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Man stabbed repeatedly on Étienne Lavoie St.

Martin C. Barry
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Man stabbed repeatedly on Étienne Lavoie St.

A 35-year-old man was taken to hospital suffering from multiple stab wounds following an apparent knife attack late Wednesday night on Étienne Lavoie St. just west of Autoroute 13 and Chomedey.

The Laval Police responded around 11:30 pm to a call about a badly injured man who was seen by at least one witness trying to enter a dwelling.

LPD officers found him out in the street. His injuries, though serious, were not considered life-threatening after being assessed in hospital.

According to a TVA report early Thursday morning, the victim is known to the police, although he is not a resident of Laval. The LPD has no immediate leads on a suspect.

Laval Police nab nine suspects for multiple vehicle theft

Martin C. Barry
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Laval Police nab nine suspects for multiple vehicle theft

The Laval Police Dept. says it has arrested nine suspects believed to be connected to the systematic theft of vehicles from parking lots in Laval.

The cars and trucks which were targeted included Honda CRV, Acura RDX, Jeep Grand Cherokee and Wrangler, Dodge Ram and Durango, and Ford F-150/250.

According to the LPD, the thefts had been taking place primarily at night. Some of the vehicles were stolen from hotel parking lots.

The nine arrested suspects included three minors, as well as six adults between the ages of 20 and 30.

They face charges of vehicle theft and being in possession of burglary tools.

Although all were questioned by investigators, they were released pending future court arraignments, with conditions to be observed until then.

The LPD is urging anyone who feels they have information useful to this case to call the Info-Line at 450 662-INFO (4636) or 9-1-1. The file number is LVL -220716-016.

Laval Police seeking fraudsters who cheated Facebook seller out of a $15,000 Rolex

Martin C. Barry
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Laval Police seeking fraudsters who cheated Facebook seller out of a $15,000 Rolex
The Laval Police Dept. issued this photo of the Rolex stolen by fraud artists.

The Laval Police are seeking the public’s help in identifying two suspected male fraud artists who deceived a man from Laval last fall into selling them a $15,000 Rolex watch in exchange for an envelope filled mostly with newsprint cut up to appear like money.

According to the LPD, the victimized seller had posted the watch for sale on Facebook Marketplace.

After chatting by phone with one of the suspects, the seller agreed to a meeting.

One of the suspects handed the seller an envelope, which contained the agreed sum.

However, the suspect briefly took back the envelope, while checking on the condition of the watch, then handed back what appears to have been a second envelope containing cut up newspaper clippings, with a $100 bill on top.

The victim only realized after the deal was concluded and the suspects were gone that he’d been had.

The LPD believes the perpetrators are responsible for other similar scams, involving the fraudulent purchase of luxury merchandise, in the Montreal region.

The suspects are described as English-speaking males in their 40s, black hair, dark eyes, and of medium build.

Anyone with information is asked to call the LPD’s Info Line at 450 662-INFO (4636) or 911. The file number is LVL-211130-014.

Gunshots target home near Mackenzie/Hennessy in Chomedey

Martin C. Barry
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Gunshots target home near Mackenzie/Hennessy in Chomedey

The sound of gunfire was heard by residents living in the vicinity of Mackenzie and Hennessy streets in Chomedey last Thursday evening, as a home came under fire for the second time in recent months.

Around 9 pm last Thursday evening, a vehicle was seen slowing down in front of the dwelling.

Three people seated on the front balcony of the targeted house came under fire, according to a witness report.

The Laval Police, who responded to calls about gunfire, turned up around 9:30 pm and found spent bullet casings on the ground around the crime scene.

Bullet impact points were found on nearby buildings and on at least one vehicle parked nearby.

There were reportedly no injuries and no suspects have been identified.

Autoroute 15 partly closed nights from July 18 – 29 at St. Jérôme and Mirabel for asphalting

Martin C. Barry
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Autoroute 15 partly closed nights from July 18 – 29 at St. Jérôme and Mirabel for asphalting

The Quebec Ministry of Transport says there will be partial closings during the night on Autoroute 15 from July 18 – 29 on the approaches to the cities of Saint Jérôme and Mirabel.

