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STL drivers working under pressure

Renata Isopo
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STL drivers working under pressure

STL whistleblower: Drivers have horrendous working conditions laced with abusive treatment and unbearable harassment by supervisors

STL and City officials: This is nonsense

Undoubtedly, urban bus drivers, including STL ones, confront some of the most demanding, stressful, and unhealthy conditions in the labour force, precipitating higher rates of mortality and morbidity, excessive absenteeism, and much[1]too-rapid turnover.

The daily grind of the work engenders emotional on-the-job exhaustion, which negatively impacts job-and-life-satisfaction, commitment-to-service-excellence, and mental health needed to perform competently, shift[1]upon-shift, day-after-day, week-after-week, year-in-year-out.

Echoes of stress

A veteran STL driver, speaking personally and for others, cited countless stressors of unreasonable-job-demands and lack-of-organ[1]izational-support, fuelling emotional fatigue. Psychologically harassed by STL supervisors, drivers regularly suffer loss of well-being.

“Bus drivers work under the most demand[1]ing, stressful, and unhealthy conditions,” the STL driver told The Laval News, under cover of anonymity for fear of disciplinary reprisals, sounding the alarm, adding that there have been three suicides within the last 2-5 years.

“Bus drivers encounter considerable occupa[1]tional hazards – traffic congestion, conflicts with passengers, rotating-shift-schedules, poor cabin ergonomics, and tight schedules. The work environment and job characteris[1]tics make drivers vulnerable to specific health problems, forcing early retirement traced to disability. Not only do they have to drive safely, they must simultaneously deliver satis[1]factory-customer-service, balance passen[1]ger-and-management requests, and strictly follow the rules-of-the-road. Hence, these heavy work-related expectations and requirements lead to burnout in too many cases…

“We stay because we need to put bread on the table, but the atmosphere is oppressive, toxic,” the driver summed up, adding that job-demands exceed the worker’s resources to cope with depersonalization, detachment from others, indifference-to-the-work, and reduced-professional-efficacy.

“Supervisors frequently evaluate our efforts in negative ways, power-playing to score points with management. Suspensions-without[1]pay come along with their negative wrongful reporting. It’s all one-sided,” The Laval News was told in an extensive telephone interview.

“Sadly, there’s “la culture du silence” within management; complaints are covered up.”

More support needed

Long hours and split-shift-work-schedules throw drivers into remote-working environ[1]ments and limited interaction with co-workers. It’s difficult for drivers to fulfill family roles, creating potential conflict between work and home. There must be more supportive job resources.

Management has to be more vigilant and proactive in providing physical and psycho[1]logical support, to help drivers achieve work goals, foster personal growth and develop[1]ment, and accordingly eliminate the negative physiological and psychological influences of job demands.

This, apparently, is not part of the STL’s mantra. “It appears that the corporation is not concerned or they don’t care,” said the driver. “The supervisors intimidate and harass us and should not hold those positions. One in particular should be fired if not in jail for maltreatment towards us. It is recommended to positively and fairly evaluate additional roles apart from safe-driving that drivers have to perform – ticket-checking, greeting passengers, or monitoring on-board-situations.”

Thus, according to the driver, the role of job resources in mitigating driver-burnout has been neglected, contributing to the drivers’ job-strain and associated outcomes such as the recent daycare tragedy. A driver’s job is crucial to overall life-satisfac[1]tion. Because work-life occupies most of drivers’ day-time, it implies that improving the work environment will enhance their well-being.

“It’s clear that the STL doesn’t care. It’s unbearable how drivers are treated. There’s no teamwork, no unity,” the anonymous source declared. To the contrary, according to the driver, there’s obstruction by management.

“One particular STL supervisor, who advises, defends, and supports drivers has been told to change reports to incriminate us, but refused. We’re not criminals, but we’re treated as such. A nightmare, enough to become crazy. “STL drivers suffer injustices from their super[1]visors, making them sad and depressed. Our spirit is destroyed,” the driver concluded.

