The City of Laval said on Thursday afternoon that it was partly rescinding an order issued to residents of certain streets in Sainte-Dorothée on Tuesday that they refrain from consuming tap water because of a suspected breach in the underground infrastructure caused by the fire department.
According to the city, testing shows that an unidentified substance which was accidentally released into the system is no longer present, and residents can now use tap water for purposes such as washing, although the city says it should still not be consumed orally, even after boiling.
The streets affected are chemin Bord-de-l’Eau, rue Principale and avenue des Bois, as well as in the Îles Laval sector.
The city is recommending a four-step procedure for rinsing out each household’s water system, as follows:
1. Allow cold water to run in the bathtub for a minimum of 20 minutes, or until it becomes clear and odorless (especially without any discernible soap or detergent odor).
2. Follow the above step for all other tap water outlets in the home.
3. Wash out your water heater tank by running the hot water in the bath or shower cubicle for 20 minutes, again until it is clear and odorless.
4. Follow the same steps for outside faucets, as well as for laundry washing machines and kitchen dishwashers.
Quebec may use the centre as a model for a network of autism treatment facilities
Since its founding in 1980, the Giant Steps School for autism has had several homes, including its first which was in Westmount, followed in more recent years by a second and larger abode on a quiet side street in Montreal’s Notre Dame de Grâce neighbourhood.
Quebec Premier François Legault is seen here on Sept. 14 with other members of his cabinet as well as officials and supporters of Giant Steps School during the opening of the new Interdisciplinary Autism Centre on Molson Street near the Angus Yards in Montreal’s east end. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)
A Canadian first
Now after decades of confinement in spaces that never quite matched the demand for Giant Steps’ services, the school has finally opened its new Interdisciplinary Autism Centre on Molson Street near the former Angus Yards in Montreal’s east end.
The $54 million project, completed with public and private money, is considered a first in Canada.
It officially opened on Sept. 14, with Quebec Premier François Legault heading up a list of dignitaries that also included Education Minister Bernard Drainville, as well as Chantal Rouleau, Minister Responsible for Social Solidarity and Community Action in the Legault cabinet.
Model for the future
The presence of the Coalition Avenir Québec government officials may have been an affirmation of earlier rumors that Quebec wants to eventually use the Giant Steps Interdisciplinary Autism Centre as the prototype for a provincially-supported network of autism treatment centres.
Premier François Legault and Education Minister Bernard Drainville (third and second from right respectively) listen intently to explanations of the new centre’s facilities. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)
“I think one of the reasons they funded this project is that they kind of want to establish a model for autism services that could be used elsewhere in the province and in the regions as well,” Thomas Henderson, director if innovation and special projects at Giants Steps School, acknowledged in an interview with Newsfirst Multimedia.
Breaking new ground
The Giant Steps facility is a bilingual state-of-the-art centre built to meet the needs of autistic individuals for their whole lives – which is considered a step forward, as autism education and treatment traditionally has ended with the onset of adulthood.
Research currently suggests that one in 50 Canadian children aged one to 17 is on the autism spectrum. Construction of the 66,500 square foot centre was completed quickly (beginning in December 2021) thanks partly to an $18.7 million subsidy from Quebec, and $1.7 million in private donations.
However, while most other fundraising goals have now been achieved, Giant Steps is still seeking contributions from the federal government and from private donors.
Meeting their needs
The state-of-the-art building was erected in the heart of the Technopôle Angus district in Rosemont. The centre was designed to meet the specific sensory and perceptual needs of autistic people, particularly in terms of the organization of spaces, the choice of materials and the type of lighting.
Giant Steps School’s new Interdisciplinary Autism Centre on Molson Street near the Angus Yards in Montreal’s east end. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)
Former Giant Steps governing board president Nick Katalifos (who is now vice-president) said the seeds for the project were sown around a decade ago. “We were talking about it for a long time,” he said.
“We knew that a centre like this was needed in Quebec – not just in the greater Montreal area. So, we talked about it and around five, six years ago we held a big consultation process with the autism community and we came up with this vision.”
