The current issue of the Laval News volume 28-12 published June 10th, 2020.
Covering Laval local news, politics, sports and our new section Mature Life.
(Click on the image to read the paper.)
Laval News Volume 28-12
Quebec to allow gatherings, restaurants to re-open, starting June 15 and 22, as COVID-19 rules relaxed
Beginning on June 15 in most areas of Quebec, but only on June 22 in Laval and the greater Montreal region, the provincial government will be allowing private home gatherings of up to 10 people from up to three different households to take place, with COVID-19 social distancing rules enforced, Quebec public health officials announced on Monday.
Dr. Richard Massé, the provincial health ministry’s strategic medical consultant during the COVID-19 pandemic, announced the measures, while noting that only a small number of communities in Quebec will have to wait until June 22.
The health ministry is insisting all the same that those holding these gatherings will be obliged to follow precautionary measures recommended by the government.
They will include meticulous cleaning of table and countertop surfaces afterwards, as well as any areas guests might have come into contact with.
At the same time, the Quebec government also announced on Monday that restaurants in most areas of the province will be allowed to re-open on June 15, although again only on June 22 in Laval, greater Montreal and two other lower Laurentian communities.
However, the partial removal of restrictions will come with some rules still in place: restaurant staff will be wearing visors, and there will be no menus nor any salt and pepper shakers on restaurant tables.
The relaxed rules will allow bars that serve food to re-open, although tables and chairs in food and drink establishments will have to be disinfected between clients. Buffet-style restaurants will be required to have staff serve plates of food to customers at their tables, rather than allowing them to serve themselves.
Health Canada recalls certain hand sanitizers that may pose health risks
Health Canada is advising people across the country that certain hand sanitizers are being recalled from the market because they contain industrial-grade ethanol that has not been authorized for use in hand sanitizers in Canada.
According to the federal ministry, industrial-grade ethanol contains impurities that are not found in the type of ethanol approved for use in manufacturing hand sanitizers, such as technical-grade, food-grade or pharmaceutical-grade ethanol. In addition, chemicals that may not be approved for use in hand sanitizers are added to industrial-grade ethanol.
Frequent use of these products may result in dry skin, causing irritation or cracking. Since industrial-grade ethanol has not been approved for use in hand sanitizers in Canada, the department says it has not reviewed it for safety or efficacy.
Here is a list of affected products:
| Product | Recalling Company | NPN or DIN | Lot numbers | Expiry Date | Date Added |
| Eltraderm Hand Sanitizer – 70 % Ethyl Alcohol | Eltraderm Limited | 80098540 | 0217 | April 2022 | June 6, 2020 |
| Hand Sanitizer | Contract Packaging Distributions Inc. | 80098453 | 8613026 8613042 8613048 8613055 8613057 8613058 8613061 8613064 8613066 | April 2022 | June 6, 2020 |
| Gel 700 Hand Sanitizer | Nature’s Own Cosmetic Company Inc. | 80100166 | 8613026 8613042 8613048 8613055 8613057 8613058 8613061 8613064 8613066 | May 2022 | June 6, 2020 |
| Sanilabs Hand Sanitizer 70% Ethanol | Sanilabs Inc. | 80098769 | 6069 | April 20, 2022 | June 6, 2020 |
| 6075 | April 28, 2022 | ||||
| Walker Emulsions Hand Sanitizer | Walker Emulsions Ltd. | 80098678 | 209638 | Not printed on the label | June 6, 2020 |
| Hand Sanitizer Désinfectant pour les mains | Walker Emulsions Ltd. | 80100040 | 210061 | Not printed on the label | June 6, 2020 |
What Health Canada advises you should do:
- Stop using the products listed. Follow municipal or regional guidelines on how to dispose of chemicals and other hazardous waste. You may also return the product to your local pharmacy for proper disposal.
- Consult your healthcare professional if you have used these products and have health concerns.
- 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.
- Use hand sanitizers that have been authorized for sale in Canada. Hand sanitizers that have been authorized will display either a Natural Product Number (NPN) or Drug Identification Number (DIN) on the product label. These products can be found on the list of hand sanitizers that meet Health Canada’s requirements.
- Consult the list of hand sanitizers authorized or registered in other jurisdictions that may not display an NPN or DIN but have been accepted for use in Canada during the COVID-19 pandemic. This list of accepted products can be found here.
Report any health product adverse events or complaints to Health Canada.
City of Laval’s mobile eco-centre resumes activities
The City of Laval’s mobile eco-centre, which collects hazardous household waste and other materials for safe disposal or recycling, will be resuming its activities on Sunday following a suspension during the COVID-19 crisis.
According to the city, the mobile unit will be set up on June 7 from 8:30 am to 3 pm at 1333 Chomedey Blvd. (this is the main site, behind city hall) for the collection of hazardous chemicals, tires, branches, old air conditioners and obsolete electronics.
As well, the mobile eco-centre will be at 480 Armand Frappier Blvd. (a secondary site), where only tires, branches, air conditioners, electronics and computers will be accepted. (No hazardous waste.)
The city emphasizes that both operations will be taking place with strict protective measures against COVID-19 to be respected:
- Wearing a face mask is highly recommended;
- Physical distancing of at least 2 metres is mandatory between all people on the site;
- Unloading of materials will be done by just one person;
- And everyone must remain in their vehicle.
As well, anyone with symptoms of COVID-19 will be automatically turned away. And if you’re not in a hurry to dispose of materials, it is recommended you wait for the next time the mobile eco-centre is around.
