MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent

JAG speaks out against homophobia and transphobia

Callan Forrester – LJI reporter

On January 30, members of the Corporation de Développement Communautaire (CDC) de la Montérégie got together for the second edition of the Journée Arc-en-ciel, which has the goal of combatting homophobia, transphobia, and violence against the LBGTQIA+ community in the region and raising the general public’s awareness of these experiences.

For this year’s Journée Arc-en-ciel, Simon Proulx, the director of the CDC des Maskoutains, moderated a press conference that featured speakers from different organizations to talk about issues the queer community is facing. He set the tone of the conference by saying, “We’re here to talk about a worrying reality: the rise in homophobic and transphobic violence. Through this Journée Arc-en-ciel, we are reaffirming our commitment to a more inclusive and safe world for all people in the LGBT community.”

The day also included a virtual training session, which was introduced by Joanne Nystrom from Troc Montérégie. Over 200 organizations took part in this mobilization against hate.

Jessica Grenon and Dominique Théberge of JAG, and James Galantino of the Conseil Québécois LGBT spoke extremely candidly about the current realities for queer people. JAG is an organization that provides education and support about emotional, sexual, and gender diversity. It is the only such resource for many young queer people of the Montérégie. Grenon explained that from 2023 to 2024, there was a 69-per cent increase in hate crimes towards queer folks. On top of that, the data from 2017 to 2024 shows that now, one in five people are uncomfortable with a child being raised by two mothers, compared to one in 14 eight years ago.

They also explained that organizations like JAG are being turned away from schools because there is fear of how the students or parents will react. “I have colleagues who have had to be escorted to and from the bathroom, or even escorted out after a class period, because the students’ attitudes and comments suggested that their safety was in danger,” Grenon shared. She added that there have been weekly acts of violence towards members of the organization. “I’ve been at JAG for 10 years now and I’ve never experienced anything like this before. Our tolerance threshold for violence has reached levels that are completely disproportionate,” she said.

Galantino expanded on these concerns and the severity of their impact. “After food, safety is the second most basic need on Maslow’s pyramid … You need to understand that members of our community are scared.” He also reminded people that politics at the municipal level have the most direct impact on a citizen’s day-to-day life. He explained the Inclusive Municipalities project, which is a certification made possible by the Bureau de Lutte Contre l’Homophobie et la Transphobie. “The goal is also to offer a website, an updated map of all the municipalities in the Montérégie region, which shows commitments and municipalities that offer a climate of benevolence for their entire population,” he said. This is to help queer people know where they may be more safe.

Mélanie Villeneuve, mayor of Otterburn Park, also spoke to the importance of allyship at the municipal level. “Through our policies, through the actions we take on a daily basis, in our planning, etc., we can play the role of being benevolent. We can play the role of being good employers to ultimately promote openness and inclusiveness,” she said. Her goal is to “make living environments that are inclusive, that are welcoming, and that promote inclusiveness, openness, and caring.”

Right now, JAG is begging for people to be loud and proud allies to the queer community. “More than ever, we need allies – people who will act as amplifiers of the voices of people of sexual and gender diversity, and who will stand up for them. The danger of the rise of hate speech and hate behavior is very real and has catastrophic impacts,” Grenon said. Villeneuve added that “There’s work to be done, work that had to be done before, work that has to be done today, and work that will have to be done again tomorrow.”

The commitment to helping the queer community has to happen at all levels. It is important that members of the Haut Saint Laurent are also active in this work. Remi Pelletier from the CDC Haut-Saint-Laurent said, “Community organizations cannot meet the challenge of countering transphobia and homophobia alone. It is together, with the support of our partners and the public, that we can create safe and inclusive environments. The Journée Arc-en-ciel demonstrated that local solidarity can have a profound impact.”

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CVCEC nursing program is on solid footing

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Chateauguay Valley Career Education Centre (CVCEC) held a small graduation ceremony for the 2025 cohort of students who completed the Health, Assistance and Nursing program on February 7.

Decked out in the traditional caps and gowns, the group of twelve students received their attestations and posed for photos before enjoying a final lunch together with their teachers and then leaving the classroom for a final time. The ceremony represented both a huge achievement for students and a milestone for the career centre.

As little as five months ago, it was unclear whether these students would be the last to graduate from the program. The New Frontiers School Board program was granted permanent status just days before the start of the school year in late August, after years of being required to obtain government authorization before opening the course.

Danielle Boak, the health programs department head at CVCEC, spoke candidly at the time about the significance of the nursing program for students. “Taking programs away would have taken away a lot of education opportunity for people to better their lives,” she explained, noting how happy the teachers were to be welcoming a new cohort.

Now that the uncertainty surrounding the program has disappeared, Boak said she is looking forward to planning for next year. “I remember always putting my binder away after finishing a competency and going, ‘I may never open this again’,” she admitted. Now she acknowledges that the added stability allows the teachers more freedom to move the program forward and become more innovative.

Centre director Kara Woods said the success of the program stems from the teachers’ dedication, which is matched by the students’ commitment to their studies. “Our adult learners are sacrificing so much to take part in these programs,” she explained, noting many are juggling young families, long commutes, evening stages, and work commitments. “They keep waking up and showing up every day,” she said, adding she is not sure whether the students realize the extent to which the teachers, staff, and administrators recognize their sacrifices.

Boak says this cohort was especially cohesive, noting their ability to work together will serve them well, as being part of a multidisciplinary team will play a big part in their lives from now on. The teachers have also worked to ensure their students understand the important role they will play on these teams. “They should take tremendous pride in [being practical nurses]. They will need to strive to make their place as professionals,” she added.

Boak credits Carole Grant, the current president of the Ordre des Infirmiers et Infirmières Auxiliaires du Quebec (OIIAQ), with elevating the profession. “It shows, it really does show,” she noted, while explaining that the environment has shifted towards valuing practical nurses as part of the medical team.

Grant was in fact a special guest at the ceremony. She addressed the graduates as being part of a new generation of practical nurses who share the age-old values of thoroughness, commitment, humanity, respect, integrity, and collaboration with those who have been practicing for decades.

“The primary mission of a professional order is to protect the public. The very essence of the practical nursing profession is to provide quality care. Thanks to your perseverance and commitment, I see a promising future for our beautiful profession, which I’ve been practicing for over 45 years,” she said.

The earliest the graduating cohort will be able to write the OIIAQ exam is in June. Upon passing this, they will be eligible to join the order as licensed practical nurses.

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New Frontiers is taking a stand on bullying

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The New Frontiers School Board (NFSB) takes bullying very seriously. 

NFSB assistant director general Joyce Donohue is leading a task force initiated at the end of the last school year in response to mounting concerns over an increase in incidents of bullying and violence within NFSB schools and centres. The committee includes a cross section of around 13 individuals including staff members, teachers, caretakers, principals, and special education consultants. 

Donohue says the sole role of the task force is to prepare a report summarizing the strategies, tools and resources that those sitting on the task force as well as community members bring forward to address the issue. The report, which will include recommendations on a set of concrete measures that could help reduce bullying and violence within the system, is to be delivered to NFSB director general Mike Helm at the end of this school year. 

She says a lot of effort is being concentrated at the ministry level, but the NFSB wanted to create its own plan and strategies that would be made for and by the New Frontiers community. “We got ahead of the curve,” she says. 

The task force has met several times for roundtable discussions and work sessions. Donohue says they are now looking to receive feedback from the broader school community. An interactive ThoughtExchange survey was launched last week that asks participants to recommend strategies, tools, or resources to prevent bullying and violence. As of February 10, at least 92 individuals contributed to the survey, which allows participants to rate different thoughts allowing key concerns and issues to emerge. 

“We want the community to feel engaged in this and to help us find solutions because we don’t want to pretend that we have all the answers,” says Donohue. 

The survey will remain open until after March break to allow parents and community members time to contribute their ideas. There will also be two public consultations including one at Chateauguay Valley Regional High School on February 13 at 7 p.m., and another at Howard S. Billings High School in Chateauguay on February 20. 

“This is really us putting ourselves, putting ourselves out there to get something concrete written up so that we can really look at this issue strategically and move forward with it,” says Helm. “There has been a tremendous amount of work that has already been put into this. People are really engaged, and they want to make a difference and to help our students,” he adds.

“It is something that concerns everyone and we want to be able to have a response on behalf of everyone,” says Donohue. “We want to build something from the ground up. Just having these discussions builds awareness, and that alone is worthwhile,” she notes. 

The ThoughtExchange survey can be accessed via the NFSB Facebook page, as well as online at: my.thoughtexchange.com/scroll/465409602. 

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Unionized CPE workers stage second one-day strike

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Unionized daycare workers braved the cold and walked off the job for a second time on February 6, after contract negotiations with the provincial government remained stalled following the start of strike action a week earlier.

Workers with the Kaleidoscope early childcare centre (CPE) in Hinchinbrooke took to the streets along with around 12,000 other members of the CSN-affiliated Fédération de la santé et des services sociaux (FSSS) to demand respectable salaries, reasonable workloads, and more support for children with special needs.

Workers from 51 CPEs across the Montérégie took part in protests in six locations. Those from Hinchinbrooke joined workers from Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Vaudreuil-Soulanges, and the Haut-Saint-Laurent at a rally in Chateauguay.

The province is currently offering a 12.5-per cent salary increase over five years, despite having reached agreements for a higher rate with three other unions representing daycare workers. Talks have been ongoing for eight months. The union says that unless there is some movement at the table, the third of five possible strike days will take place on February 17.

Mélanie Bouchard, the regional vice-president of the FSSS, says that it is becoming increasingly challenging to recruit new workers under the present conditions. Sylvie Brunet, the union representative at Kaleidoscope, adds that recruitment and staffing issues are even more pressing in rural daycare centres.

