The current issue of the Laval News volume 28-17 published September 9th, 2020.
Covering Laval local news, politics, sports and our new section Mature Life.
(Click on the image to read the paper.)
Laval News Volume 28-17
Hand Sanitizers and Children’s Safety: What you need to know
Health Canada is warning Canadians, particularly parents and guardians, about the risks of accidental ingestion among children from hand sanitizers packaged in formats that could appeal to children and be mistaken for food or beverages.
The federal agency says you should always read and follow the directions on product labels. Talk to your children about the safe use of hand sanitizers. The warning applies to all hand sanitizers in non-traditional packaging, including squeeze pouches commonly used for food and beverages.
Whether your child is learning from home or at school this fall, Health Canada is reminding Canadians, particularly parents and guardians, that hand hygiene is one of the most effective ways to stop the spread of germs, including COVID-19. Washing your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds is one of the best ways to prevent the spread of COVID-19.
When that is not an option, Health Canada recommends using an authorized hand sanitizer that has an alcohol concentration of at least 60%. All hand sanitizer products authorized for sale by Health Canada have an eight-digit Drug Identification Number (DIN) or Natural Product Number (NPN) on the label, and are listed on the List of Hand Sanitizers Authorized by Health Canada, which is updated regularly on the Health Canada web site.
Some hand sanitizers that may not fully meet Health Canada’s regulatory requirements and may not have a DIN or NPN on the label are being permitted for sale as an interim measure given the shortage of supply of hand sanitizers because of the COVID-19 outbreak. Check for these products by searching the list of Disinfectants and hand sanitizers accepted under COVID-19 interim measure.
However, certain hand sanitizers are being sold in packaging that could appeal to children, such as squeeze pouches that typically contain food or beverages. Parents and guardians should be particularly vigilant about these products because children may accidentally mistake them for edible products and consume them.
Health Canada recommends against using hand sanitizers sold in packaging that resembles food or beverage containers in settings in which direct adult supervision cannot be assured at all times, such as at school.
To avoid accidental ingestion, hand sanitizers should be stored away from, and out of sight of, children under six years of age. They should always be used with adult supervision. As with all health products, always read and follow the directions on the product label.
Never eat or drink hand sanitizers because ingesting even small amounts can be dangerous or fatal. Health Canada recently issued an advisory about the risk of poisoning from hand sanitizers sold in beverage containers.
Health Canada says it is continuing to monitor the situation. If a safety concern or non-compliance is identified, Health Canada will take action and inform Canadians.
What you should do
- Always read and follow the label directions on hand sanitizers.
- If you choose to send children to school with hand sanitizer, avoid products packaged in containers that resemble food or beverage containers to avoid possible confusion with edible products.
- Always supervise children when they use hand sanitizer.
- Store hand sanitizers out of the reach of children.
- Talk to your children about the safe use of hand sanitizers.
- Children should not use hand sanitizers containing technical-grade ethanol. Always check the label to ensure the product does not contain technical-grade ethanol.
- If hand sanitizer is swallowed, call a poison control centre or get medical help right away.
- Report any health product adverse events or complaints to Health Canada.
- To help limit the spread of COVID-19, wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. Use alcohol-based hand sanitizers if soap and water are not available.
Information update on hand sanitizers recalled because they may pose health risks
In yet another hand sanitizer update, Health Canada is advising Canadians that the following hand sanitizers are being recalled because they may pose health risks. For more information, including what Canadians should do, visit the online safety alert.
Health Canada maintains a list of hand sanitizers that may pose health risks, so that Canadians can easily identify products they may have purchased and take appropriate action. Canadians are encouraged to check it regularly for updates. The latest update applies to the following products:
| Product | Reason for recall | Company | NPN or DIN | Lot Number(s) | Expiry Date | Date Added |
| Désinfectant pour les mains à base d’éthanol 70% | Missing risk statements; product not authorized to contain technical grade ethanol | Duvernois | 80098158 | 200414 20005195 20005475 20005478 20005479 20005848 20005849 20005850 20006018 20006019 20006020 20005193 20005194 20005195 20005476 20005477 20005479 20005480 20005688 20005693 20006022 20006023 | April 2022 | September 4, 2020 |
| 200414 200414A 20006026 20006027 | May 2022 | |||||
| Holistic Living 70% Alcohol Disinfectant Antiseptic | Not authorized for sale in Canada; Missing risk statements; product not authorized to contain technical-grade ethanol | Lusty Libation, Inc. | None | ISO007 | May 2023 | September 4, 2020 |
Deloitte moving to Espace Montmorency by early 2023
Project developer Montoni, Groupe Sélection and the Fonds immobilier de solidarité FTQ announced on Thursday that the professional services firm Deloitte will become a tenant at Espace Montmorency beginning in early 2023.
