90^th Ave. near the corner of 7th St., one of the neighbourhood’s oldest and stateliest trees fell halfway across the road.

Martin C. Barry

Last May, with significant rain forecast for Laval since the beginning of the month and over the following days, officials with the city were determined not to be caught off-guard with rising floodwaters, compared to past years when preventive measures were taken too late.

Since late April, according to the city, teams with the public works department were setting up a variety of barriers in especially flood-prone spots (such as on Riviera St. along the Rivière des Mille Îles in Laval-Ouest) as a precaution against the threat of rising waters.

According to an inventory conducted by the city, more than 209 homes in affected areas of Laval were threatened by flooding. As a result, the City of Laval had erected 1.2 kilometres of flood-resistant barriers (equal to 10 football fields).

Lanvac Surveillance, Canada’s leading third-party wholesaler of alarm monitoring services, marked a milestone – a partnership to provide support for Ukraine-based Ajax Systems’ intrusion alarm products in Canada

“Ajax is exploding all over Europe and they have just entered the Canadian market,” Stephanos Georgoudes, who is one of several members of a family deeply involved with Lanvac, said in an interview with The Laval News.

The 100 Laval Squadron of the Royal Canadian Air Cadets staged their 10th annual ceremonial review in the gym at Laval Junior Academy on May 6 with Chomedey Member of the Quebec National Assembly Sona Lakhoyan Olivier as the special guest and reviewing officer.

From late morning into the early afternoon, parents and friends seated on the sidelines had the opportunity to see their sons and daughters in the squadron undergo an inspection and review by Lakhoyan Olivier.

Our May 17 issue reported a “Spaghetti Day” fundraiser held by the Chevaliers de Colomb’s five councils in Laval at the Embassy Plaza on Curé Labelle Blvd., raising around $15,000 for the Maison de la Sérénité de Laval, a palliative care facility in Saint-Vincent-de-Paul.

Although it had been more than half a year since the 2022 Quebec general election, it was only on May 18 that Chomedey Liberal MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier finally got around to holding an official opening for her riding office. National Assembly work obligations and local office renovations held things up for a few months.

“I’ve been between the National Assembly three or four days a week and two days here,” she explained to supporters.

An old tire dumped on the edge of 2nd St. in Chomedey was among the refuse a local resident complained about to the Laval News.

Martin C. Barry

Responding in June last year to a complaint about poor sanitation on a street in the district of l’Abord-à-Plouffe, the Laval city councillor responsible had the following advice: “Call me first,” said Vasilios Karidogiannis, before contacting the media.

Sotirios Limnios, the owner of a small apartment block on 2nd St. near the corner of 92nd Ave., took The Laval News on a stroll along a stretch of 2^nd St. He claimed it had become an unsanitary mess strewn in some spots with bio-waste, including soiled disposable diapers, old vinyl medical gloves and broken glass.

Karidogiannis denied ever being contacted for assistance on the matter. For his part, the building owner acknowledged being aware Karidogiannis was his city councillor, but didn’t confirm whether he’d reached out to him for help.

Action Laval city councillor for Saint-François Isabelle Piché welcomed dog owners from her district to the official opening of a new dog park on June 12. Located just behind the firehall on Marcel Villeneuve Blvd., the canine facility was open to dog owners from all over the Saint-François area.

Laval city council’s toponymy committee chose the name Lava – that being the name of the first dog to serve in the LPD’s canine unit. Lava served from February 2003 until March 2009. “It’s a name which I find is appropriate for this dog park,” Piché said.

Although the fun and excitement were all there as in past years, the venue for the 2023 Laval Firemen’s Festival was entirely new on the weekend of Saturday June 3 and Sunday June 4.

Staged for years at the Laval Centropolis, the City of Laval and the Laval Fire Dept. decided to move the festival around two kilometres east to the parking lot at Collège Montmorency, citing improved safety and better access to public transit.

What started out at Laval Senior Academy as a day of high jinks to mark the end of another school year, turned into a dark chapter – with lasting consequences for up to 75 students. While end-of-year pranking has become somewhat of a tradition at LSA, 2023 is likely to be remembered as the year things went more than a little too far.

Among the pranks staged by the students were stink bombs, paint, water guns and graffiti on school property. Several LSA students were banned from attending the end-of-year prom as a consequence.

From the left, David Arseneault, political attaché for the riding of Laval-des-Rapides, Valérie Schmaltz, MNA for Vimont, Alice Abou-Khalil, MNA for Fabre, Jean Gagnon, executive director of the Centre de bénévolat et moisson Laval, and Christopher Skeete, MNA for Sainte-Rose and minister responsible for the Laval region.

Martin C. Barry

A few days before Christmas, Laval’s four CAQ MNAs joined together to donate $25,000 to the Centre de bénévolat et moisson Laval.

“This financial assistance was necessary so that Moisson Laval could meet the growing demand for food aid,” said Christopher Skeete, MNA for Sainte-Rose and minister responsible for the Laval region.

“I would like to acknowledge the invaluable contribution of the volunteers who are working hard during this difficult time,” he added.

“The Centre de bénévolat et Moisson Laval, through its admirable work, resolves any situation of need for food with respect and dignity,”said the MNA for Fabre, Alice Abou-Khalil. “By fighting hunger and poverty, this exceptional organization is making a tangible difference in the lives of those who need it most.”

Jean Gagnon, executive director of the Centre de bénévolat et moisson Laval, thanked the four MNAs for their support for the cause.

“It’s a commitment of solidarity for the community and it helps us too,” he said. “They join forces and respond to a crying need in society: hunger. We have seen it more and more in recent months, the demands have exploded, the needs have increased, even at the level of people who work.”

Action Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis (left) is seen here with SCAMA executive-director Stéphanie Froissart during the seniors’ gathering held just before the Christmas holidays.

Martin C. Barry

Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis expressed strong approval and support for the work done by the Centre de Services communautaires et d’aide au maintien de l’autonomie (SCAMA) during a Christmas-time event held last month at the senior citizens’ centre.

SCAMA provides a range of at-home services to seniors 50 years of age and older, and has been doing so for the past 40 years.

Smiles all around

The event, held a few days before Christmas, put smiles on the faces of the many seniors who attended. A lunch was provided by the Coco Frutti restaurant, which is also located in Chomedey.

“I am proud to support an organization which is so dedicated fundamental values such as the inclusivity of its clientele,” said Revelakis. “This focus underscores the importance of promoting the social interaction of seniors, regardless of their ethnic origins, to actively contribute to the Laval community.”

