Sonny Moroz

CDN/NDG council rejects motion for safer REM traffic plan

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / December 28, 2024 / Dan Laxer, Sonny Moroz, Stephanie Valenzuela

By Dan Laxer
The Suburban

At the recent CDN-NDG Borough council meeting, opposition councillor Stephanie Valenzuela tabled a motion, supported by Councillor Sonny Moroz, regarding the REM station at Canora. Valenzuela is the councillor for the Darlington district. Her motion calls on the local Projet Montréal administration to adopt a clear traffic plan around the future Canora REM station.

The portion of the REM network comprising the Canora and Édouard Montpetit stations, which is in Valenzuela’s district, is set to open next fall, borough mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa told the media, with a new bus line and two bicycle paths.

Lest residents charge that the administration is being anti-car, as one resident did at the council meeting, the mayor says the idea is to make it easier not just for pedestrians and cyclists, but for drivers, as well, to safely navigate the area.

Valenzuela’s motion, seconded by Moroz, called on the administration to adopt a plan that includes “a strategy to mitigate the impact of the new influx of users, whatever their mode of transport,” and asks that the traffic plan “be presented to residents so that they are well informed about what’s coming to their neighbourhood.”

The borough said it had planned to publicize its plans, and to hold public consultation sessions, in early 2026, soon after the stations in the area open.

Valenzuela says that since work began on the portion of the REM network in her district there have been closures and traffic disruptions, and safety concerns. The motion she tabled was based on conversations with residents about how to ensure safety and quality of life in the area once the work is done and the stations open. More importantly, however, Valenzuela says that whatever happens she hopes that there is public consultation in earnest. With this administration, Valenzuela charges, public consultation usually amounts to a fait accompli presented to residents with no real consultation. “I really wanted to make sure that, even if I had a feeling that the administration was going to vote against the motion, that I was loud about the need to include the residents in all the changes that will be taking place in the district.”

The motion was indeed rejected by the majority Projet Montréal council. Valenzuela tells The Suburban that “according to them (the borough administration), they will already be doing everything addressed in the motion so there is no need to vote in favour of it.” n

CDN/NDG council rejects motion for safer REM traffic plan Read More »

One-way Bourret by fall?

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / July 19, 2024 / Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, Sonny Moroz

By Joel Ceausu
The Suburban

Some Snowdon residents can soon expect an invite to a borough information meeting about Bourret’s upcoming transformation into one-way west of Décarie, it’s just not sure when.

As reported in The Suburban, Côte des Neiges-Notre Dame de Grâce borough is making the road one-way eastbound between Clanranald and Décarie. This, a year after installing a two-way bike path and removal of all parking spaces on the north side.

While the borough maintains roadway dimensions are unchanged, maneuverability has been affected, as any resident or regular user of the road can attest. The Suburban learned that some STM employees told residents that bus drivers are frustrated when turning onto the street, which also causes many drivers to swerve towards the bike path or parked cars, or stop altogether when facing oncoming traffic. Last summer a pedestrian was killed after she was struck by a car that veered into the oncoming lane for no known reason, and then back into a parked car before hitting her as she walked in the road.

Snowdon councillor Sonny Moroz asked when the work will actually start. Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa said “it was not possible to start the work this summer,” because of other work in the area, “and making a change of direction at the same time as doing all this work, was going to require a lot of adaptation from residents.”

She said residents will be invited to an information session where they can ask questions about the new configuration before moving forward. “With the end of the work, we can aim for the fall, or end of summer. It won’t be done in the middle of July.” She added it’s important to reach citizens “and it’s never a good time in the middle of summer so we’re going to come back to them there as soon as we can move forward with the end of work in surrounding streets.” That work, notably around Dupuis and Clanranald, has been underway for more than a month, and will last all summer says Moroz, noting it was a 4-month job.

Katahwa suggested that the work may be able to move forward “as the services continue to monitor and evaluate the progress of the work. My priority is that we can move forward at a time when we can talk to the citizens, that they are informed enough in advance to come and give us their comments… I would like it to be done this fall, but it depends on all these factors.” n

One-way Bourret by fall? Read More »

One-way Bourret by fall?

