The City of Laval announced earlier this week that Mayor Stéphane Boyer will be in Washington D.C. from March 5-7 as Laval’s official representative in a delegation in the Great Lakes and St. Lawrence Cities Initiative.
In addition to promoting the protection of the Great Lakes and the Saint Lawrence River, the alliance (made up of 244 Canadian and U.S. cities) shares the common purpose of defending its members against President Donald Trump’s 25 per cent tariffs scheme.
In a statement issued by Laval City Hall on Monday, the city says Laval will be representing the interests of its businesses and employees.
During the gathering in the U.S. capital, Mayor Boyer will be meeting elected congressional officials, leaders of economic interest groups and representatives of the Trump administration. “This mission is taking place in a preoccupying economic context,” says the statement.
“Uncertainty is hanging over, while tariff measures are foreseen by the United States, directly threatening cross-border commercial trade.
“A 25 per cent hike on Canadian goods imported into the United States could have grave consequences for the regional economy, putting in peril jobs and the ability of local businesses to compete.”
“The question of tariffs is worrying,” says Mayor Boyer. “Hundreds of jobs are at risk in Laval. We will therefore be collaborating in initiatives aimed at preserving commercial trade from one side of the border to the other.
“We will also be taking advantage of this mission to strengthen the economic links between Laval and other Canadian cities from the Great Lakes region,” he added.
As part of their role at the National Assembly, elected members of The National Assembly, have the opportunity to award honourary medals to recognize individuals whose exceptional dedication and contributions help improve our society.
These distinctions celebrate those who, through their commitment, have had a profound and lasting impact on their communities.
Recently, Alice Abou-Khalil, MNA for Fabre, had the honour of recognizing three outstanding individuals who have dedicated themselves to building a more inclusive, supportive, and engaged society.
Whether through social involvement, community service, or the promotion of values that strengthen our collective well-being, each of these recipients has made an undeniable difference in the lives of many.
Bishop Paul-Marwan Tabet
A key figure in the Maronite community in Canada, Bishop Paul-Marwan Tabet, Eparchial Bishop of the Maronite Catholics, was honoured for his outstanding commitment to education and fostering unity and solidarity.
Through his compassionate leadership, he has worked to build bridges between generations and cultures, creating a strong sense of belonging within the community. André Langevin – Founder of Karaté Autisme Through his remarkable journey, André Langevin has shown how passion and resilience can change lives.
A career police officer and black belt in Kyokushin karate, he founded Karaté Autisme after witnessing the transformative impact of karate on his son Philippe, who was diagnosed with autism spectrum disorder
Since 2008, he has provided thousands of young people with the opportunity to thrive through adapted, inclusive, and supportive instruction. His dedication, alongside a team of committed instructors, has made Karaté Autisme a leading initiative in promoting inclusion through sports.
Aline Dib First elected in 2013, Aline Dib, City Councillor for the Saint-Martin district in Laval, embodies transparency, integrity, and a deep connection with citizens.
She works tirelessly to improve the quality of life for Laval residents by supporting families, assisting community organizations, and leading environmental projects.
Actively involved in social development and immigration, she is committed to strengthening solidarity and ensuring an inclusive and dynamic living environment for the people of Laval.
Her unwavering commitment makes her a true role model in municipal politics, and her dedication has earned her the distinction of being the first Laval City Councillor to receive a National Assembly Medal in recognition of her exceptional service to her community.
Through these distinctions, MNA Alice Abou-Khalil highlights the vital role of community engagement and honours those whose actions embody the values of inclusion, solidarity, and kindness.
Each of these individuals has demonstrated remarkable leadership and generosity, making Quebec a stronger, more compassionate, and more united place.
The current issue of the Laval News, volume 33-05, published on March 5th, 2025. Covering Laval local news, politics, and sports. (Click on the image to read the paper.)
A 58-year-old man was declared dead on Sunday morning at a recycling facility in Laval’s Saint-François district after he was crushed by a truck.
The Laval Police responded to the scene at AIM Recycling around 6 am Sunday.
As the police could find no evidence of a criminal nature, they immediately transferred the case to the Commission des normes, de l’équité, de la santé et de la sécurité du travail (CNESST), Quebec’s worker health and safety agency.
