Sarah Rennie

Experienced candidates to stump for the Bloc Québécois

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Claude DeBellefeuille launched her seventh election campaign on April 3 in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield with her eyes set on a fifth term in Ottawa – this time representing the Beauharnois-Salaberry-Soulanges-Huntingdon (BSSH) riding. 

DeBellefeuille said she was motivated by the positive energy in the crowd of over 150 supporters as she took to the stage at the Microbrasserie du Vieux Canal, referring to this election as one of the most significant in her 19-year career as a politician. She thanked her team, her family, including her father, René, who looked on proudly, her supporters, and the 150 volunteers working on her campaign. 

A social worker by training, DeBellefeuille has worked as the director general for the Centre d’Action Bénévole de Valleyfield, and with the Centre Intégré de Santé et Services Sociaux de la Montérégie Ouest (CISSSMO). She was first elected to parliament as an MP between 2006 and 2011, where she held various responsibilities within the Bloc Québécois as deputy critic for agriculture and agri-food, as critic for natural resources, and culture and heritage critic. She was appointed as the party’s deputy whip in 2008, and chief whip in 2010.

DeBellefeuille reprised her role as whip after she was re-elected in 2019 and in 2021. After stepping down from the position in December 2024, she most recently took on the role of public security and civil protection critic within her party.

Since announcing her candidacy, DeBellefeuille has spoken out in support of protecting supply management and agriculture in trade agreements, promising this would be the subject of the first bill proposed by the Bloc Québécois as soon as parliament reconvenes following the election in June. “During international negotiations, all countries can protect a certain number of products, and we must ensure that our dairy, eggs, and poultry are not affected,” she insists, noting there are more than 1,000 farms and over 2,000 agricultural producers in the BSSH riding. “It is a pillar of the Quebec agricultural model, and we must not give anything up,” she says, referring to anticipated trade negotiations with the U.S. administration.

DeBellefeuille has also promised to defend and protect the economic interests of small and medium-sized businesses in the riding in the context of the trade war with the United States. “In the coming weeks, I will be criss-crossing the constituency to remind people that it is inconceivable to abandon Quebec’s specific economic interests in the context of negotiations with our American neighbors,” she says, noting entrepreneurs are already feeling the impact of tariffs.

The experienced candidate has been meeting with entrepreneurs, most recently during the annual general assembly for the Association des Gens d’Affaires d’Ormstown et des Environs on April 1, to gain a better understanding of the impacts being experienced on the ground. She is also working with the different economic development departments at local MRCs and is part of a monitoring committee initiated by Développement Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

“Since the election of Donald Trump, the world we live in has changed. In the face of the tariff threats and the difficult negotiations to come, the danger is that Canada’s economic interests will be prioritized over Quebec economic sectors,” she explains, noting “It is the Bloc Québécois that defends our workers, our businesses, our farmers, and our seniors.”

Châteauguay-Les Jardins-de-Napierville

Patrick O’Hara opened his campaign headquarters on March 29 in Chateauguay, where he is running for the second time representing the Bloc Québécois.

O’Hara was born in British Columbia and was adopted by a family of farmers who eventually settled on Montreal’s North Shore. It was a passion for hockey that first led O’Hara to discover Chateauguay. It was here that he opened his first business before joining the La Cage aux Sports group, where he worked as a shareholder-operator in Saint-Constant for several years. Eventually he joined the Chateauguay-based distributor Entreprises Robert Thibert as vice-president of business development, marketing, and public relations for North America.

O’Hara has also played an important role in the community, serving on the board of directors for the Fondation Gisèle Faubert in Mercier, the Centre Horizon in Léry, and the Fondation Anna-Laberge in Chateauguay.

In 2021, O’Hara lost the election to Liberal incumbent Brenda Shanahan by 12 votes following a judicial recount. He says he is returning with the same determination to become an MP “who is close to the people of this constituency that I love so much.”

Experienced candidates to stump for the Bloc Québécois Read More »

Two engineers run for the Liberals 

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Liberal candidate Nathalie Provost launched her campaign to represent the Châteauguay-Les Jardins-de-Napierville riding on March 29, while inaugurating her campaign offices in Chateauguay in the presence of volunteers and supporters.

An engineer and gun control advocate, Provost was among the survivors of the 1989 École Polytechnique shootings who founded the PolySeSouvient advocacy group. Her work as an activist for gun control and the prevention of violence against women and children led her to serve as vice-chair of the Canadian Firearms Registry from 2017 to 2019. She now holds senior management positions in the civil service of the Quebec government, where she is currently on leave from her position with the Ministère de l’Environnement, de la Lutte Contre les Changements Climatiques, de la Faune et des Parcs.

The mother of four young adults, Provost has maintained close ties with the Châteauguay-Les Jardins-de-Napierville riding both professionally and through family connections. She says the riding is similar to her hometown in the Berthier-Maskinongé region, which is also very agricultural. “It is the same environment in which I was born,” she says, noting she is very comfortable in both the rural and urban worlds.

Provost is also very aware that her riding runs along the border and that security and trade issues are very important. “I worked with my counterparts in my past job with New York State representatives and I know we can work together and that the quality of our relationship with our neighbors. Even if it’s very, very strange at the higher levels right now, we have to work on the ground,” she says.

She adds that she is pushing the Liberal Party to talk about the issues facing the farming community. “We are talking about industrialization, we are talking about productivity, but we are not really talking about agriculture,” she points out.

Provost insists that if elected, she will make sure the voices of those from the southern part of the region, including the municipalities that until very recently were counted as part of the former Salaberry-Suroît riding, will be heard in Ottawa. She says it will be important despite the vast territory covered by the riding. “With the pandemic, we learned to work with distance,” she explains, noting that accessibility is a priority for her campaign.

Beauharnois-Salaberry-Soulanges-Huntingdon

A soon-to-be engineer has thrown his hat in the ring for the Liberal party in the Beauharnois-Salaberry-Soulanges-Huntingdon riding. Miguel Perras is a third-year mechanical engineering student at the École Polytechnique in Montreal, where he is involved in the university debate club and parliamentary simulations.

The 21-year-old says that while his candidacy may be somewhat unconventional, he is driven by a “strong desire to represent my region and defend the issues that affect our daily lives.”

Perras grew up on a small family farm where he says he learned the value of hard work, resilience, and commitment. He says that having worked on both the factory floor and in engineering offices within the metallurgy industry, he has seen the impacts of the economic conditions created by current trade relations.

He joined the Liberal party, but suggests he believes many of the issues facing the region transcend party lines. Perras admits that while he had always planned on becoming more directly involved with politics, he did not think the day would come so soon.

Two engineers run for the Liberals  Read More »

Hinchinbrooke debuts new hockey installation, has plans for b-ball and dek

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The ice hockey season has officially come to an end at the new rink at Athelstan Park in Hinchinbrooke. The marks on the boards suggest the installation was well-used over the winter, and that bodes well for the upcoming dek hockey season this summer.

Firefighters and members of the public works department worked diligently from late December to maintain the ice surface on the municipality’s new installation. The cold winter allowed for good ice over several weeks as skating parties, pick-up hockey, and broomball games developed organically around the new equipment.

“The council is ecstatic with the turnout and is hoping we will have the same results this summer for the basketball nets and dek hockey,” says Hinchinbrooke director general Adam Antonopoulos.

After the municipality installed new playground equipment in Athelstan Park as well as in Davignon Park a few years ago, Antonopoulos noted that citizens began to ask questions about additional structures. He suggested installing dek hockey equipment with a multi-sport surface that could be used year-round.

The council was on board, and Antonopoulos began searching for grants. The municipality received just under $114,000 from the provincial government as well as $100,000 from the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent through the Fonds Régions et Ruralité (FRR) – volet 4: Soutien à la Vitalisation et à la Coopération Intermunicipale program, in partnership with the Ministère des Affaires Municipales et de l’Habitation.

“Everyone thought it was a very good project that would benefit pretty much all the neighbouring municipalities,” says Antonopoulos, who notes the municipality has contributed around ten per cent of the final costs.

Delays in the fall almost prevented the installation from being ready this winter. “We are fortunate that the installers were able to get the material and put it up before, you know, our big first freeze,” he says.

The installation is mostly complete. The lights have been installed, and the permanent playing surface is scheduled to be installed this spring along with player benches. 

A second phase, for which the municipality is currently applying for funding, includes upgrades to the small building in the park known locally as the “snack shack.” A new building would serve as a changing room and include bathroom facilities, a rest area, and storage. Cyclists and tourists would also be able to benefit from the rest area and public washrooms during the summer.

Access to water on site would also allow the municipality to flood the rink in winter without having to use a tanker from the fire department. Antonopoulos acknowledges the hard work and time invested by local firefighters and the public works crew to remove the snow and flood the ice. “It was used so much that we had to ice it quite often,” he adds.

Antonopoulos is looking forward to the summer. The park is already used for community softball and T-ball activities. “We had basketball nets with some asphalt, but it was getting pretty tired,” he explains. “It was a nice way to add something without subtracting anything,” he adds.

The infrastructure is available and accessible to the public. “I think the turnout is going to continue and people are going to use it. That’s what it is there for, so people get out and get active,” says Antonopoulos.

Hinchinbrooke debuts new hockey installation, has plans for b-ball and dek Read More »

La Bouffe Additionnelle to benefit from a second cookie campaign

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

La Bouffe Additionnelle is partnering with the Huntingdon Tim Hortons once again for this spring’s Smile Cookie campaign running from April 28 to May 4. The Huntingdon-based food pantry has been selected as the beneficiary organization for a second time, following the successful cookie drive organized last fall.

Marine Mailloux, the new director at La Bouffe Additionnelle, says they hope to raise $10,000 through the partnership, where 100 per cent of cookie sales will go towards sustaining the organization’s delivery services as demand for food aid keeps rising.

“La Bouffe continues to see new families and individuals, with between two and four new files being opened each week,” Mailloux says, noting the increasing cost of living and groceries is making it more difficult for people to access enough food.

“We are committed to meeting this growing need, and to providing adequate food to those in need,” she adds, while suggesting the current situation emphasizes the significant role played by the organization within the Haut-Saint-Laurent and neighbouring communities.

Mailloux recognizes the efforts of former director Sylvie Racette and her dedication to broadening the food pantry’s reach. “We share the same vision for the future of La Bouffe,” she explains. “Sylvie and the team’s objective was to set up new food access points in other municipalities in the MRC, and I intend to continue in this direction,” she says, adding that she is hoping to develop a solidarity grocery store where people can select food items according to their needs and preferences.

In the meantime, the organization continues to rely on donations and fundraising such as the Time Horton’s Smile Cookie campaign, to ensure it continues to respond to the community’s growing needs on a regular and sustainable basis.

La Bouffe Additionnelle to benefit from a second cookie campaign Read More »

Ministry gives over $172,000 for cultural development in the Huntingdon riding

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Ministère de la Culture et des Communications is investing $172,499 in the cultural development of the Huntingdon riding.

Huntingdon MNA Carole Mallette made the announcement on behalf of Quebec Culture Minister Mathieu Lacombe on March 24, noting the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent will receive $78,354 while the MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville will see $94,145 in cultural investments.

The funds have been granted through the Ententes de Développement Culturel Municipales et Régionales, which will provide funding over a three-year period ending in March 2027.

“I am particularly pleased with our government’s support for the cultural initiatives led by our MRCs,” said Mallette, while pointing out that the development of cultural initiatives contributes to the region’s vitality.

The funds granted through the cultural development agreements are generally 50 per cent co-financed by the municipalities and MRCs, but this can reach as high as 60 per cent in devitalized regions.

In the Haut-Saint-Laurent, $18,000 will be used to create participative musical workshops for seniors living in long-term care residences. At least $42,549 will be used for cultural development initiatives including an update to the MRC’s cultural policy, as well as the creation of video capsules and workshops to promote the work of area artists. A cultural heritage project highlighting four cemeteries in Havelock with informative panels will receive $17,805 in funding as well through this agreement.

Nancy Brunelle, the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent’s cultural coordinator, said she is pleased with the amounts accorded in the agreement. She confirms the MRC will contribute $58,000 towards the completion of these initiatives.

The MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville will dedicate $30,000 of this funding toward the development of cultural activities for seniors, while $42,549 will be used to for cultural development projects. At least $6,677 will be spent on cultural heritage initiatives, while $14,919 will be used to develop youth-oriented projects within the MRC.

Ministry gives over $172,000 for cultural development in the Huntingdon riding Read More »

Unionized CPE workers extend strike, prepare for walkout

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Early childhood educators affiliated with the Fédération de la Santé et des Services Sociaux (FSSS-CSN) demonstrated in Huntingdon on April 4, having extended what was to have been a three-day strike for an additional two days this week.

Sylvie Brunet, the union representative at the Kaleidoscope CPE in Hinchinbrooke, says that while the government is offering a 17.4 per cent salary increase and bonuses for those working in the regions, “Everything is a bit exaggerated.”

“You have to read the small print,” Brunet explains, noting the current offer includes several concessions for CPE workers in terms of holidays, and remuneration for work done when children are not present. “Instead of encouraging our young people to study in this field, with better conditions because it is still the least paid of all diplomas, they are going to force us to work more hours,” she laments.

Treasury Board president Sonia LeBel reiterated last week that the contract terms on the table are “generous and fair,” while noting the CSQ and FTQ unions have already accepted the government’s offer.

Brunet says negotiations were scheduled to take place on April 4, and that union negotiators were prepared to continue if there were signs of progress. She admitted however that the two sides remained far apart on key issues such as respectable salaries, reasonable workloads, and more support for children with special needs.

Brunet confirms that if a deal is not reached by April 8, the next step for CPE workers will be an unlimited walkout.