Action Laval city councillor for Saint-Bruno David De Cotis.

A tragedy waiting to happen

“That driver had a very difficult route, 151. He’s also a victim. Was fine before going to work, no sign of anything. He was kind, respectful, married, two children, biked to work so that his wife could have the car. I guess he cracked,” stated his colleague.

According to David De Cotis, current Laval city coun[1]cillor and former president of the STL Board of Directors, 2014-2017, told The Laval News that it was affirmed by colleagues that the driver looked and behaved very normal before he left for his shift. No sign of distress.

“The driver didn’t become that way overnight. We need to know what provoked him. That’s still under investigation, we have no answers yet. And there are other negative aspects to the job, such as STL supervisors harassing bus drivers.” From the sentiments expressed by the anonymous source, it’s clear that the STL must take stock of the drivers’ perception of whether the bus company is concerned about them and cares about their welfare.

Closer attention must be paid to the concerns of these men and women whose rights as driv[1]ers, mothers and fathers, husbands and wives deserve respect; promoting these rights will produce beneficial effects in lessening emotional exhaustion and psychological break-down. Management must understand that drivers suffering higher levels of emotional exhaus[1]tion due to elevated in-job-demands will exhibit lower productivity and experience health-threatening psychological and physical discomfort.

Asked for comment by The Laval News on this real or imagined STL crisis, former STL President David De Cotis stated that there’s no accountability at the STL, there’s just a hiring spree in the offices wasting loads of money.

“They should be giving service to people getting on buses, more frequency of buses, more focus on transportation for students who work weekends. Focusing on electrical buses that are environmentally friendly won’t put more people on buses. STL looks for awards, for example, an innovative website. These awards won’t help people on the ground. More to the point – all this is done to the exclusion of caring for the needs of the central element in the process – the drivers.”

STL Union position

Bus in Laval Qc.

For his part, STL Union head Patrick Lafleur spared no words, about 6 months ago, in July of 2022, when he sounded the alarm about problems at the STL, exhorting elected officials to show that they really believe in the importance of public transit in Laval. “Investing in public transportation also means investing in its employees,” he stated.

De Cotis agreed. “The STL does not have a full-time psychologist for employees to seek help if in need.” I believe the STL should have psych[1]ological testing every 3-6 months and every driver should be evaluated. Anyone working on the front lines – drivers, police, fireman, etc. should be subject to mandatory psychological testing.” De Cotis said he intends to propose this at City Council in April.

City of Laval and STL position

What of the management’s point of view? “We listen to all employees and the working climate is important to us at the STL,” president Jocelyne Frederic-Gauthier told The Laval News, speaking through spokesperson Estelle Lacroix. “We are always open to hear[1]ing from employees, who would like to share their dissatis[1]faction with us, and we invite them to discuss this with their manager.”

Ville de Laval actively contributes to the public transit budget in Laval, mayor Boyer’s office told The Laval News. “However, the transfer is made through the Regional Metropolitan Transport Authority (ARTM). It is therefore not a direct transfer to the Transit Company. What we can tell you is that in 2023, the City of Laval paid $99,523,700 to the ARTM.”

Mayor Stéphane Boyer.

Asked if there had been any complaints about a negative atmosphere in the STL, from the drivers especially? “No complaint of this type came to our ears. However, this question should be asked of the STL to have a convincing overview of the situation.”

Specifically, have you had complaints that drivers are treated poorly by supervisors? – to which the identical answer was given. Will the mayor put in place a full[1]time psychologist, a matter of mental health?

“The mayor has mentioned on several occasions that he will ensure that all employees in need of psychological support following the tragedy at Sainte-Rose daycare will be able to benefit from it.

It should be noted, however, that it is not the mayor who sets up such a service and that the terms and conditions may vary, but the administration’s wish is clear: to take care of those who have been affected by the tragedy,” The Laval News was told.

