Martin C. Barry

“You are probably asking yourselves what I’m doing up front here,” Chomedey Liberal MNA Guy Ouellette said to an audience of a few hundred people while introducing Sonia Baudelot, Avenir Laval’s mayoralty candidate, during a pre-election campaign event held at the Château Royal last Friday evening.

“The answer is simple,” Ouellette continued. “I have the pleasure and privilege to present one of my friends. She is a woman – and women in politics are very few. We would all like to see more of them.”

A 2013 council candidate

While this will be the first time Sonia Baudelot runs for the City of Laval’s mayoralty, she is not altogether a newcomer to municipal politics. She ran as an independent without success for the city council seat in l’Abord-à-Plouffe in 2013. For this year’s election on Nov. 5, she decided to put together a party of her own, and has managed to recruit a slate of candidates that, according to Baudelot, is almost completed.

“Laval needs a vision,” Baudelot said in a speech to supporters. “Laval needs leadership, Laval needs recognition and acknowledgement. Laval needs innovation. On Sunday November 5, 2017, Laval will need you. Avenir Laval is proposing to you a plan with an economic and dynamic outlook inspired by all Laval residents.”

Critical of ML’s record

Despite the claims being made by Mayor Marc Demers and the Mouvement Lavallois that the ML administration brought about fundamental changes in the city’s operations over the past four years, Baudelot and Avenir Laval maintain that Demers and the ML made superficial changes to a system put in place by disgraced former mayor Gilles Vaillancourt – without doing anything fundamentally different.

“They didn’t propose anything new,” she said. “They had four years to do something new. Four years as elected officials to give to the citizens after being elected in 2013. We’re now in 2017. Four years is a long time.”

A native of Laval, Baudelot has worked in the airline industry for the past 20 years as a flight attendant, as well as an airline staff recruiter and director of flight services. She is also well-known in west-end Laval for her involvement and volunteerism with a number of community organizations.

A Liberal presence

Apart from the presence of Ouellette – he and Baudelot have known each other for years on the personal and political level, she told the Laval News – there were other signs of a Liberal presence at the meeting. Among others seated in the front row encouraging Baudelot was Claudette Lessard-Ravenelle, a longtime driving force and organizer within the Laval-Les Îles federal Liberal riding association.

“They’ve known me for a long time,” said Baudelot, explaining their presence. She later added that “it’s known that I’ve worked for the PLQ as a volunteer. I’ve been volunteering since I’m a child.” It’s also apparent that Avenir Laval is a fairly well-organized party, one that was able to foot the expense of a costly evening that included the services of a hired photographer and video technician who recorded all the proceedings. According to Baudelot, five Avenir Laval candidates who were introduced on stage footed the bill.

The PQ connection

Despite outward appearances, Baudelot said Avenir Laval has succeeded in recruiting candidates of all political persuasions – including some whose previous background was with the PQ. “No we’re not all Liberals in the party,” she said. “We represent every single person in Laval.”

But at the same time, political partisanship spilling down into the municipal arena from higher levels of government is not unusual in Laval. Baudelot said she was aware that since being elected in 2013, Mayor Marc Demers (who ran unsuccessfully for the PQ in Laval-des-Rapides in the 2012 provincial election) has appointed at least two people with PQ connections.

Demers appointees

In March last year, Demers hired former PQ MNA for Gouin Nicolas Girard (who was named CEO of the Agence métropolitaine de transport by the PQ before being fired by the Liberals) as a special liaison for the City of Laval responsible for regional public transportation issues.

And this past June, Demers appointed Lynda Tousignant, who was a fellow PQ candidate (in Vimont) in the 2012 election, to the Place-du-Souvenir Fund committee. The unremunerated committee is overseeing up to $10 million clawed back legally by the city from former mayor Vaillancourt following his breach of trust and fraud convictions.

Baudelot declined to comment on the appointments. “I don’t want to go down that road because I don’t want to do that kind of politics,” she insisted.

Martin C. Barry

Groups and businesses from Laval who may be interested in applying for subsidies for projects promoting Laval from the point of view of sustainable development and social economy have until mid-September and mid-October to do so, Mayor Marc Demers and Mille-Îles MNA Francine Charbonneau announced at city hall on Monday.

$1.7 million available

Charbonneau, who is Minister Responsible for the Laval Region in the Quebec Liberal cabinet, had announced last month that Laval is being allotted nearly $1.7 million for the projects from a provincial government fund, the Fonds d’appui au rayonnement des régions (FARR).

On Monday during a press conference at city hall, Charbonneau and Demers announced the priorities set out for the development of the projects in 2017-2018, as established by a committee made up of MNAs and city councillors from Laval. Demers and Charbonneau are co-presiding the committee.

Reflecting Laval

The committee wants the projects to reflect certain key values, such as stimulating social interaction as well as responsible economic development, and to develop cultural elements that shine a spotlight on Laval as a place with an increasingly international reputation, while showcasing Laval’s relative uniqueness and distinct qualities.