Centre’s four pillars
The new Interdisciplinary Autism Centre’s “four pillars” of development for those who will be attending because they are on the autism spectrum focus on adult education, employment, community services and research.
One of the centre’s more progressive and forward-looking premises is that autistic adults have the potential and strong desire to become active members of the workforce and contribute to the economic prosperity and the development of a more inclusive society.
While a critical labour shortage continues to hold back the province’s economic recovery, Giant Steps supporters maintain that a surprising majority of adults with autism (approximately 86 per cent), are unemployed or underemployed.
From the left, Quebec Premier François Legault, as well as cabinet ministers Chantal Rouleau and Bernard Drainville, share their thoughts with Giants Steps School officials during a tour of the new Interdisciplinary Autism Centre which took them through the kitchen area. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)
Leading to the future
They say that employers who have hired autistic individuals report above average overall job performance, less absenteeism, higher levels of accuracy in their tasks and many other positive qualities. They also maintain that there are other positive impacts on company culture, on the pride of other employees, on the company’s image and even on customer loyalty.
Having already helped many autistic adults find employment with Québec companies, Giant Steps is determined to continue in this direction. Giant Steps believes that by helping people with autism build on their strengths and characteristics, sharing their knowledge, and by partnering with businesses and organizations, they will create a more inclusive society and new opportunities that will benefit everyone.
‘The life of a Lavaler isn’t worth less than that of a Montrealer,’ he tells Bonnardel
While acknowledging $20 million in supplemental funding from Quebec Public Security Minister François Bonnardel to beef up Laval’s understaffed and overworked police department, Mayor Stéphane Boyer said earlier this week that he couldn’t resist taking a few jabs at the CAQ government for failing to support policing in Laval as much as it does in the City of Montreal.
In its more than $1.05 billion budget for 2023, the City of Laval named public security at the top of a list of three priorities it would be focusing on this year (the others being housing and the environment).
The $20 million non-recurring sum announced by Bonnardel during a press conference at Laval’s interim city hall last Monday morning will be allocated by Quebec over a period of five years.
Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer (centre) could not conceal his dissatisfaction with the funding the public security minister announced. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
City to hire more recruits
The money will allow the City of Laval to immediately hire 20 new officer recruits at an entry-level salary that will be more than $20,000 per year higher than the current amount rookies are paid at the outset.
While the City of Laval pays for its police services through annual property tax contributions, Laval has been begging Quebec at least since the onset of the Covid pandemic – when there was a surge of violent and firearms-related crimes – to boost the province’s contribution towards a war on organized criminal activity.
“We feel certain that with the addition of these new policemen and policewomen, they will be able to fight these crimes,” Bonnardel said after announcing the government’s contribution, while adding that the amount allotted was a reflection of “the reality in Laval.”
Less funding, same problems
Mayor Boyer complained publicly last year before about Quebec’s response, while noting the discrepancy between the amount of supplemental funding for police that the public security ministry gave the City of Montreal, compared to a far smaller sum allotted to Laval.
Last Monday, perhaps with a heightened sense of urgency, the mayor renewed the appeal, seemingly oblivious to the possibility he might be risking the Coalition Avenir Québec government’s wrath by openly embarrassing its public security minister.
“I cannot hide that I am not fully satisfied,” said Boyer, after describing some of the grislier incidents which took place in Laval over the past 2-3 years, including the brazen mid-day shooting of an underworld figure at a Pont-Viau restaurant frequented by families with children, as well as a wave of extortions and arson attacks on restaurant operators.
‘Unjust to citizens,’ Boyer says
Saying that the crime situation in Laval is no different from the one in Montreal regardless of population differences, Boyer noted that Montreal had previously received $60 million in additional funding for police from Quebec.
“So, to announce a year later a sum three times less is too little too late, but mostly unjust for our citizens,” he said, pointing out that Laval’s budget for police rose 20 per cent annually over the past three years and is expected to continue in this direction in 2024. “The life of a Lavaler isn’t worth less than that of a Montrealer,” he added.
