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Urbanistic vision: Deciding Rosemère’s future

Local News

June 28, 2020

Urbanistic vision: Deciding Rosemère’s future

Position of the municipal council in line with aspirations of town’s residents

Dimitris Ilias

How do you design a town’s future look? What does it take to preserve an identity and pass on an urbanistic heritage to the future generations?
One of the key elements of Mayor Westram’s political program before being elected was the Rosemère Urbanistic vision. The necessity came after the realisation that Rosemere lot division and building permit requests were not done based on a clear line of understanding of what was wanted in different areas and were examined on a case to case basis.
A heritage for future generations
“You could have a two-floor duplex being built right by a 1955 bungalow. We wanted to create a vision where you could tell people what type of house suited each area” emphasized mayor Westram. The idea was that rather than looking each individual demand as it came in overall the image was clear and people knew what can or cannot be done. “We wanted to have a heritage for future generations and it is one of our biggest achievements. It took 2.5 years to complete” said Westram.
Public consultations and report
The 10-15-year plan was supported by ten public consultation sessions since 2018, at which nearly 1,700 respondents expressed their views.
One such consultation was a survey for the town’s infrastructure and equipment which was conducted in February 2018 to better understand the expectations and concerns of Rosemère residents. The survey provided an opportunity for 523 respondents to express their views. Of these, 82% agreed that the Town should invest in improving the quality of its infrastructure and facilities, while respecting residents’ ability to pay. Similarly, more than half of the citizens surveyed (55%) indicated that they would accept that the Town implement a major investment plan for the improvement of municipal infrastructure and facilities.
Following the public consultations held on February 19 and 22, the Town of Rosemère released the independent report prepared by Provencher-Roy, a specialized firm that is assisting the Town of Rosemère in this important process. Further to the release of this report, Town Council is also presenting its position paper on all of the public consultations held over the past two years regarding Rosemère’s urbanistic vision. This position, in terms of land-use planning, is in line with the aspirations of residents. The vast majority of the citizens that participated are homeowners (97% compared to 3% of citizens who rent). “Thanks to the commitment of the participants, who have the development of their Town at heart, the steps taken over the past two years have enabled us to establish an urbanistic vision that meets our residents’ needs and reflect their values,” stated Westram.
Town Council’s position will guide its next Master plan and its various bylaws. In other words, this position paper reflects Town Council’s vision for the development of Rosemère’s territory. All future redevelopment and development projects will therefore have to be consistent with this vision.
Golf course
The Town Council, in its urbanistic vision, will make the land on the site of the former Golf course subject to compliance with an overall development plan (ODP). All projects that are in line with this ODP will then be submitted to the residents for approval. In addition, it should be noted that the City will conduct a study on the current environmental potential of the site of the former Golf, as well as a study on its market value. The municipal council wishes, like its fellow citizens, to preserve a threshold of 50%, as a minimum, of the site of the former Golf in green spaces.
Mayor Westram said that the site is already rented every Winter for different activities including cross country skiing and snowshoeing. Right now, the golf course is privately owned and the current owners paid about 20 million dollars to acquire it, planning to develop it fully something that the city did not allow them to do. The mayor had to give a stern warning to the citizens that were trespassing during the summer. “We had people using the golf course like their private property and we had to put an end to that. The area is nor adequately lit, it is dangerous and above all it is illegal” said mayor Westram.
“It was always a dream of mine to have a big community park in the middle of Rosemère but the land is expensive and at the end of the day the citizens will have to agree to use their tax money for a purchase of that magnitude” concluded the mayor.

Rosemère lives green with first forum on the environment

Featured

Dimitris Ilias

June 28, 2020

Rosemère lives green with first forum on the environment

“Our strategic vision of Rosemère, is a proud, green and prosperous town”, said Mayor Westram

