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Heritage Restoration of Laval City Hall

Initiation of selective demolition work and changes in the management of the professional services contract

At the special meeting of December 12, 2023, the municipal council approved the award of the contract for the first phase of work, which will consist of selective interior demolition, i.e. the dismantling of electromechanical systems, stripping and decontamination.

With this first work contract, Laval is beginning the realization of its project to bring City Hall, one of the most important heritage buildings in the territory, up to standard. This preparatory work will begin in early 2024 and will form the foundation for construction work to come later, as part of an upcoming call for tenders.

Laval City Hall.

During this meeting, the municipal council also terminated the professional services contract of Affleck de la Riva (ADLR), architects S.E.N.C. (ADLR) responsible for the development and upgrading of Laval City Hall. This decision was made following the joint recommendation of the Procurement Service and the Project Planning and Delivery Service.

It should be noted that the City of Laval is responsible for managing the funds entrusted to it by Laval residents with rigour and transparency. The teams carried out several mitigation measures with the architectural firm in order to ensure compliance with the obligations related to the contract. ADLR’s continued conduct, including numerous unjustified claims for additional professional fees, resulted in an irreparable breach of the City’s relationship of trust with it and led to the termination of the professional services contract for cause. This decision will save the City additional issues and potential delays. This is in the best interest of ensuring the success of the project.

Next Steps for the City Hall Restoration Project

In early 2024, the City will also launch three new calls for tenders (architecture and landscape architecture; mechanical, electrical and telecommunications; structural and civil) from professional firms to complete the design of the next city hall, produce execution plans and supervise the work. This action is necessary to ensure the continuation of the project, which has been the subject of a rigorous analysis for several months. As evidenced by this process, the City is very vigilant and is closely monitoring the impacts of the inflationary context in the construction industry, particularly with regard to the increase in material costs. Since the beginning of the project’s planning, the City has demonstrated exemplary transparency and rigorous budget management. It will also ensure that the successful bidder meets all the criteria of its call for proposals, including budget compliance.

Historical

Laval City Hall was built between 1963 and 1964. This building is part of Laval’s urban heritage: it represents a unique ensemble whose modern architectural solution allowed the designers to win the 1st architectural competition in Quebec. The work is necessary because the building has retained several original elements that are now in deterioration or no longer meet current standards.

Since 2020, the activities of the town hall and some municipal services have been relocated to 3131 Saint-Martin Boulevard West. The project consists of several phases, including: design, preparation of plans and specifications, repair and upgrading work, reconstruction of the building’s annex and all of its components (the old barracks, the link, the garage and the boiler room) as well as the exterior fittings.

Polls, Politics and Power Dictate Policies

Newsfirst Multimedia editorialist and political columnist Robert Vairo.

I suppose we should not be surprised that our federal government tolerates, perhaps condones scandalous intrusions in the life of Canadian citizens in Québec.

After all, most would agree this is a lame and limp bunch
of leaders who feel quite comfortable with
the Québec government’s legal seizure of
computers and cell phones in our English
universities. And now imposing a French
language requirement on visiting English
university students.

Most in our community are convinced it’s an attempt to destroy the
English infrastructure in the province. The
Feds are busy calling for, well let’s see, first, the
Israeli right to defend itself, then a ceasefire
in the Middle East. All the while capping oil
and gas production, taxing burping cattle, and
bashing Conservative-led Alberta. These are
all desperate attempts at diverting Canadians’
attention away from the incompetence and
mismanagement of just about every thing the
government touches.

Québec though, is the sacred cow of the
Liberal party of Canada. The action of Premier
Legault’s CAQ, and inaction of the Trudeau
Liberals, is a nightmare, enough to make one
ill. All of Canada suffers when elected bigots in
Québec tell English international students not
to come here. Ironically, the reason Legault is
firing all his cannons at the English population
is because he is in a free fall in the polls.

And the reason the Trudeau Liberals are refusing to
intervene is because they are in a similar catastrophic slide to oblivion, for now. Canada’s
Federal Government is made to lead, and it is
not. Its mandate is to instill unity where there
is division, and it has not. It is mandated to
seek justice, and act when there is a flagrant
violation of rights of Canadian citizens living
in Québec. It has not.

