Pierrefonds-Roxboro

Weeks after fire 40 Pierrefonds residents still in limbo

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By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

Nearly two weeks after a devastating overnight fire gutted a co-op housing complex in Pierrefonds-Roxboro, more than forty residents are still living in limbo, unsure about where they will go once their temporary shelter arrangements end.

The blaze, which struck in the early hours of May 28, forced families to evacuate. While emergency crews responded quickly and there were no reports of life threatening injuries, the building sustained extensive damage, rendering it uninhabitable.

In the immediate aftermath, the Red Cross provided emergency shelter and basic necessities, offering residents a place to stay and a brief respite from the chaos. That support, however, is designed to address the short term needs of displaced persons on an emergency basis.

As the days pass, those affected are facing the harsh reality of finding somewhere else to live and replacing their belongings. With the end of the Red Cross assistance looming, families are left scrambling for long-term housing solutions.

Residents of Pierrefonds-Roxboro, as part of the City of Montreal, qualify for additional municipal support. This can include temporary housing, reimbursement for moving and storage costs, and assistance from the Office municipal d’habitation de Montréal (OMHM) in searching for a new home. Even so, the process is often slow and overwhelming. Many of those displaced have lost most or all of what they owned and must now navigate unfamiliar housing systems, all while coping with the trauma of losing their homes.

The broader housing landscape in the West Island adds another layer of difficulty. Only about one in five homes in the area are rentals, and social housing is scarce—making up just a small fraction of available units. For moderate- or low-income families, this means the options for affordable, suitable accommodation are extremely limited, especially at short notice. Competition for available apartments is high, and some families fear they may have nowhere to go once their emergency shelter ends.

Community organizations and local leaders have called for support, urging anyone who can offer housing, donations, or resources to step forward. The sense of community has become a lifeline for those affected, as neighbours, volunteers, and advocacy groups work to fill the gaps left by official assistance. Another factor, the rise of rents since the pandemic has skyrocketed. For residents who benefitted from lower rental costs, affording an apartment available on the market is, in many cases, not possible.

Meanwhile, the cause of the fire remains under investigation, and the uncertainty around what triggered the blaze has added to residents’ anxiety. For the families left picking up the pieces, the coming days are critical. With emergency aid set to run out, many are desperate for stable solutions and worried about what comes next.

The Pierrefonds-Roxboro fire has thrown a spotlight on just how vulnerable many Montrealers are in the face of disaster. Although city programs are in place to help, the shortage of affordable housing means that for dozens of families, finding a new place to call home is far from guaranteed. The community is rallying, but it’s clear that lasting solutions—and more robust safety nets—are needed to prevent future tragedies from leaving so many people without a place to turn. n

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Elections 2025: Pierrefonds-Dollard

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

The Pierrefonds-Dollard riding covers the western portion of Montreal’s Pierrefonds-Roxboro borough and the City of Dollard-des-Ormeaux. In the 2021 election, Liberal Sameer Zuberi won with a significant margin, though recent polls suggest increasing competition in this traditionally Liberal riding.

Liberal

Sameer Zuberi, the incumbent MP, currently serves on the House of Commons Foreign Affairs Committee, where he maintains a 95.6% attendance record. His recent parliamentary work has focused on youth employment initiatives and diversity programs. During his term, he has participated in various community outreach programs. Recently his campaign has faced several incidents involving election sign postings.

Conservative

Tanya Toledano, currently serving her first term as a Dollard-des-Ormeaux City Councillor, brings extensive municipal governance experience to her federal campaign. As council liaison for public security, she implemented comprehensive neighbourhood watch programs that reduced property crime rates by 15% in targeted areas and established new partnerships between law enforcement and community groups. She also secured over $5 million in infrastructure grants for the West Island, funds that were strategically allocated to modernize three community centres and upgrade aging recreational facilities.