Brunet says finding qualified workers is especially difficult as many are turning toward higher-paid positions within schools for employment. “We are the lowest-paid college diploma in Quebec,” she laments, while suggesting the starting salary at a CPE is not competitive.

“There are not many who come forward,” Brunet says, noting resumes are rare, and often those applying do not have any training. This adds to the workload, as new employees may need to be shadowed or mentored by more qualified staff.

“It is a great job, but right now, it is not working with the kids that is the hardest. It is everything around this, everything that is required, and all the paperwork,” Brunet explains.

The two sides are expected to meet for at least two negotiating days ahead of the February 17 strike. Brunet says she is hopeful that an agreement with the government will soon be reached. “From what I understand, they are just dragging their feet a bit.”

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La Bouffe Additionnelle debuts pilot project in Dundee and Saint-Anicet

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Accessing food relief can be difficult in rural areas for those without a vehicle or access to public transportation.

As part of a pilot project initiated by the La Bouffe Additionnelle food pantry, residents of Dundee and Saint-Anicet can now receive their food baskets delivered to their municipality for free.

Deliveries to the Dundee town hall started on February 10 and will continue on every second Monday of the month. Food baskets will also be delivered to the Cazaville community centre in Saint-Anicet on the fourth Mondays of the month.

La Bouffe Addittionnelle director Sylvie Racette explains that both Cazaville and the municipality of Dundee and are food deserts, with little to no access to public transit. She says the food pantry worked with the Huntingdon CLSC to determine which communities would most benefit from improved food security services.

Funding for the pilot project, which included the purchase of a new refrigerated truck, was provided in part by the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent through the Fonds Régions et Ruralité (FRR) – volet 4: soutien à la vitalisation et à la coopération intermunicipale program, in partnership with the Ministère des Affaires Municipales et de l’Habitation.

The MRC contributed $73,514 towards the purchase of the new truck and the pilot project, which Racette says could eventually be extended to the municipalities of Havelock and Hinchinbrooke if successful.

Dundee’s mayor, Linda Gagnon, says citizens currently travel more than 30 kilometers each way for groceries. Over 51 per cent of Dundee residents are above the age of 60, and part of this population is low-income. “We know that as we age, getting around by car can become more dangerous and costly,” she explains, noting this service will allow citizens to have regular access to essential food relief while reducing their need to travel.

More than a delivery service

Racette says the municipalities of Dundee and Saint-Anicet were also selected as part of an effort to minimize transport expenses. La Bouffe Additionnelle employees already collect food contributions from the Marché Tradition in Saint-Anicet and the Harnois service station and corner store in Cazaville, so it made sense to coordinate deliveries with these routes. 

La Bouffe Additionnelle will also partner with different community organizations to provide additional services, workshops, and information sessions for basket clients. 

For more information on the pilot project contact La Bouffe Additionnelle at 450-264-2241. 

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DeBellefeuille sets her sights on a fifth term

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

With all signs pointing toward an election being called once parliament returns from prorogation in late March, the parties are already gearing up for a spring vote.

Salaberry-Suroît MP Claude DeBellefeuille has already thrown her hat into the ring, announcing on January 7 that she will seek a fifth term representing the region as a member of the Bloc Québécois in Ottawa.

DeBellefeuille’s first term in office stretched from 2006 to 2011. She ran in both the 2011 and 2015 elections, before regaining her seat in the House of Commons from 2019 to the present.

During this last year, DeBellefeuille said she continued to bring people together to find solutions to challenging issues. She specifically mentioned convening the Comité d’Action de Suivi pour la Voie Maritime, which she initiated in 2019, to mitigate the planned closure of the Larocque Bridge at the start of last year.

DeBellefeuille also highlighted efforts to bring the RCMP and border municipalities together over border control issues. The deputy was instrumental in the creation of a single telephone number that citizens could call to reach the RCMP, the circulation of an informative leaflet to border residents, and new aluminium panels to be installed with the phone number to reach the RCMP.

She also noted the Bloc Québécois’ support for seniors, and the party’s hard push to withdraw supply-managed products from trade negotiations with Bill C-282, which passed all stages in the House of Commons before stalling in the Senate.

Salaberry-Suroit MP Claude DeBellefeuille has announced she will run again in the next federal election, which is expected to be called sometime this spring. (PHOTO Facebook MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent)

DeBellefeuille said she is determined to continue this work in her riding. “I’m extremely happy in my role as MP; it’s a position that fills me with happiness,” she stated, noting it is an honour to serve the citizens of Salaberry-Suroît.

“My work in Ottawa isn’t over yet, and I’m determined to keep on making things happen,” she added.

Regarding Prime Minister Justin Trudeau’s resignation on January 6, DeBellefeuille acknowledged his commitment to the public, before adding she believes he made the right decision to step down.

“Regardless of the leader, regardless of the circumstances, there must be an election in the spring of 2025!” she exclaimed.

Once called, this election will mark DeBellefeuille’s seventh campaign. If re-elected, she will take office for her third consecutive, and fifth term in 18 years.

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Huntingdon opens fully equipped kitchen for the community

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The town of Huntingdon inaugurated its new community kitchen on December 17, preparing the way for numerous delicious opportunities for local businesses and organizations working in the food security and preparation sectors.

Around 15 people attended the ceremony, including Huntingdon mayor André Brunette and several municipal councillors. Representatives from the town, the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent, and local community organizations including the La Bouffe Additionnelle food pantry and the Popote Mobile meal delivery service also attended.

Also present at the inauguration were members of the Table de concertation en Sécurité Alimentaire du Haut-Saint-Laurent, including Marie-France Meloche of the Centre Integré de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest (CISSSMO), who explained that the partnership table will create a sub-committee to coordinate the new space.

Brunette confirmed the kitchen is free to use by the Haut-Saint-Laurent community. “It does not belong to the town. It belongs to everyone,” he explained, saying he hopes the kitchen will become a shared meeting place where different community groups, producers, or small business owners can come together to cook, organize workshops, and prepare healthy and appetizing meals or products.

Huntingdon mayor André Brunette officially opened the town’s new community kitchen on December 17 in the presence of several representatives from the municipality, the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent, the Table de Concertation en Sécurité Alimentaire du Haut-Saint-Laurent, and several community organizations including the Popote Mobile and La Bouffe Additionnelle. (PHOTO Sarah Rennie)

The fully equipped kitchen, which includes large fridges, sinks and wash areas, commercial stoves, and stainless-steel counter spaces and work surfaces is approved by the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation (MAPAQ). It is located at 4 Lorne Street, in the same complex as La Bouffe Additionnelle and the Little Green Library.

Huntingdon received $100,000 in funding for the project from the Ministère des Affaires Municipals et de l’Habitation through Volet 4 of the Fonds Régions et Ruralité: Soutien à la Vitalisation et à la Coopération Intermunicipale. The total cost for the kitchen was around $125,000. The town contributed the remaining $25,000 and will cover the operating and maintenance costs associated with the space.

“We made sure to set up a project that responds concretely to the needs of the community,” said Brunette. “We are very proud to offer community organizations and volunteers a space and professional equipment that will help them in their efforts to guarantee the right to healthy food for all,” he added, noting the town is especially committed to supporting those working in the field of food security.

In 2022, Huntingdon was instrumental in relocated La Bouffe Additionnelle to its current location, and in 2023, the town installed a cold room and freezer chamber in the suite next to the food pantry. Now that the community kitchen is open, the town has also announced it will provide the Popote Mobile with a suite next to the kitchen so they can offer their meal delivery service for seniors from the same building.

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No going back on reduced hours at local border crossings

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Reduced service hours at the Herdman, Trout River, and Lacolle Route 223 ports of entry went into effect on January 6.

The hours of service at the Herdman crossing, which connects the municipality of Hinchinbrooke to Chateaugay, New York, as well as the Trout River crossing that links Elgin with Constable, New York, have now been reduced by half: from 24 hours to 12, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The hours at the Lacolle Route 223 border crossing at Rouses Point in New York have also been reduced from 24 hours to 12: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The joint decision to scale back the operating hours was announced in November by the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), as part of a collaborative effort to coordinate the service hours at connecting ports of entry.

Despite an outcry from residents and local politicians on both sides of the border, as well as a concerted effort by Salaberry-Suroît MP Claude DeBellefeuille, the CBSA is intent on permanently maintaining the new hours.

In December, DeBellefeuille addressed a formal letter to Dominic Leblanc, then the minister of Public Safety, Democratic Institutions and Government Affairs, in which she asked for the CBSA’s decision to be reassessed while suggesting that a closing time of 10 p.m. would be more appropriate.

A formal response was received on January 2 from Andrew Lawrence, the director general of the CBSA’s Travellers’ Operational Guidance and Support Branch, on behalf of David McGuinty, the current minister of Public Safety.

Lawrence states that as a result of these changes, “Canada and the U.S. are able to resolve problems related to incompatible hours of operation at ports of entry.” These issues can include security risks posed by open barriers at ports of entry, coordination difficulties between the CBSA and CBP in the event of incidents, and delays in the removal of inadmissible travellers and goods to the other country.

Lawrence also refers to a study of operational pressures, peak periods, and related service requirements, which indicated that most of the affected entry points cleared – on average – no more than two cars or commercial vehicles per hour during the period in which they are now closed.

DeBellefeuille confirms that the Bloc Québécois requested a breakdown, by hour, of the number of crossings at both the Herdman and Trout River ports of entry from the CBSA; it showed numbers that were above the two vehicle-per-hour average.

The deputy says that since November, her team has received over 50 testimonials from local residents detailing how this decision will impact their daily lives. She has spoken out against the CBSA decision in the House of Commons and through the media, and shares that at least two municipalities, Elgin and the town of Huntingdon, have adopted resolutions similarly denouncing the reduction in operating hours.

DeBellefeuille says that despite her interventions, as well as the testimonials from locals and accurate traffic data, the CBSA has maintained its decision.

