The current issue of the Laval News, volume 34-06, published on March 18th, 2026.
Covering Laval local news, politics, and sports.
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Laval News Volume 34-06
Laval man among nine convicted for not paying $1.7 million in provincial tobacco tax
A 47-year-old man from Laval is one of nine people from various areas of Quebec who were recently found guilty of tax evasion after they sold tobacco products clandestinely while failing to pay around $1.7 million in taxes owed to the provincial government.
Ahamed Kamel Awada, 47, was sentenced to seven months in prison and fined a total of $521,525 for trafficking “significant quantities of unstamped tobacco” through his business, according to a statement issued by Revenu Québec.
In June 2022, an initial search jad resulted in the seizure of 90 kg of tobacco.
Two months later, 11 search warrants led to the seizure of an additional 1,500 kg of contraband tobacco.
Two co-defendants, Kamel Mahmoud Awada, 66, and Chawki El Chami, 61, were sentenced to 30 and 90 days in prison respectively, as well as fines of $40,585 and $89,870.
Laval’s Leclerc among six provincial prisons where $1 million in contraband seized
The Leclerc Detention Centre in east-end Laval is one of six provincial jails throughout Quebec where nearly $1 million in prohibited items – including tobacco, cell phones and drugs – were seized by guards over the past few months, according to the Quebec Public Security Ministry.
Members of the correctional services recovered tobacco products, narcotics and cell phones with an estimated institutional value of $991,750, as well as mobile phone tools and accessories, in 16 major seizures, the ministry said.
In addition to Leclerc, the other detention establishments were in Amos, Hull, Québec City, Rimouski and Rivière-des-Prairies in Montreal.
The ministry said it should also be noted that anti-drone police operations that took place near the Montreal Detention Centre in Rivière-des-Prairies in January 2026 led to the arrest of five suspects by the Montreal Police.
“The teamwork carried out daily, combined with the use of hardware and technology in facilities across Quebec, makes it possible to prevent the delivery of packages by drones, to secure points of entry and to detect contraband,” the Public Security Ministry said in its statement.
According to the ministry, the majority of major seizures at the province’s jails result from the rapid retrieval of packages transported by drones before they enter the prison walls.
Contraband items are also regularly seized by prison staff during patrols, yard inspections, admission searches of inmates and general searches.
The ministry says a range of technological measures are being implemented to combat the delivery of contraband by drones and facilitate searches by prison officers, including a new generation of more advanced drone detectors and cell phone detection devices.
Since announcing major investments in October 2023, the Ministry of Public Security says it has deployed secure windows, body scanners and search stations to combat contraband in correctional facilities.
A-15 tow truck driver stabbing:
Suspect was awaiting trial after door-crashing incident at Laval Police HQ
The suspect in a recent stabbing incident on Autoroute 15 in Laval is also currently facing charges related to an incident in April last year when the front entrance doors at Laval Police headquarters on Chomedey Blvd. were demolished when a driver deliberately crashed into them.
Zakaria Sadji, age 30, is suspected of having stabbed a 52-year-old tow truck driver following a minor dispute that began on the A-15 on the morning of February 26.
The 52-year-old tow truck driver, who sustained a minor arm injury, was taken to hospital for treatment, although his life was not considered to be in danger.
Charged with dangerous driving and mischief in the police HQ incident, Sadji pleaded not guilty and was released with conditions pending trial when the latest incident came up.
According to the TVA network, Sadji, who has a history of mental illness, was also facing charges in a separate occurrence involving threats and violent acts he is alleged to have made towards the janitor of an apartment building where he lived and owed rent.
Scammer from Laval who targeted Nova Scotia seniors sentenced to house arrest
A fraud artist living in Laval who was facing more than 30 charges in Atlantic Canada after taking part in a scheme to cheat senior citizens while posing as a policeman, a lawyer and a bail bondsman has been sentenced to 15 months of house arrest, while also being ordered to pay back $57,000 to victims.