Coalition Avenir Québec Public Security Minister François Bonnardel (centre) announced a $20 million five-year supplemental subsidy to the City of Laval last Monday Morning. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Invited by journalists to react to the mayor’s criticisms, Bonnardel was unapologetic and had little to add to what he’d already said, while Sainte-Rose CAQ MNA Christopher Skeete said he was aware of the policing challenges facing the City of Laval.
‘Overdue and not enough’
Sona Lakhoyan Olivier, the opposition Liberal MNA for Chomedey in the Quebec National Assembly, attended the Public Security Ministry’s announcement.
She said in an interview that she had recently written to Mayor Boyer after hearing accounts from local business owners who have been complaining about a notable rise in crime, including a drastic rise in shoplifting, widespread loitering and open drug use.
“One pharmacy is reporting losses of $10,000 a week for shoplifting,” she said, referring to one of several businesses along Samson Blvd. whose owners have been impacted. While acknowledging that the $20 million from Quebec is welcome, she also called it “overdue and not enough.”
Three homes on a residential street in Laval’s Saint-François district were decimated by fire early last Monday morning, while eight people were rendered homeless in the blaze.
The outbreak, on des Amandiers St. near des Magnolias St. north of Lévesque Blvd. east, was first reported around 3:30 am at one of the houses Flames quickly spread to the other two, forcing Laval Fire Dept. personnel to call in second and third alarms.
Families living in the dwellings were evacuated and sheltered in a special STL bus called in for disasters. Although there were no reported injuries, damage was estimated at $550,000. Initial reports indicated that the blaze began on an outside balcony on one of the dwellings and may have been sparked by an item used for smoking.
On the scene around seven minutes after the fire was reported, the first of the firefighters decided to call in an additional 40 personnel after realizing the extent of the blaze. The fire was declared to be under control just before 5 am.
Two injured, one facing possible DUI charge, after Chomedey collision
One man was facing a possible charge of driving while under the influence following a spectacular collision involving three cars on Sept. 21 at the corner of Daniel Johnson and Saint-Martin boulevards in Chomedey.
Around noon, one of the drivers is said to have ignored a red light while making a turn.
The impact of the ensuing collision between the vehicles was enough to require the intervention of the Laval Fire Dept. to free one of the drivers caught in his vehicle’s wreck.
He was eventually liberated and was taken to hospital by Urgences-Santé. Another person also involved in the accident was placed in the care of the Urgences-Santé crew because of non-life threatening injuries, which nonetheless required some medical attention.
Al Sultan restaurant on Curé Labelle targeted by arson
The Al Sultan, a Middle Eastern-style restaurant familiar to many because of its strategic location on Curé Labelle Blvd. just north of the Cartierville bridge, became the focus of an arson investigation on Sept. 21 after an unidentified suspect tried to start a fire outside the establishment around 1:30 am.
Upon arrival, officers with the Laval Police determined there was only superficial damage to the restaurant’s exterior. The attack was the latest in a series of arson incidents against restaurants in Laval and in Montreal over the past one to two years, many of them operated by owners from the Lebanese community.
According to news reports this week, the Al Sultan had been the target of similar attacks at least three times since last spring.
Man arrested after allegedly firing gun into the air
A 29-year-old man faces charges after allegedly discharging a firearm into the air outside a Laval bar.
Jean-Élie L’Espérance was arrested and faces charges of possession of a restricted firearm, possession of a loaded restricted firearm, as well as having in his possession a prohibited device.
At the time of his arrest in Montreal, according to the Laval Police, L’Espérance was carrying a loaded 9 mm pistol.
Laval police said its officers made the arrest with assistance from the Montreal police department’s tactical squad. Anyone with information regarding L’Espérance, or any event related to firearms, is invited to call 9-1-1 or the Laval Police at 450-662-4636.
Château Royal gala a warm-up for next Sunday’s breast cancer fundraiser in Montreal
In a lead-up to the CIBC Run for the Cure breast cancer fundraiser taking place in Montreal next Sunday, 350 Laval and Montreal-area CIBC employees and guests gathered at the Château Royal congress centre in Chomedey last Friday for an evening devoted to the cancer research cause.