Unionized CPE workers extend strike, prepare for walkout Read More »

CPE workers demand greater respect for the profession

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

“There is a clear lack of recognition,” says Nancy Ashton, the general manager for the Abracadabra early childhood centre (CPE), concerning the provincial government’s disregard for CPE workers.

Ashton has worked 30 years in the local CPE network, including 19 years as a manager. In an open letter published to the CPE’s social media accounts, she says the province is “asking educational daycare services to make a difference more than ever but is not giving them the tools to do so.”

She says current work conditions for certified CPE educators have resulted in workers deserting the profession in droves to work in school environments, the health sector, or for private companies. “For our CPE, this represents five educators who have left us for the school network,” she says, noting the CPE workers associated with Abracadabra are not unionized.

“This network, which is predominantly female, was built by the efforts of these same women, who are still fighting today for recognition over the quality educational services offered to Quebec children,” Ashton explained, noting that CEGEPs are seeing a decline in registrations as young women look to other careers that offer better working conditions and higher starting salaries.

“It’s embarrassing,” she concedes, noting educators have told her they would make more money working at a day camp over the summer. “We can’t compete, and I can’t increase the salary,” she adds. “The level of quality that we are managing to maintain is impressive considering all the challenges we are facing,” she says. “The educators are magnificent, but it is difficult.”

Ashton says she understands the government is managing a tight budget, but the province still managed to rapidly settle contract talks with the Association de la Construction du Québec for more than 60 per cent of the industry. “If construction stops, they are stuck. But if an educator stops, well, it won’t be obvious right away. Parents will manage, but only up to a certain point,” she explains.

She says that while the CPE workers at Abracadabra will not be joining unionized workers on the picket line in the event of a general strike, they are planning to carry out smaller actions internally to raise awareness among parents and to encourage their workers.

CPE workers demand greater respect for the profession Read More »

AGAO+ announces two-year partnership with Desjardins

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Over 90 individuals attended the annual general assembly for the Association des Gens d’Affaires d’Ormstown et des Environs (AGAO+), which took place on April 1 at the Centre Agri-Culture in Ormstown.

The organization elected new directors and created a new position on the board dedicated to member relations, which will be filled by an AGAO+ founding member, Suzanne Hutchinson. The association expects to reach over 90 members this year and will continue to strengthen ties within the business community through networking and training workshops and activities. AGAO+ president Philippe Besombes says another objective for this year is to develop a major annual event for the association.

The administrative exercise was followed by a presentation by Sébastien Maisonneuve, general manager of the Caisse Desjardins du Haut-Saint-Laurent, who spoke about the bank’s services for small- and medium-sized businesses and organizations in light of current economic uncertainty.

The presentation included a brief address by Mitchell Leahy, the vice-president of Les Vergers Leahy, who spoke about the direct and indirect impacts of the economic conditions imposed by the U.S. administration, as well as counter-tariffs put in place by the Canadian government in retaliation, and the role of financial institutions in helping businesses to keep going in difficult times.

AGAO+ president Philippe Besombes then took the opportunity to announce that the association has signed a two-year partnership with the local Caisse Desjardins. The financial agreement will see Desjardins invest $7,500 per year for a total of $15,000 to help fund the organization’s activities which support the local business community. The funds will be used to offer resources, training, conferences, and networking activities for AGAO+ members.

“We are convinced that this collaboration will be beneficial not only for our respective members, but also for the community as a whole. Together, we will create opportunities and synergies that will contribute to a better future for the Haut-Saint-Laurent,” said Besombes and Maisonneuve in a joint statement following the event.

AGAO+ announces two-year partnership with Desjardins Read More »

Bill 40: Vindication for NFSB after appeals court sides with school boards

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

John Ryan, the chair of the New Frontiers School Board Council of Commissioners, says a recent decision by the Quebec Court of Appeal on Bill 40 is reason to celebrate.

In a ruling issued on April 3, the appeals court upheld a previous Superior Court judgement that found many provisions of Bill 40, which aimed to amend the Education Act regarding school organization and governance, are unconstitutional.

The Quebec English School Boards Association (QESBA), along with the nine school boards including the NFSB, challenged the legislation after it was introduced in 2020. The bill brought profound changes to the way primary and secondary schools are governed in the province, largely by transforming school boards into service centres. QESBA argued that the bill infringed on Section 23 of the Canadian Charter of Rights and Freedoms, which gives linguistic minority communities the right to manage and control education services.

QESBA president Joe Ortona says the association is thrilled that the rights of the English-speaking community have once again been recognized. “We truly hope that the government will decide not to take this crystal-clear decision of the Quebec Court of Appeal to the Supreme Court of Canada in Ottawa,” he adds.

The ruling, which was issued by judges Robert M. Mainville, Christine Baudouin, and Judith Harvie, essentially upholds the findings of constitutional invalidity included in the 2023 ruling issued by Superior Court judge Sylvain Lussier.

The case focused on the scope of the rights guaranteed by Section 23 of the charter, and who can exercise these rights. The Court of Appeal agreed that Bill 40 severely limits the abilities of the English-speaking community to choose representatives and to determine how government funding is used. The ruling also broadens the definition of rights holders to include “all individuals comprising the linguistic minority,” after the government argued that only parents of students enrolled in English-language institutions held these rights.

“It is as big, if not bigger than the Lussier judgement we received,” says Ryan, who refers to the ruling as a vindication. “It is a very strong judgement,” he adds, noting that both sides are now reviewing the 86-page document. “We have to dissect it, understand it, internalize it, and then look at our relationship with the government as school boards and how we can work together,” he explains.

“We were told one of the reasons that it worked well was the tremendous amount of work put into the original case,” Ryan says. “The work was very strong, and it was a well-argued case,” he adds, before noting that while they were confident in their arguments, the outcome could have gone the other way.

“It shows the value of citizenship, the value of participating in a democracy, and standing up for things when they are not going right,” says Ryan. “It reinforces the value of truth,” he continues, “and we need that today for obvious reasons.”

Bill 40: Vindication for NFSB after appeals court sides with school boards Read More »

UPA requests more transparency from MRC over waterway management

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

As the annual spring flood waters receded from agricultural fields this past week, the subject of waterway management and the significance of well-maintained ditches and waterways was once again top of mind for some area producers.

Waterway management became a hot topic between the local syndicate of the Union des Producteurs Agricoles (UPA) and the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent last September, when the local union passed a resolution calling for better management of the region’s waterways.

The resolution demanded better collaboration with the MRC, the municipalities, and the provincial government to ensure requests to clear waterways are addressed and the corresponding work is done according to a reasonable schedule. The union also asked that the MRC provide a complete overview of pending watercourse maintenance files.

The MRC, which is responsible for managing all assessments, as well as any work to maintain, clean, and develop the waterways flowing through its territory, has acknowledged there can be long delays, but suggests the process is bogged down by the administrative and technical complexity of government procedures.

An initial meeting took place between the MRC and representatives from the Haut-Saint-Laurent syndicate in early November. Unsatisfied with the information that was shared, the UPA resorted to submitting a formal access to information request to the MRC.

Following a decision by local union directors, a complaint was also filed with the Ministère des Affaires Municipales et de l’Habitation; however, this was later withdrawn.

The situation led to some friction between the two bodies, but the Haut-Saint-Laurent UPA’s president, Éric Leboeuf, noted at the February meeting that the union is working to rebuild the relationship. MRC director general Pierre Caza said the MRC is also “keen to maintain good relations with all its partners and collaborators.”

Catherine Turgeon, the UPA advisor for the local syndicate, confirms that the MRC has since produced a portrait of its ongoing waterway management files. “Now, it is a question of seeing how the MRC works with the engineering firms and the environment ministry so that the requests are unblocked and carried out within a reasonable timeframe,” she explained.

Turgeon noted that the MRC’s list of open maintenance requests contained around twenty files, some dating back to as early as 2018.

Caza has confirmed that the list of ongoing files will be made public, and that the regional government is currently developing a tool that will allow producers to follow the progress of their maintenance requests.

Caza said that in the meantime, questions regarding existing files should be addressed to the MRC’s waterways manager, David Rousseau. The MRC is also now suggesting that producers address new requests directly to Rousseau, who will then collaborate with the municipalities involved.

UPA requests more transparency from MRC over waterway management Read More »

Blazers football program receives $25,000 from NFL Canada

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Howard S. Billings (HSB) High School football team has been selected as one of three squads from across the country to receive a $25,000 grant from NFL Canada.

Over 500 teams applied for the NFL Forward Pass grants. The Blazers received the funding as part of an initiative by NFL Canada, which is an extension of the National Football League north of the border, to support the growth and development of the game among Canadian youth. The two other finalists are the North Winnipeg Nomads and the Peel Panthers from Brampton.

Jaclyn LaForce of NFL Canada says the funding program was designed to promote the game at the community level, including tackle and flag football, and to make the sport more accessible to families. She says the application submitted on behalf of the Blazers stood out because Howard S. Billings had been forced to shutter its football program nearly 50 years ago.

The Chateauguay-based school reinstated the program last year to a very warm community reception. “Their application really demonstrated that football is more than just a game,” says LaForce. “We recognize it is tough for parents and for schools to keep these programs running with the rising cost of everything. We want to eliminate some of those barriers where we can,” she explains.

Along with the grant, NFL Canada is planning on visiting the winning teams for a sponsored tailgate experience for the players and their communities.

Football is a familiar sport for New Frontiers School Board director general Mike Helm, who played at the university level before starting his career in education. He says the administration at HSB was looking for more opportunities to engage their students.

The program was restarted for older students at first because there is already a community-level junior football program in Chateauguay. “It made sense that we could offer the program without hurting the community team,” he explains, noting over 45 players joined this past season.

Helm says that over 1,000 fans took in the homecoming game, and around 500 people were regularly coming out to games throughout the season. “That is the powerful part of football!” he exclaims, while describing how the program has brought the community together. “The students are seeing and experiencing this sense of pride and respect. That is something that will last with them forever.”

Due to its popularity and the added financial support from NFL Canada, HSB is planning to expand its program and run a younger team next season as well. Helm says the school is anticipating that, with the two teams, at least 80 students will hit the field.

“They walk around with pride in their jerseys and once they are part of the team, they look out for one another,” says Helm, pointing out that this leads to more engagement and positive influences that can help orient students in a more positive direction.

Blazers football program receives $25,000 from NFL Canada Read More »

Renovation projects to go ahead at NFSB schools

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

A government directive to cut over $510,000 from its operational budget will not keep the New Frontiers School Board (NFSB) from completing some much-needed renovations at area schools over the summer.

Four summer projects under the Building Maintenance Measure were approved during the February 4 meeting of the NFSB council of commissioners. The investments total over $3.88 million at the two regional high schools as well as two elementary schools.

These include plans for washroom renovations at Chateauguay Valley Regional High School in Ormstown that are expected to cost $646,300 before taxes, as well as a fourth phase of interior renovations at Ormstown Elementary School estimated at $664,985.

The third phase of a project to replace windows and doors at Howard S. Billings High School in Chateauguay was approved at a cost of $1,243,324, while a second phase of renovations at Hemmingford Elementary School expected to cost around $1,327,494 will take place over the summer.

The chair of the NFSB council of commissioners, John Ryan, says the projects were chosen because they were highest on the priority list. “It is a considerable investment,” he acknowledges, while admitting the envelope is smaller than in previous years.

“We still have a budget in terms of upgrading our buildings. We are trying to get them up to that satisfactory level across the system,” says NFSB director general Mike Helm. “We are doing the most that we can with the money that we have,” he maintains.

Other areas of spending on buildings have, however, been affected by government cuts to education. Proposals for expansion projects at Gault Institute in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield and at one of the four Chateauguay elementary schools, as well as the Chateauguay Valley Career Education Centre, are all on hold. “I don’t anticipate that we will hear anything on these until the fall,” Helm concedes. “2025-2026 will be status quo for us in terms of those projects that are required.”

Renovation projects to go ahead at NFSB schools Read More »

Saint-Anicet mayor in Washington with Canada/U.S. delegation

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Saint-Anicet mayor Gino Moretti joined over 30 other mayors from both Canada and the United States in Washington D.C. earlier this month as part of a Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative delegation participating in Great Lakes Day.

The delegation, which also included the mayors of Montreal, Laval, and Quebec City, and several more from Ontario, participated in over 20 meetings with congressional leaders, senior United States administration officials, and business representatives.

The mayors worked to promote the protection of the Great Lakes and the St. Lawrence River watershed, while advocating for a strong Canada-U.S. trade relationship. Members also reiterated the Cities Initiative’s opposition to tariffs imposed on Canadian goods entering the United States.

The organization recently passed a resolution opposing blanket tariffs on Canadian imports while calling on the two federal governments to “institute relief measures for affected municipalities, recognizing the need to protect workers, businesses, and local economies from the consequences of a trade war.”

Moretti is the co-chair of the Cities Initiative, which brings together more than 270 member municipalities, cities, and Indigenous leaders that make up the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence River region. The delegation arrived in Washington D.C. on March 5 for an afternoon of congressional meetings followed by a reception at the Canadian Embassy, which was attended by Kirsten Hillman, the Canadian ambassador to the United States.

The following day included a congressional breakfast followed by more meetings, receptions, and roundtables. The trip concluded on March 7 with a breakfast at the Residence of the Ambassador to France, and a press conference where delegates repeated the importance of bilateral trade partnerships between the two countries.

Moretti describes the relationship with the United States as strong and multifaceted, but not without challenges. “Trade issues, energy policies, and environmental issues require constant attention and ongoing cooperation,” he said. “However, the resilience of this bilateral relationship rests on a solid foundation of mutual respect, shared interests, and open dialogue.”