We have a government that has mismanaged our economy, immigration, housing,
and failed miserably to intervene to right the
wrong in this country, including terrorism
within our borders. What a sad, frankly revolting state of affairs.

Yet here we are with puffed out chests
preaching to Italy that “Canada is concerned
about their LGBT rights,” evangelizing to
Israel, our environment minister telling China
to clean up and shut down its coal mines.
Why is Canada sermonizing other countries
on what they should or should not be doing?
Would we not be at least a bit credible if were
to get our own house in order before throwing
stones?
Help our Military
What deserves attention and should be
remedied is the fact that members of our
armed forces are having to ask for donations
so they can afford housing for their families.
This is so shameful. Budget cuts to our Armed
Forces are so severe (one billion dollars) that
the country’s Chief of Defence Staff Wayne
Eyre told a government committee that
Canada cannot help improve “the declining
security situation around the world.”

Limping Canadian Economy
Why is our economy limping along while
that of the US and Europe is flourishing? For
example, the US GDP (gross domestic product) is expected to grow almost 5% this year,
while Canada’s will grow by 0.9%. Economists
point to an overabundance of immigration,
putting stress not only on health care, and
housing, and employment, but Canada’s overall economic production. We now have a lower
standard of living. Even newly arrived immigrants, and permanent status individuals, are
leaving because they cannot afford to live in
this once great country.

Accept Canada’s values and
principles

It’s so nice to hear our leaders praise the
virtues of diversity as being our strength, but
these same leaders should be held accountable
for the results. And right now, the results of
diversity in Canada are ugly and brutal. No
one is in charge.

Critics of our federal government’s open door policy (allowing legal and illegal
newcomers into the country), say no one told
these same individuals that if they come to
Canada, they must respect and live by their
adopted country’s values and principles.
That’s exactly what a recent Leger poll says
Canadians are demanding from our federal
leaders. It perhaps explains why a war thousands of miles away is having such a terrifying
impact on our communities. Most Canadians
told Leger pollsters that government and
other institutions “should do more to encourage newcomers to Canada to embrace the
Canadian values of tolerance of people of
other faiths, races, and orientations.” Amen.

Homeless in Canada
Statistics are staggering. Financial challenges
are said to be the leading cause of homelessness. That may be so, but addiction to opioids
is the cause of more daily deaths in Canada
than Covid. Ontario, Québec and BC take
the lead, with 8 people dying in BC alone,
every day. There have been close to 13 thousand since 2016. It has prompted BC’s chief
coroner Lisa Lapointe to resign “frustrated
and disappointed.”

She began providing monthly updates,
(similar to Covid deaths) to bring awareness
to the situation but never got the response
or commitment from governments for help.

Ask organizers of Christmas dinners for the
underprivileged and homeless. Attendance
is reportedly down from several years ago
because of fentanyl deaths. The figures have
been propped up by a record wave of people
losing their homes and unable to afford living.

It’s not a vote-getter for politicians, so we are
just letting Canadians die on the streets or in
their beds, if they have one.

Merry Christmas Dear Nurse
One last item. Who do you remember most
when leaving a hospital? Your nurse. God bless
our nurses who are missing time with their
loved ones, so we can share Christmas with
ours. Merry Christmas

Action Laval claims city has a 66 per cent increase in debt to $1.3 billion

Val-des-Arbres city councillor and acting leader of Action Laval Achille Cifelli, along with Chomedey and Saint-François city councillors Aglaia Revelakis and Isabelle Piché, as well as Saint-Bruno and Saint-Vincent-de-Paul city councillors David De Cotis and Paolo Galati, are strongly criticizing Mayor Stéphane Boyer’s budget for 2024.

A call for restraint

Action Laval city councillors Paolo Galati (left) and David De Cotis.

They say that far from making responsible choices, “the mayor confirms his focus on big spending at a time when the economic situation calls for restraint.”

