May 7 – Laval police announced last week they had arrested a third suspect in connection with a string of burglaries, including the botched burglary at The Bay at Carrefour Laval on August 19, 2017. (Caught off guard by a mall security guard at the end of their heist – after having successfully loaded their truck with suitcases stuffed with $2 million worth of stolen merchandise – the trio of thieves dropped most of their stolen loot out of the back of their getaway van as they sped away.)
Keven Denis, 24, faces 4 counts of break-and-entry and larceny
Keven Denis, 24, faces 4 counts of break-and-entry and larceny in connection with the group’s activities. He was arrested and charged on May 2, and he will remain in custody until his next court date on June 6.
Earlier this year in February, police arrested the first two members of their group: Evens Riodin, 38, and his spouse Gabrielle De Morasse, 30, both residents of St-Lin. The duo faces a total of 15 charges between them. On May 2, Riodin pled guilty to all charges against him.
The bungled Bay job last August led the investigators to link the thieving trio to 10 other robberies they had committed in Terrebonne, Gatineau, and Longueuil.
May 9 – A man travelling the world by bicycle was sidelined in his quest last week when his bike and all his supplies were stolen while he was shopping at a Walmart in Laval.
The ambitious cyclist is Beijing native Yu Yang. He is currently travelling by himself, by bicycle, from Argentina to Alaska. He’s been away from home and on the road for two years.
After the media shared his story, Yang began receiving offers from people who wanted to help.
Lamar Timmins, owner of Allo Velo in Montreal, reached out to offer Yang a new bike. Someone else found him a place to stay, others offered him supplies, and new cargo bags for his bike.
The Laval police distributed a photo of the alleged thief, taken from surveillance footage of the Walmart parking lot where the theft occurred.
PHOTO: The bicycle thief’s image was captured on Walmart’s video surveillance in the parking lot where the theft occurred. Anyone with information about the man’s identity or location is asked to call 911, or the LPD’s info-line to communicate confidentially with an officer at 450-662-INFO (4636).
May 9 – Police are searching for a burglar who managed to swipe more than $50,000 worth of drones and equipment from the specialised store, Drone Volt, located north of Autoroute 440 in Fabreville.
Drone Volt Location
Authorities were alerted to the break-in at 8:20 p.m. when the store’s alarm sounded. At the scene, officers noticed clear signs that the robber had committed the offence of breaking and entering prior to committing the theft. The thief was fast and efficient, managing to get away with more than $50,000 worth of drones and equipment before the police arrived.
Investigators are reviewing video surveillance from the store.
Anyone with information is asked to communicate confidentially with an officer by calling 450-662-INFO (4636) or 911.
Laval City Hall. 1 Place du Souvenir, Laval, Québec, Canada.
City Watch
Acquisition for conservation purposes in L’Équerre Woodlands
The City will acquire a lot of 766.4 square meters at a cost of $41,000 for conservation purposes. The land is located north of boulevard des Oiseaux, within a special development zone (ZAEP) of the Bois de l’Équerre which is in an area earmarked for ecological conservation. The municipal administration collaborated with Nature Action Québec (NAQ) to make this acquisition. This purchase was facilitated through funding provided by NAQ as part of a federal program to protect the habitat of endangered species of flora and fauna in Canada on the endangered species list.
Acquisitions for conservation purposes in Auteuil Woodlands
Two lots totaling 929 square meters will be acquired for $11,600 for preservation purposes. The lands are located inside a special development zone (ZAEP) of the Woodlands of Auteuil, in an area designated for environmental conservation and as such is a priority consideration for the administration.
Consolidation of purchase with UMQ for de-icing salt
As authorized by the members of the executive committee, the City of Laval will participate in the call for tenders of the Union of Quebec Municipalities (UMQ) for the supply and transport of bulk sodium chloride (de-icing salt) for the winter season 2018-2019. As the supplier market in this product area is limited consolidating their bids allows municipalities to benefit from the advantages of the bulk purchase. In addition, the bidding process will be facilitated since it is to be managed by the UMQ.
Grant Application for the Development of Library Collections
The Executive Committee authorized the submission of a grant application to the Quebec Ministry of Culture and Communications (MCCQ) as part of the Project Assistance Program – Call for projects in the development of collections of autonomous public libraries. This programs’ objective is to facilitate the growth and development of public library collections by enabling the acquisition of books, periodicals, audio-visual documents and databases. For 2018 the City plans expenditures totaling $1,663,466. Fully two thirds of the acquisition budget for the development of the Laval library collections in 2018 will be funded by the MCCQ grant.
