Quebec City

Bruce Kirkwood is the Grand Marshal of the 2025 Défilé de la Saint-Patrick de Québec

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Bruce Kirkwood is the Grand Marshal of the 2025 Défilé de la Saint-Patrick de Québec

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Green season is in full swing in Quebec City and around the region. Green, white and orange flags are being raised everywhere. Irish jigs and reels are heard loud and clear. Traditional emblems decorate Quebec City in preparation for the 2025 Défilé de la Saint- Patrick de Québec (DPSQ).

The organizers of the annual parade traditionally choose a grand marshal who has been deeply involved in the local Irish community. This year, the selection committee chose Bruce Kirkwood, a career volunteer.

“[When I was told that I was this year’s Grand Marshal], I didn’t believe it. I thought it was a joke or that someone was pulling my leg,” said Kirkwood. “But when I saw the seriousness in the president of the committee, Félix-Antoine Paradis’s face, I realized that the time was now. It is big. When you are named grand marshal, you are walking in some big shoes, following Dennis Dawson, Pauline Bigaouette McCarthy and the original [grand marshal], Marianna O’Gallagher, to name a few.

“Having been on the committee for a number of years, I have the list, but I did not consult it to see how I’d fit in,” said Kirkwood. “It is interesting to know that being a professional volunteer gets recognized. That is what is appreciated.”

Kirkwood is everywhere and involved in almost everything in the Irish community. He is a handyman, musician, photographer, sound engineer, driver, genealogist and more, known for his intelligence, quick wit and diplomacy. He has lent a hand at Shannon Irish Shows, Irish dancing shows and com- petitions, parades and a multitude of other events over the years. He was on the board of the DSPQ until 2023, when he stepped down as vice-president of operations.

“It is a wonderful recognition of all I have done for the Irish community and the DSPQ,” said Kirkwood. “I re- tired because I felt that I had done my part, and my role had run its course after 10 years. I had been part of the committee during the pandemic, which was a little rough, to say the least. Should I mention that [Terry Kerwin’s] passing cut my legs out from under me?”

Kerwin*, as president of the DSPQ, and Kirkwood, as vice-president of operations, complemented each other. Kirkwood said they had hit their stride to bring the DSPQ to its full potential when Kerwin died in January 2020. The COVID-19 pandemic hit a few weeks later, and the parade didn’t return until 2023.

Kirkwood and Kerwin were behind one of the parade’s most cherished traditions – the visit of five police pipe- and-drum bands from Chicago, New York City, Boston, Philadelphia and Toronto, as well as the civilian Montreal Pipes and Drums, to Quebec City. The Quebec City parade is always held a week after St. Patrick’s Day, to allow all bands to march in their respective hometown parades.

Kirkwood was born and raised in Quebec City and baptized at St. Patrick’s Church. He has been volunteering since the age of 12, starting as an “in-house” DJ at the original Shannon Hall for weekend dances and events. In 1974, his family settled in Shannon, “a move that helped forge a sense of community spirit and belonging,” he wrote. “It takes a village – in this case, two: Shannon and Valcartier – to raise a passionate volunteer.” Having felt at home in Shannon, he built a home in neighbouring Saint-Gabriel- de-Valcartier, where he resides with his family and continues to volunteer.

*Disclosure: The late Terry Kerwin, former president of the Défilé de la Saint-Patrick de Québec committee, is the author’s father.

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Handmaids fill the streets for International Women’s Day

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Handmaids fill the streets for International Women’s Day

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

On March 8, hundreds of women in red capes and white bonnets marched through Quebec City for International Women’s Day, at Laurier Québec in Sainte-Foy, in front of the U.S. Consulate in Old Quebec and in a march that ended at the Palais de Justice de Québec on Boul. Jean-Lesage. Similar protests took place at the U.S. Embassy in Ottawa and in 14 cities and towns across Quebec, including Montreal, Sherbrooke and Frelighsburg, on the U.S.-Canada border.

The capes and bonnets are taken from Margaret Atwood’s 1985 novel The Handmaid’s Tale, set in a dystopian world in the near future, where women are stripped of their rights to read, write and control their reproductive choices. Handmaids – lower-class women whose red dresses and capes and white bonnets make them stand out – are forced to give birth to the babies of higher-class families, who wear green. The book was adapted into a popular TV series in 2017.

Inspired by the story, the Regroupement des groupes de femmes de la région de la Cap- itale-Nationale dressed in red capes and white bonnets for their protests on International Women’s Day. One red-clad group of protesters surprised shoppers at Laurier Québec around noon by walking in tight unison into the atrium with signs bearing misogynistic quotes from public figures.

Less than an hour later, the women attracted a rather large crowd when they assembled at the corner of Avenue Sainte- Geneviève and Place Terrasse-Dufferin in front of the U.S. consulate, protesting the rise of anti-feminist sentiment in the United States under President Donald Trump.

At 2 p.m., these women joined the crowd at the Centre résidentiel et communautaire Jacques-Cartier in Lower Town.

The year 2025 is the 30th anniversary of the of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, a sweeping inter- national plan to achieve a better world for women and girls. To mark this milestone, feminist groups around the world, including in Quebec City, marched under the theme of “Still Fighting.” The local groups chanted in French, “Still fighting to end violence against women! Still fighting against the poverty experi- enced by women! Still fighting for feminist climate justice!”

“With everything that’s going on right now, it’s really a good

time to come together and feel less alone,” said activist Maria Tremblay. “It is not a question of gaining something over men, but equal to men. Some toxic masculine-misogynistic groups are growing in popular- ity, mainly in the States, and passing laws there that are removing the rights of women. We hear not only men but also women speak about how women must become wives, mothers and even servants to men. That boggles our minds. It is exactly what Margaret Atwood wrote about 40 years ago.”

The march ended in front of the Palais de Justice in Saint- Roch, where the handmaids in red raised their white bonnets and chanted along with the crowd, “Mother, daughter, sister, never again in fear.”

With files from Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

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City unveils $204 million for 200 infrastructure projects

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City unveils $204 million for 200 infrastructure projects

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Starting next month, many streets and alleys throughout the city will be construction sites as crews embark on a busy program of repairs and improvements to roadways and infrastructure.

City officials unveiled the 2025 infrastructure plan at a March 4 news conference at the municipal offices in Sainte-Foy. The $204.5-million budget for some 200 different projects is $4 million more than last year, but its allot- ment for preparatory work for the tramway is the lowest in five years.

The biggest chunk of the budget, about $136 million, is to go toward repairs and upgrades to existing infrastructure. A few examples include continued work on the redevelopment of Rue Saint-Vallier Ouest, Ave. D’Estimauville rain runoff drainage, anti-flooding installations on the Lorette River, and consolidation of aqueducts and sewers on Rue Bourget.

Tramway – officially TramCité – work this year has a budget of $10 million, compared to $30 million last year, $73 million in 2023 and $58 million in 2022.

Tramway preparation projects include the relocation of underground infrastructure on Boul. Laurier between Route de l’Église and Université Laval, completion of the RTC interconnection zone in Parc Victoria, redevelopment of the former gas station property at Boul. René-Lévesque and Ave. Belvédère, as well as other infrastructure work on this major stretch of the tramway route.

Work on the tramway is at a lull while the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec infrastructure division (CDPQ-Infra) , which is managing the project, finalizes plans for the full resumption of construction next year.

Expansion and improvement of the city’s network of bicycle paths will continue with seven projects involving 12.7 kilometres of trails. Two new paths will be added: on 3e Avenue between Boul. Henri-Bourassa and 79e Rue, and on Chemin de la Canardière/Boul. Sainte- Anne between 8e Avenue and Boul. François-de-Laval.

Other bike path work entails a complete upgrade of the stretch on 4e Avenue between 25e and 52e Rues, the redo of the curb along Côte de la Pente-Douce and the improve- ment of the intersection of Rue Marie-de-l’Incarnation at Boul. Charest.

The city also plans to try a pilot project on Chemin Sainte-Foy at Ave. Brown, where a bus stop platform will be tested that allows pedestrians to board an RTC bus without hindering cyclists us- ing the bike path. It’s a system already in use in Montreal and other cities.

Among other road work slated to get underway in the spring is the creation of 1,850 metres of new sidewalks, safety zones for 13 schools, traffic lights at six more intersections and installation of sound traffic signals at 21 intersections.

Public consultations will be held for some of the projects on the city’s books. The full list can be viewed on the city website.

City unveils $204 million for 200 infrastructure projects Read More »

Tariff whiplash bad for business, CCIQ head says

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Tariff whiplash bad for business, CCIQ head says

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

Quebec City-area businesspeople are “tired of getting yanked back and forth” after months of uncertainty over tariffs on imports to the United States, Frédérik Boisvert, president-director general of the Chambre de commerce et industrie de Québec (CCIQ; Quebec City chamber of commerce and industry) told the QCT late last week, shortly after the Trump administration suspended plans to put tariffs on Canadian goods for a second time.

On Feb. 1, U.S. President Donald Trump signed an executive order imposing a 25 per cent tariff on all Canadian products entering the U.S., except for energy imports, which would be subject to a 10 per cent tariff. On Feb. 3, the day before tariffs were to take effect, the imposition of the tariffs was suspended for 30 days, leading Canada to pause its own planned retaliatory tariffs. On March 3, the Trump administration confirmed its intention to impose tariffs; three days later, Trump announced another pause until April 2. As of this writing, separate 25 per cent tariffs on steel and aluminum imports were expected to go into effect March 12. Outgoing federal finance minister Dominic LeBlanc has said Canada plans to introduce retaliatory tariffs on April 2.

On March 4, Premier François Legault and Economy Minister Christine Fréchette announced two emergency loan programs for affected and potentially affected businesses planning to scale up productivity or diversify markets, and a 25 per cent penalty measure for U.S. businesses applying for Quebec government contracts. A spokesperson for Fréchette told the QCT the measures would remain in effect for the time being.

Boisvert said there were many local businesses that exported to the United States, both in the industrial parks and in the city proper. “Seventy per cent of our manufacturing exports go to the United States. There’s been an impact on the number of orders received, which is also impacting jobs. I have met with some members who had expansions planned, which they can’t go ahead with because there’s too much uncertainty; others wanted to scale up capacity and now that is cancelled.” He said hundreds of jobs were at stake in the region; Legault has said provincewide job losses could surpass 160,000 if the tariffs are fully implemented.

Boisvert said he hoped to see a “muscular” response from the Quebec and Canadian governments if the trade war drags on. “We are reliable and faithful partners being dragged through the mud … because of the will of one person and a few people around him.”

Boisvert said the CCIQ is trying to keep its members informed, and accompanying companies that are trying to diversify their markets and reduce their reliance on the

United States. “Europe is the biggest market in the world, there are incredible things going on in Asia … and in the francophone African market, Quebec is well-regarded there and there’s a lot of demographic growth.

“I believe we will find a solution [to the trade dispute], but there will be a pretty much complete loss of trust in the U.S. administration,” Boisvert concluded. “We need reliable partners and we’re getting the opposite.”

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Sam Hamad recruiting candidates for City Hall campaign

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Sam Hamad recruiting candidates for City Hall campaign

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

An effort to “poach” a candidate from another party is providing more proof former Liberal cabinet minister Sam Hamad is preparing to launch a campaign for the municipal election in November.

Last week, Québec D’abord, the official opposition at City Hall, announced via news release the expulsion of Isa- belle Roy, one of the party’s seven councillors, when it was learned Roy “was in discus- sions with Sam Hamad to run as a municipal councillor on his team.”

Leader and mayoral candidate Claude Villeneuve said in the release, “This situation is causing a breakdown in the bond of trust between Ms. Roy and Québec D’abord. As a re- sult, I have made the decision, with the support of our caucus, to exclude Ms. Roy from our team.”

According to a source familiar with the situation the QCT contacted, Villeneuve became aware of Hamad’s overtures to Roy when a journalist who had learned of the “discussions” called him to get his reaction. Villeneuve then called Roy to confirm her conversation with Hamad.

Roy was on vacation with her family during March Break last week; she told the QCT in a message that she was not ready to comment on the situation. She has represented the Robert-Giffard district since her election in 2021 under the banner of Marie-Josée Savard, the designated successor of longtime mayor Régis Labeaume, who narrowly lost that year’s mayoral race.

Before running for council, Roy had a long career in event organization, including the 400th anniversary celebrations of Quebec City in 2008.

Quebec’s director of elections, meanwhile, has con- firmed it has received a request to reserve the name of a new party, called Leadership Québec, in the name of temporary leader André Simard.

Simard confirmed to Radio- Canada the request had been submitted with the list of at least 100 prospective party members, the names of two leaders and an official representative.

Simard, who ran Hamad’s provincial election campaigns, said, “I won’t hide from you that we would like Sam to launch in the coming weeks, so we are preparing the ground.”

The party name – which could be adapted to include Hamad’s name – has not yet been posted on the Elections Québec website.

In a related development, the Journal de Québec reported last week that two internet domain names had been reserved: samhamad.ca and equipesamhamad.ca. When accessed, both sites are said to be “under construction.”

Reached at his office for comment, Hamad told the QCT he’d “call back later.”

Hamad, 67, was the Liberal MNA for the Quebec City riding of Louis-Hébert from 2003 to 2017. Hamad was a minister in several portfolios in the governments of Jean Charest and Philippe Couillard, including minister of transport and minister responsible for the Quebec capital region. He resigned from cabinet and left politics in April 2017.

Mayor Bruno Marchand said in media reports he was “very eager” for Hamad to jump in the race. He told the Journal de Québec, “It’s about time. It’s been a long time. It’s the longest striptease in history. I can’t wait. He’s been telling everyone for months that he’s going to do it.”

Marchand said a Hamad administration would be “a step backward.”

Sam Hamad recruiting candidates for City Hall campaign Read More »

English-speaking youth from Quebec City, Lévis welcome at Youth Forum

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English-speaking youth from Quebec City, Lévis welcome at Youth Forum

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

Provincewide youth civic participation organization Youth 4 Youth Québec (Y4Y) is seeking young people aged 16-30 from the English- speaking community of the Capitale-Nationale region to participate in its annual youth forum in Montreal on Wednesday, March 19.*

The free day-long event at the Coeur des Sciences pavilion at the Université du Québec à Montréal, held under the theme “Inform, Engage and Empower,” will give teens and young adults the chance to meet other young anglophones from around the province and discuss issues facing English- speaking youth, including outmigration, media consumption and how they identify as citizens of Quebec, Canada and their local communities. The day will end with an in- formation fair featuring civic participation and career guidance organizations, health and social services agencies and an exhibition by young English- speaking artists.

“Through consultations and research, we know that English-speaking young people are often less informed than we’d like them to be about the information, the people and the resources available to them in Quebec,” said Y4Y executive director Adrienne Winrow. “At Y4Y, we always seek to inform our English-speaking youth community in a non-partisan way about various issues … and ways to get more involved in their local communities, but also in the wider society.”

Winrow said participants can expect “a warm and welcoming space where youth are the main event and their voices being heard is the main goal.”

During the panel discussions, Winrow said “we’ll be talking about the democratic deficit. We’ll be talking about identity and all the forms that it takes, particularly in youth culture. We’ll be talking about media consumption – how do people get their news these days? How important is it to them to get news? Do they make distinctions about sources and the veracity of the information they’re receiving?”

Panels will feature high school, college and university students and young professionals from around the province, and interaction between panellists and other participants will be encouraged. Winrow said she hopes the forum will start conversations about civic participation and belonging among young anglophones. About 300 youth from several regions of Quebec, including Montreal, the Eastern Town- ships, the Gaspé and the Lower North Shore, are expected to attend.

“Young people who are already engaged, who are think- ing about maybe joining the student union or becoming president of their club at school, if they’re at that level on the ladder of engagement, the Youth Forum can be a way for them to think about how they could push it further, be- cause there will be youth there who have achieved a great deal of things in their lives as English-speaking youth here in Quebec. If a student is less engaged, maybe because they feel, as many young people do, that they … don’t have a seat at the table in decision-making circles, [they can] come to the Youth Forum and see that that’s not true. This Youth Forum is for everybody … we don’t want anyone to feel like it’s not for them.”

Participants will also be offered breakfast and lunch. “We want it to be a free, fun and accessible day … a meeting of the minds,” said Winrow.

It’s not too late to sign up! To register for the Y4Y Youth Forum or learn more, visit y4y-quebec.org/youth-forum-2025.

*A previous version of this story said the Youth Forum was scheduled for March 15. March 19 is the correct date. 

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Changes to Grande Allée residential project get city approval

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Changes to 955 Grande Allée residential project get city approval

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Six years after buying the former Loto-Québec building on a prestigious site on Grande Allée, the family-owned development company appears to have the green light to transform the property into a housing complex.

It took three revisions of the initial plan, but according to Karine Simard, vice-president of Immeubles Simard, the city now seems ready to endorse the 145-unit project.

“We hope to obtain the change to the PPU (plan particulier d’urbanisme or urban development plan) in the spring and begin construction of the project in the fall. Look- ing forward to it,” Simard said in an email to the QCT.

