Quebec City

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.

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Ice Hotel returns to its origins for 25th edition

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.

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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.”

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Chapelle du Séminaire opens after years of restoration

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Chapelle du Séminaire reopens after years of restoration

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

As churches close and are torn down throughout the city and province, one has been saved, restored and reopened after being deconsecrated in 1992. After three years of restoration costing $5.2 million, the Centre de Conservation du Québec (CCQ) and the Musée de la Civilisation de Québec (MCQ) reopened the Chapelle du Séminaire de Québec on Dec. 10.

“What a joy it is to be able to return the Chapelle du Séminaire de Québec to the community, which will be able to appreciate all of its artistic beauty and historical significance through a rich pro- gramme of cultural mediation activities,” said Julie Lemieux, the newly appointed director general of the MCQ. “I would like to salute the remark- able professionalism of the conservation and restoration specialists who have pooled their knowledge to ensure that this jewel of religious heritage remains sustainable for cur- rent and future generations.”

The conservation team had quite a task ahead of them when they started in the autumn of 2021. Besides the customary work done on a historic building, they also had to remove the traces of 90 years of daily use of incense, candles and tapers during religious celebrations. This was the CCQ’s largest project since its foundation in 1979. After three years of meticulous and innovative work and $5.2 million, the chapel has regained its original character, colours and shine. The final detail came from Quebec actor Roland Lepage, a major backer of the project, who restored its original name: Chapelle du Séminaire de Québec.

According to the MCQ, the current chapel was opened to worship in 1900, on the ruins of a much older chapel – built in 1753 – that had been destroyed by fire in 1888. Architect Joseph-Ferdinand Peachy (1830- 1903) redesigned it with certain improvements designed to make it more fire-resistant. For example, the trompe-l’oeil motifs of the ceilings, walls and columns were painted on sheet metal rather than wood. Upon closer inspection of the interior, visitors will discover that not everything is an illusion. The high and secondary altars are sculpted from white marble. The limited amount of wood is red cherry. The parquet consists of tiles from England. These details come together nicely to create an eclectic, busy and very colourful Second Empire-inspired decor.

The chapel is steeped in Quebec City’s rich architectural history: stained glass win- dows by Wallace J. Fisher from the Bernard Leonard workshop, gilded busts, a 1930 Casavant Organ and a replica of the 1753 Richard organ from Paris, originally made for the Cathedral-Basilica Notre Dame de Québec (which burnt in 1759 during the Conquest), and an alcove dedicated to Mgr. François de Laval, the founding father of Catholicism in New France, who had a chapel built on or near this site. When the chapel was deconsecrated, his remains were transferred to the adjacent basilica.

Now that the chapel is refurbished and restored, it also has a new vocation. The MCQ and the CCQ have a concert program lined up. On Dec. 21, the Solstice des insoumis will merge Scandinavian and Quebec music celebrating the winter solstice and Christmas under the direction of Gabrielle Bouthillier. Details can be found at mcq.org/decouvrir/activites/le-solstice-des-insoumis.

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City broke promise on community centre renos, councillor says

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City broke promise on community centre renos, councillor says

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

In May 2018, then-city councillor Jonatan Julien left his seat on then- mayor Régis Labeaume’s executive committee to enter provincial politics, setting off a byelection in the district of Neufchâtel- Lebourgneuf. During the byelection campaign, Labeaume promised a $10- million renovation to bring the Charles-Auguste-Savard community centre in the district up to code, paid for entirely by the city if necessary.

“Honestly, I have to tell you, it’s been neglected,” Labeaume told Le Soleil at the time.

Six years and two mayoral administrations later, the work still hasn’t been completed, despite promises of completion by several parties, including Mayor Bruno Marchand’s Québec Forte et Fière (QFF) and Québec 21 (now Équipe Priorité Québec) under former leader Jean-François Gosselin, now a QFF councillor and member of the executive committee. Earlier this month, the project was potentially delayed further when city officials said it was conditional on support from other levels of govern- ment, according to Neufchâtel- Lebourgneuf Coun. Patricia Boudreault-Bruyère, a member of Équipe Labeaume’s successor party, Québec D’Abord.

Boudreault-Bruyère said the centre, which offers a wide range of activities for youth, families, seniors and amateur athletes in Neufchâtel, no longer meets city standards for accessibility and energy efficiency, and only has a single emergency exit. The Marchand administration, according to Boudreault-Bruyère, had announced plans to demolish and rebuild the centre at a cost of $16.6 million. “Two or three weeks ago, I was told they were targeting 2027 [for completion] and the project was well on its way.” Plans and estimates were already being developed, she said.

During discussions about the city’s 2025 budget, she was surprised to learn that the funding for the community centre project had become conditional on funding from other levels of government.

“Citizens and people in the recreation field have been waiting for this since 2018, and it was aberrant to see that the money wasn’t there,” said Boudreault-Bruyère, pointing out that Marchand recently promised the city would build a $40-million curling centre without support from other levels of government if necessary. “The administration made a political choice to put the [money allocated for the community centre] elsewhere and deprive 165,000 people of a community centre. They backed down from their commitment, and this is the kind of thing that contributes to cynicism in politics.”

The Ville de Québec had not responded to requests for comment at press time.

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Budget holds line on taxes, ups spending on public safety

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Budget holds line on taxes, ups spending on public safety

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Describing it as a responsible financial plan that shuns electoralist goodies, Mayor Bruno Marchand last week unveiled his third budget, the last one before next year’s municipal election.

As promised, the budget keeps the average property tax increase at 2.9 per cent, below the rate of inflation. It increases spending for hiring more police officers and firefighters, addressing homelessness and building more housing.

The mayor said at a news conference Dec. 4, following a briefing by city finance officials, “The task has been enormous” to deliver sound city finances with a view to the future.

With the easing of inflation and improvement in the labour market, Marchand said there’s been “a certain return to normal” in the current year. That’s allowed the city to “maintain the quality of life and the num- ber of services the city offers free to citizens.”

The city’s overall operating budget for 2025 is $2.015 billion, an increase of $111.3 million or 5.8 per cent over the previous year. Of that amount, the largest outlay is $1.2 billion, or 61.5 per cent, for “expenditures of administrative units,” meaning salaries.

The next largest expense is $311 million to service the city’s debt, which stands at $1.523 billion; the new budget takes a $5.2-million bite out of the debt, the 10th straight year of reduction, totalling $146.7 million.

The budget cuts some $31 million in expenses with various reduction measures.

For residential property owners, the tax hike on an average home valued at $379,000 will be about $93, with only slight variations from borough to borough. The average tax total is $3,348.

The city plans to boost revenue from several sources, including $18.8 million from the new $60 vehicle registration fee to be implemented next year, and $6 million in levies on undeveloped land.

As announced prior to the budget, the city is adding an extra $10 million to fund a major boost in police and fire department hiring next year. The police force will be bolstered by 51 officers and the fire department by 36. There will be additional hiring in 2026 for a total of 173 new positions. The mayor said the beefed-up police force will be tasked with reducing gang violence.

Funds to stimulate housing are nearly tripling in 2025, from $24 million to $71 million. The same goes for funds to fight homelessness, from $2.2 million to $7 million.

The city is dipping into its climate change reserve fund to pay for two environmentally related projects next year: a new covered and refrigerated rink to be built next to the Duberger arena, as part of a plan to have such a facility in each of the city’s six boroughs, and a flood-prevention project along the Lorette River.

The budget does not ignore the tramway project, which has dominated City Hall politics since Marchand’s Québec Forte et Fière party came to power three years ago. The budget allots $262 million for tramway work in 2025, while the city awaits the final agree- ment on the project, possibly next week.

“We’re ready for 2025,” the mayor said. “It’s going well. Quebec needs it. The money is there. The partners are there. We’ve got a good vibe.”

Asked to explain why he calls the budget “non-electoralist,” Marchand said, “We’re not giving gifts that will make people happy for a while. We’re not taking the easy way; it’s about being responsible and rigorous. It’s not our money, it’s the money of the citizens.”

Budget holds line on taxes, ups spending on public safety Read More »

City to sell Maison Pollack after investing $4 million

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

City to sell Maison Pollack after investing $4 million

City to sell Maison Pollack after investing $4 million

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The “For Sale” sign has not been posted yet, but the city is preparing to rid itself of the distinctive Maison Pollack mansion on Grande Allée.

The subject of a long dispute between the previous city administration and the building’s former owner, Maison Pollack was famous for its towering columns and its one-time owner, retail entrepreneur and philanthropist Maurice Pollack.

The city bought the property at 1 Grande Allée Est in 2021 for $1.15 million with the intention of transforming it into a “Maison de la Diversité” for diversity-focused cultural programming.

A further $2.5 million was poured into preserving and renovating the structure, originally built in 1910 for merchant James McCarthy. The badly rotting columns on the portico and balcony were removed in the expectation they would eventually be replaced as part of the restoration plan.

Further work was put on hold once the initial repairs were completed in the spring.

Although Mayor Bruno Marchand had indicated a year ago he was not interested in converting Maison Pollack into a cultural hub and that it could be sold, it was only last week that city officials confirmed the property is considered “surplus.”

At hearings into last week’s city budget, Carl Desharnais, deputy director of sustainable infrastructure, said the objective is to put it up for sale in 2025. “The city wants to sell the building, but wants to allow for an improvement that will maintain the features of the current building,” he said.

Maurice Pollack and family lived in the house from 1930 until 1948. Pollack subsequently sold it to the federal government for use by a Royal Canadian Mounted Police detachment. The building’s three-storey interior was transformed into offices. The RCMP moved out in the 1970s and the building became a rooming house.

City to sell Maison Pollack after investing $4 million Read More »

Villeneuve blasts ‘frivolous’ spending on covered rinks

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Villeneuve blasts ‘frivolous’ spending on covered rinks

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The Official Opposition leader at City Hall is criticizing Mayor Bruno Marchand’s administration for tapping into a climate change reserve fund to build refrigerated skating rinks.

The budget earmarks $45 million from the fund to build the rinks, as well as a project to prevent flooding on the Lorette River.

Coun. Claude Villeneuve, leader of Québec d’Abord, said in a post-budget meeting with reporters, “We are using the climate reserve [fund] for leisure investments. It seems frivolous to us. It is cynical. It is populist. It is using funds that we have to deal with an emergency.”

Limoilou councillor and Transition Québec Leader Jackie Smith also gave the thumbs-down to the use of the climate funds to build a rink. She said she was “really disappointed that we’re going to withdraw money to use the climate fund for skating rinks. From the beginning, I was skeptical about this fund because it wasn’t well put together when it was announced.”

Marchand defended the expenditure on the rinks, which would extend the skating season from October to May, as a concrete adaptation to climate change.

“We can’t wait until 2028, 2030, 2032 to say, ‘Well, we will have a well-stocked fund, but in the meantime, we will have experienced negative effects. So, we want to accelerate change.”

Patrick Paquet, leader of the other opposition party, Équipe Priorité Québec, attacked the city’s finances, saying without the increase in vehicle registration fees bringing $18 million, the “real tax increase” would be 5.4 per cent, not 2.9 per cent.

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City budget a year-round affair

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

City budget a year-round affair

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The annual presentation of the Ville de Québec budget involves the preparation of reams of documentation covering every detail of expenses and revenue, down to the last penny.

Although the budget is delivered on one day in December, followed by several days of detailed examination by council members, the preparation of the budget is a year-round affair.

“We’re going to start the next one in January,” Anne Mainguy, the city’s treasurer and director of finance, told the QCT in an interview following Mayor Bruno March- and’s budget presentation on Dec. 4 (see detailed story in this edition).

Budget 2025 is Mainguy’s second budget as the city’s top financial officer, although she has contributed to the previous five as a finance department employee.

“It’s a great job. All the units [at City Hall] contribute to the budget; it starts with them,” Mainguy said. “We give them the guidelines and they work to make them fit with what we are looking for.”

Mainguy, a chartered accountant who heads a 100-employee finance depart- ment, said, “Each year has its challenges, but we’re always proud of what we deliver.”

City budget a year-round affair Read More »

Postal strike hampers charity fundraising campaigns

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Postal strike hampers charity fundraising campaigns

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

Local nonprofits which rely heavily on year-end postal donation campaigns are having to get creative amid the ongoing postal strike.

The Quebec Community Christmas Hamper Campaign has gotten used to dealing with the unexpected. After COVID precautions forced the elves at Hamper Headquarters to rework donation and delivery procedures in 2020, 2021 and 2022, a teachers’ strike last year required them to move operations from the Eastern Québec Learning Centre to the Jeffery Hale Pavilion on short notice. Now, the postal workers’ strike has slowed donations and put yet another wrench in the works.

“About a third of the donations we receive – 35 per cent – are through cheques in the mail, so it is pretty significant,” said campaign spokesperson Brigitte Wellens. “This time last year, we were at over $20,000 in donations, and this year we’re at about $16,000, so we’re quite a bit lower than where we normally are.

“We were hoping for a positive resolution [to the strike] before the holidays, but we were already thinking that we might have to find alternative measures for people to donate,” Wellens said, adding that she expects an uptick in donations after the strike ends, as cheques put in the mail before Nov. 15 find their way to Hamper Headquarters. She encouraged those who haven’t yet donated to consider donating online, dropping donations off at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian Church or the Jeffery Hale Pavilion, or calling Hamper Headquarters at 418-684-5333, ext. 11835 to discuss alternative ways to contribute. Financial donations are used to bulk-buy staples like flour, sugar, coffee and produce that go into each hamper, while donations of nonperishable food are used to top up the hampers. (Expired, opened or homemade items cannot be accepted. Breakfast cereal and canned soup, meat, fish and fruit are especially appreciated.)