Dimitris Ilias

It was a break from the usual bleak covid news. On June 13th about 100 Rosemerites participated in the first Forum on the Environment organized and set up thanks to an initiative of the Town of Rosemère’s Civic Committee on the Environment (CCE). The event focused on themes as varied as an introduction to zero waste, natural environments, biodiversity and drinking water conservation.
Past and future projects
Speaking to mayor Westram, one could feel the pride not only for the towns environmental track record, but also about what has been accomplished and the excitement of things to come. The pandemic also gave people a different appreciation for parks and open spaces urging forward every effort for green development.
Planting trees
One of the biggest projects accomplished was the planting of 600 trees in the back of Sacre Coeur School where Rosemère owns 10 hectares of land. What made this planting particularly significant was the fact that the students and the students of the school were involved increasing awareness for the environment as well as the sense of pride one has when nurturing green life. During the forum, through a video clip, Rosemère resident Michel Leboeuf, a biologist and initiator of the tree-planting project in the Forêt des Frères du Sacré-Coeur, announced that the trees that had been planted a year ago, in the spring of 2019, have a survival rate of over 90%. Through this volunteer planting effort, the Forêt des Frères du Sacré-Coeur, which is a true ecological jewel for the Rosemère community, has doubled in size
Feminine hygiene products
At the opening of the Forum, the CCE had the opportunity to be the first to announce that, starting July 13, Rosemère residents will be able to benefit from a financial assistance program that can cover up to $40 of the cost of purchasing sustainable feminine hygiene products. This announcement is in addition to the range of green grants already in place for Rosemère residents. This perfectly set the stage for the first conference of the day “An Introduction to Zero Waste”, by Cindy Trottier, founder of Circuit Zéro Déchet. At the same time, since June is the month when we celebrate water by raising awareness of this priceless natural resource, Émilie Lapalme-Gendron, a member of the CCE, produced a short video on tips and tricks for better drinking water conservation.
Grants for births
The town also offers grants to encourage residents towards the green life in Rosemère. New parents can apply for a $150 rebate against the purchase of a tree or other type of vegetation (such as a bush or shrub) to plant on their property to commemorate the birth of their child. Rosemere also offers families the possibility of applying for a rebate of up to $150 per eligible child against the purchase of a set of washable baby diapers.
Biodiversity and natural environments
On the subject of biodiversity and natural environments, Anaïs Boutin, Director of Protection and Conservation Programs at Éco-Nature, shared her passion with the audience by informing everyone about the wealth of diversity in the Mille-Îles River and its endangered species. It was then that it was mentioned that the Town of Rosemère, in partnership with Éco-Nature, recently acquired the last private Miller Marsh property in order to preserve the ecological value of this absolutely outstanding natural environment.
The emerald ash borer

The emerald ash borer is a species of metallic wood-boring beetle native to East Asia, including China and the Russian Far East. Most species of North American ash trees are very vulnerable to this beetle, which has killed millions of trees in Canada in forested and urban areas.
No North American natural predators, such as woodpeckers, other insects or parasites have been able to slow the spread of the emerald ash borer or keep trees from being killed by it. Mayor Westram informed us that the first signs of ash tree infestations happened in Rosemere 3 years ago. The sickness has reached its zenith now and the town is cutting down massive numbers of ash trees and replacing them with other species. For Rosemerites that already have ash trees in their properties, the city has a program to help them replace them.

Documentary and survey
In addition, throughout the weekend, the participants had the chance to discover the documentary film Earth: Seen from the Heart with Hubert Reeves—a documentary that takes a look at the Earth and the threats to its biodiversity, but above all provides insight into the interdependence of all living beings.
The town finally, invited the public to complete the Environment Forum appreciation survey. The survey is an important tool for the city to ascertain what topics of interest should be included in the 2021 program. From among the respondents to the survey, the Town will draw a rainwater barrel and two $50 gift certificates redeemable at Éco-Nature to discover the treasures of the Mille-Îles River.

SWLSB back to school September 2020

Local News

Dimitris Ilias

June 28, 2020

Adam Gordon, chairman of the SWLSB Parent’s committee

Dimitris Ilias

It was the biggest school related question in all the parent’s minds during isolation: What will school look like in September? Many scenarios were considered and endless discussions in social media peppered with a lot of angst ruled the electronic fora.

Minister says all go back
On June 16th Education Minister Jean-François Roberge announced that the government’s plan to reopen schools was approved by public health officials given the decline in COVID-19 cases in recent weeks. Roberge said he’s heard from pediatric specialists who say that while the virus is dangerous, not going to school is dangerous, too — for the success rate and for children’s mental health.
Students in preschool up to Grade 9 will be back at their schools and attendance is mandatory. Classes will respect the regular, pre-pandemic ratios, but there will be subgroups of up to six students who will not have to respect the usual two-metre physical-distancing rule.
For students in Secondary IV and V there are 2 options:
Option 1: If it is possible to maintain closed groups of students who stay in their respective classrooms:
100% of students will be returning to class with a standard number of students per group. Staff will move between rooms to teach the various subjects
Option 2: Students will attend school one day out of two. They would have online classes and take-home work to do on the days they aren’t physically at school.