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / July 19, 2024 / Côte des Neiges-Notre Dame de Grâce, Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, Sonny Moroz

By Joel Ceausu
The Suburban

Some Snowdon residents can soon expect an invite to a borough information meeting about Bourret’s upcoming transformation into one-way west of Décarie, it’s just not sure when.

One-way Bourret by fall? Read More »

Motion to expedite Cavendish defeated by Projet Montreal

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / June 7, 2024 / Alan DeSousa’, Chantal Rossi, Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, Sonny Moroz

By Joel Ceausu
The Suburban

Opposition efforts to get the Cavendish extension back on the front burner of the Hippodrome development took a hard turn at city council last week. Saint-Laurent Mayor Alan DeSousa’s motion to prioritize the long-promised connection was defeated after meeting harsh pushback by CDN-NDG Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, who vaunted the Plante administration’s green vision to build 20,000 homes in Montreal’s most populous neighborhood, while criticizing Snowdon councillor Sonny Moroz for supporting the motion, suggesting his priorities lay outside his own district.

The motion speaks of a yet-to-be produced environmental impact study required for Quebec’s Bureau d’audiences publiques sur l’environnement to hold consultations, further delaying any action, and called for Cavendish to be included in Montreal’s 2025-2034 capital investment program. DeSousa said putting 20,000 units in Namur-Hippodrome in the short- and medium-term without transportation and mobility measures in place will create a “nightmare… Just look at what is happening in this sector: the development of Westbury, de la Savane; Décarie Square; Royalmount which opens this fall… then add Hippodrome to this mess? Congestion will be unbearable.”

Katahwa says Projet Montréal believes development begins with the Hippodrome and “then Cavendish to Cavendish,” the two not mutually exclusive and listed pressing housing needs of CDN residents, suggesting Snowdon residents should know Moroz supports saying “no, it’s not right, you shouldn’t have done it like that; you should have made sure we develop Cavendish to open up Côte-Saint-Luc before taking the opportunity to develop so many homes for Montrealers, for the people of Côte-des-Neiges.”

Characterizing Ensemble Montreal as a “pale representation” of Projet Montréal, she prompted Montreal North councillor Chantal Rossi to tell council president Martine Musau Muele “the councillor (Katahwa) is not responding to the motion and directly attacking a fellow councillor.”

“I’m not a councillor,” Katahwa replied from across the chamber, “I’m a mayor.” Rossi responded: “Here, you’re a councillor.” Katahwa apologized to Rossi then denied insulting Moroz, saying she “just pointed out” his priorities, prompting Muele to ask all to “stay on order and avoid attacks.”

Moroz replied, speaking of broken promises, monies not earmarked, and new plans every few years. “They continuously promise every election to the west end that they’re going to build this necessary infrastructure link. You keep promising it. Why bother promising it to people if you’re never going to build it? if you’re going to keep changing the name of the project, keep pushing issues down the road?” He also rejected accusations “of not caring about Snowdon residents, when I get up every day and think about how I can serve them. I don’t think anyone can take that away from me and accuse me of not caring about this project.”

He replied to Katahwa’s housing comments, saying “the last time I checked, there are 2,800 people in CDN-NDG waiting for social and affordable housing and there’s 121 units down the street from Blue Bonnets that has yet to get prioritized by this administration. There’s another 50-something down on Bates, so those are two projects in the largest borough that we have in our great city of Montreal that have yet to be put on the priority list, and yet we’re promising 10,000 ‘off-market’ units.”

DeSousa insisted including the extension plan for transport to open up the area as quickly as possible, reminding council that Montreal would never have acquired the Hippodrome without Cavendish being part of it. “This is a requirement. It’s not a choice.” n

Motion to expedite Cavendish defeated by Projet Montreal Read More »

Opponents rally against bike path

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / June 7, 2024 / Cavendish, Sonny Moroz, Terrebonne

By Joel Ceausu
The Suburban

The work schedule for the reconfiguration of Terrebonne has already been established, with the first phase transforming the road into one-ways heading east and west from Cavendish, (to Girouard and Coronation respectively), installing a two-lane bike path and removing parking from the north side, slated for the week of June 24.