Omar Zanfi, 28, was arrested in Moncton NB in December 2022 when it was alleged he defrauded 15 seniors in Nova Scotia using the “grandparent scam.”
According to the Halifax regional police, Zanfi contacted victims by phone while pretending to speak on behalf of a member of the victim’s family, saying he had been arrested and needed money to post bail.
While working with an accomplice, Zanfi went to victims’ homes to pick up large sums of money defrauded from them.
However, without his realizing it, images of Zanfi and of the vehicle he was driving were recorded by the home video security system.
Using the images, the police were able to track and locate Zanfi, leading to his arrest.
Based on the terms of a sentence imposed by a Nova Scotia Provincial Court judge last month, Zanfi will be subject to an overnight curfew for the first nine months of his 15-month sentence.
As well, he will only be allowed out of his home for scheduled work or to deal with a medical emergency.
In addition, the court gave Zanfi permission not to be obliged to remain in Nova Scotia during his sentence.
According to news reports in New Brunswick, Zanfi pleaded guilty to fraud charges in that province and is scheduled to be sentenced in April.
Quebec’s temporary foreign worker policy a blow to restauranteurs, says ARQ
‘Industry cannot afford to lose its 16,365 temporary foreign workers,’ says Martin Vézina
While the Quebec Restaurant Association (ARQ), like the rest of the hospitality sector and many other businesses in Quebec, is advocating for more flexible rules surrounding temporary foreign workers, the ARQ says the Quebec government has just thrown another wrench into the works for restaurant, institutional and other key players in the food service industry.
According to the trade and lobby group, the position of cook has been removed from the provincial government’s list of jobs eligible for simplified processing by the Ministry of Employment and Social Solidarity.
In practical terms, this means that employers looking for cooks will have to post their job openings again for four weeks – often without receiving any resumes.
Inconsistent gov’t policy
“Four weeks added to an already lengthy, complex and costly process, demonstrates the government’s inconsistency,” the ARQ says in a statement. “While acknowledging a labor shortage in this position, the government is taking entirely contradictory actions,” they add.
The ARQ says restaurant owners are still struggling to recruit trained and experienced employees, especially full-time ones, and this is why owners have no choice but to look abroad to find these staff.
One long-standing observation the ARQ’s members have made is that even if the unemployment rate is higher in some regions – and one might think that workers are therefore available for given positions – many Quebecers are actually no longer as interested as before in jobs requiring that they work on weekends.
This is in spite of the fact that customers are known to frequent dining rooms primarily on Friday and Saturday evenings, according to the ARQ.
Service could suffer this summer
The organization says it is concerned about the quality of service for the upcoming tourist season, as many restaurants will be unable to offer the capacity and speed of service customers are accustomed to, particularly in regions with high tourism potential.
Without the staff needed to cover all opening hours, restaurant owners may have to reduce their hours to give their existing staff some respite, the ARQ maintains, adding that visitors may end up having to rely on supermarkets, where available, as well as convenience stores for groceries.
“We are incredulous at this latest announcement,” said Martin Vézina, vice-president for public and government affairs at the ARQ. “It demonstrates, once again, the lack of understanding at all levels of government regarding the issue of temporary foreign workers and their essential role in our industry.
Treated as a second-tier
“The restaurant industry, which was considered an essential service during the COVID-19 pandemic, now seems to be treated as a second-tier industry in Quebec’s economy, which is unacceptable,” he added. “We are asking the Ministers of Employment and Social Solidarity, as well as Immigration, Francization and Integration, to reconsider their decision and reinstate our trades on the simplified processing list.”
Vézina said the ARQ is also urging the ministries to work with the association to secure a grandfather clause from the federal government for the renewal of temporary foreign workers. “The industry cannot afford to lose its 16,365 temporary foreign workers in the province without devastating consequences,” said Vézina.
Open letter calls for policy reversal
In an open letter from the ARQ as well as Tourisme Montréal and the Association hôtelière du Grand Montréal published in early February in Montreal’s La Presse, the three trade groups said they were “sounding the alarm” over the abandonment of the Quebec Experience Program (PEQ).
