As Canada’s voters prepared themselves for a national election at the end of April last year, the Laval region’s Conservatives announced that Konstantinos Merakos would be running for the Laval-Les-Îles seat for the Conservatives.
Merakos, a lawyer and a graduate of McGill University and the London School of Economics and Political Science, also obtained law degrees from the University of Montreal and the University of Ottawa.
He said he felt certain the Conservatives could win Laval-Les-Îles, which has long been a Liberal fortress. He said a particular concern raised by many Laval residents he’d heard from was rising crime, including car thefts, household break-ins, extortions and fire bombings.
Laval-Les Îles Conservative candidate Konstantinos Merakos touched base with a supporter who attended his campaign launch. (Photo: Martin C. Barry)
In the meantime, incumbent Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis maintained that new Liberal leader Mark Carney had succeeded in changing the party overnight following the departure of Justin Trudeau.
“We are now back to what we should always be and what Canadians are: in the centre economically and politically,” she told a gathering for her campaign launch.
“We believe in a strong economy to make our people better off,” she said. “And a strong economy to finance the social programs and defenses we need. That’s where elections are won. If you have to find anyone in the world to fit the moment, it would really be hard to do better than Mark Carney.”
Laval’s incumbent Liberal MPs seemed to agree about their party’s newest Laval-area candidate. As far they were concerned, Carlos Leitão would be an asset to a future Liberal government.
Supporters, family and friends of the former Quebec Liberal finance minister crowded into Leitão’s Autoroute 440 campaign headquarters to help launch his bid to win the riding of Marc-Aurèle-Fortin in the April 28 election.
Supporters of former Quebec Liberal finance minister Carlos Leitão crowded into his Autoroute 440 campaign headquarters to help launch his bid to win the riding of Marc-Aurèle-Fortin in the April 28 federal election.
In an informal address to the gathering of more than 50, Leitão was quick to get straight to the point as to why he’s running: the U.S. and its punishing tariffs.
“We will have to readjust, restructure, redirect the Canadian economy,” he said. Leitão, as well as Koutrakis, Laval-Les-Îles MP Fayçal El-Khoury and Alfred-Pellan Liberal MP Angelo Iacono, all ended up winning their House of Commons seats.
Since spring is a time for planting seeds and encouraging growth, it was fitting that officials from the City of Laval and four Montreal-area higher education institutions chose a day in April to sign an agreement to form a consortium aimed at building a college and university campus near the city’s expansive Carré Laval.
In March, another Laval-based company, Plastitel, was also not overly concerned with the tariffs.
Although Plastitel had a solidly established client base within Quebec, they had the foresight to prepare by providing themselves with a buffer through expansion into the U.S.
“We’re always good to find our way around,” said Plastitel general manager Sabrina Bolduc, while leading a tour of the company’s facilities for Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis who was there to confirm a large federal subsidy to the company.
From the left, Plastitel general manager Sabrina Bolduc explained the functioning of a new piece of plastic thermoforming equipment to Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis and Laval executive-committee member Christine Poirier during a tour of the company’s Laval industrial park facilities. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Alice Abou-Khalil, the CAQ MNA for Fabre, had the honour of recognizing three outstanding individuals who had dedicated themselves to building a more inclusive, supportive and engaged society, presenting them with National Assembly Medals.
A key figure in the Maronite community in Canada, Bishop Paul-Marwan Tabet, Eparchial Bishop of the Maronite Catholics, was honoured for his outstanding commitment to education while fostering unity and solidarity.
Another recipient, André Langevin, had founded Karaté Autisme after witnessing the transformative impact of karate on his son Philippe who was diagnosed as having an autism spectrum disorder. Aline Dib, Laval city councillor for Saint-Martin district, received a medal in recognition of her transparency, integrity and deep connection with citizens.
The parking lot behind Laval’s interim city hall on Saint-Martin Blvd. was the scene of some well-organized pandemonium. Unionized members of Laval’s blue-collar staff, along with officers from the Laval Police, made what was probably their noisiest effort yet to pressure the city into signing collective labour agreements.
The City of Laval’s unionized blue-collar workers staged a noisy show of force outside the March city council meeting last year. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Their tactic, involving the otherwise peaceful but nonetheless ear-shattering use of air horns in an attempt to disrupt the March city council meeting, had been used as an intimidation method by unionized city workers for years when contract negotiations were lagging.