Wellens emphasized that even if the campaign raises less money than expected between now and Delivery Day, delivering fewer hampers is not an option. “Times are tough. There has been a 15 per cent increase in demand. Some people are asking for a hamper for the first time, and we don’t know their stories, but my guess would be that they’re working full time and having a hard time making ends meet. The hamper is a big help during the holiday season. We’re in a situation where we might just have to run a deficit for a while after getting all the food.” Wellens expects that over 260 households will receive hampers this year.

At the Société protectrice des animaux de Québec, the city’s largest animal protection nonprofit, director general Karina Painchaud and her team have called up a small army of volunteers to drop off and pick up envelopes for the organization’s annual campaign at donors’ houses.

“We’re 150 years old, and the mailing campaign has had a privileged place for many of those years,” Painchaud told the QCT. “Our goal this year is to send out at least 2,000 letters. I’ve signed them all by hand!”

“Like a lot of nonprofits, we have this issue of distributing [appeals for donations] through the mail. Being confronted with the strike, we had to reinvent ourselves and find a solution. What we did was call on people’s generosity in terms of time; we asked volunteer elves to distribute the mail. Nine people distributed half of our cargo, and we’re still looking for a few elves!” she said. Like Wellens, Painchaud said the campaign has received fewer donations than this time last year.

Painchaud is also encouraging those who can to donate online or drop their cheques off at SPA headquarters on Avenue Galilée in Les Saules. Donations allow the SPA to feed, house and care for the 7,500 vulnerable cats and dogs the organization takes in every year.

Negotiations ongoing

Disagreements over wage increases, health and safety concerns and weekend de- livery staffing and schedules have hampered negotiations between the Canadian Union of Postal Workers (CUPW) and Canada Post. On Dec. 8, Canada Post released a statement saying it was “still waiting” for the union’s response to its latest proposals.

Postal strike hampers charity fundraising campaigns Read More »

New CQSB boss Robert ‘cautiously optimistic’ about new HS project

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New CQSB boss Robert ‘cautiously optimistic’ about new HS project

New CQSB boss Robert ‘cautiously optimistic’ about new HS project

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

“Cautiously optimistic,” is how Jean Robert, newly sworn-in chairperson of the Central Québec School Board (CQSB) Council of Commissioners, describes the board’s mood regarding approval of the new combined English high school project.

Robert was commenting on a report in the Journal de Québec last week saying only three new schools have been authorized to be built in the province next year. The report does not identify the three schools that got approved.

According to the Journal, the Quebec government has given the green light in 2025 to 28 projects, worth half a billion dollars, to add space to existing schools throughout the province.

The report said, “The budget dedicated to ‘adding space’ will mainly finance the acquisition of modular classrooms, since only three new constructions and four expansions have received approval from Quebec.” A spokesperson for Education Minister Bernard Drainville is quoted in the report, and does not deny the basic facts. Antoine de la Durantaye said, “We will continue to invest in order to meet the growing needs, while respecting our ability to pay.”

The QCT asked de la Durantaye via email whether the CQSB’s new high school was among the three schools approved for construction in 2025. Education ministry spokesperson Bryan St-Louis responded, saying, “The English secondary school project has already been announced. The process to obtain approval of the business case in accordance with the directive on the management of major public infrastructure projects is underway.”

Asked to clarify the statement, St-Louis said, “The business case must first be analyzed and authorized before confirming further details regarding the project.”

He said details on the project are available on the Treasury Board “dashboard” which indicates the project is managed by the Société québécoise des infrastructures (SQI) and has been at the planning stage since June 2022 and under study as of November 2019.

The “dashboard” description is this: “The project in- volves the construction of an English-language secondary school on the territory of the Central Québec School Board to replace the obsolete St. Patrick’s High School and Quebec High School secondary schools. Student places from Dollard-des-Ormeaux secondary school in Shannon will also be transferred to the new school. In order to reduce the space deficit recognized by the ministry, 183 additional student places are planned. This will bring the school’s capacity to 1,421 student places.”

On the SQI website, according to a document called “Tender calls to come” (appels d’offres à venir) and dated spring 2024, the CQSB school is slated for a call for tenders in the third quarter of 2024, and construction to be started in the first quarter of 2025.

The new English high school serving the greater Quebec City region is one of only five new school projects on the SQI list. The SQI manages large infrastructures in the province, with budgets of $50 million or more. The CQSB school is in the category of $150-$500 million.

Robert, who has succeeded longtime board boss Stephen Burke after many years as vice-chair, said that despite the “worrisome” report in the Journal, “We’ve been told we should continue to be optimistic” about the new school moving forward.

Robert said much has been invested already in the new school project, to be built on the site of the now-vacated St. Vincent Elementary School, including acquiring parcels

of land from the federal gov- ernment and a neighbouring school property.

This fall, CQSB opened New Liverpool Elementary School, its new school in Lévis, to accommodate a growing population of students on the South Shore who had travelled by bus to St. Vincent. Former students living on the North Shore were transferred to other board schools.

Robert said he will be meeting with government officials in the coming days to help ensure the project moves forward.

“We just want to get it started … get that first shovel in the earth,” he said.

In the event the new high school project is delayed, Robert said, “We’d have to invest so much in the existing schools,” both of which were built decades ago and do not meet modern standards.

The current St. Patrick’s High School building dates back to 1918 and was expanded in 1956. QHS opened in its current building in 1941.

Meanwhile, the demolition of St. Vincent is on hold. Robert explained that the plan is to tear down the old building at the same time as construction starts on the new one.

Robert said he is hopeful an announcement will be made soon on the new schools approved for 2025, possibly before Christmas.

New CQSB boss Robert ‘cautiously optimistic’ about new HS project Read More »

Morrin Centre wants to ‘make space for magic’ in 2025

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Morrin Centre wants to ‘make space for magic’ in 2025

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative report

editor@qctonline.com

The Morrin Centre is asking for community members’ support to “make space for magic” during its annual year-end fundraising campaign.

The campaign – launched on Giving Tuesday, Dec. 3 – aims to raise funds to refurbish the library’s children’s area and make it even more child-friendly, said education program co-ordinator Manuela Flores Denti.

“We’d like to make it more colourful and more obvious that it’s the kids’ section,” Flores Denti said. “We don’t have a lot of space for new books. We would like to get more books for the children’s section, the juvenile section, the young adult section, but there’s no space. We’re looking forward to doing that, but also changing the furniture. Hopefully, with money from the campaign, we’ll be able to buy more shelves for more books.”

She would also like to set up a display area where children and teens participating in the centre’s activities can show off their handiwork. “For example with the book club, we’re reading novels, but we’re also reading a lot of graphic novels. I got them to draw their own graphic novels and they did such an amazing job. I’m looking for ways to display it, showcase what we’re doing, and just finding a space is a challenge because the space is really limited. With creativity, we hope to be able to do that, but we need the budget.”

Funds will also go toward supplies for the centre’s science, technology, engineering, art and math club (S.T.E.A.M. Club) and book club for school-age children and storytime activities for younger kids.

People interested in supporting the Make Space for Magic campaign can drop off a cheque at the Morrin Centre, donate online at morrin.org or email info@morrin.org or manuelafloresdenti@morrin.org.

In addition to financial donations, Flores Denti said the centre is eager to accept in-kind donations of arts-and- crafts supplies. Gifts of time or expertise are also welcome – community members who are interested in proposing an activity should contact Manuela Flores Denti directly.

Morrin Centre wants to ‘make space for magic’ in 2025 Read More »

‘Enweille dehors!’ ‘Go outside!’ for the 71st Winter Carnival

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

‘Enweille dehors!’ ‘Go outside!’ for the 71st Winter Carnival

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

‘Enweille dehors!’ ‘Go outside!’ for the 71st Winter Carnival

Cassandra Kerwin

cassandra@qctonline.com

Go outside! That was Bonhomme Carnaval’s order for the 71st Winter Carnival from Feb. 7 to 16. Now that snow has started to cover Quebec City, Bonhomme and his team are putting the pedal to the metal in preparing for the beloved winter festival.

Carnival energy was buzzing at the newly refurbished Maurice Restaurant on Nov. 28. The official program was announced, revealing a bundle of new and traditional activities and events. The exclusive Garrison Club will host an all-night pyjama party (Feb. 15). Experienced climbers will have the opportunity to rappel down the Château Frontenac on Feb. 8 and 9 (spaces are limited). At Place George-V, enjoy the view and music from the Philadelphia Ferris Wheel or dance to music at the Kraft Jukebox. On the last day of the celebrations – Feb. 16 – graffiti artists are invited to leave their mark on the Ice Palace.

The night parades will return on Feb. 8 in Charlesbourg and Feb. 15 on Grande Allée. Place de l’Assemblée-Nationale will be transformed into the Zone Loto-Québec with Bonhomme’s Ice Palace and its eight towers. The snow sculpture garden in Place de la Francophonie, the Calgary Flapjack Breakfast on Grande Allée (Feb. 8) and the Ice Canoe Race (Feb. 9) will also attract a crowd.

The popular music and dance dome near the Ice Palace will welcome a variety of performers, including Mariana Mazza and her guests on opening night, Habstrakt (Feb. 8), a New Country party (Feb. 12), Eman and Souldia (Feb. 13), David Pineau and Sara Dufour (Feb. 14) and Karma Kameleons (Feb. 15). Carnival-goers might also spot Bonhomme skating on weekends at the Place D’Youville ice rink.

After so much partying, Bonhomme will need a bath. Anyone brave enough to take a dip in the snow can join him for the Snow Bath on Feb. 16 at 2 p.m. at the Tourny Fountain “Whether it’s cold, chilly, sunny or stormy, Bonhomme’s invitation is clear: Get outside!” said Marie-Eve Jacob, general manager of the Quebec Winter Carnival. “In addition to the beloved classics, several extravagant new features are being added to experience our winter differently. During the day, our program is family- oriented, while in the evening, we switch to festive mode!”

Carnival-goers 13 and older need to purchase this year’s effigy to have access to the sites. Until Jan. 12, it is on sale for $25 plus tax at participating Couche-Tard stores and online. From Jan. 13, it will be priced at $39 plus tax. This year, for collectors, there are two versions: the more readily available yellow effigy and the harder-to-find blue effigy.

For more information and to see the full program, visit carnaval.qc.ca/en.

‘Enweille dehors!’ ‘Go outside!’ for the 71st Winter Carnival Read More »

Guilbault: 23 companies interested in third link project

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Guilbault: 23 companies interested in third link project

Peter Black

peterblack@qctonline.com

Calling it “excellent news,” Transport Minister and Louis- Hébert MNA Geneviève Guilbault announced last week that 23 companies have responded to the “international call for interest” in the proposed project to build a third link between Quebec City and Lévis.

The minister convened a news conference on Nov. 27 to make the announcement, less than seven weeks after she had issued the call on Oct. 11. Companies had 30 days to submit a proposal to take part in the process.

Guilbault said 29 companies had requested the required documentation to prepare a proposal, and 23 of those officially threw their hats in the ring.

“Twenty-three companies is a lot,” Guilbault said. “When we look at this type of call for interest procedure, we don’t do it systematically in all projects, we do it occasion- ally in major projects … Of all the times we’ve made calls for interest, this is the time when the most companies have shown interest.”

The transport ministry has engaged consultants KPMG to “organize interviews between interested companies and representatives of the ministry. The results of these meetings will then be analyzed independently,” according to a news release.

Guilbault said that with the application process, “We were ultimately testing two things: interest in a project and inter- est in doing this project in a collaborative mode with the Quebec government, and the response was more than positive. I must tell you, obviously, when we launch these types of procedures, we do not know in advance what the result will be.”

Guilbault rejected talk of adapting the Quebec Bridge, recently repatriated by the federal government, as an op- tion for heavy vehicle traffic. “[D]espite everything I hear from the federal government … about the Quebec Bridge, the reality is that it is not an option for trucking, and we need a third link to ensure the security of freight transporta- tion in particular.”

The minister said she would report back on the results of the vetting process “in early 2025.”

Of the 23 interested companies, Guilbault said 65 per cent are engineering firms, 30 per cent contractors and the rest management firms. Some 13 of the companies are identified on the government’s publicly accessible tender website, although Guilbault only named two, Ingerop, a British-French firm, and Construction Demathieu & Bard, whose head office is in Saint-Jérôme.

If all goes according to plan, Guilbault hopes to see a contract to build the link signed in 2027, construction start the next year, and the structure open in 2034-2035. No budget has been set for the project.

Guilbault: 23 companies interested in third link project Read More »

RTC scales up wheelchair access at bus stops

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

RTC scales up wheelchair access at bus stops

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

Wheelchair users who use the Réseau de transport de la Capitale (RTC) to get around the city will have a much more extensive choice of routes in the coming year, the transport authority announced last week.

All of the network’s 158 routes will feature accessible stops as of Dec. 21. Previously, only 14 routes were considered accessible, comprising less than 10 per cent of the network. About 1,400 of the 4,500 stops throughout the network will be accessible, an increase of more than 950.