This was not the first trip to the American capital for Moretti this year. He was in Washington as a guest speaker at the United States Conference of Mayors, just days before Donald Trump’s inauguration.

Moretti believes very strongly in the significance of mayors. “We are on the ground, and we know what is needed,” he expressed, while noting it is important that mayors take on an active role in representing their region.

Moretti says mayors of larger cities have sometimes admired how active he is on both sides of the border. “I say we have to be, if we want to make sure we prosper. We can’t wait until we are confronted by an obstacle. Then we don’t know what to do.”

Saint-Anicet mayor in Washington with Canada/U.S. delegation Read More »

Summer job funding increases slightly but still falls short

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Salaberry-Suroît MP Claude DeBellefeuille says the Canada Summer Jobs envelope allocated to the riding once again falls short of the demand.

In a letter to applicants within the current Salaberry-Suroît riding, DeBellefeuille announced that the available funds for this season have been pegged at $812,000. She points out this represents only a slight increase over the $806,791 that was allocated in 2024.

DeBellefeuille expressed her disappointment, noting that the federal government’s allotment for the program does not meet the funding requests made for 2025, which total $1,179,179.

“It is the region’s young people who will suffer, as they will be deprived of many job opportunities,” DeBellefeuille lamented, while pointing out she disagrees with the decision. “We are currently making representations to inform the minister responsible of the needs within our communities,” she concluded.

Local businesses and organizations who responded to the program can expect to receive a notification soon regarding the status of their application.

According to Employment and Social Development Canada, last year’s funding helped to create 161 summer positions with 88 different businesses and organizations in Salaberry-Suroît.

In the neighbouring riding of Chateauguay-Lacolle, 68 businesses and organizations received a share of $752,091, which led to the creation of 204 jobs.

Across Quebec, at least 14,620 jobs were created through the Canada Summer Jobs program last year at a cost of $61,612,035. The program covers between 50 to 100 per cent of wages for full time employees for up to 16 weeks.

Summer job funding increases slightly but still falls short Read More »

MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent wins Superior Court battle over Port-Lewis wharf

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

A Quebec Superior Court judge has rejected a request by the municipalities of Elgin, Saint-Anicet, and the town of Huntingdon to annul a set of resolutions adopted by the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent that transfer Port-Lewis wharf usufruct rights to a private business.

The March 11 ruling, which was issued by Judge Catherine Dagenais, confirms that the MRC was within its rights to transfer user rights for the wharf to the Marina Port-Lewis, and that the procedures employed to do this were completely legal.

The MRC has owned the wharf and the access ramp since 1990 when it was transferred to the regional municipal authority by the federal government. The wharf, which provides access to Lake Saint-François, has always been enjoyed for free by the public.

In December 2020, the MRC first announced it had reached an agreement in principle with Marina Port-Lewis regarding the use of the wharf for a period of 30 years. At the time, the MRC argued that the agreement served to maintain the MRC’s ownership of the property while protecting the financial capacity of the residents and taxpayers of all 13 municipalities in the MRC. The agreement also supported the region’s economic development.

Concerns over the agreement were brought up by residents during numerous council meetings prior to the signing of the agreement. The MRC prefect and mayor of Sainte-Barbe, Louise Lebrun, insisted the MRC had “heard and listened to the representations of citizens and elected officials of the Haut-Saint-Laurent in order to reach a decision that protects their interests.”

A set of resolutions was then adopted by the MRC in February 2021, authorizing the removal of the wharf from the public domain and the signing of a deed transferring the right of usufruct between the MRC and the marina for one dollar.

A usufruct generally refers to the right to enjoy the use and advantages of a given property with conditions; in this case, the marina was given the right to use the wharf for a period of 30 years. The agreement included an obligation to maintain the wharf and carry out any major repairs. It also guarantees that free public access to the wharf will be maintained.

At the end of the 30-year term, the MRC will regain ownership of the wharf, as well as any renovations carried out by the marina.

A motion was filed in Superior Court against the MRC in October 2021 by the municipalities of Saint-Anicet, where the wharf is located, as well as the municipality of Elgin and the town of Huntingdon. The municipalities requested that the resolutions be annulled as well as the deed of transfer between the MRC and the Marina Port-Lewis.

The municipalities argued that the usufruct contravened article 6.1 of the Municipal Code of Quebec as well as the Municipal Aid Prohibition Act. Questions were also raised about whether the wharf could have been withdrawn from the public domain, and whether the municipalities brought their case to court within a reasonable time frame.

The court disagreed, concluding instead that “The usufruct does not contravene article 6.1 of the Municipal Code, and there is no reason to declare the resolutions and usufruct null and void.”

The ruling was also quite unequivocal in rejecting the municipalities’ claim that the usufruct broke the law by subsidizing the marina’s business in allowing the wharf to be used for commercial activities over the next 30 years without charging rent.

The court pointed out the marina is subject to numerous charges and conditions as part of the agreement signed by the MRC, including all major repairs and renovations during the 30-year period.

The judge noted that as of April 2022, the marina had already spent just over $19,795 on renovations and improvements including parking spaces, streetlamps and lighting, the installation of a dock at the descent, and the construction of six terraces.

The marina must also continue to allow free public access to the property. Emergency services, including police, fire departments, ambulances, and first responders, must also be able to always access the wharf. The MRC has formed a monitoring committee to ensure the right of public access to the wharf is upheld.

The court determined that all procedures to remove the property from the public to the private domain were followed through the adoption of the resolutions in question.

The wharf remains the property of the MRC and is still accessible to all, free of charge, between 4 a.m. and 11 p.m.

MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent wins Superior Court battle over Port-Lewis wharf Read More »

Business as usual at the Halfway House in Dundee

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Louis Patenaude of the Halfway House in Dundee says he is not worried about his business, after U.S. authorities moved to limit Canadian access to the Haskell Free Library and Opera House in Stanstead, Quebec, which also straddles the Canada-U.S. border.

Just over 200 years ago, the Dundee spot was a trading post along the banks of the Salmon River. When the frontier separating Canada from the United States was established, the line ran right through the building, which has taken on many forms over the years as a hotel, a bar, and now a freight-shipping company.

Patenaude’s father, Maurice, purchased the building in the 1950s and eventually converted it to a shipping business that allowed Canadians to collect parcels from the United States without having to cross the international border.

The Halfway House is nestled between the Dundee and Fort Covington ports of entry. Patenaude took over the business with his partner, Marie Brown, after his father’s passing in 2022.

Patenaude says he has not noticed any change or additional attention from the Canada Border Services Agency or the U.S. Customs and Border Protection. “What are they going to do, sit inside my house?” he scoffs, suggesting there are a half-dozen other buildings between the border stations in the same situation. “It’s been this way since the dawn of the border,” he laughs.

Clients are required to report the contents of their parcels to the Canada Border Services Agency at the Dundee border crossing, where applicable taxes and duties are applied. Patenaude says that despite the imposition of tariffs on certain goods being imported from the United States, he has not heard much complaining.

Business is steady, and Patenaude says it usually picks up come spring; so far, he is not seeing signs of a boycott on American goods. “I think the exchange on the dollar is probably our worst enemy now,” he admits, before explaining his clients rely on his services because it can be difficult to find certain products outside of the U.S. “I have quite a few farmers, and quite a few mechanics, too,” he says.

Patenaude, who lives on the U.S. side, admits he could see a bump in business if local Canadians begin to feel less comfortable crossing the border. “During COVID, we were exceptionally busy because people could not cross,” he says. “That could happen again,” he muses, noting he is registering new clients daily.

“It’s not a hidden secret anymore!” he exclaims.

Business as usual at the Halfway House in Dundee Read More »

Federal deputies call on U.S. officials over reduced border hours

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Salaberry-Suroît MP and public safety critic, Claude DeBellefeuille, and Saint-Jean MP Christine Normandin are stepping up their pressure on Public Safety and Emergency Preparedness Minister David McGuinty over reduced hours of operation at area ports of entry.

The hours at the Herdman (Chateaugay), Trout River (Trout River), Lacolle Route 221 (Overton), and Lacolle Route 223 (Rouses Point) border crossings between Canada and New York State were reduced by half as of January 6. Faced with this continued reduction in hours, which see the crossing points close overnight, the MPs have reached out to their American counterparts for support.

An official letter was sent to U.S. elected officials who share a border with the two MPs’ constituencies. DeBellefeuille and Normandin emphasized the need for continuous operational border control, especially in the current geopolitical context.

The aim of the joint initiative is to ensure the American authorities are aware of the risks associated with the security and fluidity of cross-border trade. “Our American counterparts are well aware of the consequences of a less secure border,” said DeBellefeuille in a joint statement issued by the deputies.

She highlighted the importance of working together to press McGuinty to reverse the Canadian Border Services Agency’s (CBSA) decision.

“Reducing opening hours not only weakens border security; it also harms our regional economies, which are heavily dependent on cross-border trade,” added Normandin.

When asked, a representative from DeBellefeuille’s office noted that despite an initial response from the CBSA to the MPs requests for a revision, the deputy has not received anything further from the public safety minister.

U.S. elected officials spoke out in November, when the joint decision by the CBSA and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) was first announced. New York State Senator Dan Stec blasted the decision, insisting “You can’t have a part-time border.”

New York Governor Kathy Hochul has also publicly stated her opposition to the reduction in hours, as has New York State Assemblyman Billy Jones.

DeBellefeuille and Normandin said they hope the letter will result in elected officials on both sides of the border speaking with one voice, with the end goal of prompting the federal governments to reconsider their decision.

Federal deputies call on U.S. officials over reduced border hours Read More »

Federal election: New riding boundaries and name changes are in place

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Election signs are already going up throughout the Valley as area candidates launched their campaigns over the weekend.

Across Canada, voters will head to the polls on April 28 after a 37-day campaign. At five weeks, this is the shortest allowable campaign period under Canadian law. Advance voting in both ridings will take place over the Easter weekend from April 18-21.

Area voters will now select representatives in the Beauharnois-Salaberry-Soulanges-Huntingdon (BSSH) riding and in Chateauguay-Les-Jardins-de-Napierville following the most recent electoral district redistribution. The boundaries for the ridings were enlarged to account for population growth and demographic changes across the region.

The candidates vying to represent the BSSH riding include frontrunner Claude DeBellefeuille, who is looking for her fifth term in office for the Bloc Québécois. She is running against Miguel Perras of the Liberal Party, as well as Tyler Jones for the New Democratic Party (NDP). Kristian Solarik will represent the Green Party, while Martin Lévesque stumps for the People’s Party of Canada (PPC). As of press time, the Conservative Party had not confirmed its nominee.

Change will be coming for the Chateauguay—Les-Jardins-de-Napierville riding as current MP Brenda Shanahan has stepped away. The candidates looking to take over this seat include Bloc Québécois nominee Patrick O’Hara, David De Repentigny for the Conservative Party, newcomer Nathalie Provost for the Liberal Party, and Nicholas Guerin, who represents the PPC. The NDP and the Green Party had not confirmed their candidates as of press time.

Federal election: New riding boundaries and name changes are in place Read More »

NFSB reduces budget by $510,000 after province makes cuts to education

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The New Frontiers School Board (NFSB) has cut over $510,000 from its operating budget for the remainder of the year following a directive issued by the provincial government.

NFSB director general Mike Helm was called to a meeting on December 13 where administrators from across the province were informed that the Ministry of Education was clawing back $200 million from school boards and service centres by March 31.

This translated into a budget cut of just over $510,552 at the NFSB, with less than three months to recover the funds.

The Ministry of Education indicated that budget surpluses could not be used, and that cuts could not directly impact services. As a result, the NFSB council of commissioners adopted a revised budget providing for revenues of $93,655,481 and expenses totaling $93,579,463. The same surplus amount of $76,018 was maintained from the initial budget passed in September.

“It was extremely difficult, because the majority of our budget is human resources,” says Helm. “So being told halfway through the school year that you have to make these reductions, you’re actually working with a very small amount of money,” he explains, noting that some of the flexibility within the budget had already been spent.

“In order for us to not hit the classroom, we really had to look at it from several different pockets as opposed to just trying to take it from one area,” he says.

With only three months to react, the NFSB moved to reduce or restrict travel, professional development, and overtime. Funds will be strategically managed moving forward, and purchasing will be limited to the essentials.

“One of the biggest areas in terms of us finding the monies was, in essence, not replacing people who went on a leave of absence,” says Helm. He acknowledges that keeping some vacancies open will save some money, but “It comes at a cost, as those duties and responsibilities now have fallen onto the shoulders of a number of people.”

The NFSB Council of Commissioners chair, John Ryan, admits the government directive came as a surprise and quite a shock. “The professionals took the time to look at it and run the numbers. They came up with a series of steps that added up to the right amount,” he says.

“We were able to do it, and I have to give a tremendous amount of credit to the people that worked on it and made those decisions with the lens of protecting our students and our clientele as much as possible,” Ryan says, while suggesting it has amounted to extra stress on everyone.

Quebec Finance Minister Eric Girard has been holding pre-budget consultations in preparation for the 2025-2026 provincial budget. Helm says that all indications are pointing toward uncertainties regarding the 2025-2026 school year. “I believe we are going to see a reduction, and then that will be proportioned out through all of the school boards and school service centres,” he says.

In the meantime, the rest of the school year will play out within very slim margins.

NFSB reduces budget by $510,000 after province makes cuts to education Read More »

New 4-H club opens in the Chateauguay Valley

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Chateauguay Valley 4-H club is now up and running and looking for new members from across the region who are interested in learning about 4-H and all it has to offer.

