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.
Sir Wilfrid Laurier Foundation president Archie Cifelli (second from left) was presented with a certificate of appreciation for years of dedicated service by SWLSB chairman James Di Sano.
“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.
A laptop bundle for dyslexic students paid for with funds raised by the Sir Wilfrid Laurier Foundation.
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.
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.
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’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.”
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.
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.
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.
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.
Corporation Rose-Art members, Québec chanteuse Shirley Théroux (second from right), Laval city councillors and representatives of Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete were on hand at the Vieille Caserne in downtown Sainte-Rose last week for a preview of the 2026 Symposium de Sainte-Rose. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
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.
From the left, Laval city councillor for Sainte-Rose Flavia Alexandra Novac, Shirley Théroux and city councillor for Champfleury Carole St-Denis at last week’s preview of the 2026 Symposium de Sainte-Rose. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
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.
“What was only a dream by artists in the beginning has become a highly-respected cultural gathering,” according to Corporation Rose-Art president Oprina-Felicia Dolea. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
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.
‘Hat’s off to the chamber of commerce for taking the lead,’ says executive-committee VP Khalil
The Laval Chamber of Commerce and Industry (CCILaval) last week unveiled Laval Net Zero 2040, an ambitious initiative to encourage Laval businesses to take part in a concrete, measurable and profitable transition to a lower-carbon, more circular and more resilient economy.
Unveiled at the Laval Evolution Summit 2026, the initiative builds on efforts undertaken for several years by the CCILaval and its sustainable development team to support businesses in improving their practices, operations and environmental performance.
Members of the Laval Chamber of Commerce and Industry, as well as elected officials from the City of Laval and the Quebec government, are seen here following the unfurling of a banner to mark the official start of the CCIL’s Laval Net Zero 2024 campaign to create a lower-carbon and more resilient local economy. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Turning words into actions
Laval Net Zero 2040’s ultimate goal is to support 50 Laval businesses over a 24-month period, from 2026 to 2027, in identifying, planning and implementing measurable environmental projects.
According to the CCIL, the initiative will generate 60 to 75 concrete projects, for an estimated total of 1,800 to 2,000 hours of support for participating businesses.
“With Laval Net Zero 2040, we want to demonstrate that the sustainable transition is not an abstract or theoretical exercise,” Caroline De Guire, CEO of the Laval Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said during an official launch at the Grand Times Hotel Laval Centropolis.
“It is a lever for competitiveness, productivity and resilience for businesses,” she added. “Our role, as the Chamber of Commerce, is to make this transition accessible, structured and visible for Laval businesses.”
Making less of an impact
Laval Net Zero 2040 represents an investment of approximately $850,000 (including $120,000 from the City of Laval). Financial contributions are also being made by the Government of Quebec, Desjardins, Filgo, Matrec), Montoni and Hydro-Québec, with additional support from numerous private and implementation partners.
Laval city councillor for Sainte-Dorothée Ray Khalil, who is vice-president of the city’s executive-committee, along with Laval-des-Rapides MNA Céline Haytayan, were among the guests for the campaign launch.
“Most businesses right now realize something like this is a must,” Khalil said in an interview with The Laval News. “We all want to make less of negative environmental impact and more of a positive impact. So my hat’s off to the chamber of commerce for taking the lead after listening to their members and putting into place this project.”
“My hat’s off to the chamber of commerce for taking the lead after listening to their members and putting into place this project,” said Laval executive-committee vice-president Ray Khalil. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Laval Net Zero 2040 is based on a four-step approach: diagnosis, selection of a concrete objective, project implementation and measurement of results. Participating businesses will be able to work on areas such as waste reduction, energy efficiency, electrification, eco-design, decarbonization, greenhouse gas management and resource optimization.
Moving from intention to action
The projects will be supported by the CCILaval team, in collaboration with local experts and specialized partners, to help businesses move from intention to action. The objective is to achieve measurable gains, both environmental and economic, particularly in terms of cost reduction, GHG emission reduction, operational efficiency and better resource use.
“Since 2008, the chamber and its board of directors have championed a sustainable and ambitious vision of the circular economy in Laval. This vision has been structured over the years, with the Symbiose Laval initiative, the Zero Waste 2040 Vision, and concrete support for businesses,” said Daniel L’Écuyer, chairman of the board of directors of the CCIL. “With Laval Net Zero 2040, we are now shifting into a new gear: that of a broader, visible and measurable mobilization of businesses.”
Beyond technical support, Laval Net Zero 2040 will also take the form of a vast campaign of recognition and regional mobilization, inspired by the spirit of the major ISO 9001 campaigns that enabled many companies to proudly display their commitments and certifications in industrial districts.
Participating Laval companies will be able to make their efforts visible through signage on their building facades, a presence in the media, on digital platforms and partner networks, as well as an annual recognition event.