Grant application for the restoration of the André-Benjamin-Papineau House
The André-Benjamin-Papineau House, built in 1820 and classified as a heritage building by the Quebec Ministry of Culture and Communications (MCCQ) was closed to the public in 2014 due to the presence of mold in the walls. This house is part of a compound called Complex André-Benjamin-Papineau which includes the Grangerit Theater and Café de la Grange.
A review specifying all the maintenance, renovation and restoration recommendations required to render these buildings conforming to public health and safety standards was completed in 2016. Some elements of the restoration of the house are eligible for a grant under the capital assistance program (movable and immovable property) of the MCCQ. To take advantage of the available funding the executive committee authorized a request for funding of $400,000 which is equivalent to 50% of the total eligible costs of the André-Benjamin-Papineau House restoration project. This heritage property built in a rural context was relocated to facilitate the construction of Highway 13 and restored at its present location in 1975.
Municipal grant for the purchase of an all-electric vehicle
The City of Laval is offering a subsidy for the purchase of a fully electric vehicle. The amount of the grant is $2,000 per eligible vehicle. The Laval grant combined with the $8,000 grant already offered by the Government of Quebec allows Laval citizens wishing to purchase a fully electric vehicle to receive $10,000 in financial assistance.
This measure targets the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions in Laval which contribute to climate change.
Note that for 2018, a maximum of 100 grants may be awarded. They will be in chronological order of receipt of complete and compliant applications. First come, first served!
Fishing Festival at the Nature Center
Fishing enthusiasts should note that the weekend of Saturday May 19th 2018 the city of Laval will once again offer a family friendly outdoor recreational event at the Center de la Nature Park. The fishing festival is an occasion where residents have the opportunity to fish for free and without a license.
For the occasion, the lake of the nature park will be stocked with thousands of trout. As the fish stock is not endless a catch limit of 5 trout per person per day will be enforced. This activity aims to introduce families to the practice of fishing.
On site activities include fishing, evisceration kiosks and games which are available for all ages and levels of fishing expertise. On Saturday May 19th and Sunday May 20th 2018, the site is open from 8:00 am to 12:00 pm exclusively for youth 17 years of age and younger and their companions while the site is open to enthusiasts of all ages from 12:00 pm to 3:00 pm and all-day Monday May 21st from 8:00 am to 3:00 pm.
A hot dog booth will operate for the benefit of the Canadian Red Cross and will be on site May 19th – 20th.
For participants who do not own their own fishing gear rental equipment will be available on site at a cost of $5.00 per 3-hour block (limited availability) and fishing bait can be purchased at a cost of $ 6 per container.
PROGRAM ONE CHILD, ONE TREE
The city of Laval will once again offer its ‘One Child One Tree’ program which helps residents celebrate the arrival of a child by offering families a tree that will grow by its side. On the second weekend of June each year, Laval parents blessed with a new arrival can receive a tree. For 2018 the offered tree is a sugar maple (acer saccharum) but new parents are advised to not delay to register for this gift as trees are available in limited quantities!
To be eligible to receive a tree parents have to be residents of Laval (proof of residency is required) who have either given birth or adopted a child between June 2017 and May 2018 (proof of birth or adoption is required: certificate or copy of birth certificate, health insurance card or other certificate). Parents must register before June 1st 2018.
This issue covers local events such as politics, sports and human-interest stories. It features editorials and other columns. Click on the image to read the paper.
Front page of Laval News. May 16 2018Click here to read the newspaper.
Me Julia Garzon of law firm Ménard Martin spoke about medical malpractice in Quebec and the health care network’s complaints system.
Martin C. Barry
Make no mistake about it, says Julia Garzon.
Despite her calling as a legal defender for medical patients who feel they’ve become victims within Quebec’s public health care system, she’s no “Erin Brockovitch.”
Defending system’s users
For their April 17 free lecture presentation, more than 70 supporters and members of the Comité des usagers du CSSS de Laval welcomed Me Garzon, a crusading young lawyer whose employer, Laval-based Ménard Martin, is well-known for its legal defence of users of Quebec’s public health care system.
While Me Jean-Pierre Ménard, who is the leading partner of the firm, was initially scheduled to make the presentation, a health problem forced him to cancel and Me Garzon made the presentation in his place.
More than 70 supporters and members of the Comité des usagers du CSSS de Laval listened to Me Julia Garzon explain some of the finer points about complaints and medical malpractice in Quebec.