Organizers with the club include Vicky Tremblay, Mackenzie Peddie, Suzelle Barrington, and Billie Nussey-Rufh. They decided to launch a club that would be open to English- and French-speaking young people between the ages of 6 and 25 from across the Valley. The goal is to break down some of the perceived barriers to joining a 4-H club, especially the belief that members must come from a farming background.

“You don’t need to own a calf to be a 4-Her,” says Peddie, while highlighting the many other activities at the heart of the club, including social opportunities, gardening, outdoor activities, creative crafts, and much more. She notes there will be some focus on traditional 4-H activities, but an emphasis will also be placed on bringing in new ideas.

Tremblay says another important aspect of the new Chateauguay Valley Club will be a focus on giving back to the community.

Quebec 4-H provincial coordinator Gillian MacDougall says they are very excited about the new club. “One of our current goals for Quebec 4-H is growth, which includes increasing membership and the number of clubs,” she explains.

MacDougall says she is not concerned that there are already three active clubs in the area, including Howick, Huntingdon, and Ormstown. “One of the most wonderful things about multiple clubs in one area is the community. Just because a member belongs to one club does not stop them from connecting and bonding with other members in 4-H,” she says.

MacDougall points out that the Chateauguay Valley is the only area in Quebec with clubs so close together, with members going to the same schools. “I am excited to support the members taking on the venture of starting a new club and look forward to seeing what they accomplish over the next year.”

Monthly meetings of the Chateauguay Valley 4-H club will take place at the Georgetown Church in Très-Saint-Sacrément. They will run for about an hour and will be followed by a fun activity and snack.

More information on the new 4-H club and how to join is available on Facebook or by emailing chateauguayvalley4h@gmail.com.

New 4-H club opens in the Chateauguay Valley Read More »

LBA Dairy Day aims to keep farms in production

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The first Chateauguay Valley Dairy Day conference will take place at the Agri-Culture Centre at the fairgrounds in Ormstown on March 18.

The idea of holding a public day event for producers was brought forward by members of the Livestock Breeders Association’s (LBA) cattle and forage committee, who were looking for ways to help area farmers.

The event will be the first bilingual conference of its kind available to all producers. “It is in our best interest to educate everybody to be the most profitable and to do the best job on their farm,” says veterinarian and dairy producer Jodi Wallace, who is organizing the activity with Simon-Pierre Loiselle of the Uniag Cooperative.

“The theme for all of the conferences this year is profitability and trying to help farmers stay in business for years to come,” Wallace explains, noting all of the expert speakers are focused on ensuring producers remain on the farm despite challenging times.

The speakers include Nicholas Marquis of Sollio Agriculture, who will discuss breeding rates and the profitability of cow purchases. Loiselle says Marquis is a numbers specialist. “His presentation will help a lot of farmers to make choices on their farms,” says Loiselle.

Heather Dann of the Miner Institute will focus on management outlooks for 2025, while Chris Gwyn of JEFO Nutrition will share ten common practices for farm profitability. Alex Venne-Balchem will also talk about reducing heat stress in dairy cows. 

“Everything is linked to cow health and cow welfare,” says Wallace. “Even if producers just pick one thing from each of the four speakers, they’ll go home and they’ll make improvements on their farms,” she adds.

Loiselle says the speakers will also focus on economics, as today’s farms are under extreme pressure to keep going. “We have to keep the farms here,” he says, noting the area is losing hundreds of kilograms of dairy quota per year as farms are sold or closed. “It is an underlying economic issue,” he explains, noting the quota being sold from local farms is leaving the area.

“We are really focusing on bringing positive news and to give little tricks that can help farmers to be more profitable,” says Loiselle.

This is the first time the LBA will host this type of event. “The LBA’s goal is to expand on conferences such as this one,” says LBA manager Sue Morison, while explaining that part of the role of the Agri-Culture Centre is to ensure local farmers can access informative conferences locally. The event is also being sponsored in part by the Réseau Agriconseils Montérégie network.

A silent auction will take place that day to raise funds for the LBA’s scholarship fund, which awards a $500 scholarship to a CVR graduate pursuing studies in agriculture.

Producers are asked to register for the event by March 14. More information is available on the LBA’s Facebook page.

LBA Dairy Day aims to keep farms in production Read More »

Centre de Services Scolaire de la Vallée-des-Tisserands: New adult general education service point opens in Huntingdon

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Centre de Services Scolaire de la Vallée-des-Tisserands (CSSVT) has opened a new adult general education service point in Huntingdon.

The Centre de Formation Générale des Adultes des Tisserands (CFGAT) added the new service point to offer educational services and programs to residents of the Haut-Saint-Laurent and surrounding areas who are over 16 years old. The new location responds to an objective set out by the CSSVT’s Commitment to Success Plan, which aimed to open a vocational training program in each of the sectors served by the service centre.

“As Beauharnois and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield already have their service points, it became a priority for the CFGAT to take steps to offer its services to the population of the Haut-Saint-Laurent,” said Stéphanie Leduc Joseph, a communications councillor with the CSSVT’s Services du Secretariat General et des Communications.

The expansion was made possible through a collaboration with the local Carrefour Jeunesse-Emploi (CJE)/PS Jeunesse, which offered a learning space for students at their Huntingdon location.

“Several sites were considered in recent years, but none met the needs of our organization. Our existing partnership with the Beauharnois-Salaberry CJE led us to consider the CJE in Huntingdon, which had available premises that met our criteria,” Leduc Joseph explained.

For the CJE/PS Jeunesse, the partnership made sense. “Our mission is to offer support and employability prospects to young adults,” said Gilles Tardif, who chairs the CJE/PS Jeunesse board of directors. The partnership opens new education opportunities in the region, he said, stating, “There is nothing more constructive for our community than to unite our efforts and our expertise to help young people move closer to their future.”

There are currently seven students registered at the Huntingdon service point. The CSSVT is expecting this to increase to around 50 registrations per year. The programs available in Huntingdon include French, mathematics, and English classes, as well as prior learning assessment and recognition testing.

“Our priority is to provide access to services for adults in the Haut-Saint-Laurent, making it easier for them to resume their studies without the challenge of travelling to our Beauharnois or Valleyfield service points,” said Leduc Joseph.

The CFGAT helps adults who wish to improve their career prospects, perfect their knowledge, or complete their high school diploma. For CSSVT director general Suzie Vranderick, the new service point represents “a significant step towards bringing education closer to the Haut-Saint-Laurent community.”

Along with the new service point, the CFGAT has also recently launched an improved website. The modernized information platform allows users to find more information about the CFGAT’s services and programs.

“This new tool was created with the needs of future students in mind, and to facilitate contact with the organization. Users are now able to apply online and access pertinent information for their individual journeys,” said CFGAT director Dominic Tremblay.

More information about the CFGAT’s new service point in Huntingdon is available online at cfgatisserands.ca.

Centre de Services Scolaire de la Vallée-des-Tisserands: New adult general education service point opens in Huntingdon Read More »

Government anti-bullying activities will take over area classes for a week

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Quebec government is working to address the problem of bullying in schools. Education Minister Bernard Drainville has announced the first week of a plan to prevent violence and intimidation in schools will take place from March 17 to 21, in schools throughout the province.

As part of the Plan de Prévention de la Violence et de l’Intimidation à l’École (Plan to Prevent Violence and Intimidation in Schools), the week will include a series of activities aimed at students, staff, and parents. The theme for the week will focus on “Strengthening Respect and Good Citizenship in our Schools.”

“In all classes in Quebec, pupils will simultaneously put down their pencils and start a discussion with their teachers on how to prevent episodes of violence and intimidation that they have experienced (or are still experiencing) and to reinforce good citizenship and respect at school,” said Drainville, in a statement issued by the Ministère de l’Education.

The week will start with a province-wide moment of reflection and guided discussion following the broadcast of a video featuring Drainville, who will address students and staff in elementary cycle two and three classrooms as well as all secondary classes. Preschoolers and elementary cycle one students will also be expected to take part in the discussion, using a simplified activity adapted to their level.

Adult general education centres, vocational centres, and private educational institutions are also invited to participate in the initiative.

The government is providing a variety of activities for the remainder of the week as well, including classroom workshops, educational podcasts, and information sessions tailored to students in all grade levels, as well as parents and school staff.

“We have been assured that as many materials as possible will be available in English,” confirms the New Frontiers School Board’s assistant director general, Joyce Donohue. She says the NFSB reminded the education ministry that pedagogical materials needed to be provided in English for students and for parents as well.

Donohue says the board is expecting to receive the necessary information for the various activities at some point this week.

The Quebec government has also introduced a model plan for combatting violence and intimidation in schools. Use of the plan is expected to be mandatory in all schools for the start of the 2025-2026 school year.

“School is there for our children,” says Drainville, who notes that as a father and as minister of education, he is deeply concerned about the violence and intimidation suffered by Quebec students.

“Respect and good citizenship should not only be taught; they should also be experienced on a daily basis. This responsibility begins at home with the parents and continues at school,” he says, noting all those in the school community are invited to participate in this national week to root out bullying.

Government anti-bullying activities will take over area classes for a week Read More »

NFSB consultations focus on solutions to school violence and intimidation

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The New Frontiers School Board (NFSB) has been listening and learning more about the extent of bullying and violence within its schools and centres.

Nine members of the NFSB’s Task Force on the Prevention of Bullying and Violence were present at Chateauguay Valley Regional High School on February 27 for the second of two public consultations. A previous meeting took place at Howard S. Billings High School in Chateauguay earlier in the month.

The representatives for the task force, including school principals, school board administrators, special education technicians, teachers, caretakers, and the NFSB’s assistant director general, Joyce Donohue, gave a brief presentation before giving the floor to a small group of parents in attendance.

Questions about security and supervision were raised, with one parent suggesting that some children do not feel safe at school. “They should have a right to come to school and to feel safe and to graduate!” she exclaimed. “That is not where we are at,” she lamented.

“One thing that we want to do as a focus group is to protect everyone,” said one task force member. “As a school board and as a school, we have to find solutions,” they added.

Screens, exposure to social media, and peer pressure were also raised by those present as important topics to be addressed.

“At both consultations, we were able to have rich exchanges with members of our community, who generously provided their insights and feedback that we will be able to consider for our recommendations,” says Donohue, who is heading up the task force. She credits the expertise and passion exhibited by task force members for providing these opportunities to exchange with parents and the school community.

Following the public consultations, which have also included an interactive ThoughtExchange survey, the task force will prepare a report summarizing the various strategies, tools, measures, and resources brought forward to address the issue. The report is expected to be delivered by the end of this school year.

Along with those who attended the in-person consultations, there have been 122 participants in the ThoughtExchange survey. At least 114 thoughts were contributed, and these were rated at least 1,261 times. Key words have emerged from the process, including “communication,” “parents,” “resources,” and “safe.”

The public consultation in Ormstown was also attended by the chair of the NFSB council of commissioners, John Ryan, who says the fact this forum is in place represents a good step. “We wanted to get out there and do as much research and brainstorming for our own community, with our own realities, to see what we can come up with,” he explains. “It is extremely rich and rare to sit and talk about any one topic for that length of time. You never lose by doing that,” he adds.

Ryan also notes how rare it is for the public to hear what those being bullied are going through. “It’s a very personal thing, and people on the front lines hear a lot about it, because they are meeting people who come in and who talk with them; but we normally don’t get to hear this,” he says. “When you are exposed to these stories, your basic instinct or response is to say that we have to do something. We have to help.”

NFSB consultations focus on solutions to school violence and intimidation Read More »

Saint-Anicet plans to purchase the land known as ‘the beach’

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The municipal council in Saint-Anicet wants to develop the area known as “the beach” at Jules-Léger Park.

The municipality has been renting the waterfront property on Lake Saint-François from the Pilon family since 1980. Residents who took part in a public consultation during the fall of 2023 made it clear they were in favour of maintaining the site. The sentiment was echoed during a second consultation on February 22, which was attended by around 20 residents as well as five elected officials, and three municipal employees who explained the financial implications of maintaining the beach.

During its regular meeting in February, the municipal council adopted a resolution authorizing the municipality to enter negotiations with the Pilon family to purchase a 1,781-square-metre portion of the lot. On March 3, the council passed a loan bylaw to borrow $325,000 over ten years for the purchase the land. The average annual cost to property owners is estimated to be around $15.81 as part of their municipal taxes.

A referendum on the loan bylaw is now scheduled to take place on March 31, between 9 a.m. and 7 p.m. at the town hall. At least 267 residents must sign the register for the bylaw to be reconsidered. If the number of signatures falls short of this figure, the loan bylaw will be sent to the Ministère des Affaires Municipals et de l’Habitation (MAMH) for final approval.

During the public consultation in February, the municipality detailed some of its development plans. Parking, or the lack thereof during the summer, was brought up as an issue. The municipality plans to discuss the parking situation with residents in the village to see about renting land to create more parking spaces. Signs were installed last year directing visitors to use the parking area at the town hall.

Work began in November to renovate the park, wharf, and swimming area. The municipality received two $100,000 grants as part of a revitalization agreement between the provincial government and the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent. The remaining work in the beach area includes removing rocks from the water, the softening of the slope depending on erosion, and the expansion of the sand surface at the water’s edge.

Additional work will also be done in the park, including repairs to the stairs and cement platform along the wharf, the installation of handrails along the stairs, and the construction of a new building to house public washrooms. 

Saint-Anicet plans to purchase the land known as ‘the beach’ Read More »

CISSSMO works to maintain services in face of budget cuts

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

As part of the $1.5 billion in budget cuts announced by Santé Québec, the Centre Intégré de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest (CISSSMO) is looking to reduce spending within the regional healthcare system by $140 million.