Support for seniors

SCAMA promotes the social interaction of seniors from ethnocultural minorities in order to answer to their various needs, such as support following loss of autonomy, while encouraging their participation as citizens, and while helping to break them out of their isolation.

“What a pleasure it was to see so many volunteers bringing their help to the organization, but mostly to see the seniors getting out of their habitual comfort zones to come dance, have fun and chat,” said SCAMA executive-director Stéphanie Froissart.

Mission accomplished

“This confirms without doubt that again this year, the SCAMA team has fulfilled its mission perfectly,” she added.

Mrs. Froissart noted that SCAMA’s food services include home delivery of frozen meals, accessible to residents from the greater Laval area, at moderate prices – a service that is greatly appreciated by the organization’s clients, she continued.

Martin C. Barry

Snow removal operations can last several days. Make sure to follow the signs in force until you receive a notification indicating the seasonal alternative parking is disable. When in doubt or by choice, you can always continue to practice alternate seasonal parking on a continuous basis.

Efforts: Actions That Count

Because small gestures can make a big difference, Laval residents join our efforts to better manage the 3.8 million cubic metres of snow that Mother Nature sends us each year. And we thank you for your efforts.

Through these joint efforts, there are fewer snow removal obstacles and the machinery is able to manœuvre more freely, thereby ensuring more effective and timely snow removal operations.

1. Clear the snow onto your property and not onto the street and sidewalks Residents and snow removal contractors are prohibited from blowing, pushing or dumping snow onto the street or sidewalk. This practice slows down snow removal operations considerably, which entails additional costs and can hinder public safety (by-laws L-6070 and L-12767).

2. Place collections bins on your property, at the end of your driveway, and not on the street or the sidewalk. On municipal collection days, place your garbage and recycling bins (PDF, 126 KB, in French only) on either side of your driveway entrance, and not on the public road, so as not to hinder snow removal operations.

3. Comply with the parking signage or prepare to respect the seasonal alternation in the targeted locations as soon as precipitations are announced. Complying with the signage in place is key to ensuring the effectiveness of various operations. It’s important to remember that removable signs placed on snowbanks take precedence over fixed signs (by-law L-6070).

4. Park your car in your driveway or no closer than 30 cm from the sidewalk. Whenever possible, park your vehicle in your driveway or your private parking space. If you must park your vehicle on the street, make sure to park it at least 30 cm from the sidewalk so that machinery can pass easily, while ensuring that there is enough space in the street for an emergency vehicle or bus.

5. In the fall, place your car shelter a minimum distance of 2 feet from the sidewalk or 4 feet from the street. There are regulations governing the way car shelters are positioned. By-law L-2000 sets out the distances that must be observed between a car shelter and the public road.

6. Observe the road right-of-way It is prohibited to have anything other than grass or paving on the first metre alongside the curb (by-law L-10378).

7. Clearance from fire hydrants As a preventive measure, residents are asked to leave clearance around fire hydrants in front of their properties. It is strictly prohibited to attach anything to a fire hydrant or to bury it under the snow (Highway Safety Code).

Snow patrol

This year, the snow patrol will travel the city again in an effort to raise public awareness of these small gestures and ensure compliance with regulations. The snow patrol has a mission to:

• Inform the public and promote public awareness of the responsibilities of residents when it comes to snow removal.

• Support police officers by identifying private snow removal contractors, companies and residents who dump snow on the street during snow cleaning operations.

• Hand out statements of offence when towing operations are carried out during snow removal operations or when a parking infraction is observed.

Claims

If your property is damaged by a snow removal crew, you can file a claim.

Firs and Christmas Trees

Free collection of natural Christmas trees to give a second life to your faded tree by transforming it into wood chips. The collection of Christmas trees takes place the same day as the recycling collection. Please note that there are two separate collections, carried out by different trucks.

2024 Collection dates

Until Jan. 19, inclusively. Please view the recyclable materials collection schedule for details on the Christmas tree collection.

How to participate

• Remove all the decorations from your tree, including tinsel strands

• Do not put the tree in a plastic bag

• Place the tree in plain view after 7 p.m. on the day before the collection or before 7 a.m. on the day of the collection:

◦ On your property

◦ Set back from the street and sidewalk (so as not to obstruct the street or sidewalk)

Wood chips obtained from the transformation will then be used in the fabrication of building material or animal bedding. They also serve as mulch for gardening and landscaping.

The Laval Police completed a major bust recently involving a large network for the cultivation and sale of cannabis that was operating in Laval, Montreal, as well as on the North Shore and the South Shore.

Projet Drago, as the initiative was code-named, led to the identification of four suspects, followed by four raids with arrests in Laval, Montreal, Saint-Adèle in the Laurentians and Saint-Adèle-de-Newton in the Montérégie.

The investigation led to the discovery by police that although production of cannabis had been authorized to some of the suspects by Health Canada which had issued permits, a substantial amount of the product was being distributed outside the agency’s rules and therefore illegally.

The police estimate the value of the cannabis seized at more than $2.5 million. The seized materials included:

• 2,085 plants of cannabis;
• 169.3 kgs of cannabis bud;
• 9.26 kgs of bulk cannabis.

Also seized

• $34,530 in Canadian currency;
• 864 cuttings;
• Two vehicles valued at $60,000;
• 2 air conditioners.

Chhuong Ngo, age 44, Con Ngo, age 52, Van Linh Pho, age 48, as well as Steve St-Germain, age 52 ans, face charges of producing cannabis illegally. They were arraigned at the Palais de justice de Laval and were freed on bail with conditions to follow until their next court appearance.

Adèle Sorella acquitted of charge she murdered daughters

A Laval woman was acquitted recently in the 2009 deaths of her young daughters after a third trial on murder charges.

Adèle Sorella was convicted of murder in 2013 and 2019, but both of those decisions were overturned on appeal.

The girls were found dead in the family’s Laval home, but their bodies showed no signs of violence and a cause of death was never determined.

Justice Myriam Lachance said in her written decision on Monday that she remained unconvinced that Sorella had seized an opportunity to kill her daughters, Sabrina and Amanda, when they were eight and nine years old respectively.

Sorella was married to known Mafia figure Giuseppe De Vito, who died poisoned in prison in 2013.

Laval Police seize first 3-D printed gun

There’s a first time for everything, and the Laval Police announced recently they had seized a 3D printed firearm for the first time.