Rosa Trunzo, Senior Vice President and Region Head Eastern Canada at CIBC (third from right), Laval city councillor for Souvenir-Labelle Sandra El-Helou (centre) and representatives of the Canadian Cancer Society and CIBC are seen here during the gala held at the Château Royal as part of 2023 Run for the Cure events.
Although CIBC has been involved with Run for the Cure for more than 26 years, this was the second consecutive year they held a local gathering to which employees as well as clients from CIBC branches throughout Laval and the greater Montreal region were invited.
A passion for the cause
The event took place a little more than a week before the Montreal leg of the Run for the Cure, which is on Sunday Oct. 1 at Maisonneuve Park in Montreal. CIBC is a major supporter of Run for the Cure, which is sponsored by the Canadian Cancer Society, with Run for the Cure events taking place in major cities across Canada all on the same day.
“This is our pillar, our cause and our employees are passionate about it, and we’re looking forward to another record-breaking year in 2023,” Rosa Trunzo, Senior Vice President and Region Head Eastern Canada Personal Banking at CIBC, said in an interview last Friday evening with the Laval News.
Among the guests was Laval city councillor for the district of Souvenir-Labelle Sandra El-Helou, a member of the executive-committee with oversight for issues impacting women, who was the event’s honorary chairwoman. “We see it as part of our duties as a city to raise awareness and encourage women to be screened for breast cancer early,” said El-Helou.
Largest single-day event
That was the beginning of what was to become the Canadian Cancer Society CIBC Run for the Cure, which is now Canada’s largest single-day, volunteer-led event supporting the breast cancer cause. In 1997, the trailblazing partnership between the Canadian Breast Cancer Foundation (CBCF) and CIBC began.
Run for the Cure dates back a few years before CIBC became involved. In 1992, a small group of volunteers began a movement in Toronto’s High Park. They brought together 1,500 people to raise awareness and raised $85,000 for the breast cancer cause.
On February 1, 2017, CBCF and the Canadian Cancer Society (CCS) joined forces under the CCS banner. Together, CCS, CIBC and thousands of dedicated Canadians continue to raise vital funds for the breast cancer cause through this signature event.
An inspirational day
Run for the Cure brings together a collective of Canadians who want to show their support. It is an inspirational day that raises important funds for CCS, the largest charitable funder of breast cancer research in Canada. CCS invests the sums into groundbreaking breast cancer research, compassionate support services, trusted cancer information and advocacy on behalf of all Canadians.
Breast cancer is the most commonly diagnosed cancer among Canadian women. It touches the lives of so many families every day. The CIBC Run for the Cure gives families, friends and supporters the opportunity to come together to honour and celebrate their loved ones. And to make a real difference for all Canadians impacted by breast cancer.
Group has been focusing on making more services available in Laval
The 17th annual FILIA Walk a Thon on Sept 16, which was also the fourth held in Laval, drew a loyal following of FILIA supporters, as well as elected officials who have provided help to the organization over the years.
It was a good day for a refreshing walk in and around the streets surrounding St. Norbert Park in eastern Chomedey, in order to raise awareness of the needs of senior citizens – which include regular physical exercise.
FILIA executive-director Johanna Tsoublekas speaks to FILIA supporters before they set off on their walk around Saint Norbert Park on Sept. 16. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
An expanding mission
The Walk a Thon is held in September every year as a fundraiser for the FILIA meals-on-wheels program. While FILIA’s mission at one time was to provide assistance to Greek women of the Parc Extension Hellenic community, although later throughout Montreal, the organization’s mandate now is to serve senior citizens and people from all backgrounds.
While FILIA held its Walk a Thon during its first 13 years in Parc Extension (which is still regarded by most Hellenic Montrealers as the centre of the Montreal Greek community), the organization has been focusing increasingly on making its services available in Laval, while continuing to offer services in Parc Ex.
Crucial Meals on Wheels
Led for many years by Johanna Tsoublekas who continues to provide leadership, FILIA’s services include home housekeeping and supervision, volunteer training and a healthcare clinic for the feet.