A change in RTC rules surrounding the use of wheelchair ramps has led to the increase in the number of accessible stops. A 1.5-metre-wide stretch of pavement is considered wide enough to deploy a wheelchair ramp; the previous requirement was two metres. Changing the requirement, in consultation with disability rights organizations, was enough to multiply by 10 the number of accessible stops without doing any roadwork.

“I am delighted with this major step forward for our wheelchair users, who will now be able to move around our network more freely and efficiently. … With more than 1,400 accessible stops that will be in service on Dec. 21, we will exceed the goal we set two years ago, which was to add 1,000 [stops] by 2028,” Coun. Maude Mercier Larouche, president of the RTC, said in a statement.

“This new approach to accessibility for people using wheelchairs, developed in collaboration with the community, is a concrete demonstration of the RTC’s desire to make its network increasingly accessible to people with reduced mobility. This improved offer will allow greater autonomy and spontaneity in the travel of people in wheelchairs,” said Jean-Michel Bernier, president of the Regroupement des organismes de personnes handicapées de la Capitale-Nationale, in a statement.

Mercier Larouche said the RTC intends to continue working to improve accessibility on the regular transport network in the coming years. The RTC also operates the Service de transport adapté de la Capitale (STAC) on-demand door-to-door transit service for people with disabilities who are unable to use the regular network or who are uncomfortable doing so, or who are travelling to or from a destination without an accessible stop nearby, although STAC users must reserve trips at least a day in advance.

RTC spokesperson Véronique Lalande said about 85 per cent of RTC buses are equipped with ramps. Wheelchair users “can now board any bus equipped with a ramp that is at an ac- cessible stop,” she said. “These additional stops give wheelchair users a lot more flexibility.”

Lalande said further information would be made available on the network’s website and mobile app. In the meantime, transit riders with questions can contact the Service d’aide à la mobilité intégrée (SAMI; Integrated mobility assistance service) at 418-627-2511, option 1. The service is open Monday to Friday from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m.

RTC scales up wheelchair access at bus stops Read More »

Immigrants, French language advocates protest francisation cuts

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Immigrants, French language advocates protest francisation cuts

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

As generations of newcomers to the province have found out, living in Quebec means communicating in French. Without subsidized French courses, known as francisa- tion, immigrants struggle to integrate into Quebec society, find work and take care of everyday tasks. Thousands of students will lose access to their courses on Jan. 24, 2025, due to a misunderstanding over funding between the Quebec government and the school boards and service centres which administer most of the courses. This has upset immigrants and advocates for the protection of French. Tens of thousands marched to protest this decision throughout the province on Nov. 30, including in Quebec City from the Musée National des beaux-Arts du Québec to the National Assembly.

Law 14 has strengthened French language regulations, requiring organizations and businesses to communicate officially in French. Since its passing on June 1, 2022, enrolment in francisation programs has surged. Consequently, funding for these courses was depleted sooner than expected; without extra funding, school boards and service centres were forced to make sweeping cuts or close their adult francisation programs entirely.

In protest, thousands marched to the National Assembly. “We hope that if we make enough noise and often enough, Legault will rescind his decision, find the money for the courses and reinstate them,” said Kasandra Kawan, a francisation student from Colorado.

“This issue affects me personally because I have been taking the francisation courses for 18 years,” said Coun. Jackie Smith, originally from Hamilton, Ont. “It’s a demonstration of how tired we are of always hearing that we have to cut back on human sectors. … We have to inject our resources into the right places and that’s not what we’re doing right now.”

Quebec City-area Québec Solidaire MNAs Sol Zanetti and Étienne Grandmont expressed outrage at the budget cuts. “They’re cutting into the possibility of sharing a common language, they’re cutting into national unity, they’re cutting into something they promised to invest in,” said Zanetti.

According to Martin Hogue, president of the Syndicat de l’enseignement des Deux- Rives, immigrants must achieve a certain level of French to maintain residency – an unattainable requirement for many. Of the 1,227 students studying French as a second language at Centre Louis-Jolliet, only a few will continue learning, while others will be placed on waiting lists for classes offered by the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI) or look for other solutions.

An additional protest is planned for Dec. 18 at the MNBAQ.

Immigrants, French language advocates protest francisation cuts Read More »

Battle brewing against QSL terminal in Beauport

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Battle brewing against QSL terminal in Beauport

Battle brewing against QSL terminal in Beauport

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The plan for a large new container terminal in the Baie de Beauport is still on the drawing board, but opposition to the project is already mounting.

QSL, the Quebec City-based cargo-handling giant, is float- ing a plan to create the terminal on land on which it already has bulk-loading operations that would handle up to 250,000 containers annually.

The company announced the rough outline of the project in June, having submitted a request to the federal government last year to expand customs operations in the Port of Quebec.

“If this condition is met, QSL will then be able to finalize a detailed business plan that it will submit to senior governments,” a company prospectus says.

There is no indication of when the federal government might respond to the request. Once it does secure the necessary government approvals, QSL said it could have the new facility up and running within six months.

Last week, a spokesperson for Québec MP and federal minister of public services and procurement Jean-Yves Duclos told Radio-Canada, “We will be able to provide more details on the project once it has been submitted to the government of Canada and a thorough analysis has been carried out.”

Guillaume Bertrand said, “Air quality, the environment and the impacts on the residents of Lower Town Quebec remain major concerns for Minister Duclos and the entire government when assessing projects.”

Duclos was the recipient last week of a letter signed by 30 groups and individuals calling for Ottawa to reject the QSL project.

The new container terminal project comes three years after the federal government killed the Laurentia terminal plan in the same industrial area of Beauport because of the threat it posed to the environment. By comparison to the QSL plan, the Laurentia project envisioned handling 700,000 containers annually.

QSL is prepared to make an initial investment of some $30 million to transform bulk cargo handling space into a container facility.

In announcing the plan, QSL president Robert Bellisle vowed it would be “an exemplary project from an environmental point of view … and meeting the principles of acceptability for the surrounding communities.”

Still, QSL and project supporters such as Port of Quebec officials and some municipal leaders will have some persuading to do regarding the environmental impact of the terminal project.

The project has already gotten a thumbs-down from the Port Activities Monitoring Committee, the city-funded watchdog of potentially environmentally negative developments in the port.

According to a Radio-Canada report, at a Nov. 21 meeting of the committee, members approved a resolution opposing the new terminal. The wording of the motion has not been made public.

The two city councillors who are members of the committee were absent for the vote, Radio-Canada reported. Executive committee member Marie-Josée Asselin chairs the committee, and fellow executive committee member Mélissa Coulombe-Leduc is a voting member. The other absent voting member was the representative of the regional environmental council.

Representatives of six neighbourhood councils on the committee voted against the project. There are six other non-voting members of the committee, representing government agencies.

Mayor Bruno Marchand has been cautious in his endorsement of the QSL project. When it was announced in June, Marchand said he “welcomed the intentions” of the project. “The activities of the Port of Quebec are essential to the region’s economy and important for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. It is normal that they adapt to the changing needs of supply chains.”

Last week Marchand reiterated his conditional support of the project. Speaking to reporters at an event Nov. 25, the mayor said, “The best way to kill the economy” is to op- pose economic development projects “without knowing all the details.”

Limoilou Coun. and Transition Québec Leader Jackie Smith took Marchand to task for his support of the project.

In a statement to the QCT, Smith said, “What I’m hearing is a mayor criticizing the position of neighbourhood councils, telling them to wait until the project is irreversible before opposing it. No, the future of our city does not depend on the growth of port activities. Our citizens have nothing to gain from a new container ter- minal that will increase heavy truck traffic and compromise Phase 4 of the Promenade Samuel-De Champlain.”

Isabelle Roy, city councillor for the Robert-Giffard district in which the QSL project is located, and a member of the official Opposition Québec d’abord party, told the QCT, “I am sensitive to the concerns raised by citizens, particularly the issue of trucking and its impacts on air quality. Currently, I do not have enough information to take a position for or against it. In order to learn more about the project, the official Opposition has requested a meeting with QSL.”

Battle brewing against QSL terminal in Beauport Read More »

Marchand, Schuldt, Krampus launch German Christmas Market festivities

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Marchand, Schuldt, Krampus launch German Christmas Market festivities

Cassandra Kerwin

cassandra@qctonline.com

The 17th German Christmas Market is now open! Until Dec. 23, locals and tourists can savour German flavours, mulled wine, gingerbread and pretzels, and enjoy puppet shows and parades featuring Saint Nicholas and the Krampus. Even Santa Claus – the real one – will stop in to hear children’s Christmas wishes.

Despite the lack of snow, Old Quebec City has trans- formed into a magical Christ- mas village. The wooden cabins decorated with pine branches and lights create a path from Place D’Youville to the Jardins de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, Rue Sainte- Anne and Place d’Armes. The designers of the sites added something different to each one, such as stained glass birdhouse lanterns opposite the Cathedral-Basilica Notre-Dame de Québec, and a light-and-sound show amid a fir-tree backdrop developed by Clemens Schuldt, the musical director of the Orchestre Symphonique de Québec, who officially launched the show.

During the opening ceremony on Nov. 21, Britta Kröger, president of the German Christmas Market, said, “I would like to greet those who have come from far away. I thank you from the bottom of my heart for being so loyal for 17 years. Compared to the 400 years of history of Christmas markets in Germany, we still have a long way to go, but we’re getting there! Come several times, and each time, you’ll discover something new.”

“I hope you share this Christmas magic with many people,” said Mayor Bruno Marchand. “Britta Kröger believed in it 17 years ago, and year after year, she works hard to make it happen, and we thank her and her team for that.”

To hear a memorable Christmas story, find a seat at the Theaterplatz for the popular French-language marionette show Un Krampus au Village. The story suddenly springs to life as Krampuses, Saint Nicholas, an angel, an accordion player and a ringmaster parade through the market. According to European folklore, Saint Nicholas, the Krampus and an angel visit children on Dec. 5, Krampusnacht, to either give gifts to the good children or beat the naughty ones with a stick. In Quebec City, the Krampus is more of a prankster, handing out potatoes and onions and making people smile and laugh.

Weather permitting, giant marionettes of Saint Nicholas and Krampus will depart from Place D’Youville at 7 p.m. on Nov. 30 and Dec. 14, parading up Rue Saint-Jean to the Cathedral-Basilica. This always attracts a large crowd who marvel at the marionettes that seem to come alive in the torchlight.

Over the next three weeks, the German Christmas Market offers a packed schedule – arts and crafts workshops, games and puzzles in the Kinder- chalet Ravensburger; choirs singing carols in Place Royale and on Avenue Cartier; and live music in Place D’Youville. Be- tween activities, taste and sa- vour German-inspired dishes, and drinks like glühwein (hot wine with spices), schnapps and hot cider. The sites are open from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m. from Thursday to Sunday (clos- ing at 6 p.m. on Sundays), and exceptionally on Monday, Dec. 23, from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. The light show takes place once an hour after nightfall in front of the grove of fir trees near the basilica.

For more information, visit mnaq.ca/en/program.

Marchand, Schuldt, Krampus launch German Christmas Market festivities Read More »

City announces major public safety hiring spree

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , , ,

City announces major public safety hiring spree

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

City announces major public safety hiring spree Read More »

City to create safer traffic zones for seniors

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City to create safer traffic zones for seniors

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand has announced a plan to create zones to improve the safety of senior pedestrians, vowing to make Quebec City the first Canadian city to do so.

Consultations are to begin in early December to help determine the specifics of the plan, inspired, the mayor said, by a successful program of this type in New York City.

According to a city document, the measures would see targeted intersections and pedestrian crossings “designed to optimize safety. Extending the duration of traffic lights, automatically triggering these lights and adding street furniture to meet the need for breaks are examples of measures that can be implemented.”

Other ideas include the addition of traffic islands in the centre of an intersection to provide pedestrians with a place to wait safely if they do not have time to cross the entire intersection. The city says such a system has reduced pedestrian deaths among seniors by 25 per cent in New York City.

The first senior-friendly traffic zones could be introduced in 2026.

An online information session on the plan is scheduled for Dec. 4, with discussion workshops planned for Jan. 20 online and Jan. 22 at the Club Social Victoria in Limoilou.

City to create safer traffic zones for seniors Read More »

Repair work to begin on Quebec Bridge this summer

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Repair work to begin on Quebec Bridge this summer

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Now that the federal government officially owns the Quebec Bridge, work will begin next year on the long-term job of repairing and restoring the historic structure.

Minister of Public Services and Procurement and MP for Québec Jean-Yves Duclos convened a news conference on Nov. 12 to announce a deal had been signed that day between the federal government and Canadian National Railway (CN) for the “repatriation” of the bridge.

The federal government announced its intention to purchase the bridge for a symbolic dollar at a ceremony in May attended by Prime Minister Justin Trudeau. The bridge had been owned by CN since 1995.

Responsibility for the maintenance and repainting of the bridge had been in a stalemate for years before Ottawa, through the work of negotiator Yvon Charest, decided to return the structure to federal hands.

At the news conference, held at a pavilion on Promenade Samuel-De Champlain,

Duclos said, “By repatriating this essential link, we are ensuring that the bridge can continue to benefit not only our country’s economy but also the users and residents of the greater Quebec City region who have been using this bridge for their daily commute for over a century. Today, we’re giving the bridge back to Quebecers.”

Also attending the ceremony were Louis-Hébert MP Joël Lightbound, in whose riding the bridge is situated, and Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand.

The management and rehabilitation of the bridge have been assigned to a federal entity, Jacques Cartier and Champlain Bridges Incorporated (JCCBI), which, as the title suggests, oversees major bridges in Montreal.