“Unfortunately, the response we received leaves no room for questioning this decision,” says DeBellefeuille. “Clearly, despite our best efforts, we have not succeeded in convincing the competent authorities.”

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New Frontiers to reinstate francization courses

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The New Frontiers School Board (NFSB) is among the school service centres and school boards to receive additional funding to restart francization courses that were shuttered in November after government funds ran dry.

The Quebec government announced in early December that $10 million would be allocated to school service centres and boards across the province based on the needs in different regions.

According to Louisa Benvenuti, the manager of administrative and communication services with the NFSB, the board has been given an allotment for 13 full-time equivalent student places for French-language courses expected to run between January and March. This will allow the NFSB to register approximately 50 part-time students at the NOVA Career Centre in Chateauguay.

Benvenuti says there is a possibility the NFSB will be able to offer another round of courses accommodating around the same number of students from April to June.

The students will be referred to the NFSB by Francisation Quebec, a government-mandated agency established through the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation, et de l’Integration to oversee French language courses offered for free to newcomers to the province.

Francisation Quebec will prioritize students who are currently on waiting lists; however, Benvenuti suggests that past students attending courses through the NFSB may not be referred back to the board.

The Centre de Services Scolaire de la Vallée-des-Tisserands was not included on the list of service centres and school boards to receive additional government funding to restart courses. As a result, the suspended francization courses being run through the Centre de Formation Générale des Adultes des Tisserands will remain closed for now.

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My Village, My Community unveiled at the Huntingdon CHSLD

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The first floor of the Centre d’Hébergement du Comté de Huntingdon (CHSLD) has been transformed into a village as part of a collective project to create a warm and comforting environment for the 30 residents who call the floor home.

The My Village, My Community mural project was officially inaugurated on November 29, with representatives from all the partner organizations, including Les Aidants du Haut-Saint-Laurent and the Alzheimer Society Suroît, the Comité de Concertation des Ainés du Haut-Saint-Laurent, the Huntingdon County CHSLD, and École Secondaire Arthur-Pigeon.

The My Village, My Community project was inaugurated at the Huntingdon CHSLD on November 29. (PHOTO Sarah Rennie)

The murals depict familiar landscapes and landmarks in the Haut-Saint-Laurent, such as an orchard, the Powerscourt covered bridge, and the clock at the central intersection in Huntingdon. Other sections were painted to look like a market, a barber shop, and streetscapes with houses. They were painted between September 18-20 by 45 students from Arthur-Pigeon, who worked with artists and community volunteers to bring the village to life.

“The Haut-Saint-Laurent region is renowned for the commitment of its community, and this project demonstrates once again that when many partners join forces, great things can be achieved,” said Bernard Cyr, the assistant general manager of General and Specialized Physical Health with the Centre Intégré de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest.

Cyr congratulated those involved, saying they had not only succeeded in creating a warm and welcoming environment for the clientele and their loved ones, but a stimulating and innovative workplace for the unit’s staff as well.

Frédéric Roiné, the manager responsible for the living environment, noted that the painted walls have beneficial effects for the residents, including the creation of visual landmarks and distinctive elements that will enable them to more easily find their way around the floor.

“The project on paper was to paint the walls, to make a beautiful mural. But it was more than that, it was also about developing links with the community, with the different age groups who took part in the project, and links with the seniors,” said Arthur-Pigeon students Zachary Laroche and William Pineault, who noted the project helped them to realize the significance of their community.

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Santé Québec is now at the helm of local health services

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

As of December 1, the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest (CISSSMO) ceased to exist. Local health services will now be provided by Santé Québec Montérégie-Ouest (SQMO), which is part of a provincial network of health-care agencies organized under the newly created crown corporation.

Claude Jolin, who chairs the CISSSMO’s board of directors, referred to the change in governance as an important milestone and major transformation, during the organization’s annual general meeting and public information session on November 27. “We have begun to prepare ourselves to ensure a smooth transition and to continue to offer excellent care,” he confirmed.

Representatives from the CISSSMO talked about the transition to Santé Québec on November 27 during the organization’s annual general meeting and public information session. (PHOTO Sarah Rennie)

CISSSMO’s deputy president and CEO, Dominique Pilon, explained that while there will be a significant adjustment period, he considers the changes to be positive. “This is not the end. It is the beginning of a great adventure for the entire network,” he said.

Johanne Fleurant, the assistant director of social programs, rehabilitation, and public health at the CISSSMO, then presented the details relating to this change and what it will mean for the local health network.

She pointed out that sweeping healthcare reforms tend to happen in Quebec around every nine or ten years. The last major upheaval was in 2015, when the integrated health and social services centres (CISSS) were first introduced.

The main change this time around is that Santé Québec is a crown corporation that will become the single employer for healthcare workers in the Quebec’s public sector. “We don’t yet know the full extent of the changes this will bring,” admitted Fleurant. Santé Québec will be responsible for coordinating all health and social service resources, as well as strategic planning. It will then be up to health-care establishments to put these plans into operation based on the resources and healthcare needs of the population.

The current board of directors for the CISSSMO will remain in place until June 2025 to ensure the transition to the new governance structure goes smoothly. The board will then become an institutional board of directors with an advisory role, made up of users, representatives from the research community, healthcare facilities, human resources management, the business community, and the various hospital and support foundations.

There will also be certain criteria for the composition of boards, including a requirement that two-thirds of all members be independent, and 40 per cent of seats must be filled by women. Boards will also be required to reflect Quebec’s diversity while taking the socio-cultural, ethno-cultural, and linguistic composition of the territory into account.

Fleurant explained that the transition will allow the SQMO to access best practices from across the network and export them to the Montérégie-Ouest. She noted the change will also allow for resources to be pooled across the province, while allowing for greater staff mobility across different sites at the more local level.

Beyond returning to a balanced budget, Fleurant said that over the next several months the SQMO will be rolling out a new integrated plan to improve access by March 2025, coordinate services, and support the major transformations currently underway.

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MRC invites farmers to participate in silos project

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent is hoping that work on the first murals to be painted on silos as part of a regional network will start over the coming summer.

At least 18 producers and individuals interested in the project, including members of the local UPA syndicate and representatives from the MRC and local municipalities, were present during a December 5 meeting where the project was formally introduced to the farm community.

While large-scale mural projects are not necessarily rare, this is first and only project that involves painting silos in Quebec. In an optimal scenario, the MRC is planning on creating three loops in strategic areas throughout the territory. The goal is to complete seven murals in 2025 and a further seven in 2026 to complete the network.

Nancy Brunelle, the cultural coordinator for the MRC, said the meeting was a good start. “We are quite pleased. For a first meeting, this is a success for us,” she commented.

After a brief presentation outlining the project, Brunelle introduced Robert Lalande of the Ferme Robert et Louise Lalande in Alfred, Ontario, which became part of the Popsilos project in 2020. He provided pertinent information and context for the MRC’s initiative.

Following this, two representatives from the Montreal-based social design firm Ohisse, which has been mandated to manage the project with the MRC, ran a brief workshop where interested property owners could locate their farms on a map.

“I put my name in as soon as I saw it,” said producer Bill Anderson, who added his Très-Saint-Sacrement farm to the map. “I just find it nice for the Haut-Saint-Laurent,” he added, suggesting he really liked the uniqueness of the project.

The endeavour has the support of the Ministère des Affaires Municipales et de l’Habitation. The MRC has budgeted $614,000 for the project in 2025 using Fonds Régions et Ruralité component-three funds dedicated to signature innovations.

The MRC expects it will cost from $50,000 to over $100,000 per silo. Brunelle said the MRC is also hoping to involve local artists in the project, during both the design and production stages.

Interested producers have until January 10 to complete and submit a participation questionnaire identifying the type of structure available, as well as the material and state of the surface to be painted. The form is available online at mrchsl.com/silos.

MRC invites farmers to participate in silos project Read More »

Maison des Jeunes looks to Huntingdon to find a new home

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Maison des Jeunes in Huntingdon will be without a home come July, if a solution is not found quickly to relocate the vibrant youth centre that is currently housed at École Arthur-Pigeon high school.

Around 30 individuals, including several area young people as well as representatives from the Maison des Jeunes, parents, and supporters of the community organization, attended the regular council meeting in Huntingdon on December 2. Students unfurled a banner signed by well over one hundred kids who rely on the youth centre’s services, and several rose to speak during question period to request the town’s support.

Representatives from the Maison des Jeunes in Huntingdon attended the monthly council meeting on December 2. The youth centre has been asked to leave the local high school by July and is now looking for a new location. (PHOTO Sarah Rennie)

Maison des Jeunes coordinator Nathalie Collin confirmed during the meeting that the Centre de services scolaire de la Vallée-des-Tisserands (CSSVT) has now asked the youth centre to move. She pointed out that with little more than six months remaining, the situation facing the youth centre is dire.

“Here we are at a minute to midnight. We need a town hall, and elected officials who will sit down with us and work with us,” she said, while addressing the council.

A representative for the young people in the room presented mayor André Brunette and the town’s councilors with a formal invitation to visit the youth centre. Collin then asked whether the mayor would be willing to sit on a committee dedicated to finding a solution for the Maison des Jeunes.

Brunette readily agreed to be part of a committee, along with at least one other councilor. He noted,, however that the future of the youth centre has been the subject of meetings and discussions for over two years.

The town had at one point offered the Maison des Jeunes an opportunity to build on a piece of land along François Cleyn Street. This was determined to be less than ideal, as the youth centre would be located closer to elementary schools, near both the railroad and a cemetery. There were also concerns about young people walking along this busy section of François-Cleyn, as there are presently no sidewalks.

The Maison des Jeunes has also looked at different locations within the town, including a property on Chateauguay Street, as well as lots both in front and behind the high school. None of the potential scenarios played out in favour of relocating the centre. “There is no more land in Huntingdon that is affordable,” Collin lamented, while pointing out how difficult it is to develop concrete plans without a confirmed location.

