The current issue of the Laval News, volume 34-14, published on July 8th, 2026.
Covering Laval local news, politics, and sports.
(Click on the image to read the paper.)
Laval News Volume 34-14
Sheraton Laval workers ratify new collective contract
Around 250 unionized employees of the Sheraton Laval, members of United Steelworkers Local 9400, ratified a new five-year collective agreement earlier this month by a 67 per cent majority, following a recommendation from an assigned mediator.
The agreement was reached after an initial offer was rejected, after which a mediator was called in to intervene.
“We are pleased to have found a solution that meets the members’ expectations,” said Stéphane Simard, president of the union local, while adding that the negotiated increases will allow for an adjustment of purchasing power as soon as the collective agreement is signed.
The five-year contract includes salary increases totaling 24 per cent over five years, with 10 per cent in the first year, plus a lump sum payment equivalent to 2 per cent of annual salary upon signing the contract.
Although the hotel bears the Sheraton brand name (which is owned by Marriott International), the Sheraton Laval is operated by Groupe Hôtelier Grand Château, a Quebec-based hospitality company.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Foundation donates $15,000 for SWLSB students with dyslexia
The Sir Wilfrid Laurier Foundation has donated $15,000 to the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board to support students with dyslexia through laptop bundles designed to meet their learning needs.
The donation, presented at the June 25 Council of Commissioners meeting, will fund approximately 16 bundles.
Each bundle includes a laptop, backpack, headset and mouse and will be distributed according to individual student needs across the school board.
“The Foundation’s impact extends far beyond a single event,” said James Di Sano, chairman of the SWLSB.
“This generous donation will help provide students with dyslexia access to tools that support their learning and remove barriers to success. We are grateful to the Foundation Board and to every member of our community who continues to support public education and believe in the potential of our students.”
The Council of Commissioners also took the opportunity to recognize Archie Cifelli for his many years of service to the Foundation, first as vice-president and currently as president.
“Through his leadership, involvement and support, he has played an important role in supporting countless initiatives that have benefited students and schools throughout the school board,” the SWLSB said in a statement.
According to the SWLSB, the donation followed another successful year for the foundation.
Earlier in June, the foundation’s annual Lobster Gala welcomed close to 300 guests at the Château Royal and generated almost $34,000 in net proceeds.
The funds raised will allow the foundation to continue supporting schools through the purchase of multisensory equipment, technology initiatives and the longstanding Citizenship Bursary Program.
“The generosity of our community continues to amaze us,” said foundation president Cifelli.
“Thanks to our supporters, we can continue investing in initiatives that make a real difference in the lives of students, whether through multisensory equipment, technology for learners with dyslexia, or our Citizenship Bursary Program,” he added.
Since its creation, the foundation has contributed more than $1 million (including more than $350,000 in Citizenship Bursaries) to schools, centres and students across the SWLSB’s territory which takes in Laval, the Laurentians and the Lanaudière region.
SQ seizes more than 300,000 flavored vaping devices, while freezing $1.8 million in banked assets
Laval is one of nearly a dozen communities across Quebec where the Sûreté du Québec’s Contraband Investigation Service conducted a series of raids targeting a criminal organization alleged to be involved in the large-scale importation and distribution of flavored nicotine vaping products in Quebec where their sale is prohibited.
The operation was carried out in collaboration with members of the Tobacco ACCESS Section of the Laval and Gatineau police forces, as well as officers from the Montreal, Terrebonne, Roussillon and Longueuil police forces.
In total, 10 searches were conducted at residences in LaSalle, Candiac, Brossard and Dorval, while 7 were carried out at businesses in LaSalle, Vaudreuil-Dorion, Sainte-Anne-des-Plaines, Laval, Terrebonne, St-Lambert-de-Lauzon and Gatineau.
According the provincial police force, a total of 8 vehicles were also seized.
The SQ issued the following preliminary summary of the searches:
- More than 300,000 e-cigarettes and refills seized;
- 6,500 contraband cigars;
- More than 10,000 contraband cigarettes;
- Nearly $500,000 in Canadian currency;
- Valuables (jewelry, watches);
- Accounting documents.
In conjunction with the province’s Director of Criminal and Penal Prosecutions (DPCP), 13 bank accounts were also frozen with balances totaling over $1,800,000.
According to the SQ, the transactional website “vapme.fr” was also shut down.
“The network is suspected of fraud because it failed to declare its business income and laundered the proceeds of crime.” the SQ said in a statement, while noting that the sale of flavored e-cigarettes “is an emerging scheme linked to organized crime throughout Quebec.”