Two lanes out of three will be closed in order to carry out asphalting. The ministry says the asphalting work will be taking place near the overpass for Route 158 and near the bridge over the Rivière du Nord.

Motorists heading north on the autoroute will have to travel in the left oncoming traffic lane. The exits for R-158/Route Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier/Mirabel (Saint-Canut)/Sainte-Sophie will be closed on the A-15 headed northward.

The following detour is recommended to take Route 158: Follow A-15 north to the Boulevard du Grand-Héron exit, then retake A-15 southward to exit for R-158/Route Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier/Mirabel (Saint-Canut)/Sainte-Sophie.

Motorists heading south on Autoroute 15 must also remain on the left. The R-158/Route Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier/Mirabel (Saint-Canut)/Sainte-Sophie exit will also be closed on A-15 south.

The following detour to Route 158 is recommended: A-15 south to A-50/R-117/Lachute/Gatineau exit, take A-50 east and get back on A-15 north to R-158/Route Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier/Mirabel (Saint-Canut)/Sainte-Sophie exit.

Asphalting and repairs start July 17 on Gédéon-Ouimet Bridge

Martin C. Barry
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0
Asphalting and repairs start July 17 on Gédéon-Ouimet Bridge

The Quebec Ministry of Transport says the Gédéon-Ouimet Bridge, connecting Laval to Boisbriand on Autoroute 15, will be undergoing asphalting and repairs beginning July 17 for the next 18 weeks.

The work is taking place as the province’s highways ministry prepares for a much more extensive reconstruction of the bridge scheduled to begin in the coming years.

Although the asphalting and repairs will be taking place at night to minimize the impact on traffic, beginning July 19 from Sundays to Wednesdays between 10 pm and 4 am, Thursdays from 11 pm to 4 am, Fridays from midnight to 6 am, and Saturdays from midnight to 7 am, one side of the bridge will be closed to traffic.

During these closings, traffic will be directed onto the opposite side of the bridge where traffic in both directions will flow at a reduced speed of 70 km/h. Weather conditions or operational delays could cause the work to be postponed or cancelled altogether.

Laval man dies after diving, striking head in backyard pool

Martin C. Barry
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Laval man dies after diving, striking head in backyard pool

A man in his 40s has died after diving into his backyard pool and striking his head on the bottom around 6 pm last Sunday evening.

Paramedics who arrived on the scene on Savard St. east of Sainte-Rose tried to revive him, although in vain, and he was declared dead. Family members were said to have been present the whole time.

One injured after Sainte-Rose knife assault Saturday

A knife attack that took place during the late hours last Saturday left one person injured in the Sainte-Rose sector of Laval.

The LPD received a call around 11:30 pm about an injured victim, who was found at the corner of Curé-Labelle Blvd. and avenue de la Renaissance.

The 44-year-old male was transported to hospital, and his life was not considered to be in danger.

Ste-Dorothée balcony collapse injures 13-month-old and adults

A balcony located on the third floor of an apartment building on de l’Hôtel de Ville Blvd. in Sainte-Dorothée suddenly collapsed last Saturday evening, while three adults and a 13-month-old baby were on it.

The infant was seriously hurt, although there are no fears for the child’s life. It was being cared for at the CHU Sainte-Justine following the incident. The other three adults, two men and a woman who are family members, suffered minor injuries. They too were transported to hospital.

According to police, around 5:30 p.m. on Saturday, a call was made to 911 about people injured following a serious fall. The balcony was at the back of the residential building over a parking lot. An investigation has been launched by the Laval Police Dept. into the incident.

Laval police seek info on man arrested for pimping and trafficking

The Laval Police Dept. is asking anyone who believes they may have information about a man suspected of pimping and human trafficking operations in Laval to contact them.