Task Force on Linguistic Policy hopes to raise $100K for Bill 96 challenge

Martin C. Barry
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Task Force on Linguistic Policy hopes to raise $100K for Bill 96 challenge

Online info session on new Quebec language law on Wednesday March 8

The Task Force on Linguistic Policy is facing a challenge meeting a fundraising goal to contest Quebec’s Bill 96 in the Supreme Court of Canada, but hopes to make up the difference through new pledges.

“It’s been somewhat disappointing – we haven’t gotten the kind of response that we would have liked to have seen,” says Andrew Caddell, president of the task force.

The TFLP was set up in 2021 by a group of English-speaking Quebecers in response to the CAQ government’s Bill 96 and Bill C-13, the federal government’s revision of the Official Languages Act.

Bill C-13 by spring

Task Force on Linguistic Policy president Andrew Caddell says court challenges of Bill 96 “will be a long and fairly drawn-out battle.”

Bill 96 was passed into law by the Quebec National Assembly in June 2022, while it is expected Bill C-13 could be passed by the House of Commons in Ottawa by this spring. The TFLP hopes to represent English-speaking Quebecers who stand to be impacted by Bill 96, including:

General plaintiffs acting as public interest litigants on a constitutional question; businesspeople or corporations whose business and commercial affairs will be affected by Bill 96 and don’t have the capacity to comply with the new requirements for francization; businesses whose internal documents and software only use English and who would be liable to arbitrary search and seizure by the Office Québécois de la langue française.

The task force has chosen the Bergman law firm to act as its litigation counsel. The plan is to file a comprehensive lawsuit against Bill 96 in its entirety.

$100K needed, says Caddell

“We’re raised about $20,000 – which isn’t bad,” says Caddell. “But we need to raise about $100,000. And the only way we’re going to get that is if people understand that, you know, we can win. But this will be a long and fairly drawn-out battle.”

Among the Bill 96 cases the Task Force plans to contest before the courts, according to Caddell, are ones involving students impacted by new French language requirements at CEGEPS, recently-arrived Canadians who won’t be allowed to be served in English after six months, and people who do not have historic-Anglophone status, who won’t be entitled to service in English beginning in June, because even though they use English as their most frequently spoken language, their mother tongue is not English.

Preparation needed

Regarding the fundraising shortfall, Caddell said, “We’re really, really reaching out to say look, if we’re going to fight this law, which is going to explode on the English-speaking population of Quebec as of June 1, we have to be prepared for it, we have to be able to go to court.

“And although the notwithstanding clause is wrapped around this bill – well it is and it isn’t – the notwithstanding clause applies to only certain parts of the charter, it doesn’t apply to other parts of the charter or the constitution.” He maintains it only applies to sections 2 and sections 7 to 15 in the Canadian charter.

The rule of law

“So, for example, the right to have laws or information from the courts or from government provided to you in English, that’s in the constitution, that’s section 133. And therefore, that should be maintained. But this government doesn’t seem to think that the Canadian constitution either is worth much or exists, so we have to remind them of that.”

While Bill 96 was enacted by the National Assembly last year, provisions of the legislation are only being implemented gradually. “The way that the law was built was that there were certain parts of it which were going to come into effect on certain dates,” says Caddell.

‘this government doesn’t seem to think that the Canadian constitution either is worth much or exists’

“The law was passed a year ago, so that there are a couple of sections in the bill which say these sections will come into effect on a certain date within one year or two years of the passage of the signing into law of the bill.

Bill 96 info session March 8

“And in the meantime, public servants are drawing up regulations that will flow from those sections of the law. We don’t actually know what those regulations are going to be, because they won’t be published until such time as the new sections of the law will come into effect.”

Task force organizers will be holding an online legal info session on the Bill 96 issue with Bergman law firm associates on Wednesday March 8 from 7:30 to 9 pm. Registering for the event can be done on the the TFLP’s home page (https://protectourrights.ca).

Laval News Volume 31-05

Laval News Staff
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Laval News Volume 31-05

The current issue of the Laval News, volume 31-05, published on March 8th, 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, March 8th, 2023 issue.