“By piling up on major mega projects in the downtown area, the mayor is negating the main role of a municipality: serving its citizens,” the opposition councillors said in a statement.

They say the administration should spend on the maintenance of existing infrastructure before it considers spending large sums on new super-projects.

“The mayor’s priorities are in the wrong place,” said De Cotis. “Real estate projects are stalled because our sewage systems are overflowing, literally. We need to spend $600 million to upgrade them. That’s a priority.”

The Action Laval councillors said it shouldn’t be forgotten that people in Laval are currently going through a housing crisis and that real estate projects are at a standstill because overflows are multiplying.

Can’t get construction permits

They said many real estate developers want to develop but can’t get their permits. Action Laval said it would have preferred the budget to also focus on local services such as sports and cultural infrastructure in the districts, pickleball fields, parks and community centres which are lacking all over the island.

“This year, we will be paying an additional $40 million just to pay down the debt from the mayor’s major projects,” insisted Piché. “The law requires us to replenish reserves, so we will have to pay $10 to $20 million to replenish the reserves depleted by these projects. This year alone, we have $50 to $60 million less to carry out the city’s basic tasks.”

In addition to criticism of what Action Laval referred to as “the uncontrolled growth of the administration,” the party said the administration must consider hiring additional staff for super-projects such as the central library and the aquatic centre. They said this addition results in recurring expenses to be paid for in years to come, straight from the taxpayers’ wallets.

Finance commission suggested

Chomedey city councillor Aglaia Revelakis.

“We are going to propose setting up an all-party commission on municipal finances, like the ones in Montreal and Sherbrooke,” said Cifelli. “We will not let the mayor raise taxes without looking seriously at how to control spending.”

The party maintained that a substantial 4.8 per cent increase in municipal taxes was “the direct result of the mayor’s choices. These choices eliminate a very large number of options for the future. At this rate, Ville de Laval’s debt will rise from $781 million to $1.3 billion, representing an increase of 66 per cent, a radical change for an administration that does not have the public’s mandate to put the city into such debt.”

The councillors also said Mayor Boyer “was not taking any steps to reduce administration expenses. Tax increases are the result of the mayor’s political choices, which make it impossible to freeze taxes for the next few years.”

Responsible choices needed

“He spends money and then asks his boss for a raise to be able to pay off his debts, that is not proper management,” said Revelakis, adding that “the mayor needs to understand that he has to make responsible choices.”

Action Laval maintains that expenses which have contributed to the debt include $180 million for the central library and arts centre for professionals downtown, $100 million for land purchases, an $8 million website overhaul, the construction of a new $60 million municipal courtyard, $28.5 million for an office tower for civil servants at a time when many of them are increasingly working from home, $47 million for another building in the industrial district, and the cost of moving the multicultural library.

City tables a ‘realistic and lucid’ budget for 2024

Mayor Boyer focuses on essentials, without cutting services

As announced by Mayor Stéphane Boyer in November, the average household property owner in Laval will be paying 4.8 per cent more in taxes next year, representing a $162 increase on a $440,742 house since last year.

The budget endorsed by council amounts to $1.17 billion for next year. According to a statement issued by the city, the administration hopes this year to limit the tax burden on residents, while increasing revenues to make up for things like inflation.

“On the eve of 2024, I am well aware the wallets of taxpayers in Laval are being rudely tested,” said Boyer, while adding that the city is facing many of the same challenges. “This is why our teams have been mandated to optimize how they do things in order to generate savings, so that more maneuverability can be achieved.”

In spite of certain unavoidable hikes in expenses and the city’s responsibility to keep supporting mass transit, Boyer insisted his administration was in a position to table a budget that was responsible and rigorous.

“This exercise puts emphasis on that which is essential, while allowing us to maintain services, although without adding to the tax burden of Laval residents,” he said.

Yannick Langlois, the city councillor for L’Orée-des-Bois who is responsible for Laval’s finances, said factors such as interest rate increases and hikes in the cost of goods and services put pressure on the city, although administrators succeeded in introducing measures to limit their expenses.