She’s no Erin Brockovitch
Erin Brockovitch was a year 2000 movie starring Julia Roberts, telling the true story of a lawyer in the U.S. who became known for her legal activism pitting individuals against major corporate interests. But to hear Garzon talk about her work, it sounds more like it involves little glamour and a lot of very demanding legal research.
“I get a call,” said Garzon, recounting a fairly typical interaction with a potential new client. “She says to me ‘Are you like Erin Brockovitch? Can you do anything for me?’” But while Garzon makes clear that she and other lawyers at the firm always return calls within 24 – 48 hours and that initial contact is free of charge, she also eventually has to establish that building a medical malpractice lawsuit is costly and time-consuming and heroic scenarios are mostly in the movies.
Costs for legal procedures
For example, it costs $325 to meet with her just once for an initial consultation, with no obligation after that if that’s how the client feels. However, if the client decides to proceed further, the cost to analyze the dossier ranges from $2,500 to $5,000. After that, legal fees can grow, but only if the law firm and its expert consultants have determined that a complainant has grounds to justify pursuing the matter further legally.
However, as Garzon pointed out in her lengthy presentation, there are many channels in Quebec for obtaining redress whenever someone feels they’ve been treated improperly or unfairly in the province’s health care system.
Complaints committees
Apart from civil law procedures, there are also complaints committees set up within all Quebec health care establishments. But while Garzon’s legal firm pursues legal cases seeking monetary compensation for medical mistakes and oversights on an almost day-by-day basis, the complaints committees function primarily as a means of rectifying errors and problems inside the medical and social services systems, without offering users an option to seek compensation.
“What is important to note about the complaints to establishments is that the goal of the commissioner for complaints is to issue recommendations,” she said. “These recommendations are not mandatory and there is no legal force to oblige the adoption of these recommendations. Also with regard to complaints to establishments, there is no possibility of seeking financial compensation.”
Different ways of proceeding
Garzon pointed out that once a health care service user has officially deposited a complaint, “this does not prevent him from also seeking recourse legally.” She also maintained that once a complaint has been formally deposited, the clock doesn’t stop. This differs from the situation with malpractice lawsuits in which there are time limitations.
According to Pierre Lynch, president of the Comité des usagers du CSSS de Laval, the committee holds free lecture presentations each month, always dealing with issues concerning the rights of public health service users. “We deal with different aspects of the rights issues in health,” he said. The Comité des usagers du CSSS de Laval holds its monthly gatherings at Place des aînés in Chomedey.
Mayor Marc Demers, centre, flanked by Laval executive-committee member Virginie Dufour and Blainville mayor Richard Perreault, speaks on April 23 during the Forum on Mobility and Public Transport.
Martin C. Barry
A Forum on Mobility and Public Transport, which was held on April 23 by the City of Laval, concluded with an agreement between 19 participating municipalities that they will work together to develop an integrated public transit system in the Laval/North Shore area to reduce traffic and improve the quality of life for the region’s approximately one-million residents.
The 19 towns and cities, including Rosemère, Saint-Eustache, Deux-Montagnes, Sainte-Thérèse, Sainte-Jérôme and Terrebonne, agreed on four priorities for which they expect the provincial and federal governments to provide financial support.
Rapid transit for Chomedey
The first would be the introduction of an expanded network of dedicated and reserved public transit lanes on autoroutes 13, 15, 19 and 25, as well as on certain sections of autoroutes 440 and 640.
A second measure would be the implementation of a new rapid transit link within the densely-populated Laval district of Chomedey, whether through the addition of new Métro stations or the prolongation of the REM system now under development.
Officials from 19 municipalities in the Laval and North Shore regions gathered in Laval on April 23 to reach an agreement on how they can resolve increasing traffic problems on the area’s autoroutes and roadways.
New transit agency
Thirdly, Autoroute 19 which extends northward in eastern Laval would be lengthened to reach Autoroute 640 on the North Shore. As well, Autoroute 13 would be extended northward to Autoroute 50, with dedicated lanes for public transit.
In addition to these measures, the mayors of the 19 municipalities have agreed to establish a project office for the creation of a new integrated public transit agency to serve the Laval/North Shore/Lower Laurentian areas. This office is supposed to be created by Sept. 1 this year.
Action needed quickly
“Our movement has no precedent,” Mayor Marc Demers said in his opening remarks. “We now have a need very quickly for the implementation of a project office financed by the State to pursue the work, most notably to establish the priorities and figure out the various aspects involved.”