L-D-R MNA Saul Polo outlines measures taken for COVID-19
Laval-des-Rapides
Liberal MNA Saul Polo says that since the beginning of the COVID19 pandemic
more than two months ago, he has seen to the implementation of several measures
in his riding to help deal with the crisis.
Among other things, Polo says his office donated $72,000 in emergency funding to
charitable organizations in Laval-des-Rapides and in Pont-Viau for the purchase
of additional food basics for especially vulnerable residents.
According to a statement issued by Polo’s office, part of that sum was also used to
purchase computer tablets to help keep confined senior citizens stimulated, as
well as for the purchase of personal protective equipment (PPE) for the general
population.
Polo also intends to distribute 1,000 locally-made face masks for the clients of the
Relais communautaire de Laval. In addition to these measures, staff and
volunteers from his office have been providing telephone support to people
confined at home by calling them on a regular basis to see that their needs are
being met.
As well, Polo pointed out that he and his team recently created a new Facebook
page encouraging people to “Buy local” in Laval-des-Rapides during
the pandemic in order to help the economy. A daily update on the local
evolution of the crisis and information on press conferences given by the
governments on COVID-19 are also on Saul Polo’s own Facebook page.
Laval Police break up narcotics ring
The Laval Police Department says a raid the force’s anti-narcotics squad took part in on May 19 in Laval and the Montreal region resulted in the arrest of seven people who now face drug trafficking and possession for purposes of trafficking charges.
Raids conducted at four homes in Laval and Saint-Eustache, as well as in three vehicles, led to the arrests of the suspects whose ages range from 31 to 64 years. They were arraigned at the Laval courthouse, but were released with conditions to respect. Their next court appearances are on Aug. 18 and Aug. 25.
Here is a list of the substances and other materials seized during the raids:
- Cannabis: 14,480.31 grams
- Heroin: 7.32 grams
- Crack: 13.79 grams
- Cocaine: 108.11 grams
- Amphetamines: 1565 tablets
- Xanax: 1,458 tablets
- Methamphetamine: 24,435 tablets
- Hashish: 1216.6 grams
Total value: $328,337
- Three vehicles: a value of $98,000
- Cash: $48,570
The Laval Police say anyone who thinks they have information about suspected drug trafficking in their area can call the LPD’s Info Line at 450-662 INFO. All information received is treated confidentially.
Laval-based SAIL Outdoors files for bankruptcy protection
The Laval-headquartered SAIL sports and outdoor equipment retail chain announced on Tuesday that is filing for bankruptcy and insolvency status in order to protect itself from creditors while restructuring and recovering from the devastating economic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.
In a statement issued on June 2, SAIL Outdoors Inc. CEO Norman Décarie said store closures and other fallout from the pandemic seriously compromised the company’s cash flow and finances.
SAIL employs 1,800 people at its 14 SAIL locations, four Sportium stores, and its corporate headquarters in Laval. The company said the stores will continue to operate as usual during the reorganization, although with reduced hours in accordance with current COVID-19 public health guidelines.
LPD arrests Laval man, 74, for allegedly luring girl, 14
The Laval Police Department says it has arrested a retired Laval man who faces a charge of luring a 14-year-old girl with whom he was exchanging messages over the Microsoft Windows Messenger service.
According to the police, Jacques Savignac was allegedly in contact with the girl over the past few months and they exchanged messages over the course of several weeks. He was arraigned recently at the Laval courthouse through a remote phone hookup and will be making another court appearance on Aug. 4.
The police allege that Savignac, who was using his real name in Messenger, asked the girl several times to have sexual relations with him. Investigators at the LPD say they have reason to believe Savignac engaged in similar behavior with other minors and they are encouraging anyone who might have been in contact with Savignac to report their experience to the LPD.
The LPD is inviting anyone who may have been a victim of Savignac to contact them confidentially at 450 662-INFO (4636), or at 9-1-1. The file number is RPR 190614 019.
McDonald’s shuts, cleans, reopens Samson Blvd. location after worker tests positive for COVID-19
McDonald’s Canada announced Friday that it temporarily shut its restaurant at 37 Samson Blvd. in Laval after an employee reported having tested positive for infection by the COVID-19 virus, but that the location is open again after a thorough cleanup and disinfection.
According to the company, the employee informed McDonald’s Canada of the COVID-19 diagnosis towards the end of the evening on May 28.
The company said in a statement that as a measure of extreme caution given the current health risks, the decision was taken to immediately shut the location for a thorough cleaning and disinfection by experts.
“The restaurant was closed for the entire night, and has now re-opened,” said a spokesperson for the company.
McDonald’s says it asked all team members at the restaurant who had been in contact with the employee to voluntarily isolate until further information is made available to them. The company says the infected employee had last worked a shift on May 22 from 7 to 9 am.
The company is advising anyone who was at the restaurant on May 22 to follow advice from Quebec public health officials to be found on this web site: https://www.quebec.ca/sante/problemes-de-sante/a-z/coronavirus-2019/.
June 1 tax deadline looming, says Revenu Québec
Revenu Québec, the province’s tax-collection authority, has served notice that the deadline for filing 2019 income tax returns electronically is Monday June 1 at 11:59 pm.
The tax ministry says up to 86 per cent of its clients are now filing their tax returns electronically, while adding that doing so speeds up the tax assessment process so that a large number of clients receive refunds up to twice as quickly.
Revenu Québec says that because of the COVID-19 pandemic, this year they are prioritizing tax returns that pay out refunds. Also because of the pandemic, the usual April 30 filing deadline was postponed to June 1.
The deadline now to pay an amount owing on a 2019 filing is Sept. 1. As well, they say they are not imposing penalties for tax filings made as late as Sept. 1.