Two CNESST investigators, assisted by officers with the Laval Police, were reported to have visited the site and were expected to be there to interview witnesses over the coming days.
It is alleged that former STL driver Pierre Ny St-Amand was behind the wheel of the bus that rammed the Garderie éducative de Sainte-Rose. (Photo: Facebook)
A Quebec Superior Court judge will be deciding in early April whether former Société de transport de Laval driver Pierre Ny-St-Amand was mentally fit when he drove a bus into the entrance of a Sainte-Rose children’s daycare in early February 2023, killing two children and injuring six others.
A crown prosecutor and a defence lawyer said last week that they will be presenting a joint statement of facts at the next hearing.
According to statements made by the crown during preliminary hearings, two psychiatrists who examined Ny-St-Amand have concluded he should not be held criminally responsible because he has a mental disorder.
In addition to a recounting of the facts, the hearing on April 7 is also expected to include testimony from both psychiatrists.
A 26-year-old man from Longueuil on Montreal’s South Shore has been sentenced to 30 months in prison after being found guilty of a range of criminal charges, including bomb-making, related to a dispute with his former girlfriend and her new partner.
Henri Chevalier Hogue pleaded guilty at the Palais de Justice de Laval in January to the charges, which included possession of explosives and criminal harassment.
In November 2022, Hogue’s ex-girlfriend, identified as Rachel, found a note on the windshield of a car in Pont-Viau belonging to her new boyfriend’s father, wishing them season’s greetings. A little earlier, according to testimony, an unidentified man had been seen placing an object under the car.
A few days later, a man was seen again, but this time placed an object under a car belonging to the new boyfriend, who was identified in court as Jacob, with a note left on the windshield saying “good day” in French.
It was later determined that the bomb had mistakenly been left under the wrong car in the first place, and that the second attempt was made to put it under Jacob’s car.
When the couple became aware of the situation, they called 9-1-1, which sent the Sûreté du Québec bomb squad. The squad proceeded in turn to evacuate part of the neighbourhood.
It was later determined that the object placed under the car was indeed a bomb containing an explosive charge and a load of steel screws capable of inflicting serious injuries and damage.
Following a raid at Hogue’s home, the police found a range of materials for bomb-making, including batteries, explosive powder, electric insulation tape and electric wiring. They were unable to determine exactly how he learned how to make a functioning bomb.
Hogue never admitted to having placed the bomb. The investigators reported that he put up a strong resistance to being fingerprinted, including trying to remove his own fingerprints from his fingers. He could have received a five-year prison sentence, but the court showed leniency, citing mitigating factors.
Laval man posing as DJ charged with online luring
Steve Martin Dubuc. (Photo: Courtesy of LPD)
The Laval Police say they have arrested a man suspected of luring children online and investigators believe there may be more victims.
Steve Martin Dubuc, 58, was arraigned on the charge at the Palais de Justice de Laval. Police say the charges stem from actions he allegedly committed between November 2024 and February 2025.
“Using a Facebook profile in the name of Stefano Tremblay and identifying himself as a DJ working at a popular radio station in the Montreal area, the suspect allegedly contacted minors via the Messenger platform,” the LPD said in a communiqué.
Anyone who believes they have additional information is asked to contact the LPD’s crime hotline at 450-662-4636 or call 911. The file is RPY-241124-015.
Recent LFD fire calls
The fire on Cléroux Blvd. (Photo: Courtesy APL)
February 12 | 22:35 // Building fire on Trépanier St. in the heart of Chomedey. Residential structure. Flames apparent on rear balcony of 2nd storey and propagation onto exterior wall of the building, as well as to part of the roof.
February 4 | 00:56 // Building fire on 4th St. in city’s Laval-des-Rapides sector. Multi-unit residential building. Flames apparent in the garage. Code was 10-09, meaning full assistance required. According to the Laval Fire Dept., this dossier was forwarded onto fire investigators for further inquiry.
Jan 28 | LFD calls in a fire in progress. Building fire on Cléroux Blvd. in the Sainte-Dorothée sector. Residential building. Smoke apparent. Code was 10-07, meaning intervention necessary.
