public safety

CSL council rejects location for Public Safety station

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By Joel Goldenberg
The Suburban

Côte St. Luc council, in a recent caucus meeting, affirmed that a potential new Public Safety station will not be on a greenspace on The Avenue between Cavendish Blvd. and Park Place, as originally proposed in the city’s master plan.

That original location was a factor that prompted Councillor Mike Cohen to vote against bylaws related to the master plan.

“The late [councillor] Ruth Kovac had designated a park for that spot, she even named it [Volunteers Park],” Cohen said last November. “Residents have been asking me for a park there for 10 years.”

Instead, the location will potentially be elsewhere in the area around Cavendish. The current location is at the site of the old city hall at 8100 Côte St. Luc Road.

During a public consultation meeting, residents supporting a move from 8100 CSL Road said Emergency Medical Services response times would be reduced for many residents in distress, while area residents did not want the location on the parkland.

After hearing from residents at the consultation, Mayor Mitchell Brownstein said he was adamantly opposed to the station being at Cavendish and The Avenue.

“I am not going to have it go there,” he emphasized. “It was designated parkland by the province. Presently, cities are being audited for converting parkland into something else. So it’s not something that is looked upon positively.”

Brownstein also said that the intersection is “our town centre, in front of city hall,” adding that they want a potential redevelopment of Quartier Cavendish to be beautiful.

“It’s our area. Why would we want to give that away?” Instead, a station could be built anywhere between Mackle and Cavendish and The Avenue, a potential town centre as envisioned in the master plan, or at the community garden in the area that could be relocated.

“My recommendation to council is to stop this uncertainty amongst certain residents — it’s just, remove that use from that location from the master plan.”

Cohen was pleased, telling The Suburban, “I’ve been against it from Day 1. I asked when it was being raised as a possibility that this should have been brought to the residents months ago and we could have asked what they thought. Instead, they just dropped it in the master plan, which was very undemocratic. I met with my residents, going door to door in the winter, and privately by Zoom, and they were adamantly against it. If it had been presented in a better way, maybe they would have be open to it.

“The Mayor heard their concerns. There’s plenty of other good spots for the station. It was an ill-conceived thought to begin with.”

The council as a whole rejected the parkland location a day after the public consultation.

CSL council rejects location for Public Safety station Read More »

Agreement between Quebec and Maria to replenish the beach 

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

place for beach replenishment work to begin in May to protect Maria’s shoreline from erosion and coastal submersion. 

On March 10, the municipal council approved a memorandum of understanding with the Ministry of Transportation for part of the work aimed at protecting Highway 132 between the municipal beach and the post office. The project will also coordinate with beach replenishment for the commercial sector between the IGA supermarket and the Lady Maria residence. “The storm water outfall, manholes, and engineering work are included in the beach replenishment memorandum of understanding,” says Mayor of Maria Jean-Claude Landry. 

Furthermore, the mayor is confident that the final authorizations for the work will be obtained under the direction of the Ministry of Public Security for the commercial sector. 

“It’s coming in gradually, and we should have all the requests made before the work begins,” says the elected official.  The authorizations are expected before the scheduled start of construction in late May or early June, with work continuing through November. 

For the commercial component, the government of Quebec granted $9.3 million in June 2022, while the municipality will need to contribute $684,000 to complete the financial package.  “I won’t give any figures because we’re in a call for tenders, but it should be included in the budget,” noted the mayor. 

The construction zone will span approximately 2.4 kilometers. However, for the Rue des Tournepierres area, Civil Security has determined that any work would serve no purpose in protecting residents, since the long-term effects of a construction project would be non existent. 

“The municipality is ensuring the protection of property and will support people,” he said. It’s difficult to predict what will happen next, but public services will be provided up to a certain limit. 

“Services will be maintained over time until it’s reasonable to do so. With climate change, we can’t predict what will happen in 10 or 20 years. Climate change will affect local residents,” the mayor explained. 

Approximately 53 residents live in the vacinity. Property owners could receive a maximum compensation of $385,000 to vacate the street.  Protecting this area was estimated to cost $41 million.  Last winter, three major storms severely impacted Pointe Verte residents. 

Agreement between Quebec and Maria to replenish the beach  Read More »

MTQ unveils two traffic studies in Gaspé 

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – A 2024 traffic analysis concludes that despite the possible addition of several hundred housing units on a street connecting to York Boulevard East, the Ministry of Transportation states that the impact on traffic in the area will be minimal. 

The study focused specifically on traffic at the corner of York Boulevard East (Route 198) and Dean Creek Street.  According to the study findings, the current configuration of Route 198 can meet anticipated traffic needs, even during rush hour. Consequently, no changes to geometry, signage, or markings are required. 