If an applause meter had been deployed during a gathering in Laval to introduce the Quebec Liberal Party’s four leadership candidates, the reading might have suggested that perceived front-runner Pablo Rodriguez was in for a closer race than some political observers were anticipating.
As things stood, the Laval region’s two current Quebec Liberal MNAs had chosen to support two different candidates.
Chomedey PLQ MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier was endorsing Rodriguez, a former federal Liberal cabinet minister and Quebec lieutenant in the defunct Trudeau cabinet. In the meantime, Mille-Îles Liberal MNA Virginie Dufour was supporting Charles Milliard. Although Rodriguez prevailed, he has since then resigned.
With the prospect of an early federal election more certain by the week, Jean-Yves Duclos, Minister of Public Services in the outgoing Trudeau cabinet, was warning that a Conservative government under Pierre Poilièvre would almost certainly make deep cuts to programs introduced by the Liberals in the past nine years – including national dental care and access to affordable housing.
“Pierre Poilievre wants to take away dental coverage for millions of Canadians and leave you and your family without the health care you need and deserve,” Duclos said in an interview with The Laval News.
Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer.
Mayor Stéphane Boyer confirmed in February he’d be seeking a second term in the November 2 municipal elections, in spite of the fact he was facing a health issue which was impacting the quality of his life.
Boyer, who became Laval’s youngest elected mayor in 2021 at the age of 33, told journalists he was diagnosed more than a decade ago with ankylosing spondylitis, a type of arthritis that affects the spinal cord.
The Rubino family from Laval’s Duvernay district were among the thousands of moms, dads and children who converged on the Centre de la Nature on the weekend of January 24-25-26 for the city’s Laval en Blanc winter carnival.
For elected as well as unelected members of the Action Laval opposition at Laval city hall, longtime Chomedey city councillor Aglaia Revelakis’s announcement during the February council meeting that she was abandoning the Action Laval caucus was as unexpected as it was astonishing.
Independent city councilllor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Revelakis was one of the first Action Laval city councillors to be elected in 2013 after former mayor Gilles Vaillancourt’s monopoly on Laval city council seats had finally been broken.
Since then, she won clear majorities in three elections, while retaining a large and reliable base of support for Action Laval from within her territory.
“As of today, I will no longer sit as municipal councillor with Action Laval,” Revelakis said, adding that she was giving up her membership in the party at the same time.
Although fallout from U.S. President Donald Trump’s proposed 25 per cent tariffs on imported Canadian goods had yet to make a full impact in Laval, as far as one local business owner was concerned, Trump’s threat was a challenge to be taken.
“Bring on the tariffs,” Jason Bérubé, CEO of Chemtec Epoxy Coatings, a Laval-based manufacturer and distributor of industrial floor coatings, told The Laval News.
He said the company’s earlier decision to shift some of its focus to the U.S. would probably help Chemtec absorb whatever impact came from the tariffs – even if they were as high as 25 per cent.
Federal and city elections, U.S. tariffs and crime made 2025 an exciting year
It was the year of U.S. President Donald Trump’s tariffs, as well as elections in Laval and across Canada, and a steep rise in local urban violence and crime. Although far from telling the whole story, these three themes offered many of the defining moments for news stories that broke in 2025.
In our first issue of 2026, The Laval News takes a look back at these and other important newsmakers up to June last year. In our next issue, we will examine the following six months.
Justin Trudeau resigned as PM in January
On January 6 last year, Justin Trudeau announced he would resign as Liberal leader and Prime Minister of Canada by March 24 upon the election of a new party leader.
In one of his last public appearances, former Prime Minister Justin Trudeau endorsed the candidacy of his successor as MP for Papineau, Marjorie Michel. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)
In his resignation speech, Trudeau stated that party dissent would prevent him from campaigning effectively in the 2025 federal election. Trudeau, who had served as Prime Minister since 2015, stated he would remain as PM until the Liberal Party selected a new leader.
His decision came after a period of increasing pressure from within the Liberal Party and from the public, largely due to his handling of various issues, including the rising cost of living, internal party conflicts and recent controversies.
Reaction from at least one of the Laval-area’s Liberal MPs was quick following the news of Trudeau’s decision. “He did the right thing,” Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis said in a phone interview with The Laval News minutes after the announcement.