The latest changes were unveiled at a Feb. 25 public consultation session. According to city documents, the zoning changes will be voted on and presumably approved by the end of April. The changes pertain to residential usage, maximum building height, the number of parking spaces and the amount of green space. The essentials of the plan are to build a residential building on the parking lot in a U shape behind and beside the existing building, located on Grande Allée between Ave. de Laune and Ave. de Mérici. The key to the city’s approval was the addition of green space between the buildings and the street, as well as the reduction in height of the building along Ave. de Mérici Sud from four to three storeys.

The cedar hedge that currently runs along that section of Ave. de Mérici will be preserved and all but six of some 80 mature trees on the property will be retained. Simard said the changes are “the result of several compromises that will allow Grande Allée to retain its beauty.”

The original building, opened in 1958 as an insurance company office, served for many years as the head office of Loto-Québec. The structure would stay essentially the same under the development plan, although it would be renovated to accommodate office tenants and a daycare centre.

Fifteen per cent of the units would be reserved for affordable housing; the entire project has sanction from the city based on its plan to increase the number of residential units.

Besides the 955 Grande Allée project, Immeubles Simard has several other projects under construction or in development around the city.

It was involved in two major projects in the Montcalm district in recent years, the Le Vitrail complex incorporating two historic villas on Chemin Sainte-Foy, and Les Étoiles on Grande Allée Est, a project on the site of a former monastery.

Changes to Grande Allée residential project get city approval Read More »

Day camp registration season around the corner

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Day camp registration season around the corner

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

With spring just weeks away, cities across the province are preparing for summer. Quebec City and Lévis recently announced rates, schedules and registration timelines for their summer day camps. Registration starts in early April with limited spots: 15,000 in Quebec City and 1,130 in Lévis.

With the support of 22 partner organizations, the Ville de Québec has an $11.5-million budget to cover 65 per cent of the weekly costs per child, with families paying the remaining 35 per cent. This budget includes $3.2 million for integration programs for children with disabilities. In Lévis, families pay 34 per cent and the city takes care of the remaining 66 per cent. Other Quebec cities have similar pricing structures for city-run camps.

In Quebec City, the early- bird registration price is set at $68 per week for the first child – a $2 increase from 2024 – with slightly lower rates for the child’s younger siblings, plateauing at four children or more. The city will also accommodate non-resident campers for $155 per child. Registration begins April 14 and prices go up May 6. Summer day camps will run from June 24 to Aug. 15.

Low-income families can receive financial assistance from the 22 partner recreational organizations listed on ville.quebec.qc.ca/citoyens/loisirs_sports/camps-de-jour.

Families pay more in Lévis, with the price set at $113 per child per week from June 30 to Aug. 8. Registration will take place April 7 and 8 in the west sector and April 9 and 10 in the east sector. The camp will run from June 30 to Aug. 8.

“Quebec City is a major city that offers the most accessible, most affordable day camps in the province,” said Coun. Marie-Pierre Boucher, member of the executive committee responsible for summer day camps.

In 2024, 18,449 children participated in the camps offered by Quebec City. Attendance fluctuated over the eight weeks because Quebec City offers families the option to register children for two, three or five days per week, with prices adjusted accordingly. Similar information for Lévis was not available at press time.

Both Quebec City and Lévis are currently hiring camp counsellors. Quebec City offers rates of $17.60 per hour for 35 days, while Lévis pays $16.50 per hour over 30 days. Quebec City has 2,000 positions to fill. The number of vacancies for Lévis was not available at press time. Both municipalities expect to fill the positions quickly.

City-run summer camps are offered in French only.  Voice of English-speaking Québec offers an English-language camp; visit veq.ca/directory/fit-fun-english-summer-day-camp to learn more.

For more information about city-run day camps in Quebec City, visit ville.quebec.qc.ca/ citoyens/loisirs_sports/camp-jour.

Day camp registration season around the corner Read More »

Colisée destined for demolition after 75 years

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Colisée destined for demolition after 75 years

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

On March 5, the Ville de Québec opened the doors of the Colisée de Québec to the media for a final photo-op. The group walked the vacant halls, rooms, restaurants and stands vibrating with 75 years of sports and entertainment history.

During this visit, there were no official speeches, only remarks by people who shared memories of watching famous games and shows. Many photographers and reporters recalled their first assignments covering hockey games and concerts, from the stands to the press gallery up in the rafters. The final event was a Metallica concert on Sept. 14, 2015. Two days later, the new Videotron Centre, with a capacity of over 18,000 spectators for games and 19,000 for concerts, opened for the first time.

If the walls of the Colisée could talk, they would have many stories to tell. Construction of the original building started on May 24, 1949. It still stands today, despite being hidden in plain sight after the 1980 renovations, which gave it its glass facade and more entrances. While maintaining its charm, the modernized Colisée grew to accommodate an additional 5,000 spectators, just one of the NHL requirements.

From December 1949 to May 2015, families and fans flocked to the home games of the As, Nordiques, Citadelles and Remparts, as well as the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament every February from 1960 to 2015.

The Colisée was originally nicknamed “the House Béliveau Built,” in honour of Jean Béliveau, whose minor hockey heroics filled the arena in the early days. From those games on, the ambience and atmosphere at the Colisée were electrifying, especially during Nordiques-Canadiens games. Between periods, children played street hockey in the corridors as their parents bought hot dogs, drinks and popcorn. In the meantime, players and coaches planned their moves in the locker rooms. Now vacant and stripped clean, the rooms appear tiny in comparison to those in modern arenas. For hockey fans, it’s a privilege to step onto the ice in an arena that saw the likes of Béliveau, Guy Lafleur, Jacques Cloutier, the Stastny brothers and Patrick Roy. Even Maurice “The Rocket” Richard left his mark there when he coached the Nordiques’ first two games in 1972. It’s hard to imagine the roar of the crowd when the ice has long since melted away and the vast space converted into storage facilities for the Festival d’été de Québec.

Besides hockey games, the Colisée also hosted thousands of concerts. Fans filled the amphitheatre to see and hear Céline Dion, James Blunt, Ozzy Osbourne, Korn, Blink-182, Bryan Adams, Shania Twain, Bob Dylan, David Bowie and KISS, to name a few.

The once lively amphitheatre is now a shadow of its former self. Dust covers everything. Metal bolts on the concrete bleachers are all that is left of the 15,176 seats. The souvenir boutique is bare; the ticket counters are vacant. The lobbies are filled with neatly piled chairs, plywood and tables. A ghost-like “COLISÉE PEPSI” can still be seen on the facade, although the letters were removed in September 2019.

No demolition schedule has yet been set for the Colisée. The estimated cost is $20 million over two years.

Colisée destined for demolition after 75 years Read More »

Fewer American headliners on giant Plains stage

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Fewer American headliners on giant Plains stage

Fewer American headliners on giant FEQ Plains stage

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

With President Donald Trump ratcheting up tensions between Canada and the United States, fewer big-name American acts are headliners at this year’s Festival d’été de Québec. That’s partly intentional and partly a coincidence, according to festival organizers.

Of the 11 nights of shows on the giant Bell stage on the Plains of Abraham from July 3 to 13, only two bill-toppers are from south of the border – pop sensation Benson Boone on July 5 and heavy metal leg- ends Slayer on July 11. Latin star Farruko (July 13) is from Puerto Rico, so also American.

All other headliners are either Canadian – Shania Twain and Avril Lavigne, for example – or from elsewhere: Def Leppard from England, Hosier from Ireland and Kygo from Norway.

FEQ programming director Louis Bellavance said the fact fewer American headliners were booked was due in part to how the schedule started to come together with the avail- ability of international acts. It was also “great timing” to bag big Canadian names like Twain and Lavigne.

He said there was a sentiment to sign as few Americans as possible, “but we’re not going to say no to Benson Boone and Slayer.”

Bellavance said, “Hopefully we’ll be friends again sooner rather than later.”

Less American content or not, the FEQ lineup was strong enough to sell out quickly, with the predictable grumbling from those who were unable to secure passes, priced this year at $165.

Bellavance said the online sale “went perfectly from our end. We controlled everything we could. We can guarantee the proper amount of tickets are sold. No robots bought a pass.”

Including discounted passes for Desjardins credit union members, a total of 125,000 general admission passes found takers within three hours of going on sale Feb. 26 at noon.

Bellavance said there are no laws against individuals reselling their passes. “People are allowed to do what they want.”

For most people, Bellavance said, even if festival-goers see just one show they really enjoy, “it’s value for their money.” He said the system is designed on the expectation that not all pass-holders will want to see every show and people will be interested in sharing or renting out passes for other shows.

Bellavance said he is thrilled with yet another resounding response to the festival offerings. “I think we are surfing on something spectacular and amazing,” he said, adding that organizers “never take it [fans’ support] for granted.”

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Union suspends manual workers’ strike before March Break

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Union suspends manual workers’ strike before March Break 

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

The union representing manual workers at the Ville de Québec suspended its indefinite strike on Feb. 27 after one week, citing “positive developments” in its discussions with the city administration.

The union’s most recent collective agreement expired at the end of 2023, and negotiations have been ongoing since February of last year; members also held a six-day strike last July. Last month, 90 per cent of members voted to reject the city’s final offer. In a statement at the time, SCFP local 1638 president Luc Boissonneault, said pay equity, work-life balance and predictable schedules were major sticking points in the negotiations, and that members were increasingly leaving to work in Lévis or in the private sector.

However, on Feb. 27, Boissonneault said negotiations were moving forward. “The employer’s representatives, like ours, have shown interest in exploring possible solutions that give us hope of finally find- ing a mutually satisfactory way forward,” he said in a statement. “Resuming activities is the right thing to do.”

Over the course of the weeklong strike, snow removal and garbage pickup were delayed and city-run ice rinks, pools, recreation centres and outdoor activity centres were closed. In a series of statements, city officials said normal opening hours at affected facilities would resume by March 3, and snow removal and garbage collection would also return to normal.

“The Ville de Québec welcomes the decision of the Syndicat des employés manuels to suspend its unlimited general strike … in order to facilitate a rapid settlement for the benefit of both parties and all citizens of Quebec. The discussions that took place yesterday, in the presence of the mediator, were constructive and allowed the city to reiterate that the desired solution must necessarily take into account citizens’ ability to pay,” city officials said Feb. 27. Mayor Bruno Marchand told reporters the suspension of the strike was “damned good news.”

“It’s a relief, and I thank them,” he said.

As of this writing, negotiations between the two parties are ongoing.

Union suspends manual workers’ strike before March Break Read More »

Former hotel and homeless shelter to become apartment complex

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Former hotel and homeless shelter to become apartment complex

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

It was once an upscale hotel, then it became a homeless shelter; now the landmark building on Rue Saint-Paul across from the train station is being transformed into a modern housing and commercial complex.

The home until recently of the Lauberivière homeless shelter, the four-storey corner building with the distinctive tower will become Le 401, reflecting the building’s civic address, with 142 apartments built into the existing structure plus a new annex.

The project’s lead developer is family-owned C76 Investissements, in partnership with other companies, including Beauce-based steelmaker Groupe Canam.

The $52-million project, with some $3 million from city funds, was announced at a news conference on Feb. 24, with municipal officials in attendance.

The project will give the building “a third life,” C67 president Jérôme Côté told the QCT. The building opened in 1927 as the Château Champlain, in which then-mayor Joseph Samson was a share- holder; the hotel was strategically located across the street from the train station.

In 1981, the building was put up for sale and a group organized by the Catholic Diocese of Quebec turned it into a shelter two years later. In 2018, Lauberivière announced a project for a new shelter in Saint-Roch, financed in part by proceeds from the sale of the building.

The timing was right for his company, Côté said, as it had been seeking a project of its own to put some innovative construction practices into action without being constrained by pressure from clients.

After buying the building in 2021, the company had to remove asbestos insulation from the interior before renovation work could begin.

Côté said Le 401 is a pilot project for such environmental techniques as recycling the existing masonry and especially the steel, hence the involvement of Groupe Canam. Côté said the “circularity” of steel repurposing in the project means some of the steel in the current structure will be used in the new annex, and what can’t be used will be turned into furnishings or decoration for Le 401 or used to build something elsewhere in the city.

Another environmental feature, Côté said, will be a geothermal system and an energy loop to maximize energy efficiency. He said the project is aiming for a zero-carbon certification.

Because of the limitations of the structure of the building, Côté said most units would be studio or one-bedroom apartments, although there will be a few two-bedroom units. Rents will range from $1,100 to $3,000.

Mayor Bruno Marchand said the project fits with the city’s plan to boost the residential population of the Old City. “Our goal is to bring 500 more people back to the area,” he said.

“The revitalization program is an example of this. If we want to achieve our goal, it takes concrete action, and that is exactly what we are doing – and today, we have great proof that these efforts are paying off.”

The city’s financial support includes $545,000 under the sustainable housing projects program, and up to $3.5 million from a fund to support renovation of heritage buildings in the Old City.

Construction is expected to start in the fall with completion targeted for spring 2027.

Côté said, “Our work over the last few months has been to think about an architectural proposal that will allow the preservation of most of the existing building, facing Rue Saint-Paul, because we wanted to honour this piece of history that this century-old building represents.”

The developers do not yet know which businesses will be tenants on the street level, but Côté said they would be the type to integrate with the building and the neighbourhood.

Former hotel and homeless shelter to become apartment complex Read More »

Ukrainian Quebecers mark three years of war

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Ukrainian Quebecers mark three years of war

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter 

Cassandra@qctonline.com

As Quebecers continue with their lives, compete in friendly sporting events and celebrate the beauty of winter, war wages on in Ukraine. Russia dropped more bombs on the eve of the third anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine. 

On Feb. 23, Ukrainian communities around the world, including across Canada and in Quebec City rallied to send a message of support to those still fighting for their lives, peace, justice and liberty in Ukraine. 

The Associations of Ukrainians of Lévis and Quebec City organized a peaceful gathering in front of the National Assembly where hundreds of people shared words of love, solidarity and hope for a better future. 

“The war in Ukraine has been going on for three long years … years of destruction, but also of incredible resilience and exemplary courage,” said Bohdana Porada, president of the Alliance des Ukrainiens de Québec. “We are here to remind people that the Russian aggression continues to breathe with full lungs.” She continued, “The people of Ukraine are showing the world the true meaning of dignity and liberty. Ordinary men and women have become heroes. We have to fight for a place where children won’t be obliged to fight.”

Porada, like her fellow Ukrainians now living in Canada, looks to the government for a solution to end this war. The Canadian government has already given over $19.5 billion in assistance to Ukraine, including $4.5 billion in military aid since February 2022, in addition to training more than 42,000 members of the Armed Forces of Ukraine. Canada will support Ukraine joining NATO, something that must be done urgently, even at the cost of President Volodymyr Zelensky stepping down. This comes after President Donald Trump called him “a dictator with elections” and claimed Ukraine was the instigator of this warfare. 

“We have to work hard for peace, justice and liberty. We are all revolted by what we have heard from President Donald Trump. We cannot let ourselves be intimidated,” said the Hon. Jean-Yves Duclos who was present at the assembly. “We will always be there to support Ukraine. We will always be there to defend peace, liberty and justice.” His words of support were echoed by MNAs Jean-François Simard and Étienne Grandmont. 

To raise more money for the reconstruction of his homeland, Ukrainian cyclist Dariy Khrystyuk bikes long distances in an initiative he named “Je roule pour l’Ukraine.” During the night of Feb. 22 to 23, he pedalled from Montreal to Quebec City through snow, low visibility and in total solitude, arriving just after 2:30 p.m. to a large welcoming committee. “I find inspiration from the Cossacks, symbolic warriors of Ukraine, to push through the challenging obstacles,” he said. 

This was Khrystyuk’s fourth long-distance fundraising challenge. In 2023, he biked 53,000 kilometres from Vancouver to Quebec City. “I wish to complete the Canadian trail to Newfoundland and Labrador,” he said. “After I finish my studies in 2027, I want to donate all the money after biking from Bordeaux to Kyiv (over 3,000 km).” Hopefully, he will pedal to a country still standing. 

Ukrainian Quebecers mark three years of war Read More »

Local leaders on board with high-speed rail plan

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Local leaders on board with high-speed rail plan 

Peter Black

Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Reaction has been almost unanimously positive to the federal government’s decision to hire a consortium to build a high-speed rail service between Quebec City and Toronto.

The 1,000-kilometre line would have stops in the Quebec capital, Trois-Rivieres, Laval, Montreal, Ottawa, Peterborough and Toronto. The trains would be electric and travel at up to 300 km/h.

Frederik Boisvert, the president and CEO of the Chambre de Commerce et D’industrie de Québec, said in a statement to the QCT, “With this project, Canada is finally joining the ranks of major global economies that have recognized the importance of high-speed transportation for their prosperity and growth. 

“This initiative represents an exceptional opportunity for the Quebec region. We must ensure that our business ecosystem fully benefits from these infrastructure investments.”