Blainville mayor and MRC Thérèse-De Blainville chief administrator Richard Perreault said that what the mayors wished to make clear “is the urgency for the governments to consider as a whole the issue of road congestion in Laval and in the Lower Laurentians – and to act rapidly. We’re talking about one million people who are caught up in this jigsaw puzzle for numerous years, and who will remain that way in the years to come if nothing is done.”
Traffic increases forecast
According to the results of Laval/North/Shore/Lower Laurentian road traffic surveys released during the forum, traffic delays increased 46 per cent from 2014-2017, while they are projected to increase 37 per cent from now to 2021 if action isn’t taken.
The studies also found that time lost by motorists stuck in traffic jams on major roadways in the area will have risen by 100 per cent by 2021 compared to 2014. As well, the traffic jams are expected to grow larger and to continue beyond the peak hours for traffic jams we know today.
Longer waits in traffic
To put that in perspective, it is estimated that a car trip today from west end Montreal, near the southern starting point of Autoroute 13, to a municipality on the North Shore, such as Rosemère or Deux-Montagnes at the A-13’s northern terminus – which normally should take around 40 minutes – can be expected to take as long as an hour-and-a-half just a few years from now if measures aren’t enacted to deal with the growing traffic.
The surveys also found that the average motorist today who is regularly commuting from the Laval/North Shore/Lower Laurentian areas to Montreal, is spending the equivalent of two weeks per year stuck in traffic.
REM stations in Laval
Laval city councillor Gilbert Dumas, who is president of the Société de transport de Laval, said in an interview with the Laval News that the City of Laval is looking for a solution that could involve expanding the nascent REM electric train system with additional stations in strategic locations in Laval.
“We would like it to branch off into parts of Laval like along Notre Dame Blvd., Curé Labelle and other places,” he said. “I know we have to wait until the REM’s first phase is done, and then after that we’ll look to see if what we need can be done with more Métro stations or with the REM.”
The big picture on traffic
Chomedey Liberal MNA Guy Ouellette, who was one of the many provincial and federal elected officials attending the forum, noted that Premier Philippe Couillard has been making pointed suggestions lately that, following the start of work in the REM, the provincial government is willing to invest billions more in public transit infrastructure.
“It has to be part of a big plan, and not just to decongest Laval, but the North Shore also,” said Ouellette. “We have to look at this globally. The North Shore is the area where is the fastest expansion in terms of population. Since there are more and more cars we are losing more and more time. If something comes from today’s summit, it will be a global solution that takes into account areas like the Laurentians and Lanaudiére.”
Quebec Minister for Seniors and Anti-Bullying Francine Charbonneau and Mayor Marc Demers are seen here with CLAVA officials during the unveiling of new posters drawing attention to the intimidation of senior citizens earlier this week at the Laval-des-Rapides Community Centre.
Martin C. Barry
Six organizations in Laval that work towards reducing and raising awareness of elder abuse problems unveiled new promotional posters last Monday at the Laval-des-Rapides Community Centre.
Charbonneau and mayor
Mille-Îles Liberal MNA Francine Charbonneau, who is the Minister Responsible for Senior Citizens and Anti-Bullying, and Laval mayor Marc Demers were among the 30 or so guests at the unveiling sponsored by the Comité lavallois en abus et violence envers les aînés (CLAVA), in conjunction with the Table régionale de concertation des aînés de Laval, FADOQ Laval, DIRA-Laval, AQDR Laval-Laurentides and the CISSS de Laval.
CLAVA had been given a subsidy by the Ministry of Senior Citizens to produce the posters. Based on observations gathered from senior citizens, interveners, volunteers and others who might be affected by senior abuse problems, the posters illustrate those preoccupations. One of the most dominant of these concerns is the issue of intimidation, which is psychological and often precedes outright physical abuse.
Intimidation must stop
“The intimidation of seniors is on a fine line just before abuse,” said Charbonneau who has worked extensively to develop new criteria and legislation to deal with seniors abuse as well as bullying. “If we are able to detect what’s being done, we can stop it from happening and make things so that seniors can have dignity while being in an environment that’s safe and secure.”
Charbonneau said that the vulnerability and isolation of certain people can make them more susceptible to being intimidated or treated unjustly by abusers. “When someone is alone they are not as good at defending themselves,” she said. “They might allow themselves to be attacked with words, with gestures. So we must be vigilant, while making certain that our senior citizens receive support and are always secure.”