For Collin, an optimal solution would be to integrate the youth centre into plans to enlarge the high school; but, she says, this possibility has not been brought to her attention by the CSSVT. She said she planned on asking the school service centre and governing board for more time.

She explained that earlier that day, there were over 170 students at the youth centre during lunch hour. Noting the Maison des Jeunes’ 40-year history, and its significant role within the community, she asked that the town take on a greater role in finding a solution.

In an interview following the meeting, Collin said she believes they will find a way to keep the Maison des Jeunes from closing. “We are asking for a place to build a 3,000 square-foot building. We don’t want a gym, or a climbing wall like you see in other youth centres. We just want a floor, walls, and a roof,” she explained.

“We can’t do it on our own, we need a partnership to make it happen.”

Maison des Jeunes looks to Huntingdon to find a new home Read More »

MRC revises land-use and development plan

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The regional government has appointed Claudia André as project manager. She will oversee the harmonization of the region’s land-use and development plan with the new orientations in land-use planning, established by the provincial government, that come into effect on December 1. The document must also correspond to objectives set out in the Politique nationale de l’architecture et de l’aménagement du territoire (PNAAT).

In a statement, the MRC says the revision of the SAD will enable it to better respond to regional challenges and define an ambitious future for the territory.

After more than a decade, the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent is overhauling its Schéma d’aménagement et de développement (SAD).

André describes the land-use and development plan as “a tool that deals with the environment, living environments, social and economic issues, cultural particularities, natural environments, tourism, mobility, and public spaces.”

The first plan of this kind was adopted in 1987, and a revised version was applied in 2000. This iteration will establish the region’s physical organization over the next 20 years. It will become one of the main planning tools for the choices and decisions affecting the MRC and its 13 municipalities.

André will oversee each stage of the project: updating the territorial portrait including the natural, social and economic environments; creating a strategic vision statement that adapts provincial policies to local realities; and formulating development orientations and objectives that address issues including transportation, infrastructure, and landslide stress areas. As well, an action plan will be drafted that sets out concrete objectives and actions for the region’s sustainable development, with a complementary document providing the rules and obligations that municipalities will need to include in urban-planning bylaws.

André says that once the plan is adopted in 2028 it will be available to elected officials and citizens, adding that it will serve as a consensus-building tool that reflects discussions and agreements between the municipalities, the MRC, and the provincial government. She says it will list timetables, different partners, and various methods for carrying out projects that are favoured at the regional level.

The MRC is encouraging the public to participate in the revision process. André says that while specific details have not been confirmed, the process will include public presentations, discussion tables, themed workshops, guided activities, a survey, a comment box, and a large-scale conference.

MRC revises land-use and development plan Read More »

Striking postal workers demonstrate in Valleyfield

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The 85 members of Valleyfield local 460 of the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) have been waving flags and handmade signs during daily demonstrations outside the Canada Post depot on Victoria Street in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.

The local represents Valley postal workers from Hemmingford to Dundee as well as the city of Valleyfield. Its members, along with the 55,000 other postal workers across Canada, walked off the job as part of a nationwide general strike on November 15.

Negotiations with a government-imposed mediator have been taking place since November 19 with both the urban and the rural and suburban mail carriers (RSMC) bargaining units. The CUPW has rejected a proposed 11.5 per cent wage increase over four years, asking instead for 22 per cent over the same period.

Talks between the RSMC union representative and management have focused on issues such as pay stability, validation, hourly rates, and maintaining hours. The urban units have focused on issues such as salary, minimum hours for part-time workers, and weekend delivery demands aimed at competing with “gig-economy” platforms that deliver parcels as cheaply as possible. The union is concerned this could impact full-time carrier routes on weekdays.

Postal workers with Local 460 in Valleyfield have been demonstrating in front of the Canada Post depot on Victoria Street in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield since the general strike was called on November 15. (PHOTO Sarah Rennie)

According to daily negotiations updates posted by the CUPW there has been some progress, with sides exchanging proposals; however, a lot of ground remains.

The federal government ended past work stoppages in 2011 and 2018 by legislating postal workers back to their routes. Jonathan Theoret, the president of Local 460, said he hopes the government will let the employees fight this one out. “We had a 98.5 [per cent] strike vote. That’s really strong,” he said, noting this is the first general strike since 2011.

“We have had special legislation every four years for 20 years,” he explained, noting that the workers signed a contract extension without negotiation two years ago during the pandemic. “Now is the time to ask for what we want,” he continued, noting that salary-wise, employees want to return to the same purchasing power they had in 2020.

Theoret said that so far, support from the public seems strong. “I understand that the market has changed in the past six years. I think the public likes Canada Post, and it is here to stay. It is a service we offer to everyone, even in the North,” he commented. “I understand there are financial challenges, but we all have to face this together,” he added, suggesting Canada Post needs to change as well.

No pickup or delivery

The work stoppage has shut down Canada Post operations entirely. The Crown corporation has said that mail and parcels will not be processed or delivered during the strike, and some post offices will be closed. No mail will be accepted, and service guarantees for items already in the network will be affected.

According to Canada Post, items will be delivered as quickly as possible once operations resume on a first-in, first-out basis, though it cautions that processing and delivery may take some time to return to normal.

The uncertainty around Canada Post’s ability to deliver the sizeable backlog of mail in a timely matter once the strike ends has some consumers holding off on purchases. Christina Fasoula, the owner of the Tricot Laines Studio yarn store and gift shop in Huntingdon, relies on Canada Post to receive and ship her products and has already lost sales due to the strike.

“It is not like we are in Montreal where there are other options. There are multiple companies that you can use to ship without Canada Post, but they are in larger towns. For us, it is not an option,” she explained, noting those options can also be expensive.

Fasoula says that while the strike is causing some complications for small businesses, she is hopeful that locals will consider doing their holiday shopping closer to home, where they can skip the stress of waiting for delivery.

Striking postal workers demonstrate in Valleyfield Read More »

Area francization programs close

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Students attending French classes through the government’s francization program at area school service centres and school boards are looking for alternatives to learn French.

The courses are provided for free to immigrants through Francisation Quebec, a government-mandated agency run through the Ministère de l’Immigration, de la Francisation, et de l’Integration, on a full- or part-time basis.

As government funding for the program ran dry, the classes offered by the New Frontiers School Board (NFSB) at the NOVA Career Centre in Chateauguay were closed as of November 8. The courses being run by the Centre de services scolaire de la Vallée-des-Tisserands through the Centre de formation générale des adultes des Tisserands (CFGAT) will also end, effective November 29.

This will affect 33 full-time students and 63 part-time students at the NFSB, as well as more than 150 students currently studying at the CFGAT.

“We have maintained the francization program for as long as possible to meet the demand,” said François Robichaud, the assistant director general for success at the CSSVT. “This difficult decision is based on the budgetary framework and the terms and conditions for using the funds,” he explained.

In past years, the government based its program financing on demand reported in the previous two years. New budgetary rules determining the financing for the 2024-2025 fiscal year are based on numbers pegged to 2020-2021 demand, when numbers were lower due to the pandemic. This was also the year during which the francization program was integrated with the CFGAT.

The Syndicat de Champlain confirmed to the Journal Saint-François that all five francization teachers on contract in the Vallée-des-Tisserands’ territory have been let go.

According to NFSB director general Mike Helm, the continuing education team worked extremely hard in terms of redirecting staff to ensure no jobs were lost.

“For us, it was about trying to support the community and its needs in terms of francization and the improvement of the French language,” said Helm. The NFSB did not offer any francization courses in 2020-2021, so is no longer able to offer the courses.

“It is really unfortunate that due to budgeting parameters, we are not able to provide this service,” he added, before suggesting that if the rules were to change, the NFSB would be open to restarting its program.

Area francization programs close Read More »

Canada/U.S. border hours to be halved at local crossings

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Travellers who frequently use the Trout River or Herdman border crossings to enter the United States are in for a shock.

The Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) announced on Monday that it would be adjusting the service hours at 35 land ports of entry across the country as of January 6, 2025. This is being done in collaboration with U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP), which is adjusting its service hours at 38 ports of entry.

In the Haut-Saint-Laurent, the hours of service at the Trout River crossing, which connects the municipality of Elgin to Constable, New York, will permanently be reduced by half – from the current 24 hours to 12, between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. The Herdman crossing, which links the municipality of Hinchinbrooke with Chateauguay, New York, will also be limited to between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.

The Lacolle Route 223 border crossing at Rouses Point in New York will similarly see its hours reduced, from 24 hours to 12: 8 a.m. to 8 p.m.

The Trout River border crossing in Elgin is one of three area crossings that will see its operating hours reduced by half, following a collaborative agreement between the Canada Border Services Agency and U.S. Customs and Border Protection. The reduced hours at the Trout River, Herdman, and Lacolle Route 223 (Rouses Point) ports of entry will start on January 6, 2025. (PHOTO Sarah Rennie)

In a statement, the CBSA said the changes will enhance overall security for both countries. “It will allow the CBSA to use its resources more efficiently by deploying officers at busier ports of entry. This will support the CBSA’s ability to process travellers and goods as well as to manage enforcement activities.”

The service hours at the three connecting U.S. ports of entry will now align with the Canadian hours of operation. The CBSA said this “will allow both countries to return inadmissible travellers and goods to the other country, which is more difficult when one side of the border is closed while the other remains open.”

The CBSA maintains the change is based on an “analysis of operational pressures, peak periods, and services required at the ports of entry, to minimize the impacts on border communities.”

According to the CBSA, the ports of entry process an average of two or less vehicles or commercial trucks per hour during the period they will no longer be in operation. The CBSA notes that alternative border crossing options exist within a 100-kilometre radius, notably at the Dundee-Fort Covington and the Hemmingford-Mooers ports of entry.