Mayor Bruno Marchand was equally enthusiastic. Speaking at a city hall scrum in the wake of the Feb. 19 announcement, the mayor called the federal government’s earlier proposal for a high-frequency service “crap” where billions would be spent to cut 20 minutes off a trip. He said the new high-speed plan, however, is the way to go and the higher cost “is worth it.”

Marchand added, “It’s a big project. But the economic impact of this project is going to be major for our cities. It’s going to be major for Montreal. It’s going to be major for Trois-Rivières, for Quebec City. It’s going to be major for mobility, not just for people, but workers.”

In Trois-Rivières, which lost passenger rail service in 1990 with VIA Rail cuts, civic officials said they were pleased with being on the proposed high-speed line. Jean-Philippe Martin, president of the Trois-Rivières Chamber of Commerce and Industries, told Radio-Canada, “It would be fun if people could go see a show either in Trois-Rivières or in Montreal, and be able to come back by train at the end of the evening. There has to be a [good] frequency for people to be interested in taking it.”

As for the Quebec government, Infrastructure Minister and Minister for the Quebec City region Jonatan Julien, told the Journal de Quebec the Alto project is “a very good idea” that the government supports. “A TGV (train de grande vitesse) that leaves from Quebec City with a corridor is fantastic. We can move around more quickly. Also, these are major investments, so there are economic benefits. And there are mobility issues that are interesting.”

A notable sour note about the Alto project came from federal Conservative transport critic and Toronto-area MP Philip Lawrence. In a post on X, the MP said, “The prime minister will be gone in two weeks. The minister of transport will not be seeking re-election. Today’s announcement is a lame-duck statement from a lame-duck government. Today’s announcement is yet another promise with no details that will take years and $3.9 billion on planning and bureaucracy, without laying a single piece of track,” he said.

In January, when there were doubts about the future of a major rail project given the state of political uncertainty, Conservative Party Quebec lieutenant and Charlesbourg MP Pierre Paul-Hus said in a statement, “After nearly a decade of the Liberal government of [Justin] Trudeau, there is no high-speed rail project, strictly speaking, it does not exist.”

Local leaders on board with high-speed rail plan Read More »

Feds chose consortium to build Quebec City-Toronto high-speed rail

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Feds chose consortium to build Quebec City-Toronto high-speed rail 

Peter Black

Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Sometime in the foreseeable future, Canadians may hop on an Alto train to get from Quebec City to Toronto, and several stops in between. They’ll be spending roughly half the time making the trips they do now, because the train will be travelling at up to 300 kilometres per hour.

At a Montreal news conference on Feb. 19, Prime Minister Justin Trudeau, with Transport Minister Anita Anand, and Alto president and CEO Martin Imbleau at his side, announced the selection of the consortium tasked with getting the 1,000-km-long, all-electric project rolling.

A dedicated passenger rail link in the Quebec-Toronto corridor has been studied for at least 30 years, in an effort to liberate VIA Rail from the poor service and reliability that comes with sharing tracks with rail cargo traffic.

Since 2016, the Trudeau government has been promoting a high-frequency service, but last year switched gears and opted for the high-speed train plan, on mostly existing tracks on the north shore of the St. Lawrence River in Quebec.

The consortium, called Cadence, combines several well-known transportation and engineering outfits, including Air Canada and Kéolis, a French-owned passenger bus company. The other members are the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec infrastructure division; AtkinsRéalis, formerly known as SNC-Lavalin, the Montreal-based engineering firm; SNCF Voyageur, the French national company that operates high-speed rail in France; and SYSTRA Canada, a global engineering company specializing in transport projects.

Anand said Alto, a separate entity, would be signing the contract with Cadence “in the coming weeks” to start the detailed planning for the project over the next six years, with a $3.9 billion investment, on top of some $370 million already committed in the most recent federal budget. 

Trudeau, calling Alto “Canada’s largest ever infrastructure project,” said “high-speed rail will turbocharge the Canadian economy – boosting GDP by up to $35 billion annually, creating over 51,000 good-paying jobs during construction, and unlocking enhanced productivity for decades to come. By connecting economic hubs at rapid speed, businesses will have more markets to sell to and workers will have more job opportunities.”

Anand, who has said she does not plan to run in the next election, said, “Today’s announcement will put passengers first, with dedicated tracks between Toronto and Quebec City passing through Peterborough, Ottawa, Montréal, Laval, and Trois-Rivières. This will cut train travel times in half. It will promote growth in regional economies and reduce emissions at the same time. It’s a nation-building project we can all be proud of.”

Asked about the project’s fate in the event of a change in government, Trudeau said, “It was always going to be one that took long enough to build that it would cover multiple governments. It takes will and determination by a government to move forward and lock in this project. … Obviously, future governments will make their determinations about how to invest, but this investment … is going to be very difficult to turn back on.” 

Imbleau, the former head of the Port of Montreal and senior executive at Hydro-Québec and Énergir, took on the job of Alto boss in September 2023. He said at the news conference, “A high-speed rail service is not a luxury, it is a necessity,” given the pressures on other modes of transport. 

Imbleau said the design and planning team would ensure the right plan is in place before construction actually begins. “We will take our time in order to avoid problems later on. In four or five years we will know what, how and how much (it will cost) in detail.”

Cadence was one of three consortia bidding on the project in a process launched in October 2023. In a statement, CDPQ Infra president Jean-Marc Arbaud, said, “This landmark project is set to revolutionize mobility in Canada for future generations. The Cadence consortium’s unparalleled expertise, synergy, and successful track record offer Alto, the Crown corporation with which we will develop this project, a trusted partner to bring this visionary project to life at the best possible cost.”

According to some studies, the cost to build the Alto service could reach $120 billion. 

Feds chose consortium to build Quebec City-Toronto high-speed rail Read More »

City approves Ilôt Dorchester project with reduced height

Local Journalism Initiative / / / ,

City approves Îlot Dorchester hotel with reduced height

Peter Black

Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The city has approved the Îlot Dorchester project thanks to a “compromise” entailing trimming three storeys from the project’s centrepiece hotel.

Mayor Bruno Marchand announced, before the Feb. 27 city council meeting, he had given the green light to a revised plan with a 17-storey rather than 20-storey hotel anchoring the major development in what is now a huge parking lot in the heart of the Saint-Roch district.

He told reporters because of significant housing needs in Saint-Roch, “it would have been hard to say no. We need this project and we are going for it.”

Some residential groups had opposed the project on the grounds of housing density and the height of the hotel. The developer, Groupe Trudel, had submitted several versions of the project, each addressing local concerns including green space and social housing. 

The current development plan for the sector of Saint-Roch has a maximum of 10 storeys for buildings, although there are several structures higher in the immediate neighbourhood. Ilot Dorchester will require an amendment to the zoning plan.

Public consultations will be held “in the coming weeks,” Marchand said, and no referendum is required to approve the zoning change.

Groupe Trudel president William Trudel explained in a Radio-Canada interview the company was able to maintain the profitability of the tower structure by moving the hotel component to the larger lower part of the building.

“We reached an agreement in the last few days with the major (hotel) brand that accepted this compromise. It allows us to lower the building to 17 floors, which was not possible before,” Trudel said.

The debate over the project, valued at about $300 million, has caused a six-month delay in the planned start of construction, now slated for late spring. The complex, comprising 400 housing units in four separate buildings, a large surface grocery store, the hotel and various green spaces, is expected to be completed in 2028.

The property, bordered by Rue Saint-Vallier, Rue Dorchester, Rue Sainte-Helene and Rue Caron, was once a busy industrial block, with tanneries and factories related to shipbuilding. Groupe Trudel bought the site in 2022 after managing the parking lot for two years.

Îlot Dorchester is the fourth major combined commercial and residential project the company has in the works. The others are redevelopments of Place Fleur de Lys, Galeries Charlesbourg and Place des Quatres Bourgeois. 

City approves Ilôt Dorchester project with reduced height Read More »

Quebec Winter Carnival triumphs over the weather

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Quebec Winter Carnival triumphs over the weather

Cassandra Kerwin, LJI reporter

Quebec Winter Carnival triumphs over the weather  

Cassandra Kerwin

Cassandra@qctonline.com

Not even a blizzard or two could keep people from enjoying the 71st Winter Carnival. Organizers pulled out all the stops to create another memorable and successful edition. 

The 71st Winter Carnival closed on Feb. 16 with the traditional St-Hubert Snow Bath. Men and women wearing nothing but swimsuits, tuques and boots jumped into a pile of snow surrounded by a warmly dressed cheering crowd. “Every year, we come to Quebec City and the carnival as a family trip. This year, I had to call my husband’s bluff,” said Sarah O’Malley from Atlanta, Georgia. “He says he never gets cold. So I signed him up for the Snow Bath.” After watching the first of two waves of people, smiling from ear to ear, he dove right into the snow to make a snow angel.

Local artist and muralist Phelipe Soldevila supervised Graff the Ice Palace. “It is pretty crazy. It is actually something we had done unofficially [in 2018] when I and my artist friends were hired to create live art. It is great to see it officially part of the carnival,” he said. “Everyone is enjoying themselves, which is the main objective. It really shows you that art sometimes is not about the end result and more about the process.” 

Tagging and painting graffiti on the Ice Palace was a popular activity. Even the executive director of the carnival, Marie-Eve Jacob and program director Jérôme Déchêne added their creative touches. Throughout the carnival, they visited the sites and participated in numerous activities and events. 

“This year, we continued to root our vision, which is to offer extraordinary activities that cannot be done outside the carnival and that defy conventions,” said Jacob. “The sold-out rappelling on the Château Frontenac and the Popunderwear Carnival White Night at the Cercle de la Garnison are good examples of this. We aim to balance these extravagances with the traditions that have made the event’s reputation, but that we enhance by constantly evolving them, such as the Palais de Bonhomme and the night parades.”

“We make a conscious effort to reach a variety of clientele,” added Déchêne. “For example, we had activities for families during the day and young adults in the evening, in addition to offering programming that is popular and festive, sometimes contemplative. We tend towards a very interesting balance that allows us to affirm that there is something for everyone at the Quebec Winter Carnival.”

“Quebec City was the number one destination in Canada during the two carnival weekends with an occupancy rate of 85 per cent the first weekend and for now, we’re looking at 90 per cent for the last weekend,” said Déchêne. 

Organizers mentioned that musicians, entertainers and spectators loved the shows under the Dome for the second consecutive year. The night parades attracted large crowds from start to finish. Large crowds watched 54 teams participate in the ice canoe race across the St. Lawrence River for the 130th year and 70th carnival race. The official sites, Zone Loto-Québec, Zone Kraft Jukebox and Scotiabank Sculpture Garden always had a good flow of people. None of this would have been possible without the dedication and loyalty of the 450 volunteers. 

For those who want more, there’s the Télé-Québec (in French) six-episode documentary series La fièvre des festivals which invites you to take a behind-the-scenes look at the Quebec Winter Carnival, the Francos de Montréal, the Festif! de Baie-Saint-Paul and the St-Tite Western Festival.

The Quebec Winter Carnival will be back from Feb. 6 to 15, 2026.

Quebec Winter Carnival triumphs over the weather Read More »

CAQ to hold info sessions on ‘third link’ as details leak

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

CAQ to hold info sessions on ‘third link’ as details leak 

Peter Black

Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peteblack@qctonline.com

Residents will have an opportunity to learn more about options for the “third link” at information sessions recently announced by Transport and Sustainable Mobility Minister Genevieve Guilbault, to be held on Feb. 26 in Quebec City and Feb. 27 in Lévis.

According to a press release, “Representatives from the ministry will be on site to provide information, gather participants’ impressions and answer questions concerning, in particular, the corridors under study as well as the current and future stages of the project.”

The session in Quebec City will be at the Travelodge Hotel on Blvd. Hochelaga, and the Lévis one at the Lévis Convention Centre, on Rue J-B Michaud. Both sessions run from 3 to 8 p.m.

The announcement of the sessions comes as information about the routes being studied leaks out. A Quebec Solidaire MNA said he has documents from a transport ministry whistleblower that the government favours a downtown-to-downtown tunnel. (See separate story below).

A Radio-Canada report, based on leaked documents, said bridges built to the east of the downtown areas of Quebec City and Lévis “would contravene almost all government guidelines on land use planning. Analyses by the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité durable (MTMD) reveal several points that are ‘incompatible’ if the option favoured by the Legault government comes to fruition.”

The study, which examined several possible “third link” scenarios, including two bridge routes to the east, the option initially favoured by Premier Francois Legault, indicated the project would involve “a significant encroachment on several forest areas, wetlands and more than 77 hectares of agricultural land on the South Shore, the equivalent of nearly 150 football fields.”

The report also revealed the two eastern bridge routes would “result in the demolition of several residences and apartment blocks along Sainte-Anne Boulevard and the demolition of around 10 residential properties on the South Shore.”

There is one positive element about a bridge to the east mentioned in the report obtained by Radio-Canada: It would “promote the attractiveness of the territories and the dynamism of the communities in addition to connecting industrial zones and existing employment centres. This is the only government orientation in regional planning compatible with both scenarios.”

In an interview with the Journal de Quebec, Guilbault said the leaks about bridge and tunnel studies are likely coming from people within the civil service  “who oppose the project, just like the three opposition parties.”

The opposition at city hall reacted to the latest CAQ controversy over its plans for a bridge or tunnel.

Official Opposition and Québec d’Abord Leader Claude Villeneuve told a city hall media scrum, “I look at the government’s conduct on the third link and I can’t help but draw a parallel with what Donald Trump is doing on tariffs … there’s a kind of chaos that’s created. It means that we only talk about that and we don’t talk about other subjects anymore.”

Limoilou Coun. and Transition Quebec Leader Jackie Smith said the recent revelations are “proof beyond any doubt that this project must be stopped. We must end the project and kill the third link.”

She said, “It is absurd that … Guilbault is so attached to a project that makes no sense. She is ready to force a third link down our throats in the east despite the expertise of her own department’s officials.” 

The minister, for her part, noted in the release announcing the information sessions, that “23 companies responded to the international call for interest launched on Oct. 11, 2024 … The number and reputation of the participating companies confirm that our project for a third link between Quebec City and Lévis is serious and credible.”

She added, “I invite all citizens of the Capitale-Nationale and Chaudière-Appalaches regions who are interested to come and learn more about the steps we have taken and those that await us.”

Full details on the information sessions can be found on the website: Quebec.ca/troisiemelien. 

CAQ to hold info sessions on ‘third link’ as details leak Read More »

Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste years away from becoming cultural centre

Local Journalism Initiative / / / ,

Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste years away from becoming cultural centre

Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste years away from becoming cultural centre 

Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

The Ville de Québec has launched two calls for tenders for “architectural services” for urgent work on Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste, although the city councillor for the district has warned it could be years before the landmark church can fully reopen as a cultural centre. 

Built between 1881 and 1885, the church hosted mass for the last time in May 2015. Since then, it has sat empty, opening sporadically for funerals and for visits during the Journées de la Culture. The city acquired the church for $175,000 from the Saint-Jean-Baptiste parish council last year after an earlier deal to cede it to an Egyptian Coptic congregation fell through. 

A contractor is already working to decontaminate the church basement, rendered unusable by water infiltration. 

Cap-aux-Diamants Coun. Mélissa Coulombe-Leduc, also a member of the executive committee responsible for heritage preservation, said the city wants the church to be “temporarily occupied” as soon as possible. For that to happen, she said, completing the decontamination of the basement is “high on the list, but there’s also work to be done on the windows and the roof. … We have to finish the work the parish has [started], restore the doors and do some work on the masonry.” 

The combined cost of the basement decontamination and restoration of the windows alone is estimated at $8.5 million. Coulombe-Leduc said the city is hoping to secure additional funding from the provincial Conseil du patrimoine religieux (religious heritage council) and the federal government. 

Coulombe-Leduc did not provide a cost estimate or a timeline for all of the needed repairs, or a cost ceiling beyond which the city would no longer fund the restoration. 

“Considering the heritage value of the church, I have always thought the city should not be the only stakeholder,” she said. “We’ve asked the religious heritage council and the federal government, and we are going to look for money elsewhere. [The restoration] will cost a few million dollars, and it won’t all be short-term spending; spreading it out over a few years allows us to amortize the impact.” 

She said she hoped the cultural centre and exhibition space planned for the church would ultimately generate revenue for the city and help revitalize the neighbourhood. Before moving forward with the full cultural space project, known as Le Carrefour, the plan is to reopen the building “sooner rather than later” for community events such as Saint-Jean-Baptiste neighbourhood council meetings and neighbourhood flea markets. 

“Five years from now, we won’t be [finished with] the final project, but the church will be reopened for the people of the community,” she said.  

Église Saint-Jean-Baptiste years away from becoming cultural centre Read More »

The 71st Winter Carnival is open

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Cassandra Kerwin

cassandra@qctonline.com

The 71st Quebec Winter Carnival is now open! From Feb. 7 to 16, people will celebrate winter in all its glory. They will skate with Bonhomme, visit his Ice Palace, dance in the Kraft Juke Box, tour the garden of ice sculptures, watch the night parades and enjoy the many partner activities. There is something to please everyone.