As these types of weapon have already become quite common in the U.S., it’s believed it will be only a matter of time before they also turn up more often in Laval and other areas of the province.

According to the LPD, officers pulled over a vehicle in late November for a routine infraction of the Highway Safety Code. While the officers were checking ID and documents, one of the occupants of the vehicle falsely identified himself.

The two occupants were placed under arrest, and while searching the suspects, police seized a 3D-printed revolver from one of them. A small quantity of drugs and false identification were also seized.

According to the LPD, the possession of a 3D-printed firearm is an emerging phenomenon in Quebec as police battle gun-related urban violence.

The 30-year-old alleged to be carrying the weapon was arraigned at the Palais de Justice de Laval on a charge of possession of a prohibited weapon. He remained in custody at last word and was scheduled to make another court appearance on Jan. 18.

Local police in raids over killings, including one in Laval

Laval was one of several communities across Quebec where police were conducting raids and seizures tied to a series of organized crime-related killings, including the deaths of three people who were mistakenly targeted.

The operation was connected with killings in Montreal and on the North Shore from the mid-1990s to more recently. Police said the raids — in Laval, Mirabel, Rosemère and Notre-Dame-de-l’Île-Perrot — were primarily in conjunction with the deaths of the three people mistakenly killed.

The victims were Lida Phon, 32, who was killed in a Laval home in August 2012; Domenico Facchini, 37, who was shot dead in a cafe in Montreal’s St-Léonard borough in December 2012; and Nicolas Lavoie-Cloutier, 18, killed in Terrebonne, Que., in June 2018.

Police said suspects targeted in the raids were linked to the Mafia, the Hells Angels and street gangs.

ICI Television founder and president Mohammad Norouzi, centre, is seen here during the anniversary celebration with his son, Sam, senior vice-president and general manager of ICI, along with Sam’s two children. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Martin C. Barry

The entrepreneurial family behind one of Canada’s most ambitious multicultural broadcast media ventures hosted a celebration for its many loyal clients and supporters in Montreal last week to mark the anniversary of its first decade of operation.

ICI Television, an independent multicultural station with its transmitter near downtown Montreal on top of Mount Royal, has seen its share of challenges over the past 10 years.

David vs. Goliath

But, as in the storied biblical tale of David and Goliath, ICI Television overcame initially great odds against a mighty foe, to gather a loyal following of supporters and a comprehensive schedule of programming in 17 languages.

Although ICI Television has undergone several transformations over the years, the station’s most recent incarnation dates back to 2013. That’s when Mohammad Norouzi, a Persian Montrealer, struck a deal with Rogers Media to support ICI Television.

ICI first started airing programming in December 2013, taking on the role as Montreal’s sole dedicated multicultural television broadcaster.

CBC’s pre-emptive strike

However, not long before this, the aforementioned Goliath (a.k.a. CBC/Radio-Canada) came along. The federal government-owned national network claimed in a lawsuit, filed pre-emptively in March 2013, that ICI Television’s branding violated a Radio-Canada claim to “Ici” as a registered trademark.

In spite of that, ICI Television has managed to survive and even flourish for 10 years in an increasingly turbulent mass media environment.

As for the CBC, they recently announced a hiring freeze, as well as plans to cut 600 jobs to help make up for an anticipated $125-million shortfall. This in spite of the more than $1 billion in funding CBC/Radio-Canada receives from the federal government annually.

The ‘power of dreams’

“A decade ago, an ambition was realized when ICI Television was born,” Sam Norouzi, Mohammad’s son who is senior vice-president and general manager of ICI, told a gathering of several hundred guests at the Volare Plaza Hotel on Côte de Liesse Rd.

They celebrated with beverages from an open bar, before enjoying a lavish seafood buffet and a full-course meal.

Sam called the station’s success “a testament to the power of dreams, hard work and the unwavering support of our viewers, partners and dedicated teams,” while adding that “we have strived to provide quality content that entertains, informs and resonates with our diverse audiences.”

Video clip from Trudeau

Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, who normally might issue a written congratulatory statement on a PMO letterhead when acknowledging a significant milestone by a person or organization, sent a videotaped message several minutes long, suggesting the high regard he has for ICI Television.

“To everyone celebrating this evening and to all of you who’ve worked so hard in the past 10 years, thank you – here is to many more years of success,” said the Prime Minister.

In an interview with Newsfirst Multimedia, Sam Norouzi pointed out that of the many ownerships ICI Television has been through, the current one under the Norouzi family is the first to have lasted a full ten years. “So, it’s quite a milestone, it’s quite humbling, and it’s a very exciting experience,” he said.

Coping with the turbulence

As these are turbulent times for everyone with a stake in mainstream media, Sam acknowledged that ICI Television is not an exception to this trend – although it is managing to cope while maintaining a positive outlook towards the future.

“With the phenomenon of cord-cutting and ad revenues transitioning to streaming services, that effect is compounded and multiplied for ethnic media, because we have to play the same game but with one hand tied behind our back,” he said, noting they don’t have access to big advertisers because of differences in how ICI’s viewership gets rated.

“So, it is a difficult situation,” Sam added. “Still, we’ve been able to survive so far through very responsible management. And, for that reason, we are very optimistic about the future.”

PHOTO: MP Vimy Annie Koutrakis (second from left) participated in Agape’s 2023 Christmas food drive.

Martin C. Barry

The Youth and Parents AGAPE Association says it struggled this year to gather enough non-perishable items for its annual Christmas food drive.

“We don’t have enough non-perishable items to help families that are in need,” the organization stated on Dec. 15 on its Facebook page. “Due to the school strike and many other reasons, we haven’t received a lot of donations as years past,” they added.

At last word, Agape was looking for donations of mac and cheese, tomato sauce, spaghetti sauce with and without meat, toilet paper and paper towels.

After joining local elected officials for the launch of Moisson Laval’s 39^th Christmas basket campaign, Agape wrote on their social media feed, “Inspiring to see community spirit in action!

“Fruitful discussions with provincial and municipal colleagues, highlighting the meaningful work of Moisson Laval,” they added. “Together, let’s make this festive season brighter for all.”

In the picture from left to right: Aldo Geloso, President Groupe Geloso, Virginie Dufour, MNA for Mille-Îles, Isabelle Piché, councillor for Saint-François, David De Cotis, councillor for Saintt-Bruno, Jean Gagnon, director-general of Centre de bénévolat et moisson Laval, and Christopher Skeete, Quebec MNA for Sainte-Rose.