The plan has been adopted and the work schedule pronounced, but that did not stop opponents from rallying against the scheme, which they have long contended was not adopted with consultation of residents affected and is being imposed on the neighborhood to serve a small minority. They further questioned the bicycle traffic data and methodology used to support the plan, which will ultimately result in some 300 less parking spaces on Terrebonne. One person noted that after 90 minutes on the corner, only 9 cyclists were seen on the roadway., prompting another to say “the 400 the borough claims all ride at 3 am!” to hoots of laughter.

Some 120 people rallied at William Hurst park on Saturday to voice their opposition to the plan, carrying signs and hearing speakers, including NDG school commissioner Joseph Lalla and Snowdon councilor Sonny Moroz, along with organizers who denounced the process as undemocratic, and promised to not let up the pressure to see the project stopped or reversed “until a real consultation” is held, said co-organizer Irwin Rapoport.

Several demonstrators spoke of the effects on different institutions, indicating that the city will not allow Saint-Monica’s church to transform part of their greenspace into parking, effectively forcing the church to dramatically alter its weddings and funeral practices.

Watched closely by two SPDM officers, the group was heckled frequently by passers-by on bicycles, with shouts of “bring on the path!” and “deal with it!” as well as one cyclist stopping to berate the protestors before she departed cursing at the crowd. Many motorists however, honked in support of the demonstration, including several city of Montreal vehicles, with one municipal employee telling The Suburban at the intersection, “downtown doesn’t care about any of these people.”

The work will continue in three phases: Cavendish to Coronation; Cavendish to Grand; and Grand to Girouard and is expected to last about a month. n

Opponents rally against bike path Read More »

Valenzuela calls for 24/7 shelter in CDN-NDG

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / May 18, 2024 / Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Gracia Katahwa, Snowdon, Sonny Moroz, Stephanie Valenzuela

By Joel Ceausu
The Suburban

The city needs to end “seasonal optics” and implement a year-long, 24/7 response to growing homelessness in Montreal’s largest borough, says Darlington councillor Stephanie Valenzuela. “We know homelessness has taken a greater space in our city and our province, and unfortunately Côte-des-Neiges—Notre-Dame-de-Grâce is not isolated from this,” said Valenzuela Friday in Martin Luther King park.

Despite her interventions, “that of residents, with youth who go to school here, and area businesses,” she says the local administration has not shown any interest to do anything beyond test measures. “There hasn’t been a plan in place since the 2021 election; no additional measures put on the ground either to supplement resources or modified financial resources that we can give to local community organizations that work with homelessness.”

Valenzuela and Snowdon councillor Sonny Moroz want the borough to work rapidly with local stakeholders towards a plan with an appropriate location for a permanent shelter, “and not just when it gets cold,” to present to Quebec for financial resources.

She spoke steps from where a stabbing occurred in broad daylight last Wednesday, also steps from the MultiCaf day centre that served as an overnight shelter last winter. As The Suburban revealed in March, that pilot project operated by Prevention CDN-NDG saw overcapacity, material damages, neighborhood vandalism and incivility, consumption in and around the facility, as well as incidents of violence and the death of a 30-year-old woman two weeks after opening. The cause of death, a suspected overdose, remains undetermined, but facility management expressed reservations about the project shortly after launch.

Operated in a nearby church for three years before moving to MultiCaf, the shelter saw 5,785 visits, averaging 47 nightly users says Valenzuela, despite the 25-person limit. “Once the door closes March 31, where does the population go? To public spaces, to the park, which has been experiencing this for at least five years.” She said she has yet to see any progress of Borough Mayor Gracia Katahwa’s promised postmortem on the project.

The Suburban asked Katahwa for comment about the proposal but received no response by press time.

Pointing to tents in the park, Valenzuela said the problem will grow and a plan should “not only ensure compassion and dignity towards the homeless, but a good cohabitation for residents.” That sentiment was echoed by D’Arcy McGee MNA and Quebec’s Official Opposition critic for combatting homelessness Elisabeth Prass, citing Quebec numbers showing a 33% increase in homelessness in Montreal from five years ago. “We’re seeing a new homelessness… people finding themselves on the street because of evictions. There is a new reality post-pandemic; inflation and housing prices that different levels of government have to consider when coming up with policies and responses to this problem.”

Montreal’s policy when tents pop up is to dismantle them says Prass, “but unless you give people somewhere else to go, it’s not a solution, you’re creating a circular problem.” Prass says she raised the issue with Social Services Minister Lionel Carmant “who is familiar with the problem and the neighborhood and agreed that the solution is to have shelters open 365 days, 24/7.” She says the ministry is waiting for the city and CDN-NDG “to deposit a project with a location and organization.”