The Ministry is awaiting receipt of the developer’s proposal for access to the eco-district to assess its feasibility and determine whether an access and road permit can be issued. Recommendations have been submitted directly to the Town to help guide its decisions on matters under municipal jurisdiction. 

Meanwhile, minor improvements are planned for the Route 132 and 197 intersection in Saint-Majorique 

In August 2022, The Town of Gaspé requested an analysis from the Ministry of Transportation to improve safety at the intersection following a fatal collision on July 3, 2022. 

The site is located on a long, straight stretch at the exit of the Saint-Majorique ferry toward Rivière-au-Renard, where the speed limit is 90 kilometres per hour. However, many motorists fail to comply with this limit. 

Following its study, the ministry did not identify a significant safety issue related to traffic at the intersection of Routes 132 and 197.  However, the ministry has noted a recurring pattern of accidents on the eastbound approach to Route 132 from Cap-aux-Os, which requires action. 

At the end of the summer, the signage on the eastbound approach was improved: the alignment chevrons were increased in size and the “Curve Ahead” sign was replaced with the “Restricted Visibility Ahead on a Horizontal Curve” sign. 

Next summer, the speed limit will be lowered for part of the section of Route 132 on the eastbound approach to the intersection, and signage will be installed to reflect the new speed. Additionally, during a future roadway conservation project, the ministry will validate the slope transition and make corrections, if necessary, and will asphalt the shoulders to reduce the amount of granular material entering the roadway. 

The intersection will be monitored in the coming years to assess whether these measures effectively enhance safety. 

MTQ unveils two traffic studies in Gaspé  Read More »

Gaspé Firefighters: Hidden report includes 15 recommendations

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Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – The organizational assessment commissioned by the Town of Gaspé on its Fire Protection Service contains 15 recommendations, but the Town refuses to release the report despite an access to information request. 

The fire brigade has been plagued by allegations of a toxic climate that has poisoned the work environment in recent months, leading to the suspension of Director Carl Sinnett and the announcement of his departure last November. 

Two factions were at odds: those who wanted him to stay on and those who demanded his departure. 

The assessment, conducted by the firm Layran Services Conseils, was submitted on November 16, and Mr. Sinnett’s departure was announced on November 21. Director General of Gaspé Jocelyn Villeneuve indicates that upon his arrival two years ago, he initiated a major analysis of the various departments. However, given the more complex nature of the situation, a report was commissioned for the fire department. 

“There were some elements reported previously, but what led us to conduct the assessment was to gain a good understanding of our department and be able to improve everything,” says Mr. Villeneuve. 

The 15 recommendations submitted were presented to the fire department at the end of February.  “There are a few that I can’t share because they may affect groups of individuals or contain personal information, but the major recommendations shared with the fire department range from implementing expectation management processes, optimizing operational guidelines, reactivating the labour relations committee, and establishing an employee consultation committee,” the Town Director quotes. Mr. Villeneuve refuses to make any connection between the filing of the report and Mr. Sinnett’s departure. 

“I couldn’t confirm or deny that this is a logical next step. Since it concerns one person, I can’t go into any more detail about the information I could provide,” says the director. 

The CNESST had opened a prevention-inspection intervention file for the Town of Gaspé fire station, and an intervention was carried out on July 23, 2024, to verify the implementation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the regulations applicable to psychosocial risks, the organization stated last summer. 

According to Mr. Villeneuve, the climate has returned to normal within the brigade. 

Refusal to share the report 

Even though the director general agreed to share the document’s conclusions, the Town refused to make it public, despite a request for access under the Access to Information Act. The Town indicates that, after analysis, the report contains personal information about the individuals interviewed and who testified as part of this process, pursuant to sections 53 and 59 of the Act respecting Access to Documents Held by Public Bodies and the Protection of Personal Information. 

The Town also believes that the report contains opinions or recommendations made at the request of the Town of Gaspé, and that this information may be kept confidential for 10 years, as permitted by Section 37 of the Act. 

Finally, since the report substantially consists of personal or confidential information that may be protected by Section 14 of the Access Act, the Town of Gaspé reserves the right to refuse to release the entire report in question. 

Improvement of equipment 

One of the criticisms heard during the period of tension within the brigade was the quality of the firefighters’ equipment. 

The director is aware of this and notes that the Town is investing to improve it. The Town is considering equipping the department with a ladder truck since the town centre and its outskirts contain tall buildings such as the hospital and the Mgr Ross CHSLD. 

“For the moment, we need a fire station to accommodate a ladder truck, and it’s on the drawing board. It’s not on the agenda. However, the station is included in the three-year capital plan. It’s something we’ll work on,” Mr. Villeneuve maintains. 

The investment will be significant 

“Once the plans and specifications are completed, we’ll need to find funding to be able to do something within the citizens’ ability to pay,” says the director general. 