Martin C. Barry

Action Laval city councillors David De Cotis (Saint-Bruno) and Isabelle Piché (Saint-François) spent most of a morning and an afternoon one day last weekend helping to deliver Christmas baskets to needy families all over the Laval region.

The Laval city council colleagues (who are also a husband-and-wife team) volunteered their time and resources to the Centre de bénévolat/Moisson Laval to see that families in Laval that are less fortunate might have some Christmas joy in their lives during the upcoming holidays.

“We wanted to give of our time to see that citizens in need in Laval received what they needed,” said De Cotis, while adding both he and Piché do a fair amount of hands-on volunteering.

Melanie Massarelli, a former LJA educator who is now director of membership welfare for the Laurier Teachers’ Union, said in an interview with The Laval News that the LTU members have many of the same grievances as their counterparts in other provincial teachers’ unions.

Martin C. Barry

For parents of children attending Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board schools where rotating teacher strikes have disrupted many families’ lives, there’s a promise of labour peace until January at least, although strike action could resume then if the provincial government and the teachers don’t arrive at an agreement.

Picket line solidarity

Several hundred teachers from SWLSB schools and vocational centres from all over the board’s territory – including Laval but also the Lanaudière and Laurentian regions – gathered outside Laval Junior Academy on Daniel Johnson Blvd. earlier this month for a noisy picket line demonstration of solidarity.

Support lacking: union

The complaints centre largely around classroom working conditions and the pedagogical integration of students. “Unfortunately, as a generality there is no support for the teachers,” she said, noting that teaching students with disabilities has become a key issue because classroom assistance is lacking.

“There’s definitely understaffing – there’s a lack of teachers,” she continued. “Even the qualified teachers that leave university, within their first five years 50 per cent of them drop out. For us this is a big issue.”

Regarding working conditions within the SWLSB itself, she said the board struggles to convince qualified teachers to accept positions at schools located in some of the SWLSB’s northernmost reaches in the Laurentians.

Says incentives needed

She said the board would need to improve conditions and provide more incentives to fully certified teachers, many of whom completed their university studies in Montreal and other urban centres, so they agree to teach in rural areas like Joliette, St. Agathe and Rawdon.

While many of the teachers involved last week in the demonstration outside LJA previously walked picket lines outside their respective schools, they gathered together for one last massive show of unity before the Christmas holidays.

Massarelli said the teachers could walk out on strike again in January, prior to which the union leadership would have to serve seven days notice.

Selvananthini Shanmugarasa, owner of the Nanthu Kitchen in Montreal’s Côte des Neiges district, was intrigued by Keenon Robotics’ “Dinerbots,” but said she was unlikely to be able to use one at her relatively modest restaurant. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Martin C. Barry

While soaring inflation and labour shortages are just two of the issues currently afflicting restaurant operators in Laval, Montreal and the rest of Quebec, the province’s restauranteurs remain cautiously optimistic about their prospects in the new year, although there are still problems to be worked out.

Not all is good in the restaurant sector across Canada, according to reactions gathered by a nationwide restaurant industry group after the Trudeau government issued its 2023 Fall Economic Statement last month.

Inflation and labour

The government missed an opportunity to implement sector-specific support for the restaurant industry, which was the hardest hit by the pandemic, claimed Restaurants Canada.

“The industry does not want a handout, but rather they need more time for recovery and without more government support the foodservice industry is running out of runway,” they said in a statement.

The trade group said the update left little room for optimism for the more than 95,000 restaurant operators who employ over 1.1 million people across Canada to help deal with record-high inflation, the soaring cost of food, and increasing labour shortages.

CEBA and immigration

Among the measures Restaurants Canada is urging the government to adopt in order to promote bottom-line growth would be revisiting the Covid pandemic CEBA repayment plan by extending the interest-free period by 12 months. They are also calling on the government to implement a pilot project for a dedicated immigration stream for the hospitality sector.

While Restaurants Canada said the country’s food service sector achieved remarkable growth in the past year, projected to reach $110 billion by the end of 2023, the added that it didn’t translate into a fatter bottom line for most food service businesses, with 51 per cent operating at a loss or barely breaking even, compared to just 12 per cent before the pandemic.

Annual gathering of RAQ

Last month, Quebec’s largest trade group for restaurant operators, the Association Restauration Québec (ARQ), held its annual gathering for 5,600 RAQ members from all over the province at the Marché Bonsecours in Old Montreal.

In an interview with Newsfirst Multimedia, RAQ vice-president for public and government affairs Martin Vézina named off a few of the most pressing issues now facing Quebec’s restauranteurs. Among them are the question of a growing discrepancy between the earnings of table service employees (up to $40 per hour with tips) and kitchen workers ($22-$25 an hour without tips).

Wage discrepancies

“There’s a difference of around $15 an hour and this is creating friction,” Vézina said, noting that the province’s current regulations regarding tipping revenues don’t allow the employer to divide them up more equitably between different types of workers.

He said the RAQ is lobbying the provincial government to allow restauranteurs to do just that, while also asking Quebec to include some protections in the law to prevent unscrupulous employers from using it as a pretext to clandestinely exploit workers.

Labour shortages persist

Like Restaurants Canada, the RAQ has serious concerns about labour shortages. In addition to a chronic lack of workers, the province’s labour laws currently place some limits on when and for how long employees can be asked to work. RAQ wouldn’t mind if that requirement were loosened up a bit – at least until the province’s economy picks up.

Finally, an issue that has been rankling a growing number of the province’s restauranteurs for some time has nothing to do workers or tips, but rather the restaurant customers themselves. According to Vézina, restaurant owners and personnel are fed up with clients who make table reservations, but then never show up.

Missed reservation penalty

He said that over the coming Christmas holidays, some restaurants will be writing off tens of thousands of dollars in income which will be lost for this reason alone: people who simply decide not to respect their reservation. He said the RAQ is asking Quebec to pass legislation that would allow restaurants to impose a $20 penalty.

According to Vézina, as many as 3,500 restaurants (15-18 per cent of the province’s eating establishments) closed permanently as a result of the Covid pandemic. Tracking the numbers by following lists of restaurant permits issued by the Quebec Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food, the association has determined that closings continue to exceed openings of new restaurants.

Served by a ‘Dinerbot’

Some of the innovations being promoted as labour-saving alternatives during the RAQ’s trade show last month were Shanghai-based Keenon Robotics’ table server “Dinerbots,” capable of performing rudimentary waitressing tasks, such as delivering food and beverages to seated patrons. The concept reportedly has started to catch on in some parts of Asia, although not yet in Canada or Quebec.