“I am very proud to see everyone here assembled to celebrate the opening of the 71st Winter Carnival, to celebrate winter and the cold,” said Bonhomme. “I hope to see you at the Carnival.”

As tradition demanded, May- or Bruno Marchand handed Bonhomme the key to the city at the opening ceremony on Feb. 7. “I want you to take good care of our city because it is the most beautiful winter city in the world, as stated by people from all over the world! You are the master of the city over the next ten days!” With those words, Marchand handed Bonhomme a giant brass key, officially opening the Winter Carnival.

Inspired by the falling snow, MNA for Montmorency Jean- François Simard quoted Gilles Vigneault, “‘Mon pays ce n’est pas un pays, c’est l’hiver,’” he said. “Quebec City and Quebecers love winter. There is no winter in Quebec City without the Winter Carnival! There is no Winter Carnival without Bonhomme.” He continued, “Bonhomme, you have been bringing us joy and sun every winter for 71 years! Every year, we are happy to see you again! On behalf of the Quebec government, I wish you all a wonderful Carnival.”

After the ceremony, the stage was set for the opening show, featuring stand-up comic and singer Mariana Mazza and her guests. Wearing a red fake-fur hat, a Nordiques jacket and moon boots, Mazza had the crowd laughing to her quick wit and vulgar jokes and dancing and singing along with her Bon Jovi covers, “Living on a Prayer” and “It’s My Life.” She asked the crowd not to blow their horns, to which a spectator objected, adding an unexpected comical dialogue to the show. The rest of the show was a mixture of jokes, songs and dance moves performed by Véronique Claveau, Erika Suarez, Rafaëlle Roy, King Melrose and Émily Bégin. Until Feb. 16, anyone with a Carnival effigy can tour the Ice Palace at Zone Loto-Québec (Place de l’Assemblée-Nationale), the ice sculpture garden (Parc de la Francophonie) or the giant Philadelphia Ferris Wheel in the Kraft Jukebox (Place George-V). In Lower Town, visit Bonhomme’s Beach behind Espace 400. There are over 50 partner events and activities throughout the Quebec City region.

For more information, visit carnaval.qc.ca.

The 71st Winter Carnival is open Read More »

Citizen groups, developer spar over height of Îlot Dorchester project

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Citizen groups, developer spar over height of Îlot Dorchester project

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The city administration will decide “in the coming days” the fate and shape of a major development project in Saint-Roch.

A battle over the Îlot Dorchester plan between citizens’ groups and the developer, Groupe Trudel, flared up last week over the impact the mixed housing and commercial project would have on the neighbourhood skyline.

The groups claim the developer is trying to “divide and conquer” local residents, while the developer has struck back, denouncing “lies and falsehoods” coming from opponents of the project.

After a series of consultations organized by the city, Groupe Trudel submitted a plan in October to transform what is currently a huge park- ing lot along Rue Saint-Vallier Est into a complex with 410 housing units, including 20 social housing and 40 afford- able housing units, a 150-room, 20-storey hotel and a large grocery store.

The main focus of opposition to the project is the height of the hotel, which does not conform with the urban development plan for that zone of Saint-Roch, which currently has a 10-storey maximum.

Company president William Trudel seems to have stoked opposition to the project with comments he made in media interviews two weeks ago. Speaking on BLVD radio Jan. 20, he suggested citizens are against the project because they don’t want to lose “their partial view of the mountains in a housing crisis […] People have difficulty finding housing, and then they show up and say, ‘I don’t want to lose my sunset.’”

The Collectif citoyen Saint- Roch/Saint-Jean-Baptiste responded Jan. 30 with a long and harshly worded open letter which argues that the city itself has vaunted the “panorama” that would be obstructed by the hotel tower.

The letter said, “The developer’s rhetoric of minimizing the value of this remarkable panorama is all the more laughable, since it is precisely its value that he covets with all his heart! Why build on the Dorchester block a world-class hotel [that] will bring tens of thousands of tourists to Saint- Roch, according to his own words? What is so attractive about this location for a hotel chain, if not, precisely … the remarkable panorama?”

Trudel, in turn, struck back with an open letter published in the Journal de Québec Feb. 5. While saying, “We welcome the expression of opinions contrary to ours since this moves the debate forward,” Trudel wrote, “I take up my pen … to correct the facts on the five biggest lies being spread.”

The letter addresses and rejects claims about the amount of green space allotted to the project, the inclusion of Airbnb units, the amount of social housing, the question of densification of housing and the description of the hotel as “luxury.”

Regarding “densification,” Trudel notes that Quebec City has 5,550 people per square kilometre in its downtown, making it less densely populated than Ottawa (6,800), Montreal (8,370), Toronto (16,600) and Vancouver (18,800.)

He concludes the letter, “[S]preading lies and defaming my company is a line that I will never allow to be crossed. I built Trudel with $1,500 and an immense amount of personal effort and sacrifice. The 150 employees earn their living within the company with pride, honour and honesty. We are the example that anything is possible in Quebec.”

A spokesperson for Mayor Bruno Marchand said the city is expected to make a decision on the Îlot Dorchester project “in the coming days.”

In previous comments, Marchand said the city is looking for compromises to ensure the block is developed.

Citizen groups, developer spar over height of Îlot Dorchester project Read More »

RTC unveils new routes, new app, more àVélo stations

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

RTC unveils new routes, new app, more àVélo stations

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The Réseau de Transport de la Capitale (RTC), buoyed by a boost in ridership and a new source of revenue, is adding two new routes and implementing an application to integrate mobility services. It’s also moving ahead with an expansion of the popular àVélo bike-sharing network.

At a Feb. 5 news conference at a library in Val-Belair, RTC and city officials confirmed that several elements of the 2025-28 development plan unveiled in the fall will be put into effect as of this spring. The choice of Val-Belair is significant in that as of late August the 804 bus route will be extended into the sector.

According to RTC president and executive committee member Maude Mercier Larouche, the new $60 municipal tax on vehicle registrations, implemented at the beginning of the year, “allows us to maintain, but above all to efficiently develop our service offering.”

The registration fee affects some 300,000 vehicle owners and is expected to add nearly $20 million to city coffers.

In a news release, Mercier Larouche said, “With the improvements planned for the coming year, the RTC is realizing its vision for the future, which is to offer simpler, more direct and more efficient journeys by multiplying travel options.”

One travel option the city is promoting heavily is the àVélo bike-sharing service, which is managed by the RTC. As of May 1, 50 new stations, with 500 bikes will be added to the net- work in the sectors of Vanier, Saint-Louis, Saint-Rodrigue/ Jesuites and Maizerets. This marks the largest expansion of the service, now boasting 115 stations and 1,300 bikes, since it was launched in 2021.

Other new RTC services coming this year are the addition of Flexibus service in Cap-Rouge and the expansion of eXpress bus routes in the suburbs.

Also announced recently, is the awarding of a contract to develop a mobile application to integrate transportation services in the capital region.

According to a Jan. 31 release from the city, the new app, to be tested in the fall, will “bring together bus services offered in the CMQuébec territory (RTC, Société de transport de Lévis, Transport collectif de La Jacques-Cartier, PLUmobile), the tramway, adapted transport [used by people with disabilities], the Flexibus on-demand transport service and the àVélo electric bike-sharing service, as well as services from other partners such as car sharing, ferries (Société des traversiers du Québec), taxis, private and public parking lots and electric vehicle charging stations.”

The city said the app will be “the very first regional mobility platform developed for a public transit company in Canada.”

The city awarded the contract, with an overall estimated cost of $14.28 million, to Siemens Mobility Canada, a division of the German transportation technology giant.

Implementation of the app will be handled by Capitale Mobilité, the RTC’s division that manages ventures separate from bus system operations.

The RTC recorded a significant boost in ridership in 2024, as reported in data released on Jan. 24. Bus users took more than 31.5 million trips last year, a jump of 11.6 per cent.

Students accounted for the biggest increase, at 12 per cent, while there was a three per cent decrease in senior ridership. General customer use rose two per cent.

The increase in ridership added some $8 million to RTC revenue from passengers, for a total of $76.4 million.

RTC unveils new routes, new app, more àVélo stations Read More »

City to pause food waste collection to install new scale

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City to pause food waste collection to install new scale

City to pause food waste collection to install new scale

Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

City officials are asking residents and business owners who use the city’s “purple bag” food waste collection program not to put their purple bags out for collection from Feb. 15-22, due to work being done at the city incinerator. 

During that time, workers will install a new scale to weigh the garbage that is returned to the incineration pit after the sorting of the purple bags, the city’s communications and citizen relations service said in a statement on Feb. 7. The scale “will allow the collection of data on the quantities of organic and non-organic residual materials,” they said.

Residents are asked not to place their purple bags in their bin during this period in order to keep them from going to the incinerator. 

This is the second time in the program’s history that food waste collection has been briefly paused for optimization; last January, collection was suspended for five days to facilitate improvements to the flow of bags on conveyor belts.  

The Ville de Québec launched its residential compost program in November 2022 in La Haute-Saint-Charles before gradually expanding it to the city’s five other boroughs. Since last year, businesses, industrial facilities and government institutions have been able to sign on voluntarily. Food waste at participating homes and businesses is separated into distinctive purple bags and sent to the city’s organic material biomethanization centre, adjacent to the incinerator, in Beauport. The residue is liquefied, heated and converted into methane gas and digestate, an agricultural fertilizer. 

According to the city website, 75 per cent of households participate in the voluntary food waste separation program. City officials say the conversion of food waste into methane has made it possible to inject more than four million cubic metres of renewable natural gas into the provincewide Énergir network. For more information on the program, visit ville.quebec.qc.ca/sacmauve. 

City to pause food waste collection to install new scale Read More »

Mary Gillespie House purchased for English-speaking community

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Mary Gillespie House purchased for the English-speaking community

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

The historic Mary Gillespie House in Sainte-Foy has been purchased for the use of the local English-speak- ing community. By next year, it will open as a multipurpose venue, thanks in part to the $1.5-million contribution from Canadian Heritage through the Community Spaces Fund program for official-language minority communities. Federal Minister for Public Services and Procurement and MP for Québec Jean-Yves Duclos announced the funding arrangement on Feb. 3.

“This project started with a young individual who saw the potential in this house in July 2023,” said Jean Robert, presi- dent of Jeffery Hale Community Partners. “From there, our staff got involved. The boards of two of our community foundations, architects, lawyers and the staff at Canadian Heritage had the same goal: an inclusive multipurpose space for the community.”

Robert affirmed that Mary Gillespie House will be trans- formed for the English-speaking community by next year, if all goes according to plan. “It will provide an inclusive space for cultural preservation, col- laboration and connection,” said Robert. “It will become a vibrant hub of services and ac- tivities for the English-speaking

community for years to come, promoting a sense of belonging for its members and helping to ensure its long-term vitality.”

“The English-speaking com- munity has been present in Quebec City for over 265 years. This is a lot of years and hard and heavy work with great suc- cess,” said Duclos. “Here, we have an example of a heritage home that will last and be preserved for its beauty and be used for the benefit of our English-speaking community. When we are diverse, we are more proud.”

“The Mary Gillespie House is in my riding, and I’m de- lighted that our government is investing in this community space for the people of Quebec City. I hope that Louis-Hébert

residents will be able to come together and build relation- ships in this magnificent and historic Sainte-Foy building,” said Louis-Hébert MP Joël Lightbound. “This is good for the community. It is not the biggest community, but it is strong, vibrant, and has deep roots. I am very happy that this space will bring the community together.”

According to the Ville de Québec register of historic buildings, the house was built between 1860 and 1867. Its first resident-owner appears to have been Mary Gillespie (1840-1935), widow of mer- chant James Hewitt and sister of James Gillespie, who owned Maple Cottage, formerly located on Chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois. The residence remained in the Hewitt family for almost 30 years.

The house is located at 819 Ave. Moreau in Sainte-Foy. It is a 1.5-storey farmhouse situated on a large lot. The majority of its historical components, including wooden windows, dormers, doors and floors, a metal roof, a covered gallery on three sides and chimneys at each end, have been maintained. Since the front lot was sold for a commercial building on Chemin Sainte-Foy, the original main entrance faces the back of that building rather than Avenue Moreau. 

Mary Gillespie House purchased for English-speaking community Read More »

Jean-Yves Duclos backs Mark Carney for federal Liberal leader

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Jean-Yves Duclos backs Mark Carney for federal Liberal leader

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Federal Liberal leadership hopeful Mark Carney has landed the support of Jean-Yves Duclos, a key Quebec minister in the government of departing prime minister Justin Trudeau.

Duclos declared his support for Carney on Feb. 7 and hosted him for a series of events in Quebec City, including a meeting with Bonhomme Carnaval. Carney also met with Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand. Duclos, the minister of public services and procurement and MP for Québec, offered his support via an open letter, the same forum he used two weeks ago to invite all candidates to submit platforms.

Duclos applauded Carney’s response to his letter, and noted his experience in dealing with financial crises “has clearly demonstrated your leadership and partnership capabilities.”

The minister also praised Carney’s “commitment to the protection of the French lan- guage, the arts and culture, and promoting a strong voice for Quebec [which] will help strengthen our country in these turbulent times.”

Duclos also noted that both he and Carney “are economists, not politicians.”

As of this writing, five candidates remain in the leadership race: Carney, former finance minister and deputy prime minister Chrystia Freeland, for- mer minister and House leader Karina Gould, former Montreal MP Frank Baylis and former Toronto-area MP Ruby Dhalla.

The Liberal Party of Canada has set the dates for candidate debates, on Feb. 24 in French and Feb. 25 in English, both to take place in Montreal. Carney, Duclos and Louis-Hébert MP Joël Lightbound – who was one of Carney’s earliest caucus supporters – met with local Liberals at a pub in Place Ste-Foy on Friday evening. Innovation and Industry Minister François-Philippe Champagne, who gave Carney a tour of Shawinigan the week before, was also in attendance.

In a scrum with reporters beforehand, Carney said he had been meeting with local chambers of commerce to learn firsthand about local concerns. He said he supported the city’s tramway project as an example of investing in the future. In local interviews the next day, the former governor of the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England said he found the “third link” project championed by the Quebec government “interesting” but would not commit to a federal contribution without knowing more about the details of the plan or its cost.

Carney said in the face of American threats to Canada’s economy, “what we need to do is work as a team with all levels of government across Canada.

“I am very encouraged by the resolve Canadians are showing. They want to be positive, they want to be united, they want to move forward, they don’t want division. They’ve had enough of insults. And what we’re offering is that positivity, that sense of action.”

Carney said, “We’re in a crisis, but it’s a massive opportunity.” Picking up a slogan from the Quebec Liberals of the 1960s, Carney said Canadians are “masters of their own house.”

The QCT asked Carney to update his comment on Jon Stewart’s The Daily Show on Jan. 13, prior to jumping into the race, that the Liberals “have a chance” of winning the next election.

Carney said, “We have a very good chance. Given the stakes, given the team we have, given the capabilities of the Liberal Party in addressing this crisis, in building our economy and as well, above all, given the values of the Liberal Party and the importance we place on solidarity, in helping the vulnerable in our society, on building a sustainable economy. We not just can win, we must win and we will win.”

The new leader of the Liberal Party is to be chosen on March 9 by a vote of registered members. Whoever wins automatically succeeds Trudeau as prime minister.

Jean-Yves Duclos backs Mark Carney for federal Liberal leader Read More »

Ateliers du Carnaval pull back curtain on night parades

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Ateliers du Carnaval pull back curtain on night parades

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Ateliers du Carnaval pull back the curtain on night parades

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Over the past weeks, the staff at Les Ateliers du Carnaval has been working hard to create and restore the iconic floats in preparation for the legendary night parades.

On Feb. 3, reporters were invited to tour the various workshops as staff put the finishing touches on the floats and dancers practised their moves for the parades.

The Ateliers du Carnaval is where the magic of the Winter Carnival is brought to life year after year. It is where 500 people, including 350 artists and artisans, spend 3,000 hours creating temporary art in the dead of winter. With a few coats of paint, some sculpted wood and lots of plywood, the wheeled platforms are transformed into different worlds: Bonhomme’s icemobile, Flip Fabrique’s acrobatic zone, Ubisoft’s Assassin’s Creed Shadows float and much more.

On the evening of Feb. 15, residents who missed the Feb. 8 Lower Town Night Parade (see article in this edition) can see the floats come to life at the Upper Town parade, with lights, music and performers, and the nine sequences directed by 11 artistic directors. There will be something for everyone: circus performances, dancers, lights, music and even pyrotechnics. To enjoy the full experience, spectators are reminded to dress warmly and bring their Carnival trumpets and other noisemakers.

The massive 16-foot-high Ubisoft float will capture everyone’s attention. Inspired by the soon-to-be-released action-adventure video game Assassin’s Creed Shadows, this float resembles a traditional Japanese house. The Assassin’s Creed logo is added to the hanging lanterns.