In a recent report by La Presse, the integrated health and social service centres were asked to submit plans for cutting costs; and for the first time, these plans could include measures that would more directly affect user services. The report identified programs such as local service points, and the network of Aire Ouverte locations was among those being targeted by budget compressions.

The CISSSMO does not offer a local service point in the Haut-Saint-Laurent region; however, locals make use of the services being offered at the Centre Valleyfield shopping centre location, which opened in 2021. Available services include vaccinations, blood work, and screening for colorectal cancer, pertussis, and streptococcus A.

Other nearby points of service operated by the CISSSMO are in Vaudreuil-Soulanges, Chateauguay, and Mercier. While there is no direct service point, a mobile team provides certain of these services in the Haut-Saint-Laurent.

A representative for the CISSSMO’s communications and public affairs department would not confirm whether these local points of service in operation would be affected by budget cuts.

“With regard to local points of service, our management committee is still analyzing this service in order to limit the impact on users,” they said. “With the need to return to a balanced budget, all services are being reviewed with a view to offering and quality services, at the lowest possible cost.”

Last year at least 24,568 vaccine doses were administered at the Valleyfield service point, while 741 individuals were screened for COVID-19 or influenza. A total of 474 screenings for colorectal cancer took place, as well as 642 tests for streptococcus A, and 196 tests for pertussis. The staff at the service point filled 15,376 appointments for blood work in the last year as well.

Aire Ouverte to remain

While the CISSSMO representative was less direct about the future of local service centres, they confirmed the regional health authority would be maintaining its Aire Ouverte activities “throughout the Suroît, Haut-Saint-Laurent, and Jardins Roussillon territories.” They noted, however, that in order to continue to ensure coverage of the entire region, service hours would be adjusted.

There is currently a permanent Aire Ouverte location in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, as well as satellite offices in partnership with the Carrefour Jeunesse Emploi locations in Huntingdon, Chateauguay, and Roussillon. Another satellite office is open in Beauharnois in partnership with the self-help centre Le Dahlia.

Each of these locations provide health services for 12- to 25-year-olds, including mental and sexual health, free of charge and without an appointment.

The CISSSMO notes that Aire Ouverte staff in Valleyfield will continue to welcome clients from across the CISSSMO territory. Teleconsultations are also available when required to ensure services are accessible for all those who need them.

CISSSMO works to maintain services in face of budget cuts Read More »

Three positions axed at Barrie Memorial amidst CISSSMO spending reductions

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Centre Intégré de Santé et des Services Sociaux de la Montérégie Ouest (CISSSMO) is facing a delicate financial situation. Santé Québec has imposed a return to a balanced budget, forcing the regional health institution to cut over $140 million in spending.

According to the CISSSMO, a reduction in the use of agency staff, greater control over spending, the abolition of vacant positions, and the reorganization of certain departments allowed for a reduction in the anticipated budget deficit to $83 million. Still, reports have emerged that up to 160 jobs, including practical nurses, orderlies, and clinical nurses may be lost.

The CISSSMO has been working over the past several weeks to implement a plan that will minimize the impacts of budget cuts on public care and services while ensuring these remain accessible. The organization is also highlighting the significance of treating staff with kindness. As a result and to be more efficient, the CISSSMO is prioritizing the reduction of administrative functions and the reorganization of care.

A representative for the CISSSMO’s communications and public affairs department says that of the positions to be abolished, almost two-thirds are vacant positions that had not been filled. They explain that certain departments were created during the pandemic, and surplus team positions were filled to support the organization during the health crisis.

The CISSSMO representative confirms that a certain number of current positions will be eliminated but adds that this number is subject to change. At least one administrative position and two orderlies at the Barrie Memorial Hospital have been affected by these measures; however, the representative maintains these changes do not impact the emergency or professional sectors.

Most of the affected employees will be reassigned to clinical sectors such as the Maisons des Ainés et Alternatives, the Hôpital Anna-Laberge, and the Hôpital du Suroît. This will allow the CISSSMO to open additional beds, to better meet patient needs, and to further reduce its use of agency staff.

“Some units were overstaffed by up to 250 per cent on day shifts, whereas evening and night shifts were required,” The representative adds, noting that shifts have now returned to a pre-pandemic structure. “We are making sure we respect the nurse-patient ratios recommended by our CISSS nursing directorate, so there will be no impact on patient care.”

Three positions axed at Barrie Memorial amidst CISSSMO spending reductions Read More »

Upcoming election call will usher in new riding boundaries

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

An election call in Canada is expected to be announced in the coming days, once Mark Carney is sworn in as the new leader of the Liberal Party of Canada and as prime minister.

The election will usher in many changes for the country. At the local level, candidates in the current Salaberry-Suroît riding will find themselves running to represent the constituents of Beauharnois-Salaberry-Soulanges-Huntingdon (BSSH). The Chateauguay-Lacolle riding will also change names, becoming Chateauguay-Les-Jardins-de-Napierville.

The new riding boundaries, which were announced following the 2022 redistribution of federal electoral districts, will see the Haut-Saint-Laurent split in two – where the Town of Huntingdon, as well as the municipalities of Elgin, Hinchinbrooke, Ormstown, Saint-Anicet, Sainte-Barbe, and the township municipalities of Dundee and Godmanchester, as well as Akwesasne, will be part of the BSSH riding.

The Chateauguay-Les Jardins-de-Napierville riding will include all the municipalities in the MRC des Jardins-de-Napierville, including Hemmingford Village and Hemmingford Township, as well as the municipalities of Franklin, Howick, and Saint-Chrysostome, and the parish municipality of Très-Saint-Sacrement.

Salaberry-Suroît MP and Bloc Québécois candidate Claude DeBellefeuille has already announced she will seek a fifth term in the next election. She says that while it is not ideal for an MRC to be divided between two federal ridings, the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent was one of only a handful of MRCs that had not been split in some way prior to this election. “When there is a redistribution every ten years, and the demographic growth is happening outside of the Haut-Saint-Laurent, at a certain point the electoral commission has to create a boundary somewhere,” she explains.

DeBellefeuille says she would not be surprised, given the demographic growth predicted in Vaudreuil, Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, Beauharnois and Soulanges, if the Haut-Saint-Laurent were to be reunited in ten years following the next redistribution process, but towards the Chateauguay-Les-Jardins-de-Napierville riding.

The new BSSH riding will be the second most populous in Quebec after the new Vaudreuil riding. DeBellefeuille says she is more concerned about the upcoming election than the change in boundaries. “A quick election call is in everyone’s interest,” she insists, suggesting the government is not being taken seriously by the United States because parliament is not sitting.

“If we want to do our job properly, it is absolutely essential that the election be called quickly so a legitimate and democratically elected government is in place,” DeBellefeuille says, while pointing out that the U.S. administration is seeding uncertainty, which is not good for Quebecers. She says the next few weeks will be very interesting.

Tyler Jones, the newly acclaimed candidate in the BSSH riding for the federal New Democratic Party, agrees. “Everything is up in the air right now,” says the first-time candidate, who is growing his team of volunteers while introducing himself to the many communities in the riding.

Jones knows the Chateauguay Valley well, and says he is disappointed that the Haut-Saint-Laurent was separated between the two ridings. He says he would work to ensure common ground is found between the two ridings and that the area is properly represented as a whole, despite the boundary line.

He says he is also concerned about the upcoming election with so little time to prepare. “It is just a question of connecting with voters, and getting out and hearing their concerns and frustrations,” he adds, while acknowledging there is a lot of territory to cover and a lot of different issues at hand.

The official candidates for the federal Liberal and Conservative parties in the BSSH riding were not named as of press time. Kristian Solarik will run once again for the Green Party of Canada, while Martin Lévesque will run for the People’s Party of Canada.

None of the main federal parties have announced the names of their candidates in the Chateauguay-Jardins-de-Napierville riding.

Upcoming election call will usher in new riding boundaries Read More »

Bridges not Borders: ‘Asylum seekers are not criminals’

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

“The people slogging through the woods in the middle of winter trying to reach Canada are not criminals,” says Wendy Ayotte of Bridges not Borders, a Hemmingford-based organization that assists asylum seekers. “It is not illegal to cross an international border irregularly to seek protection.”

Speaking on behalf of the organization, Ayotte says she is quite disturbed by how people are being increasingly criminalized by the language being used by the RCMP and other local authorities, including those who collaborated with the RCMP to produce a flyer last fall that associates asylum seekers with cross-border crime and suspicious individuals and activities.

“We understand that the RCMP are in some cases saving people’s lives, and we appreciate the work that they do,” says Ayotte, but “Saving lives and criminalizing people does not have to go hand in hand.

Ayotte says there has been a significant uptick in the numbers of visitors to the Bridges not Borders website, which contains information for asylum seekers looking to come to Canada including details on the Safe Third Country Agreement (STCA), which restricts refugee claimants coming from the United States from claiming status in this country.

Bridges not Borders is also a member of the Canada-US Border Network which has created a virtual legal clinic for people seeking safety at the border, called the Canada-US Border Rights Clinic. Ayotte says the clinic has also seen around double the number of people seeking legal advice. Often, the people reaching out are those who do not qualify under SCTA exceptions.

“It’s distressing,” she says, pointing out that those who are intercepted by the RCMP are brought to the Canada Border Services Agency, where their refugee claims are processed. “The high likelihood is they will be returned to the United States, as very few people will qualify under STCA rules – if any of them do,” she explains. Most will be detained in the U.S. and then possibly deported back to a place where they may not be safe.

Article 6 of the agreement does allow Canada and the United States the discretion to “examine any refugee status claim made to that Party where it determines that it is in its public interest to do so,” which means those who do not meet SCTA exceptions are not required by law to be returned to the United States.

Despite this clause, Bridges not Borders argues that the STCA is morally wrong and incompatible with international law. Under the agreement, Canada is required to regularly ensure that the United States meets international human rights standards. Ayotte questions how this can be the case, given the current U.S. administration’s radical position on migrants and immigration.

“Our overall position remains the same – that the STCA must be, at the very least, suspended,” she says.

Bridges not Borders: ‘Asylum seekers are not criminals’ Read More »

RCMP says search and rescue operations are happening more frequently

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

A family of four seeking refugee status was found by RCMP officers in a wooded area in the municipality of Havelock in the early morning of March 7, after they became lost trying to cross the border. 

The family had been walking in the woods for hours with their two young children when they called for help. Officers found the family huddled against a tree, suffering from extreme hypothermia and unable to move. They were transported to a hospital and are now in stable condition.

The family requested refugee status when they were found, and their case has been transferred to the Canada Border Services Agency.

This incident marked the eighth weekend in a row that RCMP officers have launched a search and rescue operation to find individuals who have crossed the Canada-U.S. border irregularly only to become lost in densely wooded areas between Hemmingford and Dundee.

Sergeant François Paquet of the RCMP’s Valleyfield detachment says that while there has been a “big drop” in southbound traffic, the number of migrants attempting to cross into Canada from the United States is steady.

“It fluctuates from week to week, temperature to temperature,” says Paquet, who suggests they have not seen a spike in “northbound” movement since the U.S. administration changed hands in January. He explains that the RCMP is prepared and will adapt if things change, but for now officers are focused on continuing their work along the border.

Search and rescue operations

Paquet admits this winter’s harsh temperatures and heavy snowfall has complicated some aspects of the job. He recently led a team of around 20 officers on a lengthy search and rescue operation in Hinchinbrooke on February 23. The United States Border Patrol (USBP) reported at least two people had been spotted heading towards the Canadian border between Powerscourt Road, Herdman Road, and the First Concession.

Officers first attempted to locate the individuals by tracking cell phone signals. When this did not work, they used a drone with thermal imaging technology. Blowing snow and poor weather conditions kept this option from working as well. They called in the air service for assistance and brought in an ARGO, or all-terrain off-road vehicle, to search the deforested area along the border called “the slash.” After spotting tracks in the snow, they abandoned the vehicle and entered the forest on foot. The Blackhawk helicopter was also called to join the search.

“It was a race against the clock,” says Paquet. “We know they are not well equipped for winter, and the safety of our officers and the migrants is very important,” he explains. “We want to find them before anyone gets hurt or dies of hypothermia,” he adds.

Eventually, officers found five individuals sitting against a tree about 100 metres from the First Concession. “They were tired. They were frozen. Some of them could not feel their feet,” says Paquet, noting there was a 14-year-old among the group. All five were arrested before being taken to the Hôpital du Suroît in Salaberry-de-Valleyfield for treatment for severe frostbite.

The RCMP quickly discovered that the group included two Canadian citizens and a family of three with no status in Canada. One of the Canadians is suspected of being an escort hired to bring the family through the woods, while the other was attempting to return to Canada after having illegally entered the United States. Officers also arrested the driver of a vehicle from Montreal who was found waiting for the family.

Officers seized over $11,000 from the family, which they determined would have been paid to the smugglers. The family, once rescued, requested refugee status.

‘We have had to adapt’

Paquet says it is not unusual that those found in the woods are transported to hospital. “We have seen people who were barefoot in the snow, and they had been walking for hours. No coats, in T-shirts. We have seen children barefoot, kids with aluminium foil on their feet,” he says, noting that migrants are now crossing in areas that are much more difficult to access, which hampers rescue efforts.

“Two or three years ago, we had people going to the police. They would cross the road and wait,” says Paquet, referring to Roxham Road. “Now we are in a situation where they don’t want us to arrest them or even find them,” he explains, adding that smugglers promise safe and easy passage across the border, which is “completely false.”

Paquet admits the RCMP has had to adapt its patrol and operational strategies due to the presence of smuggling networks. “In Valleyfield over the past year we have had more than 20 human smuggling cases that we have judicialized,” he says, noting they have made numerous arrests and seized vehicles, and large sums of money.