Heavy snowfall expected on Tuesday

Martin C. Barry
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Heavy snowfall expected on Tuesday

Environment Canada issued a snowfall warning late Monday morning, indicating that a snowfall with an accumulation of 15 to 20 centimeters is expected in Laval and a wide area east and west of the Montreal region on Tuesday.

According to the federal weather service, snow will develop Tuesday morning and will persist through the evening.

There may be a significant impact on rush hour traffic in urban areas.

The agency suggests motorists should be prepared to adjust their driving with expected changing road conditions.

STL daycare crash driver deemed fit for trial

Martin C. Barry
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STL daycare crash driver deemed fit for trial

The driver of a Société de transport de Laval bus who is charged with the murder of two children killed in a crash at a Sainte-Rose daycare centre has been deemed fit to stand trial, while also being ordered to undergo a psychiatric evaluation again.

An aerial view of the incident on the morning of Wednesday Feb. 8. (Screenshot courtesy of Nouvelles TVA)

A lawyer for Pierre Ny-St-Amand, Julien Lespérance Hudon, told the judge during a hearing at the Palais de Justice de Laval on Friday that his client is lucid enough to follow court proceedings and to assist with his own defence.

However, the lawyer also asked the judge to order that St-Amand be made to undergo a second mental evaluation – this time to determine whether he was criminally responsible for the actions leading to the charges he now faces.

In addition to two counts of first-degree homicide, St-Amand is also charged with attempted homicide and assault related to the crash on the morning of Feb. 8.

Man in hospital after being shot at Laval restaurant

Martin C. Barry
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Man in hospital after being shot at Laval restaurant

A man was in hospital late last week after he was gunned down in a restaurant in Laval.

The Laval Police Dept. said the shooting occurred around 7 p.m. on Thursday evening last week at an establishment on Dagenais Blvd.

According to a police incident report, a suspect entered the restaurant, walked towards the victim and fired several times, after which the suspect fled.

The victim, a man in his 40s, was taken to hospital. Police said they didn’t fear for his life. There have been no arrests, but an investigation is underway.

LPD investigates after construction worker dies after six-storey plunge

The Laval Police Dept. is investigating after a 41-year-old man fell six-storeys to his death last week while working at a construction site in Fabreville.

A 9-1-1 call was received by the LPD reporting the fall from a condo building under construction at 3480 St-Elzéar Blvd. Ouest. When officers arrived, they attempted but were unable to revive the man and he was declared dead at the scene.

An LPD spokesperson said police were investigating to learn more about the circumstances leading up to the fall and to determine whether any criminal elements were involved. The Quebec coroner’s office and the CNESST have also been looking into the incident.

A work stoppage was ordered on both the sixth and seventh floors of the building for two days after the incident. The deceased worker was an employee of Cordero Construction and the building contractor is EMD Batimo.

Five-month-old baby found dead in Chomedey

Although criminal charges have been ruled out, a coroner’s inquest has been ordered after a baby just five months old was found unconscious in an apartment in Chomedey last week.

The Laval Police received a 9-1-1 call about the unconscious baby at a residence on Saint-Elzéar Blvd. West.

Although LPD officers immediately tried to revive the child themselves, the infant was transported by ambulance to hospital where its death was declared by medical personnel.

According to at least one media report, the death has been attributed to a medical issue and the child’s state of health. The parents were on the scene and followed the ambulance to hospital.

SWLF’s first annual ‘Valentine’s Gala’ raises $15,000 for SWLSB schools

Martin C. Barry
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SWLF’s first annual ‘Valentine’s Gala’ raises $15,000 for SWLSB schools

More than 130 guests partied the night away at the Château Royal in Chomedey

The Sir Wilfrid Laurier Foundation’s first annual Valentine’s Gala, which drew 135 guests to the Château Royal congress centre in Chomedey on Feb. 9, raised $15,000 for additional educational resources at schools operated by the Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board.

The Masters of Ceremonies for the evening were SWLSB chairman Paolo Galati and SWLF president Archie Cifelli. The evening’s featured musical guest performers were the Soul Station Orchestra.