“We strongly support Montreal Mayor Soraya Martinez-Ferrada’s request to implement a grandfather clause for international workers and students already in Quebec so they can apply to the PEQ,” they said. “Without this measure, the repercussions would be significant, not only for the tourism, hospitality, and restaurant sectors, but also for the entire Montreal and Quebec economies.”
PEQ became ‘an essential tool,’ says ARQ
“Since its inception, the PEQ has become an essential tool for attracting and retaining international talent, particularly in the tourism, hospitality, and food service sectors,” they continued. “It has enabled foreign graduates and temporary workers to settle in Quebec, directly helping to address the labor shortage and enrich the cultural fabric of our metropolis.
“In a context where a moratorium already prevents the renewal of work permits for many foreign workers, abandoning the PEQ would exacerbate a recruitment crisis that is already critical for our industry. We call on political decision-makers to reconsider abandoning the PEQ and to collaborate closely with our sector to preserve Montreal’s prosperity and attractiveness. The future of our industry and that of our metropolis depends on it.”
An election before year’s end ‘not what we want,’ says federal Liberal Carlos Leitão
Marc-Aurèle-Fortin MP optimistic about minority Carney government surviving
Despite the possibility of a federal election being triggered before the end of this year while the Carney Liberals hang on by a thread as a minority government, Marc-Aurèle-Fortin Liberal MP Carlos Leitão says he considers a federal election in 2026 to be unlikely.
‘Not what we want’
“It’s certainly not what we want,” the former Quebec Liberal finance minister and ex-Bank of Canada board member said in an interview with The Laval News.
“We were elected to govern and we are governing,” he said, while acknowledging at the same time that 2026 will also be the year of a Quebec provincial election.
“The times are complicated. It is time for us all to stick together. We finally voted a budget. We manage to get the consensus in the House of Commons and so the budget is going through and that’s good. So, we want to govern.”
A difficult election call
Still, Leitão conceded that given the current global instability and its impact within Canada, it would be difficult for him to say whether the minority Liberals would be able to hold on to the end of 2026 without having to call an election.
Despite this, he was optimistic about the Carney government surviving. “We never know,” Leitão said. “Being in a minority, we are always susceptible to a motion of non-confidence. But honestly, I don’t see it [an election] in 2026.”
By next April 28, it will have been exactly a year since the last federal election when the Liberals won a fourth term under its new leader, Mark Carney, while again falling short of a majority by a few House of Commons seats. And while some opposition MPs have crossed the floor to the Liberals, the government’s position remains precarious.
Liberals favored in poll results
According to the results of an Angus Reid Institute poll released late last month, two-thirds (64 per cent) overall of those surveyed across Canada said Mark Carney had done a good or great job handling the Canada–U.S. relationship so far – nearly identical to the proportion (63 per cent) who approved of his overall performance as prime minister.
“That approval appears to be translating into improved electoral prospects for the Liberals,” the non-profit public opinion research foundation said. Forty-five per cent of those polled said they would vote for the Liberals in a future federal election, compared to 32 per cent who preferred the Conservative Party. The resulting 13-point lead marked a 10-point increase in the Liberals’ advantage compared to the previous month’s tracking.
According to Angus Reid, Canadians’ assessments of their prime minister continue to trend in a positive direction as Carney nears the one-year anniversary of his takeover of the office from predecessor Justin Trudeau.
Riding’s social housing needs
Of all the issues currently affecting constituents in Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, Leitão said the most pressing is affordable and social housing. “There have been a few projects that are now on the way to getting started – especially in social housing,” he said.
As for privately-developed, for-profit housing projects, he said “that’s fine – there’s a lot of investment there” in that particular sector of the local economy, but the federal government “is also getting involved directly in the construction of social housing,” Leitão added.
Regarding the issue of homelessness, he noted that Marc-Aurèle-Fortin, as a middle-class and mostly residential riding, has so far shown relatively few signs of homelessness, although that could change as conditions evolve.