The LPD reported on July 4 that Curtis Bartlett, a 27-year-old suspect, was arrested by investigators from the force’s sex crimes unit.

The Laval Police issued this picture of Curtiss Bartlett.

The LPD had been aware of Bartlett’s activities since at least last May, when information they had received suggested he was involved in sexual exploitation and drug trafficking in Laval, and that he maintained control over several women working in the sex trade – some of whom were underage.

The LPD believes that Bartlett’s modus operandi involved introducing himself to his victims as a “john” or client, and that while posing as a wealthy and generous man he would offer to open the doors to wealth. At the same time, according to the LPD, he provided the women he victimized with a large quantity of drugs.

Photo1: The Laval Police issued this picture of Curtiss Bartlett.

Laval man among three charged by RCMP in money laundering

An RCMP investigation has resulted in charges being laid against three individuals, one being from Laval, involved in money laundering, with suspected ties to Colombian criminal organizations.

The three are Yan Trépanier, 49 years old, from Laval; Andrew Barera, 35 years old, from Montréal; and Michael-Joey D’Opéra, 27 years old, from Laval.

The investigation, launched in March 2020 in response to a tip from the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) in the U.S., revealed that the suspects laundered more than $18 million in less than a year.

Search warrants executed in July 2021 resulted in police officers seizing $46,000 in cash, prohibited firearms and devices, a silencer and bookkeeping notebooks.

The investigation was conducted in collaboration with the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC), Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) and the Forensic Accounting Management Group (FAMG).

The three accused are scheduled to make court appearances on July 15 at the Palais de Justice in Montreal. Charges of laundering proceeds of crime, conspiracy to import and possession of narcotics for the purpose of trafficking, and possession of prohibited firearms and devices have been filed against them.

The Laval Police issued this photo of Jonathan Estimé.

Nineteen-year-old arrested, two handguns seized

The Laval Police say they confiscated two firearms and arrested a 19-year-old male from Brossard who is suspected to have recently been involved in armed incidents on Laval territory.

The suspect, identified as Jonathan Estimé, was taken into custody on June 30. The officers, executing a search warrant, found two Glock 9 mm handguns, one of which was equipped with a high-capacity ammunition clip.

As well, a quantity of ammunition was seized, as was $3,000 in cash, fake I.D. cards, plastic bags containing crack cocaine, and a cell phone. Estimé faces charges of being in possession of a prohibited weapon with ammunition, possession of counterfeit documents and violation of court-ordered conditions. He was scheduled to make a court appearance on Tuesday July 12.

Laval City-Watch

Martin C. Barry
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Laval City-Watch

Ottawa, Laval poised to make deal on future of Old St. Vincent Penitentiary

As part of his annual summer tour, the Quebec Lieutenant and Minister of Canadian Heritage, Pablo Rodriguez, was in Laval last week to officially begin his Quebec tour.

He took the opportunity to visit the communities of his federal colleagues in order to take the pulse of the people on the ground and to meet with the mayor of Laval to discuss various issues that touch the people of Laval, such as the Vieux pénitencier de Saint-Vincent de Paul.

Accompanied by Annie Koutrakis, Member of Parliament for Vimy, Rodriguez began the day at the Centre Scama where he met with employees, volunteers as well as Diane Hachey, President of the Board of Directors of the home care organization that has been working for 40 years with Laval seniors.

Afterwards, it was during his participation in a round table discussion with Fayçal El Khoury, MP for Laval-les-Îles and Annie Koutrakis, MP for Vimy, that he had the opportunity to exchange with representatives of the cultural communities of the region.

Finally, fulfilling his commitment, Rodriguez visited the Vieux pénitencier Saint-Vincent-de-Paul along with the mayor of Laval, Stéphane Boyer, and the Member of Parliament for Alfred-Pellan, Angelo Iacono.

The three elected officials discussed how the federal government can be an ally in the realization of the project and the recognition of its importance for the Laval community.