‘A large collective movement’
The joint undertaking also aims to highlight efforts already made, inspire other businesses and mobilize not only management, but also employees, suppliers, customers and business partners, says CCILaval. “Deployed prominently throughout the region, it will contribute to creating a large collective movement from which the entire Laval community can benefit,” they say.
“In businesses, the desire to act is often present, but taking action requires time, tools and tailored support,” said Jean-Sébastien Trudel, director of sustainable development at CCILaval. “Our role is to help leaders identify the right levers, prioritize the most promising projects and concretely measure the results. Laval Net Zero 2040 precisely bridges this gap between ambition and implementation.”
Laval plans to carry out similar renewals at parks and facilities all over the city
There was something new and exciting last week at Pie-X Park in Chomedey. Elected officials from the City of Laval were on hand to mark the official completion of several new facilities in the park following several years of redevelopment.
Among them are a swimming pool, a wading pool and splash pads (with universal access), a new chalet, a skate ramp and teen area, a synthetic soccer field, a refrigerated ice rink (winter use), a basketball and pickleball court (summer), children’s game modules (with universal access), new playground equipment and table tennis platforms.
Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer and Laval city councillor for Souvenir-Labelle Sandra El-Helou prepare last week to cut the ribbon marking the official opening of the new chalet in Chomedey’s Pie-X Park. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Cost split between city and Quebec
As well, it will be possible to borrow sports equipment at no charge for activities including pickleball, soccer, hockey, skating, table tennis and basketball. In all, the overall cost of the project was more than $20 million, split between the City of Laval and the provincial government. As the work comes to an end, the facilities will be fully opened gradually beginning on June 29.
According to the city, the work is part of a major redevelopment not only in the Chomedey neighbourhood, but also planned in other districts of Laval to breathe renewal into them. Among other things, the refrigerated outdoor rink (inaugurated in March during spring break) is the first of its kind in Laval.
“Over the course of the coming years, we want to invest more to renovate what already exists,” Mayor Stéphane Boyer said last week in an address prior to an official ribbon-cutting ceremony at the park.
Renewing disadvantaged areas
While noting that a good number of Laval’s facilities were built during the 1950s, 1960s and 1970s, he said the city hopes to continue the redevelopment process started in Pie-X Park, beginning in some of Laval’s more disadvantaged neighborhoods.
“For me, it’s important to be able to offer a quality of life to our citizens in general,” said Boyer. “But even more so to our youths who may sometimes live in conditions that are difficult.”
Mayor Stéphane Boyer and (from left) city councillors Nicholas Borne (Laval-Les Îles), Sandra El Helou (Souvenir-Labelle) Christine Poirier (Pont-Viau) and Mohamed Bâ (Le Carrefour) cut the ribbon for new playground equipment last week at Chomedey’s Pie-X Park. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
In an interview with The Laval News, the mayor said “it was important for us to carry off a good project in this neighborhood that has big needs.” But at the same time, he acknowledged that two years ago some residents living in the area had raised objections about certain aspects of the redevelopment.
A group of up to 400 residents signed a petition opposing a significant part of the plan. They wanted the city to at least postpone the project so that some of the impact could be reconsidered. Up to 16 residents received legal notices the year before from the city, advising them to vacate 12-foot spaces on their property next to several fenced pedestrian walkways leading from the street into the park.
City claimed right to property
Additional notices were sent to the residents, informing them that land survey posts were going to be installed to establish the exact property limits. Fences and hedges belonging to property owners, but encroaching on municipal property, would also have to be demolished, according to the notices.
The city claimed it needed to enlarge the walkways in order to make them more secure and accessible for the population in general, but especially for those who may be physically-challenged or who suffer from limited mobility.
“For me, it’s important to be able to offer a quality of life to our citizens in general,” Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer said last week while officially dedicating new infrastructure and facilities at Pie-X Park in Chomedey. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
In so doing, the city expected to enlarge the walkways (which varied in width from 6 to 10 feet) to 30 feet, while enhancing the grounds with additional lawn and trees.
In addition to these claims, the city served notice that it was placing a “reserve” status on several houses located near the north and south entrances to Pie-X Park as an option for an eventual purchase in order to possibly add space in the park. This was done under a revised provincial law (“Right of pre-emption”) for municipalities.
City overlooked problem
Mayor Boyer told The Laval News last week that the issue dated back decades when some property owners had unwittingly encroached on land that legally belonged to the city with fences, trees, driveways and hedges – although the city overlooked it.
“And so, when we decided to do Pie-X Park, we decided to use all the lands which were available to us to make access wider, and this unfortunately came with changes for those residents,” he said. He said the city met with the residents and negotiated flexibly. “And I believe today everybody is happy with the outcome,” he added.