The committee’s members also expect the projects to help stimulate the growth of business and entrepreneurship in Laval while keeping innovative and sustainable development in mind. Finally, they want the project’s producers to promote Laval’s Parc de la riviére des Mille-Îles, as well as the area’s beaches and its wooded expanses.

Socio-economic development

“These priorities will allow groups and businesses from here to propose and to create some very important projects to encourage the socio-economic development of the region, while doing so in keeping with our strategic vision, urban by nature,” said Demers.

According to Charbonneau, various provincial ministries will be monitoring the assignment of projects in order to assure there won’t be any redundancy involving similar projects already taking place. She said the provincial government has allotted a total of $30 million for projects in various regions across Quebec this year and next. A call for projects is expected to take place annually over the coming years.

Those wishing to submit bids have until Sept. 15 and Oct. 16 to apply. Information on the program and selection criteria is available on the web site of Quebec’s Municipal Affairs Ministry: www.mamot.gouv.qc.ca.

Martin C. Barry

Three years after elected officials with the City of Laval decided to provide the city with a brand new master urban plan starting from scratch, the final version of the document was unveiled at city hall last week and approved by city council.

Move in the right direction

For Mayor Marc Demers, who presented the document to media on Aug. 9, the moment was no less than historic. Considering that the previous urban plan hadn’t been updated since the early 1990s and the administration that created it was at best complacent, according to the mayor a new plan was almost unmistakably a move in the right direction.

For Demers, the moment was not only historic, but also signified a new way of proceeding with urban planning in Laval. “Improvisation is finished in urban development in the City of Laval and welcome to careful planning,” he said, while adding that the new planning method wasn’t decided by one person or even a committee of officials, but by the population of the city as a whole who were consulted.

‘Important moment,’ says mayor

“The adoption of the revised master urban planning and development project is an important moment for Laval,” continued Demers. “We thank all those who shared their thoughts with us and who greatly contributed to the improvement of it.

“We are especially proud of the road we travelled since the adoption of the first project, notably with regards to the protection of natural areas. The latest improvements made to the document bear witness to our determination to solidify our vision of urban by nature.”

Key changes in plan

The new version makes several key adjustments to the basic urban planning regulations and was developed in conjunction with public consultations that were held by the city last spring. Here are some of the changes:

The Souvenir Woods have been designated a green space of interest and the proposed extension of Souvenir Blvd. has been removed. More than five hectares of the de l’Équerre woods have been added to the plan for conservation.

As well, an area bounded by Marcel Villeneuve and Roger Lortie avenues and railway tracks known as the Totem woods has been designated as being of interest and its previous industrial/commercial status has been dropped.

Building heights controlled

Demers said the equivalent of 3,300 hectares of territory in Laval are now protected in the new document. At the same time, elaborate regulations are in place for the time to control building heights. While this aspect will reassure a number of residents who were concerned about the uncontrolled proliferation of high-rise towers, Demers pointed out that developers will also be able to know first-hand from now on where they can build without ambiguity.

The plan, which now will be undergoing an approval process by the National Assembly, is expected to come into effect before the end of this year. The City of Laval’s actual urban planning by-laws will be undergoing rigorous revisions over the next two years with the principles set out in the new master urban plan serving as template for the adjustments.

Martin C. Barry

Cabinet officials from the Canadian and Quebec governments were on hand at Société de Transport de Laval headquarters on Aug. 8 to announce a $30.4 million subsidy they have agreed to grant the STL to fund nearly 30 public transit improvement projects.

Supporting public transit

“The governments of Canada and Quebec recognize that investing in public transit infrastructure is crucial to economic growth, reducing pollution and creating inclusive communities where everyone has access to public services and job opportunities,” the two governments said in a joint statement.

Montreal-area Liberal MP Marc Miller, who is Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Infrastructure and Communities, and Mille-Îles MNA Francine Charbonneau, the Quebec Liberal minister responsible for the Laval region, announced the investment which is being paid out of the mutually-administered Public Transit Infrastructure Fund.

Three-way funding

According to terms of the subsidy, the federal government will invest more than $16.9 million in the STL’s projects, while Quebec will contribute more than $13.5 million. The STL will provide the remaining funding.

The projects include the purchase by the STL of 22 hybrid buses, garage refurbishments and expansions, the installation of charging stations on hybrid buses, and the addition and replacement of STL bus shelters. As well, Studies will be conducted on preferential measures to improve bus services and address mobility issues.

Once completed, according to the STL and government officials, the projects will make the Laval public transit system more reliable, efficient and inclusive, thereby meeting the community’s immediate needs while preparing well-ahead of time for anticipated increases in ridership in the future.