Deloitte’s new Laval offices will be located in Espace Montmorency’s Tower 2, at the corner of Jacques-Tétreault and Lucien-Paiement streets.
As a premier tenant in the largest commercial development project ever in Laval, the company will have its logo installed on the building facade, with visibility from Autoroute 15.
Deloitte joins Groupe Sélection and Montoni, which will both be transferring their head offices to the Espace Montmorency campus, a $450-million, mixed-use urban development consisting of about 10 buildings, as soon as the project is completed in summer 2022.
Future business tenants at Espace Montmorency will have direct underground access to the building from the Montmorency Métro station, in a strategic location that is near Place Bell, with the advantage for Montreal residents of being able to commute against rush hour traffic.
The multi-tower project, which was launched in June 2019, will be bringing together an array of services, such as an urban spa, a hotel and a wide choice of first-rate restaurants, including chains opening for the first time in Québec.
“We’re very pleased to welcome a premier tenant like Deloitte,” said Groupe Montoni president Dario Montoni. “This confirms the drawing power of this large-scale, innovative project in Laval, a centrepiece of the new downtown. Deloitte will benefit from Espace Montmorency’s multifunctional design and choice location near major arteries, public transportation and knowledge institutions.”
“We are very pleased to offer our employees in the Laval office modern and futuristic workspaces that will be located in the heart of a bustling business area where citizens are enthusiastically looking to build a better community,” said Geneviève Provost, a managing partner with Deloitte for Quebec and the National Capital Region.
“This new bright, flexible and state-of-the-art work environment is an increased investment in our people, which will allow them not only to continue to excel in their work, but also to put their unique skills to use, harness their strengths, and nurture a sense of belonging to a community,” she said.
Located just east of Autoroute 15, between Du Souvenir and De la Concorde West boulevards, next to Place Bell, the project will offer a mix of buildings that will create, according to the developer, “a new city within the city of Laval.”
Espace Montmorency as it appears now while under construction. Espace Montmorency as it appears now while under construction.
Update – Public Health Notice: Outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to red onions imported from the United States
The investigation into an outbreak of Salmonella infections linked to red onions imported from the U.S. is ongoing as illnesses continue to be reported to the Public Health Agency of Canada.
Since August 21, according to the federal agency, there have been 78 additional illnesses reported in the ongoing Canadian investigation. There are now 457 confirmed cases in Canada. One individual has died, but it is not known if Salmonella contributed to the cause of death.
There is no evidence to suggest that onions grown in Canada are associated with this outbreak. Onions imported from the United States are under investigation.
Do not eat, use, sell or serve any red, white, yellow, and sweet yellow onions from Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, USA, or any products made with these onions. This advice applies to all individuals across Canada, as well as retailers, distributors, manufacturers and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and nursing homes.
If you are not sure where a red, yellow, white, or sweet yellow onion was grown, do not eat it. This notice contains more advice on how to avoid getting sick.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) has issued food recall warnings for related products that came to Canada. Some of these products were possibly distributed nationally. Additional food recall warnings in Canada are possible. More information on recalled products is available on CFIA’s website.
Why should you take note
The Public Health Agency of Canada (PHAC) is collaborating with federal and provincial public health partners, the United States Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (U.S. CDC), and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to investigate an outbreak of Salmonella infections occurring in seven provinces.
In Canada, based on the investigation findings to date, exposure to red onions imported from the USA has been identified as a likely source of the outbreak. Many of the ill individuals under investigation reported having eaten red onions before getting sick.
Through a collaborative investigation between public health and food safety partners in Canada and the U.S., traceback information has identified that the contaminated red onions are coming from Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, USA.
The CFIA has issued food recall warnings for related products that came to Canada. Some of these products were possibly distributed nationally. Additional food recall warnings in Canada are possible. More information is needed to determine the cause of contamination in red onions imported from Thomson International Inc. The outbreak is ongoing, as recent illnesses continue to be reported to the PHAC.
Given this information, and until more is known about the outbreak, do not eat, use, sell or serve any red, yellow, white, and sweet yellow onions grown by Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, USA, or any products made with these onions. This advice applies to all individuals across Canada, as well as retailers, distributors, manufacturers and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and nursing homes.
Onions grown in Canada are not affected by this advice.
As the investigation is ongoing, it is possible that additional sources could be identified, and additional food recall warnings related to this outbreak may be issued. This public health notice will be updated as the investigation evolves.
Investigation summary
As of August 31, 2020, there have been 457 confirmed cases of Salmonella Newport illness linked to this outbreak in the following provinces: British Columbia (107), Alberta (257), Saskatchewan (33), Manitoba (25), Ontario (11), Quebec (23) and Prince Edward Island (1).