A release said, “JCCBI will work closely with the two other partners and users of the Quebec Bridge, CN, which remains responsible for the rail corridor, and the Quebec government, which remains responsible for the road corridor and bicycle path. A collaboration agreement between these three partners will be drawn up to optimize co-ordination and ensure the completion of all activities on the Quebec Bridge.”

JCCBI spokesperson Nathalie Lessard told the QCT that the first step in a long process will be “an inspection program that will include the assessment of the load-bearing capacity of the structure. All this technical information that we are going to gather over probably the next two years will enable us to prepare a rehabilitation plan for the Quebec Bridge.”

Lessard said a “mode of collaboration” needs to be established with CN and the Quebec Ministry of Transportation (MTQ). “We’re not alone on that structure. The MTQ owns and operates the road deck and the CN owns and operates the train deck.”

At the news conference, reporters asked about the capacity of the bridge to handle heavy vehicles such as transport trucks, a matter that is pertinent to the Quebec government’s plan to build a third link, most likely a bridge.

Premier François Legault has stated a new bridge is essential to the economic security of the province in the event the Pierre Laporte Bridge is closed for any reason.

Duclos reiterated his view, based on studies, that the Quebec Bridge could be adapted to accommodate heavy traffic.

Sandra Martel, the CEO of JCCBI, agreed it would be possible in terms of an engineering challenge, but it is up to Quebec transport officials to consider such an option.

Lessard said, “The bridge itself can handle quite a heavy load because trains already commute on that bridge, so the load-bearing capacity of the bridge is sufficient to handle that. What we don’t know on our side of things is all the technical details regarding the deck itself, that’s really the MTQ that has all of this information and we haven’t talked to them, so it’s really too early.”

As for the long-delayed paint job for the Quebec Bridge, Lessard compared it to how long it took to paint the Jacques Cartier Bridge in Montreal.

“The interesting thing is that the Jacques Cartier Bridge is about three kilometres long and the Quebec Bridge is about one kilometre long, but the amount of steel on the Quebec Bridge is pretty much equivalent to the Jacques Cartier Bridge. It’s pretty easy to compare in terms of the quantity of steel that will need to be taken care of, so it took about 15 years to cover the entire Jacques Cartier Bridge.”

The Quebec Bridge, opened in 1919, handles an average 33,000 vehicles per day, including 400 public transit buses carrying 6,000 passengers daily.

Repair work to begin on Quebec Bridge this summer Read More »

Cave-in on building site forces closure of Chemin Saint-Louis

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Cave-in on building site forces closure of Chemin Saint-Louis

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

A cave-in at a large construction site on Chemin Saint-Louis forced the closing of several blocks of the major artery for several days last week.

The cave-in, along the side- walk and about one-third the length of the excavation happened on Nov. 11 and was the result of a contractor’s miscalculation in the placement of posts supporting the retaining wall, according to media reports.

A city police spokesperson said debris from the collapsing wall fell on a mechanical shovel working on the excavation. A construction worker was given medical attention and a workplace safety investigation will take place.

The city announced at the end of the week one lane would be open in the affected section of Chemin Saint-Louis, allowing for the passage of alternating traffic.

The construction site, between Rue Villeray and Rue de la Forest, is for the first phase of the huge La Forest housing project, announced earlier this year. The plan calls for a 13-storey building comprising 350 residential units.

City spokesperson Karine Desbiens said the contractor has promised to do the work necessary to get the street fully opened by the beginning of December. In a statement, she said, “The city worked jointly with the contractor and leveraged its various areas of expertise to enable a safe re- opening as quickly as possible. Road users are advised to be careful and pay attention to the temporary signage in place. Access to businesses in the area is maintained at all times.”

The closure compounded the difficulties of Michelangelo, a popular local restaurant, situated immediately west of the construction site. Owner Nicola Cortina told the QCT the closure of Chemin Saint-Louis made it even more difficult for patrons to drive to his restaurant.

Because of a major project to reconfigure the approaches to the bridges, drivers are compelled to take detours around the area.

“It’s very complicated, it’s not easy,” Cortina said, noting he had only a handful of customers for lunch that day. “It’s a disaster.” He estimates he has already lost about a million dollars in business due to the bridge project.

Cortina said he is hoping for compensation for lost business but so far has not been informed of any potential payment.

The Ministry of Transport is conducting the bridge approach project and has not stated publicly whether affected merchants will be compensated for lost business.

Cave-in on building site forces closure of Chemin Saint-Louis Read More »

Flexibus service coming to Sillery and Montcalm

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Flexibus service coming to Sillery and Montcalm

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The city’s popular Flexibus on-demand mini-bus service is expanding to serve the Montcalm and Sillery districts.

Service in the new zone, the sixth created since Flexibus launched in 2021, started on Nov. 18, with boarding spaces on Rue Verger, Gignac and Maguire as well as on Ave. Cartier in Montcalm.

To take advantage of the service, users need to book a space online in the seven- passenger buses. The service has no fixed routes as itineraries are adapted to customer demand. Passengers can get on or off at regular stops on Réseau de Transport de la Capitale (RTC) bus routes.

Passes are the same price as for regular RTC buses.

The expansion of the service requires an investment of $700,000, according to city documents. The entire network is budgeted at $21.5 million into 2027.

RTC president Maude Mercier Larouche said, “The rapid adoption of Flexibus by customers clearly demonstrates how the service meets the needs of citizens in terms of local travel.”

According to a city survey, users are making more than 18,700 trips per month with the service, with students making up more than two-thirds of users. The main customer destinations are secondary schools, local businesses, shopping malls, community centres and transit hubs where riders can connect with regular RTC bus routes.

The other zones served are northeast (Wendake, Saint- Émile, Lac-Saint-Charles and Notre-Dame-des-Laurentides), the northwest (Val-Bélair and Loretteville), Beauport (Courville, Montmorency and Sainte- Thérèse-de-Lisieux), Saint- Augustin-de-Desmaures and L’Ancienne-Lorette.

Plans are in the works to next extend the service to Cap-Rouge, Orsainville, Lebourgneuf and a fourth zone to be determined.

Full information on using Flexibus is available on the city’s website.

Flexibus service coming to Sillery and Montcalm Read More »

Workers to lose second jobs amid Santé Québec restructuring 

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Workers to lose second jobs amid Santé Québec restructuring 

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

Some employees in the public health system who work more than one job have been told they will have to choose just one as of Dec. 1, due to the Quebec government’s decision to create a single employer (Santé Québec) for the entire public health sector.

“As of Dec. 1, 2024, you will not be able to maintain an assignment or position in more than one establishment if the total hours of the assignments or positions per pay period exceed the equivalent of full time,” reads a letter dated Nov. 8, shared with the QCT by one of the affected employees. In practice, this means employees won’t be able to work over 40 hours a week across more than one health facility.

Laura* has held down two full-time jobs at two different Quebec City-area hospitals since 2019. “I work full-time Monday to Friday … and then at night I work at [another hospital],” she said. “I’m very used to it. … I want to work, but they’re telling me I can’t work two jobs.”

Lucie Gamache is the president of the Syndicat des Travailleuses et Travailleurs du CIUSSS de la Capitale- Nationale (STT-CIUSSSCN) which represents care aides, maintenance and supply shop workers and some administrative and technical staff across the institutions of the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale. She said about 130 of the union’s members are in situations similar to Laura’s. Most are in relatively low-paid roles.

“One employer … can’t give two positions for a total of more than 40 hours a week to one person,” she said. “It’s sad, but it’s the law, it’s the Labour Standards Act. Even if we tried to fight it, we can’t go against the law. It’s out of our hands.

“Unfortunately, that’s how fusions have always worked,” she added, alluding to the fusions of health institutions a decade ago that created the current CIUSSS system. “We understand it’s not fun – I wouldn’t be happy if it were me.”

Gamache said employees who want or need to work more hours can pick up extra hours replacing colleagues who are on leave. “We have such a lack of personnel that if [workers] apply for replacements, they’ll get hours,” she said. “We’re telling them not to worry about that.”

That was small consolation to Laura. “For me, it’s a big loss to lose one job,” she said. “I just got a new car, so I have to get another job to pay it off.”

She has considered taking her employer to court to try to keep both of her jobs, but decided against it. “I don’t have the income to pay for my immediate needs, and getting a lawyer will get me even more into debt,” she said. “I have my hands tied, and I can’t help anyone else if I can’t help myself.”

No one from the CIUSSS de la Capitale-Nationale was able to comment at press time.

*The employee’s name has been changed to protect her privacy and job security.

Workers to lose second jobs amid Santé Québec restructuring  Read More »

Immigrants rally against cuts to francisation courses in Quebec City

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Immigrants rally against cuts to francisation courses in Quebec City

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Students across the province rallied on Nov. 12 to call on the Coalition Avenir Québec government to walk back planned cuts to subsidized French courses for adults, known as francisation. More than 250 students assembled at the Centre Louis-Jolliet, the largest francisation course centre in Quebec City.

School boards and service centres across the province have been forced to drastically reduce adult francisation course offerings because of a lack of funding.

“Last year, we sent $104 million to school service centres, and this year, we are sending another $104 million to school service centres. The total budget allocated to francisation, which has been increasing for four years, will reach $251.3 million in 2024-2025. Quebecers’ ability to pay is not elastic,” Jean-François Roberge, minister of immigration, francisation and integration, argued in October. “No one is telling us, ‘Increase our taxes and our duties to francize more people.’”

Demand for the courses has risen significantly in recent years, pushed by rising immigration and changes to the Charter of the French Language which opened the courses, previously reserved for recent immigrants, to longtime Quebec residents and newcomers from other provinces. As teachers’ union representatives previously explained to the QCT, school service centres scheduled courses and hired staff for the current school year based on current demand, but the funding for the courses was calculated based on far lower pandemic-era demand. When it became clear that the government didn’t intend to top up the funding, service centres cancelled classes.

“I understand that they want to do well, but the demand is enormous,” said Roberge. “Every day, 350 people register with Francisation Québec. That is 170,000 people per year. We cannot francize 170,000 people per year.”

“These budgetary restrictions lead to human tragedies. After years of investment, immigrants won’t be able to access the job market, while others will have to give up their plans for permanent residency if they do not master the French language,” said Marianne Bois, a francisation educational advisor and teacher at the Centre Louis- Jolliet who has taught there since 2018. Bois explained that immigrants must complete level seven of 12 to earn a certificate allowing them to apply for permanent residence, a path that has been suddenly cut short.

“I don’t understand Premier François Legault and Minister Jean-François Roberge claiming to be the greatest defenders of the French language and, on the other hand, cutting francisation. It doesn’t take a PhD in quantum physics to understand that this is completely ridiculous, that it’s not going in the right direction,” Québec Solidaire MNA for Taschereau Étienne Grandmont said at the protest.

“We could certainly have let this cohort finish their course. It doesn’t make sense to cut it off in the middle of the process,” said Grandmont. “What are their options? What do they have left?” Government officials suggest applying to programs run by the Ministry of Immigration, Francisation and Integration (MIFI), despite long waiting lists for places in those programs.

“If these people had the right to vote, I’m pretty sure the CAQ would take better care of them,” said Grandmont. “Today, I’m very happy to see them come out, to demonstrate, to say that they’ve had enough of this government that mistreats them.”

Francisation student Maria Estevez arrived in Quebec five years ago from Miami, Florida. “These courses are extremely useful and helpful for us im- migrants. They teach more than just the French language. We learn about the Quebec culture, society and how things work here.” Her words were echoed by numerous others at the rally. Students of the Centre Saint-Louis, an adult education centre in Loretteville where francisation courses were also cut, distributed an open letter on the matter; separately, members of the Fédération autonome de l’enseignement (FAE) teachers’ union federation protested against the cuts at the office of Education Minister Bernard Drainville in Lévis on Nov. 15.

With files from Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

Immigrants rally against cuts to francisation courses in Quebec City Read More »

Quebec City to get new multifunctional public curling centre

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Quebec City to get new multifunctional public curling centre

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

The decade-long wait for a new curling centre is coming to an end. On Nov. 15, the Ville de Québec revealed images of the new multifunctional curling centre in Lebourgneuf, and broke ground at the new site.

The new curling centre is estimated to cost $39.5 mil- lion and scheduled to open in January 2027, just in time for the Canada Games (Feb. 27 to March 15). After the Games, city officials hope up to 700 people will use the centre weekly for curling and other activities.

“Local curlers have been asking for their centres to be restored or to build a new one for over a decade,” said Marchand. “The Ville de Québec listened and answered with an investment of $39.5 million. We did ask the provincial government for financial support, but they turned us down. We couldn’t make the curlers wait any longer.

Marchand said funding the curling centre was “a political choice in line with our values.”

“We want to become the most active city, with healthy citizens and fewer people in hospitals,” he said. The price tag is $12 million more than previously announced; this new budget includes all projected costs, according to Marchand and Coun. Jean- François Gosselin, member of the executive committee responsible for sports and recreation.

“The international-calibre facility can host large-scale events while allowing residents to benefit from these multipurpose facilities all year round. The centre will meet the highest quality standards for curling and become the only modern centre with eight lanes of ice – two series of four lanes – in Quebec,” said the mayor.

A CO2 refrigeration system will freeze the rinks. A geothermal system will heat the building. It will have a green roof, a training room, a play area, a multi-purpose room with a capacity of 300 people, a kitchen and a bar. Outdoor facilities will include a parking lot for 125 cars, bicycle park- ing, a picnic area, a synthetic mini-curling space and a small public square with a work of art.