Keep those snowed-over hydrants clear
The Laval Fire Dept. has issued a reminder to all City of Laval property owners who have fire hydrants nearby that they have a duty to keep them clear of now in case a fire breaks out and firefighters need access.
“The storms these last few days have left us with a LARGE white carpet but also a few challenges,” the LFD posted on their X social media feed. “We remind you to carefully clear your emergency exits and to not bury the fire hydrants under mountains of snow,” they added.
Grondin ‘preferred to align herself’ with her party’s positions, PLQ MNA said
Mille-Îles Liberal MNA Virginie Dufour is taking issue with her National Assembly CAQ colleague from Argenteuil Agnès Grondin’s failure to support a petition submitted by some of Dufour’s constituents who are asking the government to support development of rail transport.
“Last week in the National Assembly, I had the opportunity to participate in a work session whose purpose was to persuade elected officials with the CAQ to examine a petition, begun by a citizen of my riding, which requested that the government consider a strategy for the development of railway corridors for the transportation of goods and person,” said Dufour, who is the Liberal Party of Quebec’s official spokesperson on environment and climate change issues.
More rail transport
Since it is estimated that the distance travelled by a corresponding quantity of merchandise by train emits 92 per cent less greenhouse gas on average into the atmosphere, compared to road transport, the petitioners are proposing that a $1.7 billion surplus accumulated in the government’s electrification and climate change fund should be used to plan a transition towards rail transport.
During the working session, according to Dufour, CAQ MNA Grondin, along with her colleagues, opposed the petitioners’ request.
Ditto MRC d’Argenteuil
Dufour noted that in the last few weeks, the MRC d’Argenteuil adopted a resolution making a suggestion very similar to the one in the petition submitted by her constituents.
“Mme Grondin’s opposition is somewhat surprising since she herself, for more than 10 years, was a consultant for environment at the MRC d’Argenteuil,” Dufour said. “Apparently, the CAQ’s MNA preferred to align herself with the positions taken by her party, rather than defend her citizens, the mayors in her riding and maybe also her personal convictions,” she added.
Veteran district rep blames decision on the party’s mayoralty candidate choice
For elected as well as unelected members of the Action Laval opposition at Laval city hall, longtime Chomedey city councillor Aglaia Revelakis’s announcement that she was abandoning the Action Laval caucus was as unexpected as it was astonishing.
Three terms in office
Revelakis was one of the first Action Laval city councillors to be elected in 2013 after former mayor Gilles Vaillancourt’s monopolistic grip on Laval city council had finally been broken.
Since then, she won clear majorities in three elections, while retaining a large and reliable base of support for Action Laval from within her territory.
Before entering Laval municipal politics, Aglaia Revelakis gained political experience as a key organizer for councillor Mary Deros’s many election campaigns in Montreal’s Parc Extension district.
Former Action Laval councilllor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis (seen in a 2018 file photo) says she decided to leave the party largely because of the way she claims they chose their mayoralty candidate for the November 2 elections. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Kept Action Laval alive
When Action Laval’s political fortunes were reduced at one point almost to nil, Revelakis remained a reliable supplier of voter support. The Chomedey district could always be counted on to bolster Action Laval’s share, based largely on Aglaia Revelakis’s consistent popularity with voters.
At one point, when the party’s fortunes flagged, Revelakis was the lone Action Laval councillor left on city council, and she managed to hold the fort until Action Laval got back its strength.
During the February 4 council, Revelakis read out a few routine community announcements, before finally getting around to dropping the bombshell about leaving the party.
Announced in Council
“As of today, I will no longer sit as municipal councillor with Action Laval,” Revelakis said, adding that she was giving up her membership in the party at the same time.
“Moving forward, I will sit as an independent councillor to continue representing and serving my citizens of Chomedey who have supported me over the past eleven years,” she continued.
“It has been a privilege and honor to represent them at city hall and I think them for their confidence. The citizens of Chomedey are and will continue to be my priority. Chomedey will always be my priority.”
In a phone interview last week with The Laval News, Revelakis suggested that her decision was closely related to her disagreement with the party’s choice of Frédéric Mayer as mayoralty candidate for the November 2 elections.