“We are in the process of developing experience and an expertise,” he insists, while pointing out this has meant working more closely with the local population. “We have done a lot of awareness-raising with people who reside near or along the border… We have passed out leaflets and business cards, and we will be posting signs with the RCMP’s telephone number,” he explains.

The federal police force is not able to share how often people call with information, but Paquet insists officers follow up on every tip. “We try to use a multitude of technologies at our disposal,” he says, noting they regularly patrol in marked and unmarked vehicles, and are now able to rely on air services including the Blackhawk helicopter.

Paquet says they have not been told whether the Blackhawk will continue to be used after the initial contract expires on March 31, but they are planning for the long term. “We have members who have trained for it and who have started patrolling,” he says, while suggesting locals should expect to keep seeing and hearing the utility helicopter overhead.

It is OK to help

Paquet says that in the event residents encounter someone they think could be a migrant, it is best to contact the RCMP as soon as possible, especially if medical attention is required. “Canadians have a duty to assist a person in danger,” he says, noting that depending on their level of comfort, locals can invite people into their homes while they wait for the RCMP, or provide warm clothing, blankets, and food.

“I can guarantee that every call will be taken seriously,” says Paquet. At the same time, he says officers are now familiar with the people in the area. He says they are aware of temporary foreign workers, of hunters in the woods, and increased activity in maple groves with the start of sugar season. “We adapt. We get to know our community. I think that’s the most important thing.”

RCMP says search and rescue operations are happening more frequently Read More »

Three snow days in two weeks at New Frontiers School Board

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The New Frontiers School Board director general, Mike Helm, says he can’t remember a time when schools were closed two days in a row because of a snowstorm.

Few will forget the ice storm of 1998 and the resulting school closures, but that was different. What fell between February 13 and 16 was just snow, but there was a lot of it, and when mixed with high winds, it quickly became dangerous.

The NFSB called three snow days in the aftermath of the back-to-back storms, which means three conditional pedagogical days scheduled for March 21, April 11, and May 20 will now become regular school days.

Students at Chateauguay Valley Regional High School missed an additional day on January 27 due to plumbing equipment failure, which, Helm admits, has made for a challenging start to the term.

“There will be some juggling with teachers, but for the most part things are OK within the system for having missed this many days,” Helm says. “Our staff are working with their curriculum throughout the course of the year, and built into that curriculum is opportunity for remediation and enrichment time. They may end up having to change some of those things right now.”

There were only three conditional ped days in the school calendar, which have now been used. Helm admits that if the schools are forced to close again for weather or other circumstances, “then every day becomes more challenging from this point on.”

Helm says interruptions caused by snow or freezing rain are sometimes called in advance, as was the case on February 16 when parents were informed the night before that schools would be closed. This happens when the NFSB has reliable information guaranteeing difficult conditions in the morning.

In cases such as February 17, the NFSB waited until the morning before cancelling classes, and this was done in communication with the transport companies.

“Severe winds and blowing snow had created white ice. There were road closures on our main highways, and in some of our rural areas we would not have been able to get to the student to bring them in,” he says, noting the transporters were uncomfortable with the conditions.

Helm says that in the aftermath of the storms, maintenance workers were asked to verify the rooftops of the different buildings and to check for drifting snow against structures to ensure there were no emergency situations. The greenhouse at Howard S. Billings High School in Chateauguay collapsed, but no other damage was reported.

Three snow days in two weeks at New Frontiers School Board Read More »

Haut-Saint-Laurent UPA marks busy year of advocacy and representation

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Members of the Haut-Saint-Laurent syndicate of the Union des Producteurs Agricoles met on February 20 in Ormstown for the local union’s annual general assembly.

Around 30 producers participated in the meeting, which included a presentation on carbon market prospects for the Quebec agricultural sector, as well as an introduction to a new group insurance program that has recently been opened to farmers and their employees.

Catherine Turgeon, the UPA advisor for the Haut-Saint-Laurent syndicate, spoke about several files or areas in which the union has intervened locally over the past year, including issues relating to construction and roadwork, municipal bylaws, the proposed asphalt plant in Havelock, and waterway management.

The UPA collaborates with the Ministère des Transports et de la Mobilité Durable when planned roadwork may impede the movement of agricultural machinery. The local union was involved in the complete closure of Route 209 in Franklin between the Chemin de l’Artifice and Rang des Lemieux to repair a culvert last October.

Producers were informed of the urgent situation following an inspection that forced the closure of Route 209 during harvest season, and worked with the ministry and municipalities involved to ensure farmers could transport grain from their fields on roads where regular traffic was prohibited.

The UPA also consulted with the transport ministry on upcoming work to repair the bridge at Allan’s Corners in Très-Saint-Sacrement, which is expected to take place in 2026. Producers who farm on both sides of the Chateauguay River attended an information session last January organized by the Haut-Saint-Laurent and Beauharnois-Salaberry unions. The UPA is expecting answers to a request for producers to use the Brysonville railway bridge during the closure, as well as other questions raised by producers.

Turgeon says the UPA’s role in working with different levels of government is especially important to ensure new bylaws or regulations do not negatively impact agriculture. This past year, the UPA supported producers in Saint-Chrysostome by working with the municipality in April, after farmers raised questions about a proposed amendment to urban planning and zoning bylaws that would have required producers to obtain permits to cut trees in agricultural areas.

Turgeon highlighted the important role producers play in helping the UPA to know when new bylaws are introduced. “Keep up to date with what is happening, and do not hesitate to consult the UPA,” she said, noting it was much easier to intervene while bylaws are still in the planning stage and have not been adopted.

Another example of this is the UPA’s recent support of a protest held by Saint-Chrysostome producers after the municipality planned to raise the variable tax rate paid on agricultural land.

Regional issues

Jérémie Letellier, the president of the Fédération de l’UPA de la Montérégie, also spoke with producers on the different issues impacting agriculture at a more regional level, such as land-use planning and the loss of agricultural land.

“There is pressure from all sides,” he said, referring to the impacts of wind energy projects, hydro projects, road networks, and urban sprawl on the region’s agricultural land, noting there were around 360 files open with the Commission de Protection du Territoire Agricole. “There is an upward trend in requests concerning protection and access to natural environments,” he noted.

Letellier said that following public consultations, the Quebec government will soon introduce a bill to amend the Act respecting the preservation of agricultural land and agricultural activities. “Several of the proposed changes will weaken the protection regime and open the door to even wider non-agricultural uses,” he explained.

“We have the region where there is the most pressure from urbanization,” he added, while reiterating how important it is that agricultural land be protected.

Haut-Saint-Laurent UPA president Éric Leboeuf and vice-president Josiane Carrière then updated producers on the waterway management file and relations with the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent. A resolution was passed last fall calling for better collaboration with the MRC to ensure work to clear waterways is carried out. They noted the situation was evolving and that information pertaining to requests for work on ditches and waterways would soon be made public.

At the end of the meeting, a resolution was proposed by members asking the UPA federation to pressure the Ministère de l’Agriculture, des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation and the Quebec government to reform municipal taxation policies to prevent the MAPAQ budget from being used to finance municipalities through tax refunds. After a debate, the resolution was adopted, and the meeting was lifted.

Haut-Saint-Laurent UPA marks busy year of advocacy and representation Read More »

Zero-waste expert produces workshop series with La Bouffe Additionnelle

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Local food pantry La Bouffe Additionnelle held the first of a series of workshops led by a popular zero-waste expert, Florence-Léa Siry, on February 21 in Huntingdon.

Siry has been working to fight food waste since 2017 when she helped organize the first zero-waste festival in Montreal. She has since published six books on the subject and presents around one hundred conferences and workshops per year with different companies, institutions and organizations.

She is working with La Bouffe Additionnelle to provide its members with helpful tips and strategies to avoid wasting food while eating better. The workshops are being funded in part by the Table de Concertation en Sécurité Alimentaire du Haut-Saint-Laurent as well as by a donation from the Laure Gaudreault Foundation.

La Bouffe Additionnelle director Sylvie Racette explained that the workshops are part of a wider movement they are building within the pantry to respond to their members’ food security needs in new and innovative ways.

Currently, around 63 per cent of household food waste in Quebec could be avoided. “That is two out of three food items that we throw away when we could have done something with them,” said Siry. Of that amount, at least 30 per cent are vegetables and 15 per cent are fruit. “It’s incredible!” she exclaimed.

The aim of the workshop was to demonstrate that the fight against food waste is about much more than caring for the planet. “It is about taking care of your wallet and your mental load as well,” said Siry, who provided participants with a list of tips to extend the shelf life of food while saving time, money, and energy.

Siry said cleaning and organizing household fridges and freezers was the first step. “A messy fridge is a green light for waste,” she said, noting she cleans her fridge and freezer before doing her weekly grocery run. “That is where I ‘stock up’ on groceries before I go shopping,” she said, noting transparent containers make it easier to see what is available.

Another piece of advice included buying in bulk or family-sized packaging when possible and then separating out portions that can be frozen for future meals. She also proposed using base recipes for baking and quick meals that can be topped up with whatever is on hand.

Over ten people participated in the first conference, and each left with an information booklet that included several recipes and ideas for creative meal planning using food that is already available in the home.

The next workshop will likely take place in the community kitchen sometime in late spring. Participation is free for La Bouffe Additionnelle members and costs $5 for non-members.

More information on future workshops will be posted to the La Bouffe Additionnelle social media pages.

Zero-waste expert produces workshop series with La Bouffe Additionnelle Read More »

CISSSMO now offers palliative care services at home

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Most people want to stay in their home for as long as possible, but for those receiving palliative care, this is not always an option. A new program in the Haut-Saint-Laurent could change this.

The Centre Intégré de Santé et de Services Sociaux de la Montérégie-Ouest (CISSSMO) launched an innovative new service in December. A team of nurse practitioners can now take charge of palliative care patients who do not have access to a physician and provide follow-up care at home.

The service is based on a close collaboration between area nurse practitioners working with the family medicine groups (FMG) in Ormstown and Huntingdon and the home care nursing team at the Huntingdon CLSC. It was initiated by Mélanie Pinsonneault, a nurse practitioner with the Ormstown FMG, who felt some patients would greatly benefit from receiving palliative care and end-of-life services at home. She proposed the idea to the management team at the CISSSMO and six other nurse practitioners who readily agreed, and within three months, the program was up and running.

It is designed for patients who do not have a family doctor, or whose doctor is either unfamiliar with palliative care or located too far away. Patients may be referred by a doctor, but in most cases, it is the CLSC home care nursing team that flags patients that fit the program criteria. Pinsonneault then assigns the patient to one of the seven nurse practitioners, depending on their location and expertise.

While similar initiatives exist for doctors, the CISSSMO’s program is unique in Quebec as it is run solely by nurse practitioners. In fact, the CISSSMO points to the program as a good example of what can be done now that the provincial government has expanded the role of nurse practitioners to include palliative care services and medical assistance in dying.

“We provide comprehensive care and complete medical follow-up at home,” says Pinsonneault, who has been working as a nurse practitioner since 2019. She says the role has evolved significantly, from not being able to diagnose patients when she first started, to being completely independently responsible for a full patient load. The team of nurse practitioners associated with the project are all responsible for patients with varied medical needs within their FMG, but they also participate in various projects. The palliative care initiative fit well with their role and the therapeutic relationship they build with their patients

Despite the workload, Pinsonneault says palliative care is something she has always been drawn to, and she and the other nurse practitioners are happy to take on additional patients if it means those patients can remain at home. “We take care of everything, from the medical side to symptom management, prescribing medication, and monitoring,” she explains.

Palliative care provides support to patients, families, and caregivers. The goal is to optimize quality of life while mitigating or reducing suffering for those with serious, often terminal illnesses. “It can last a year, it can last two years,” says Pinsonneault, who suggests this is why the new program is so important.

“It is a complete care team,” she says, while explaining how the nurse practitioners work closely with CLSC nurses, practical nurses, and care professionals to provide patient care and follow-up on an on-call basis when needed.

“It leads to fewer emergency room visits,” says Pinsonneault, and ultimately, to happier patients, whose end-of-life care needs are respected. 

CISSSMO now offers palliative care services at home Read More »

MRC is installing shelters along free public transportation routes

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent wants to make waiting for the bus more comfortable across the region. It is installing eleven bus shelters in strategic locations along three public transportation bus routes that run through the Haut-Saint-Laurent, Sainte-Martine, and Salaberry-de-Valleyfield.

Public and adapted transport coordinator Michelle Beauchesne confirms all eleven shelters are expected to be installed by the end of March; however, winter conditions could lead to some delays.

The total cost to purchase and install the shelters is $171,268, of which 90 per cent is covered by the Société de Financement des Infrastructures Locales du Quebec’s public transportation capital assistance program and the Ministère des Transports du Québec.

Beauchesne sys the the MRC decided to invest in bus shelters to provide individuals with protection from adverse weather conditions while waiting at exposed or busy bus stops.

The MRC operates three bus routes on weekdays, which are available at no cost to Haut-Saint-Laurent residents. From January to November of last year, the bus was used at least 24,340 times, with local stops in Huntingdon, Ormstown, Godmanchester, Hinchinbrooke, Saint-Anicet, Sainte-Barbe, Howick, Très-Saint-Sacrement, and Franklin.

At least 9506 trips were provided by the MRC’s door-to-door adapted transport service in 2024.

The MRC announced in December that the Taxibus, an on-demand public transport service, would be suspended after calls for tender for a service provider went unanswered.

Beauchesne says a total of 33 individuals used that service in 2024, including six regular users who represent the vast majority of the 394 trips provided last year.