She said she advised her constituency association caucus members the previous week of her decision to join other elected Liberal MPs in publicly recommending to the prime minister that he should step aside. “And many of my colleagues agreed with me,” she said.
Although the City of Laval’s 2025 elections were set to take place in early November, incumbent mayor Stéphane Boyer was saying little at the beginning of the year on whether he would be seeking a second term.
One of the only allusions made by the mayor to the upcoming elections came during his opening remarks – which were unusually brief – at the January 2025 city council meeting.
“I wish a happy new year to all our citizens,” was almost all he said. “And I take the opportunity to wish you in this municipal election year that you have exchanges which are constructive and calm for the best interests of the residents of Laval.”
For a seventh consecutive year, members of more than 40 Tamil community organizations gathered at the Château Royal in Chomedey to celebrate the contributions of Tamils since their arrival in Canada.
More than 1,000 guests, including representatives from a number of other multicultural communities as well as elected officials from the three levels of government, took part in the admission-free celebration.
Lunch and refreshments were provided. It was a great opportunity to learn and network with fellow leaders and organizations within the Tamil community of Quebec.
Among the guests were a number of prominent as well as local elected officials.
The City of Laval has announced the appointment of Jean-François Rousselle as the new Interim Director of the Laval Police Dept.
The Laval Police Dept.’s new interim director, Jean-François Rousselle.
Effective January 10, Mr. Rousselle will simultaneously assume the responsibilities of this position and those of his current role as Deputy Director of Corporate and Organizational Services for the LPD and Director of the Laval Integrity and Ethics Office (BIEL).
His appointment, ratified by City Council on December 22, was followed by a swearing-in ceremony in accordance with section 83 of the Police Act.
With over 20 years of experience, Rousselle, a police officer by training, holds a Master of Business Administration degree and a Bachelor of Management.
He has held several strategic positions within the LPD where he used his expertise in management and organizational development, according to the City of Laval.
The process to fill the permanent position of Director of the LPD is underway, says the city and Rousselle will serve as interim-director until this process is complete.
He fills a position last held by former LPD director Pierre Brochet, who is now vice-president for corporate security at Mouvement Desjardins.
City holds annual Laval en blanc from January 23 – 25
Laval en blanc is the the city’s annual winter carnival that lets you enjoy the joys of winter in a festive and magical atmosphere at the Centre de la nature in Duvernay. This outdoor event, from Jan. 23-25, will offer free access to a wide range of activities and shows for families.
Some of the events:
Friday January 23, from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Get ready for a vibrant musical journey! Star 80s is an original and energetic musical revue where three singers and their musicians bring back to life the greatest hits of the 1980s. From Michael Jackson to Madonna, via Cyndi Lauper and Boy George, relive this electrifying era. A refreshing concept, contagious energy, and top-notch production values for 90 minutes of pure enjoyment.
Saturday January 24, from 11 a.m. to 12 noon. An unforgettable circus show blending humor and breathtaking feats. After touring the world, juggler Gabzy presents a hilarious and completely wacky show. Embodying a world-renowned pastry chef, this extraordinary master transforms the stage into an extravagant kitchen. In this world, juggling and balancing brilliantly intertwine. This interactive and imaginative show invites young apprentice cooks to help him create a recipe. With Gabzy, the ordinary becomes extraordinary and the circus takes on the flavor of a real dessert: spectacular, sweet and completely crazy!
Sunday January 25, from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. A rock concert for the whole family. Atchoum dreams of being everywhere at once so she doesn’t miss a thing. Rock climbing, writing, photography, yoga… She’s taking a few days off to tackle a long list of ambitious activities because she wants to do it all, experience it all. Accompanied by David, her multi-instrumentalist musician partner, Atchoum presents a captivating musical show where energy and explosive youthful rock collide. A festive, colorful and surprising experience for the whole family.
Also not to be missed
Big fireworks show, Friday January 23 at 7 p.m. Come and experience the magic of winter like you’ve never seen it before and let yourself be carried away by a pyrotechnic musical show where every colorful burst matches the rhythm of a catchy soundtrack.
Lakeside Zone. A range of fun activities to be experienced, including curling, Snow Castle Challenge (build a castle, fort or gigantic snow fortress as a team), inflatable axe throwing; archery and skating on the big lake (if it’s frozen over).