Valenzuela noted she made “this exact request” for a facility and sufficient upstream resources 15 months ago, “and there has been no subsequent progress on this file,” despite a Projet Montreal pledge “during the 2021 election campaign, to support the implementation of additional emergency housing sites with a rehousing assistance service, year-round, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.” n

Valenzuela calls for 24/7 shelter in CDN-NDG Read More »

Plante is “out of order” CDN/NDG council told

Local Journalism Initiative / The Suburban / March 23, 2024 / Mayor Plante, Sonny Moroz

By Joel Ceausu
The Suburban

CDN-NDG council question period is often a tame affair but at times spirited and animated, as when council regular Sharon Freedman didn’t mince words taking Projet Montréal’s borough and center city administrations to task over housing, anti-Semitism and mobility.

“In six years neither this council nor Mayor Plante has achieved anything our community wants or needs” Freedman told February council. “Plante has done nothing for social housing, but will spend $1.8 billion to renew downtown… She refuses to allow cars at Blue Bonnets, Hotel Dieu has not been built and you have not renovated Walkley, Project Chance (a property housing young single mothers that closed after flooding but was never repaired sits vacant), Somerled, Fielding, Queen Mary, all these streets. You have done nothing with the Empress Theatre but allow it to rot.”

“We want freedom of choice for mobility, we don’t only want bike paths. Our community drives cars and that’s not going to change. Where is the promised Cavendish?” (where millions are already set aside) she said. “Plante promised it and you (Borough Mayor Gracia Kasoki Katahwa) have not advocated to alleviate the congestion.”

“When will you start to build housing and Cavendish as promised, and you have the money…” she asked, sporting a t-shirt emblazoned with “When will Walkley be renovated?”, a reference to a vacant, city-owned building in disrepair for years in the heart of CDN-NDG amid the worst housing crisis in recent memory. Snowdon councillor Sonny Moroz pointed out “If we were to be sincere about the list of projects that CDN-NDG hasn’t accomplished over the last 6-7 years, then you might be wearing a very long dress.” He said Freedman’s points “need to also be made at City Hall. We need to do a better job in CDN-NDG of showing that we’re paying attention and that we care about these issues because when people bring issues to downtown, they get addressed.”

Freedman continued, slamming the Projet Montréal administration and Plante over the repeated flaunting of Agglomeration council rules on display last month, when activists harangued Hampstead Mayor Jeremy Levi after being encouraged to attend by Plante at a previous city council meeting.

“My community stands with Israel and Jeremy Levi” she said. “Neither you nor Plante have any jurisdiction over Israel. Israel has a right to defend itself as per the International Criminal Court. The agglomeration council is supposed to deal with money, transportation and housing, and not foreign affairs, and not in the way they did it. Mayor Plante was out of order” she said, allowing people to make numerous anti-Israel speeches, and attack the only Jewish mayor present with repeated, aggressive questioning with zero relevance to agglomeration business.

Plante was recently served with legal notice on behalf of some Jewish Montrealers alleging her failure to intervene and enforce all laws, by-laws and regulations governing unlawful assemblies, and allowing Montreal “to become a territory for extreme groups who assemble with the view of spreading hate and interfering with the daily lives of Montrealers under the guise of freedom for terrorism.”

Freedman says Plante allows “anti-Jewish rhetoric” and asked council to ensure security for the community by allowing off-duty or retired armed police officers at all Jewish institutions as threats to Montreal’s Jewish community have hit record highs since the terrorist massacre of Israelis on October 7. “Please, we need your help because this is not going to go away!”

Moroz said that specific request was made by all local Jewish institutions dealing with security, and a community action plan is in the works with “a group of elected officials in the western part of Montreal that is growing, so if there’s anyone here on council wants to add their name to that list, we’re working on it.” He says after a draft version of the plan was leaked last month, Quebec Public Security Minister François Bonnardel gave that measure “an unequivocal ‘no’, adding “all representatives must articulate the concerns of our community, especially the most vulnerable,” and it is not only the Jewish community that needs more protection.

Plante is “out of order” CDN/NDG council told Read More »