No signs of homelessness ‘yet’
“I would say not yet,” is how he put it. “But it’s something that we are keeping an eye on, because we see it everywhere in the region of Montreal. And it’s a complex issue. There are many aspects to it. But in the end, it all comes down to housing.
“People have to have access to affordable or subsidized housing,” he continued. “And at the intersection of housing and mental health, people also need assistance like social workers. They need the tools so they can stay. Because it’s not just the question of finding an apartment, but to also create the environment that allows them to remain in those apartments.”
Leitão pitches Canada’s economic sovereignty at Laval Innov’s 2026 IN Forum
‘We are carrying out strategic investments,’ says local MP, promoting Defense Industrial Strategy
“The world is evolving rapidly, global commerce is disrupted, and supply chains are being subjected to enormous pressures.”
It was with those opening words that Marc-Aurèle-Fortin Liberal MP Carlos Leitão addressed entrepreneurs and business people attending Laval Innov’s IN Forum 2026. It focused this year on the themes of Artificial Intelligence (AI), automation and digital transformation.
Leitão, who is parliamentary secretary to Industry Minister Mélanie Joly, is also a former Quebec Liberal finance minister, as well as the former chief economist at Laurentian Bank Securities.
Opportunity despite uncertainty
“There is a lot of uncertainty,” Leitão continued, saying one thing is certain: Canadians are not only reacting to change, but are benefiting from it.
Canadian businesses – and especially in Quebec – have always succeeded by innovating, Leitão insisted, while noting the assistance provided in the form of strategic investments by the current Liberal government.
In a moment of candour, Leitão admitted that he’d found himself lately having to defend the enormous deficits run up by the current and previous Liberal governments.
“We are carrying out strategic investments to reinforce the economic sovereignty of Canada,” he said, while adding that one of the government’s current goals is to focus on the potential advancements that stand to be gained through investments in AI technology developed in Canada.
Productivity and employment
“Of course, positivity is the key to success and innovation is the key for productivity,” he continued. According to Leitão, the federal government hopes its strategy will help create 125,000 jobs over the next decade. Currently, he said, there are 80,000 people employed in sectors of the Canadian economy supplying goods and services for defense purposes.
Leitão pitched the Carney government’s latest economy-building endeavour – the new Defense Industrial Strategy. Through this program, federal officials are inviting the country’s small and medium-size enterprises (SMEs) to consider bidding for the half-a-trillion dollars in investment Ottawa plans to make in the next ten years to build up the country’s self-defense abilities, while relying less on outside manufacturing sources and providers.
Rapidly changing situation
“The world is changing rapidly,” the federal government said in a statement issued last month when the initiative to boost the country’s security while building the economy was announced in Montreal by Prime Minister Carney.
TheDefense Industrial Strategy is expected toposition Canadian industry to take advantage of $180 billion in defense procurement opportunities and $290 billion in defense-related capital investment opportunities in Canada, with an anticipated $125 billion downstream economic benefit by 2035.
Canada’s defense sector is considered an important contributor to the economy with close to 600 firms directly accounting for 36,000 jobs in 2022, supporting a total of 61,200 jobs across the defense chain. The Defense Industrial Strategy is expected to increase defense exports by 50 per cent, raise the share of defense acquisitions awarded to Canadian firms to 70 per cent, and grow Canadian defense industry revenues by 240 per cent.
Acceleration and transformation
Billed as an innovation and technology event for Laval’s small and medium-size businesses, the annual IN Forum is considered the leading event in Laval for organizations looking to accelerate their digital transformation and discover concrete solutions for innovation.
This year’s forum highlighted key themes for businesses of all sizes, including: Digital transformation: from idea to action plan; Artificial intelligence: concrete use cases for SMEs; Automation and robotics; Customer and employee experience; Data analytics: making faster and better decisions; Culture of innovation and change management; and collaborations and innovation ecosystems.