Open games zone. Activities include hockey rink (mini hockey); Snow sculpting workshop (children must be accompanied by an adult); human foosball, obstacle course and basketball-style tic-tac-toe; multisport caravan and sports introductions presented by Sports Laval, in collaboration with sports organizations; open hockey on the hockey rink (if open); inflatable games and more.
The current issue of the Laval News, volume 34-01, published on January 7th, 2026. Covering Laval local news, politics, and sports. (Click on the image to read the paper.)
Up to nine people, including a five-month-old baby, were injured Monday evening in a multi-vehicle collision on Route 335 in Laval’s Vimont district near the corner of Dagenais Boulevard.
Eight victims were transported to hospital, according to a Laval Police spokesperson.
Location of the accident on Route 335 near Dagenais Blvd. in Vimont. (Photo: Google Maps)
Two of them were in serious condition and had lost consciousness.
The accident involved at least three vehicles, a number that could, however, go higher after the police complete an accident investigation.
According to preliminary reports, a vehicle travelling northbound lost control around 7:30 p.m.
It then struck another vehicle travelling in the same direction before colliding with a third vehicle travelling in the opposite direction.
The cause of the accident remained unknown at mid-day on Tuesday.
Route 335 was closed in both directions to allow investigators to determine the circumstances of the accident.
A violent fire of unknown origin ravaged the Forza Autogroup car dealership on Curé-Labelle Boulevard in Chomedey during the night of Thursday December 11.
It was the second such incident within a few days. It was 2:13 a.m. when 911 alerted emergency services to the incident.
By the time the first firefighters arrived on the scene at 2:19 a.m., more than 50 per cent of the dealership was engulfed in flames.
With the support of several Laval Police Dept. patrol cars, officers directed traffic and officers evacuated a neighboring apartment building. Firefighters also adopted a defensive strategy due to the intensity of the blaze.
Firearm removed from circulation after arrest of two suspects
On December 3, the Laval Police Dept. announced the launch of Project Vigilance, a proactive prevention initiative designed to support licensed establishments, restaurants, businesses and shops exposed to acts of intimidation, extortion or violence.
The Laval Police said they wished to inform the public of a new development that occurred just days after this announcement.
On the night of December 6, officers arrested two individuals who were preparing to commit an act of violence near a location of interest. A firearm was also seized during the intervention.
David Dushimilimana, 22, and Abraham Bilongo Kisoba, 19, face the following charges: carrying a prohibited firearm; possessing a prohibited firearm and a prohibited device without a valid permit; possessing a prohibited firearm and a prohibited device knowing they did not have a permit; entering a vehicle knowing a prohibited weapon was present; and possessing a loaded prohibited firearm without both the required authorization or permit to carry it in a motor vehicle and the required registration certificate.
Both suspects were in police custody following their court appearance. One of the two suspects, Abraham Bilongo Kisoba, has a firearms history and was also subject to a firearms prohibition at the time of the incident.
Anyone with information about acts of intimidation or extortion can contact the Police Information Line at 450-662-INFO (4636) or call 911 in case of emergency.
Wave of business burglaries, arrests and searches
On Wednesday December 10, the Laval Police Dept. General Crimes Squad conducted a series of arrests and searches aimed at combating a wave of break-ins at businesses in Laval and the Greater Montreal area since September.
The targeted businesses were primarily pharmacies, opticians and Sephora stores located in Laval and the greater Montreal area. Cases were also identified in Montreal, Longueuil, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Saint-Jérôme, Terrebonne and Saint-Eustache.
The investigation, conducted in collaboration with several police services, indicated that the same suspects were believed to have been involved in all the incidents. The thefts represent nearly $500,000 in losses, in addition to approximately $75,000 in property damage.
The searches resulted in the seizure of clothing, a large quantity of stolen perfume bottles and eyeglasses, as well as burglary tools. Two cars were also seized as proceeds of crime. Yesander Sarria Cespedes, 41, was in custody following his arrest. A second suspect, aged 60, was released with conditions.
They face several charges including breaking and entering, possession of burglary tools, possession of property obtained by crime, and mischief to property. A warrant was issued for a third suspect, age 34, who was not located at the time of the operation.