He called Laval’s budget 2024 “realistic and lucid, without having to cut services, in order to continue to answer to the growing needs of the population.

“The city is an excellent financial position,” added Langlois, “as attested to by the fact we continue to maintain Standard and Poor’s AA+ credit rating, which is the highest for a Quebec municipality. We can be proud of this.”

Some facts from budget 2024

Creating better security

  • The city is investing $7.8 million in the Laval Police Dept. for the period 2023-2028 to deal more effectively with urban violence.
  • $1.6 million has been allotted at the Laval Fire Dept. for new equipment and new resources.
  • An additional $700,000 is going to the Laval Police to beef up their street and road security enforcement.
  • Laval’s 9-1-1 emergency phone line will be receiving improvements.

‘The city is an excellent financial position’

Laval city councillor responsible for finances Yannick Langlois

Improving services

  • $4.4 million will be spent improving the city’s technological abilities with regards to digital access to services and information.
  • $1.8 million is set aside for getting the Complexe aquatique, now under construction, up and running.
  • $700,000 will be spent to help improve the issuance of construction and renovation permits issued by the city’s urban planning department.

A greener city

  • $2.4 million on the city’s climate plan, to deal with concrete “heat islands,” while also contributing to the green canopy (more trees).
  • $800,000 to make municipal buildings more environmentally sustainable.

Supporting social services

  • A $3 million recurring amount has been allotted by Laval to support community organizations that provide assistance to vulnerable people.

Laval News Volume 31-24

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The current issue of the Laval News, volume 31-24, published on December 20th, 2023.
Covering Laval local news, politics, and sports.
(Click on the image to read the paper.)

Front page of The Laval News.
Front page of The Laval News, December 20th, 2023 issue.

Action Laval pays homage to Aglaia Revelakis on her 10th anniversary

Chomedey city councillor’s local popularity has helped strengthen opposition party

In politics – where an elected official might be expected to serve one or two terms – a full decade in office can be something to really brag about.

But that’s how long Action Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis has been a leading player in local municipal politics.

Up to 300 guests attended Action Laval’s event honoring Chomedey councillor Aglaia Revelakis in November. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Raised to office in the City of Laval’s 2013 elections when Action Laval’s first councillors were elected, Revelakis has proven herself since then to be a key player within the opposition party.

Chomedey loves Aglaia

She has won overwhelming majorities in two elections, while retaining a large and reliable base of support for Action Laval within her district.

Last month, Action Laval councillors, as well as party members and local elected officials from other levels of government, decided to pay homage to Revelakis during a 10th anniversary celebration event held at The Palace congress centre.

Among the nearly 300 guests attending were politicians old and new, including Consul General for Greece in Montreal Katerina Varvarigou, former Ahuntsic Liberal MP Eleni Bakopanos, longtime Montreal city councillor Mary Deros, former City of Laval executive-committee vice-president Basile Angelopoulos, Chomedey Liberal MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier and Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis.

Known in the community

In an interview, Koutrakis recalled to the Laval News that Aglaia Revelakis had become a quiet but influential presence in Chomedey long before Revelakis’s name was widely known throughout the community.

Koutrakis said that as early as 1994, Revelakis was working for the Greek Orthodox community of Laval as a general secretary and coordinator, while Koutrakis sat as treasurer on the board.

Laval city councillor for Chomedey Aglaia Revelakis (centre holding bouquet) is seen here with some elected Action Laval members, as well as future candidates and supporters during the opposition party’s homage to her in early November. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

“Aglaia was very helpful with the organization’s finances, among other things, and she’s always been a staple in our community,” said Revelakis.

Before entering Laval municipal politics, Revelakis gained political experience as a key organizer in Parc Extension councillor Mary Deros’s many election campaigns since 1998 when Deros first was elected.

Anchoring the party

Since 2013, Revelakis has been one of Action Laval’s most valuable assets. Party officials acknowledge that the Chomedey district can always be counted on to anchor support for Action Laval, based largely on Aglaia Revelakis’s continuing popularity with voters in municipal elections.