“As in our previous meeting, Minister Pablo Rodriguez was attentive to the priorities of Laval residents,” said Mayor Boyer. “We were able to discuss many issues, including the revitalization of the Vieux Pénitencier de Saint-Vincent-de-Paul.

“For the past few months, we have felt a real desire to give a second life to this historic infrastructure, which our administration strongly wishes,” Boyer added. “We feel a great openness on the part of the federal government with regard to issues that are important to Laval citizens.”

“It’s good to be back on the ground for my Quebec summer tour,” said Rodriguez. “It’s important to take the pulse of the people in our communities. While we are learning to live with the pandemic, people are facing unprecedented global challenges such as inflation and the cost of living.”

“It was a pleasure to spend the day with Minister Pablo Rodriguez and my fellow MPs from Laval, Fayçal El-Khoury and Angelo Iacono,” said Koutrakis.

“The Minister met with several community groups and organizations and received direct feedback from each of them on the issues that matter most to their members and stakeholders. This is a clear demonstration of our government’s willingness to hear and act on the feedback we receive from our citizens.”

“It’s great to be with some of our many Laval communities,” said El Khoury. “Laval is special in that it is a bastion of living together across the country. My colleagues and I try every day to build on the sense of solidarity, openness and sharing that is part of our region.”

“The future of the Vieux Pénitencier represents an interest for the east of Laval as much in terms of culture as in terms of history and identity,” said Iacono. “Moreover, this heritage gem has the potential to generate wealth for the community and any disposal or development should include a community and social component as well as a phase that stimulates the local economy and generates jobs.”

Federal Correctional Service preparing to dispose of ‘Old Pen’ in Saint Vincent

The Correctional Service of Canada (CSC) said in a recent statement that it is entering the next phase in the disposal of one of its properties – the former Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary in Laval.

CSC is currently working on the disposal process of this federal property in order to be ready for sale to Canada Lands Company (CLC) by the year 2024.

CSC said it will continue to work on several due diligence steps as part of the disposal process, including land surveys and environmental, archeological and heritage assessments, which will be completed by the end of 2023.

CSC said it has been working, and will continue to work, closely with experts to ensure that appropriate heritage considerations and obligations are transferred to the new owner, and that it will be consulting with other levels of government and stakeholders, including Indigenous groups to seek public interest in the property.

Formerly the site of a Sisters of Providence, Sacred Heart Convent, in 1861, the Government of Canada East purchased the site to establish a reform school. In 1872, the federal government purchased the site from the Province of Quebec and renovated it for use as a federal penitentiary.

The first offenders, officers and their families were transferred to Saint-Vincent-de-Paul Penitentiary by steamship from Kingston Penitentiary on May 19, 1873. Saint-Vincent-de-Paul-Penitentiary ceased operating as a federal correctional facility and was declared a surplus asset in 1989. The property was declared a National Historic Site of Canada in 1990.

Saint Vincent councillor Galati says he wants ‘Vieux Pen’ file fast-tracked

Laval city councillor for St. Vincent de Paul Paolo Galati was upbeat upon receiving word that the Correctional Service of Canada seems intent on finally making a move to divest itself of the derelict former St. Vincent de Paul penitentiary complex.

“I am happy to learn that they are moving this dossier forward, even though another year-and-a-half of waiting is long,” the Action Laval opposition councillor said in a statement, noting that a transaction completion isn’t expected until at least 2024.

“It’s not as though this dossier just came up on their radar,” he added. “Since 1989, this dossier has been going in circles. I will continue to fight so that this dossier moves ahead quickly.”

Galati pointed out that the City of Laval is depending on the federal government to finally get some action in the matter. As well, he said a number of projects, involving transport, the extension of Saint-Martin Blvd. eastward to montée Saint-François and new social housing can only be brought to completion with the full cooperation of the federal government.