City replacing snow management gear that has reached the end of its useful life
With the snow season now fully upon us, the City of Laval has rolled out several new snow management and street parking control features to meet its snow removal response needs.
During a press conference earlier this month, Mayor Stéphane Boyer announced the city’s implementation of nearly 5,000 smart traffic signs that are fully remotely controllable – and which are also a first for a Quebec municipality.
Mayor Stéphane Boyer, left, is seen here at the City of Laval’s public works yard on Industriel Blvd. as Nadeem Bhatti, an operations division chief, explains snow removal operations for the coming winter and the $40 million in equipment that will be used. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Modernizing equipment
As well, to offer residents an even more efficient snow removal service, the city will be investing nearly $25 million by 2027 to modernize its wintertime fleet. This includes the acquisition of new sidewalk equipment and next-generation snowplows.
“Efficient snow removal and safe streets are essential for Laval residents,” Boyer said during the announcement at the city’s public works yard just off Autoroute 440 near Industriel Blvd.
“That’s why, even in a challenging budgetary context, we have chosen to invest in making our fleet more efficient and sustainable,” he continued.
“These improvements, combined with the deployment of new technologies, such as dynamic traffic signs, will allow us to offer even better service to residents this winter and for years to come.”
To face the winter, Laval is replacing snow removal equipment that has reached the end of its useful life, in order to maintain the reliability of a fleet whose total value is now assessed at more than $40 million.
Right, Mayor Stéphane Boyer and city councillor for Laval-les-Îles Nicolas Borne (who oversees infrastructure and equipment) are seen here at the city’s Industriel Blvd. public works on December 9. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Renewing the fleet
Among the acquisitions are:
• 14 trucks with interchangeable bodies capable of quickly switching from paving or tanker trucks in the summer to loader trucks in the winter ($7 million).
• 35 sidewalk snow removal vehicles, scheduled for delivery in 2026, with maintenance guaranteed for four years thanks to a recently awarded contract ($9.5 million).
• 19 spreader trucks to be acquired by 2027 following a call for tenders launched by the city on December 16 (estimated at $7 million).
• Four snowblowers were replaced with newer models this fall ($800,000).
Nearly 5,000 smart, solar-powered illuminated signs have been installed in some of the most densely populated areas of Laval (including Chomedey), between Autoroutes 13, 19, 440 and the Rivière des Prairies. The city says the investment will allow it to make its street maintenance operations much less disruptive by limiting their impact on on-street parking.
Synched to Info-Parking app
The signs light up a few hours before snow removal work begins to indicate parking restrictions, and then turn off once the street is clear. Parking restrictions are synchronized with the City of Laval’s Info-Parking app, which was optimized this year in the hopes of simplifying the lives of residents, according to the city.
(Photo: Vincent Girard, City of Laval)
The app, developed in Quebec, was selected after a pilot project evaluation based on public satisfaction. A survey of participants revealed that 98.4 per cent found the new signs clear and easy to understand. Laval thus becomes the first municipality in Quebec to adopt this type of cutting-edge technology, which offers customizable schedules and a centralized platform for remotely controlling all smart display panels.
To face winter, Laval mobilizes an impressive fleet of 740 vehicles, more than 500 experts working day and night and smart technologies. The city also counts on the support of private companies, thanks to contracts totaling $20 million, to strengthen its response capacity during major storms.
It is hoped that this combined force will ensure efficient and coordinated snow removal across the city’s 3,200 kilometres of streets and 1,300 kilometres of sidewalks – the equivalent of a trip between Laval and Vancouver. Residents can monitor and adapt to ongoing snow removal operations using the app, which provides real-time alerts and interactive functions.
Hundreds of sidewalks and streets
Each vehicle in the Laval snow removal fleet plays a key role in a large-scale operation that unfolds in several stages – from spreading abrasives to snow removal.
In addition to the equipment, a staff of 500 employees dedicated to snow removal are on the job throughout the winter on Laval’s many boulevards, roadways and streets.
(Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
They include drivers as well as equipment and machine operators running specialized gear in the field; mechanics and welders who maintain, adjust and prepare the fleet as needed; and general labourers who provide support for field operations and logistics.
As well, there are material attendants who handle the supply and maintenance of equipment; and a planning and coordination team of supervisors, division heads, planners and contract managers who organize and direct the snow removal operations.