More than 120 police resources contributed to the operation, in addition to representatives from Santé Québec and the Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA). The SQ said the Financial Transactions and Reports Analysis Centre of Canada (FINTRAC) also contributed to the investigation.
Heatwave with temps up to 33 Celsius expected starting Wednesday
Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement saying hot and humid weather is expected in the Laval and Montreal regions from Wednesday until Saturday at least.
According to the federal weather agency, daytime highs can be expected between 30 and 33 degrees Celsius and nighttime lows near 20 degrees Celsius, with humidex values between 40 and 44.
Among the potential health impacts are exhaustion or heat stroke, as well as risk of inconvenience to the general population, but also high risk of inconvenience for vulnerable people.
Laval unveils first action plan for promotion of French
Laval’s executive-committee has recommended the adoption of the city’s first-ever action plan for promoting French.
According to the city, the purpose of the initiative is to strengthen the role of French as a common language, a language of integration and a means of participation in community life.
The city says 80 per cent of the recommendations made by an ad hoc Citizen Advisory Committee on the French language are already being implemented or are in the process of being put into action, “demonstrating the leadership the city intends to continue to embody,” the city says in a statement.
“This action plan is an opportunity to reaffirm the importance of French as the language that unites us and allows all those who choose Laval to fully participate in the life of our community,” said Mayor Stéphane Boyer.
“In Laval, we want French to be a source of pride, inclusion and sharing,” he continued. “Quebec’s third-largest city is taking responsibility for promoting our shared language, and I hope that across Quebec, everyone will do their part, because promoting French is a shared responsibility.”
The city says the action plan is based on a unifying, inclusive and concrete approach and leverages municipal expertise, while consolidating existing initiatives and identifying new ones that will be rolled out gradually over the coming years.
Organized around three main complementary objectives – maintaining, innovating and funding – the plan will provide guidelines for municipal actions until 2029 to consolidate achievements, seize new opportunities to promote French and mobilize partners to carry out impactful projects.
Among the actions already implemented:
- The City of Laval has a French Language Commissioner, responsible in particular for accountability, supporting municipal teams in the application of the Charter of the French Language and relations with government bodies;
- The redesign of the laval.fr website and the municipal intranet, emphasizing clear, accessible, and inclusive writing;
- The publication of the Welcome to Laval guide, which supports newcomers and promotes learning French as a tool for integration;
- The maintenance of a wide range of cultural, heritage, sports and recreational activities offered in French in all neighbourhoods;
- More than 3,000 activities annually in French in Laval libraries;
- support for community initiatives that promote the learning and use of French, particularly among immigrants;
- The maintenance of municipal signage in French throughout the city.
Among the initiatives to be rolled out in the coming years, the city plans to integrate a French-language promotion component into its participatory budgeting process, continue developing a communications strategy for young adults and enhance Laval’s profile through national and international events.
“As a Francophone city and a major welcoming community in Quebec, Laval intends to continue its efforts to ensure that French remains a language of unity, integration and civic participation,” says the city, adding that the 2026-2029 action plan “will serve as a framework to guide municipal actions and support the vitality of French throughout the city.”
Family celebration at Laval’s Centre de la nature for Canada Day
Get ready for an unforgettable time celebrating Canada’s birthday on Wednesday July 1 at the City of Laval’s Centre de la nature in Duvernay.
To celebrate Canada Day, everyone is invited to take part in a large family celebration from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. designed to delight visitors of all ages.
All are invioted to come and share a joyful and welcoming moment with the Laval community in a festive and heartwarming atmosphere.
A Day Full of Family Activities
Starting with the official opening of the site at 10 a.m., visitors will be able to enjoy a full day of activities.
In celebration of World Cup 2026, with Canada as one of the host countries, soccer will take centre stage with mini matches and skills challenges.
Guests will also be able to enjoy face painting, creative craft workshops, inflatable games and more.
The presence of the Canadian Armed Forces will add an extra patriotic dimension to the event.
Beginning at 11:00 a.m., food trucks will offer something for every taste.
Meaningful and Symbolic Moments
At 12:50 p.m., the national anthem will be sung during the Canadian flag-raising ceremony.
At 1 p.m., a moving citizenship ceremony will welcome new Canadians – promising to be a powerful moment celebrating inclusion and diversity.
The traditional Canada Day cake will be cut at 2:45 p.m. and will be shared with the public starting at 3:30 p.m.