Great prizes!

There were also some great door prizes, and members of the SWLF board of directors and volunteers went around from table to table to sell tickets at three for $20 or an arm’s length for $50.

Sir Wilfrid Laurier Foundation president Archie Cifelli (left) and Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board chairman Paolo Galati were Masters of Ceremonies for the SWLF’s first annual Valentine’s Gala held at the Château Royal congress centre on the evening of Feb. 9.

The list of prizes included a gift certificate from Polar Bear’s SPA, an air fryer machine, restaurant gift certificates, jewelry, a DeWalt wet/dry vacuum, a portable car vacuum, solar walkway lights, a Cuisinart mixer, and a loge for six for the Laval Rocket courtesy of Groupe Montoni.

$1,000 shopping spree

In addition to these prizes, the grand prize was a $1,000 shopping spree at any of the Montreal-area Cadillac-Fairview (CF) malls. This was available only by buying “pink envelopes” for sale at $20 each. In other words, when they were sold out you were out of luck.

Among the guests was Laval city councillor for Laval-Les Îles Nicolas Borne who was representing Mayor Stéphane Boyer, along with several other members of Laval city council. Also supporting the cause were Fabre MNA Alice Abou-Khalil, and school centre colleagues from the Centre de service scolaire de Laval.

$1 million since 2004

Since its creation in 2004, over $1 million dollars has been raised for the SWLSB, of which more than $950,000 has been given to the schools, educational centres and students. This year, the monies raised will help SWLSB schools purchase sensory equipment for classrooms and for sensory rooms.

Sensory equipment is useful for students of all ages. This highly in-demand equipment enhances students’ learning experience by engaging multiple senses, providing alternative ways to access and engage with information, and supporting students’ strengths and needs. The use of sensory equipment in classrooms has been shown to improve student engagement, motivation, and their feelings of personal accomplishment.

Partners in success

“The Foundation could not be what it is without its important partners and without you,” said Galati. “Each and every one of you in this room contributes to the success of the Sir Wilfrid Laurier Foundation. The foundation is all about kids. Plain and simple. Students are our raison d’être.”

The Sir Wilfrid Laurier Foundation’s first annual Valentine’s Gala featured musical guest performers the Soul Station Orchestra.

Among the businesses which partnered with the SWLF to contribute to the fundraiser’s success were the Caisse Thérèse-de-Blainville, several federal MPs and provincial MNAs, as well as the foundation’s media partners: the Laval News and North Shore News. The SWLF paid homage to past president Christian Fréchette. “Christian, thank you for your vision and for steering the foundation towards that goal of $1 million dollars,” said Cifelli. “Christian has always been a strong advocate for the quality services offered in public English schools.”

School ‘Spring Break’ means lots of activities in Laval

Martin C. Barry
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School ‘Spring Break’ means lots of activities in Laval

The City of Laval is inviting families everywhere on its territory to take advantage of a multitude of special activities made just for children that the municipality will be offering from Feb. 27 to March 3 during the annual Spring Break from school.

As parents everywhere know all too well, Spring Break can be very challenging because of all the spare time their children have on their hands during this week-long break from school.

“We know just how demanding things can become for families during this challenging period of time,” says Renaud city councillor Seta Topouzian who is coordinating some efforts for this dossier.

“But we also know the extent that access to sports and culture are beneficial from the earliest age. This should not become a financial burden, especially in the context of the current economy. We are therefore very proud to ensure access to a diversified range of activities to young people all over Laval.”

The city is extending an open invitation to all Laval families to visit the municipality’s parks, woods, arenas and indoor pools to get physically active and have fun. In some cases, there are prizes to be won in certain parks where snow fort building contests will be taking place.

There will also be free-skate events and open hockey at several municipal arenas. As well, the city’s library branches will be offering more than 50 activities to youths to feed their imaginations, their creativity and their curiosity.

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City appoints a new interim-director general

Members of the City of Laval’s executive-committee recently formalized the appointment of a new interim-director general to replace former director general Jacques Ulysse whose five-year term came to an end.