Despite the ceremonial groundbreaking on Nov. 15, construction won’t begin in earnest until spring 2025. “We are working closely with the Jacques-Cartier and Victoria curling clubs in planning this fantastic project and I thank them for their commitment,” said Gosselin. The president of the Club de Curling Victoria, Claude Drolet, and the president of the Club de Curling Jacques-Cartier, François Bouffard, attended the groundbreaking and enthusiastically praised the plans for the new centre.

The Ville de Québec plans to purchase and resell the Club de Curling Jacques-Cartier and the Club de Curling Victoria  for an estimated $6 million to offset the cost of building the new centre. The site of the Club de Curling Jacques-Cartier in Montcalm is earmarked for housing and that of the Club de Curling Victoria in Sainte-Foy for industrial use.

Quebec City to get new multifunctional public curling centre Read More »

Province seeks proposals for Soeurs de la Charité land

Local Journalism Initiative / / / ,

Province seeks proposals for Soeurs de la Charité land

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

If all goes according to plan, the sprawling swath of land known as the Soeurs de la Charité farm will once again be growing food, among other agricultural activities.

Last week, the Quebec government launched a call for interested parties to submit applications for managing the 203-hectare site, as well as agricultural projects on allocated plots in what is referred to as l’Agro-parc.

The government hopes to have the project up and running for the 2025 growing season.

The call for interest comes more than two years after Quebec bought the land from the nuns who had run the farm, known as Ferme Saint-Michel-Archange, for 114 years.

The farm, located in the Beauport district, had provided the religious order with fresh food for the staff and patients at the mental institution they operated on the site, as well as offering the patients therapeutic work in the fields.

The city stepped in to acquire the property for $28.7 million amid public and political opposition to a developer’s plans to turn it into a housing subdivision.

A series of consultations on the future vocation of the property began in January 2023, which resulted in a concept proposal in the spring of this year. Further consultation on that concept is the basis for the current call for proposals.

André Lamontagne, the minister of agriculture, fisheries and food, made the announcement in one of the farm buildings on the site, alongside Jonatan Julien, minister for infrastructure and the capital region.

Lamontagne said, “From the moment we acquired these lands, we wanted this project to be as unifying as possible. The chosen representative will take charge of a project that will enhance the value of these high-quality lands, for the benefit of Quebec City and Quebec. I invite interested individuals and groups to come forward in large numbers.”

Mayor Bruno Marchand noted that “[m]ore than 46 per cent of residents practice one or more forms of urban agriculture in Quebec, so I am enthusiastic about the idea of seeing community initiatives emerge to cultivate our know- how and share it with as many people as possible.”

Prospective candidates interested in managing l’Agro- parc, either one organization or a group of organizations, are expected to “assume the governance and development of the Agro-parc in accordance with the future master plan. The site will remain the property of the government of Quebec, but the agent will be responsible for the development and management of the Agro-parc’s operations.”

The call is targeted at non- profit organizations. The dead- line for submitting an expression of interest is Jan. 10, 2025. The government hopes to sign a contract with the successful applicant in the summer.

The deadline is Dec. 13 for those interested in submitting a project for a 10-hectare plot. Proposals must, according to the concept criteria, allow “for the benefit of the population and the surrounding community. In addition, they must make agricultural products accessible with a view to food autonomy and security.”

Full details for applicants can be found online at quebec.ca/agriculture-environnement-et-ressources-naturelles/agriculture/industrie-agricole-au-quebec/protection-mise-en-valeur-territoire-agricole/projet-agro-parc.

Province seeks proposals for Soeurs de la Charité land Read More »

Ships in port in Quebec City will be able to plug into electric dock power by 2027

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Ships in port in Quebec City will be able to plug into electric dock power by 2027

Peter Black

peterblack@qctonline.com

Ships visiting the Port of Quebec will be able to plug into electrical systems on the docks, under a $55-million project announced last week.

With $22.5 million in funding from the federal government, electrical connection stations are to be installed on three cruise ship piers and two piers where merchant ships dock. The connections are expected to be in service as of 2027.

Federal Minister of Public Services and Procurement Jean-Yves Duclos and Port of Quebec CEO Mario Girard announced the dockside electrification project on Nov. 8.

The Port said it will continue negotiations with the Quebec government to secure the rest of the funding for the project. It’s a major initiative of the Port’s mission to reduce emissions from ships in the port territory by 40 per cent by 2035.

Emissions from ships in port account for more than 80 per cent of greenhouse gases generated by all activity in the port territory, according to the release.

The Port said it is adapting to a trend in the cruise ship industry whereby more than 80 per cent of passenger liners will soon be enabled to connect with electrical stations while docked in port.

In other Port of Quebec news, Girard, portmaster for the past 14 years, is heading for a new posting as delegate general for Quebec in Tokyo, Japan, as of February.

In a separate release, Girard said, “I feel a deep connection and admiration for the committed, dedicated and extremely competent people that made up the Port of Québec staff. I am proud of what we have accomplished.”

Ships in port in Quebec City will be able to plug into electric dock power by 2027 Read More »

With new owners, Medicago building to become life sciences hub

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

With new owners, Medicago building to become life sciences hub

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Quebec City’s notorious “white elephant” of a building is getting a new lease on life.

The giant, brand-new Medicago plant in the Beauport sector has been sold and its new owners plan to transform it into a life sciences industry hub. Under a deal signed in early November, a partnership involving Hugues Harvey, president of real estate specialist HarveyCorp, and Marc Lebel, founder of Anapharm, bought the building for $17.5 million.

In an interview with the QCT, Harvey said the plan is to convert the 700,000 square-foot building into a laboratory space for various companies along the lines of several facilities in Montreal.

Harvey said when the Medicago building came up for sale, it was an obvious opportunity for his company. “When an asset like that comes on the market, most of the time we are the first company brokers are calling to offer the buildings.”

The building became avail- able last year in the wake of Medicago’s failure to capitalize on the race to develop and produce a COVID-19 vaccine.

The company, owned by Japanese pharmaceutical giant Mitsubishi Tanabe Pharma, managed to develop an effective plant-based vaccine and had a multi-million dollar supply contract with the Canadian government. The World Health Organization refused to approve the vaccine, however, because of the stake tobacco company Philip Morris had in the project.

Mitsubishi subsequently folded Medicago, a company founded by Quebec researchers, leaving questions about the fate of large government investments in vaccine research and manufacturing.

According to a news release from the new owners, the goal of the project is “to house private companies in the pharmaceutical, biotechnology and medical technology fields, in addition to incubators and non-profit health organizations. Discussions are well underway with several companies that have expressed strong interest in establishing themselves in this new hub.”

Harvey said he can’t disclose which companies are interested but “they are all very happy” about the prospect of being involved in such a cluster of enterprises in the biomedical industry.

He said some parts of the building may already be suitable to welcome tenants, but an examination will be done with architects to determine what conversions for laboratories, cleanrooms and office and industrial spaces will be required.

According to the release, “redevelopment work will begin in early 2025, with the first tenants expected to move into the hub starting in 2026.” Harvey said he expects the creation of the life science hub to unfold over the next five to seven years and create the same kind of synergy as similar clusters in the Montreal area.

The price the partners paid is well below the $47-million current city evaluation of the property. The city had sold the land to Medicago in 2015 for $4.6 million. The cost of building the vaccine facility is estimated at $245 million. Construction started in 2018 and was nearing completion as the pandemic hit and the race was on to develop and produce vaccines.

Harvey said that while no level of government was involved in the purchase of the building, discussions are underway with the provincial and municipal governments about financial assistance.

On that score, Mayor Bruno Marchand issued a statement saying, “I am pleased that the efforts of recent years are bearing fruit. The city will actively support the investments needed to revive activities and stimulate this sector of the city.”

The city councillor for the area, Isabelle Roy, said in an email to the QCT, “This is exciting news! I am pleased by this acquisition by Quebec entrepreneurs, which will allow Quebec to position itself as a hub of excellence in biomedi- cal research and innovation – an asset we can be particularly proud of.”

Roy said she was going to meet with Harvey and Lebel this week “to learn more about their project and the development prospects for the sector. They can, of course, count on my full collaboration.”

Harvey’s company, according to the release, “has developed extensive expertise in building and converting properties into laboratory spaces dedicated to life sciences, with over 500,000 square feet of projects com- pleted since 2019 in this field, valued at over $200 million.”

Lebel founded Quebec City- based Anapharm, a contract scientific research and clinical trials company, in 1994. It has

1,200 employees and sales of $150 million with locations in Quebec City; Trois-Rivières; Montreal; Toronto; Princeton, New Jersey; and Barcelona, Spain.

The partners say the deal also involves other private investors, including François Laflamme, founder of OmegaChem in Lévis. The building is now being called the 2300 D’Estimauville Megacomplex.

With new owners, Medicago building to become life sciences hub Read More »

Quebec City German Christmas Market to return Nov. 21

Local Journalism Initiative / / / ,

German Christmas Market returns on Nov. 21 

Ruby Pratka

Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

The sights, sounds and smells of the Quebec City German Christmas Market (Marché de Noël allemand de Québec) will return to Old Quebec on Nov. 21. The market will be spread over six sites – Place D’Youville, the City Hall Gardens, Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, Place D’Armes and along Rue Sainte-Anne and Rue Sainte-Famille. 

The market sites will come alive with bright lights, live music and several bars and food stands offering local specialties. The Aux Traditions D’Alsace restaurant will also return to the City Hall Gardens. The Bavarian Alphorn Ensemble and the glam-rock-tinged Krampus Fantastischer Wunderfunk will also return, giant marionettes will parade through the streets and Père Noël in person will meet families – and their pets! – in his castle at Place D’Armes. 

One of the most noticeable novelties will be a light-and-sound show at nightfall using several towering live fir trees as a backdrop, accompanied by recorded Orchestre symphonique de Québec performances of holiday pieces, selected and directed by the orchestra’s German-born director, Clemens Schuldt, which longtime Christmas Market director Olivia Lexhaller, also originally from Germany, called “a really cool collaboration.”

“A few steps away, on Rue Sainte-Famille, [are] charming stained glass cuckoo clocks, backlit and installed on the roofs of the cabins: a typical element of the German Black Forest, reinterpreted in the Quebec style with birds from our region,” Lexhaller added in a statement. The market will also contribute to a neighbourhood-wide holiday light display stretching from Rue Saint-Jean to Rue du Sault-au-Matelot in Petit-Champlain. “Along this route, some commercial windows in Old Quebec, Rue Saint-Jean and Côte de la Fabrique, will come alive with a collection of Christmas automatons, brought directly from Europe,” the statement said. 

A record number of 125 exhibitors will offer tasty treats, imported European products and local gift ideas. Access to the sites is free. 

“Make it yours, bring your friends, do your office 5 à 7s here, everyone will find something they like,” Lexhaller told the QCT. “It’s a warm, festive ambiance. “

The market’s modest origins 17 years ago have become part of Quebec City’s own Christmas lore. “This is not how we started at all … we started with about 12 German immigrants saying we wanted to get together and eat gingerbread and drink mulled wine and enjoy our traditions at Christmas,” said Lexhaller. “We did it one afternoon at a church in Sillery and there was a line out the door. The following year, we got a little more organized; we talked to [Peter] Simons, who opened the door of the mayor’s office, and we saw the political will the city had [to plan more winter activities]. The stars aligned, and now we can say, wow, we’re a big city event. We take a lot of pride in it, and we’re so grateful.” The market now draws tens of thousands of people each year, about 30 per cent of whom are tourists. The director, who works for the market year round, said she was most looking forward to the smells and tastes of the Christmas market. “There’s something for all the senses, and there are smells and flavours you can only find there once a year.”  

Visit mnaq.ca/en for detailed programming information.

Quebec City German Christmas Market to return Nov. 21 Read More »

Santa Claus will be coming to town with the 23rd Parade des Jouets

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Santa Claus will be coming to town with the 23rd Parade des Jouets

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Christmas is fast approaching, and it’s already almost time for the 23rd annual Parade des Jouets (Toy Parade). In the spirit of Christmas, anyone can bring letters to Santa and new or gently used toys to the parade on Saturday, Nov. 9, starting at 2:30 p.m. The parade will kick off in Charlesbourg and continue to ExpoCité.

With help from Les Ateliers Balthazar, Santa Claus thought of a new theme for this year’s parade. He asked all the inhab- itants of the North Pole – elves, snowmen, animals and mythical creatures – to complete the 12 Labours of Christmas. With their help, Santa Claus will show children that Christmas is the most wonderful time of the year. Spectators along the parade route will marvel at the 15 decorated floats and the 325 costumed performers.

Children can bring their letters to Santa Claus; Canada Post employees will collect them and deliver them to the North Pole in time for Christmas. Santa Claus will, of course, reply.

Starting at 52e Rue in Charlesbourg and making its way down 1ère Avenue to ExpoCité, the parade will be a magical mobile bubble. Children and families can donate good-quality new or used toys to make the holidays more festive for families in need. (Stuffed toys are not accepted this year.) “We will give some of the toys collected to six organizations helping 1,000 children,” said Marie-Anne Comtois of the Joujouthèque Basse-Ville. “Since last year, we have divided the toys into categories. For example, we group all the puzzles, Lego, board games and dolls. It makes the work of the organizations much easier.” The Joujouthèque toy library, with its 545 subscribers and about 900 monthly rentals, will draw on this collection to renew its toy bank.