‘Youths are being used,’ Laval’s mayor tells Chamber of Commerce and Industry gathering
Following a renewed crime wave in Laval involving the extortion and intimidation of local businesses, Mayor Stéphane Boyer told a meeting of Laval Chamber of Commerce and Industry stakeholders earlier this month that he’s hoping Prime Minister Mark Carney will amend the criminal code so that Laval and other cities can better defend their businesses and residents.
As the CCIL’s members entered the final stretch of a year marked by both major challenges and significant progress for businesses, industries and merchants, the CCIL hosted seven mayors at the Laval Sheraton for the CCIL’s last political forum of the season.
Vision and priorities
On December 4, they welcomed Mayor Boyer as their guest of honour. He presented his vision, priorities, while previewing some of the major projects to shape Laval in the coming years.
Mayor Stéphane Boyer (seen here with CCIL CEO Caroline De Guire) says he has asked Prime Minister Marc Carney to amend Canada’s criminal code so that serious crimes committed by youths can be dealt with more effectively. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
The invited mayors included Doreen Assaad, Mayor of Brossard, Marc Lamarre, Mayor of Saint-Eustache, Denis Martin, Mayor of Deux-Montagnes, Marie-Elaine Pitre, Mayor of Rosemère, Liza Poulin, Mayor of Blainville, and Guillaume Tremblay, Mayor of Mascouche.
“Their presence clearly demonstrates the regional interest in the issues facing Laval,” the CCIL said in a statement. “It also serves as a reminder that our development has a direct impact on the entire surrounding region, where the challenges related to mobility, the workforce, planning and growth are all closely interconnected.”
Says Laval is short-changed
In an address to the CCIL members, Mayor Boyer maintained that the City of Laval receives far less in subsidies from the provincial government than Quebec’s other major cities. The Laval region is the region where there is the least investment in Quebec on a per-resident basis, he asserted.
While most regions of the province received subsidies ranging from a few thousand dollars up to $15,000 per resident, with Montreal and Quebec City getting up to $20-$25 thousand per inhabitant, Laval receives just $9,000, according to Boyer.
“This is something which is happening year after year and it’s something that has to change,” he said. “Laval is now the third-largest city in Quebec, but we receive very little from the government.”
Projet Vigilance initiative
The gathering was taking place just a day or two after the Laval Police launched Projet Vigilance, a law enforcement initiative dealing with an upsurge of extortions against restaurant and business owners primarily in Laval’s Chomedey district.
“This is something that is resurging at this moment in Laval, Montreal and on the South Shore,” said Mayor Boyer, alluding to the fact Laval saw a surge in similar crimes a few years back which was successfully dealt with for a time by the police before the latest escalation.
“We are seeing something happening in organized crime where certain groups are struggling to make a place for themselves,” he continued. “We are working very hard at the police service but also at other levels to get a handle on this phenomenon. We have more police officers, we are ready to reinforce resources for investigations, more police presence on the streets, more prevention among youths.”
Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer is seen here with CCIL CEO Caroline De Guire, as well as several Laval city council members and some of the greater Montreal mayors who attended the chamber of commerce gathering. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Underage law breakers
With that, Mayor Boyer also noted a tactic increasingly being used by organized criminals: they recruit adolescents to carry out intimidation and threats, without the legal consequences they would normally be subject to as adults.
Longueuil police said last week that they had made two arrests in connection with a scheme that targeted several restaurants in Saint-Lambert. The threats involved bullets left in envelopes, arson attempts and threats demanding thousands of dollars.
The investigation began after a 16-year-old was sent last summer into three Saint-Lambert businesses to deliver envelopes containing bullets and handwritten threats demanding between $5,000 and $7,500.
Within weeks, the threats escalated. An attempted arson was reported the following month. A window at a nearby restaurant was also smashed, and a fire was set, causing damage in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
No severe penalties, says Boyer
Mayor Boyer said he had recently spoken with Prime Minister Mark Carney to request amendments to the federal criminal code in order to address the situation.
“The criminal code must be revised, because at this moment youths are being used by these people without severe penalties,” said Boyer.
“As with prostitution where women are being exploited, there should also be sentences which are exemplary to be as effective as possible. I think the law must be changed in the same way, so that someone who is exploiting teens to commit crimes against businesses should also be treated in an exemplary fashion.”