‘A misguided decision’

The Customs and Immigration Union (CIU), which represents CBSA officers and personnel, is demanding the agency reverse its decision. Union president Mark Weber referred to the move as an “incredibly misguided decision.” In a statement, the CIU said the decision was made without consulting frontline officers working at the affected ports, or the border communities in which the crossings are located.

A CBSA employee, who spoke with The Gleaner on condition of anonymity, confirmed that employees at the affected border crossings were given no advance warning of the reduction in hours. They said that officers were told they would not lose their jobs, but that some would be relocated to larger ports. “Our personal and family lives will be sacrificed because of this,” they added, noting the long commute that may be imposed on border service agency officers.

“Most locals think this is temporary, but it’s not. It’s permanent,” they pointed out, noting that while the custom offices will be closed at 6 p.m., travellers should not expect to cross up to the last minute. “It will be more like 5:30 or 5:45 p.m.”

The officer is concerned that security along the border will be impacted as well. “We are actually stopping people from coming in, criminals, drugs, and guns,” they said, while questioning how leaving a nearly 80-kilometre stretch of the border less secure overnight improves security.

Impact on families and the economy

Elgin director general Guylaine Carrière said the CBSA contacted her about the reduced hours. She says members of the council expressed their disappointment with the decision when she relayed the news, noting it will be a discussed during the regular meeting in December.

“I find it very, very early,” said Carrière of the 6 p.m. closing. “It will have a major impact on a lot of the families here in Elgin,” she added, while suggesting there will no doubt be consequences for the local economy as well. She was also taken aback by how soon the changes will come into force, noting the timeframe does not give people and businesses much time to adapt.

Carrière said she spoke with the CBSA about the fire-rescue mutual aid agreements that exist on both sides of the border, and was told a procedure would be put in place to allow first responders to cross at all hours in the event of an emergency. She admitted that while this is positive news, there were delays in response times when the border was closed during the pandemic.

The reduced hours are problematic for those who live on one side of the border but who work on the other, or who cross regularly for work. For Rick and Kenny Van Winden, who own land and farm in Chateauguay and Burke, New York, the new hours will be particularly challenging.

“They have been combining there for the last couple of weeks, and they are not home until 11 or 12 at night,” said Natalie Wattie, who is married to Kenny. “It is going to cause some problems, because while some springs and falls are ok, some are not. If you are planting and missing that window because you can’t cross, then you can’t get your crops in on time,” she explained.

“There is never a time when they are done at 5:30 p.m.,” Wattie added, noting the detour to Hemmingford or Dundee on a tractor would be “insane.”

Politicians express concern

New York State senator Dan Stec issued a statement on November 21 blasting the decision. “You can’t have a part-time border!” he exclaimed; while highlighting the disruption this will cause to the unique relationship that exists between communities, referring specifically to the mutual-aid pacts in place. The senator also pointed to the “turmoil” created in the region by irregular immigration, to suggest the move will impact the safety of those living along the border.

New York governor Kathy Hochul has publicly stated her opposition to reducing operating hours at the border, calling on the CBP to reverse its decision.

 On the Canadian side, Salaberry-Suroît MP Claude DeBellefeuille has also come out against the CBSA’s decision. “I cannot support a reduction in service that will have an impact not only on citizens, but also on businesses in our region,” she said, while decrying the lengthy detours this will entail. “I am already getting calls from businesses expressing their dissatisfaction,” she added.

“We know that there are major issues at the border,” said DeBellefeuille. “It strikes me as an odd time for the Border Services Agency to cut their services.”

The MP is now asking citizens and businesses who are affected by this announcement to contact her team so they can document the impact of the CBSA’s decision in the region.

Those interested in sharing their story can contact DeBellefeuille’s office by email at: claude.debellefeuille@parl.gc.ca.

Canada/U.S. border hours to be halved at local crossings Read More »

Virtual prenatal services are now being offered in the area

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Little Bean is a new web-based prenatal resource for expectant mothers looking for unbiased information on a range of subjects as they prepare to meet their baby.

The support service, which includes online prenatal classes, was recently launched by nurse clinicians Sabina Finnie and Agathe Lapointe to help women approach their delivery experience from a knowledgeable, prepared, and confident perspective.

Finnie has roots in the Valley, and she says she was thinking especially about rural areas and the somewhat limited availability of prenatal services. She says the number of families that come to the maternity ward unprepared has always surprised her. “A lot people did not know the minimum about what was happening to both them and their baby while they were delivering,” she says, noting new parents are often also not aware of the different interventions that might happen during the process. “This is in part because families will put their full trust in the hands of the medical staff, and while the medical team is there for expectant parents, they do not know what they want, and this may be different from what they think is best.” 

Lapointe works in a more high-risk environment at the Royal Victoria Hospital in Montreal, but says that even some women who are facing complicated pregnancies and deliveries arrive unprepared.

“I think there is a belief out there that birth is a rite of passage, and you just have to tolerate it to get to the good part of having your child,” says Finnie. “Birth will change you. It’s a monumental moment, and I feel that being informed and prepared will help women make choices and avoid feeling like they did not have any control over their birth,” she exclaims, noting that a positive birth experience can influence everything that follows.

Finnie and Lapointe began talking about their observations in February 2023, when they decided to work together to produce a resource to empower women to advocate for more informed birth experiences. Later that year, both women became pregnant and began to learn first-hand about navigating the health care system while expecting.

More services planned

“Our prenatal courses are really in-depth. They touch on 10 different topics and are very extensive,” says Finnie. The classes, which are currently presented in English, cover everything from what to include in a hospital bag to possible emergency scenarios and rare medical complications.

Finnie says they are working on a postpartum program and plan to eventually offer in-person services, including prenatal classes, workshops, and yoga instruction. “Birth is super important, but setting yourself up for a good postpartum is crucial,” she explains, while noting how difficult it can be to survive on little sleep or attempt to get anywhere on time while healing from delivering a baby.

Finnie also plans to integrate infant massage workshops into their list of services. She is completing a course on the subject and is partnering with Une Affaire de Famille in Ormstown to offer five free courses to parents with children under one year of age. The courses will take place on Wednesdays in November and early December. Families can register by contacting her directly at sabinafinnie@gmail.com.

More information on the prenatal courses currently available through the Little Bean web platform can be found online at little-bean.ca.

Virtual prenatal services are now being offered in the area Read More »

New CT scanner is coming to Barrie Memorial Hospital

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Barrie Memorial Hospital was at the forefront of medical imagery in 2010, when a new CT scanner was installed at the Ormstown-based facility. Though still useful, that CT scanner is becoming obsolete.

“The replacement of the CT scanner is scheduled for the near future,” confirms a representative for the Communications and Public Affairs Department at the Center intégré de santé et de services sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest (CISSSMO). She says that while the decision has been made to provide a new scanner, the regional health authority is not yet able to provide a precise timeline for its arrival.

The current CT scanner and the associated expenses to renovate the medical imaging department in 2010 cost $1.94 million. At least $350,000 was contributed by the Agence de la Santé et des services sociaux de la Montérégie, which eventually became the CISSSMO, as well as $150,000 from the Québec Foundation for the Barrie Memorial Hospital. As was previously reported, the bulk of the funds necessary to secure the purchase of the scan came from the Barrie Memorial Hospital Foundation (BMHF), which contributed $1.44 million to the project.

The CISSSMO considers the foundation to be an essential partner when it comes to developing the hospital. “Its ongoing commitment and interest in supporting projects enables us to enhance the quality of care and services offered at the hospital for the benefit of patients and employees alike,” says the representative.

“The foundation’s work, as well as that of the Women’s Auxiliary, with whom we also work very closely, is of great value to the community, as they actively and dynamically contribute to improving our care environment,” she added.

Philippe Besombes, the vice-president of the BMHF, says the organization will soon begin fundraising to cover the costs associated with accommodating the new technology. He estimates the costs for this part of the project will be around $250,000.

New CT scanner is coming to Barrie Memorial Hospital Read More »

One councillor is elected at NFSB

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The New Frontiers School Board was among the five English-language school boards to hold elections across the province on November 3.

Anne-Marie Yelle was elected as the commissioner of ward number 6, which includes the territories of Beauharnois, Saint-Étienne-de-Beauharnois, and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield. The ten other positions, including nine commissioners and the chair, were all elected by acclamation.

All members of the council of commissioners will be sworn in during a special meeting on Tuesday, November 19, at Howard S. Billings Regional High School in Chateauguay. The council now includes John Ryan, who will serve a second term as chair, as well as Raymond Ledoux, Karin Van Droffelaar, Lina Chouinard, Kenneth Crockett, Cristian Espinosa-Fuentes, Dianne Eastwood, Peter Stuckey, Barbara Ednie, and Connor Stacey.

One councillor is elected at NFSB Read More »

More families turn to food banks in 2024

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Following the release of the annual Bilan Faim report by the Banques Alimentaires du Québec on October 28, the Moisson Sud-Ouest food bank says it continues to see a considerable increase in demand for food aid.

In the last three years, the number of requests for food aid in the Haut-Saint-Laurent, Beauharnois-Salaberry, Vaudreuil-Soulanges, and Roussillon regions has grown by 30,206.

The statistics suggest the number of individuals and families in need is similarly growing across the country. Food Banks Canada says that a six-per cent increase in visits to food banks was registered nationally compared with last year – representing a 90-per cent increase since 2019. Organizations partnering with the network of food banks across Quebec are now responding to 2.9 million food aid requests per month – an increase of 13 per cent over last year’s numbers.

Over 35 per cent of those benefiting from food aid through one of the 80 food pantries and organizations served by Moisson Sud-Ouest are children. In addition to the food aid being distributed to homes with children, over 35,000 snacks are distributed each month. The organization reports that over 1,000 food baskets per month are distributed to employed individuals, and over 10 per cent of those relying on food baskets own their home.