An Invitation to All
Full event details are available at www.feteducanadalaval.net
Facebook: @feteducanadalaval
Instagram: @feteducanadalaval
#CanadaLaval2026
The event is made possible thanks to support from the City of Laval and the Government of Canada.
Weather Advisory: The event will take place rain or shine! Only thunderstorms or severe weather requiring site evacuation could lead to a cancellation.
Laval Police link violent incidents to Marketplace transactions
The Laval Police say there has been an increase in criminal activity within its territory related to the Pokémon card phenomenon, and that this rapidly growing market is attracting the attention of malicious actors.
Investigators from the LPD’s Crimes Against Persons Unit recently arrested ten suspects in connection with several armed robberies – four of which involved the sale of Pokémon cards.
Three of these incidents were publicly shared by the LPD “to raise awareness of the speed and intensity of these crimes and, above all, to educate citizens about safety precautions,” the LPD said in a statement.
The suspects allegedly contacted victims through the Facebook Marketplace transaction platform to arrange the sale of Pokémon cards or MacBooks.
The victims would then go to a public place with the item for sale. At the time of the transaction, the suspects allegedly used violence to force the victims to hand over the stolen item and flee without paying.
Since January 1 last year, the LPD recorded 30 incidents related to Pokémon cards. Of these, eleven occurred since March 1 this year, indicating a recent increase. Seven of the incidents involved acts of violence, said the LPD, including pepper spraying.
A total of 13 searches were also conducted to gather evidence for the charges, as well as for other cases related to the wave of MacBook thefts. The operation required the involvement of several dozen investigators, the LPD’s Azimut Brigade, regular patrol officers and the LPD’s Tactical Intervention Group.
On June 9 and 11, investigators arrested ten young men aged 16 to 18. According to the LPD, some were released on a promise to appear in court with conditions, while two remained in custody. They face charges including armed robbery, possession of a weapon for a dangerous purpose, assault and possession and trafficking of property obtained by crime.
Laval man arrested in Ontario on suspicion of organized car theft
A man from Laval is one of five suspects arrested in the Ontario regional municipality of Halton on suspicion of organized car theft and other criminal offenses.
Ahmad Fares, 33, of Laval faces charges on various counts ranging from auto theft to identity fraud and possessing break-in tools. A vehicle theft investigation in nearby Milton in March led investigators to a residence in Brampton in Ontario.
Further information obtained in April connected the suspects to 13 auto thefts and attempted thefts in the Halton region as well as an act of auto larceny in the Waterloo Ontario area.
Police charged four Quebec residents and one Mississauga man on a number of theft and break-in charges.
17-year-old recovering after impalement in car accident
A 17-year-old boy was considered to be out of danger earlier this month after being impaled by a fence post during a serious car crash in Laval.
The collision happened shortly before 3 a.m. on des Oiseaux Blvd. near Héron in Laval’s Sainte-Rose district. Four young people between the ages of 15 and 19 were inside a Honda Civic that was travelling at a high rate of speed when the driver lost control.
The vehicle struck a lamppost, crashed through a cedar hedge and a fence, and came to rest in the backyard of a residence, stopping just short of an in-ground swimming pool.
Police say a 17-year-old passenger seated in the back of the vehicle was impaled by a fence post during the crash. He was taken to hospital in critical condition and underwent surgery. The three other occupants of the vehicle did not suffer serious injuries.
Laval man arrested for alleged arson in Ontario
A Laval man has been charged with arson after multiple unoccupied homes were set alight in the Adjala-Tosorontio region north of Toronto two years ago.
The Ontario Provincial Police say OPP officers executed a search warrant on June 10 at a residence in Laval.
The OPP’s major crimes unit, with assistance from the Laval Police and OPP officers in Hawkesbury in Ontario, conducted a search at the suspect’s Laval home where he was arrested.
Ramin Lazar, 34, of Laval, has been charged with arson and conspiracy to commit an indictable offence. Lazar, who is the seventh suspect facing charges related to the incidents, was released with a July 2 court date with the Ontario Court of Justice in Ontario.
Recent fires in Laval
June 15 | 10:41 PM // Building fire on Curé-Labelle Boulevard in the Chomedey sector.
Commercial building.
Fire contained in a restaurant kitchen and spread to the roof.
The code was 10-12, necessitating a second alarm.
Canada Revenue Agency ombudsman investigating delays in complex T1 adjustments
They ‘touch on several rights under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights,’ says CRA ombudsman Boileau
The Canada Revenue Agency’s ombudsman says his office has opened an investigation into delays involving the processing of complex T1 adjustments after receiving numerous complaints from taxpayers from across the country.