She confirms the service is still at a standstill, noting the MRC is considering different solutions including new service providers and carpooling. In the meantime, regular users have been redirected to the free bus service.

MRC is installing shelters along free public transportation routes Read More »

Think twice before announcing plans to move house

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Table Logement du Haut-Saint-Laurent has launched its second annual awareness campaign to mitigate the impact of the housing crisis in the region.

The campaign aims to remind tenants they have rights, and that in the current context, renters hoping to stay in the area should ideally have found a new home before telling landlords about plans to move.

Tenants must provide landlords with a notice of non-renewal at least three months before the end of a rental agreement when terminating a lease.

Anyze Goyette of the local housing table says it is important that tenants consider the rapid rise in housing costs between two moves, as well as the possibility of discrimination against tenants and the availability of clean, well-maintained and safe affordable housing options before deciding to move.

Another campaign objective is to remind those who will not be renewing their lease to start looking right away.

The Comité Logement de Beauharnois, which serves Beauharnois and its neighboring regions including the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent, reported a vacancy rate of only 1.4 per cent in 2021.

According to a representative for the committee, there has been a dramatic increase in housing prices since then, where the average cost of housing has doubled and even tripled in some instances.

Data from the 2021 census shows just over 25 per cent of households are renting in the Haut-Saint-Laurent. Median rent was about $690 per month, and over 25 per cent of renters spent more than 30 per cent of their income on housing. More than 10 per cent reported urgent housing needs.

There is new housing, but escalating rental costs are unaffordable for most tenant households rooted in the region.

“This often leads to excessive increases or the threat of repossession by the landlord,” says the committee representative, noting the situation is stressful and will mean more families having to make difficult decisions to get by.

Think twice before announcing plans to move house Read More »

Renovation work temporarily closes the Ormstown town hall

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Municipal employees in Ormstown are moving office for a few weeks while important renovation work is carried out in the town hall.

Work began on February 26 to improve accessibility for individuals with reduced mobility and to address plumbing, ventilation, and electrical issues from the building’s initial construction.

The renovations are designed to meet health and safety standards including the installation of a lift that will allow access to the basement, and to ensure a healthy work environment for municipal staff.

“Many people are surprised that work needs to be done on City Hall, which was built less than ten years ago. And I understand them,” says Ormstown’s mayor, Christine McAleer.

“Currently, we have a large basement that is of little use because it is not accessible. The archive room is also located in the basement, and the ventilation is not optimized for the preservation of documents,” she adds, noting that once the work is completed, all citizens will be able to enjoy the town hall.

Ormstown director general Daniel Leduc confirms the renovations were included as part of the 2025-2027 three-year capital investment program, which was approved by the municipal council in December. He says the $550,000 budget represents less than four per cent of the total investments planned by the municipality over the next three years, which include significant road, sewer and drinking water expenditures.

“This year we are putting some money into the town hall and the recreation centre,” he says, noting the upgrades are not a luxury. “The objective is to make it a real community building … A town hall that is well-equipped and fully functional to meet the needs of the community, which it presently does not.”

The floor in the recreation centre is being refurbished at an estimated cost of around $60,000.

The municipality expects the renovation work to be completed by mid-April. In the meantime, municipal employees will be temporarily relocated to the fire station, while those who work in reception will move to the library so they remain accessible to the public.

Leduc says that he looked into having the work done after business hours to reduce the impact on municipal employees, but it was significantly more expensive.

Municipal council meetings will not be affected and will take place as scheduled on March 3 and April 7 at the town hall.

Renovation work temporarily closes the Ormstown town hall Read More »

Mayors vote down bylaw limiting development near railroads

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Huntingdon mayor André Brunette says the town’s development plans are back on track, after an interim control bylaw (ICB) prohibiting new construction within up to 300 metres of railroads was repealed during the January 22 meeting of the regional council of mayors.

If maintained, the temporary bylaw introduced by the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent would have caused many of the town’s residential projects and future development initiatives to grind to a halt.

The MRC proposed the ICB in response to a series of nine provincial government guidelines for regional planning (OGAT) that came into force in December. These cover several aspects, including the quality of living environments, transportation, sustainable mobility, adaptation to climate change, water resource management, and the protection of natural and agricultural environments.

Within the guidelines are 22 objectives and six regulatory frameworks that the MRC is required to integrate into their land-use planning and development schema over the next three years. One of the frameworks, which is addressed by the MRC’s ICB, aims to mitigate the harmful effects and reduce the risks related to road, rail, and air transport, as well as fixed sources of noise, by prohibiting new residential and institutional development within 300 metres of railways.

The MRC’s ICB promoting the safety, property, and quality of life in the vicinity of a railroad was introduced by notice of motion on November 27. This resulted in an immediate temporary freeze on all new development within 30 metres of a railroad. The regulation was then presented to the council of mayors on December 18, where it was adopted by a slim majority after five mayors voted against the ICB. 

The railroad line in question is a 35-kilometre stretch of the CSX Transportation Montreal Subdivision, which runs through the municipalities of Dundee and Godmanchester and the town of Huntingdon. The MRC resolution notes that in addition to the storage of cars in Huntingdon and a service point in Dundee, the rail line is used primarily to transport various goods and materials, including hazardous materials.

The resolution argues there is a risk of derailment and hazardous material spills within the urban perimeters of Dundee and Huntingdon, where other negative impacts such as vibrations or sounds are more present given the proximity of the population.

Significant impacts

Brunette says the council’s decision left him reeling.

He says the mayors debated the bylaw for two hours. During this time, the spectre of the fatal train derailment in Lac Mégantic was brought up. “When people talk like that, it creates fear, a danger, that there is going to be a derailment, that there are going to be explosions, and the town will go up in flames,” he says.

“The railroad tracks have been completely redone. They’re flat, parallel to the ground. There are no mountains. It’s not the same terrain,” he says, insisting this type of comparison is unfounded. Trains roll through Huntingdon two times per day, one in the morning and again in the evening, at a maximum speed of 16 kilometres per hour, he explains. He notes that the town has also surveyed with those living along the railway and while they do hear the train whistle, vibrations are not a problem.

As a result, the Huntingdon municipal council unanimously passed a resolution on January 13 asking the provincial government to postpone the implementation of its regulatory framework. A similar resolution was passed by the Fédération Québécoise des Municipalités in December, as well as the Table Régionale des Élu[e]s Municipaux du Bas-Saint-Laurent.

The town also requested that the government establish standards based on the type of railway line, traffic flow, and train speed and size, like those in place for roadways.

The town contended that the regulatory framework in its current form would hinder both current and future development, including residential projects involving loans and investments in water and sewer infrastructure that are already implemented within 300 meters of the railroad.

“The town is in full development. We have been working on these projects for years, and now we are getting somewhere. According to the proposed bylaw, we could not build anymore,” says Brunette. Plans to build a new elementary school would also be abandoned, as well as a possible daycare expansion, if the proposed bylaw had not been repealed, he adds.

Brunette says the freeze on construction, which lasted over 50 days including the holidays, also kept the town from issuing permits. This restriction was lifted when the ICB was repealed in January, after eleven of the thirteen mayors voted it down.

MRC director general Pierre Caza explains that adopting an interim control bylaw enables the MRC to promptly address issues related to land use planning and development. This measure helps prevent the escalation of certain problems while providing the MRC with the necessary time to properly develop, modify, or revise its planning tools.

He points out that these temporary bylaws maintain the effectiveness of planning efforts by preventing projects that might conflict with new planning and development frameworks or rules while they are being established.

In this case, the MRC needed more time to analyze and establish safe distances and perimeters [from railways] while prohibiting all new cadastral operations until a permanent solution is adopted that would address safety, public health, and well-being concerns arising from rail transport in residential areas or near services for vulnerable populations.

Caza confirms the MRC is now holding meetings with the municipalities directly concerned “to find the best solutions to promote people’s safety while minimizing, if possible, the impact on the municipalities.”

Following discussions with the relevant municipalities, Caza says the objective remains for the council of mayors to adopt an optimized ICB that ensures the safety of individuals and properties near railroads.

Mayors vote down bylaw limiting development near railroads Read More »

The AGAO+ wants you to buy local

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Members of the Association des Gens d’Affaires d’Ormstown et des Environs (AGAO+) gathered for a networking event on February 4. The topic was to have been the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent’s new economic development and employment plan; however, echoes of the Trump administration’s tariff threat reverberated through the room.

“We certainly talked about it, and I think everyone is worried,” says AGAO+ president Philippe Besombes, who suggest that while there is concern, many of the association’s 80 members believe this uncertainty represents an opportunity to reposition local businesses.

In a post on social media, Besombes joined the many voices calling on consumers to prioritize products made in the Haut-Saint-Laurent, Quebec, or Canada while boycotting American-made goods. He suggests these practices will help to counter potentially volatile measures imposed by the U.S. government while promoting new internal markets within Canada.

“There is often a perception that buying local means more expensive products, but that is not true. More often, these are products that are not necessarily more expensive, and of better quality, made close to home, by local people,” Besombes explains. “We should be proud to buy these products,” he continues, suggesting that while there is a certain element of patriotism or pride to buying local, this practice is also about belonging and being part of a community.

There is also a clear ecological argument to be made for buying local. Consumers can significantly reduce their carbon footprint simply by increasing the amount of locally grown food they consume. Buying products that are made and sold nearby also encourages short shipping circuits, which eliminate the middleman and much of the transport costs. Besombes cites the Huntingdon County Farmer’s Market as a good example, as well as the many community-supported agriculture options for organic vegetables across the region. He says area grocery stores are also stocking more local products on their shelves.

Besombes says, “We all have a role to play” in determining how we ride out the next few years, which could be difficult. “On many levels, we’re going to be affected,” he surmises. “Which is why I think we should seize this as an opportunity to try to change certain things.”

The AGAO+ is also looking into how it can better support area businesses as they prepare to weather what feels like a coming storm. The association launched a workshop and training program last year for local entrpreneurs, which will continue this year with a focus on marketing, product positioning, and leveraging social networks. Networking opportunities and events are also organized throughout the year, which regularly draw over forty members.

“Our members really appreciate the opportunity to talk to each other,” says Besombes. “They feel less alone, less isolated,” he explains, while pointing out that the popularity of the networking activities is evidence that area entrepreneurs are looking for reasons to come together. This is important, he insists, because the ability to network and see what others are doing will help local businesses and entrepreneurs to better adapt within a difficult or changing economic climate.

Besombes says the association is always open to new members and is especially looking to recruit farmers and agricultural entrepreneurs from across the Haut-Saint-Laurent and neighbouring municipalities. More information is available online at agaoplus.com.

The AGAO+ wants you to buy local Read More »

CVCEC nursing program is on solid footing

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

CVCEC nursing program is on solid footing Read More »

New Frontiers is taking a stand on bullying

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , ,

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

New Frontiers is taking a stand on bullying Read More »

Unionized CPE workers stage second one-day strike

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Unionized CPE workers stage second one-day strike Read More »

Huntingdon faces shortage of first responders

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The town of Huntingdon is at risk of losing its first-responder service.

The municipality issued an urgent plea for new volunteers on January 30, referring to the need as immediate and great.

The town reports that at least 13 individuals have completed the required 60 hours of training in just under twenty years since the service was launched in May 2005. The number of first responders has now dwindled to a total of four volunteers.

Volunteer first responders are trained according to medical protocols to assess and stabilize patients in a variety of situations before an ambulance and emergency medical technicians arrive at the scene. Emergency interventions are often more efficient thanks to this collaboration of first responders.

In Huntingdon, first responders handle about 100 calls annually.

“We want to keep the service,” says Huntingdon’s mayor, André Brunette, though he admits recruitment has become more difficult. “Not everyone is suited to do this kind of work,” he acknowledges, while suggesting that the town is encouraging those with an interest in this type of community service to come forward.

Huntingdon director general Johanne Hébert points out that four people is simply not enough. “They are exhausted. They are on call 24 hours a day. We put certain measures in place, but it comes down to the fact these people are firefighters, they are first responders, but they also have jobs and families.”

As a result, Hébert says first responders presently only respond to calls where there is a high potential of cardiorespiratory arrest. There are four levels of first-responder services in Quebec, and this is the highest priority, but it means there is a greater reliance on emergency medical technicians to respond quickly to severe allergic reactions, severe trauma, and urgent medical calls.

“The population does not have to worry that there will be fewer services if the program were to close,” Hébert says, pointing out that Paraxion paramedics serve the town, and the fire department is part of the regional mutual aid network. “But it is always a plus. We have saved lives,” she says.

Huntingdon assistant director general Caroline Hébert-McKenzie confirms the town is doing everything it can to maintain the service. She says that since going public with their tenuous situation, at least three individuals including one new resident have come forward to volunteer. Several members of the Huntingdon fire department have also voiced an interest. “Things are moving in the right direction,” she affirms, noting the town is already in a better position to keep the service.

Huntingdon faces shortage of first responders Read More »

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

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

More than a delivery service

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

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

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

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

Major investment leads to increased capacity for Moisson Sud-Ouest

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The Moisson Sud-Ouest food bank is now able to store and distribute significantly more fresh food, thanks to major investments in refrigeration infrastructure at its new Salaberry-de-Valleyfield location.

During a press conference on February 5, the food bank announced that the region’s four Caisses Desjardins would be contributing $125,000 to help finance the installation of a refrigerated section in the organization’s warehouse. This is in addition to an earlier contribution of $125,000 by the Caisse Desjardins du Haut-Saint-Laurent, Valleyfield, Beauharnois, and Vaudreuil-Soulanges as part of Moisson Sud-Ouest’s “Take hunger off the table” campaign.