Aerospace engineer’s perspective
The opening conference at the 2026 forum, by aerospace engineer Farah Alibay, was “An Explorer’s Perseverance: Innovating to Push the Boundaries.” In it, she reflected on her career and the innovations that have made some of the greatest space exploration missions possible.
She shared the challenges, lessons learned and the importance of perseverance and teamwork for innovating in complex environments. A Q&A session with the audience concluded her presentation. A noon-hour dinner-conference featured a panel on the “Challenges of the Manufacturing Sector.”
An expert business panel
The panel speakers were Julie White, CEO of Quebec Manufacturers and Exporters; Maud Cohen, the first woman to lead Polytechnique Montréal; Ludovic Soucisse, CEO of the CCTT Network; and Rose-Marie DiRosa, Manufacturing entrepreneur and CEO of Prox Industriel.
The panel brought together experts from the manufacturing and innovation sectors to discuss the current challenges and opportunities for businesses in Quebec. Participants shared their experiences and advice on stimulating growth, technological adaptation and strategic development.
Shield of Athena opens a transitional home in Laval for vulnerable women and children
MH2 L’Odyssée is expected to meet the need for safe and accessible housing
Officials from the governments of Quebec and Canada, the City of Laval and Shield of Athena gathered last Monday to officially open ‘Shield of Athena Family Services: MH2 L’Odyssée,’ a $6.9 million 17-unit second-stage transitional home with community support for highly vulnerable women and their children in Laval.
“In 2010, after our caseworkers told us about the difficulties women face when they leave our shelter, the board of directors decided to provide longer-term support to meet the need for safe and accessible housing,” said Chrysanthe Sclavounakis-Nakis, president of Shield of Athena.
Protecting women and children
“Fifteen years in the making, this project is now a resource that helps and protects women and children fleeing violence. We sincerely thank everyone involved,” she added.
Shield of Athena is a non-profit, non-denominational community organization whose purpose is to provide professional support, prevention and intervention services that are culturally and linguistically tailored to the needs of women and their children from diverse ethno-cultural communities.
The launch at The Palace on Le Corbusier Blvd. was attended by Laval-des-Rapides CAQ MNA Céline Haytayan, Vimy Liberal MP Annie Koutrakis, Vimont CAQ MNA Valérie Schmaltz, Saint-Laurent Liberal MP Emmanuella Lambropoulos, and Laval city councillor for Souvenir-Labelle Sandra El-Helou.
“In Laval, we’re moving quickly and getting things done,” Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer said in a statement. (He was represented at the launch by El-Helou, who is responsible for family and social services dossiers on city council.)
Living in safety and dignity
“Since 2020, the city has supported 1,078 social and affordable housing units – including 49 specifically for women and families fleeing violence – through three significant projects,” said Boyer. “These are concrete actions toward building a city where everyone can live in safety and dignity.”
The government of Quebec contributed over $1.9 million to the project through the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ), which is also securing Shield of Athena’s mortgage loan. The government of Canada contributed more than $995,000 to the project through the Canada-Quebec Rapid Housing Initiative Agreement. The City of Laval contributed more than $900,000.
Shield of Athena also received over $307,000 in additional financial assistance through the Société d’Habitation du Québec’s Rénovation Québec program. Assistance under this program is funded equally by the SHQ and the City of Laval. The location of MH2 L’Odyssée is not being disclosed in order to ensure the privacy and safety of women and children who will be relying on its services.
Making a positive impact
“Our government is proud to support this Shield of Athena project, which is part of our ongoing efforts to build strong and affordable communities across the country, even for the most vulnerable populations,” said Vimy MP Koutrakis, who isParliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Jobs and Families.
“This second-stage home will have a big impact on the lives of women and their children in Laval and is another important step in building a more equitable Canada for everyone,” added Koutrakis.
“Our government is determined to provide housing solutions for vulnerable women throughout Quebec,” said Lambropoulos. “Supporting this Shield of Athena project is a concrete example of our commitment. I’m proud of our participation in this important project which will make a real difference in the lives of women and their children living in extreme vulnerability.”