Gaspé Firefighters: Hidden report includes 15 recommendations Read More »

Stay alert when sharing the road with snow plows 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

Transports (MTQ) is raising awareness among road users about the dangers of snowplow operations, specifically focusing on the limited visibility experienced by snowplow drivers. 

Driver behaviour is being targeted as visibility is significantly reduced around these heavy trucks that maintain the road network. The SPEC recently spoke with two ministry employees to better understand the challenges of clearing snow from the road network in a region like the Gaspé. 

As soon as snow is forecast, the teams get to work. “We make sure that the vehicles are available, and that the required abrasives and salt are available, depending on the type and amount of precipitation. Depending on the winds, the temperature, the traffic, whether it’s night or day, if it’s sunny, we make sure of the number of vehicles we’ll need. As soon as the precipitation starts, the trucks go out,” says Conrad Boulay, team leader at the MTQ Gaspé service centre. The centre is responsible for internally clearing snow from Route 198 between York and downtown Gaspé, Highway 132 between downtown and Saint-Majorique and Route 197 to Rivière-au-Renard. Up to four snowplows may be required during heavy precipitation to clear snow or ice from these sections of the road. The rest is contracted out to private companies. 

Contrary to popular belief, the teams react quickly. “The criteria are quite low. As soon as the precipitation starts, a truck starts on the road network and we add trucks as the situation evolves. We always have operators ready to act,” he says. 

The materials used for snow clearing depend on the weather conditions, but also on the experience of the snowplow drivers. “It’s really teamwork,” says Mr. Boulay. 

Once the team leader gives the order to take out the machinery, the driver gets to work by first starting a safety round. “I register on my electronic log (which compiles driving hours) and then my team leader gives me the recipe for the material to spread on the road,” says Patrick Langlais, a snowplow driver with several years of experience. 

During a storm, the challenges are numerous. “For less experienced drivers, it’s keeping their plow on the yellow line and organizing themselves to see where they’re going. The other challenge is negotiating with other motorists. This year is tough because people are becoming more impatient and reckless. Motorists are impatient and are making dangerous maneuvers,” says Mr. Langlais. 

“We see people passing too often in a cavalier and dangerous manner. I don’t want it, but I was talking about it with my team leader, but I feel an accident coming. Recently, a driver passed me with two cars coming in the opposite direction that had to move over to let him pass,” explains Mr. Langlais. 

In addition, people are not aware that snowplow drivers have very limited visibility because of the equipment on their vehicles. “People don’t know this and they take risks. Recently, a driver passed me on the right. Given that my visibility is reduced and that I might have to move over to the shoulder to do my job, there are significant risks. I find that people are making strange decisions. You must not like the paint on your car very much to do that,” says Mr. Langlais. 

Mr. Langlais suggests motorists “Stay at an angle where the driver can see you.” He explains that when the plow is raised on the right side he has practically no visibility. 

Pedestrians walking at night or during precipitation are also at high risk, particularly when they are not wearing reflectors. “The bane of a plow driver is the pedestrian seen too late on the side of the road… You can imagine the disaster,” says the driver. 

Another element that Mr. Langlais emphasizes is the need to travel on the yellow line to clear snow and spread abrasives effectively. “This is something I have to consider when I meet another motorist,” he says. 

The photo that illustrates the article shows the truck’s blind spots, meaning that the driver cannot see what is happening inside the perimeter defined by the orange cones, hence the need to be careful when a driver passes a snow removal vehicle. 

Some figures 

The Lower Saint Lawrence-Gaspé Peninsula-Magdalen Islands Regional Directorate is responsible for more than 3,600 weighted kilometres of road maintenance. 

The weighted kilometre refers to the unit of measurement for circuit lengths in winter maintenance. It is the physical length of the segment multiplied by an adjustment factor that takes into account the number of lanes and the complexity of maintenance. 

The department sets the requirements based on the type of road (highway, national, regional, resource access road) and traffic flow. 

For the region, this represents approximately 42% cleared roadways, approximately 39% partially cleared roadways and approximately 19% roadways on hardened snow. 

The department itself performs 28% of winter maintenance, with the rest being maintained under contract or agreement. 

The budget for winter maintenance is $56 million this year. More than 230 trucks use more than 76,500 tons of de-icing salts and more than 82,000 tons of abrasives. 

Stay alert when sharing the road with snow plows  Read More »

Not an easy working environmentwithin the Gaspé fire brigade

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Nelson Sergerie, LJI Journalist

GASPÉ – Tensions are rising between a group of firefighters and the Town of Gaspé over the direction of the fire department following the departure of former chief Carl Sinnett. 

Two factions have formed within the brigade, which has 85 firefighters: those who were supporters of the former chief and those who wanted new blood and an improvement in the service. According to information obtained by people familiar with the matter, a dispute over the purchase of jaws of life led to friction between some members of the brigade, which explains the intervention of the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST) last summer. 