To help fund the free annual parade, parents can purchase 50/50 tickets for the Christmas Stocking Draw. Tickets are available online (paradedesjouets.ca) and will be sold during the parade until 5 p.m.

The parade route ends at Place Jean-Béliveau, where temporary bleachers have been installed. For $21.14, people can purchase VIP tickets online (paradedesjouets.ca or lepointdevente.com) giving them access to 90 more minutes of entertainment and gifts from Chocolats Favoris. “With the pandemic, we had to reinvent ourselves. The happening at the end of the parade is extraordinary. It’s full of people, it’s moving, and even if the weather isn’t nice, everyone has fun – and for it to work, we need and are thankful for our financial partners and 425 volunteers,” said Pierre Dolbec, chair of the parade’s board of directors.

Santa Claus will be coming to town with the 23rd Parade des Jouets Read More »

Quebec pays $2.2 million to help decontaminate Îlot Dorchester site

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Quebec pays $2.2 million to help decontaminate Îlot Dorchester site

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The Quebec government is contributing more than $2.2 million to decontaminate Îlot Dorchester in Saint-Roch, in preparation for the presumed construction next year of a major residential and commercial development.

Jonatan Julien, the minis- ter for infrastructure and for the capital region, made the announcement Oct. 28, on be- half of Environment Minister Benoit Charette.

The contribution comes from the ClimatSol program fund, dedicated to decontaminating urban sites, particularly ones suitable for redevelopment.

Frédéric Fournier, a spokesperson for Charette, explained in an email to the QCT that the Quebec government’s contribution amounts to 25 per cent of the estimated cost of the decontamination of the site, owned by developers Groupe Trudel.

“Groupe Trudel pays all costs and ClimatSol reimburses a portion of them according to the terms of the program. The reimbursement by the program for rehabilitation is 25 per cent of the total costs, so Groupe Trudel assumes 75 per cent of the costs,” Fournier explained. Based on that calculation, the total cost of decontaminating the site, bordered by Boul. Dorchester, Rue Saint-Vallier, Rue Caron and Rue Sainte-Hélène, would run approximately $10 million.

The overall budget for Trudel’s Îlot Dorchester project is estimated at $300 million. Plans call for a 20-storey hotel and four other buildings with some 400 housing units and commercial space, including a large grocery store.

In a news release, Charette said, “Supporting contaminated land rehabilitation projects is an important lever for sustainable and economic development for our cities and municipalities. In addition to reducing risks to human health and the environment, soil treatment helps revitalize sectors.”

Mayor Bruno Marchand said, “The Dorchester block has extraordinary development potential. Located in the heart of Lower Town, this site, which currently houses an open-air parking lot, will allow us to increase the supply of residential housing, commercial proximity and services in the Saint-Roch district, in addition to participating in greening and tree planting efforts.”

Îlot Dorchester – Dorchester Block, in English – has had many uses over the years, from farms to shipbuilding manufacturers to shoe factories. The zone has been known for its leather tanning industry.

In the 1970s, according to a city history of the neighbour- hood, buildings were demolished to make way for a central bus station. Eventually, all the buildings on the site were removed and it has been a parking lot for many years, with periodic plans by owners to redevelop the 100,000-square- foot property.

Groupe Trudel had managed the parking lot for the consortium that owned the land until it purchased the site in 2022.

The company has been conducting an architectural dig of the site for the past several weeks. The project is a voluntary effort by the owners and not required by the city. Trudel spokesperson David Chabot told Radio-Canada that artifacts unearthed by the dig might be displayed in the future buildings on the site.

Chabot told the QCT in a previous interview decontamination work would begin in the new year and construction would start in the spring when the ground thaws.

Quebec pays $2.2 million to help decontaminate Îlot Dorchester site Read More »

TRAM TRACKER: Anti-tram mayor would be ‘catastrophe’: Duclos

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

TRAM TRACKER

Anti-tram mayor would be ‘catastrophe’: Duclos

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

With the next municipal election still a year away, Jean-Yves Duclos, the MP for the downtown riding of Québec and minister of public services and procurement, is warning that an anti-tramway mayor for Quebec City would be a “catastrophe.”

Speaking with reporters at an event on Nov. 1 in Quebec City, Duclos said, “It would be a disaster for Quebec City to deprive itself of money from the Canadian government.”

Duclos was responding to questions about a recent Le Soleil poll that shows support for Mayor Bruno Marchand and the tramway project slumping. The survey found 40 per cent of the sample of 514 online respondents supported the tramway, a drop of five points since a similar poll in June.

Marchand’s approval rating similarly has dropped to 38 per cent, a decline of seven points.

Duclos, who is also the federal Liberals’ Quebec lieutenant, said, “We’ll see what people want to decide, but I think it would be a disaster for Quebec City to miss its chance. We’re already behind all the other comparable cities in Canada. We have the chance to catch up.”

The federal government has already committed $1.3 billion to the initial tramway project and has promised to chip in more with the added costs of the project as proposed in June by the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec Infra.

Conservative Leader Pierre Poilievre said last week on social media if he becomes prime minister he would not invest in the tramway project but rather the “third link” across the St. Lawrence River the Quebec government is proposing.

Duclos said Poilievre “is misleading the people of Quebec City by making them believe that he could use the tramway money to invest in a third link.”

Marchand and his Québec Forte et Fière party took over the tramway project from the administration of Régis Labeaume when he won the 2021 election. Nineteen of the city’s 21 councillors are from parties that support the tramway, with the two-person Équipe priorité Québec caucus the only outliers. Former Quebec Liberal minister Sam Hamad, who is considering a mayoral bid, has said there are too many questions about the tramway for him to support it.

TRAM TRACKER: Anti-tram mayor would be ‘catastrophe’: Duclos Read More »

City to auction dozens of properties for unpaid taxes

Local Journalism Initiative / / / ,

City to auction dozens of properties for unpaid taxes

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The clock is ticking down for property owners who have not paid their municipal taxes to save their property from going on the auction block.

Last week, the city published a list of several hundred properties whose taxes have been in arrears since Jan. 1. Under the Cities and Towns Act, the properties will be put up for sale to reclaim the unpaid amounts.

An auction is scheduled for the morning of Nov. 27 at the Andrée-P.-Boucher building on Route de l’Église. Interested purchasers must sign up in person on the day of the auction.

Although the list is a lengthy one, city spokesperson Wendy Whittom said many owners pay up before the deadline. “It is worth noting that the treasurer’s list is becoming much shorter as the people concerned pay the taxes due. So, in September, the list has several hundred properties for sale, and there will only be a few dozen left on the day of the sale.”

The properties listed are in all parts of the city and all property types, from apartment buildings to vacant land. There are even a few on Grande Allée.

The list of properties destined for auction from the 2023 tax year published last week does not contain the amount of tax owed. However, the list from the previous year does list the amounts, which range from several hundred thousand dollars to smaller amounts under $500.

The failure to pay the “welcome tax” can also result in a property being put up for sale by the city. The same goes for school taxes.

Whittom said the volume of properties risking default this year is about the same as previous years. She said properties not sold at auction remain the property of the owner and the unpaid taxes remain due.

Several on the 2023 list have arrears dating back two or three years.

Whittom said the city “may take other steps provided for in the Cities and Towns Act to force payment of unpaid taxes.”

Successful bidders for properties must prove they have paid the taxes owing plus other taxes pending and then wait a year for a deed of sale.

City to auction dozens of properties for unpaid taxes Read More »

Bonhomme Carnaval opens his Winter Beach starting Dec. 21

QCNA NEWS / / / , , ,

Bonhomme Carnaval opens his Winter Beach starting Dec. 21

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Even though summer is over, it will soon be time to go to the beach! That’s right! Bonhomme Carnaval is inviting everyone to join him at his Gougoune & Doudoune Winter Beach behind Espace Quatre Cents at 100 Quai Saint-André.

Bonhomme will open the frosty festivities here as early as Dec. 21. 

People can once again attempt to conquer the climbable giant iced polar bear, slide down the Blizz Slide, jump into the giant ball pool, try out the snow racer tri-ski trail, or compete in the ice canoe races (weather permitting). There will also be family activities such as mini-golf, beanbag games, snowboard swings and a small obstacle course.

“Even though this event is a production of the Ateliers du Carnaval, it is not part of the 71st Winter Carnival, from Feb. 7 to 16,” said Marie-Ève ​​Jacob, executive director of the Quebec Winter Carnival. This means that the effigie does not give access to the activities. Daily passes cost $15 plus taxes for children (12 and under) and $25 plus taxes for adults; and season passes cost $54 plus taxes for children (12 and under) and $79 plus taxes for adults.

“Our objective is to offer winter activities while waiting for the carnival to start,” said Jacob. “We want to enrich and liven up the city in December and January by offering locals and tourists a new attraction over a long period. It helps that the site is near the popular tourist areas of Place Royale and Quartier Petit Champlain. We are even setting up a shuttle service to get from major tourist areas including the German Christmas Market in Upper Town to our site. The schedule is yet to be finalized.” 

The site will be open throughout the holiday season, including on Christmas Day and New Year’s Day, on all weekends from Jan. 11 to Feb. 5, and throughout Winter Carnival (Feb. 7 to 16). 

For more information, visit carnaval.qc.ca.

Bonhomme Carnaval opens his Winter Beach starting Dec. 21 Read More »

“Would you sleep here?” Lauberivière asks

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

‘Would you sleep here?’ Lauberivière asks

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

A question has begun popping up in unexpected places around Quebec City – “Dormiriez-vous ici?” (“Would you sleep here?”) The stencilled messages, in parking lots, public squares and doorways across the city, are part of a campaign by Lauberivière to get more people to put themselves in the shoes of a person experiencing homelessness and support the homeless shelter with financial and in-kind donations. 

“More than ever, the shortage of affordable and accessible housing is exacerbating the housing crisis, putting a growing number of people at risk of homelessness. In this context, Lauberivière plays a vital role by providing not only a roof over their heads, but also vital support to those who need it most. Each year, the organization provides more than 45,000 overnight stays to approximately 2,500 different people, and the needs continue to grow,” said Éric Boulay, the longtime executive director and self-described “innkeeper” of Lauberivière. 

The shelter in Saint-Roch has 131 beds, which may be used by two or three people sleeping in shifts on any given day, 18 medium-term housing units and a separate facility for intoxicated people who need to “dry out.” It also offers a soup kitchen, a day centre and money management and job search assistance for people coming out of homelessness. 

“This year, three out of four people who came through our doors were experiencing homelessness for the first time. This shows how the housing crisis and economic precariousness are affecting more and more people. Lauberivière is here to offer shelter, but also to accompany anyone who needs it. Our greatest desire will always be to make the first time the last,” Boulay said. “We have more tools to help people than we did 26 years ago when I started, but the social safety net is weaker, people’s purchasing power is weaker, we’ve talked a lot about the housing crisis. When you’re anxious about being able to fulfil your basic needs … you’re vulnerable. When you’re vulnerable, when you hit a wall, a challenge – a lost job, a breakup, a major change, having to move because you’ve been renovicted, it’s harder, because you don’t have as many tools to pick yourself up. We used to say people [experiencing homelessness] might have made bad choices, but now, even if you make the best choices possible, there’s no guarantee you won’t end up at Lauberivère.”

Boulay also said he has seen “really difficult, complex situations” that people managed to overcome, with help, to get their own apartments. “I still have hope, but what I find unfortunate is that we don’t do enough prevention.” Economic uncertainty and the fact that it’s increasingly difficult to get medical care and mental health support through the public health care system make prevention harder to access, he said. 

“Our staff can help a person find housing, but if they can’t find housing, then they’re going to stick around here,” he added. 

Boulay said he hoped the campaign, which aims to raise $1.4 million for the shelter’s core programs, would persuade people to “contribute to the safety net” which they or their loved ones might eventually rely on. 

To make a financial donation, visit the Lauberivière website at lauberiviere.org. To volunteer or make an in-kind donation, call 418-694-9316. Boulay anticipates that the need for volunteers will be greater after the holidays.  

“Would you sleep here?” Lauberivière asks Read More »

Targeted by tramway, elm tree ‘Raymond’ falls to disease

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Targeted by tramway, elm tree ‘Raymond’ falls to disease

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

“Raymond,” a tree that became emblematic of the fight against Quebec City’s tramway project, was cut down last week, a victim of Dutch elm disease.

The tree, estimated to be at least 100 years old, stood at the northeast corner of the inter- section of Ave. de Bougainville and Boul. René-Lévesque until a forestry crew took him down, branch by branch.

The elm was named Ray- mond by local resident and tramway opponent Gaetan Nadeau, who in spring 2022 affixed a sign to the tree saying “Sauvons Raymond” as well as another sign saying “Tramway au milieu de René Lévesque? Super! Pourquoi donc me couper, tuer, moi?? 102 ans…” (Tramway in the middle of René-Lévesque? Super! Why cut me, kill me? 102 years…)

Nadeau had also erected on the corner a billboard with a photo of the tramway in Montpellier, France, where trees are allowed to grow less than two metres from the tram tracks.

Quebec City’s tramway plan, however, does call for the removal of a certain number of trees along Boul. René- Lévesque, and Raymond was indeed on the execution list.

City spokesperson Wendy Whittom told the QCT, “Unfortunately, that tree was meant to be cut one way or another.”