Walkers make their way along streets around Saint Norbert Park on Sept. 16 during the FILIA 2023 Walk a Thon event. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
“Meals on wheels is an important service that FILIA provides,” said Mary Deros, the Montreal city councillor for Parc Extension where FILIA used to stage the Walk a Thon.
FILIA volunteers Rikard Shpori (left) and Zissis Fotopoulos prepare lunch for participants in the 2023 FILIA Walk a Thon event. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
(It’s held in Laval now as the demographics for the organization’s base clientele have shifted from Parc Ex to Chomedey.) “It means a lot to the people who receive Johanna’s services,” she added. “The support that FILIA offers is priceless.”
Laval needs FILIA
Laval city councillor for the district of Souvenir-Labelle Sandra El-Helou, an associate member of the executive-committee with responsibilities for senior citizens’ issues, has been focusing increasingly on FILIA, as well as on how the group can help the city meet Laval senior citizens’ needs.
“Every year I come to the walk to show my support for FILIA and also to thank them for the amazing job they do on the ground with our elderly population,” she told the Laval News. She said that following the Covid pandemic, FILIA has been responding to a valuable need by helping to get many seniors back on their feet for some exercise outdoors.
Greetings from Koutrakis
Aaron Stafford, a political attaché for Vimy Member of Parliament Annie Koutrakis, said Koutrakis was unable to attend the Walk a Thon as she was just returning from London, Ontario where members of the federal Liberal Party caucus were attending a retreat with Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in preparation for Parliament’s fall session.
From the left, Laval city councillor for the district of Souvenir-Labelle Sandra El-Helou, FILIA volunteer Rikard Shpori, Montreal city councillor for Parc Extension Mary Deros and FILIA executive-director Johanna Tsoublekas were all smiles for the group’s 17th annual Walk a Thon on Sept. 16. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
“She sends her greetings,” he said, noting that Koutrakis has always been very close to the Laval and Montreal Greek communities. “She would have loved to have been here, but she had something else very important to attend, unfortunately.”
Officials with the city announced last week that from Oct. 6-9, Laval will be playing host to an art work, Museum of the Moon, created by British artist Luke Jerram, above the Centre de la nature in Duvernay.
The scaled reproduction of Earth’s Moon is seven metres in diameter and was created based on images recorded by NASA of the entire surface of the Moon. Each centimeter of the work’s surface represents 5 kilometres of the Moon’s surface.
“It is with pride that we are offering free of charge to all residents of Laval a chance to come and contemplate this large-dimension work which to date has been viewed more than 300 times in 30 or so countries, having attracted more than 20 million visitors throughout the world,” says Mayor Stéphane Boyer.
“In becoming the host for this work of international stature, Laval shows once again its commitment to supporting the development of important cultural events,” he added.
In addition to providing a venue for viewing Jerram’s creation, the Centre de la nature will be hosting some other related activities, including some sponsored by the Cosmodôme, by local amateur astronomers, visual artists, as well as guided walks on themes involving science and culture.
Laval continues efforts to thwart ‘heat islands’ with trees
In an effort to reduce the impact of climate change while helping to reduce ambient temperatures during the summer in Laval, the city recently announced a new program through which residents will be able to acquire up to 10 free trees from the municipality to plant on their own land.
In addition to providing the trees, the city says in a statement that it is also offering a subsidy up to $200 per tree to residents as well as commercial or industrial property owners to cover up to 50 per cent of the costs of planting and soil demineralization.
From now to the end of 2025, the city hopes to see 15,000 new trees planted on private lands, be they residential, commercial or industrial. This will be in addition to 15,000 trees the city plans to plant on public lands during the same period.
“The time is now for action and we are supporting unequivocally the City of Laval’s bold effort aimed at combating heat islands through greening,” says Quebec Environment and Climate Change Minister Benoit Charette.
“Trees are the best tools available to fight against climate change,” adds Mayor Stéphane Boyer. “Not only do they help negate temperature increases, but they also have a direct influence on air quality, while also beautifying our territory and contributing to the health and quality of life of the entire community.”