In a press release, Moisson Sud-Ouest points out that the $30 million granted by the government in the last budget allowed the network of food banks to purchase more food to meet the demand. It notes that while the government’s recently released action plan to fight poverty and social exclusion is a step in the right direction, even stronger public policy is needed to fight poverty and hunger before the most vulnerable in society will see any concrete impacts.

“For the first time, the issue of food security has been recognized in the government’s action plan to combat poverty. However, we need to do more to reduce the enormous pressure exerted by the growing need for food aid,” says Yan Ouellette, the director of communications and philanthropy at Moisson Sud-Ouest. He suggests the government must act now to help those facing food insecurity by attacking the root causes of poverty. “We have recognized the state of emergency; now we must act to help the most vulnerable and reverse the trend we are facing,” he notes.

According to the Bilan Faim, 72 per cent of the organizations served by Quebec food banks faced shortages, and 54 per cent were forced to purchase food to meet the demand.

“Our organization is doing all it can to meet the demand, notably by setting up initiatives in collaboration with several partners in the region to increase the volume of foodstuffs we distribute, or by holding recurring fund-raising campaigns, but that’s not enough,” says Moisson Sud-Ouest director Stéphane Spisak. “We will continue to do all we can to support those in need, but alone, we cannot solve the problem at the source.”

The annual Guignolée des medias du Suroît fundraiser for Moisson Sud-Ouest will run from November 22 to December 31.

More families turn to food banks in 2024 Read More »

MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent outlines bold plans

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent launched its first strategic development plan in over 40 years during a presentation at the Salle Culturelle Alfred-Langevin in Huntingdon on November 7.

A revised version of the Plan d’action pour l’économie et l’emploi (PAÉE) was also unveiled during the event, which highlighted the MRC’s strategic orientations and ambitious objectives in terms of the region’s economic, cultural, and social development over the next four years.

Around 50 invited guests attended the event, including several mayors, representatives from community organizations and businesses, and employees of the MRC, as well as Salaberry-Suroît MP Claude DeBellefeuille, and a representative for Huntingdon MNA Carole Mallette.

In a rousing speech, Sainte-Barbe mayor and prefect Louise Lebrun jubilantly introduced what she referred to as a bold vision for the years ahead. “We are entering an era where the status quo is no longer an option, where leadership must be inspired and inspiring, and where development must be active, sustainable and intentional – an era in which regions capitalize on the characteristics and strengths that make them unique,” she enthused, while calling on those present to become involved and to work together.

Work began on the strategic development plan and the action plan for the economy and employment in the spring of 2023. Both documents were approved during the regular meeting of the regional council on September 18.

MRC director general Pierre Caza explained while presenting the main points of the plan that the end goal of the planning process was to strengthen the local economy, promote rural tourism, and encourage cultural vitality and inter-municipal collaboration. The document includes the MRC’s vision, strategic objectives, and different courses of action to be implemented between now and 2028.

Members of the regional council worked with seven partner organizations to realize the plan, which features 93 actions aimed at improving access to services and housing; economic diversification and support for entrepreneurs; planning for dynamic, attractive living environments; the promotion of the MRC’s natural, cultural, heritage and tourist attractions; and prioritizing sustainable development while taking climate change into account.

Caza maintained that the MRC worked to ensure regional planning efforts would be adapted to the area’s rural or agricultural heritage and current reality. “This is important because the reality of the Haut-Saint-Laurent is what it is. We don’t want to denature ourselves,” he said. “We love our rural environment. And we’re not going to change it,” he explained, while pointing out that this conviction should not stop the MRC from innovating and inspiring other MRCs.

The PAÉE, which was developed in parallel with the strategic plan, aims to stimulate economic growth, support local entrepreneurship, diversify the economic fabric of the area and improve the region’s attractiveness as a tourist destination.

The most recent iteration of the PAÉE was completed in 2013. In revising the document, the MRC’s regional development team partnered with around 26 different organizations, businesses, and groups for the elaboration of the plan, which includes a dozen objectives and 37 strategic actions, several of which are already in place.

Caza noted that while there were different teams working on the strategic development plan and the PAÉE, the two documents are complementary. “This is very gratifying, because it means that on both sides we were really on the right track, and we succeeded in producing tools that will be useful.”

Combined, the two plans include 130 actions the MRC hopes to achieve before the end of 2028.

Caza said the MRC employees will be working with both documents. “We are not going to create two silos. Everyone will work together and build bridges,” he explained, noting the MRC is hoping to encourage the public’s participation. “There are citizens who like to get involved in their communities. We need to be using this energy to boost the region’s development.”

More information on the MRC’s strategic development plan and PAÉE, including the complete documents, can be found online at mrchsl.com/plans.

MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent outlines bold plans Read More »

ADDS rebrands in the face of growing community needs

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Association pour la défense des droits sociaux (ADDS) Huntingdon has updated its branding to reach as many people as possible, as living conditions within the Haut-Saint-Laurent deteriorate.

ADDS director Valérie Taillefer says the organization has been working for almost two years to rebrand its services, so the community better understands its focus on defending social rights and its important role within the Haut-Saint-Laurent community.

PHOTO Sarah Rennie
Valérie Taillefer and Karine Brunet of the Association pour la défense des droits sociaux (ADDS) Huntingdon unveiled the organization’s new logo earlier in October.

The colourful new logo and slogan were unveiled on October 19 following a campaign on social media, which counted down the days to the big reveal by highlighting different social rights such as mobility, food security, housing, equality and inclusions, and a healthy environment.

Taillefer says the slogan, “For a fair, supportive, and fulfilled community,” highlights how living conditions concern every one of us, while the new logo emphasizes the organization’s solidarity and commitment toward the community while evoking the importance of collective action and respect for the environment.

Taillefer admits that people tend to associate ADDS with separate services, such as its annual tax clinic, which is just one of its activities related to ensuring access to a decent income. “We are not just a small accounting office for part of the year,” she explains. The needs are there, she says, but they are expanding in many other ways across the Haut-Saint-Laurent.

“It’s not normal to pay so much for housing, to pay so much for groceries when our incomes don’t allow it. People are cutting back everywhere, and we can see that our members’ needs are growing,” she says. “We are going to see that the problems are going to become more and more visible.”

As an example, Taillerfer points to the snack bowl sitting on the table in their office. “Before the pandemic, people were embarrassed to take the snacks we were offering, but now people ask for them,” she says, noting they now partner with Moisson Sud-Ouest to be able to provide a variety of options to those in need.

ADDS also partners with the cercle de Fermières de Sainte-Barbe to offer knitted products to help people keep warm over the winter, including hats, scarves, socks, and slippers. At least 86 families were able to benefit from this partnership this year. A new supply of warm accessories is now available at their Huntingdon office.

“For me, this creates a kind of solidarity chain, with everyone helping each other out,” says Taillefer, who suggests this is precisely what is needed to help people weather the current social crisis.

She adds that those looking for ways to help can become involved with their community organizations by donating their time or funds, or by supporting the area’s different organizations at demonstrations. “That’s how we are going to make our concerns heard by the government, be it municipal, provincial or federal, so there are better programs to support households in the Haut-Saint-Laurent.”

More information on the services offered by ADDS Huntingdon is available online or by contacting 450-264-6888.

ADDS rebrands in the face of growing community needs Read More »

Internet access now available at Barrie Memorial Hospital

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Barrie Memorial Hospital Foundation (BMHF) has been covering the costs of providing free internet access to emergency room patients for the past several years. Now, hospitalized patients and their families can also benefit from reliable wireless internet access, thanks to the foundation.

“More and more people bring their computer or tablet when they are hospitalized,” says BMHF vice-president Philippe Besombes. The foundation reached out to the Centre intégré de santé et services sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest (CISSSMO), which agreed to allow the foundation to install a router on the third floor.

According to Besombes, the Barrie Memorial is not the first of the three hospitals in the Montérégie-Ouest to offer free WiFi services to all its patients. “For us it is a big plus, and it was one of the things we really wanted to do for the well-being of patients at the hospital,” he explained, noting that while many now have data plans included with their phones, many do not have unlimited access to the internet through their devices.

Besombes says the next big project for the foundation revolves around the hospital’s current CT scanner, which was installed in 2010 and is due to be replaced. The CT scanner and necessary renovations to the medical imaging department at that time cost $1,94 million, to which the BMHF contributed $1,44 million.

“When we bought this scanner for the hospital, it was the most powerful scanner in the region,” Besombes says, “but now it is at the end of its life.” This time around, the foundation will not finance the equipment but will finance the necessary renovations to the department. “We are planning to spend around $250,000,” he reveals, suggesting the foundation will soon begin fundraising for the project.

The Gleaner reached out to the CISSSMO to confirm the regional health authority was planning to replace the CT scanner, but did not receive a response by press time.

“We think it is at least two years away,” says Besombes, noting the authorization and procurement process with the CISSSMO will no doubt take some time.

PHOTO Sarah Rennie The president of the Barrie Memorial Hospital Foundation, Robert Greig, and vice-president Philippe Besombes tested the Wi-Fi signal on the third floor of the hospital last week. Hospitalized patients and their families can now benefit from free wireless internet access throughout the hospital.

Internet access now available at Barrie Memorial Hospital Read More »

ADDS announces partnership with Centraide

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Association pour la défense des droits sociaux (ADDS) Huntingdon is partnering with Centraide Sud-Ouest du Québec to ensure that citizens facing vulnerable situations in the Haut-Saint-Laurent continue to receive support.

ADDS director Valérie Taillefer says the partnership with Centraide, which includes a $15,000 donation, will provide ADDS with the solid funding base it needs to pursue its mission.

Centraide Sud-Ouest du Québec is recognized for its commitment to providing solidarity and support to community organizations. It supports at least nine organizations in both the Beauharnois-Salaberry and Vaudreuil-Soulanges regions, as well as five regional organizations, while ADDS is currently the only partner organization in the Haut-Saint-Laurent.