Raymond is one of 12 ash and elm trees the city has identified on Boul. René-Lévesque and Chemin des Quatre-Bourgeois to be taken down over the next few weeks. All were terminally afflicted with emerald ash borer infestations or Dutch elm disease. Pruning work is also being done on some ailing maple trees in the city.

Whittom said, “Fortunately, each tree will be replaced by another species that is more resilient in an urban context and more immune to insects and diseases.”

The city plans to plant some 130,000 new trees by 2029.

In announcing the program to cut the diseased trees, the city also notified residents who have trees affected by emerald ash borer infestations or Dutch elm disease “to plan now for the removal of their trees to avoid further decline.”

The city offers a grant of up to $2,000 or about half the cost of removing diseased ash or elm trees and disposing of the wood.

Targeted by tramway, elm tree ‘Raymond’ falls to disease Read More »

National history museum project voted into law

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

National museum project voted into law

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

A third major museum will open in Quebec City in spring 2026 if all goes according to the Coalition Avenir Québec (CAQ) government’s current plans. The Musée national d’histoire du Québec will open in the Camille-Roy Pavilion of the Séminaire du Québec, near the Notre-Dame-de- Québec Basilica-Cathedral.

Premier François Legault and Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe announced the project at the Musée de la Civilisation du Québec (MCQ) in April. At the time, Legault said the new museum would trace the story of the Quebec nation “from the First Nations, who were here before us and helped us” to the present day.

The project, which was voted into law by the National Assembly earlier this month, initially drew criticism from Indigenous and anglophone groups for its focus on white, French-Canadian historical perspectives.

However, after 14 hours of hearings in front of the National Assembly standing committee on culture and education, First Nations Education Council (FNEC) executive director Denis Gros-Louis said he believes “we got the train back on track.”

The FNEC, the Assembly of First Nations Quebec–Labrador (AFNQL) and the Institut Tshakapesh submitted a joint brief laying out recommendations for how the project could better incorporate Indigenous perspectives. CEPN representatives also testified before the committee last month.

The brief called on the committee to ensure that Indigenous perspectives, educational approaches and artifact conservation practices were built into the project and that Indigenous groups were regularly consulted.

“There were 14 hours of discussion before the committee and in 10 of those hours, First Nations and Inuit issues were discussed at some point,” Gros- Louis said.

“We [the CEPN, the APNQL and the Institut Tshakapesh] have always worked together to make sure that teachers have access to relevant content [about Indigenous people] because the content [in textbooks] is old and clichéd. It’s our main purpose to make sure things are well thought out and relevant.” Gros-Louis said he believes the Indigenous groups’ recommendations “will be part of the DNA of the project.”

He said he saw the museum as “a great opportunity to talk about [Indigenous] teachings and spirituality and ceremonies … where does the word Quebec come from? What does it mean when someone says they are from a clan? We have had great political leaders, and artists, and major achievements, like how we got our own schools back [after the residential school era]. We want [museum goers] to see Indigenous people as coming from a different culture and language, [but] not as UFOs or as a threat to the [Quebec] nation.”

The Quebec English-speaking Communities Research Network (QUESCREN) and the Quebec Anglophone Heritage Network (QAHN) also submitted memoranda, although neither was asked to speak before the committee. “Given our preoccupations, we thought it was really important to ensure that the notion of the Quebec nation, or let’s say the collectivity of Quebec, include realities of English-speaking Quebecers, among others,” said Concordia University historian and QUESCREN co-ordinator Lorraine O’Donnell. In the group’s memorandum, co-authored by O’Donnell and fellow historian Patrick Donovan, they noted that one in five Quebecers speaks English at home and the English presence in Quebec dates back to 1668. They called on the government to go beyond stereotype-driven “tokenism” when telling the stories of English-speaking Quebecers and their interactions with the francophone majority and other groups.

“English speakers are often reduced to the image of a minority of conquerors and privileged people. Although there was indeed a small English-speaking elite holding a dispro- portionate share of power, the majority of English-speaking Quebecers are descendants of immigrants from modest origins who arrived well after the conquest of 1759,” they added. Like Gros-Louis, they said they saw the project as an opportunity to improve mutual understanding.

“I’m confident that at the very least, [committee members] took note of the fact that our brief was submitted and took a look at it,” O’Donnell added, saying it was “heartening” to see that groups like the Fédération d’Histoire du Québec had also called for improved representation of minority groups.

The MCQ is expected to play a central role in the development of the new museum; no one there was immediately available to comment.

National history museum project voted into law Read More »

Firefighters’ union rejects proposed collective agreement

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Firefighters’ union rejects proposed collective agreement

Ruby Pratka

editor@qctonline.com

Representatives of Quebec City’s firefighters’ union and city officials will return to the negotiating table after 75.6 per cent of union members rejected a proposed collective agreement on Oct. 22.

“This result is not a surprise for our organization, which had taken stock of the concerns and expectations expressed by its members throughout the negotiation process,” union representatives said in a statement. “During the consultations, it became clear that several major issues, both in terms of working conditions and salary and regulatory aspects, had not found satisfactory answers. Our members expressed their desire to see significant changes, and this refusal reflects their determination to obtain conditions that meet their expectations and needs.”

“We fully respect the decision of our members, which demonstrates the importance of the unresolved issues in this agreement,” said Alexandre Arturi, president of the Association des pompiers professionnels du Québec (APPQ), which represents about 500 firefighters, fire prevention specialists, dispatchers, in- structors and communications staff serving in the Service de protection contre l’incendie de Québec (SPCIQ; Quebec City fire department). “This vote sends a clear message: we must return to the negotiating table with the objective of obtaining concrete and lasting changes for all of our members.”

The APPQ “remains determined to continue discussions with the relevant bodies, with the same rigour and determination, in order to reach an agreement that meets the legitimate expectations of its members,” the statement said. “We hope this vote will be an opportunity for all parties to engage in a constructive and solution-oriented dialogue that reflects the realities on the ground. We would like to highlight the commitment and mobilization of our members throughout this process and assure them that their voices will continue to be heard in the coming proceedings.”

Under the Quebec labour code, it is illegal for municipal fire or police departments to strike; it’s also illegal for municipalities to lock out police or fire departments during labour disputes. The QCT was not able to obtain clear answers on what pressure tactics are available to firefighters in the event of a labour disagreement.

“In this context, [the Ville de Québec] will have to initiate the mediation process provided for by the law, despite the fact that the monetary and working conditions offered were, in our opinion, more than interesting,” city spokesperson François Moisan said in a brief statement.

Neither city officials nor APPQ representatives commented further, citing the ongoing negotiations.

Firefighters’ union rejects proposed collective agreement Read More »

Electric cars continue to advance by leaps and bounds

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Electric cars continue to advance by leaps and bounds

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Thousands of Quebecers visited the fifth Salon du véhicule électrique du Québec (SVEQ; Quebec City electric car show) from Oct. 25 to 27. The latest models from Porsche, Mazda, Tesla, Volvo, Mercedes and Audi made visitors dream of owning eco-friendly vehicles.

Meandering through the 20-odd brands of cars, visitors noticed that electric vehicles are still more expensive than gas-powered vehicles, although subsidies can help offset some of the cost for the time being. “With the [Quebec government’s] Roulez vert program subsidies set to be reduced in 2025, the SVEQ is perfect for those who were hesitant to go electric,” said SVEQ general manager Charles Drouin. “The $7,000 subsidy for purchasing a 100 per cent electric vehicle will drop to $4,000 in 2025 and gradually disappear in 2027. The subsidy for purchasing a plug-in hybrid vehicle will suffer the same fate. The fed- eral government’s financial assistance, which can be up to $5,000, is still available. To obtain the full provincial subsidy, electric vehicles must be registered by December 31, 2024.”

“[The SVEQ] is a unique opportunity to compare the majority of electric vehicles available in Quebec while taking advantage of current government credits,” said Drouin. Besides eyeballing the newest models and getting the latest information from sales representatives, visitors could test-drive any of the 75 available vehicles on a five- kilometre circuit.

“I’ve owned gas-powered vehicles all my life. I am a manual transmission guy. You don’t get the same pleasure out of maneuvering an electric car as you do driving a manual transmission car. You don’t feel or hear the engine,” said Jerry Deslauriers. “My 30-year-old son here is trying very hard to convince me of the many benefits of these electric ve- hicles. Since we are here, he had me test-drive the Volvo EX30. Despite my preferences, I greatly enjoyed the drive. Was

it enough to convince me to go to the green side?”

Besides the driving experi- ence, the freedom to roam long distances is another major factor for car shoppers. Tesla continues to be a leading brand in terms of battery life, with models able to cover about 650 km between charges. Although fully charging a vehicle still takes hours compared to minutes to fill a gas tank, more and more service stations are investing in electric chargers. For this reason, hybrid cars remain an interesting option for many drivers, especially in Quebec winters. According to CAA, electric cars lose 25 per cent of their power when the temperature falls below -15, and 45 per cent at -25.

Charging costs, however, often tip the balance in favour of electric vehicles. According to Hydro-Québec, it costs about $0.11892 per kilowatt hour to charge an electric car, compared to $1.50 per litre of gas. In other words, on aver- age, to drive 100 km, it costs drivers of electric cars $2.50 for a 21-kilowatt hour charge and drivers of gas-powered cars $10.65.

Whether to run errands in town or to drive leisurely through the countryside, electric vehicles continue to cover more and more ground.

Electric cars continue to advance by leaps and bounds Read More »

Tens of thousands of Quebecers walk in the 10th Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Tens of thousands of Quebecers walk in the 10th Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Large crowds of energetic, cheerful people assembled at the Fontaine de Tourny early on Oct. 19. They were there for the 10th annual Grande Marche of the Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie. Starting at 11 a.m., they walked five kilo- metres to and from Gilmour Hill. The sun was out to encourage the thousands of participants who leisurely walked or jogged on the Plains of Abraham and down Grande Allée.

By Friday midday, nearly 100,000 people across the province had registered for this walk. Event founder Pierre Lavoie expected over 120,000 registered participants with countless other unregistered walkers. He said he believed that over the past decade, more than one million people have joined him in the annual walks.

Supported by family doctors, Pierre Lavoie encourages Quebecers to participate in the annual Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie.

On Oct. 19, thousands of people walked five kilometres from the Fontaine de Tourny, across the Plains of Abraham to Gilmour Hill and back under a cloudless blue sky.

It was a beautiful day for a walk. Over the weekend, people across the province participated in the 10th Grand Défi Pierre Lavoie. In Quebec City, the walk is a loop from the Fontaine de Tourny through the Plains of Abraham to Gilmour Hill and back.

“Throughout our lives, no matter our physical health and our age, there are only two sports that we can always do: swimming and walking. All the other sports, we will be forced to stop at one point or another,” Lavoie said on a stage overlooking the crowded Fontaine de Tourny and Place de l’Assemblée-Nationale. “We each have a responsibility to maintain our physical and mental health. Walking can do wonders for both, and it is free and fun! People greatly appreciate what we are doing. They want to live longer, healthier lives.”

Thousands of family doctors joined the movement in their respective cities, showing by example the importance of integrating physical activity into their busy lives.

Respecting a longstanding tradition, the Grande Marche officially started on Friday, Oct. 18 at 7:30 p.m. in Lavoie’s hometown of Saguenay, fol- lowed by a second walk in the provincial capital on Oct. 19 and a third one on Oct. 20 in Montreal. Numerous other cities, towns and villages across the province held their own Grande Marche at different times.

For more information about the Grand Défi, visit, onmarche.com.

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Feds make three Old Port buildings available for housing

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , ,

Feds make three Old Port buildings available for housing

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Three Canadian government buildings in the Old Port could be transformed into housing under a new federal program.

Last week, the buildings – 94, 104 and 112 Rue Dalhousie – were added to the federal government’s Canada Public Land Bank portfolio of properties being made available to be transformed into residential units.

Jean-Yves Duclos, minister of public services and procurement and MP for Québec, made the announcement in an Oct. 16 news release.

The three buildings are adjacent to each other and comprise an entire block of Rue Dalhousie. They were all built in 1983-84 by the federal government.

The René-Nicolas Levasseur Building at 94 Dalhousie is an L-shaped, three-storey structure with a stone exterior, 1,362 square metres in area, according to city records.

The Louis Pratt Building at 104 Dalhousie is the tallest of the three at six storeys, with a red brick exterior and an area of 1,264 square metres.

The John Munn Building at 112 Dalhousie is three storeys with an area of 1,630 square metres.

All three buildings have been deemed to have “potential for housing” under the federal government’s Canada’s Housing Plan, announced in this year’s budget, with an aim to build four million more homes in the country.

The release said, “Wherever possible, the government will turn these properties into housing through a long-term lease, not a one-time sale, to support affordable housing and ensure public land stays public.”

Public Services and Procurement Canada spokesperson Sonia Tengelsen provided information on the three buildings, all of which have windows at the rear facing the St. Lawrence River and the Port of Quebec cruise ship terminal.

The Rene-Nicolas Levasseur Building is one of three surplus buildings on Rue Dalhousie the federal government wants to see turned into housing.

The John Munn Building at 112 Rue Dalhousie is targeted to be transformed into housing.

Tengelsen said the John Munn Building “was declared surplus in 2018, with Depart- ment of National Defence personnel as the main occupants. They have been moved to other offices and the building has been vacant since autumn 2021.”

The Louis Pratt Building (104 Dalhousie) was declared surplus in January 2022 and houses employees of the Department of Fisheries and Oceans Canada. The current occupants will be relocated to other offices.