Not the right one, she says
“That is my choice and my belief,” she said. “Everybody is allowed to believe whatever they want. I have to go with what I believe. And I don’t believe he was the right candidate.”
She said she was never consulted when a decision on a mayoralty candidate was being made. Although she is registered with Élections Québec as one of Action Laval’s two “dirigeants” (directors), she maintained she was never asked.
“As a dirigeant, I should have had some say in this, but I didn’t even have a say in whom they were going to choose,” she said. “This is who they wanted, this is what they wanted, so I said okay, thank you, no problem, I’ll just walk away, that’s all.”
Difficult choice for Revelakis
In the last three City of Laval elections, Revelakis consistently drew around 50 per cent voter support. She said she found her decision to leave Action Laval was difficult, but “I had to go with my beliefs.”
When asked whether she had considered affiliating herself and running with another municipal party (including the Mouvement lavallois), Revelakis said she’d been approached by the ML, as well as by the official opposition Parti Laval.
“Offers have come around from both parties,” she said. “But it’s too early to say. Right now, I want to concentrate on my district and I want to concentrate on my citizens.”
Action Laval’s response
The Laval News reached out to Action Laval’s leadership for their explanation of the procedures they followed when choosing the party’s mayoralty candidate.
According to AL spokesperson Geru Schneider, party president Achille Cifelli was not available earlier this week as he was away on business outside the country. Longtime Action Laval city councillor for Saint-Bruno David De Cotis provided the following e-mailed response.
“Our nomination process reflects our internal democratic tradition,” he said. “As in 2021, the selection of our candidate is based on an in-depth caucus discussion followed by a vote. This enables meaningful dialogue and a shared decision that reflects the values and objectives of our political party.
Mayer had support, said De Cotis
“I would like to point out that our candidate received overwhelming support for his nomination, demonstrating a strong bond within the party,” added De Cotis. “Representatives have also shown their unanimous support for this nomination, confirming the solidity of our choice.”
As for Revelakis’s recent comments, De Cotis said “we find it hard to understand the reaction of our former colleague, especially as she held a position on the party’s executive board.”
He said “her abrupt departure took the whole team by surprise, particularly given her involvement in our decision-making bodies. Nonetheless, we remain focused on our primary mission: to serve the interests of our citizens and work on our community’s priority issues.”
Public health agency warns of pending flu season peak across the province
Santé Québec, the agency that now oversees public health services all over the province, is advising patients and caregivers that with influenza rates up and the winter flu season almost peaking, turning up at a hospital’s emergency department isn’t necessarily the best course of action to take when there are other alternatives.
Dr. Luc Boileau, director of public health for the province, said last week that flu activity in Quebec is elevated and we could be seeing the worst flu season of the past decade.
Challenging situation
According to Santé Québec, close to half the visits made by patients to emergency departments between February 4 and 10 were by people whose needs were not in fact of an emergency nature.
“It is a challenge,” Robin Marie Coleman, Santé Québec’s assistant vice-president for access to health services, conceded regarding the misconceptions during a video conference call with journalists last Friday.
Long wait times
“This is definitely something we’re trying to work on,” she added, while agreeing with a journalist that wait times for some of the agency’s services, such as the 8-1-1 medical triage phone central for non-urgent health issues, can be long, although less so in comparison to hospital emergency department wait times.
“Sometimes the wait times are long,” she said. “But to put it in perspective, with the long wait times sometimes in the emergency rooms, it’s better and healthier for people to stay at home if they have non-urgent care, and wait in order to be re-directed to a clinic directly with an appointment, rather than expose themselves in an emergency room when it’s not an emergency situation.”
Healthier for people to stay at home if they have non-urgent medical issues, says Santé Québec
Sometimes the best option
According to Coleman, 70 per cent of those patients who turned up at emergency departments in early February had family doctors, while others may have had other options available to them. In cases like these, she continued, “the best option is to stay safely at home if it’s a non-emergency situation and be directly directed to the right service.”
Robin Marie Coleman, Santé Québec’s assistant vice-president for access to health services, says calling 8-1-1 is often the best course of action to take before heading to a hospital emergency department.