Among the ARQ members looking for new ideas at the exhibition’s many corporate booths was Selvananthini Shanmugarasa, owner of the Nanthu Kitchen bakery/restaurant in Montreal’s Côte des Neiges district. Although she was intrigued by the idea of a robot providing a helping hand in her establishment, she passed on it, saying her business was probably too small to justify the cost.

Martin C. Barry

At the special meeting of December 12, 2023, the municipal council approved the award of the contract for the first phase of work, which will consist of selective interior demolition, i.e. the dismantling of electromechanical systems, stripping and decontamination.

With this first work contract, Laval is beginning the realization of its project to bring City Hall, one of the most important heritage buildings in the territory, up to standard. This preparatory work will begin in early 2024 and will form the foundation for construction work to come later, as part of an upcoming call for tenders.

During this meeting, the municipal council also terminated the professional services contract of Affleck de la Riva (ADLR), architects S.E.N.C. (ADLR) responsible for the development and upgrading of Laval City Hall. This decision was made following the joint recommendation of the Procurement Service and the Project Planning and Delivery Service.

It should be noted that the City of Laval is responsible for managing the funds entrusted to it by Laval residents with rigour and transparency. The teams carried out several mitigation measures with the architectural firm in order to ensure compliance with the obligations related to the contract. ADLR’s continued conduct, including numerous unjustified claims for additional professional fees, resulted in an irreparable breach of the City’s relationship of trust with it and led to the termination of the professional services contract for cause. This decision will save the City additional issues and potential delays. This is in the best interest of ensuring the success of the project.

Next Steps for the City Hall Restoration Project

In early 2024, the City will also launch three new calls for tenders (architecture and landscape architecture; mechanical, electrical and telecommunications; structural and civil) from professional firms to complete the design of the next city hall, produce execution plans and supervise the work. This action is necessary to ensure the continuation of the project, which has been the subject of a rigorous analysis for several months. As evidenced by this process, the City is very vigilant and is closely monitoring the impacts of the inflationary context in the construction industry, particularly with regard to the increase in material costs. Since the beginning of the project’s planning, the City has demonstrated exemplary transparency and rigorous budget management. It will also ensure that the successful bidder meets all the criteria of its call for proposals, including budget compliance.

Historical

Laval City Hall was built between 1963 and 1964. This building is part of Laval’s urban heritage: it represents a unique ensemble whose modern architectural solution allowed the designers to win the 1st architectural competition in Quebec. The work is necessary because the building has retained several original elements that are now in deterioration or no longer meet current standards.

Since 2020, the activities of the town hall and some municipal services have been relocated to 3131 Saint-Martin Boulevard West. The project consists of several phases, including: design, preparation of plans and specifications, repair and upgrading work, reconstruction of the building’s annex and all of its components (the old barracks, the link, the garage and the boiler room) as well as the exterior fittings.

Martin C. Barry

Val-des-Arbres city councillor and acting leader of Action Laval Achille Cifelli, along with Chomedey and Saint-François city councillors Aglaia Revelakis and Isabelle Piché, as well as Saint-Bruno and Saint-Vincent-de-Paul city councillors David De Cotis and Paolo Galati, are strongly criticizing Mayor Stéphane Boyer’s budget for 2024.

A call for restraint

They say that far from making responsible choices, “the mayor confirms his focus on big spending at a time when the economic situation calls for restraint.”

“By piling up on major mega projects in the downtown area, the mayor is negating the main role of a municipality: serving its citizens,” the opposition councillors said in a statement.

They say the administration should spend on the maintenance of existing infrastructure before it considers spending large sums on new super-projects.

“The mayor’s priorities are in the wrong place,” said De Cotis. “Real estate projects are stalled because our sewage systems are overflowing, literally. We need to spend $600 million to upgrade them. That’s a priority.”

The Action Laval councillors said it shouldn’t be forgotten that people in Laval are currently going through a housing crisis and that real estate projects are at a standstill because overflows are multiplying.

Can’t get construction permits

They said many real estate developers want to develop but can’t get their permits. Action Laval said it would have preferred the budget to also focus on local services such as sports and cultural infrastructure in the districts, pickleball fields, parks and community centres which are lacking all over the island.

“This year, we will be paying an additional $40 million just to pay down the debt from the mayor’s major projects,” insisted Piché. “The law requires us to replenish reserves, so we will have to pay $10 to $20 million to replenish the reserves depleted by these projects. This year alone, we have $50 to $60 million less to carry out the city’s basic tasks.”

In addition to criticism of what Action Laval referred to as “the uncontrolled growth of the administration,” the party said the administration must consider hiring additional staff for super-projects such as the central library and the aquatic centre. They said this addition results in recurring expenses to be paid for in years to come, straight from the taxpayers’ wallets.

Finance commission suggested

“We are going to propose setting up an all-party commission on municipal finances, like the ones in Montreal and Sherbrooke,” said Cifelli. “We will not let the mayor raise taxes without looking seriously at how to control spending.”

The party maintained that a substantial 4.8 per cent increase in municipal taxes was “the direct result of the mayor’s choices. These choices eliminate a very large number of options for the future. At this rate, Ville de Laval’s debt will rise from $781 million to $1.3 billion, representing an increase of 66 per cent, a radical change for an administration that does not have the public’s mandate to put the city into such debt.”

The councillors also said Mayor Boyer “was not taking any steps to reduce administration expenses. Tax increases are the result of the mayor’s political choices, which make it impossible to freeze taxes for the next few years.”

Responsible choices needed

“He spends money and then asks his boss for a raise to be able to pay off his debts, that is not proper management,” said Revelakis, adding that “the mayor needs to understand that he has to make responsible choices.”

Action Laval maintains that expenses which have contributed to the debt include $180 million for the central library and arts centre for professionals downtown, $100 million for land purchases, an $8 million website overhaul, the construction of a new $60 million municipal courtyard, $28.5 million for an office tower for civil servants at a time when many of them are increasingly working from home, $47 million for another building in the industrial district, and the cost of moving the multicultural library.

Martin C. Barry

As announced by Mayor Stéphane Boyer in November, the average household property owner in Laval will be paying 4.8 per cent more in taxes next year, representing a $162 increase on a $440,742 house since last year.

The budget endorsed by council amounts to $1.17 billion for next year. According to a statement issued by the city, the administration hopes this year to limit the tax burden on residents, while increasing revenues to make up for things like inflation.