Ulysse’s temporary replacement, Babak Herischi, has been on the job since Feb. 11. Herischi was the City of Laval’s assistant-director general for infrastructures since 2019.

Regarded as a seasoned administrator and municipal services manager, Herischi has more than 30 years experience in the municipal domain. He has a Bachelor’s degree in business administration from the École des sciences de la gestion at UQAM and completed a number of key projects for the City of Laval.

“With an exceptional record of past experience in workplace administration with prioritization of strategy, he has all my trust to direct the administration during this crucial transition period,” Mayor Stéphane Boyer said in a statement.

According to the city, the process to recruit a new and permanent director general has already begun. The city says the successful candidate will be mandated to implement the strategic vision, Laval 2035, as well as the implementation of the wide range of services provided to the City of Laval’s residents.

Laval files three new legal claims for $9 million

Mayor Stéphane Boyer announced last week that Laval has filed new court claims on money the city alleges was skimmed by crooked contractors working for the municipality during the many years of the Vaillancourt administration.

Some of the claims, according to the mayor, involve questionable land sales, as well as the management of snow dumps. In all, up to six former contractors who had agreements with the City of Laval are being pursued for $9 million alleged to have been stolen from taxpayers.

Since 2013 when the Mouvement lavallois swept into power, replacing former mayor Gilles Vaillancourt’s Parti PRO des Lavallois as the dominant force at Laval city hall, the new administration, first under Mayor Marc Demers followed by Mayor Stéphane Boyer, has managed to claim back $57 million from contractors who were proven to have overcharged or skimmed the city

The city has used the money to establish the Fonds Place-du-Souvenir, a fund that helps provide support for children and teenaged residents from underprivileged families in Laval.

“Corruption and collusion have no place in our society,” said Boyer. “I wish to send this message clearly that our team is still at work. I will be maintaining the same level of pressure with the same sense of urgency to act against these unacceptable practices.”

“The administration of Laval is still actively at work in its ongoing struggle against corruption and states again its determination to be compensated by those persons who took advantage of the people of Lavsal,” added Me Simon Tremblay, head of the City of Laval’s legal affairs department.

Social and affordable housing go up against the ‘perfect storm’

Martin C. Barry
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Social and affordable housing go up against the ‘perfect storm’

‘We need more,’ but we’re building less, Mille-Îles PLQ MNA Dufour warns

Virginie Dufour calls it the “perfect storm.”

According to the Quebec Liberal Party’s critic for Municipal Affairs and Housing, inflation has driven the cost of construction so high, the province can no longer meet previous targets for new social and affordable housing.

But at the same time, there aren’t enough workers to do the job, while there remains a shortage of available properties.

Properties lacking

“The availability rate has never been so low,” the former Laval executive-committee member who now represents Mille-Îles in the National Assembly, said in an interview with the Laval News.

“And because we have an aging population with people who are getting older and cannot pay the rents that we are seeing right now, which are very high, some people simply can’t afford them,” she said.

The number of boarded-over HLMs is increasing because of a lack of investment in renovation, says the PLQ’s municipal affairs and housing critic, Virginie Dufour.

The PLQ, the official opposition in the National Assembly, is calling on the CAQ government to match a renewed commitment last year towards new affordable housing with a dollar-for-dollar commitment towards social housing in Laval and across Quebec in view of a deepening crisis.

Potential housing for 5,000

Dufour notes that currently across Quebec, more than 1,000 previously active low-income housing (HLM) sites have been boarded up or have been vacated.

“By renovating them, we could put a roof over the heads of nearly 5,000 Quebecers,” she said in a recent statement, while adding that certain sums that were set aside as part of a Canada-Quebec agreement on housing should be channeled towards modernizing and renovating currently abandoned HLMs as quickly as possible.

In early October 2020, the federal and provincial governments announced a $3.7 billion 10-year mutual agreement, expiring in March 2028, to “improve” conditions at existing social housing projects in Quebec. Despite this, Fournier maintains some of the fund has remained largely dormant since then.