In an adjacent workshop, workers were building Bonhomme’s float. On the day of the tour, there was little to see. Reporters, like the rest of the public, will have to wait for the parades to see the complete show.

The Feb. 15 Upper Town parade starts at 7 p.m. on Grande Allée from Avenue des Érables.

For more information about the parades and other Carnival events, visit carnaval.qc.ca/en.

Ateliers du Carnaval pull back curtain on night parades Read More »

Bonhomme’s ice palace days away from being ready

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Bonhomme’s Ice Palace is days away from being ready

Cassandra Kerwin

Cassandra@qctonline.com

From Feb. 7 to 16, visitors with Quebec Winter Carnival effigies can walk among the eight towers of Bonhomme’s Ice Palace and marvel at their height, with the tallest tower reaching 36 feet (nearly 11 metres). It took more than 17 days for snow and ice sculptor Marc Lepire and his team of 10 builders to complete the “Nordic sanctuary” using 2,800 ice blocks, each weighing 300 pounds and measuring 40 inches by 20 inches by 10.5 inches. Once completed, the Ice Palace will cover 5,800 square feet. Be sure to dress warmly when you visit it, because Bonhomme likes it cold, with ideal temperatures between -10 and -15. 

“There aren’t many people who build ice walls,” said Lepire, who has been building a new Ice Palace for Bonhomme every year for 13 years. “The first year I did it, there were 22 of us, and this year there are 10. I had to adapt and find the right people to do it.

“After last year’s abnormally warm weather forced us to close the site early, we had to rethink the structure and the effects of the sun on the ice, even in February,” said Lepire. “This year, we thought of the palace differently – the corners of the towers, the strongest parts, are oriented toward the sun. We hope it will last throughout the Carnival if temperatures remain below -5 degrees.” 

Quebec’s winter wildlife inspired Lepire and designer Jean-François Couture as they decorated the palace. Visitors will discover ice sculpted into moose, trees, owls, traditional snow boots, ceinture fléchée sashes and more. After sunset, everything is lit by colourful LED lights, bringing life to all the sculptures. 

“It’s truly a representation of Bonhomme’s one and only great love: winter,” said  Carnival director Marie-Ève ​​Jacob. “Lepire and his team finished the exterior of the palace a few days ago and now they are working on the interior. Thanks to their skills in sculpting, visitors will discover eight unique towers. The first one represents the snowflake, because Bonhomme was born from a snowflake. At the end, we have a lookout, to see the site from a bird’s eye view. It will truly be another wonderful Carnival experience.”

Visitors must have a Carnival effigy to visit the Zone Loto-Québec. The effigy, available for $39 plus tax, is valid for entry to all the carnival sites from Feb. 7-16. For more information, visit carnaval.qc.ca.

Bonhomme’s ice palace days away from being ready Read More »

Demonstrators brave the cold to demand rent freeze

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

Demonstrators brave the cold to demand rent freeze 

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter 

Cassandra@qctonline.com

Renters’ rights groups are raising the alarm about the combined impact of inflation, rising food prices and record rent increases on renters, a week after the province’s housing tribunal announced a record high 5.9 per cent rent increase benchmark. They are calling on the provincial government to impose a freeze on rent increases. 

During “rent control week” activities organized by the Regroupement des comités logement et associations de locataires du Québec (RCLALQ), on Jan. 30, some 25 protesters gathered in the cold in Parc de l’Amérique-Française and marched across the street to the offices of Housing Minister France-Élaine Duranceau in Édifice Marie-Guyart in the hope of freezing rents. 

Contrary to popular belief, the RCLALQ states, “There is no rent control in Quebec,” leaving tenants vulnerable to abusive increases. When presented with an increase they believe is abusive, tenants can go before the Tribunal administratif du Logement (TAL) and have a judge set an increase. According to the RCLALQ, many tenants are unaware of their rights, and when they do contest abusive, negligent or illegal practices, they often fail to make their voices heard at the TAL. 

On Jan. 21, the TAL announced a 5.9 percent rent increase benchmark for 2025 (see article in Jan. 29, 2025 edition). While the Coalition de Québec contre les hausses de loyer claims this trend drives rents up across the board, landlords argue these increases are overdue, compensating for nearly 10 years of mismanagement within the Régie du Logement and the TAL and allowing landlords to adjust to the rising costs of maintenance. 

Nicolas Villamarin Bonilla of the Coalition stated, “Owners’ income has risen, allowing them to increase rents further. This wealth drain is making the poor poorer and the richest are getting richer at their expense. The outdated calculation methods are concerning, particularly regarding rent evolution this year.” He continued, “We need action before it’s too late. Many tenants are already struggling to pay rent or find affordable housing. Rent-setting by the TAL is ineffective.” 

As a recourse, the RCLALQ and the Coalition are demanding an immediate rent freeze and provincewide rent control. At the Jan. 30 protest at the housing ministry offices, they threw white confetti to mimic snow and sang a modified version of the theme from Frozen while distributing stickers asserting the right of tenants to refuse rent hikes, until security personnel showed them the exit. 

Along with rising rents, there is a housing crisis in Quebec, renters’ groups assert. “There is housing available, but it is even more expensive. What is currently being built in Saint-Sauveur, we are talking about 4 1/2s [two-bedroom apartments] that start at $1,600, $2,000 [per month]. This is well above the ability of a large part of the neighbourhood’s population to pay,” said Guillaume Béliveau Côté of the Comité des citoyens et des citoyennes du quartier Saint-Sauveur.

As of Feb. 1, there is no indication the government plans to legislate to freeze rents, despite calls for a freeze by the Quebec Liberal Party and Québec Solidaire. Duranceau has said the Coalition Avenir Québec government’s approach to the housing shortage is centred around increasing supply. 

With files from Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Demonstrators brave the cold to demand rent freeze Read More »

Community foundations merge to create single entity

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Community foundations merge to create single entity

Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative reporter 

editor@qctonline.com

The Jeffery Hale Foundation, the Saint Brigid’s Home Foundation and the Citadel Foundation have merged their operations to form the Quebec City English-speaking Community Foundation, representatives of the merged foundation announced last week. The amalgamation had been in the cards for the last several years and had been approved by the memberships of all three foundations, they said. The three foundations have shared a single executive team since 2007 and a single investment committee for at least two decades. 

“We’ve co-operated and co-ordinated on many projects over the years, all three foundations, and we serve the same clientele – that is, the English-speaking community, its institutions, its elderly, health and social services, education, heritage and community development,” explained Martin Edwards, board chair of the new foundation. 

Edwards said the merger will simplify the day-to-day philanthropic efforts of all three foundations. “We [used to have] the same staff, similar memberships, same bankers, same auditors, et cetera, but … three annual general meetings, three audited financial statements, three tax returns … three channels of communication for every joint project that we worked on, three brokerage statements, three bank statements, three of everything. Costs and expenses were multiplied by three. What we are targeting in this amalgamation is really unity, efficiency and improved investment opportunities.” 

“We will continue to honour the commitments of those three foundations and pursue and improve on their work going forward,” said Edwards, adding that donors will still be able to specify which project or organization under the foundation’s umbrella their donation will fund. 

Edwards, executive director Michael Boden and assistant executive director Julie Sauvageau presented the amalgamation as a natural progression. “Pooling financial resources, pooling expertise, pooling human resources just seemed to be the logical step,” Boden told the QCT. In recent decades, the three foundations have gradually absorbed the assets of smaller community foundations and philanthropic funds and taken responsibility for administering their assets. Edwards said the merged foundation would continue its predecessors’ work in many areas, including the administration of the Citadel Foundation and Quebec City Women’s Club bursary programs for English-speaking students, and administrative support for organizations serving the English-speaking community.

Edwards said the merger would eliminate competition and overlap between the three foundations and make it easier to fund large projects. The new foundation will have combined assets of $87 million, Boden said, and an estimated $4 million will be distributed to projects in the community in the coming year. Major projects on the foundation’s funding agenda include the Cathedral Gardens at the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and the sports field at the yet-to-be-named consolidated English high school. The foundation also aims to provide ongoing support to Mount Hermon Cemetery, Jeffery Hale Community Partners and the Fraser Recovery Program, which supports English-speaking youth recovering from substance abuse issues and their families, among others. 

Anyone interested in donating to the Quebec City English-speaking Community Foundation or sharing comments and suggestions is invited to email contact@qcesf.org. 

Community foundations merge to create single entity Read More »

Black History Month roundtable launches ninth edition

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Black History Month roundtable launches ninth edition of celebrations

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

The Table de concertation du Mois de l’Histoire des Noirs de Québec (TCMHNQ; Quebec City Black History Month Roundtable) launched a busy month of festivities on Jan. 31 at Université Laval, with a cocktail reception, a concert by the group AfroVibes and a roundtable discussion featuring members of the city’s Black community who have excelled in a variety of fields.

Event spokesperson Samuel Audet-Sow is a former professional basketball player turned lawyer who now holds a senior management role at Desjardins. During his keynote address, he looked back on his student days at Collège de Lévis, where he was one of only three Black students at the time. “When I was approached by the president [of the roundtable] to be the spokesperson, my first reaction was, really? I mean, it’s true that I used to be a good basketball player; OK, I passed the bar; but my impression was that you had to be a superhero to be the spokesperson for such an important event. I didn’t think I fit that definition of a superhero … but through resilience, as Black people, we discover that our colour can be a superpower. It gave me an opportunity to discover an inner strength I didn’t know I had, to face all the obstacles that came before me, in my career and in life.”

Théodore Leuwat, president of the roundtable, presented the program of the month- long event, under the theme “Histoire des Afro-canadiens: Éduquer et inspirer” (Afro- Canadian History: Educate and Inspire).

“If you are an adult arriving in Canada, you need to tell yourself that anything is possible,” Leuwat said during his address. “You need to have goodwill and be involved every day. We need to talk about education because … some of our parents have brought their youngest children. What do we need to know about young people? We know that a parent has a lot of responsibilities – a young person who isn’t well educated is a problem waiting to happen. If we educate them early enough and give them the tools to understand the problems they’re going to face and to get involved, that’s how we ensure [the success of] the next generation. That’s why we chose our themes.”

Leuwat said the committee had received a “record number” of project proposals for the ninth edition of Black History Month. They chose 40, pitched by 24 different community groups. The activities include free art exhibits and films at public libraries around the city, the seventh edition of the Festival d’arts Afro- Québécois, soccer and fitness events, culinary workshops, roundtable discussions, networking events for entrepreneurs and a Black history heritage tour of Old Quebec. For music lovers, Billie du Page and Fernie will perform at the Grand Théâtre on Feb. 21, Samba Touré will perform on Feb. 24 at the Grand Théâtre and a Motown heritage revue at the Palais Montcalm will close the festivities on Feb. 28. Other highlights include a celebration of French-language African literature on Feb. 28 at the Maison de la Littérature and activities for kids and teens at the Maison des Jeunes Saint-Sauveur. Most activities are free, although some do require advance reservation. For more information and to reserve your spot at ticketed events, visit mhnquebec.ca/programmation.

Black History Month roundtable launches ninth edition Read More »

La Pocatière mayor “clarifies” tramway stance for Poilievre

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , , ,

La Pocatière mayor ‘clarifies’ stance on tramway for Poilievre 

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The mayor of La Pocatière is “clarifying” his town’s stance on Quebec City’s tramway project in the wake of comments made by federal Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre.

During a visit to Rivière-du-Loup on Jan, 22, Poilievre had applauded a resolution adopted a week earlier by the MRC of Kamouraska, which includes La Pocatière, in support of the so-called third link project championed by the Coalition Avenir Québec government.

Poilievre, in the view of La Pocatière town council, had apparently misinterpreted the resolution to suggest the MRC, while supporting the “third link,” opposed Quebec City’s tramway plan.

In a statement sent to the QCT, Mayor Vincent Bérubé said, “We stand in solidarity with our interregional counterparts, but our openness to the third

link is not a rejection of the Quebec [City] tramway project, which would ultimately limit road congestion and reduce the impact on the environment.”

In fact, the mayor noted, La Pocatière would benefit substantially from the tramway project, with the Alstom plant – formerly a Bombardier factory – a major employer in the town of 4,000.

Although the contract with Alstom to build the cars for the tramway, valued at about $569 million, has not been reconfirmed under the most recent version of the project, it’s expected the company, whose largest shareholder is Quebec’s pension fund, the Caisse de dépôt et placement, will get the work. 

Bérubé said it “is obvious that this project has a special resonance given the presence of the Alstom plant in La Pocatière. The economic spinoffs are also felt in the territory of the MRCs of Kamouraska and L’Islet, since many workers live in these regions and several companies that subcontract with Alstom have a presence in the region.”

In his statement, the mayor invited the local Conservative MP, Bernard Généreux (Montmagny–L’Islet–Kamouraska–Rivière-du-Loup), “to facilitate a meeting with Mr. Poilievre, in order to present our regional economic ecosystem and to take the pulse, on the ground, of the importance of companies involved in the rail transportation industry.”

La Pocatière is some 120 kilometres east of Quebec City on the South Shore of the St. Lawrence River.

                     

La Pocatière mayor “clarifies” tramway stance for Poilievre Read More »

Tea, pastries and pleas for peace mark anniversary of mosque massacre

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Tea, pastries and pleas for peace mark anniversary of mosque massacre

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Eight years have passed since the mass shooting at the Centre culturel islamique de Québec. Some 300 friends, relatives, community members and supporters of survivors and victims gathered over tea and pastries on Jan. 25 at the Manège Militaire to commemorate the event. They celebrated the lives of the six men who were killed and the 19 who were injured on Jan. 29, 2017, and shared messages of peace in uncertain times.

The ceremony opened with a performance by Canadian- Palestinian composer and pianist John Farah, that included a classical piece by Johann Sebastian Bach and “A Lullaby for the Children of Gaza.” No matter one’s position on the situation in Gaza and Palestine, the performance was impeccable and inspirational, reminding attendees of the innocence of children in war zones.

“We feel that every time we talk to people who were there or not, we are revealing our permanent scar. It also reminds us every year that we have to pay tribute to Ibrahima Barry, Mamadou Tanou Barry, Khaled Belkacemi, Abdelkrim Hassane, Azzeddine Soufiane and Aboubaker Thabti, our six fellow Muslim citizens whose lives were taken on the evening of Jan. 29, 2017,” said Mélina Chasles, member of the 29 janvier, je me souviens citizens’ committee and co-host of the event. “We are also sharing messages of peace, solidarity and hope for a future without Islamophobia, racism and hatred in all forms.”

Mayor Bruno Marchand spoke about the importance of hope amid tragedy and uncertainty, particularly in light of the re-election of Donald Trump. After a brief apology to Danielle Monosson, the U.S consul general in Quebec City, who was in the room, he said he believed “a lot of people had seen their flame of hope flicker” since Trump was elected. “We have to talk about hope – because if we don’t, then these six individuals will have died in vain – and to honour the survivors and their families,” said Marchand. “People are show- ing us that there is something worth building here. Hope is strong within this community and city.”

This is a sentiment felt by Muslims across Canada, according to Amira Elghawaby, Canada’s special representative on combatting Islamophobia. “Muslim Canadians live in constant worry of being attacked on their way to prayer, school, work or the park,” she said, referencing the white supremacist terrorist attack on June 6, 2021, in London, Ont. where four members of the same Muslim family were fatally injured. “The federal government has taken great measures to support the Mus- lim Canadian communities and other minority communities in Canada by putting in place strategies and plans against Islamophobia, hatred and racism. We all have a role to play to protect every Canadian’s right to be who they are and to live in dignity and safety.”

Tea, pastries and pleas for peace mark anniversary of mosque massacre Read More »

Combined high school project delayed until 2028, CQSB chair says

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Combined high school project delayed until 2028, CQSB chair says

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Central Québec School Board chair Jean Robert has confirmed the project to build a new high school most likely will be delayed by at least a year from the earlier target of September 2027.

The QCT reported in December that the Quebec government is pausing approval of new education construction projects, which could include the new English high school in Quebec City that’s been in the infrastructure planning process since 2019. 

Robert told the QCT  “everything is on track” for the project, despite delays. “I’ve been told it’s on the desk now of the Treasury Board. It’s gone through every single ministerial approval. We need the OK from the Treasury Board to be able to go out for tenders.”

Robert said, “We’ve spent over $20 million [on the project] so far. I can’t imagine that the government, having invested so much money, would all of a sudden say it’s a no-go.”

He said even if the board got the green light tomorrow, the school probably would not be finished until spring 2028, but it would make sense to wait until the fall term to move students into the new building. 

In the meantime, Robert said the complex project is moving forward on several fronts. He said the deal to acquire a slice of land adjacent from the federal government “was signed last week.” A similar deal to exchange parcels of land with the neighbouring property of the Centre des services scolaire des Decouvreurs is in the process of being settled.

Regarding another piece of land needed for the project, owned by the Ville de Québec, Robert said the board has reached a deal with the city so that residents will be able to use school facilities such as gymnasiums and sports fields.