“On the eve of 2024, I am well aware the wallets of taxpayers in Laval are being rudely tested,” said Boyer, while adding that the city is facing many of the same challenges. “This is why our teams have been mandated to optimize how they do things in order to generate savings, so that more maneuverability can be achieved.”

In spite of certain unavoidable hikes in expenses and the city’s responsibility to keep supporting mass transit, Boyer insisted his administration was in a position to table a budget that was responsible and rigorous.

“This exercise puts emphasis on that which is essential, while allowing us to maintain services, although without adding to the tax burden of Laval residents,” he said.

Yannick Langlois, the city councillor for L’Orée-des-Bois who is responsible for Laval’s finances, said factors such as interest rate increases and hikes in the cost of goods and services put pressure on the city, although administrators succeeded in introducing measures to limit their expenses.

He called Laval’s budget 2024 “realistic and lucid, without having to cut services, in order to continue to answer to the growing needs of the population.

“The city is an excellent financial position,” added Langlois, “as attested to by the fact we continue to maintain Standard and Poor’s AA+ credit rating, which is the highest for a Quebec municipality. We can be proud of this.”

Some facts from budget 2024

Creating better security

• The city is investing $7.8 million in the Laval Police Dept. for the period 2023-2028 to deal more effectively with urban violence.
• $1.6 million has been allotted at the Laval Fire Dept. for new equipment and new resources.
• An additional $700,000 is going to the Laval Police to beef up their street and road security enforcement.
• Laval’s 9-1-1 emergency phone line will be receiving improvements.

Improving services

• $4.4 million will be spent improving the city’s technological abilities with regards to digital access to services and information.
• $1.8 million is set aside for getting the Complexe aquatique, now under construction, up and running.
• $700,000 will be spent to help improve the issuance of construction and renovation permits issued by the city’s urban planning department.

A greener city

• $2.4 million on the city’s climate plan, to deal with concrete “heat islands,” while also contributing to the green canopy (more trees).
• $800,000 to make municipal buildings more environmentally sustainable.

Supporting social services

• A $3 million recurring amount has been allotted by Laval to support community organizations that provide assistance to vulnerable people.

Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis (centre holding bouquet) is seen here with some elected Action Laval members, as well as future candidates and supporters during the opposition party’s homage to her in early November. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Martin C. Barry

In politics – where an elected official might be expected to serve one or two terms – a full decade in office can be something to really brag about.

But that’s how long Action Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis has been a leading player in local municipal politics.

Raised to office in the City of Laval’s 2013 elections when Action Laval’s first councillors were elected, Revelakis has proven herself since then to be a key player within the opposition party.

Chomedey loves Aglaia

She has won overwhelming majorities in two elections, while retaining a large and reliable base of support for Action Laval within her district.

Last month, Action Laval councillors, as well as party members and local elected officials from other levels of government, decided to pay homage to Revelakis during a 10^th anniversary celebration event held at The Palace congress centre.

Among the nearly 300 guests attending were politicians old and new, including Consul General for Greece in Montreal Katerina Varvarigou, former Ahuntsic Liberal MP Eleni Bakopanos, longtime Montreal city councillor Mary Deros, former City of Laval executive-committee vice-president Basile Angelopoulos, Chomedey Liberal MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier and Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis.

Known in the community

In an interview, Koutrakis recalled to the Laval News that Aglaia Revelakis had become a quiet but influential presence in Chomedey long before Revelakis’s name was widely known throughout the community.

Koutrakis said that as early as 1994, Revelakis was working for the Greek Orthodox community of Laval as a general secretary and coordinator, while Koutrakis sat as treasurer on the board.

“Aglaia was very helpful with the organization’s finances, among other things, and she’s always been a staple in our community,” said Revelakis.

Before entering Laval municipal politics, Revelakis gained political experience as a key organizer in Parc Extension councillor Mary Deros’s many election campaigns since 1998 when Deros first was elected.

Anchoring the party

Since 2013, Revelakis has been one of Action Laval’s most valuable assets. Party officials acknowledge that the Chomedey district can always be counted on to anchor support for Action Laval, based largely on Aglaia Revelakis’s continuing popularity with voters in municipal elections.

At one point, when the party’s fortunes flagged, Revelakis was the lone Action Laval councillor left on city council, but managed to hold the fort until Action Laval got back its strength. They have five elected council members now.

“She stood alone for a while and held it together,” said Action Laval councillor for Saint-Bruno David De Cotis. “Credit has to be given to the person who made it happen, and that’s Aglaia Revelakis.”

So far, only part of Autobus Groupe Séguin’s school bus fleet is fully electric, although the company’s plan is to go all-electric by the year 2030. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Martin C. Barry

One of Quebec’s largest school bus service providers, Autobus Groupe Séguin, opened a sprawling new garage and headquarters in an industrial sector of Laval on Nov. 20, while leaving no doubt the family-owned firm is placing its faith in electrification as the future of school bus transport in Quebec.

“We made a commitment to continue the mission of our founder Gérald Séguin, while also investing in order to leave behind an innovative business to our children,” company president Stéphane Boisvert said in an address to more than 70 guests, including elected officials from the provincial and municipal levels of government.

A major investment

As a spokesman for the company acknowledged during an interview with the Laval News, Groupe Séguin has managed to make great strides in a sector of the economy where the margin of profit can at times be slim because of high overhead, which includes vehicle acquisition and maintenance as well as significant labor costs.

On the plus side, the company provides a vital service, in conjunction with education authorities and school boards, for which there is almost always a consistent demand (not taking into account the currently unfolding teachers’ strike which is causing disruptions).

Highly-competitive sector

Although Autobus Groupe Séguin ranks among the top-three privately-owned school bus service providers in Quebec, Transco is generally recognized as the largest player, although it is a division of First Student Canada which is owned in turn by the Cincinnati-based multinational First Student USA.

Groupe Séguin has more than 350 employees and runs a fleet of 330 buses and other vehicles. On any given school day, more than 30,000 individuals board Séguin buses in a wide area surrounding the Montreal region, including Montreal Island, Laval, the Laurentians and Lanaudière.

As part of the company’s latest strategy to expand further, they plan to convert their existing fleet, which is partly powered now by carbon-based fuels, to a 100 per cent electric standard by the year 2030.

Working closely with Cléo

While pursuing its electrification agenda, Groupe Séguin is working closely with Cléo, a Hydro-Québec division providing consultancy on electrification of transportation across the province. Cléo is helping Séguin resolve some outstanding electrification issues, including vehicle range per charge and how long it takes to recharge vehicles using cutting-edge monitoring systems and controls.