Laval allots a municipal lot to be developed for social housing
The City of Laval announced on Sept. 18 that it is setting aside a lot it owns on des Laurentides Blvd. in Pont-Viau for a non-profit organization to use for the development of social and affordable housing for intellectually- and moderately physically-handicapped adults, including some people with autism.
The building eventually to be erected on the site will have 20 or so 3 ½ room units, as well as larger community spaces favourable to the development of a community-based and autonomous lifestyle for the residents.
“By making this land available, the city hopes to encourage the development of a residential project of superior quality focused on the particular needs of the future residents,” says Mayor Stéphane Boyer.
He said the announcement was largely the result of a fiscal strategy adopted by his administration earlier this year to make up for a lack of housing units currently in Laval. The property in question was purchased by the city in 2022 for the express purpose of creating more affordable and social housing. The non-profit community group Place Joie de vivre will be signing a 70-year lease and finalizing its financing for the project in the near future.
It was once the pride of all Canadians! “Our health system is unparallelled,” we boasted when we went abroad. If anything, apart from his peace-loving reputation, Canada considered Medicare, the diamond of its crown.
How times have changed…
Endless hours of waiting (now) to see a doctor in the emergency room, irritation, reduced and exhausted health staff, elderly people who leave their last breath on a ranch abandoned, after investing all their lives with their taxes in this broken system.
Of course, we continue to pay the same unaffordable taxes, while the few private health options are out of reach. Do you want a doctor to come to your house? Shut up $350 and wait a couple of days. Did you fall on a weekend? It is better to light a lamp and start praying that the grace will not take you.
Recently, a friend of mine Tony (withholding his real name for obvious reasons) could not wait any longer and decided to go to a private clinic for arthroplasty surgery.
He had already waited a year to see an orthopedist, when in Europe you pick up the phone, call the doctor on his mobile phone and with 80 euros he comes home. Our story begins with an operation that cost her family nearly $32,000, a significant financial burden for a middle-class family. They decided on this operation with many expectations, trusting the expertise of doctors and nurses and the support of our health system. Little did they know that the real challenges would begin after surgery.
Upon returning home, it became apparent that more recovery was needed, ideally in a clinical setting with the expertise of nurses and physiotherapists. Unfortunately, after a day in the private clinic, Tony was sent home and his family did not have the necessary means to cope with the crucial first week of rehabilitation. The physical, emotional and financial burden was enormous. Postoperative care is incomplete. Apart from a few phone calls and emails, the family was left alone to deal with the situation when the money had been paid. The local CLSC contributed to the care, but their resources were limited and the family was always expected to play the role of doctor, nurse, physiotherapist, psychologist, etc.
For years now we all know that our health system, faces serious challenges. The lack of financial support from the state for the elderly, a demographic group that has contributed to the health system throughout their lives, is disappointing. It leaves them without the necessary help during their difficult times.
In contrast to the broken health system in Quebec, in Europe supposedly… all citizens are entitled to fast hospital care. A call to SOS DOCTORS and in 1-2 hours comes to your home not just a pathologist, but also specialized doctors. There are currently no portable X-ray machines in Quebec – and next to Ottawa.
It is inconceivable in Europe not to have your doctor’s mobile phone. Most doctors in Europe who advertise their practices always have their personal mobile phone written in the advertisement. Here in Quebec, of course, this is science fiction. Not only can you can’t find a doctor to talk to, but even Info-Santé’s automated line takes a long time to put you in touch with a nurse.
As citizens the government health authorities encourages not to go to the emergency rooms where, depending of the hospital, you wait 12 to 38 hours to be seen by a doctor. They tell us in other words (in free humorous translation by me) that… If you don’t die, please don’t go to the emergency room because we’re full! Take info Santé, talk to your psychologist, the neighbourhood tarot reader, and no prayer hurts.
In a society where everyone works for a living, our health system fails to adequately support. Despite the recent Trudeau-Legault agreement on large financial support for Quebec medicare, I doubt we will see that money pay off and services improve. I wish from the bottom of my heart to come out as a liar.
This situation reflects poorly on our society and our government, which seems to neglect those who are most vulnerable – our elderly and sick. It is a stain on our conscience, a reminder that we must do more to support those who have given so much to our country.