No place for bullying
Mayor Demers, a former investigator with the Laval Police Department, said he had many opportunities to see for himself during his law enforcement career that senior citizens were often among those being abused when they were vulnerable. “We must denounce all forms of intimidation,” he said, commending the senior citizens’ advocacy groups for taking on that role.
“It’s often people close by – sometimes family members, sometimes neighbours – who become intimidating,” Demers continued. “There is a lot of education which needs to be done, as well as the responsibility of denouncing it. It is a responsibility shared by everybody. It is our duty when we see that there is intimidation involved with a person to try to find a way to give them support, to intervene or to find the resources to help them.”
Walking event June 15
On June 15, CLAVA and the partner organizations will be staging their second annual ‘Laval en marche pour la bientraitance des personnes aînés’ walking event. Last year, this awareness-raising gathering drew 330 walkers, and this year nearly 500 are expected.
Anyone who wants to take part can register at the web site https://bit.ly/2Jats1c, or by telephone at 450 667-8839. Walkers will be turning up at the chalet in Parc des Prairies in Laval-des-Rapides beginning at 8:30 am, with the start scheduled for 9:30 am. There are two and four-kilometre trajectories, with the event expected to conclude around 12 noon.
The Laval Police Department says it arrested two people last week in conjunction with a suspected fraud involving funds alleged to have been embezzled from the union representing the Société de transport de Laval’s bus drivers.
Former union heads
According to media reports, the two individuals arrested were former Syndicat des chauffeurs de la STL president Richard Ouimet and the union’s former general secretary Serge Coderre.
The arrests came following a year-long investigation, according to the reports which also quoted a Laval Police spokesperson, who said the amounts alleged to have been taken are in the hundreds of thousands of dollars.
Previously suspended
In March 2015, Ouimet was suspended from his duties at the union after becoming involved in several altercations with another union member. Later he was dismissed.
At the time, a conflict was brewing within the union over its affiliation with a larger organized labour union, as well as over the management of funds. The Syndicat des chauffeurs de la STL was eventually placed under trusteeship by the Canadian Union of Public Employees (CUPE) and remains so.
Laval Police Nab Second Suspect in Home Invasion. Mitchell Barton and Peter-Xirotiris Mitchell Barton and Peter Xirotiris
April 30 – Officers from the Laval police force travelled to Vancouver last week to pick up a second suspect alleged to have committed a home invasion in Chomedey last month. Escorted by Laval police officers, Mitchell Barton, 27, returned to Montreal on April 26 and was charged in court later that day.
Barton, as well as the first suspect, Peter Xirotiris, who was arrested a week after the March 4 home invasion, each face multiple charges, including charges of burglary, armed assault and uttering death threats.
The two suspects and at least one other accomplice are suspected of having forcibly entered a Chomedey residence after assaulting the man who answered the door.
They are also alleged to have injured and threatened a pregnant woman in the house.
Investigators are continuing their search for other suspects, and it is believed other victims have yet to come forward.
Anyone with any information is asked to call 450-662-INFO (4636) or 911 and mention file LVL 180304 034.
Drive-By Shooting Puts Man in Hospital
April 28 – A man is in hospital with non-life-threatening wounds after having been hit with bullets from an apparent drive-by shooting that occurred on Gratton St. in Chomedey.
Police received a call shortly before 9 p.m. alerting them to the shooting incident. A second vehicle was noticed at the scene but fled before police arrived.
Anyone with information about this incident is asked to call 911.
Police Chase Three-Wheeled Car
April 26 – One man was taken into custody after a police chase that ended with a crash.
It began around 2 a.m. when police noticed a car heading south with only three wheels. The driver of the vehicle refused to pull over for police, and headed instead onto Highway 25 where he picked up speed. Police pursued until the driver eventually lost control of his vehicle and smashed into a hydro pole near Boul. Milles Îles.
The driver, slightly injured by the crash, was arrested.
House Fire Claims One Life
April 23 –A fatal fire broke out in a bungalow in Vimont, claiming the life of one woman.
The fire was discovered by a teenager coming home after school. Faced with thick black smoke in the house, the teenager retreated to a neighbour’s to call 911.
Fifteen firefighters responded to the call at 4:05 p.m. and arrived at the house on de Ligny St. minutes later. They identified the living room as the fire’s point of origin but could not find a conclusive heat source.
After discovering the inanimate body of a woman in the house, firefighters turned the investigation over to Laval police.