Taillefer says there is a clear alignment between ADDS’s values and those at Centraide, and that this synergy made it possible to establish a partnership. “This support will strengthen our ability to help our 638 members in a context where community needs are growing,” she explains, noting the investment will allow for some breathing room when it comes to developing more services and expanding the organization.

Taillefer explains that Centraide’s approach to centralizing donations enables organizations like ADDS to rely on stable, predictable financial resources. This approach ensures that every dollar donated will be used to make a significant impact in the Haut-Saint-Laurent community.

ADDS announces partnership with Centraide Read More »

New wave of family doctors is on the horizon

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Up to 36 new family doctors could set up practice in the region in the next year as part of the provincial government’s Plan regionaux d’effectifs médicaux (PREM).

The plan, which was recently released by the Ministère de la Santé, allocates the distribution of 458 new family doctors geographically and equitably across the province for 2025.

Up to 91 new doctors could become established in the Montérégie region, including six in the Haut-Saint-Laurent local service network (RLS), seven to the Suroît RLS, 11 to the Vaudreuil-Soulanges RLS, and 12 in the Jardins-Roussillon RLS. At least seven of these positions have already been filled by practising physicians.

The PREM authorizes an annual recruitment target for each administrative region or service network while considering the mobility of existing doctors, anticipated retirements, and the expected number of new physicians.

The number of positions allocated to the region in 2025 is significantly higher than those established for 2024, which allowed for the recruitment of just ten new positions between the four local service networks.

“Our goal is to better meet the needs of each region by making the practice of family medicine more attractive to future family physicians,” said health minister Christian Dubé. “These changes are important and will have tangible benefits for both health-care staff and patients in the various regions of Quebec. We’re adapting, for patients and staff alike,” he said, noting it was the right thing to do.

Huntingdon MNA Carole Mallette is especially appreciative of the potential increase in the number of doctors. “This is excellent news, because the number of patients without a family doctor is considerable, especially in the Jardins-de-Napierville region,” she explained.

“Since doctors are self-employed and choose where they practice, we’re very keen to see them choose our region. Our recruitment experts, Fabienne Djandji and Félix Le-Phat-Ho, have our full confidence in not only attracting these doctors, but also convincing them to stay and invest in our community,” added Mallette.

New wave of family doctors is on the horizon Read More »

Farmers and politicians rally over stalled supply management bill

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Over 200 representatives from the agricultural and agrifood industry demonstrated on Parliament Hill in Ottawa on October 10, to demand that the senate immediately adopt Bill C-282 which protects supply management.

Protesters were joined by elected representatives from all five major political parties, including Salaberry-Suroît MP Claude DeBellefeuille and several senators, as they rallied in support of the private members’ bill that has now been stalled for over a year.

Martin Caron, the general president of the Union des Producteurs Agricoles (UPA), called on the members of the Standing Senate Committee on Foreign Affairs and International Trade to support the bill, which was adopted by a majority of MPs in the House of Commons in June 2023.

Canada has conceded nearly 8.4 per cent of its dairy production and processing during the last three international free-trade agreements it has signed, including the Comprehensive Economic and Trade Agreement between Canada and the European Union, the Comprehensive and Progressive Trans-Pacific Partnership Agreement, and the Canada-U.S.-Mexico Agreement.

Caron argues that supply management is just as important for dairy and poultry producers as the government’s risk-management programs are for other production sectors.

“Supply management in Salaberry-Suroît represents over 350 family farms that generate more than 3,100 jobs,” said DeBellefeuille. Across Quebec, around 6,500 supply-managed farms create 116,000 jobs and are responsible for $8.7 billion in GDP and $2.1 billion in tax revenues.

“Supply management brings vitality to our villages,” added DeBellefeuille, who noted the quality products and expertise of the agrifood industry as well as the high environmental standards that ensure the quality of agricultural products. “The fact that two unelected senators are preventing C-282 from being adopted is not only unacceptable, but contrary to democracy!” she exclaimed.

Caron pointed out that Canada will no doubt continue to negotiate trade agreements, suggesting it was important to send a clear signal to trading partners who are similarly protecting their own sensitive sectors, such as sugar and cotton in the United States or rice in Japan.

Farmers and politicians rally over stalled supply management bill Read More »

Election set for New Frontiers School Board

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Registered voters in the Valleyfield, Beauharnois, and Saint-Étienne-de-Beauharnois electoral division will be called to the polls on November 3 to elect a representative to join the New Frontiers School Board council of commissioners.

Ten of the eleven available positions, including that of chair, were declared filled by acclamation when the period for submitting nomination papers closed on September 29.

The two candidates running for election in district number 6 are Corrine Kane and Anne-Marie Yelle. Those whose candidacy went uncontested include Raymond Ledoux, Karin Van Droffelaar, Lina Chouinard, Kenneth Crockett, Cristian Espinosa-Fuentes, Dianne Eastwood, Peter Stuckey, Barbara Ednie, Connor Stacey, and John Ryan, who will sit for a second term as chair.

Now that an election has been declared, NFSB director general Mike Helm says it is very important that those on the electoral list take the time to vote. “We really need people to come out,” says Helm, noting that a high voter turnout would benefit the English population.

“The concept of elections is probably more important now than ever, because we are under threat of losing that right to represent our community in the same way we have over many, many years,” says Ryan.

The provincial government attempted to abolish English school boards when it passed Bill 40 in 2020 which converted all French boards to school service centres. A 2023 ruling by the Quebec Superior Court determined that several of the provisions in Bill 40 relating to English school boards are unconstitutional. The government is appealing this decision.

“It is extremely important to vote, because if we don’t stand up and defend what we have, we are going to lose it,” says Ryan. “We have to protect it now, and keep it,” he says of the English-speaking community’s right to maintain elected councils. “Otherwise, there is no going back.”

Election set for New Frontiers School Board Read More »

Mosquitos are thriving,and so are mosquito-borne viruses

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

A wet August followed by a warmer-than-usual September has become a perfect combination for an extended mosquito season.

Besides being a nuisance, mosquitos can transmit dangerous diseases such as West Nile Virus (WNV) and the California serogroup virus, as well as eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), which has surfaced locally this summer in horses despite generally being considered quite rare.

Chantal Vallée, a senior advisor with the communications and public affairs department at the Centre intégré de santé et services sociaux de la Montérégie-Centre, confirms there have been no human cases of EEE reported in the Montérégie to date. She notes, however, that an increase in WNV infections has been detected in the region.

WNV has been endemic or regularly occurring in Quebec since 2002. It is a mandatory reportable disease in Quebec, and the number of cases identified each year are recorded by the Ministère de la Santé et des Services sociaux. The number of WNV infections tends to increase cyclically every four to five years, and the province is anticipating cases may continue to rise this fall.

As of September 26, there have been 61 cases confirmed across the province, and of those, 26 were diagnosed in the Montérégie. Only 20 cases of WNV were reported in Quebec in 2023, including six in the Montérégie.

Vallée says the Direction de Santé Publique de la Montérégie (DSPM) issued a call for vigilance in August to alert health-care professionals throughout the region to the potential risks posed by these infections.

“In the presence of symptoms affecting the nervous system, health-care professionals are being encouraged to look for these infections by performing the appropriate tests,” says Vallée.

The DSPM also encourages the adoption of preventive measures, especially for people at greater risk of serious illness, including individuals over 50-years-old, and those with chronic illnesses such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, or cancer.

Vallée confirms it is important people protect themselves against mosquito bites as long as mosquitos are active this fall.

Mosquitos are thriving,and so are mosquito-borne viruses Read More »

Job market a challenge for region’s English speakers

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Montérégie-West Community Network (MWCN) hosted the region’s first employment roundtable focused exclusively on the five MRCs that make up the Montérégie on September 26 at the wellness centre in Huntingdon.

Around 25 representatives from local employment-oriented organizations as well as regional development groups participated in the meeting, which included a presentation by the Provincial Employment Roundtable (PERT) on employment statistics in the region.

“We want to talk about the issues and try to find solutions to employability issues within the region,” said Joanne Basilières, the MWCN’s employability and mental health coordinator. She invited PERT to present the findings of its recently released employment profile of English speakers in the Montérégie, and to start a dialogue amongst the group on meeting the challenges facing this community.

Chad Walcott, the director of engagement and communications for PERT, opened his presentation by acknowledging English speakers are facing growing challenges in the labour market, with higher unemployment rates, lower incomes, and persistent barriers to accessing essential French language training. These are the main findings of the report, which also notes a widening gap in the unemployment rate between English and French speakers in Montérégie.

Since the 2016 Census, the unemployment rate for English speakers has increased from 7.5 per cent to 9.1 per cent, while the rate for French speakers has remained steady at 5.8 per cent. The stats are showing a consistent trend, says Walcott. “The gaps are there, and they are persisting,” he said, noting that while some of the data from the 2021 census may have been influenced by the pandemic, the gaps have been present since 2011 and even earlier.

In the Montérégie region, the English-speaking population accounts for 13.3 per cent of the total population, while in the Haut-Saint-Laurent, English speakers make up 30.4 per cent of the population. This is the second highest percentage after Vaudreuil-Soulanges, where 34 per cent of the population identify as English-speaking.

The unemployment rate among French speakers in the Haut-Saint-Laurent sits at 6.8 per cent, while 8.2 per cent of English speakers are unemployed. In Beauharnois-Salaberry, 5.9 per cent of French speakers are unemployed, while 9.1 per cent of those who speak English do not have jobs.

In the Haut-Saint-Laurent, English-speaking visible minorities are at the greatest disadvantage, where 25.8 per cent are unemployed. This figure is twice as high as in every other MRC in the Montérégie. Across the region, the unemployment rate for visible minorities is 10.9 per cent.

Walcott noted that along with a higher unemployment rate, English speakers were also earning less. In the Haut-Saint-Laurent, for example, English speakers earn roughly $3,800 less per year than their French-speaking neighbours, while visible minorities who speak English earn $9,000 less per year.