Regarded as a pilot project for other businesses in Quebec, Groupe Séguin’s expansion program is receiving significant financial support from a number of government economic development agencies, including Investissement Québec, the Infrastructure Bank of Canada and Business Development Canada.

A family-driven business

“This is an entrepreneurial family from Laval who are making a significant investment in order to automate their operating systems, while creating a continuous training centre and implementing a recharging centre for a fleet of electric buses,” said Sainte-Rose CAQ MNA Christopher Skeete who is the delegated minister for economic issues in the Legault cabinet.

“In Laval, transportation accounts for nearly 70 per cent of greenhouse gases from our territory,” said Laval city councillor for Sainte-Rose Flavia Alexandra Novac. “To see this company which has been present on our territory for more than 50 years becoming committed to environmental change makes us all proud.”

Montreal-area Liberal MP Soraya Martinez Ferrada, the federal minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency in the regions of Quebec, notes that the Trudeau government is prioritizing creation of new housing in its Fall Economic Statement.

Martin C. Barry

The Trudeau government is downplaying the possibility of a recession taking hold of Canada’s economy in 2024, while maintaining that the signs are good because inflation is dropping, wages are rising and private sector analysts are optimistic about the country’s economic future.

The Liberal government presented its Fall Economic Statement recently. In it, they provided an economic update that prioritizes housing and the cost of living for families and the middle class, which are two major segments of Laval’s population.

The impact of inflation

The measures announced by the government are aimed primarily at promoting access to housing for those who can’t afford it, in addition to helping families pay their bills and reduce the cost of groceries. At the moment, a good number of Laval residents are suffering, as the cost of goods continues to rise.

Pondering the economic outlook for the coming year during an interview last week with Newsfirst Multimedia, Hochelaga Liberal MP Soraya Martinez Ferrada, who is the federal minister responsible for the Economic Development Agency in the regions of Quebec, maintained that since the country isn’t in a recession now, “that puts it in a good position” in terms of future investments, employment and economic renewal.

Outlook positive, says Ferrada

“Contrary to what some people might tell you or what Conservatives will tell you, that Canada is broke, Canada is not broken, Canada is in a good position,” she added, while acknowledging that “these are difficult times and we’re making sure that we will continue to support Canadians through this.”

Asked whether the government agrees with some economists’ forecasts that 2024 will see an economic downturn leading into a recession, Ferrada said, “Not at this moment. I think we’re looking at that very closely. But our economy right now is in a very good position.

‘On a good path’

“Looking at the numbers, we’re monitoring that very closely,” she continued. “But I think we’re taking the right balanced approach in terms of making a Fall Economic Statement that supports Canadians and their needs in a way that is very surgical and in terms that don’t feed inflation to make sure we don’t go into recession. I think we are on a good path.”

Apart from the annual budget which the federal government issues in March each year, the government publishes a financial update in the autumn to provide some guidance on the country’s economic status, as well as for the purpose of building on it.

The Trudeau government claims in this latest economic statement that in the first half of this year, Canada received the third-most foreign direct investment of any country in the world – and the highest per capita in the G7. The statement also notes that the International Monetary Fund (IMF) projects Canada to see the strongest economic growth in the G7 next year.

Some targeted measures

In a foreword to the 2023 Fall Economic Statement, Finance Minister Chrystia Freeland suggests the government will be taking measures “to ensure that interest rates can fall as soon as possible,” while adding that “some prices are still high and mortgage renewals are looming. That is why we are introducing new targeted measures to help stabilize prices, make life more affordable, and protect Canadians with mortgages.”

Ferrada said the government’s latest economic statement emphasizes support for the country’s middle-class by speeding up and enabling the construction of more homes, while helping make them more affordable. “That’s the main message of this Fall Economic Statement,” added Ferrada.

Breaking zoning barriers

In an outline of its Housing Action Plan, the government says it is working with provinces, territories, and municipalities across Canada “to break down local zoning barriers and create the conditions that will help to rapidly increase Canada’s housing supply.”

While elements of the plan vary across the country, the Liberal government notes that in early November it signed an agreement with Quebec for a joint contribution, which included $900 million provided by the federal government – nearly 23 per cent of all Housing Accelerator Funding across the country – to help cut red tape and contribute to the building of more homes for Quebecers.

Gov’t hopes for lower apt. rents

“The federal government will continue working with Quebec to build on the bold reforms it has committed to in the new Housing Accelerator Fund bilateral agreement to make housing more affordable for Quebecers,” according to the Fall Economic Statement.

Ferrada said an increased supply of new apartment units the government expects to see as a result of its measures should contribute to a badly-needed lowering of rents, which skyrocketed with inflation that shot up following the Covid pandemic. “What’s going to lower costs is competition by increasing the supply,” she said.

From the left, Chris Ann Nakis, president of the Shield of Athena board of directors, CJAD traffic reporter Debbie Marsellos who helped host the evening, Carole Leblanc, president of Mercedes-Benz Laval and Godmother of the Second Step Resource and Melpa Kamateros. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Martin C. Barry

For the last 32 years, when many women and children have been in crisis in the greater Montreal region, they turned to the Shield of Athena for help.

With that in mind, a cross-section of supporters from the community came together recently to raise $150,000 to help fund Shield of Athena’s biggest expansion to date: the Second Step Shelter, which is being built in Laval.

Family violence

The Shield of Athena is a non-profit organization for victims of family violence. It has three points of service in Montreal and Laval, as well as a community outreach department.

Their network offers emergency shelter and professional services to women and their children. Shield of Athena’s multilingual support, intervention and prevention services are also adapted to meet the needs of many of the region’s communities.

Thousands reached

As well, the Shield of Athena reaches thousands more through information sessions, publications, videos and media programs offered through their multilingual community outreach.

The Shield of Athena’s Lilac Event, which was held at the Palace Convention Centre in mid-November, celebrated the work the Shield and its staff conduct on a daily basis.

As the need for the Shield’s services has continued to grow, funds raised will ensure the completion of Laval’s only Second Step shelter, while supporting the expansion of Athena’s House, the Shield’s emergency shelter.

The support they need

Set to open in 2024, the Second Step shelter will have 17 apartments which will be able to house women and children for up to two years. During their time at the Second Step shelter, the women will receive the specialized support they need to emerge stronger and self-sufficient.