Individuals became sick between mid-June and early August 2020. Sixty-six individuals have been hospitalized. One individual has died, but it is not known if Salmonella contributed to the cause of death. Individuals who became ill are between 1 and 100 years of age. The majority of cases (55%) are female.
Individuals who became ill reported eating red onions at home, in menu items ordered at restaurants and in residential care settings.
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency (CFIA) is conducting a food safety investigation and has issued related food recall warnings. Additional food recall warnings in Canada are possible. More information on recalled products is available on CFIA’s website.
The U.S. CDC is also investigating an outbreak of Salmonella Newport illnesses that have a similar genetic fingerprint to illnesses reported in this outbreak. Investigators in Canada and the U.S. continue to collaborate to exchange information and identify commonalities in the outbreak information that may identify additional sources of illness or help to identify the cause of contamination in the red onions.
It is possible that more recent illnesses may be reported in the outbreak because there is a period of time between when a person becomes ill and when the illness is reported to public health officials. For this outbreak, the illness reporting period is between two and four weeks.
Who is most at risk
Anyone can become sick with a Salmonella infection, but children aged 5 years and under, older adults, pregnant women or people with weakened immune systems are at higher risk for contracting serious illness.
Most people who become ill from a Salmonella infection will recover fully after a few days. It is possible for some people to be infected with the bacteria and to not get sick or show any symptoms, but to still be able to spread the infection to others.
What should you do to protect your health
Do not eat, use, sell or serve any red, white, yellow, and sweet yellow onions from Thomson International Inc., of Bakersfield, California, USA, or any products made with these onions. This advice applies to all individuals across Canada, as well as retailers, distributors, manufacturers and food service establishments such as hotels, restaurants, cafeterias, hospitals and nursing homes.
Advice to consumers
Individuals are asked to check their homes for red, white, yellow, and sweet varieties, including whole, sliced, or chopped onions, and any prepared foods that contain onions as an ingredient, such as premade salads, sandwiches, wraps, salsas, dips or guacamole.
- If you have onions at home:
- Look for a label showing where the onion was grown. It may be printed on the package or on a sticker.
- If the packaging or sticker shows that it is from Thomson International Inc., don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
- If it isn’t labeled, don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
- If you don’t know whether the onion found in a premade salad, sandwich, wrap, salsa, dip or guacamole contains onions from Thomson International Inc., don’t eat it. Throw it away and wash your hands.
- Wash and sanitize any surfaces that may have come in contact with onions or their packaging, such as countertops, fridge drawers, pantry shelves, knives, and cutting boards.
- If you buy onions at grocery or convenience stores:
- Make sure they are not selling onions from Thomson International Inc., or serving fresh foods prepared with them.
- If you can’t confirm that the onion in stores is not from Thomson International Inc., don’t buy it.
- If you order salad or any other food items containing onions at a restaurant or food establishment:
- Ask the staff whether their onions come from Thomson International Inc. If they did, or they don’t know, don’t eat it.
- Do not eat any recalled food products. Check to see if you have recalled food products at home. If you do, throw them out and wash your hands.
- If you have been diagnosed with a Salmonella infection or any other gastrointestinal illness, do not cook food for other people.
- Contact your local public health authority to report any food safety concerns at restaurants or grocery stores, or if you suspect food poisoning from a restaurant or other food establishments.
Advice to restaurants, retailers, suppliers and distributors
- Check the label on bags or boxes of onions, or ask suppliers about the source of their onions.
- Do not ship or sell onions from Thomson International Inc. of Bakersfield, California, USA, or any products made with these onions.
- Clean and sanitize all surfaces and storage bins that onions may have come in contact with, including cutting boards, countertops, slicers, utensils, and containers used to store or transport them.
Symptoms
Symptoms of a Salmonella infection, called salmonellosis, typically start 6 to 72 hours after exposure to Salmonella bacteria from an infected animal, person or contaminated product.
Symptoms include:
- fever
- chills
- diarrhea
- abdominal cramps
- headache
- nausea
- vomiting
These symptoms usually last for 4 to 7 days. In healthy people, salmonellosis often clears up without treatment, but sometimes antibiotics may be required. In some cases, severe illness may occur and hospitalization may be required. People who are infected with Salmonella bacteria can be infectious from several days to several weeks. People who experience symptoms, or who have underlying medical conditions, should contact their health care provider if they suspect they have a Salmonella infection.
Hydro-Québec payment arrangements available until September 30
Hydro-Québec says its customers have until September 30 to enter into a payment arrangement if they wish to continue benefiting from a suspension of administration charges.
The provincial electric power utility say its clients can do so at any time in their online Customer Space on the Hydro-Québec website, or by calling customer services at 1 888 385-7252 during business hours.