NDP

Kakou Richard Kouassi represents the New Democratic Party in this riding. His campaign has focused on affordable housing initiatives and improved public transportation access in the West Island. At recent community meetings, Kouassi has emphasized the need for better integration of public services, particularly for the riding’s growing immigrant population.

People’s Party

Gordon Nash, who brings a background in science and business development, is carrying the PPC banner. A former sales executive in the biotechnology sector, Nash has made economic deregulation and opposition to government mandates central themes of his campaign. He regularly hosts community forums focused on monetary policy and its impact on local businesses.

Bloc Québécois

The Bloc Québécois candidate for this riding has not yet been announced as of press time. The party has indicated they will be fielding a candidate, with an announcement expected shortly. n

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West Island Mayors demand cars be permitted on REM boulevard

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By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor Jim Beis is calling on the Montreal Agglomeration to revise the urban boulevard plan for the West Island that was shot down by the Plante administration.

With traffic congestion at an all-time high on the three north-south corridors, St-Jean, Sources and Saint-Charles Boulevards while development and opulation growth has soared in a sector that was orginally designed for farm land until the late 1950’s, the plan for a new urban boulevard was designed to ease traffic flow in the West Island.

The boulevard was planned to span from Gouin Boulevard in Pierrefonds-Roxboro to Highway 40, in Kirkland near the new REM station.

Last year, the Plante administration decided that cars would not have access to the road planned in collaboration with and approved by the provincial government.

The administration turned the plans into part of its bike-path and public transit plans that all West Island Mayors say makes no sense, as the road was planned originally to alleviate traffic. According to the new plan imposed by the Plante administration, the Boulevard would be reserved for buses and bicycles only. It also reframed the route to span between the western tip of Antoine-Faucon Street in Pierrefonds and Ste-Marie Road. This entire decision was not only mad without consulting elected officials in the area, but also without consideration of the West Island populations’ needs, Beis says.

Kirkland Mayor Michel Gibson says that the new plan will backfire on itself, causing more public transit users to take their cars in order to avoid more traffic, rather than use the REM or other forms of public transit.

Both Beis and Gibson have called this plan “ridiculous” and “thoughtless”. “This plan does not coincide with the reality of our population,” Gibson said.

“This is another example of how the Plante administration ignores the reality of the population and the reality presented to them by the elected officials who represent them,” Beis has said. n

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Four arrested in robbery and attempted murder in Pierrefonds

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By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

Montreal police (SPVM) arrested three suspects for their alleged involvement in robbery and attempted murder that occurred in a park on the north side of Pierrefonds-Roxboro.

The incident took place on October 26 on the shore of the Rivières des Prairies in a public park. The victim, a 43-year-old man, drove an acquaintance to the park. He had previously met up with the 19-year-old woman at the same park after connecting with her through a social media platform.

Moments after arriving at the park for the second time, accompanied by the woman he had recently met, the victim was violently pulled out of his vehicle by three men who allegedly beat him up. At one point during the attack, the victim managed to escape, but was caught by the assailants and immobilized by two of the alleged attackers while one of them allegedly attempted to stab him, inflicting an injury to his upper body.

Despite his injuries, the victim managed to escape a second time. Once he was safe, he called 911 to report the assault. He also reported that the suspects took his cell phone and bank card during the altercation. It was later discovered that they used the stolen card to withdraw $3,000 from the victim’s account.

Evidence collected by the SPVM, as part of its investigation, made it possible for the suspects to be identified quickly. The first suspect that was arrested is a 22-year-old man. He was picked up at the Montreal Courthouse where he was dealing with a separate legal matter which the authorities have not disclosed. 

The second suspect, also a 22-year-old man, was downtown when he was arrested. Due to the level of risk he presented, the SPVM’s Tactical Intervention Group was summoned to proceed to his arrest.

The third suspect was arrested in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville borough where she was caught by the SPVM team leading the investigation.