In a statement issued last week, CRA ombudsman François Boileau said the examination was started because they had been receiving a consistently high level of complaints about the delays.
The T1 General (or simply T1) is the tax form issued by the Canada Revenue Agency which is used by individuals living in Canada to file personal federal income tax returns.
According to the CRA’s own reporting, taxpayers have been facing undue delays. Although the CRA’s service standard for complex requests is 20 weeks, as of May 14 the CRA was taking up to 47 weeks to complete complex T1 requests.
“We understand that the CRA is under tremendous pressure to deliver its services to the public,” Boileau said in a statement issued by his office. “But T1 adjustments affect many taxpayers, and delays can cause real issues for those who are seeking redress,” he added.
Possible Bill of Rights violations
“The delays we have been seeing with complex T1 adjustment requests touch on several rights under the Taxpayer Bill of Rights. With a systemic examination, we are hoping to get to the root causes of why the CRA is not currently meeting its service standard.”
In Laval, Tom Laios, a professional tax accountant, said he was mostly unaware of the processing delays described by the CRA ombudsman.
While saying that none of his clients had run into this particular problem, he added, “I know from what I’ve heard from other people, usually it takes them [the CRA] a couple of months to do it.”
In their statement, the ombudsman’s office noted that if a taxpayer wants to change an income tax and benefit return, there are different options to do so.
The CRA’s service standard for routine adjustments requested through “Change my return” in CRA taxpayer accounts or through tax software is to issue a notice of reassessment or a letter of explanation within two weeks of receiving the request. For routine adjustment requests made by phone or mail, the service standard is eight weeks.
20 weeks for complex requests
However, according to the ombudsman’s office, the CRA can determine that a request is complex. This happens when the CRA needs more information or has to review the request. In these cases, the service standard is 20 weeks, which is much longer than the service standard for routine requests, according to the CRA.
In addition to opening a systemic examination, the ombudsman’s office said they sent a service improvement request to the CRA.
“We asked it to change the T1-ADJ T1 Adjustment Request web page to encourage taxpayers to file their T1 adjustment requests online, rather than by printing and mailing the webform as suggested on its website, so that the requests can be processed more quickly,” reads the OTO’s statement, while adding that “our office is committed to carrying out this examination fairly and impartially.”
“With this examination, we are looking to better understand current processes, the root causes of service issues, and what the CRA is doing so that it can meet its service standards,” they continue. Based on the examination’s findings, they say the ombudsman may make recommendations on solutions “to lessen delays so that taxpayers can receive more timely service from the CRA.”
Mandate to improve service
The Office of the Taxpayers’ Ombudsperson (which is the OTO’s official name) describes its role as being to help improve service that the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA) provides to taxpayers.
It says it does so by reviewing complaints about the quality of service as well as by identifying and reviewing “systemic and emerging issues that can affect more than one person or a part of the population.”
The ombudsman can also make recommendations directly to the federal Minister of Finance and National Revenue or to the Minister and the Chair of the CRA’s Board of Management to address systemic issues and improve the service the CRA provides to taxpayers. The OTO says it also works to raise awareness of the OTO’s role and the Taxpayer Bill of Rights.
Canada’s Taxpayer Bill of Rights
There are 16 rights that describe the treatment you are entitled to when you deal with the Canada Revenue Agency (CRA). Additionally, there are 5 small business commitments.
- You have the right to receive entitlements and to pay no more and no less than what is required by law.
- You have the right to service in both official languages.
- You have the right to privacy and confidentiality.
- You have the right to a formal review and a subsequent appeal.
- You have the right to be treated professionally, courteously, and fairly.
- You have the right to complete, accurate, clear, and timely information.
- You have the right, unless otherwise provided by law, not to pay income tax amounts in dispute before you have had an impartial review.
- You have the right to have the law applied consistently.
- You have the right to lodge a service complaint and to be provided with an explanation of our findings.
- You have the right to have the costs of compliance taken into account when administering tax legislation.
- You have the right to expect the CRA to be accountable.
- You have the right to relief from penalties and interest under tax legislation because of extraordinary circumstances.
- You have the right to expect the CRA to publish its service standards and report annually.
- You have the right to expect the CRA to warn you about questionable tax schemes in a timely manner.
- You have the right to be represented by a person of your choice.
- You have the right to lodge a service complaint and request a formal review without fear of reprisal.
30th annual Sainte-Rose Art Symposium takes place from July 23 – 26
Spotlight falls on works of 80 artists in Laval’s historic Vieux Sainte-Rose
While the dates may change a little from year to year, and the weather can vary from warm sunshine to sudden downpours of rain, there’s one thing about the Sainte-Rose Art Symposium you can always count on.