Auditor General Véronique Boily files last report of her seven-year mandate
In her final report as the City of Laval’s auditor-general before reaching the end of her 7-year mandate in December, Véronique Boily singles out the Laval Police Dept. for having insufficient controls over motor vehicle fuel purchases made with city credit cards, while taking into account the volume of purchases last year.
Laval auditor-general Véronique Boily. (File photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)
Questions over gas cards
In her report, the auditor-general pointed out that the Service de police de Laval (SPL) and the Service de sécurité incendie de Laval (SSIL), which are the city’s biggest users of gas cards, had previously adopted directives to ensure their proper management.
However, as Boily’s department states in a summary of her report, “the controls exercised by the Police Department are clearly insufficient for the volume of purchases, which amounted to $1.5 million in 2022.”
The report also pointed out that the city’s fuel card management system “lacks rigor since there is no mechanism to ensure that active cards are associated with vehicles in service. At the Police Department, the constabulary has not set up a register to identify users and vehicles involved when borrowing a reserve card, although $90,000 was charged to it from June 2020 to May 2022.”
Credit card use way up
According to Boily’s report, City of Laval gas cards accounted for $2.1 million in purchases in 2022. In June 2022, 336 active cards were associated with a police vehicle and 106 with the Fire Department. She said the overall value of credit card purchases had risen substantially over the past decade, from around $80,000 in 2012 to over $1.1 million in 2022, although this was in line with the growth of online commerce. She said the number of active cards increased by +25% between 2020 and 2022.
The report noted that the city had not carried out monitoring activities or implemented appropriate corrective measures in light of the credit card issues. Among other things, Boily found that from 2020 to 2022, late payment of gas card balances cost $17,000, without the situation being brought under control.
‘Strategic objectives’ ignored
As a result of the gas credit card issues, six recommendations made in her report are mainly focused on improving the efficiency of management controls to optimize the use of the city’s gas cards, as well as ensuring greater transparency of purchases made on them.
In a section focusing on business credit cards and expense reimbursements, Boily concluded that the policies and procedures governing the use of credit cards and the reimbursement of expenses to employees had not been updated and were not aligned with the strategic objectives for sustainable mobility.
Although her department found that the majority of transactions tested were properly approved, accounted for, and justified, she noted that there was no limit to the amount of accommodation expenses reimbursed and that in some cases, accommodation expenses were high and did not reflect the concern for economy expected in the management of public funds.
Access-to-information
In another area of concern regarding public access-to-information requests, Boily said she wanted to ensure that the city responds to requests for access to documents in accordance with legislative requirements and good management practices.
She concluded that the town clerk’s Office had adopted practices that promote the processing of requests in accordance with legal requirements. However, there were a number of areas where efficiency could be improved, she added, particularly in terms of analyzing the reasons why response times were exceeded.
In addition, she said improvements need to be made to the information presented on the website dedicated for requests. The report gave rise to six recommendations for the clerk’s department to improve efficiency, as well as the quality of information and transparency of activities.
Passing grade at OMHL
In an audit of practices at the city’s Office Municipal d’Habitation de Laval, whose mission is to provide social and affordable housing, Boily said (in a context of scarcity of affordable housing) that she wanted to ensure that the maintenance of the OMHL’s building stock was carried out adequately, to extend the buildings’ life, ensure their durability and meet the demand.
She concluded that the OMHL had put in place maintenance and repair practices for the buildings under its responsibility that promote compliance with the requirements and practices determined or suggested by the SHQ and efficient and effective management of these activities.
However, she said certain elements could be improved to maintain and enhance the long-term viability of its real estate assets, such as the planning of preventive inspections, better management of deadlines for the refurbishment of housing units, and evaluation of the financial reserve for short-term financing of renovation and maintenance projects for buildings owned by the OMHL.
The current issue of the Laval News, volume 31-18, published on September 27th, 2023. Covering Laval local news, politics, and sports. (Click on the image to read the paper.)
Front page of The Laval News, September 27th, 2023 issue.