Another 24-year-old woman allegedly linked to one of the suspects was also arrested the same day in her apartment in Longueuil, on Montreal’s South Shore. A search conducted at the apartment led to the discovery of an illegal .40-caliber pistol and ammunition.

The four individuals were arraigned at the Montreal courthouse. All will remain detained until the next stage of the legal proceedings.

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No solutions for neighbours of Pierrefonds hoarders

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By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

A family living on Devlin Street in Pierrefonds has seen their joy of living reduced for the last 25-years due to the hoarding of their neighbour. Numerous complaints were made to city officials in the last two decades and the family has been in direct contact with Pierrefonds-Roxboro Mayor Jim Beis since 2019. Beis even visited the property and spoke to neighbours, promising to do his best to help mediate the situation.

Beis explained to The Suburban that every possible course of action that could be taken by the municipality has been taken. “We’ve issued several tickets (via City of Montreal) and even sent crews to help clean up. At this level, there is only so much we can do regarding private property.” The Mayor also explained that the sensitive intersection between potential mental health involvement and legal considerations is difficult for authorities to navigate. Beis moved the file up the ladder to the City of Montreal and stated to The Suburban that he will look further into the matter in order to come up with answers for the complainants.

“This is a nice neighbourhood, but it is ruined by the ugliness and the stench coming from that house,” The neighbour explained to The Suburban. “It brings in mice and rats. There are things rotting there and it just keeps getting worse.”

The neighbour witnessed the City’s efforts to execute a clean-up of the property in 2021, where the owner kicked the workers off of his property, insisting on keeping his “belongings” in his front and back yard. When asked about this incident Beis said “That’s what I mean (by what was explained earlier) and in that case, all we can do is issue a ticket, which we have many times.”

The Suburban visited the neighbourhood and the putrid odours emanating from the yard were evident. A truck parked on the front lawn was filled with junk and surrounded by junk. The entire backyard had piles of junk, spreading over almost the entire canopy of terrain and reaching just a few feet short of the rooftop in certain spots.

“We understand that there may be some sensitive aspects to this problem, but everyone on this street is forced to live with the consequences. Where is the line drawn? Who is coming up with a fair solution? This certainly is not fair to us,” The neighbour explained. “We are not insensitive people, but its to the point where people are uncomfortable sitting outside on their own properties, at times. The City, or someone, has to come up with a solution. We understand that this is difficult, but for us who are forced to ‘live with it’, is that fair?” n

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Pierrefonds approves national design competition for public square

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

A nationwide design competition for a public square slated to be constructed by 2028 adjacent to Pierrefonds-Roxboro’s aquatic and recreational complex is soon to be launched following the approved proposal at the borough’s council meeting.

Pierrefonds-Roxboro city councillors approved the proposal to launch a design competition with the goal of awarding a design contract for the development of a planned public square. Another mandate for the development of the technical and functional parameters has also been approved.

In order for a private contract to be authorized, the borough submitted a request for an exemption from the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation (MAMH) that was approved.

“Pierrefonds-Roxboro seeks to encourage excellence in urban planning, landscape architecture and design throughout its territory. Through this competition, the borough hopes to create an exceptional place that will become the focal point of community, cultural and civic life in our area,” Pierrefonds-Roxboro mayor Jim Beis stated. “Through the development of this future public square, we want to create a sense of pride among our residents. Our intention is to create a unifying atmosphere in a space that people can fully identify with.”

Pierrefonds-Roxboro intends to complete its overall community design project entitled “projet connexion” that began with the expansion of the Pierrefonds library in 2019 followed by the redevelopment of Millennium Park in 2022 and the construction of the Pierrefonds-Roxboro Aquatic Complex that is currently underway. n

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Langevin slams Plante on homeless after Hotel Dieu failure

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By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

“They waited until the last minute and once again Montreal demonstrated its inaction on the issue of homelessness,” Pierrefonds-Roxboro city councilor and official opposition critic on homelessness Benoit Langevin told The Suburban in speaking about the refuge project that took place at Hotel Dieu. The project took shape under an emergency measure in the summer of 2021 following the announcement of the closure of a temporary shelter located in a hotel in downtown Montreal right in the middle of a global pandemic. Langevin says that the city has no strategy when it comes to planning for these projects in response to the ongoing needs of the homeless community.