“The purpose of this measure is to avoid penalizing customers who might not be able to pay their electricity bill because of the COVID-19 pandemic,” Hydro-Québec said in a statement on Monday
Otherwise, for customers who fail to work out a payment arrangement, the waiving of administration charges (as announced last March) will no longer apply as of September 30.
However, the company added, a moratorium on service interruptions for non-payment of bills will be extended until further notice. As a result, no customers will have their power cut off.
Hydro-Québec says customers who expect to have financial difficulties are reminded they can enter into an arrangement with the company at any time to plan for deferral of their payments.
Quick response helped contain COVID-19 at Boisé Notre Dame, says CISSS de Laval
While testing for COVID-19 infection continues on a weekly basis at the Boisé Notre Dame, the CISSS de Laval said on Friday that the toll from a recent outbreak of the virus at the seniors’ retirement complex stood at only 10 people infected, out of which there was only one fatality.
An outbreak of the virus at the sprawling retirement community on Notre Dame Blvd. in early August led management to impose stricter enforcement of sanitary and distancing requirements.
Thousands of retirees live at the Boisé Notre Dame’s sprawling campus where there are a half-dozen or so multi-storey apartment towers.
An asymptomatic employee is believed to have been the source of the outbreak. The CISSS said that systematic procedures for tracking and safeguarding against COVID-19 led them to the source.
“It is important to note that as soon as we were made aware of this outbreak, our team for the protection against and control of infections (PCI) decided to proceed with a sytematic tracking of all people who had come into contact with the employee infected with COVID,” Judith Goudreau, a CISSS de Laval spokesperson, said on Friday.
Goudreau provided the following summary of the outbreak at Boisé Notre Dame which began on Aug. 8:
- 10 total number infected;
- 3 employees infected;
- 6 residents hospitalized;
- 1 fatality.
Laval Police confirm shooting was outside Aztec Supper Lounge
Laval Police Department spokeswoman Stéphanie Beshara confirmed on Friday that a shooting incident during the early hours on Thursday – which ended in a 22-year-old male being hospitalized – took place at the Aztec Supper Lounge on Curé Labelle Blvd.
Investigators from the Laval Police Department were on the scene later on Thursday morning outside the restaurant in Laval’s Chomedey district.
According to several media reports, gun shots were fired outside the restaurant near Marie Antoinette St. after the establishment closed sometime after midnight.
While uncertain as to where exactly the shooting took place, Beshara confirmed that it happened on the property of the Aztec.
Police and media reports suggested that the victim made his way or was taken to hospital in Montreal around 3 am.
In keeping with hospital protocols when dealing with patients suffering gunshot wounds, emergency medical personnel immediately contacted the Montreal Police Department.
When the Montreal Police found out the shooting had taken place in Laval, they contacted the Laval Police who are now in charge of the investigation.
The victim underwent surgery and was reported to be recovering satisfactorily.
While some media, including the Journal de Montréal, have described the restaurant as being known by the police for confrontations between customers, Beshara could not confirm this.
But she said, “There have been arrests there in the past.”
Beshara also could not confirm, as reported by the Courrier Laval this week, that the restaurant had been visited by the LPD’s Escouade Équinoxe, which was created in 2015 to deal specifically with violent or organized crime.
Thursday morning on Curé Labelle Blvd. Thursday morning on Curé Labelle Blvd.
But she said investigators with the squadron pay regular visits to businesses in the area as part of their work.
Laval Fire Dept. suspects arson in blaze at Towne380 restaurant
The Towne380 restaurant, a landmark eating establishment on Saint Martin Blvd. West in Laval renowned for its steak and seafood offerings, was seriously damaged by fire during the early hours of Thursday morning.
The Laval Fire Department has opened an investigation into the possibility it was caused by arson.
The fire department received a call around 2:20 am from a nearby resident reporting that flames could be seen inside the restaurant which had closed at midnight.
Firefighters were reportedly on the scene for at least four hours bringing the blaze under control. During that time they found evidence that the fire had been set with accelerants.
Man hospitalized after shooting outside Curé Labelle Blvd. restaurant
Investigators from the Laval Police Department were still on the scene Thursday morning outside a restaurant on Curé Labelle Blvd. in Laval’s Chomedey sector after a shooting incident during the night in which a 22-year-old man was left with a life-threatening gunshot wound.
According to initial reports, gun shots were fired a short distance from a restaurant near Marie Antoionette St. after the establishment had closed sometime after midnight. The reports suggest that the victim made his way or was taken to hospital in Montreal around 3 am.
In keeping with hospital protocols when dealing with patients suffering gunshot wounds, medical personnel immediately contacted the Montreal Police Department. When they found out the shooting had taken place in Laval, they contacted the Laval Police Department who are now in charge of the investigation.
The victim underwent surgery and was reported on Thursday mid-day to be recovering satisfactorily.
Thursday morning outside the restaurant on Curé Labelle Blvd.