“Our Second Step shelter will be able to house between 34 and 54 people at any given time,” Melpa Kamateros, executive director of the Shield of Athena, told 200 supporters who turned out on Nov. 17 at The Palace congress centre in Laval for the Lilac Event.

“On behalf of our entire organization – and the people that their contributions will help to lift up – I cannot thank our community and our sponsors enough for their support.”

Just the beginning…

“Our Lilac Event was an incredible success, and this evening is only the beginning of a concerted campaign to increase the support for women and children in crisis,” added Chris Ann Nakis, president of the Shield of Athena board of directors.

“Currently, we provide services in 17 languages and to 1,100 women and children annually. Every penny raised is critical to continuing and expanding our work,” she said.

“Our ultimate goal is to eradicate violence against women and children,” said Carole Leblanc, president of Mercedes-Benz Laval, Godmother of the Second Step Resource, and a Silver level premium donor to the Lilac Event.

A precious resource

“Unfortunately, until that dream becomes a reality, the women working at the Shield and all the resources they provide are so very precious to our community,” Leblanc said.

In addition to a host of individual donors, premium sponsors of the Lilac Event were: The Azrieli Foundation (Platinum), Schwartz’s (Gold), Global Montreal (Media), ICI Television (Media), Mercedes-Benz Laval (Silver), Banque Scotia (Silver), Pantazis and Associates (Silver) and The Papadimitriou Family (Silver).

Santa’s elves will on hand at Laval’s Centre de la Nature in Duvernay next weekend at the Marché de Noël. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Martin C. Barry

If you’re hoping to get into the holiday spirit with Christmas less than three weeks away, there will still be time next weekend to get over to Laval’s Centre de la Nature in Duvernay for the city’s 12^th annual Marché de Noël.

The first of two weekends for the Marché took place from last Friday Dec. 1 to Sunday Dec. 3. There’ll be a repeat beginning this Friday Dec. 8 until next Sunday Dec. 10.

Some fifty exhibitors will be offering their creations, including handmade crafts, jewellery, clothing, beauty products, decorations and delicacies. The exhibitors will be located in wooden huts, lending the event a European market style.

The magical atmosphere of the holiday season will be reigning supreme over a large area of the sprawling Centre de la Nature site, which will be dressed up with festive décor for the occasion.

Some of Santa’s helpers will even be on hand, making their way around entertaining the moms, dads and kids.

The schedule for next weekend: Friday December 8, 10 am – 7 p.m.; Saturday December 9, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sunday December 10, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.

So far, only part of Autobus Groupe Séguin’s school bus fleet is fully electric, although the company’s plan is to go all-electric by the year 2030. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Martin C. Barry

One of Quebec’s largest school bus service providers, Autobus Groupe Séguin, opened a sprawling new garage and headquarters in an industrial sector of Laval on Nov. 20, while leaving no doubt the family-owned firm is placing its faith in electrification as the future of school bus transport in Quebec.

“We made a commitment to continue the mission of our founder Gérald Séguin, while also investing in order to leave behind an innovative business to our children,” company president Stéphane Boisvert said in an address to more than 70 guests, including elected officials from the provincial and municipal levels of government.

A major investment

As a spokesman for the company acknowledged during an interview with the Laval News, Groupe Séguin has managed to make great strides in a sector of the economy where the margin of profit can at times be slim because of high overhead, which includes vehicle acquisition and maintenance as well as significant labor costs.

On the plus side, the company provides a vital service, in conjunction with education authorities and school boards, for which there is almost always a consistent demand (not taking into account the currently unfolding teachers’ strike which is causing disruptions).

Highly-competitive sector

Although Autobus Groupe Séguin ranks among the top-three privately-owned school bus service providers in Quebec, Transco is generally recognized as the largest player, although it is a division of First Student Canada which is owned in turn by the Cincinnati-based multinational First Student USA.

Groupe Séguin has more than 350 employees and runs a fleet of 330 buses and other vehicles. On any given school day, more than 30,000 individuals board Séguin buses in a wide area surrounding the Montreal region, including Montreal Island, Laval, the Laurentians and Lanaudière.

As part of the company’s latest strategy to expand further, they plan to convert their existing fleet, which is partly powered now by carbon-based fuels, to a 100 per cent electric standard by the year 2030.

Working closely with Cléo

While pursuing its electrification agenda, Groupe Séguin is working closely with Cléo, a Hydro-Québec division providing consultancy on electrification of transportation across the province. Cléo is helping Séguin resolve some outstanding electrification issues, including vehicle range per charge and how long it takes to recharge vehicles using cutting-edge monitoring systems and controls.

Regarded as a pilot project for other businesses in Quebec, Groupe Séguin’s expansion program is receiving significant financial support from a number of government economic development agencies, including Investissement Québec, the Infrastructure Bank of Canada and Business Development Canada.

A family-driven business

“This is an entrepreneurial family from Laval who are making a significant investment in order to automate their operating systems, while creating a continuous training centre and implementing a recharging centre for a fleet of electric buses,” said Sainte-Rose CAQ MNA Christopher Skeete who is the delegated minister for economic issues in the Legault cabinet.

“In Laval, transportation accounts for nearly 70 per cent of greenhouse gases from our territory,” said Laval city councillor for Sainte-Rose Flavia Alexandra Novac. “To see this company which has been present on our territory for more than 50 years becoming committed to environmental change makes us all proud.”

Santa’s elves will on hand at Laval’s Centre de la Nature in Duvernay next weekend at the Marché de Noël. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Martin C. Barry

If you’re hoping to get into the holiday spirit with Christmas less than three weeks away, there will still be time next weekend to get over to Laval’s Centre de la Nature in Duvernay for the city’s 12^th annual Marché de Noël.

The first of two weekends for the Marché took place from last Friday Dec. 1 to Sunday Dec. 3. There’ll be a repeat beginning this Friday Dec. 8 until next Sunday Dec. 10.

Some fifty exhibitors will be offering their creations, including handmade crafts, jewellery, clothing, beauty products, decorations and delicacies. The exhibitors will be located in wooden huts, lending the event a European market style.

The magical atmosphere of the holiday season will be reigning supreme over a large area of the sprawling Centre de la Nature site, which will be dressed up with festive décor for the occasion.

Some of Santa’s helpers will even be on hand, making their way around entertaining the moms, dads and kids.

The schedule for next weekend: Friday December 8, 10 am – 7 p.m.; Saturday December 9, 10 a.m. – 7 p.m.; Sunday December 10, 10 a.m. – 5 p.m.