Olivia Doulos has a ‘Passion for Paws’

Martin C. Barry
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Olivia Doulos has a ‘Passion for Paws’

Chomedey resident is helping rescue Lebanon’s abandoned dogs

Olivia Doulos remembers the first time a consignment of dogs she had rescued from Lebanon arrived at Pierre Elliott Trudeau International Airport. It was last January and they were on their way to new adoptive homes in Montreal.

The Chomedey resident along with a few volunteer supporters had been waiting for more than an hour in an area near cargo arrivals. Up to that point, everything she had done to arrange for the rescue of the dogs had been “theoretical.” Here at last was the reality.

Olivia Doulos at Montreal-Pierre Elliott Trudeau Airport with one of the rescue dogs Passion for Paws brought from Lebanon.

Couldn’t stop crying

“I had heard the sad stories and seen the pictures, but I still hadn’t seen any of the dogs, and so it wasn’t real to me yet,” she said in an interview with The Laval News.

When she heard one or more of the dogs barking and howling as they came through the doors into the cargo arrivals area, she suddenly felt gripped by a rush of emotion and started to cry.

“I was like hysterical, but a happy cry,” said Doulos. “But I couldn’t stop myself. I had never felt that kind of uncontrollable emotion before. Just seeing them and interacting with them in person it became so real to me.

A passion for dogs

“It filled me with a passion that I had never felt before. I’m already a very passionate and dedicated person as it is. But that made me feel something that I had never felt before in my life. It was indescribable.”

Doulos is the founder and sole proprietor of Passion for Paws. Although she runs the organization without profit motive, Passion for Paws is incorporated as a company because Doulos wanted to be able to expand the organization’s potential in a way that is currently not allowed for non-profit organizations.

Thirty dogs brought here

Before starting Passion for Paws, she had created a local dog adoption service in Montreal, arranging for the adoption of specific types of dogs. Facebook connections led her last January to partner with three dog rescue operations based in Lebanon. Since then, Doulos has successfully imported more than 30 dogs from Lebanon into Canada.

‘I had never felt that kind of uncontrollable emotion before,’ Olivia Doulos says about the first time some dogs Passion for Paws rescued arrived at the airport

Passion for Paws is a sideline for Doulos. The 22-year-old is currently a student of biochemistry at Concordia University, while also working part-time at a canine boarding centre where she is a receptionist and attends to the care of dogs.

Work clearing customs

According to Doulos, bringing dogs into Canada from an area of the world with a history of instability like Lebanon can be quite complex, involving a fair amount of paperwork to meet the requirements of Canadian customs officials.

A Passion for Paws team member, with a rescue dog from Lebanon.

After the dogs have been thoroughly screened, vaccinated and sterilized by dog rescue operators in Lebanon, they are accompanied on their plane trip by a “flight angel,” who is either a Passion for Paws team member or a volunteer from Lebanon.

As Passion for Paws has no physical pound or shelter of its own in Montreal, the dogs go directly to their new homes, after the adoption procedures have been completed by rescue operators in Lebanon.

Treatment of dogs in Lebanon

According to Doulos, the treatment of dogs in Lebanon differs significantly from the canine culture in Canada. It’s not at all unusual over there to shoot down strays – of which there is an abundance – or to poison them, she said, while noting that Lebanon is currently in the midst of a crippling economic crisis during which many pet owners abandon dogs.

As such, “there’s a percentage of them that lack socialization and need to be desensitized towards things here in Canada,” she said. “But then on the other hand, there are some that come here and within a couple of days they’ve settled in for their entire lives.”

She said the dog’s ability to adjust “really depends on what they’ve been through and the kind of character they have. If they have an outgoing and confident personality, it doesn’t usually take them that long. Whereas the more timid and shy take a bit longer to adjust.”

How much it costs

With an adoption fee that ranges from $1,200 – $1,500, Doulos acknowledges that the cost of adopting a dog through Passion for Paws is considerable, although it includes the plane flight, customs fees, a shipping crate, bedding, sterilization, vaccination and microchipping.