By renovating low-income apartments, a roof could be put over the heads of nearly 5,000 Quebecers, insists Dufour.

Dollar-for-dollar

“If each dollar invested in the PHAQ [Programme d’habitation abordable Québec] was matched by a dollar from the Accès-Logis program which is currently completely abandoned by the CAQ, we could give an especially strong push to social housing in Quebec,” she said.

In order to provide relief to tenants as well as building owners, the Quebec Liberals have developed a six-point list of recommendations, which includes immediately releasing previously-announced funding so that the boarded-up HLMs can be renovated and made available to needy families.

Dufour noted that at the Val-Martin housing project alone, more than 200 units currently are unoccupied and abandoned. A similar situation prevails a short distance from there at Place Saint-Martin, where boarded-up apartment buildings sit vacant and have become an eyesore.

Estimates have doubled

“Definitely those properties, those units, they should have been renovated a long time ago, but they’re not. It’s not moving because the money’s not there,” said Dufour. “The costs have risen. And so, what was worth maybe $50 million at the time is worth $100 million now. It has increased so much.”

According to Dufour, the impact of inflation on the cost of construction work has been far more severe than the toll it has taken on most other sectors of the economy.

At Place Saint-Martin along Le Corbusier Blvd. in central Laval, boarded-up social housing buildings sit vacant and have become an eyesore. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Newsfirst Multimedia)

“It’s not the same as general inflation,” she said. “It increased a lot more than that. We’re not talking about just eight per cent. And, as you may have noticed, the contracts awarded by the City of Laval has awarded in the last year are a lot more expensive than was estimated four years ago.”

Over the last four years, said Dufour, only 550 units per year of affordable and social housing were created in Quebec, compared to up to 2,000 units per year over the previous decade.

Renovations down

“So, you see, the perfect storm is that we need more, but at the same time we’re building less. And at the same time, our boarded-over HLMs are increasing because of a lack of investment in renovation.”

‘The perfect storm is that we need more, but at the same time we’re building less’

She said that the province’s total inventory of social and affordable housing consists of a percentage of buildings with units that are currently completely boarded over and shut, while others are simply in a deteriorating state although still inhabitable.

“But at some point of we don’t invest in those, they will become unliveable as well and will become barricaded units,” she said. “So, we need the government to put a lot of money. Otherwise, we’re going to end up worse off.”

Inflation’s toll

While Dufour praises the federal government for taking the initiative to commit funds along with Quebec that made new social and affordable housing projects such as the one now underway at Val-Martin possible, she insists they are no longer sufficient given the circumstances of the last three years.

“Here we are in year three, but all the money in the agreement would be insufficient by now for what has to be built or renovated,” she said, maintaining that the original cost estimates didn’t take into account the steep rate of inflation we face now.

Fix it, or we sue!

Martin C. Barry
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Fix it, or we sue!

Chomedey residents warn of lawsuit if snow removal not improved

A small but angry nucleus of residents on Chomedey’s Ridgewood and Korman avenues is threatening to launch a lawsuit against the City of Laval over what they claim are persistent problems with snow removal, which they blame partly on a new sidewalk and street width arrangement they claim is hampering snow equipment.

Seen here last weekend with Chomedey city councillor Aglaia Revelakis, Christofer Vourakis, Sevag Merdinian, Steve Kromidakis and Emmanuel Axais of Ridgewood and Korman avenues say they are fed up with Laval’s snow removal system. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

Narrower streets

According to Christofer Vourakis, a homeowner on Ridgewood, the problems stem from a change the city has been gradually implementing in the width of Chomedey’s residential streets, which were previously nine metres wide with 128-centimetre-width sidewalks.

In many municipalities now, including Laval, when new sidewalks are built, they are often wider in deference to a growing awareness of increased pedestrian traffic as well as wheelchair access, while the streets grow correspondingly narrower, sometimes diminishing the amount of available parking space.