The new high school project involves a new building with a capacity of some 1,400 students on the site of the former St. Vincent Elementary School on Ave. Wolfe in Sainte-Foy. It would replace the two aging existing English high schools in the city, Quebec High School and St. Patrick’s High School, and the high school component of Dollard-des-Ormeaux School in Shannon.

Combined high school project delayed until 2028, CQSB chair says Read More »

Claude Villeneuve runs for mayor, wants city ‘that’s easier to live in’

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Claude Villeneuve runs for mayor, wants city ‘that’s easier to live in’

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

There are officially three candidates in the race for mayor of Quebec City. Claude Villeneuve, leader of the Québec d’Abord official Opposition party, confirmed he is running, after earlier suggesting he might pass for family reasons.

Villeneuve, 42, made the announcement Jan. 22 at the party’s offices in the Saint-Sauveur district, in the company of Québec d’Abord’s six elected councillors.

Mayor Bruno Marchand, head of Quebec Forte et Fière, and Transition Québec and Limoilou district councillor Jackie Smith have stated they plan to run again for mayor.

Villeneuve, the first-term councillor for the Maizerets-Lairet district, said in remarks to reporters, “I am taking another step forward, because I think we can do more. The citizens of Quebec want new leadership for our city. A mayor who unites, rather than divides. Who understands that leading a city means reconciling interests, rather than imposing one’s own preferences.”

Villeneuve, the father of two young girls with his wife Catherine Gauthier, said, “It’s been my dream to be mayor,” but he needed the blessing of his family to take the plunge.

Asked, in English, what he told his wife to get her support, Villeneuve said, “I love my wife, and I think that she loves me too. She loves me better when I have great projects than when I’m at home and angry,” adding jokingly, “Maybe she just wants me out of the house.”

He said both he and his wife are passionate about politics.  “I think I am a better man, a better father and will be a bet- ter mayor with her by my side.”

Villeneuve took a shot at another potential mayoral rival, former Quebec Liberal cabinet minister Sam Hamad, who has publicly said he is considering running. “I don’t want to become mayor because I’m bored in retirement and I’m looking for a project to keep me unbored.”

Villeneuve made a plea for “a city that’s easier to live in,” asking, “Why are bike paths cleared of snow better than streets or sidewalks? Why is it so difficult to get swimming lessons for children? Why is it so long and especially so complex to obtain a permit to change a door?”

Originally from Métabetchouan in the Lac-Saint-Jean region, Villeneuve was a speechwriter for Parti Québécois premier Pauline Marois. He came to Quebec City in 2004 to study law and economics. He has been a political commentator in various media outlets in the city and been involved in community organizations and businesses in Limoilou.

He won his municipal seat handily in 2021, in a district held by former mayor Régis Labeaume’s party. When the party’s mayoral candidate, Marie-Josée Savard, lost the race to Marchand by a handful of votes, the party’s 10 elected councillors chose Villeneuve to be leader of the Opposition at City Hall.

Three of the party’s coun- cillors subsequently joined Marchand’s party, which had elected seven councillors.

Villeneuve said he plans to have a running mate for his council seat, so that in the event he loses the race for mayor, he would still have a seat on council, assuming the  party wins the district.

As for the tramway project, which has dominated municipal politics for years, Villeneuve, who supports the venture, said he doesn’t expect it will become a big issue in the election campaign, which officially begins in September with the vote on Nov. 2.

Claude Villeneuve runs for mayor, wants city ‘that’s easier to live in’ Read More »

Lights-out looms for Avenue Cartier lampshades amid arts funding crunch

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Lights-out looms for Avenue Cartier lampshades amid arts funding crunch

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

The 34 giant lampshades on Avenue Cartier, which have displayed a range of works by Quebec artists since 2014, may eventually have to be taken down due to a lack of funding from the Ville de Québec, according to the Société de développement commercial (SDC) Montcalm. The SDC Montcalm and the Musée national des Beaux-Arts du Québec (MNBAQ) have piloted the project, called Lumière sur l’art, since its inception, with funding from the Ville de Québec major events bureau.

The current funding agreement ended in 2024. SDC Mont- calm director general Marie Langlois told the QCT that the major events bureau had indicated it was only able to provide 20 per cent of the funding needed for the project to go ahead.

Jean-Étienne Billette is the president of the SDC Montcalm and the owner of the Fastoche sandwich shop and adjoining burger restaurant in Les Halles Cartier. “The [major events office] has let us know that our funding has been reduced to a minimal portion of what we received in the past,” he said. “We learned at the beginning of the summer that they intended to reduce our funding. We spoke with them, and we also spoke with [city councillors] David Weiser and Mélissa Coulombe-Leduc, but things didn’t move forward.

“Any equipment that is ex- posed to the outdoors is expensive [to maintain] and we have to pay the artists,” said Billette. He said the SDC is not eligible for additional grants and is hesitant to explore private sponsorship options. “We want to save Lumière sur l’art.”

Billette said the lampshades, which have displayed art by Group of Seven artists, local con- temporary artists, high school students and people recovering from mental health struggles over the years, have brightened up the street and become a tourist attraction in their own right. “Especially in winter, they’re really pretty.”

City spokesperson Jean-Pascal Lavoie said the city needed more information before making a decision on the future of the project. “The City of Quebec wants Avenue Cartier to continue to benefit from its own visual signature. However, before committing to a new agreement, we want to ensure the safety of the lighting structures. These structures belong to the SDC. Since the lifespan of the lighting structures supporting the lampshades was initially estimated at five years and they were installed in 2015, the City asked the SDC Montcalm … to produce an engineer’s report to assess their condition. We believe an engineer’s assessment of the structures would be appropriate in order to determine their lifespan and see if the financial support should be revised, in addition to assessing the costs associated with repairing or replacing the structures,” he said. Langlois said tests would be carried out by an engineer in February.

“All parties are looking for solutions so that Avenue Cartier continues to benefit from its own visual signature,” Lavoie said, echoing similar statements by the MNBAQ and a spokesperson for Coulombe-Leduc and Weiser.

On Jan. 21, the SDC Montcalm launched an online petition to call on the city to provide $400,000 in funding over the next five years to keep the lamps lit. Nearly 600 people had signed it as of this writing.

Arts funding fragile

Lumière sur l’art is not the only local artistic initiative that is on thin ice due to lack of funding. Both the Théâtre de la Bordée and Robert Lepage’s Ex Machina, the resident theatre company at Le Diamant, have announced cuts to in-house productions in recent weeks. Clément Turgeon, artistic director of Le Festif!, a major summer music festival in Baie-Saint-Paul in the Charlevoix region, has expressed concerns about the festival’s future, although he expects this year’s edition to go ahead. Between inflation and smaller-than-usual government subsidies, he told Radio-Canada, “something isn’t working.”

Christian Robitaille is the director general of Culture Capitale-Nationale–Chaudière-.Appalaches, a network of cultural organizations in the region. “After the pandemic, there was a moment of increased government investment in culture, but then it was the same as [in every other sector] … but in 2021-22, people started to realize how expensive everything was, and the pandemic-era support disappeared. We have pre-pandemic funding with post-pandemic costs,” he said. “There’s inflation, there are salary increases, philanthropy is harder in a complicated time… and there are more requirements being placed on cultural organizations, which are expensive to fulfil,” he said. “We can raise ticket prices, but there’s a limit to that.”

Grants from government agencies are shrinking amid budget cuts. Robitaille also said he fears that in the current economic context, artists themselves might leave the arts for other, more stable and lucrative fields. “We’re not demanding billions here, but the govern- ment needs to recognize the importance of the arts. We’re getting close to the limit.”

Lights-out looms for Avenue Cartier lampshades amid arts funding crunch Read More »

Bonhomme, Carnival organizers present 50 partner events

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Bonhomme, Carnival organizers present 50 partner events

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

One of the best ways to embrace Quebec’s long winter, especially on the coldest days and nights, is to join Bonhomme in the annual Quebec Winter Carnival. For the 71st edition, from Feb. 7 to 16, he and his team have a jam-packed program reaching the four corners of Quebec City. So, as they say … “Enweille Dehors!” (Let’s go outside!)

After presenting the pro- gram of the official sites and unveiling the 71st-edition effigy ($39 plus tax) last November, Bonhomme, programming director Jérôme Déchêne and executive director Marie-Eve Jacob, presented the 50 partner events on Jan. 16 at Le Capitole.

“When people tell me that in Lotbinière, there were Japanese people in a race, I think, ‘That’s great. That’s what’s needed.’ I want to have tourists and locals in the small alleys, in the regions, on Île d’Orléans. It’s part of the DNA of the Carnival,” said Jacob. “We want people to indulge in the forbidden and have extreme fun. We’re not afraid of abuse. Sugar, salt and alcohol, they’re welcome at the Carnival; it’s 10 days, so we make the most of it. We’ll make up for it with sports activities.” She invited Carnival-goers to savour the Calgary Pancake Breakfast (Grande Allée, Feb. 8, 8 a.m. to noon); the Gourmet Route (Old Port, Feb. 8, 11:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.); Gougoune & Doudoune at Espace Quatre-Cents from now until Feb. 16; and much more.

Bonhomme invites the public to ice skate with him on Jan. 18, 19, 25 and 26, and Feb. 11 and 13 on rinks throughout the city, including at Place D’Youville and the Agora du Vieux-Port. Bonhomme also invites his friends and fans to visit his Ice Palace at Place de l’Assemblée-Nationale or to participate in the friendly broomball match on Feb. 7 at Collège François-de-Laval. In Lotbinière, check out the Grizzly Diet Challenge dog sled race on Feb. 10 and 11. It’s nice to enjoy a hot chocolate and admire some ice sculptures after a day of running around in the cold. Before heading home on Feb. 8 and 15, find a spot along the famous Night Parade routes in Lower Town and Upper Town, respectively.

For those who want to continue partying in town, check out the Dome at Place de L’Assemblée-Nationale. There, performing artists, musicians and comedians will entertain the crowds and keep them warm on Feb. 7, 8, 13, 14 and 15.

A few tickets remain for thrill seekers 18 and older who want to rappel down the facade of the Château Frontenac on Feb. 8 and 9.

To mark this 71st edition, the Winter Carnival is encouraging various buildings in Quebec City to light up in red, Bonhomme’s favourite colour. Grande Allée, Rue Saint-Jean, the Campanile, Jean Lesage International Airport, the Château Frontenac, the Convention Centre, Montmorency Falls, the Complexe Jules-Dallaire, the Hôtel Le Concorde and the Grand Théâtre are among the many structures to be illuminated in red at night.

For more information, visit Carnaval.qc.ca/en.

Bonhomme, Carnival organizers present 50 partner events Read More »

Federal Liberal leadership hopefuls court minister Jean-Yves Duclos

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Liberal leadership hopefuls court minister Jean-Yves Duclos

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

He has worked alongside one, but shares a profession with the other.

Québec MP and Public Services and Procurement Minister Jean-Yves Duclos has yet to decide which of the two presumed front-runners he will support in the federal Liberal leadership race – former finance minister Chrystia Freeland or former governor of the Bank of Canada and then the Bank of England Mark Carney.

As of this writing, Carney, Freeland and Liberal House Leader Karina Gould are the most prominent contenders who have officially announced their intention to replace Justin Trudeau. Candidates have until Jan. 27 to pay the $350,000 entry fee to enter the race. The winner is to be announced March 9.

In a Jan. 17 interview with the QCT, Duclos said he had not yet decided on a candidate to support. “I am waiting for all candidates to have had the opportunity to launch their campaign … Once that is done, I will give them a little time to share their platforms and we’ll look more carefully at the way in which the contribution of Quebec to the federation appears. I strongly believe, and many others do, that Canada is stronger because Quebec is part of Canada, and I would like to see how the platforms of the candidates enable that strong social, economic and environmental sensitivity and contribution of Quebecers [to] feature in the candidates’ platforms.”

Duclos said he would have liked to see a francophone candidate in the race despite the so-called Liberal Party tradition of alternance between anglophone and francophone leaders. He said it is important that candidates “be bilingual, but also important to engage with and relate to people of the two official languages, whoever they may be and wherever they may be in Canada.”

(Former Montreal-area MP Frank Baylis, who is completely bilingual, has also said he wants to run for the leadership).

Duclos, first elected in the Liberal wave of 2015, said he “shares characteristics” with both Freeland and Carney. He said he has worked closely with Freeland on such challenges as the federal government’s ac- quisition of the Quebec Bridge. They also co-chaired the government’s COVID pandemic response cabinet committee when Duclos was minister of health.

“We spent a lot of time trying to save jobs and lives,” Duclos said.

As for Carney, a fellow economist by training, Duclos said, “We therefore share the same type of language, the same type of empirical ability to under- stand how to grow the economy while sharing the benefits as equally as possible, so we have that in common. I know him less well than I know Chrystia, but I’m sure I’ll connect with him quite easily.”

Duclos said Carney, Freeland and other candidates have reached out to him seeking his support.

As for a new leader improving the Liberals’ fortunes in an election that will likely come in the spring, Duclos said, “I think it will help, because unfortunately, until the prime minister announced [his] resignation … there was too much focus on him, on his leadership.

“The Conservatives in par- ticular had been very good at attacking him, personal attacks and all that, the social media, the polarization. He had become too much the focus of a lot of negative attention, and that was unfortunately not only harsh and hard on the party, but also obviously even harsher and more cruel on him, himself.”

Duclos said, “Moving to a new leader allows [Trudeau] to invest all of his energy into defending the interests of Canada in the context of [U.S. President Donald] Trump com- ing into office, so he does that full time now while leaving to someone else the hard work of preparing for the next election.

“I think it’s good that this is happening, and I’ve already been feeling informally in my environment here in Quebec City in particular, that this is making a difference in the minds of people. People are saying, OK, fine, Trudeau has given it up, but he’s now passing the puck to someone else for the campaign and investing all of his energy into protecting us against President Trump.”

Duclos has said he plans to run in the next election.

Federal Liberal leadership hopefuls court minister Jean-Yves Duclos Read More »

Four Quebec First Nations buy majority stake in downtown hotel

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , , , ,

Four Quebec First Nations buy majority stake in downtown hotel

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Four Quebec Indigenous groups have partnered to buy a majority stake in Quebec City’s Hilton Hotel.

Under the deal announced Jan. 16, the business corporations of the Naskapi of Kawawachikamach, the Mi’gmaq of Gaspé, the Huron-Wendat of Wendake and the James Bay Cree made the acquisition through a new corporation called Atenro, which means friendship in the Wendat language.

The hotel will continue to be managed by Hilton Quebec, which is owned by InnVest Ho- tels, a Toronto-based company owned in turn by Bluesky Hotels and Resorts, described in business publications as incorporated in Ontario but financed by money from Hong Kong.

InnVest owns or manages more than 100 hotels in Canada, including 17 in Quebec, under various brands. The Hilton is the company’s only holding in Quebec City. With 539 rooms, it is also one of the city’s largest hotels.

Besides the representatives of the First Nations partners, other notables in attendance at the announcement included Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand and Quebec Minister for Relations with First Nations and Inuit Ian Lafrenière.

In a news release, the partners said they “plan to implement joint initiatives with Hilton Quebec and InnVest Hotels to provide employment and training opportunities for members of all First Nations. All current jobs will be maintained.”

Fred Vicaire, CEO of Mi’gmawei Mawiomi Business Corporation, owned by the Mi’gmaq communities of Gesgapegiag, Gespeg and Listuguj, told the QCT in an interview that the corporation’s board raised the idea of investing in a hotel back in 2023 as part of the tourism element of its strategic plan.

He said initially the partner- ship would have been between the Mi’kmaq and the Naskapi, but “we realized [the Hilton] was much bigger than we could handle.” They approached the Huron-Wendat group, whose members immediately liked the idea, and the James Bay Cree quickly got on board as well.

“The stars lined up. We all wanted to make an impact in the hotel industry,” Vicaire said, noting the Hilton is a “symbolic hotel” and a landmark of the Quebec capital.

Vicaire said the four First Nations contributed equal shares to come up with the $85.6 mil- lion to acquire 51 per cent of the hotel ownership.

While the Hilton was not necessarily for sale, InnVest having poured some $70 million into a recent major upgrade, Vicaire said the company had done similar deals with Indigenous groups in Western Canada, and “loved the idea of partnering up with First Nations, and wanted to do something in Quebec, especially at the Hilton.”

Huron-Wendat Grand Chief Pierre Picard said in a news release, “This historic transaction honours the memory of the Wendat ancestors who once had an important network of trade and trade alliances. We continue in the same tradition and set an example for our younger generations where collaboration, ambition and visions can converge into con- crete successes that promote our financial independence.”

Vicaire said the acquisition of the hotel creates opportunities to showcase Indigenous culture, featuring design, artisanship and dining experiences.

As for renaming the hotel to reflect the new ownership, Vicaire said that would be a matter for the board to decide. “You never know in the future.”