The René-Nicolas Levasseur Building currently has three sets of occupants: the Canada School of Public Service, the Quebec Port Authority and Fisheries and Oceans Canada. Tengelsen said, “The occupants have been notified of the decision to dispose of the building, and plans are under way to relocate them.”

These three Quebec City properties, as well as 11 others elsewhere in the country announced last week, bring the total of federal buildings now on offer for housing projects to 70, the equivalent of 2,500 hockey rinks, according to the release. The list can be viewed on the Canada Public Land Bank website.

There is progress on proper- ties put on offer in August with the launch of the federal hous- ing land bank. The release says evaluations are underway for proposals submitted for properties in Toronto, Edmonton, Calgary, Ottawa and Montreal.

Duclos said, “The launch of the Canada Public Land Bank in August 2024 laid the foundation for our efforts to unlock public lands for housing at a pace and scale not seen in generations.”

Quebec City Mayor Bruno Marchand also contributed a quote to the release, saying, “In recent years, Quebec City has played an important role in the housing issue … It’s great news to be able to count on concrete announcements from the federal government like the one today. The collective awareness of the housing issue now makes it a key issue for our economy and for the vitality of the Capitale-Nationale region.”

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Tramway delays help kill huge Humaniti project on Boul. Laurier

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Tramway delays help kill huge Humaniti project on Boul. Laurier

Peter Black, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

The massive Humaniti project slated to rise at a key intersection on Boul. Laurier is dead, the victim, according to the developer, of delays in the city’s tramway project, among other factors.

Radio-Canada broke the news last week that Cogir, the Montreal-based company behind the four-tower project, had let its offer to purchase the land from developer Michel Dallaire expire.

Dallaire, head of major developer Groupe Dallaire, now says the property at the intersection of Boul. Laurier and Ave. de Lavigerie is once again for sale.

Cogir president Mathieu Duguay told Radio-Canada the Humaniti project, comprising 1,500 housing units, a hotel, offices, a public square and retail shops, was predicated on the presence of a tramway line through the site.

“We needed the tramway interchange hub to justify the project,” Duguay explained. The uncertainty repeated delays and changes in the tramway plan caused, along with the rise in interest rates, inflation and construction costs, led to the decision to pull the plug, he said.

The Humaniti project replaced another ambitious plan called Le Phare, which had been proposed by Groupe Dallaire.

Coun. David Weiser, the city councillor for the Le Plateau district where the Humaniti site is located, told the QCT, “This is a clear demonstration of the negative impact that the delays caused by the provincial government concerning the tramway project have on both our city’s economic development and the housing crisis.”

Weiser, who also is the executive committee member responsible for economic development, said, despite the termination of Humaniti, “We are confident that a real estate developer will propose a new project on that exceptional property.”

That’s a sentiment echoed by Dallaire. “It’s the gateway to the city. I’m convinced that we won’t have any problem finding people to do a large- scale project.”

With the CAQ government recently giving the green light to planning and construction of Phase 1, which includes the route on Boul. Laurier, a clear decision could be forthcoming on the nature of the Ste-Foy exchange hub.

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No joke: Quebec City to get English ‘Just for Laughs’ show

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

No joke: Quebec City to get English ‘Just for Laughs’ show

Peter Black

Local Journalism Initiative reporter

peterblack@qctonline.com

Quebec City-based entertainment company ComediHa! is becoming Just for Laughs (Juste Pour Rire) under a rebranding plan announced Oct. 17. ComediHa! bought the financially troubled Montreal company in June.

Company founder and CEO Sylvain Parent-Bédard said in a statement, “After careful thought and analysis, I decided that the Quebec City festival should bear the name of Quebec’s favourite comedy brand, Just For Laughs – the province’s favourite entertainment brand along with Cirque du Soleil.”

As of next August, the popular ComediHa! festival in Quebec City will be called Festival Juste Pour Rire – Québec. Parent-Bedard said, “The festival will also feature an impressive English-language lineup to welcome an increasingly diverse audience from around the world.”

The various ventures of former ComediHa! and Just for Laughs will be consolidated under a new umbrella company called Just for Entertainment Group/Groupe Juste pour divertir.

Among the assets of the company are Just for Laughs branded festivals in Bermuda, Toronto, Vancouver and Sydney, Australia. The company said, “Other major international cities will soon be announced as part of the brand’s new strategic plan.”

The statement says, “This new chapter for the festival is testament to Parent-Bédard’s strong commitment to the Quebec City community and underscores the city’s potential as a dynamic cultural hub ready to shine on the international stage.”

Parent-Bédard previously told the QCT he takes some personal satisfaction in taking over Just for Laughs because he started his company after the Montreal comedy outfit rejected his idea of mounting a festival in the Quebec capital.

The company says with the newly created Just For Entertainment company, which employs 200 permanent and 6,000 temporary workers, “our brands and products now captivate hundreds of millions of viewers around the world via our broadcast partners, festivals, social media and digital platforms, which are followed by over 70 million engaged fans and have accumulated over 100 billion views so far.”

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Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Campaign begins Oct. 25

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Royal Canadian Legion Poppy Campaign begins Oct. 25

Ruby Pratka, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

editor@qctonline.com

Over the next two weeks, poppy boxes will begin popping up in shopping malls, box stores and coffee shops across the region as the Royal Canadian Legion 2024 Poppy Campaign gets underway. The campaign begins Oct. 25 and runs until Remembrance Day, Nov. 11.

Richard Roger is the poppy campaign director for Branch 265 of the Legion, based in Sainte-Foy, which covers the Quebec City region. He said that in the past few years, the Legion has run into challenges running the Poppy Campaign, due to a lack of volunteers and fewer business owners offering to distribute poppies to their customers and collect donations. “There are still volunteers [who hand out poppies in person] in major stores or at the Château Frontenac on weekends,” he said. In recent years, local cadet corps members and their parents have handed out poppies, along with veterans, their spouses, family members and friends.

Roger, who is a veteran, said he took “great pride” in seeing people wearing poppy pins around town. The poppy “says that people recognize our sacrifices and are supporting us,” he said.

“In Quebec, in past years, Remembrance Day was less taught in schools, but more and more schools have requested speakers in classrooms and entered the Legion’s national poem and poster competitions,” Roger said. “The English-speaking schools participate more, maybe because parents and teachers have heard about [in-school Remembrance Day events] from elsewhere in Canada.” He speculated that seeing soldiers help out during wildfires, floods, COVID outbreaks and ice storms in Canada in recent years has made the military’s contribution more obvious to Canadian civilians. “In those communities [where the army helped evacuate wildfire and flood survivors], I don’t think we’ll have any trouble handing out poppies,” he said.

Roger said Branch 265 raised more than $80,000 after expenses from the 2023 Poppy Campaign, of which about $33,000 went to organizations providing support to veterans, such as the Maison Paul-Triquet seniors’ home, more than $15,000 went to scholarships for the children and grandchildren of veterans and $5,000 went to veterans and their families in immediate need. Local cadet corps also received funds. Thousands of poppies appeared on scarves and lapels across the region.

“Wearing the poppy is a way to keep people’s memories alive, to respond to the sacrifices made in Korea, in Afghanistan, in Bosnia. During the two weeks before Remembrance Day, that’s our time,” said Roger’s colleague, André Lavallée, also a veteran, who is co-ordinating this year’s Remembrance Day ceremony at the Cross of Sacrifice.

“If we stop wearing the poppy, in 10 years, people will forget,” Roger said.

Grande Allée to close for Nov. 11 ceremony

Lavallée said the traditional ceremony will take place once again in front of the Cross of Sacrifice on Grande Allée, starting at 10 a.m. on Nov. 11.

“Grande Allée will be closed from 9:30 onward, [soldiers] will march down from the Citadelle, there will be prayers and a wreath-laying by federal and provincial dignitaries, dip- lomats and civilian groups,” he said. A cannon will be fired at 11 a.m., to mark the armistice which ended the First World War, signed at 11 a.m. on Nov. 11, 1918. A flypast by military helicopters is also planned, weather permitting. “It is a public ceremony; the best place to watch is on the north side of Grande Allée in front of the National Assembly,” Lavallée said.

“If you are a veteran and you want to participate in the ceremony, there are two buses that will bring people from the Legion hall on Boul. Hamel to Grande Allée and back,” said Lavallée. “After the ceremony, if people would like to stop by the Legion hall and have a coffee and a chat, they’re very welcome.”

Branch 265 looking for new home

In addition to the poppy campaign, Branch 265 is also running a Chase the Ace lottery to raise money for a larger hall. “We’ve rented the current hall on Boul. Hamel for the last 10 or so years, and we’d love to be owners and to have a bigger space. We are starting to have more people show up at our activities, which is a good problem to have, but if we have 60 people coming to a supper, it gets a bit tight. We want to be able to welcome everyone,” Lavallée said.

To learn more about the Legion, find out where to get a poppy in your neighbourhood, volunteer with the Poppy Campaign, attend the Remembrance Day ceremony as a veteran, involve your school or cadet corps in Remembrance activities, buy Chase the Ace tickets or contribute to the Jean-Charles Forbes Fund to support Branch 265’s relocation, call 581-742-9267 or email coquelicotlegion265@outlook.com.

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MNBAQ presents Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection

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MNBAQ presents Early Days: Indigenous Art from the McMichael Canadian Art Collection

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

Early Days: Indigenous Art from The McMichael Canadian Art Collection at the Musée National des Beaux-arts du Québec (MNBAQ) shines the spotlight on First Nations art. Until April 21, this exhibition displays 110 works of art by 50 artists from 13 nations across Canada.

The moment visitors to the museum enter the main hall, they are drawn to the welcoming mural of words and phrases in various Indigenous languages. Behind the glass doors, they will find creative and intriguing works of art spanning from the 18th century to the present day.

“This exhibition is a wonderful opportunity to strengthen [our] ties with the Huron- Wendat Nation community,” said MNBAQ director general Jean-Luc Murray. “This exhibition reflects the museum’s desire and actions to ensure better representation of First Nations, Inuit and Métis artists in the museum’s exhibitions and collections.”

Early Days allows visitors to take in art by the lesser- known artistic communities of First Nations across Canada. “These are large sections of art history that people have tried to remove from museums,” said Ève-Lyne Beaudry, director of collections and research at the MNBAQ. “We are part of a won- derful and fortunate trend that is rising in popularity in the museum world to rediscover this history. When we put this exhibition together, we chose not to display the works in a linear aspect. Everything is mixed up, with old and new pieces often placed side-by- side,” said Ève-Lyne Beaudry, director of collections and research at the MNBAQ.

To bring history and context to these works of art, Abenaki columnist, actor and exhibition spokesperson Xavier Watso is the voice of the audio guide. Through him, visitors will hear the eloquent tales behind the works and discover the 20 stops of Early Days, the major themes and key works and artists. Among the 50 artists, visitors will find works by Dana Claxton (Wood Moun- tain Lakota), Duane Linklater (Omaskêko Ininiwak), Faye HeavyShield (Káínawa), Caro- line Monnet (Anishinabeg and French) and Annie Pootoogook (Inuit) among others. One section is completely dedicated to women artists.

For more information, visit mnbaq.org.

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Quebec City celebrates street art and artists with Réverbère

Local Journalism Initiative / / / ,

Quebec City celebrates street art and artists with Réverbère

Cassandra Kerwin, Local Journalism Initiative reporter

cassandra@qctonline.com

During Thanksgiving weekend, the heart of Old Quebec City pulsed with performances by street artists at the first edition of Réverbère. Inspired by late 19th- and early 20th- century Parisian artists who performed under street lamps at that magical time when day turns to night, the Ville de Québec funded over 200 acts by 80 local and European artists from Oct. 11 to 14.

As the sun set over the Jardins de l’Hôtel-de-Ville on Oct.11, Mayor Bruno Marchand inaugurated Réverbère. “With an investment of $400,000, this weekend, we are encouraging our street performers. They live among us and we must sup- port them. We are super proud of this event and to encourage these highly talented, skilled and entertaining artists,” he said. “Every event contributes to the vitality of Quebec City. A city without cultural events is a city without a soul. It is a city that does not share its culture.

“Street art has always been free to the public. It is im- portant that it remains that way,” said Marchand. “Quebec City has numerous theatres and performance halls where performers from here and elsewhere come to perform for which we have to pay. It is fun to have free activities like these, especially in these difficult economic times for families.” He continued, “I am so excited to invite the people of Quebec and thousands of tourists to discover and watch our performers in eight locations.”

Even before the mayor began speaking, street performers had already begun entertaining the public. Dressed as oversized vegetables turned Renaissance aristocrats with colourful, illuminated outfits, the group Louve put on the charming and funny improvisation act Les Follies Potagères. While passersby were mesmerized by their act, another couple wandered by – Charlot and Edna (a.k.a. Charlie Chaplin and Edna Purveyance). The Transcontinental Tricycles then pedalled in with blazing horns attached to their rear wheels.  It was a challenge to follow each act.

Across the street at Place de l’Hôtel-de-Ville, Julia Perron Laflamme attracted a large crowd with her act, Plaf! She performed acrobatics with a circus wheel and pyrotechnics, drawing oohs and aahs. In front of the City Hall steps, Imagicario stilt-walkers dressed as human street lamps for their silent act, Parédolïa. There was all this and so much more throughout the weekend from Place D’Youville to the Château Frontenac.

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