“They shrank our street by a metre and took half our parking away,” said Vourakis, noting that revised snow removal regulations now require cars to be parked on one side whenever snow removal operations have to get underway.

Another lawsuit?

Another Ridgewood homeowner, Sevag Merdinian, has four children and three vehicles. His main complaint: the city doesn’t respect its own snow removal rules, he claims, and doesn’t come to clear the snow at the posted hours, as they are supposed to.

He successfully sued the City of Laval in 2016 over a waterworks repair under the street that damaged his household, and says he is prepared to launch another lawsuit over the snow removal problem. He currently also has submitted a claim to the city for damage to his SUV’s windshield, which he alleges was caused by negligence by snow removal workers.

“I will sue them again, I will mortgage my house and sue them once more or anything that is owed to us,” he said. “I’m ready,” added Vourakis, saying he is willing to join the lawsuit as a co-claimant.

Unscheduled snow ops

They and other residents on Ridgewood maintain that even when the Public Works department places sandwich board signs advising of a snow removal op to take place between certain set hours, snow removal crews turn up unpredictably, demanding cars be moved – failing which they get towed.

Sevag Merdinian, who successfully sued the City of Laval in 2016 over a waterworks repair under the street that damaged his household, has made a claim to the city for damage to his SUV’s windshield, which he alleges was caused by negligence by snow removal workers. (Photo: Martin C. Barry, Laval News)

“They showed up on Feb. 10 at eight in the morning, horns blaring to evacuate the street,” said Vourakis, while claiming that on this particular occasion the crews didn’t even bother putting out sandwich boards.

According to new winter parking rules on Ridgewood, there is no parking on the south and west sides (even-number addresses) from Nov. 15 – Apr. 14 when snow removal ops are scheduled to take place. However, cars can be parked on the north and east sides (even address numbers) when snow removal is underway, but at no other time.

Poorly-cleared sidewalks

With a greater scarcity than before of street parking space, and occasionally arbitrary snow removal requirements that sometimes oblige residents to rise from bed in the middle of the night, he questions the City of Laval’s authority when their workers don’t even seem to respect the posted snow removal rules.

He maintains that the sidewalk snow removal on Ridgewood is so poor, he has no choice but to hire a private contractor to clear the public walkway in front of his home.

And indeed, while the sidewalk in front of his house was pristine last Saturday when the Laval News dropped by, the sidewalks elsewhere on Ridgewood looked like they hadn’t been cleared since a day or two before, following a snow and sleet weather event.

Gear’s got up to the job

The residents claim that the city’s existing sidewalk snow removal equipment has proven to be inadequate to meet the increased demand from the wider pedestrian walkways.

“They can’t push it because there’s so much snow and their wheels slip,” said Emanuel Axais,” a Korman Ave. homeowner. “The machine is too small and can’t clean the widened sidewalks,” added Merdinian.

Local city councillor Aglaia Revelakis maintains the situation would have been much different if the administration had only bothered to conduct consultations of residents locally, rather than implementing a one-size-fits-all plan.

“The citizens of every district, every street, should be consulted,” said Revelakis, who is a member of the Action Laval city council opposition. “Because these are the citizens that live here and know the problems on their streets.”

Warning lights coming

In an interview with the Laval News, Laval city councillor Ray Khalil, who is responsible for public works on the executive-committee, acknowledged that the city may not always get things right, but that “there’s always room for perfection.” He said one of the issues with Chomedey is that it’s a very high density area.

the city will soon start installing a new illuminated snow removal warning system

“In terms of population per kilometre, it’s one of our more dense neighbourhoods, and more dense means more cars. So, obviously the more there are cars, the more there will be times when people are respecting or not respecting the alternate parking when it’s needed, and this slows down things.”

Khalil said the city will soon start installing a new illuminated snow removal warning system, that will ultimately eliminate the need for sandwich board notices, and that it should improve efficiency.

“With the lights, we’re going to be able to be very flexible,” he said. “If we know that there’s a snow coming on Friday, then on Saturday we can turn on the lights and get the job done.”

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