But at the same time, she acknowledged that the province’s hospital emergency departments remain inadequate to handle the burden with which they are currently tasked. “We need to improve the different services, and first-line services, and make things much easier for people,” she said.
Worst season in a decade
Late last week, the level of flu activity in Quebec was elevated, said Dr. Luc Boileau, director of public health for the province. He said Santé Québec was following the situation closely, since the province could in fact be facing one of its worst flu seasons in the last 10 years.
He said that in other Canadian provinces, like Ontario, Alberta and British Columbia, the presence of influenza had been notably higher this year. “We expect the peak soon to be reached, or that it soon will be,” he continued.
According to Dr. Boileau, it’s never too late to be vaccinated against influenza, and that it is recommended especially for persons regarded as vulnerable, which includes those with compromised immunity and the elderly.
‘This administration’s third term is one too many,’ says party’s deputy chief of staff at city hall
Action Laval has chosen a university lecturer who is also a senior member of its staff to be Action Laval’s mayoralty candidate in the municipal elections set for Sunday November 2.
Val-des-Arbres councillor Achille Cifelli, the city hall opposition party’s president, made the announcement at a press conference last week that Frédéric Mayer will spearhead their efforts leading towards election day.
They were surrounded by three current Action Laval city councillors and a few candidates who will be on the Action Laval slate this fall.
Action Laval mayoralty candidate Frédéric Mayer (seen with party president Achille Cifelli) has an employment history that includes stints as a political attaché and most recently as Action Laval’s deputy chief of staff at city hall. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
A Vaillancourt opponent
According to biographical notes furnished by the party, Mayer is a native of Laval and has two teenage sons. He began his involvement in municipal politics in 2009 as a political organizer who was galvanized into action by his opposition to then-mayor Gilles Vaillancourt.
Mayer’s academic credentials are noteworthy. He holds a PhD in public administration from École Nationale d’Administration Publique (ÉNAP), where he is a part-time lecturer. Mayer also completed a Master’s degree in management and international relations.
As well, he completed a thesis on relations between Canadian provinces and China while working for Services Canada and Elections Canada. He was most recently deputy chief of staff for Action Laval’s opposition team at city hall.
From China to Laval
According to his biography, Mayer spent time in China, where he lived and worked for four years. On his return, he was employed as an attaché to former Bloc Québécois MP for Alfred-Pellan Robert Carrier, who was present last week for the announcement.
In 2009, Mayer began working with city councillor for Saint-Bruno David De Cotis to set up the Mouvement lavallois, where Mayer was responsible for the party’s organization and communications. From 2014 to 2016, he was director of the Mouvement lavallois’ office for its elected officials at city hall.
Following De Cotis’s rift and departure from the Mouvement lavallois which he had co-founded, he turned to Mayer to organize Action Laval’s 2021 election campaign.
Action Laval’s newly-announced mayoralty candidate Frédéric Mayer is seen here with three of the opposition party’s remaining city council members as well as four candidates who will be running in the November 2 elections. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
‘Time to focus,’ says party
Mayer said he intends to draw on his experience as an administrator in both the private and public sectors, as well as his doctoral training at the ÉNAP, in an effort to take control of the city’s finances.
“The city has been suffering from a lack of coherence and vision for too many years and this administration’s third term is one too many,” said Mayer. “It’s time to focus on the services for which citizens pay their city taxes.”
In a statement outlining what is likely to become a part of Action Laval’s election platform, the party said they intend to set up a commission on the city’s finances, as well as to review the relevance of the costs of some of the Boyer administration’s projects.
They also want to lower the city’s debt by carrying out projects paid for in cash up-front rather than through long-term loan by-laws, and to return to the city’s core mission, which they said “is to ensure the delivery of community services at the highest standard.”
Lower council presence
Action Laval has been reduced to three members of Laval city council after recently losing two councillors. Saint-Vincent-de-Paul councillor Paolo Galati left the party caucus after being investigated for spending irregularities by the Quebec Municipal Commission.
Although he was exonerated of wrongdoing, party president Achillle Cifelli said last week that Galati is not being taken back in. In the meantime, longtime Action Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis announced during the February 4 city council meeting that she decided to leave the party and will run as an independent in the November elections.