Four Quebec First Nations buy majority stake in downtown hotel Read More »

Departing U.S. envoy Cohen: ‘You cannot tear this partnership apart’

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Departing U.S. envoy Cohen: ‘You cannot tear this partnership apart’

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The departing United States ambassador to Canada, while cleaving to diplomatic discretion, lauded the strength of U.S.-Canada relations on the eve of the inauguration of Donald Trump as the next American president on Jan. 20.

David L. Cohen, speaking on Jan. 15 at a farewell visit to the U.S. consulate in Quebec City, said, “Everyone wants to talk to me about what happens in the United States on Monday. I am not worried. I am not worried about it from the perspective of the U.S.-Canada relationship, because you cannot tear this partnership apart. You cannot break this friendship. It is too deep, it is too enduring. It is everlasting.”

Cohen added, “That is not to say that there aren’t going to be some choppy waters.” He was referring to Trump’s threat to impose across-the-board 25 per cent tariffs on Canadian and Mexican imports as soon as he takes power. The threats have rocked the Canadian political firmament and forced leaders to scramble to prepare a response.

Cohen replaced Trump appointee Kelly Craft in December 2021, filling a two-year vacancy after she departed for the United Nations ambassadorship. A corporate lawyer and personal friend of former president Joe Biden, Cohen has clearly come to love Quebec City, and has visited the consulate with the spectacular view of the St. Lawrence River four times in his tenure.

Accompanied by his wife Rhonda Cohen at the reception attended by several dozen local notables, Cohen lauded the landmarks of the city, including the neighbouring Château Frontenac.

“It is at the Château that the late president Ronald Reagan and the late prime minister Brian Mulroney sang ‘When Irish Eyes Are Smiling’ in 1985 at the end of the so-called Shamrock Summit,” Cohen said. “More than any other single moment, this summit led the way for the world’s most enduring, profitable, successful and mutually beneficial trade relationships via the North American Free Trade Agreement or NAFTA, which later evolved to become the USMCA.”

Cohen also noted the significance of the Citadel. “Also known as America’s Gibraltar, it’s home to Canada’s very first French-speaking regiment, whose brave soldiers fought alongside the Americans in the two World Wars. I cite all these not just for a history lesson, but because they’re all reminders of the rich and enduring relationship that exists between Canada and the United States.”

Cohen, 70, informally said he has not decided what he will do now that his diplomatic stint is over. He said in his remarks that he and his wife plan to return to visit the city he has come to love.

“Serving as the United States ambassador to Canada is as good a job as you can have, and it’s been the honour of my lifetime to represent my friend, President Biden, and the United States in this wonderful country and in this wonderful province.

“When I first arrived in Canada, I knew that I was stepping into a role defined by longstanding and exceptional relations. The United States and Canada share more than just a border. We share common values, share economic interests and an enduring friendship that spans generations.

“As I reflect on the incredible journey I’ve had over the past three and a half years, I am filled with gratitude not just for the opportunity to serve, also for the relationships, conversations and co-operation that have shaped my tenure. I will never forget the generosity and warmth that I have felt in Quebec City.”

The ambassador lauded the leadership of Consul General Danielle Monosson, “how she distinguishes herself by her humanity. I’ve seen and learned that Danielle really cares. She cares about United States foreign policy. She cares about Canada. She cares about the province of Quebec and Quebec City.”

In an informal comment to the QCT, Cohen said he especially enjoyed attending two editions of the Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament in the city.

Departing U.S. envoy Cohen: ‘You cannot tear this partnership apart’ Read More »

New owner, manager look to future at Galeries de la Capitale

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

New owner, manager look to the future at Galeries de la Capitale

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Marie-Christine Paré probably could not have foreseen that one day the former fashion student and teenage nanny in Toronto would one day become the boss of Quebec’s largest shopping mall, and the eighth largest in Canada.

Earlier this month, that unpredictable development became reality as she assumed the post of general manager of Les Galeries de la Capitale, succeeding Stephan Landry who held the job for eight years.

“I feel very proud,” Paré said in an interview with the QCT. “I’m very excited about this new challenge. We’ve got a great team here so I’m very confident the future will be very bright and very fun.”

Paré’s promotion to the top job, after serving eight years in a senior position at Les Galeries, comes as new owners take over the mall, a popular destination since it opened in 1981.

The vision of legendary de- veloper Marcel Adams, the shopping centre was built on what was at the time a remote and empty field at the intersection of Boul. Lebourgneuf and Autoroute Robert Bourassa. In 2013, Adams’s company, Iberville Developments, sold Les Galeries to a partnership of Oxford Properties and the Canada Pension Plan invest- ment fund.

In October 2024, Toronto- based Primaris Real Estate Investment Trust acquired the mall from the Oxford partner- ship for $325 million. Oxford is a major player in Canadian and international commercial, industrial and residential real estate and owner of several of Canada’s largest malls. Primaris, which specializes in smaller-market enclosed shopping centres, boasts 26 malls across Canada, with Place du Royaume in Saguenay the only other property in Quebec besides Les Galeries. Its portfolio is evaluated at some $2.8 billion.

At the time of the sale, Patrick Sullivan, president and COO of Primaris, said in a news release, “Les Galeries de la Capitale exemplifies the type of property we are targeting in our growth strategy. Its strategic location, excellent accessibility, and strong tenant mix make it a valuable addition to our portfolio.”

One of the options on the table, given the size and strategic location of the 91-acre site, is residential development, a trend underway at other malls in the city. Paré said Primaris “will take their time to analyze the site but for sure we’re going to see growth over the years.”

In the communiqué announcing her appointment, Primaris lauds Paré’s “15 years of ex- perience in shopping centre administrative offices,” making her the “ideal manager to lead Galeries de la Capitale’s future projects.”

Paré, 42, got her start in the mall business as an administrative assistant at Place des Quatre-Bourgeois while she was studying business at the Lévis campus of Université du Québec à Rimouski. When the manager retired, she offered Paré the position, which eventually led to her also managing a mall in Charny.

After taking time off to have her daughter, now 11, Paré worked at Cominar, a major city developer, before landing the job with Les Galeries. Having “fallen in love with the shopping centre industry,” she said getting a senior job with such a large mall made her proud.

Paré said, “It’s always been my dream to be in retail. It’s colourful, it’s vibrant, always something new, always moving. I’m very passionate about it.”

Part of her attraction to the business, she said, is her interest in the fashion industry, which she studied in Montreal, and also working in several clothing stores on the marketing level.

As for the fluent spoken English of a girl from Sainte-Croix- de-Lotbinière on the South Shore, Paré credits the two years she spent as a nanny in Toronto when she was in her teens. “It was scary to leave my family and friends and the first few weeks were difficult,” she said, “but it was a great experience.”

Starting a new job at the beginning of a new year, Paré said she is looking forward to announcing new tenants, as well as welcoming a Winners store in the space vacated by the Galeries Gourmandes project.

Paré said for shopping malls to succeed in the face of online competition, “we need to be very innovative” and respond to what customers want.

“People still want to meet at a mall, get entertained, catch up with friends, have a meal; they want to feel, they want to try the clothes,” she said. “I really believe we are here to stay, for sure.”

New owner, manager look to future at Galeries de la Capitale Read More »

Community organizations take on francisation workload

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Community organizations take on francisation workload

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

Subsidized French language-learning programs for adults offered by school service centres (CSS) in the greater Quebec City area won’t be scaling registrations back up anytime soon, service centre representatives have confirmed.

The Centre Louis-Jolliet in Limoilou, the Le Phénix adult learning centre in Sainte-Foy, the Centre Saint-Louis in Loretteville and the Centre d’éducation des adultes des Navigateurs in Lévis, along with a number of other adult education centres around the province, were forced to suspend enrolment for subsidized French courses known as francisation this fall due to a mismatch between funding provided by the Ministry of Education and Higher Learning (MEES) and higher-than-expected enrolment. 

In December, after months of lobbying by immigrant rights organizations, unions and individual students and teachers, Minister for the French Language Jean-François Roberge announced $10 million in new funding for francisation programs offered by school service centres in underserved regions. However, none of the three greater Quebec City-area service centres – the CSS de la Capitale, CSS des Découvreurs and CSS des Navigateurs – received extra funding, the QCT confirmed early in the New Year. Students who lost their place in a subsidized class offered by a school service centre this fall were expected to be placed on a waiting list for a course administered through a community group in partnership with the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI)

“The ministries [of education and immigration] believe that residents of our territory have access to francization services nearby,” CSS des Navigateurs spokesperson Louise Boisvert said. “Our CSS was not targeted to receive part of this funding.” She added that 28 people were currently enrolled in full-time or part-time francisation classes through the CSS, compared to 576 last January.

With the suspension of francisation programs offered by school boards and service centres, students who want to enrol in francisation classes are turning to private options or joining waiting lists for courses offered by the MIFI through community organizations. 

Those classes are at “98 per cent capacity” according to Carlos Carmona, co-ordinator of the Régroupement des organismes en francisation du Québec (ROFQ), which represents community organizations offering subsidized francisation courses. Nevertheless, Carmona said, people looking for a place in a francisation class can contact community organizations working with immigrants in their area. ROFQ members in Quebec City include the Centre RIRE 2000 and Le Mieux-être des Immigrants. 

In principle, would-be students need to sign up on the Francisation Québec web portal (apprendrelefrancais.immigration-quebec.gouv.qc.ca), although the portal is only available in French as of this writing and requires an internet connection. “I know they are working on a new portal, which should be at least available in English and Spanish, although I don’t know what languages it will be available in,” Carmona said. Alternatively, he said, “People can contact our members and come to their offices with their immigration documents and we’ll help them fill out the forms – that’s a service we offer.”  

A person who signs up for a course today, he added, can expect to wait until “at least April” because organizations are no longer accepting new students for the winter semester. The subsidized classes are open to adult immigrants to Canada, transplants from out of province and Quebecers who would like to improve their French skills.  

Community organizations take on francisation workload Read More »

Trudeau’s departure draws mixed reaction from local politicos

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

Trudeau’s departure draws mixed reaction from local politicos

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

He won’t be gone from the scene until some time in March, but Justin Trudeau’s resignation instantly threw Canadian politics into a whirlwind of change amid the looming threats against Canada from incoming U.S. president Donald Trump.

On Jan. 6, the same day the U.S. Senate certified Trump’s election, Trudeau announced his decision to step down as Liberal Party leader and prime minister once a new leader is chosen.

The Liberal Party executive has picked March 9 as the date members will choose a suc- cessor to the man who revived the party and led it to three election victories but resisted stepping down as his popular- ity plunged and his caucus urged him to exit.

The opposition parties in Parliament have vowed to defeat the Liberal minority government at the earliest opportunity. That could come anytime after March 24, the date Parliament returns after the governor general granted Trudeau’s request to send the House of Commons into recess.

When – not if – that happens, Canadians likely will go to the polls in May.

In the wake of Trudeau’s not-unexpected announcement, reaction was swift and in most cases predictable.

One of Trudeau’s most dependable ministers and his Quebec lieutenant, Jean-Yves Duclos, the MP for the downtown Québec riding, said in a statement that the prime minister “will leave a lasting positive legacy for Canadians.” Duclos lauded Trudeau’s efforts to reduce child poverty and tackle the housing crisis, and on the local level, commit funding to the city’s tram- way project and buy back the Quebec Bridge.

Duclos told reporters at a scrum on Parliament Hill that Trudeau ultimately succumbed to Conservative Party and Official Opposition Leader Pierre Poilievre’s “policy of lies, insults and contempt.”

Duclos’ Conservative counterpart, Charlesbourg–Haute- St-Charles MP Pierre Paul-Hus, replied to the QCT’s request for comment with a statement replicating Poilievre’s comments. “Justin Trudeau’s resignation changes nothing, because the next leader of the Liberal Party of Canada will come from the same team that supported Mr. Trudeau over the past nine years, marked by disastrous economic policies.

“A federal election must be organized quickly to allow Quebecers and Canadians to choose a new government with a strong mandate, capable of negotiating effectively with the Trump administration.”

Louis-Hébert MP Joël Lightbound, the only other elected Liberal in the Quebec City region, said Trudeau’s exit as leader under pressure from the party caucus is of his own doing.

In several media interviews, Lightbound said “you reap what you sow” with regards to the simmering caucus revolt that prompted the prime min- ister’s resignation. “Loyalty is a two-way street.”

Lightbound said on CBC Radio, “I am grateful for what he has accomplished,” including the acquisition of the Quebec Bridge in his riding, but “the style of Mr. Trudeau became a distraction to what we are trying to achieve as a party and a government.”

Lightbound’s office did not reply to a QCT request for an interview by press time.

As for hopes for the party in the looming election, Lightbound said, “I am still of the opinion the Liberal brand is strong.”

Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand, with whom Trudeau has worked closely on the tramway project, had a low-key and ambiguous response to the prime minister’s resignation.

In a statement, he said, “It is important to highlight the dedication that is required to be elected for more than 16 years in the Canadian Parliament. Time will allow us to recognize the progress Canada has made during Mr. Trudeau’s nine years as prime minister.” Premier François Legault, who has had a hot and cold relationship with Trudeau over the years, said in a statement, “Although our opinions have often differed, today I want to salute Justin Trudeau’s public service and his commitment to Canada. We have significant challenges ahead of us, particularly with the arrival of Donald Trump on Jan. 20. I will continue to work with Mr. Trudeau, his successor and the current government to avoid these tariffs.”

Trudeau’s departure draws mixed reaction from local politicos Read More »

Navigator helps anglophone patients find their way in Quebec City

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , , ,

Navigator helps anglophone patients find their way in Quebec City

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

There was a time when walking through the doors of a Quebec City hospital was the last thing Steve Guimond ever wanted to do again. He and his family were living in Montreal and had to make regular trips to the provincial capital so his children could receive care for a long-term medical condition. The family found the three-hour road trips, bureaucracy and navigating the health system in two languages exhausting.

“We had no choice but to come here [to Quebec City] and our experiences were not great. My wife and I actually told ourselves that after the situation with our kids was over, we would never come back here again,” said Guimond, a bilingual anglophone originally from Saguenay who has lived most of his life in greater Montreal.

A decade later, perhaps ironically, helping English- speaking patients get in and out of Quebec City hospitals is Guimond’s full-time job. He works as a patient navigator for the Community Health and Social Services Network (CHSSN), a Quebec City-based provincewide nonprofit promoting access to health care in English. When patients from isolated English-speaking communities in the Gaspé, the North Shore or the Lower North Shore need to come to Quebec City for medical appointments, Guimond is the person they call.

“The way the health system is set up in the province is that anyone living east of Quebec City – and that’s a very large region, the Lower St. Lawrence, the North Shore, the Lower North Shore, the Gaspé and the Magdalen Islands – [is] usually sent here for specialized health services, because the services they have access to in their own regions are pretty minimal. Anytime you need an MRI, you have to come here.”

For someone from the Lower North Shore – the stretch of isolated, primarily English- speaking villages between Kegaska, where Route 138 ends, and Blanc-Sablon – this means several days of travel, often by ferry or snowmobile and then by plane. Once a patient arrives at his or her destination, the culture shock of going from an anglophone village of a few hundred people to a mostly French-speaking city of close to one million can be intense, especially for patients who never learned French or who aren’t comfortable in the language. “You have the stress of the medical aspect, the stress of the travel – the Lower North Shore has a very unreliable air carrier – the stress of arriving in a big city where you potentially don’t know anyone, the stress of not knowing much about the hospital or where you’re staying … and the stress of actually going to the hospital, which is much larger [than health facilities patients are used to]. There’s also the language barrier.”

Jody Lessard is executive director of the North Shore Community Association, which helps connect the estimated 2,500 anglophones of the upper North Shore – between Forestville, across the river from Rimouski, and Natashquan, until recently the end of Route 138 – with services in their preferred language. “If you’re an English speaker from a small town of 20 or 200 people, there’s a lot of fear [when you arrive in Quebec City]. By just having someone like Steve there to pick you up when you arrive, that fear is gone,” she said. “He provides a sense of security. This is a great project and it’s highly needed … and he’s the only one doing it.”

Both Lessard and Guimond said they believed the project, currently run by the nonprofit CHSSN, could benefit from increased government support. “We’re basically stepping in to deal with the problems or the issues that are created by the health system. It’s like the health system should be the one making sure that these measures should be in place, but they’re not,” Guimond said. People from remote communities and people living with chronic conditions often pay the price, he observed.

As a patient navigator, Gui- mond often drives patients to and from appointments at hospitals in Quebec City and Lévis, helps them get admitted, helps patients find long-term places to stay and acts as a translator and patient advocate. No two days are ever the same. “It takes a lot of flexibility, foresight and ingenuity, I guess, but people are great – they understand I’m the only person doing this, so there are times I can’t be there exactly on time.”

Guimond said he has noticed that health-care professionals are increasingly willing and able to ensure patients who need service in English get it, despite a recent raft of confusing and contradictory government guidelines on the use of languages other than French in health care. “There’s a real disconnect between what the government is trying to instill [in terms of the prevalence of French] and what is actually happening on the ground,” he said. “The patient comes first, and no one is going to be refused service because they can’t speak French. I’ve seen people go out of their way to make sure patients are comfortable and make sure there’s someone around who can communicate with them.” Even so, he pointed out that not all written documentation handed out to patients is available in both languages, due in his estimation to inter-agency communication challenges within the health system.