Construction begins on 31 new social and affordable housing units in Vimont
Habitation Palerme will house individuals, seniors and persons with physical disabilities
Officials from the federal, provincial and municipal governments as well as from Laval’s housing authority recently marked the start of a new social housing project in Laval that will be providing more than 30 social and affordable housing units to individuals, independent senior citizens and people living with physical disabilities.
Located on rue de Palerme in Laval’s Vimont district, Habitation Palerme will include a total of 31 new housing units at a cost of just over $14 million.
An official ground turning took place on February 20, with Alfred-Pellan MP Angelo Iacono, Vimont MNA Valérie Schmaltz, Laval city councillors Nicolas Borne and Sandra El-Helou, and interim general manager of the Corporation d’habitation Laval David Bélanger doing the honors.
Three-way financing
For its part, Ottawa is contributing more than $6.3 million to the project through the third Canada-Quebec Rapid Housing Initiative Agreement. Quebec is contributing more than $6 million through the Société d’habitation du Québec (SHQ). And the City of Laval is investing more than $1.7 million in the project.
“Laval is experiencing strong growth in the housing sector and we want everyone to benefit from it,” Mayor Stéphane Boyer (who was not among the guests) said in a statement.
“We are actively working to accelerate projects like Habitation Palerme so that the city’s growth will concretely result in accessible and inclusive living environments for those who need it most,” Boyer added. “Laval must remain an affordable city for our entire community.”
“The Habitation Palerme project, through the revitalization of a high-potential site in Vimont, will make 31 social housing units available to a vulnerable clientele,” said City Councillor for Laval-les-Îles Nicholas Borne, who is vice-chair of the board of directors of the Corporation d’habitation Laval.
Social housing with adapted units
“This building will also include adapted units to increase the supply of social housing for people with reduced mobility,” he continued. “We are therefore convinced that this project will support the Laval community by helping to develop new non-market housing in the city.
“Through Habitation Palerme, we are building a sustainable and promising partnership with a Laval community organization working with homeless people to mitigate the effects of the housing crisis on the most vulnerable populations,” said Borne.
“Our government is tackling the housing crisis by investing in all types of housing in Laval and across Canada,” said Liberal MP for Alfred-Pellan Angelo Iacono. “The construction of Habitation Palerme is a big step forward for the Laval community, as these units provide quality of life and residential stability to the most vulnerable people in the riding of Alfred-Pellan,” he added.
Making a difference
“Today, we are marking the start of work that will make a concrete difference in the lives of the residents of the riding of Vimont,” said Valérie Schmaltz, the Coalition Avenir Québec MNA for Vimont.
“This project is more than just jobs,” she continued. “It’s a commitment to our community, an investment in our collective future and proof that when we work together, we can build safer and more accessible living environments for everyone.”
“I’m proud to see this major project get under way in our beautiful region of Laval,” Christopher Skeete, the CAQ Minister Responsible for the Laval Region, said in a statement.
“It demonstrates our commitment to providing safe and adapted living environments for various client groups,” he added. “Our government is taking action to provide Laval residents with environments that are in keeping with their expectations, by prioritizing their well-being and independence.”
Solutions to housing challenges
“Our government is committed to helping communities develop local solutions to housing challenges,” Gregor Robertson, Minister of Housing and Infrastructure in the federal cabinet, said in a statement.
“Today’s announcement shows what can be done when governments and municipalities work together. It’s also another step in our bold and ambitious plan to build a strong Canada,” he added.
“This is a wonderful and concrete example of our government’s efforts to ensure that Quebecers can enjoy a quality living environment,” Caroline Proulx, Quebec Minister Responsible for Housing and Minister Responsible for the Status of Women, also said in a statement furnished by her ministry.
“We continue to support initiatives that strengthen the housing supply and support our communities,” said Proulx. “This is proof once again that our investments benefit all regions of Quebec and all those seeking social or affordable housing.”