“This announcement makes perfect sense today, given the rise in food prices on the market,” said Gino Napoleoni, the general manager of the Caisse Desjardins de Salaberry-de-Valleyfield, who referred to the donation as a gesture of hope and solidarity.

Yan Ouellette, Moisson Sud-Ouest’s director of development and philanthropy, explained that the food bank’s relationship with Desjardins goes back a long way. “They were with us at the beginning, in 2021, when we began to dream about a new building,” he said. The food bank was then gripped by an exploding demand for food relief. “It was during COVID, there was a lot going on, and the needs were enormous. The government and the public were there to donate food, to give money, but we didn’t have the space to handle that crisis, that volume,” he recalled.

Moisson Sud-Ouest purchased a warehouse in Valleyfield in 2023 and launched a new appeal for donations to cover the cost of necessary renovations to bring the building to code for food distribution purposes. The $250,000 from Desjardins is in addition to $1,775,000 provided by the provincial government through the Programme d’Infrastructures des Banques Alimentaires du Québec, as well as numerous contributions from area businesses and the public.

Now up and running, the refrigerated section “holds a lot more food,” said Ouellette, which is key for the stocking and distribution of perishables.

The section allows Moisson Sud-Ouest to store up to 66 pallets of refrigerated foods, as well as an additional 66 pallets of frozen products, which amounts to 39,600 kilograms of food. The previous building had a maximum capacity of 12,600 kgs of perishable food items.

Ouellette explained that this translated concretely into an additional $310,500 worth of fresh or perishable food (the equivalent of 62,100 more meals) that is now available to the network of 80 food pantries and community organizations in the Haut-Saint-Laurent, Beauharnois-Salaberry, and Vaudreuil-Soulanges regions currently served by Moisson Sud-Ouest.

Sylvie Racette, the director of the La Bouffe Additionnelle food pantry based in Huntingdon, said there was little doubt that Moisson Sud-Ouest’s improved capacity will have an impact on the types of food that are offered locally. “Fresh foods, such as milk, eggs, and vegetables, are all harder to access,” she explained. “If they have the capacity to buy fresher food, that means we are going to receive food that we can keep longer.”

Racette added that having access to a potentially greater amount of food will also be of benefit. The need for food relief in the Haut-Saint-Laurent continues to grow. Just last month, the food pantry was providing up to 80 food baskets to individuals or families per week.

“There is not a week that goes by that we don’t have three or four new families signing up,” said Racette.

Major investment leads to increased capacity for Moisson Sud-Ouest Read More »

Black Hawk helicopters are now patrolling the border

Local Journalism Initiative / / / , , , ,

Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Valley residents living along the U.S. border are getting used to hearing the heavy thumping of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police’s new Black Hawk helicopter as it flies overhead.

The RCMP deployed the military helicopter on January 17 to shore up its surveillance and response capabilities along the border while clamping down on illegal migration and drug smuggling.

“We want to send a message to the Americans that we are taking this very seriously,” said Sgt. Charles Poirier during a January 30 press conference in Saint-Antoine-Abbé, which took place just kilometres from what he described as an illegal migration hotspot.

“We are very serious about our measures, that we are present, and that we intervene every day,” he added, noting the helicopter allows officers to respond more rapidly and with greater flexibility to any situation along the border.

The Black Hawk is one of two choppers on loan until the end of March at a cost of $5.3 million, from the Ontario-based company Helicopter Transport Services. A second helicopter is currently stationed in Manitoba. 

Poirier said that officers in the field are already benefitting from the new measures. He explained that the Black Hawk allows the RCMP to respond more quickly and to transport teams from one location to another, given the sheer size of the territory. “Let’s say an intervention takes 30 minutes in a vehicle; we might be there in five minutes in a Black Hawk.”

The helicopter, which allows officers to rappel down or hoist individuals as needed, will also be used to assist ground patrols by identifying suspicious activity from the air.

Poirier said the new acquisition complements the RCMP’s existing fleet, which includes a smaller helicopter, several drones, patrol vehicles, all-terrain-vehicles, snowmobiles, and amphibious vehicles. “We also have an entire technological apparatus at the border, including cameras, sensors, and other detection mechanisms,” he noted.

‘We want to reassure people’

Along with communicating a message to the U.S. on border security, Poirier suggested the RCMP also wanted to inform locals about the presence of the helicopters. “They are imposing. They look like the military, and people who live along the border will see them on a regular basis. They also fly very low sometimes, and they make a lot of noise,” he acknowledged. “We want to reassure the people who live along the border to know that it is us and that there is nothing unusual going on.”

The Black Hawks flying overhead have been the topic of conversation between locals across the Valley, with many saying they were alarmed, or at best confused, by their presence.

“They went over my house three times, directly over the roof,” said a Hinchinbrooke resident. “It is loud and it’s invasive and it just seems like our peaceful little border has become something else just overnight,” she added, noting that the RCMP had already installed cameras at the end of her road. “I feel like I am being watched all the time,” she said.

“We understand that this can be an inconvenience,” Poirier said, noting that any issues relating to the helicopters and increased border patrols can be signaled to the RCMP, and efforts will be made to accommodate such concerns.

“One thing that needs to be clear is that we don’t randomly patrol the border. Every patrol we make is based on intelligence. It is focused,” said Poirier, noting that officers typically concentrate their efforts on a hot spot or problem area where they can work within the community.

“Local help is essential to our mandate,” he said. “We can’t be everywhere at once. We work very well with the public, and we recognize the inconvenience of having people crossing on their property,” he continued, noting that anything out of the ordinary, “whether it’s an individual, several individuals, a vehicle, even if it’s just a backpack on their property,” can be reported to the RCMP and an officer will be dispatched to investigate.

Situation is ‘under control’

According to Poirier, the helicopters will be used primarily to follow up on intelligence received, where officers can signal a location from the air to those on the ground so they can better concentrate their patrol. In the event an individual has crossed the border and has not been located within a certain amount of time, the helicopter may also be deployed for a “search-and-collect” operation.

A Hemmingford maple syrup producer says he regularly finds articles of clothing and tracks running through his sugar bush located along the border. He observed that since the helicopters began flying overhead, there has been very little evidence of people moving through the forest. He recalled feeling a bit nervous after the helicopter circled above him a few times while he was preparing his trees for the upcoming sugar season.

Poirier reiterated that the situation along the border is under control, noting both south- and north-bound movement across the line by migrants is relatively quiet at the moment. “The numbers are quite low,” he confirmed, while highlighting the RCMP’s focus on smuggling networks operating in the area.

Poirier also addressed American concerns over the trafficking of fentanyl across the border. “Less than one per cent of the fentanyl currently on U.S. streets comes from Canada. In the last 12 months, in Quebec alone, we haven’t seen any fentanyl destined for the American market,” he confirmed.

Poirier reiterated the importance of sending a strong message to the Americans that border security is being taken very seriously by the RCMP; but he noted it is also important to remember the facts.

Black Hawk helicopters are now patrolling the border Read More »

DeBellefeuille sets her sights on a fifth term

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

DeBellefeuille sets her sights on a fifth term Read More »

Ormstown adopts tax increase and ambitious three-year spending plan

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

Ormstown’s mayor, Christine McAleer, presented a balanced budget of $8,167,136 for the fourth year of her mandate during a special municipal council meeting on December 11. The figures for 2025 forecast an increase of $257,137, or five per cent, over the previous year’s budget. Over 84 per cent of this revenue is expected to come from property taxes.

McAleer explained that the council took several factors into consideration while formulating the budget, including the general tax rate. In Ormstown, the average tax rate for all property categories is not expected to exceed an average of 4.8 per cent, while the average tax bill will increase by an average of 2.89 per cent.

The mayor noted that every effort was made to curb increases while pointing out the municipality has a small number of commercial and industrial institutions that would allow for a more diversified source of income. She announced the municipality would be working on a new approach to its economic development.

“We want to develop the municipality in a way that respects taxpayers’ ability to pay, and with a view to sustainable development,” she said. “We are committed to maintaining a competitive tax system, and will continue to work towards this goal,” she added.

A second factor involved controlling the increase in operating expenses for municipal services, including the public works department, which accounts for around 25 per cent of the municipality’s expenses, as well as administrative services, human resources, communications, and public safety.

A third significant driver revolved around investments in infrastructure improvements. “We could not ignore the many difficult realities that required solutions and sums of money in the very short term,” McAleer said, noting the municipality had little to no choice but to invest in several capital projects.

Ormstown will invest nearly $14 million in various infrastructure in 2025 alone. The mayor confirmed that over a third of these expenditures will be financed by grants, the general fund, and the unrestricted surplus.

McAleer pointed out that despite narrow revenue margins that left little room to manoeuvre, the municipality has been able to innovate despite the need to rationalize spending in all departments.

The municipality’s three-year investment plan represents over $54 million in estimated expenses between 2025 and 2027. Major investments in 2025 will include $4.71 million for a wastewater overflow plan, with a total investment over three years of $15.4 million. At least $5.78 million is expected to be spent on the water and sewer network in 2025, with additional investments of $13.6 million by 2027.

Other significant investments for 2025 include over $1.35 million in road and sidewalk maintenance, over $325,000 in recreational infrastructure (splash-pad and skating rink), and over $1.6 million for municipal buildings, including the town hall, garage and ecocentre, and recreation centre.

The municipality will delay the financing of a drinking water treatment plant to 2026, when $15.4 million is expected to be invested over two years.

McAleer said she was proud of the budget, saying she and the council were confident they would make a success of the final year in their term.

The municipal council adopted the bylaw establishing the tax rates and payment terms for 2025 during a special meeting on December 16. The bylaw was approved by majority vote, after two of the five councillors present voted against plan.

Ormstown resident Philippe Besombes, who is also the president of the Association des Gens d’Affaires d’Ormstown et des Environs (AGAO+), was the only individual present to question the council during both meetings on December 11 and 16. He expressed concerns over the steep increase in tax revenue since 2021, and the impact this may have on residents.

“Tax revenue, or what we’ve been taking out of the pockets of the municipality’s residents, whether residential, commercial, or agricultural, has gone from $3.2 million to $6.7 million. That’s a lot of money,” said Besombes, who noted this cannot be attributed to new residents as development projects have been at a standstill for the past three years. He questioned whether some residents would be able to afford the increase, and asked whether the mayor would consider authorizing payments over four installments instead of three.

Municipal tax bills will be sent out in February.

Ormstown adopts tax increase and ambitious three-year spending plan Read More »

Huntingdon opens fully equipped kitchen for the community

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Huntingdon opens fully equipped kitchen for the community Read More »

Saint-Anicet adopts balanced budget; mayor will not seek third term

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Sarah Rennie – LJI reporter

The mayor of Saint-Anicet, Gino Moretti, will be moving on from municipal politics after the end of his second mandate this fall.

Moretti announced he would not be seeking a third term just before the start of a special council meeting and budget presentation on December 16. “Tonight will be my last municipal budget,” he confirmed. “I have other opportunities in the future,” he added, without further explanation.

The mayor then turned the floor over to director general Denis Lévesque, who presented the details of the municipality’s annual financial exercise, which predicts a balanced budget of $6,418,064.

Lévesque explained that this year’s figures were influenced by several key factors, including the filing of a new municipal roll that saw a 54-per cent increase in the value of all properties. The average assessment for a single-family home jumped from $288,647 in 2024 to $431,032 in 2025, which represents an increase of over $142,000.

The director general was also careful to note a 5.5-per cent increase in shared expenses with the MRC du Haut-Saint-Laurent, the impact of inflation on all municipal expenditures, and the need to invest in municipal infrastructure having an impact on the overall budget.

Lévesque then presented the details of the capital expenditures program, which estimates an investment of $11,358,000 over the next three years. The municipality expects to invest over $4.9 million in 2025 on the paving of several roads, equipment for the fire service, and several major infrastructure projects.

Saint-Anicet will spend $1.2 million over three years to renovate the town hall, which Lévesque explained was lacking space. Half of the investment will be made in 2025, while an additional $300,000 has been budgeted for 2026 and 2027.

An additional $1.2 million will be spent in 2025 for repairs to the Catholic Church and community centre. Lévesque explained that the roof is currently leaking, and the municipality hopes to stop this before the structure is damaged.

The municipality will be installing washrooms at Parc Jules-Léger at a cost of $150,000, while development plans for Parc Génier will incur annual investments of $350,000 over the next three years. An additional $50,000 will be invested in the park in Cazaville as well.

Investments in the fire service include the purchase of a new boat as well as a new auto-pump fire truck, which is expected in 2026 at a cost of around $1.2 million. An underground cistern is also being installed in Parc Génier at a cost of $138,000. This will allow the fire department to fill their tanks with water more quickly. Lévesque noted excavation work has already begun in the park and a concrete slab has been poured.

Around $4.2 million will be spent on road maintenance between now and 2027, including the repaving of the Chemin St-Charles Ouest, the Chemin Rivière La Guerre, sections of the Chemin des Prairies, as well as sidewalk maintenance within the town and work on the Montée Cazaville.

Lévesque noted that the municipality was required to bring its wastewater treatment facility to standard, requiring an investment of $1.2 million. The municipal garbage truck is also in need of replacing at an estimated cost of $500,000 in 2026.

The director general noted that much of the planned expenditures will be covered by different grants and subsidies as well as loan bylaws.

The council unanimously approved both the budget and the capital expenditures plan before a notice of motion was tabled presenting the tax rates, service taxes, and the terms and conditions set out for this year.

The tax rate in Saint-Anicet is set to decrease from $0.4686 per $100 evaluation in 2024 to $0.3049 in 2025.

The bylaw was on the agenda for approval during the regular council meeting on January 13.

Saint-Anicet adopts balanced budget; mayor will not seek third term Read More »

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