At one point, when the party’s fortunes flagged, Revelakis was the lone Action Laval councillor left on city council, but managed to hold the fort until Action Laval got back its strength. They have five elected council members now.

“She stood alone for a while and held it together,” said Action Laval councillor for Saint-Bruno David De Cotis. “Credit has to be given to the person who made it happen, and that’s Aglaia Revelakis.”

Vimy MP Koutrakis holding a Holiday Food Drive

Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis.

Local food banks are stocking up for the Christmas Season

Until December 15, staff at Vimy Member of Parliament Annie Koutrakis’s offices on Daniel Johnson Blvd. are collecting non-perishable food items for local food banks and community organizations in Vimy.

“My office again this year will serve as a collection center for non-perishable food items,” says Koutrakis.

“We believe that our collective efforts will make a difference in our riding,” adds Silvana Sennatore, chief of staff at the MP’s office. Koutrakis is urging all her constituents to do their part.

“Together, let’s make this a merry holiday season for everyone,” she says. The drop-off location is at 2500 Daniel Johnson Blvd. in the building’s main lobby.

Laval donates more than $407,000 to Centraide

A great mobilization in support of the community

The City of Laval’s 25th annual employee and retiree campaign raised $407,090.48 for Centraide
of Greater Montreal.

This amount, which is higher than last year,
corresponds to the sum of donations collected from employees,
retirees and elected officials, in addition to corporate donations.
This year, despite the more difficult economic context, the teams
have shown great generosity and mobilization.

Benoit Collette, Director General of the City of Laval; Stéphane Boyer, Mayor of Laval; Tania Fonrose, Director of the Citizen Experience Department; Christine Poirier, member of the Executive Committee and Duvernay–Pont-Viau City Councillor; Claude Pinard, President and CEO of Centraide of Greater Montreal

“I am proud to see the renewed generosity of our teams. Despite
the current inflation, their desire to give back to the community
and their active participation has made it possible to raise this
important amount of money that will help our Laval organizations support many people in vulnerable situations.” — Christine
Poirier, member of the Executive Committee and municipal
councillor for Duvernay–Pont-Viau.

The honorary co-chairs, Christine Poirier, member of the executive committee and municipal councillor for Duvernay–PontViau, and Tania Fonrose, director of the Citizen Experience
Department, took advantage of the closing event to highlight the
excellent work of the City’s ambassadors.

A variety of activities engaged a large number of staff members, which really made a
difference in this year’s campaign.
Since 1998, the City of Laval has encouraged all its employees
and retirees to give back to the community.

Nearly $3.2 million was invested in Laval in 2022 and 2023. Once again this year,
more than 26 Laval agencies will receive support from Centraide
to fight poverty and social exclusion.

Paolo Galati renews his support for the Maison l’Esther

Saint-Vincent-de-Paul municipal councillor
for Action Laval, Mr. Paolo Galati, is renewing
his support for Maison L’Esther for a second
consecutive year by increasing his contribution
this year to $5,5,000 for a total of $7,500.

Paolo Galati.

This gesture demonstrates the counsellor’s ongoing
commitment to the shelter, which is an essential
player in the fight against femicide, by offering refuge to women and children affected by
domestic violence in the city of Laval.

“It is an important organization that plays
a key role in helping clients who are facing
multiple issues. I encourage Laval residents
to support this organization by visiting their
website, under the tab I want to get involved,”
said Mr. Galati.

Putting his money where his mouth is, the
municipal councillor of Saint-Vincent-de-Paul,
Mr. Paolo Galati, expressed his joy by handing
over the cheque.

He emphasizes that Maison L’Esther finds in this financial contribution a
valuable resource to maintain its commitment
to the 160 women who are welcomed each
year by the shelter requiring personal needs
as soon as they arrive. The municipal councillor
reaffirms his solidarity with women affected by
domestic violence and is committed to creating
a safe environment for them.

Chantal Arseneault, Executive Coordinator
of Maison L’Esther, said: “Maison L’Esther is
pleased to be able to count on the support of
Mr. Paolo Galati again this year.