Promoting Laval’s growth

“The Government of Canada is investing in projects that contribute to building sustainable communities, while promoting economic development and the growth of the middle class,” Miller said during a briefing for the media held in the STL’s main garage. “The many public transit projects announced today will help improve commute times, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and enhance the overall user experience, thereby also preparing the city of Laval for future growth,” he added.

“The Government of Quebec’s investment, together with that of the Government of Canada and the Société de transport de Laval, will greatly improve transit fluidity and user experience,” said Charbonneau. “These projects will contribute to Laval’s economic growth while improving air quality and residents’ quality of life. These environmentally responsible alternatives to automobile travel will make Laval an ideal choice for families and workers seeking a modern, sustainable and safe lifestyle.”

Improvements foreseen

“We are very pleased that the governments of Canada and Quebec are attaching such importance to public transit,” said STL president David De Cotis who is also vice-president of the City of Laval’s executive-committee and deputy mayor. “This nearly $ 33.5-million investment marks another step for the Société de transport de Laval in achieving its targets for greenhouse gas reductions and increased ridership.

“The projects to be realized through this Public Transit Infrastructure Fund allocation will enable the Société to improve its customer service, modernize and expand its infrastructure and update its management tools,” continued De Cotis. “In the end, the organization will improve its business practices and provide an even more competitive, modern and efficient transportation network.”

Canada/Quebec funding

The money being allocated to the STL is part of a more than $180 billion infrastructure fund set up by Ottawa to be doled out over 12 years for public transit, green infrastructure, social infrastructure, transportation supporting trade and Canada’s rural and northern communities.

As well, over the next 10 years the government of Quebec plans to invest more than $91.1 billion from the province’s own infrastructure plan in health, education and transportation, in order to provide support to families while stimulating conditions conducive to innovation and economic growth.

Martin C. Barry

Action Laval, the official opposition party in Laval city council, was heavily criticized during the Aug. 8 council meeting by partisans of the governing Mouvement Lavallois as well as the Parti Laval, which is the “unofficial” opposition.

Abuse alleged

Both parties allege that over the last few council meetings, Action Laval has been abusing the right of citizens to ask questions during question period by systematically sending Action Laval election candidates to the microphone, cutting into the amount of question period time available for regular residents.

According to Parti Laval leader Michel Trottier, Action Laval “monopolized 25 of the 90 minutes available to citizens once a month,” he said during the council members’ period for making statements. “So I would just like to say that it would be important to respect that period reserved for citizens 90 minutes each month. It’s a question of respect. That’s all.”

Mayor deflects criticism

Despite the admonitions, again this month a succession of Action Laval candidates came up to the microphone to raise questions on a variety of issues. The party’s leader, Jean-Claude Gobé, was among the first people to come up to the microphone.

After criticizing Mayor Marc Demers for his “lack of influence and lack of credibility with the provincial government” in a number of dossiers, Demers fired back with both barrels.

“With comments like that, it seems very apparent that the electoral campaign time is approaching,” said the mayor, while maintaining that over the past few council meetings, Gobé spent his time at the microphone talking, but without asking very specific questions.

Party reacts to criticism

In a statement Action Laval issued following the council meeting, the party defended its tactics, claiming the mayor “bullies the candidates of Action Laval,” while questioning Action Laval’s motives for asking questions.

“Tonight, at City Council meeting, Mayor Demers and Independent Councilor Michel Trottier criticized Laval residents for asking questions at the city council on the pretext that they are also candidates for the upcoming election,” said the opposition party, while adding that Gobé “rejects Demers’ antidemocratic reaction.”

“Marc Demers used his role as mayor to ridicule his opponents,” said Gobé. “It is totally inappropriate for the institution of the Mayor’s office to reproach members of an opposing party for addressing the municipal council during its sittings.”

Says ML also asked questions

Gobé and other members of his party also pointed out that the ML itself, including Demers, were asking questions at Laval city council meetings since at least 2009 – four years before they were voted into power. “Either the mayor has a very short memory, or he is of extreme bad faith,” added the opposition party’s leader.

A large chunk of time during question period was taken up by homeowners of an area in western Laval near Jolibourg Park in the district of Laval-les-Îles. They are up in arms over the City of Laval’s decision to install several large construction trailers and to asphalt a previously grassed-over area in the park for the next two years in order to facilitate the reconstruction of bridges serving Île Pariseau, Île Bigras and Île Verte.

Maintaining that neither he nor anyone else on city council was informed by the bureaucracy of what was going on, Mayor Demers denied one of the residents’ claims that he refused to visit the site.

Jolibourg Park controversy

“It seemed to me it would be better to get some answers first before proceeding,” he said. While insisting that the integrity of the park is important, Demers went on to say that “we have the challenge of having to build four bridges – two temporary and two permanent.”

And pursuant to the appearance during last month’s council meeting of a large delegation of residents living near a stretch of Lévesque Blvd. West where a developer wants to build a new 25-storey residential tower, a number of people from the same crowd were back this month.