“We know that obviously it’s more pricey than getting a rescue dog in Montreal,” she said, adding that the cost of the flight drives up the fee, but that adoption comes with the satisfaction of having rescued a dog from a troubled area of the world. Further information on Passion for Paws can be found on their website: passionforpaws.ca.

‘Sainte-Rose Art Symposium’ takes place July 28 – 31

Martin C. Barry
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0
‘Sainte-Rose Art Symposium’ takes place July 28 – 31

More than 20,000 visitors expected at art show in Vieux Sainte-Rose

In Laval each year, you can always be sure that summer is well underway when it’s time once again for the Corporation Rose-Art’s Sainte-Rose Art Symposium.

Former Corporation Rose-Art president Caroline Faucher is seen here with the art group’s new president, Oprina-Felicia Dolea. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

From July 28 to 31, appreciators of fine sculpture and exquisite art will be arriving from all over Quebec as well as other parts of eastern Canada to enjoy the 26th Symposium in the historic laval neighbourhood of Vieux Sainte-Rose.

Works of 70 artists

More than 20,000 people are expected to attend this highly popular and free event. While there, many will be purchasing works produced by 70 talented artists expressing themselves in styles ranging from traditional and impressionistic to modern and abstract.

As the Sainte-Rose Art Symposium’s reputation has grown across Quebec and eastern Canada, the Symposium’s organizers have also received some significant recognition. In 2019, the Laval Chamber of Commerce and Industry presented them with a Dunamis award for helping to promote tourism in Laval.

La Vieille Caserne in the heart of Sainte Rose will be the heart of the 2022 Sainte-Rose Art Symposium from July 28 – 31. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Dunamis winner

They were also a finalist for a second Dunamis the following year as a “sustainable” organization or enterprise. And indeed, tourism has been growing by leaps and bounds in Laval over the past few years, as travellers from all over Canada and the U.S. discover hidden treasures such as the Symposium de Sainte-Rose.

As always, the Symposium will be taking place in downtown Sainte-Rose near the ‘Vieille Caserne’

This year, the event’s honorary chairwoman will be Sainte-Rose city councillor Flavia Alexandra Novac. The Symposium’s principal sponsor and host, the Corporation Rose-Art, also has a new president: Oprina-Felicia Dolea, who is taking over responsibilities from former president Carole Faucher.

Team work, says Novac

Corporation Rose-Art president Oprina-Felicia Dolea is seen here with the Dunamis Finalist citation the organization received for its cooperative and social economy efforts. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

“Something I want you to know is that this is an event I believe in greatly,” Novac said during a press conference at the Vieille Caserne last month to announce the 2022 Symposium. “This is an event that takes a lot of teamwork and I thank all members of the team. This is also an event that has become known outside Laval, and it draws all sorts of people to see the magnificent art in this community.”

Sainte-Rose was the birthplace of Québécois painter Marc-Aurèle Fortin. Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete noted that when Premier François Legault was first elected nearly four years ago, he was asked (in keeping with tradition) to choose an original work of art for his new office as Premier.

Organizers are seen here (at centre) with Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete, Corporation Rose-Art president Oprina-Felicia Dolea and Sainte-Rose city councillor Flavia Alexandra Novac during the June 28 announcement the 2022 Sainte-Rose Art Symposium. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

Skeete thanks organizers

Today, according to Skeete, a work by Marc-Aurèle Fortin hangs on the wall behind Legault’s desk. “Thanks for all you do,” Skeete told the Corporation Rose-Art board members and supporters. “What you do is so important for the area and you know you can always count on me.”

As always, the Symposium will be taking place in downtown Sainte-Rose along Sainte-Rose Blvd. next to the Old Firehall (La Vieille Caserne), near the historic Sainte-Rose-de-Lima church, between Filion and Deslaurier-Hotte streets. The hours are as follows: Thurs. Jul. 28 and Friday Jul. 29, 10 am to 6 pm; Sat. July 30, 10 am to 6 pm; and Sun. Jul. 31, 10 am to 5 pm.

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