This popular summertime artists’ gathering – held in a setting as romantic as it is historic – is always a guarantee of four days of appreciation for sculpting, photography and other visual arts by the thousands of patrons who drop by every year.
Symposium’s 30th anniversary
This year, the Corporation Rose-Art’s annual show is taking place from Thursday July 23 to Sunday July 26. Those with discerning taste for fine sculpture and inspiring visual creations – or who simply know what they like – will be arriving from all over Québec, as well as other parts of eastern Canada, for this year’s celebration of the three successful decades of the Symposium de Ste-Rose.
In addition to the symposium’s 30th anniversary, the Corporation Rose-Art is celebrating its 35th year of activity promoting the work of Laval’s artists.
As part of this, the organizers will be holding a special silent auction during the symposium, featuring 33 canvases by Rose-Art members, with the goal of raising $5,000 for the Canadian Cancer Society.
In an homage to Corporation Rose-Art’s well-founded roots, a group of “original six” artists (Yolande Lapalice Daneau, Diane Lafond, Monique Lafond, Lise Dupuis, Maxime Lacourse and Carole Laurence), who were in at the beginning, will be exhibiting in a special segment of the symposium.
Legendary Québec chanteuse Shirley Théroux
This year, the organizers from Corporation Rose-Art have again persuaded legendary Quebec singer Shirley Théroux to be the official spokesperson for the Sainte-Rose Art Symposium. Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher has also again agreed to serve as the event’s honorary president.
Théroux had a string of song hits in Québec during the 1960s and 1970s and was also a highly popular late-afternoon program host on French-language television.
An accomplished painter in addition to her musical talents, Théroux will be offering a range of art works, with potential collectible value, in a special segment of the show.
‘The beginning of a dream’
In an address last week to guests attending a special preview of the 2026 symposium, Corporation Rose-Art president Oprina-Felicia Dolea set the tone for this year’s event.
“Thirty years ago, it was the beginning of a dream in these enchanting surroundings of Vieux Sainte-Rose – the creation of a bridge linking the artist and the public directly, between feeling and artwork,” said Dolea.
“For three decades, our historic neighborhood is transformed over the course of a summer into a gallery open to the sky where creativity has no limits,” she added.
“What was only a dream by artists in the beginning has become a highly-respected cultural gathering, shining a spotlight on Vieux Sainte-Rose far beyond the limits of Laval.”
Eighty artists taking part
Many visitors will be purchasing works produced by the 80 participating artists, who express themselves in styles ranging from traditional and impressionistic to modern and abstract.
As always, the symposium will be taking place alongside the Rivière des Mille-Îles in the charming and historic Laval neighbourhood known as Vieux Sainte-Rose.
The village is renowned as the birthplace of internationally-acclaimed Québécois painter Marc-Aurèle Fortin. Sainte-Rose was also at one time the home of landscape painter Clarence Gagnon. Both influenced generations of artists here and around the world.
After winning a range of awards for excellence over nearly three decades, the organizing committee continues to uphold the standards that have established the Sainte-Rose Art Symposium’s reputation for excellence in art circles across eastern Canada.
Rose-Art’s award-winning efforts
The organizers have received some significant recognitions for their efforts. In 2019, the Laval Chamber of Commerce and Industry presented them with a Dunamis award for helping to promote tourism in Laval. They were also a finalist for a second Dunamis in 2020 and 2022, as a sustainable organization or enterprise.
More than 20,000 people are expected to attend. Although most are usually from the Laval and greater Montreal regions, the busy vacation season is also known to bring in visitors from Ontario, New Brunswick and Nova Scotia, as well as from the U.S. states of Vermont, New Hampshire and New York.
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. begin to rediscover hidden treasures such as the Symposium de Sainte-Rose.
Some of the best times to go
The Symposium will be taking place along a stretch of the main street in downtown Sainte-Rose, next to La Vieille Caserne (216 Ste-Rose Blvd.), a stone’s throw from Sainte-Rose-de-Lima Church, between Filion and Deslaurier-Hotte streets.
All the events are free. The hours are as follows: Thursday July 23, 10 am to 6 pm; Friday July 24, 11 am to 6 pm; Saturday July 25, 10 am to 6 pm; Sunday July 26, 10 am to 5 pm. Additional information is available on the website www.roseart.ca. E-mail: roseart@videotron.ca. Phone: (450) 625-7925.
