The City of Laval announced this week that Mayor Stéphane Boyer would be temporarily absent, starting Tuesday October 6, for a minimum of two months.
While the mayor has taken time off to undergo brain surgery for a tumour and the subsequent recovery period, he announced last Wednesday that the surgery was a resounding success.
During the mayor’s recovery time, Ray Khalil, Vice-President of the Executive Committee, will exercise the mayor’s powers in accordance with the City of Laval Charter.
The charter stipulates that the Vice-President of the Executive Committee assumes the mayor’s duties when the mayor is unable to act.
Mr. Khalil will thus ensure the continuity of the city’s functions and activities related to the mayoral office.
“It is with great humility that I take over as acting mayor for the coming months,” Khalil said in a statement issued by the mayor’s office.
“The residents of Laval can count on the executive committee, my colleagues on city council, the city’s administrative services, and myself to continue running the municipality and providing services to citizens,” he added.
“We wish our mayor, Stéphane Boyer, a speedy recovery and look forward to seeing him back in good health.”
A municipal councillor in the Sainte-Dorothée district since 2013, Ray Khalil has been vice-president of the executive committee of the City of Laval since 2021.
He is responsible for files related to land use planning, including the environment, economic development and urban planning.
Khalil’s appointment was renewed at the first meeting of the executive committee in November 2025.
The mayor’s temporary absence does not change the composition of the executive committee.
The activities of the municipal council, the executive committee and the municipal administration will continue in accordance with each member’s responsibilities and applicable regulations.
Also, during the mayor’s period of absence, when the mayor’s duties are to be performed ex officio, Khalil will represent the City of Laval with associations and organizations, including the Montreal Metropolitan Community (CMM), the Metropolitan Regional Transportation Authority (ARTM), the Union of Quebec Municipalities (UMQ), and the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM).
The city has not indicated when Boyer is expected to return, other than stating that his absence will last at least two months.
In early September, Mayor Boyer revealed in a bombshell announcement on his Facebook page that he had been diagnosed with a brain tumour.
“After months of headaches and visual disturbances, I had an MRI scan,” he said. “Lying in the machine, I wondered: what if it’s something serious? Would I be satisfied with the life I’ve led so far? What should I do next?”
“While I don’t yet have answers to all my questions, I know one thing: I want to continue being involved in my city, and there’s no greater joy in life than sharing my daily experiences with those around me,” he added.