It was then that some firefighters formed a group against Carl Sinnett and attended the investigation that ultimately led to his departure. 

In October, The SPEC revealed a toxic environment within the brigade, which contributed to Carl Sinnett’s one-week suspension in connection with a harassment case. 

The Town of Gaspé declined to comment, citing employee confidentiality. The CNESST confirmed that “a prevention-inspection intervention file was opened for the fire station of the Town of Gaspé and an inspection was conducted on July 23, 2024, to verify the implementation of the Occupational Health and Safety Act and the regulations applicable to psychosocial risks.” 

At the time the Town ordered a study on the work climate. The results have been received and are currently under review by authorities. 

Our sources within the brigade say that the arrival of the interim director Éric Fugère, who is also director of the Percé fire department, has caused further friction. 

They claim that Mr. Fugère has been using a Town service vehicle “for personal purposes,” particularly in the Percé territory. 

A photo of unit 148, taken in Percé during the Polar Dip in December, was even circulated. 

Furthermore, according to our sources, the interim chief informed firefighters that more specialized rescues, such as water rescue, high-altitude rescue, and hazardous materials response would be required since the training of Gaspé firefighters does not meet the necessary criteria and must be provided by the National Firefighters School. 

Our sources express concerns that citizens are unaware of the situation. They also allege that Mr. Fugère is making questionable decisions regarding the risk coverage plan, our sources continue. 

On several occasions, fire stations were put on standby, resulting in costs for taxpayers, and the interim director did not know the Gaspé area very well. Our sources wonder if these situations are normal. 

Several firefighters have left the department in recent weeks, some of whom had several years of service. 

At the Town Hall, the mayor of Gaspé, Daniel Côté, also a firefighter is not commenting on this matter. Communications Director Jérôme Tardif wrote: “The Town of Gaspé wants to reassure the population: the fire safety service remains fully functional, and firefighters continue to provide security coverage across the entire territory.” 

Regarding the departure of firefighters, Mr. Tardif notes that “With the improvements in our processes and the implementation of the recommendations of the work climate report, several fire

fighters have decided to leave the fire safety service. Despite everything, our staff remains sufficient to ensure coverage of the territory.” 

The Town has made “significant investments” in firefighter equipment as well as in recognized training, to optimize operations and the development of our staff. 

Additional measures will be deployed in the coming months to further strengthen this essential service. 

Regarding the company vehicle, the Town mentions that the contract with the interim fire director – for three months – provides access to the same company vehicle as the former director, under the same conditions. 

The position of fire department director is currently open for applications. 

Not an easy working environmentwithin the Gaspé fire brigade Read More »

City announces major public safety hiring spree

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City announces major public safety hiring spree

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

The Ville de Québec has announced plans for a record increase in the number of police officers and firefighters to keep pace with the growing population, city officials announced last week.

Mayor Bruno Marchand made the announcement on Nov. 19 at City Hall, flanked by Police Chief Denis Turcotte and Fire Chief Christian Paradis. The city plans to hire 101 new police officers and 72 new firefighters by the end of 2026, not counting normal retirement-related turnover – an increase of about 10 per cent – at a combined total cost of about $15 million including equipment. Marchand said the hiring spree was “the biggest wave of new hires at the [Service de Police de la Ville de Québec (SPVQ)] in the past 25 years.” The cost will be borne entirely by the city.

“We have public safety at heart and we have to act in consequence,” Marchand said. “A feeling of safety, and safety itself, are sine qua non conditions for citizens to feel safe. The city has changed a lot since the early 2000s and the police and fire departments have to follow the rhythm. The population has gone up by 16 per cent, the police respond to 9,000 more calls per year, and we now welcome 4.3 mil- lion tourists a year. It seems banal … but it brings about a packet of challenges for our police and fire departments. … We want to act fast, to act in prevention, we don’t want to wait for a crisis.”

Marchand, Turcotte and Paradis cited the rising population, homelessness-related challenges, concerns about organized crime and stricter fire safety standards among the reasons new hires are necessary. “We’re sending a message that criminals aren’t welcome, that we want to live by the rule of law and make people feel secure,” said Marchand.

“As a police service, our engagement is to maintain people’s sense of safety … which is a precious asset,” said Turcotte. “If we’re proactive and we take the necessary measures, we’ll keep that trust.” He thanked city officials for responding to the SPVQ’s request for reinforcements, saying that the additional staff would improve the police service’s prevention and data collection capacity. Turcotte and Paradis said they were confident they would find enough new recruits to meet staffing targets.

“This is a very significant gesture, and we’re grateful,” said Paradis. “The population is going to benefit from this increased level of service. We aren’t playing catch-up, we’re planning ahead.”

Turcotte said police officers planned to meet with business owners in the coming weeks to discuss the potential impact of a greater police presence in their neighbourhoods.

City announces major public safety hiring spree Read More »

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