With its eyes set on reducing greenhouse gas emissions while playing a role in the ongoing struggle against climate change, the City of Laval is planning on passing new by-law legislation that will make it illegal to install cooking and heating equipment fueled by natural gas in new residential neighbourhoods.
During the April 5 city council meeting, council members unanimously agreed to give the municipal administration a mandate to draft a by-law which will impose a moratorium on new natural gas installations.
According to the city, Laval’s residential sector accounts for 6 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions in Quebec. The city is one of the first municipalities in the province to adopt such a policy. Laval previously made a commitment to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions by 33 per cent by 2035.
“We know that municipalities have a first-tier role in the fight against climate change,” says Mayor Stéphane Boyer. “Just as we recently adopted our climate plan, Laval is taking another step forward to reach its targets for greenhouse gas reduction. It’s our responsibility to do more for future generations and I am proud of the considerable efforts by our administration to make Laval a leader in Quebec in the struggle against climate change.”
“This new policy shows the determination by our administration to tackle head-on the climate crisis while turning Laval into an innovative municipality when it comes to climate action,” added Laval-des-Rapides city councillor Alexandre Warnet who is responsible for environmental dossiers.
“Natural gas is not a viable solution for energy transition,” he added. “And I am proud of this new phase in our steps forward towards the carbon-neutralization of buildings in Laval. I hope that this meaningful step will serve to inspire other municipalities to speed up their goals towards becoming carbon neutral.”
Laval switches into spring flood-watch mode
Officials with the city announced earlier this week that round-the-clock monitoring has started on Laval’s waterfronts, especially along the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles and Lake of Two Mountains, as rainfall is expected to raise springtime water runoff to dangerously high levels.
Beginning last Monday, a 24-hour watch had begun. Laval has 14 telemetry stations installed all around the waterfront edge of its territory to accurately measure the water levels as they rise. The stations are calibrated with measurements from previous historic high water levels.
The city is advising property owners in known flood zones located at or near the water’s edge to consult the City of Laval web page for safety and emergency information about measures which can be taken, as well as to receive alerts should rapid flooding take place.
Municipal library to hold annual sale May 5 – 7
Laval’s municipal library system will be holding its annual sale of used and surplus books and other materials from May 5 to May 7 at the Cartier Arena. More than 50,000 items in a range of topics and for many different ages will be available.
Among the items up for grabs will be novels, documentaries, comic book art, encyclopedias, magazines, CDs, DVDs and others. There will be so much, in fact, that stock will regularly be replenished on the display tables.
“Over the past 20 years, the library sale has been something everyone has looked forward to not only in Laval, but also throughout the North Shore region,” says city councillor Flavia Alexandra Novac, who is responsible for the library system.
“This popularity attests to the importance of providing everyone with access to culture, to learning and to entertainment that comes from books,” she continued. “Laval’s libraries do this year-around through the various services they offer.”
Those going to the library sale are advised to bring bags as well as boxes to take away their purchases. Payment will be exclusively in cash or by Interac electronic debit. The Cartier Arena is located at 100 Montée Major, Laval-des-Rapides.
Hours:
Friday May 5, from 4 pm to 9 pm;
Saturday May 6, from 10 am to 5 pm;
Sunday May 7, from 10 am to 1 pm.
Prices:
- Books and comic art: $3.50/kg;
- CDs and DVDs: $1 per unit;
- Magazines: 0.10 per unit.
Administration rejects Urban Planning direct line
Action Laval city councillor for Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Paolo Galati says that during the April 4 city council meeting, a proposal he made to create a new direct line for planning professionals to be able call the Urban Planning Department was voted down by the council majority.
“The mayor says he is open to ideas and that he is extending his hand towards the opposition, but the facts say the opposite,” Galati said in a statement.
He maintains that developers, architects and others are seeing the plans they submit to the city for projects being refused, leading to weeks of delays while waiting for reviews. “They tell us that Laval is among the worst cities,” said Galati.
“This administration has no solutions to the city’s problems,” added Action Laval city councillor for Saint-Bruno David De Cotis. “The mayor invites the opposition to submit its ideas to him by contacting his office directly, then refuses the ones we submit publicly. Does he really believe we don’t see through his ruse?”
Action Laval maintains that the city’s delays in its urban planning department are well-known throughout the Montreal region and that Mayor Stéphane Boyer pledged to resolve the situation. “The stubbornness of the mayor has no logical justification,” said De Cotis. “To us, the mayor’s refusal is pure partisanry.”