He advised anyone preparing for a medical appointment, even if they live in the city and don’t need directions or help getting to the health facility – to make sure they have their health insurance card on them at all times – “that’s like your passport.” He also told patients not to hesitate to ask for English service if they need or prefer it. “That’s your right.” For more information on the health navigator program, visit travel4health.ca/going-to/quebec/patient-navigator.

Navigator helps anglophone patients find their way in Quebec City Read More »

Demand for food aid expected to rise, study suggests

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Demand for food aid expected to rise, study suggests

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

The organization representing the province’s food banks expects demand for food aid to continue to rise in the coming year.

Late last week, Banques

Alimentaires du Québec (BAQ) released a study it commissioned forecasting future need for food aid in the province. The study “confirms the worrying trend observed by BAQ, namely that the number of requests for food aid to which the network responds will increase,” BAQ said in a statement. In 2024, the 34 food banks in the BAQ network responded to 2.9 million requests for assistance. BAQ estimates that this figure will reach 3.22 million per month in 2027, an increase of more than 320,000 requests within three years.

“The network isn’t built to sustain such a quick increase in demand,” BAQ director of philanthropy Véronique Beaulieu-Fowler told the QCT.

The study also explored the factors that influence demand for food aid in Quebec, finding that poverty and dependence on government assistance are major risk factors for food insecurity. Other risk factors include the rental housing crisis, “especially when employ- ment income is not growing at the same speed as the main household expenditure items,” the growth of part-time jobs at the expense of better-paid full-time positions and the financial precarity experienced by many recent immigrants. “The pandemic was the start of it, and then the housing crisis and inflation and the fact wages have not followed,” Beaulieu- Fowler said. “The reason food aid exists is that people don’t have enough money to meet their basic needs; we need to address wages and housing so people can meet their needs.”

In March 2020, as demand for food aid skyrocketed amid pandemic-driven job losses and economic uncertainty, the Coalition Avenir Québec government provided $2 million in emergency assistance, the first in a series of emergency grants. Amid rising food prices, BAQ is calling for government funding for food banks to become permanent and predictable. “We have had some help to purchase food over the last few years, we have had $18 million, then $24 million, then $30 million, but [a one-time grant] is an emergency solution. We are asking for recurring funding so we can invest to help build a more self-sufficient network,” Beaulieu-Fowler said. As part of the 2025-2026 pre-budget consultations, BAQ is request- ing funding of $38 million in 2025-2026, $36 million in 2026-2027 and $34 million in 2027-2028.

“With this study, we are able to anticipate what the coming years will look like for our net- work, which is already facing increased pressure to support people facing food insecurity in Quebec. Although we are fac- ing a sad and worrying trend, this allows us to have predictability about how the situation will evolve over the years and to prepare ourselves accordingly. As long as structural measures and actions that address the roots of poverty and social inequalities are not implemented, we will be faced with this increase. Given the results of this study, we hope to be able to establish a constant and predictable agreement with the Quebec government in order to ensure assistance to the most vulnerable,” said BAQ executive director Martin Munger.

“We don’t have regional data, but everything that’s being observed in the study, the fac- tors are pretty much the same here,” said Elisabeth Fortin, communications co-ordinator at Moisson Québec, a BAQ member and the largest food bank in the Quebec City region. “There are complex supply chain issues that have an im- pact on how much [donated] food we get, and we’re buying a lot more than before. We’re getting a lot more requests for assistance and a lot more people coming back month after month. During the pandemic, we talked a lot about a ‘perfect storm’ – the storm has never stopped.”

To make a financial or in-kind donation, to volunteer with Moisson Québec or to request food aid, visit moissonquebec.com.

Demand for food aid expected to rise, study suggests Read More »

Ice Hotel returns to its origins for 25th edition

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Ice Hotel returns to its origins for 25th edition

Cassandra Kerwin

cassandra@qctonline.com

Year after year, dedicated artisans, architects and engineers work together to create a winter paradise from snow and ice. Stepping across the Ice Hotel’s threshold, the expected 80,000 visitors will discover a world of wonder built around the theme of “Back to the Origins.” The hotel is open to tours, visitors and overnight guests until mid-March, weather permitting.

Construction began as soon as temperatures dropped be- low freezing over consecutive days, giving artists, arti- sans and construction crews about a month to complete the 53,000-square-foot Ice Hotel from 45,000 tons of snow and 3,000 ice blocks. Visitors have

been touring the hotel since Dec. 27, with the first overnight guests welcomed on Jan. 4. Over the following weeks, all 30 suites, including 20 themed rooms, will be completed, add- ing to the Grand Hall, the Ice Bar, the Chapel and the 60-seat restaurant, a collaboration with the Château Frontenac. All of this is to accommodate an expected 80,000 visitors and 3,000 overnight guests over the season.

“From what I know, from what I’ve seen, a 100 per cent natural ice hotel, I don’t know of any other ice hotel in the world that has this surface area,” said Hugues Painchaud, site manager of the hotel located at Village Vacances Val- cartier.

The four basic elements, wind, fire, water and earth, are sculpted into the walls of the Chapel to be united at the altar. Their human shapes stand tall in the entrance hall. Behind them, visitors discover powwow dancers and a traditional canoe made of ice, and a snow longhouse. At the Ice Bar, visitors can order cocktails and mocktails served in glasses made of ice.

“We have new ideas every year. The talent for sculpture, since I started the ice hotels 15 years ago, has really increased tenfold,” said artistic director Guy-Olivier Deveau. “We pay tribute to nature and the elements in our lobby, our grand hall and our bar. Then, we also have a section that pays tribute to the First Nations. We are celebrating the 25th anniversary of the Hôtel de Glace and we are taking a look back at the history that brought us here.”

After admiring the sculpted snow walls, visitors tour the rooms, each with their respective themes: origami, mosaic, Quebec and outer space, to name a few. People cannot help but stare, smile and wonder.

As day turns to night, visitors leave and guests check into their rooms. Thanks to the soundproofing and insulation provided by snow, people sleep through some of the quietest nights in rooms with temperatures hovering around -5 degrees Celsius, regardless of the noise and temperature outside. The hotel provides its guests with thermal sleeping bags, a pillow and a foam mat- tress on plywood over an ice base. In larger rooms, wood- burning fireplaces offer added warmth and ambience. Some lucky guests even have access to hot tubs and saunas. Wash- rooms are located in a heated building adjacent to the hotel. For an additional fee, guests can also reserve a room in the adjacent hotel.

Besides the Ice Hotel, the Village Vacances Valcartier offers a range of other winter activities including ice skating, snow sliding and the tropical indoor water park, Bora Parc. For those coming from the city without a car, Unitour offers transportation for a fee from the Château Frontenac to Village Vacances Valcartier and back, according to a schedule found on toursvieuxquebec.com. For more information, visit valcartier.com/en.

Ice Hotel returns to its origins for 25th edition Read More »

Crowds are invited to learn about crowds at the Musée de la Civilisation

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Crowds are invited to learn about crowds at the Musée de la Civilisation

Cassandra Kerwin

cassandra@qctonline.com

Standing in the middle of a crowd, have you ever taken the time to observe it? Are crowds good or bad, safe or dangerous? The latest exhibit at the Musée de la Civilisation (MCQ), Crowds: A Human Laboratory, explores these questions and observations.

Until Aug. 30, 2026, visitors are invited to learn about the fascinating nature of crowds. Discover how they can be manipulated and influenced by individuals both inside and outside. Crowds: A Human Laboratory is designed to challenge the public’s perception of crowds and promote a better understanding of their behaviours.

From the research laboratories of the Max Planck Institute for Human Develop- ment in Germany, scientific curator and researcher Mehdi Moussaïd shared his passion for studying the behaviours of crowds on his YouTube channel, Fouloscopie. Over time, his work led to the creation of the exhibit Crowds: A Human Laboratory, first displayed at the Cité des Sciences et de l’Industrie in Paris from October 2022 to May 2024. From there, it crossed the At- lantic to the MCQ, where Mous- saïd tweaked it with a touch of Quebec flair and a nod to the Festival d’Été de Québec.

“It touches me personally to have this exhibit in Quebec because it is at [Université du Québec à Montréal] where it all began for me in 2004,” Moussaïd said in a YouTube video shown at the exhibit’s press conference on Dec. 18. “Crowds are first of all huge gatherings of thousands of people. In some cases, they can be so close together that it can become dangerous. In these situations, we study many things, including fluid mechanics, the spreading of rumours, crowd manipulation and collective emotions, errors and intelligence.” He continued, “I hope you will have as much pleasure in discovering [the exhibit] as we had in designing it.”

The new director general of the MCQ, Julie Lemieux, is of a similar opinion. “Crowds: A Human Laboratory is tailor-made for the MCQ, which loves to cross perspectives, gather, make people think and explore new subjects. It is a true hu- man and living laboratory that offers us a dual experience – experiencing the crowd and extracting ourselves from it to better analyze it and, perhaps, better understand ourselves.”

In this exhibit, visitors can cram into a square metre, step through one of three doors, sing karaoke in public and discover the science behind crowd evacuations, mosh pits, stampedes and much more.

For more information, visit mcq.org.

Crowds are invited to learn about crowds at the Musée de la Civilisation Read More »

TRAM TRACKER: TramCité deal signed; federal funding in election limbo

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

TRAM TRACKER: TramCité deal signed; federal funding in election limbo 

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Though a deal is now signed to proceed with Phase 1 of a tramway plan for Quebec City, a dark cloud hangs over the project with a federal election inevitable in 2025.

On Dec. 16, the Quebec government, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec infrastructure division (CDPQ Infra) and the city signed a se- ries of agreements “sealing the partnership for the planning of the tramway component” of the project, henceforth to be known as TramCité.

Phase 1 is the construction of a 19-kilometre east-west tramway line from Charles- bourg to the Le Gendre sector of Cap-Rouge, comprising 29 stations serving areas such as the shopping strip on Boul. Laurier, Université Laval, Parliament Hill and Saint-Roch. The line will double the frequency of transit service along the corridor.

Construction of the line is not expected to begin until 2027, with completion targeted in 2033. The cost for Phase 1 is pegged at $7.6 billion.

With the deal now signed, CDPQ Infra will “set up a team dedicated to the project and to begin the technical studies and analyses required for its implementation,” according to documentation released at the Dec. 16 news conference.

The tramway project was first announced in March 2018 under the administration of then-mayor Régis Labeaume. It was budgeted at $3.3 billion, with a contribution of $1.2 billion from the federal government. Since then, with the arrival of the Coalition Avenir Québec government the same year, the plan has been delayed and changed repeatedly.

The current version is the one CDPQ Infra presented in June after being mandated by the CAQ government to study overall urban transit needs for the capital region.

Mayor Bruno Marchand, who inherited the tramway project when his Québec Forte et Fière party came to power in 2021, declared the agreement with the two other partners to be an “irreversible milestone in the construction of the tramway, and all citizens of the greater Quebec City region benefit from it.”

Under the deal, the city will contribute some $675 million to the project, amounting to half the costs of the preparatory work. The contribution is to be financed from a cli- mate change fund already established, and from revenues derived from real estate devel- opment, much of which would be stimulated by the tramway project.

Marchand said, “We’re paying cash” for the tramway, as opposed to resorting to tax increases.

The mayor said another important element of the deal is that in the event the tramway project is cancelled, the city will be reimbursed for funds invested.

While the city’s share of the funding is about nine per cent, the Quebec government is demanding the federal government cover 40 per cent, beefing up the $1.2 billion already committed.

In a year-end interview with the QCT, Jean-Yves Duclos, federal minister of public services and procurement and MP for Québec, said additional funding is available from an annual $3-billion fund the Liberal government has created for such urban transit projects.

The fate of any federal funding for the tramway whatsoever, however, looms over the project, with Conservative Party Leader Pierre Poilievre stating unequivocally that he will not commit “one cent” to the project should he become prime minister.

Poilievre’s Quebec lieutenant, Pierre Paul-Hus, has said in recent media comments a Conservative government would put money the Liberals committed to the tramway into the CAQ government’s promised “third link,” presumably a new bridge over the St. Lawrence River.

Under current election timing, neither the tramway nor the third link would be under construction until after the planned Quebec provincial election in October 2026.

TRAM TRACKER: TramCité deal signed; federal funding in election limbo Read More »

City to fell thousands of ash trees in new year

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

City to fell thousands of ash trees in new year

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The city is stepping up its campaign against the devastation the emerald ash borer insect has wrought on forested areas.

Under a program announced in December, some 4,300 ash trees are to be felled by June in an effort to contain the spread of the beetle. The trees are to be cut in virtually all areas of the city.

First detected in the Montcalm district in 2017, presumably aboard a load of firewood, the insect infestation has quick- ly spread and forced the city to take action. Last year, the city issued a four-year action plan to limit the impact of infected and threatened trees on the environment.

Forestry experts consider the eradication of the emerald ash borer impossible given that the insect kills virtually all ash trees in any given area. According to the city plan, “municipal governments are responsible for managing the economic, environmental and social impacts in both urban and forested areas.”

Coun. Marie-Josée Asselin, the city executive committee member responsible for natural environments and biodiversity, said in a news release, “The emerald ash borer is transforming our landscapes and there will be fewer and fewer ash trees in Quebec City in the coming years. The city is proactive in providing a safe environment at all times and thus preventing the fall of branches or trunks of ash trees attacked by the emerald ash borer.”

The list of targeted trees in urban areas includes 170 in Beauport, 27 in Charlesbourg, 317 in La Haute-Saint-Charles, 261 in La Cité-Limoilou, 214 in Les Rivières and 55 in Sainte-Foy–Sillery–Cap-Rouge.

In forested areas of the city, the removal of ash trees amounts to a logging opera- tion. In Parc Duberger, 1,500 trees will come down; in Parc de la rivière Cap-Rouge, 1,000; Parc du Marais, 435; Domaine Cataraqui, 216; and Domaine Maizerets 120.

As for threatened ash trees on private property, the city encourages residents to take action to avoid risks associated with dying trees and falling branches. Grants are available for the felling and removal of trees. Information on the ash borer program is available on the city’s website.

Such a major tree removal operation creates a lot of wood. City spokesperson Jean-Pascal Lavoie told the QCT in an email, “All the wood felled to combat the emerald ash borer is reval- ued. Several ‘products’ can be generated from the same tree depending on the quality of the wood. First, the wood chips generated by the cutting are generally used as forest mulch in various flower beds in the city, as well as distributed to local organizations working for the city (e.g. community gardens).

“When the quality of the wood meets the necessary criteria, we repurpose it, through the forestry industry, for pulp and paper or sawn products,” Lavoie said.

Some of the ash wood is turned into various products by non-profit groups. Les Artisans du Saint-Laurent, for example, builds sailboats and rowboats from the wood. Another organization makes park benches with ash lumber.

City to fell thousands of ash trees in new year Read More »

TRAM TRACKER: Phase 1 deal to be signed after long delay

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

TRAM TRACKER: Phase 1 deal to be signed after long delay

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Supporters of Quebec City’s tramway project are getting an early Christmas present.

Barring a last-minute glitch, as of this writing, sources say the Quebec government has reached a deal to proceed with Phase 1 of the massive urban transit plan.

Transport Minister Geneviève Guilbault has been saying in recent days that negotiations are on track with the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec (CDPQ) Infra division to restart construction the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government halted in November 2023 in the face of rising costs for the project.

In June, after a six-month study the government requested, CDPQ Infra presented recommendations for a modern urban transit system serving Quebec City and Lévis. The central recommendation was Phase 1, a 19-kilometre tramway line between Charlesbourg and a hub on Ave. Le Gendre in Cap-Rouge.

The CAQ approved Phase 1 pending negotiations with the Caisse and at the same time committed to building a “third link” between the north and south shores.

Guilbault set a Dec. 15 target –a Sunday–for a deal to be signed in time to prepare for the 2025 construction season. The estimated cost of Phase 1, which also includes rapid bus service lines in Quebec City and Lévis, is $5.27 billion.

According to reports, two deals were to be signed this week: One between the Quebec government and CDPQ Infra, and the other between the Quebec government and the Quebec City administration.

It’s not clear whether the agreements will have a precise financial structure for Phase 1. The Quebec government is committed to upwards of 30 per cent of the cost, with the rest split between the federal government and the city.

In its 2025 budget, the city forecasts spending on the tramway in the order of $260 million next year.

In anticipation of the announcement, Mayor Bruno Marchand told a media scrum on Dec. 12, the announcement of the green light for the tramway project “couldn’t come at a better time for the Quebec economy; to have this opportunity for public and private funds that will have a colossal impact.”

The city estimates the project will stimulate some 5,000 new housing units along the route over the next two years.

Coupled with private investment, the mayor said, the tramway will “literally [have] the impact of a mini James Bay for Quebec City.”

TRAM TRACKER: Phase 1 deal to be signed after long delay Read More »

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