Walcott explained that even though English speakers are participating in the job market, there is a blockage. “The fit is not there for the job market,” he said, noting that this holds true despite the fact English speakers are generally more educated and are more likely to identify as bilingual.

For example, 80 per cent of English speakers in the Haut-Saint-Laurent have at least a secondary school diploma or equivalency certificate, while 72 per cent of French speakers have attained this level of education. The bilingualism rate for English speakers is 66.7 percent, while 50.9 per cent of French speakers identify as bilingual.

During the discussion that followed Walcott’s presentation, one participant noted that many want to work with the English-speaking population, but the resources are simply not there. “It is easier to hire someone who is handicapped than it is to hire someone who is unilingually English,” she pointed out.

Many suggested more funding for work-integrated learning programs would help English speakers gain professional skills while improving their French-Language skills on the job. Others pointed to a lack of funding for industry-specific language training as an issue, as well as the integration challenges facing English speakers working in French environments.

Job market a challenge for region’s English speakers Read More »

UPA is demanding better waterway management

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Area farmers are still recovering from the torrential rain and subsequent flooding brought on by the remnants of hurricane Debby in early August.

During the annual fall consultation held by the Haut-Saint-Laurent syndicate of the Union des Producteurs Agricoles (UPA) on September 13, regional federation president Jérémie Letellier confirmed the storm resulted in material damages and financial losses for producers impacted by flooding. He also spoke about the important role played by the different MRCs when it comes to waterway management, and the impact that poorly maintained ditches and waterways can have during extreme weather events.

One of the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent’s many responsibilities is to ensure the free flow of water through the various waterways that course through the region. The MRC confirms that a “communications and collaboration” channel exists between citizens, the municipalities, and waterway manager David Rousseau. This allows the MRC to identify the nature, location, and delimitation of the problem reported by citizens so their requests can be processed as quickly as possible. Following this, mandates are given to engineers to determine the necessary maintenance work, which is then carried out in accordance with the laws and regulations in place.

According to the MRC, five requests were received and processed from agricultural producers following the flooding in August. The MRC notes that this work did not impact any of the work already scheduled, except for the removal of a tree that had fallen into the water, and the prioritization of a tree branch in an area that was already identified for inspection.

The UPA says that despite this, there is much more work waiting to be done.

Éric Leboeuf, the president of the local syndicate, said that waterway maintenance remains one of the most significant issues facing area farmers. So much so, that a resolution proposed by Saint-Anicet farmer Marius Trépanier calling for better management of the region’s waterways was passed unanimously during the fall consultation.

The resolution calls for better collaboration with the MRC, the municipalities, and Huntingdon MNA Carole Mallette, to ensure work to clear waterways is carried out according to a schedule that is reasonable for all concerned.

The local syndicate is also requesting a complete overview of pending requests, so the UPA can better understand the progress being made or delays to specific files.

The management at the MRC has previously confirmed they are ready to participate in a strategic approach aimed at improving procedures in line with ministerial guidelines and current legislation.

For local farmers already concerned about the next weather event, this collaboration cannot come soon enough. 

UPA is demanding better waterway management Read More »

MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent is developing a climate plan

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent is taking action on climate change. With support from the provincial government, the regional municipal organization is in the early stages of developing its first climate plan.

The “Accélérer la transition climatique locale” program was launched by Quebec in February, to support initiatives at the municipal level that are focused on climate change adaptation and mitigation. The MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent responded positively to the program, and Megan Heath was brought on board in May as the project manager responsible for the creation of the climate plan.

This type of plan traditionally presents the risks and opportunities associated with climate change, while identifying priority projects aimed at reducing greenhouse gas emissions, adaptation, and different actions to support the local climate transition. The MRC is already well on its way.

The first meeting of the newly established climate plan committee took place on September 12. Heath says the committee was formed to ensure citizens and experts were equally consulted on various topics relevant to the plan’s development. “The committee provides a communication channel for citizens, agricultural producers, and environmental groups in the Haut-Saint-Laurent region who wish to make comments or recommendations, or ask questions,” says Heath. Invitations were sent to the 13 municipal mayors and directors general, as well as to representatives of groups such as the SCABRIC and Ambioterra, as well as the CLSC and the local syndicate of the Union des producteurs Agricoles (UPA).

Heath says the climate plan will play an important role in the MRC’s overall planning in the years ahead. “The relationship between citizens and the territory is fundamental in the Haut-Saint-Laurent,” she explains. “By considering the effects of climate change and the territory’s GHG inventory, the MRC and municipalities can work together to better prepare for the future and develop, implement, and optimize protective measures for citizens.”

The committee will address topics such as extreme weather events and the quality and quantity of the region’s water supply, as well as the impact of climate change on disaster preparedness for events such as flooding, forest or brush fires, and power outages. Other topics include the growing risk of Lyme disease and heat stroke, the prevalence of pests and diseases affecting crops, and methods for preserving the health of all types of living environments, natural environments, and ecosystems in the Haut-Saint-Laurent.

Heath says that along with the formation of the committee, the MRC will be “coordinating its efforts in urban planning, waste management, economic development, public transport, and public safety to find solutions for adapting to climate change and reducing our greenhouse gas emissions.”

Much of the work to complete the plan will be done at the MRC; however, the regional council passed a resolution on August 21 to outsource the production of a greenhouse gas inventory to the CIMA+ consulting and engineering firm.

Once approved by the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte contre les changements climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs (MELCCFP), the MRC will begin planning and implementing various projects that stem from the plan.

MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent is developing a climate plan Read More »

Equine encephalitis virus is present in the Valley

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Debbie Purdy was devastated last month when one of her two elderly horses suddenly became very ill. She says her mare, Paige, who was born 28 years ago on her farm in Aubrey, died soon after from eastern equine encephalitis (EEE), a rare but serious and often fatal mosquito-borne illness.

To date, there have been two disease alerts issued by the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation du Québec (MAPAQ) for confirmed EEE cases in the Haut-Saint-Laurent that have been registered on the Canadian Animal Health Surveillance System. In speaking with different horse owners and people within the community, there are reports of upwards of 15 animals across the Valley that have now perished from EEE.

“It is a pretty small radius,” says Purdy of the local cases; while pointing out she knows at least three others personally who have lost their animals to the disease. She posted a candid message on social media after Paige died, to help raise awareness locally about the virus and its deadly consequences.

Between 75 and 95 per cent of infected horses will die within two or three days after the onset of symptoms. Clinical signs of EEE, which is sometimes referred to as sleeping sickness, come on abruptly, and can include lethargy or drowsiness, behavior changes, impaired vision, muscle twitches, or paralysis.

“It is devastatingly fast,” Purdy confirms.

The Quebec government warns that officials are seeing elevated viral activity across the province, and several cases of EEE have been detected in horses in the Lanaudière, Montérégie, and Laurentides regions. Ontario, Vermont and New York State are also reporting an increased number of cases.

The Vermont Department of health reports that over 70 groups of mosquitos have tested positive for EEE across more than 15 towns. Last year, only 14 groups across three towns tested positive, which suggests a significant increase in the circulation of infected mosquitos.

Across the border in Vermont, the towns of Alburgh, Burlington, Colchester, and Swanton are considered high-risk. Health officials have recommended people there avoid being outdoors after 6 p.m. to avoid mosquitos.

The virus is especially dangerous for horses, but humans can contract the disease as well from the bite of an infected mosquito. Most people show no clinical signs of illness, but some may experience flu-like symptoms. Generally, those infected fully recover within one to two weeks.

There have been no human cases confirmed to date in Quebec; however, an Ottawa resident who passed away in August tested positive for EEE. Human cases have also been identified in Massachusetts, Rhode Island and New Hampshire, where one person has died.

There is no vaccine for humans against this illness, and the best way to protect against diseases that are spread by mosquito bites is to avoid being bitten.

There is a vaccine approved for horses, though Purdy points out that not all horse owners are aware of the potentially lifesaving inoculation, as the disease is considered so rare.

“It pulls at my heartstrings, because I felt blindsided,” she says.

According to the government, there is still time for horse owners to vaccinate their animals, though vaccination normally would take place before peak mosquito season in the spring.

Equine encephalitis virus is present in the Valley Read More »

Nomination period for school board elections is now open

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Elections are set to take place this November at the nine English school boards across Quebec.

Notice was officially given on August 22 by the New Frontiers School Board that all eleven positions, including the chairperson and ten commissioners, will be up for election. Nomination papers for those interested in representing an electoral ward must be filed in person at the board office in Chateauguay by 5 p.m. on September 29. Should two or more candidates present themselves for one position, an election will take place on November 3.

“This is about making sure that the voices from the community are being heard, and this comes through the electoral process,” says NFSB director general Mike Helm. He says this public representation is especially important because it allows the board “to respond to the different needs in terms of ensuring the teaching and learning that is going on within our buildings.”

John Ryan, the current chair of the NFSB council of commissioners, says these elections are “probably more important now than ever, because we are under threat to lose this right to represent our community in the way we have over many, many years.”

Ryan has already announced his candidacy for re-election. He says it will be extremely important for eligible residents to vote if an election takes place. “We are the only elected voice for the English community at the provincial level,” he adds. “If we don’t stand up and defend what we have, we are going to lose it.”

All parents of students who were or are currently enrolled in an NFSB school should automatically be eligible to vote. Returning officer Louisa Benvenuti says it is important for recent graduates to check their status. She says several 18-year-olds recently noted that although they graduated from an English school, they had been automatically excluded from the list.

Those who do not have children or whose children do not attend an NFSB school are by default not included on the electoral list. Those in this situation who would like to vote in school board elections must complete a notice of change form, which is available on the NFSB’s elections page on their website (nfsb.qc.ca/elections)

Nomination period for school board elections is now open Read More »

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