“It is important to remember that in these difficult times,
women and children who are victims of domestic violence are bearing the brunt of the housing crisis and inflation.The level of financial
precariousness among the women we support
is unprecedented. We need everyone’s support
to help women, fleeing abusive spouses, and
getting safe with their children.”
Ms. Arseneault invites Laval residents to
take advantage of the action campaign against
violence against women, which will begin on
November 25, to make a donation to Maison
L’Esther and help hundreds of victims protect
themselves.

Autobus Séguin opens new garage and head office in Laval’s industrial park

One of Quebec’s top-three school bus services plans all-electric fleet by 2030

One of Quebec’s largest school bus service providers, Autobus Groupe Séguin, opened a sprawling new garage and headquarters in an industrial sector of Laval on Nov. 20, while leaving no doubt the family-owned firm is placing its faith in electrification as the future of school bus transport in Quebec.

“We made a commitment to continue the mission of our founder Gérald Séguin, while also investing in order to leave behind an innovative business to our children,” company president Stéphane Boisvert said in an address to more than 70 guests, including elected officials from the provincial and municipal levels of government.

So far, only part of Autobus Groupe Séguin’s school bus fleet is fully electric, although the company’s plan is to go all-electric by the year 2030. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

A major investment

As a spokesman for the company acknowledged during an interview with the Laval News, Groupe Séguin has managed to make great strides in a sector of the economy where the margin of profit can at times be slim because of high overhead, which includes vehicle acquisition and maintenance as well as significant labor costs.

On the plus side, the company provides a vital service, in conjunction with education authorities and school boards, for which there is almost always a consistent demand (not taking into account the currently unfolding teachers’ strike which is causing disruptions).

Highly-competitive sector

While Autobus Groupe Séguin ranks among the top-three privately-owned school bus service providers in Quebec, Transco is generally recognized as the largest player, although it is a division of First Student Canada which is owned in turn by the Cincinnati-based multinational First Student USA.

Elected officials from Quebec and the City of Laval are seen here on Nov. 20 inside the garage at Autobus Groupe Séguin’s new corporate headquarters on Louis B. Mayor Blvd. in Laval’s industrial park. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Groupe Séguin has more than 350 employees and runs a fleet of 330 buses and other vehicles. On any given school day, more than 30,000 individuals board Séguin buses in a wide area surrounding the Montreal region, including Montreal Island, Laval, the Laurentians and Lanaudière.

As part of the company’s latest strategy to expand further, they plan to convert their existing fleet, which is partly powered now by carbon-based fuels, to a 100 per cent electric standard by the year 2030.

‘This is an entrepreneurial family from Laval’

Sainte-Rose MNA Christopher Skeete, the delegated minister for economic issues in the Legault cabinet

Working closely with Cléo

While pursuing its electrification agenda, Groupe Séguin is working closely with Cléo, a Hydro-Québec division providing consultancy on electrification of transportation across the province. Cléo is helping Séguin resolve some outstanding electrification issues, including vehicle range per charge and how long it takes to recharge vehicles using cutting-edge monitoring systems and controls.

Regarded as a pilot project for other businesses in Quebec, Groupe Séguin’s expansion program is receiving significant financial support from a number of government economic development agencies, including Investissement Québec, the Infrastructure Bank of Canada and Business Development Canada.

Left, Chomedey Liberal MNA Sona Lakhoyan Olivier raises a toast with Autobus Groupe Séguin president Stéphane Boisvert during the official opening of the school transit company’s new garage and offices. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

A family-driven business

“This is an entrepreneurial family from Laval who are making a significant investment in order to automate their operating systems, while creating a continuous training centre and implementing a recharging centre for a fleet of electric buses,” said Sainte-Rose CAQ MNA Christopher Skeete who is the delegated minister for economic issues in the Legault cabinet.

“In Laval, transportation accounts for nearly 70 per cent of greenhouse gases from our territory,” said Laval city councillor for Sainte-Rose Flavia Alexandra Novac. “To see this company which has been present on our territory for more than 50 years becoming committed to environmental change makes us all proud.”

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