It was not until the summer of 2023 that an investigation by the Quebec Ombudsperson took place revealing that the shelter was inadequate in receiving persons with certain health requirements or risk factors. According to the report, the organizations that ran the facility, Mission Bon Accueil (MBA) and the Old Brewery Mission (OBM), both acknowledged that they do not have the staff required to meet the physical health needs of persons with certain medical profiles.

Unlike health care facilities, shelters do not have admission criteria for their clientele other than homelessness. Some shelters serve only men or women or focus on a native clientele with particular needs, but when it comes to health issues, shelters are not equipped for medical interventions and rely on resources provided by the healthcare network. The project at Hotel Dieu was run by organizations that manage homeless shelters and it did what it does best. The shelter was never intended to become a health care facility and when health-related support was needed, it acted as usual and outsourced. It was workers from the CIUSSS healthcare network that reported situations to their employer that they observed while providing treatment during their visits that led to the investigation.

The Ombudsperson’s report was met with acceptance from all parties involved that collectively wanted to find the best solution for the clientele. The recommendations include, that adequate care is ensured for people admitted to the shelter; prevent vulnerable people from being admitted to an environment that cannot meet their needs; and plan the move of people accommodated to other resources after the closure of the shelter planned for July 2024.

“The urgency in which the project was deployed and the absence of contractual formalities can also explain the confusion regarding clinical and administrative responsibilities of the different actors (CIUSSS, CHUM, OMB, MBA),” the Ombudsperson’s report reads. “The city has no long term plan and when questioned, the Plante administration keeps pointing the finger at everyone else, including the Quebec government and the regional health authority that require the city to provide its long-term plan in requests for funding and implementation of services. But the city has tools at its disposal where Quebec can invest when provided with a plan.” Langevin says this scenario is not new or different from the ongoing reactive rather than proactive process of the Plante administration in how it handles the homeless situation in Montreal.

Spokesperson for the Quebec minister of social services Lambert Drainville told The Suburban that he agrees with Langevin’s perspective that the city and province need to work together in order to meet the needs of the homeless population. When asked what the minister’s position is on the Montreal mayor pointing the finger back at the provincial government, Drainville stated that he would not comment at this time but would review the issue for comment at a later date.

Langevin referred back to the city’s charter which states its obligation toward the homeless population and questions why it continues to leave nine habitable facilities empty. “Even now, it did not offer the vacant heated spaces on its territories for the relocation of Hotel Dieu. Once again, it left volunteer community groups to scramble for a last minute solution. The scenario forces the community organizations to go get mortgage loans to make up for 200 people with a new homeless situation. The city is always playing ‘hot potato’ and in this case it leaves the organizations looking for financing partners at the last minute with no concrete action from the city.” n

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Pierrefonds man wakes up to bullet-ridden car

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

By Chelsey St-Pierre
The Suburban

A Pierrefonds-Roxboro resident noticed bullets that were fired into his car while it was parked in his lot on Clark Street near Flemming. When officers arrived, they discovered the vehicle riddled with bullets and at least one bullet on the house next door.

Emergency calls to Montreal police (SPVM) reporting gunshots were made around 11 p.m. on Saturday but investigators did not locate any shell casings or gunshot entry points at that time. “After doing all the necessary checks, the patrol officers found nothing conclusive,” SPVM spokesperson Sabrina Gauthier said. “At 11:45 a.m. the next morning, we received a call from a resident who located the projectile impacts on his car.”

The scene was taped off to allow investigators and forensic identification technicians to analyze the evidence in order to determine the circumstances of the shooting. n

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