Parents reactions
NSN reached out to Adam Gordon, chairman of the SWLSB Parent’s committee to get a feel of the impact of the Ministry’s announcement on the SWLSB community. “I think that our government went ahead and made announcements early, it is inspiring to see that at least they are trying to communicate early and help set us up for the expectations” said Gordon.
Reactions from the parents are mixed however. “Certainly, the lack of the possibility of an optional return to the classroom is definitely a sticking point” according to Gordon who added that a lot of parents suffer from different medical conditions. They are fearful that their kids might bring the virus home and infect them. This was a choice given to all the parents in May and has been taken away. This kind of choice still exists in Ontario where parents have the option not to send their kids back to school.

Secondary 4 and 5
Another mystery point according to Adam Gordon is the fact that the Sec 4s and 5s are treated differently than the rest of the students. “Knowing that these are such pivotal years in their education, doing ministry examinations, I think there are some who would rather see them spending more time in the classroom, allowing them to complete their education and be ready for those exams”

Still lots to be done
There is no new communication beyond what the government has already stated and a lot of parents are wondering how the bubble of 6 kids-system will work outside the classroom. “How will they handle things like lunch? Will they be able to enforce that kind of social distancing or will it become a free for all?” said Gordon. ECAs (Extra Curricular Activities) are also a significant aspect of Quebec education that has not been addressed. “Not every child is destined to be a lawyer or a doctor or even go to College. In the year 2020 there is zero shame to going to the trades. We need to provide the kids other outlets rather than focus only on the core competencies. For some of them drama, dance, art, music etc are the reasons they come to class and don’t skip or pretend to be sick or invent reasons to not be there” said Adam Gordon.

Warning to the public – Notice not to consume smoked salmon sold by Lester’s Deli

Health

Dimitris Ilias

June 27, 2020

Warning to the public – Notice not to consume smoked salmon sold by Lester’s Deli

The Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food (MAPAQ), in collaboration with the Food Inspection Division of the City of Montreal and the company Lester’s Deli (Lester Delicatessen and smoked meat), located at 1057, rue Bernard Ouest, in Montreal, warns the population not to consume the product indicated in the table below, because it does not include the date “Best Before” which is required.
Product name: “Smoked salmon – smoked salmon”
Format: 225 gr
Target batch (packaging date): Units sold until June 25, 2020
The product which is the subject of this warning was offered for sale until June 25, 2020 inclusive, and only at the establishment designated above. The smoked salmon was sold refrigerated; it was wrapped in a transparent plastic bag with a black background. The product label includes the words “Smoked salmon – Smoked salmon – 225 gr”.
The operator voluntarily recalls the product in question. It has agreed with MAPAQ and the Food Inspection Division of the City of Montreal to disseminate this warning as a precautionary measure. People who have a unit of this product in their possession are advised not to consume it. They must either return it or discard it at the establishment where they purchased it. Even if the product concerned does not show any sign of deterioration or a suspicious odor, consuming it can represent a health risk. It should be noted that no case of illness associated with the consumption of this food has been reported to MAPAQ so far.

North Shore News Volume 16-13

Archives

GBAdmin

June 26, 2020

The current issue of The North Shore News volume 16-13 published June 26th, 2020.
Covering North Shore local news, politics, sports and other newsworthy events.
( CLICK HERE TO READ THE PAPER )

Front page of The North Shore News. — Front page of The North Shore News, June 26th, 2020 issue.

The Town of Rosemère congratulates the 2020 graduates

Local News

Dimitris Ilias

June 25, 2020

The Town of Rosemère congratulates the 2020 graduates

The City of Rosemère congratulates the 2020 graduates

It was certainly not an easy year to celebrate. With covid restrictions still in place a lot of schools had to find creative ways to celebrate their graduations. The city of Rosemère did its part to make those kids feel special!

All Rosemère graduates of 2020 received congratulations from their Town Council through a short video broadcast on the town’s various communication platforms. With a magical background of the pond in Charbonneau Park, the members of Rosemère’s Town Council, accompanied by eight elementary and secondary school graduates, delivered a token of gratitude and pride to all of them, from grade 6 to university graduates! Dressed in a ceremonial robe and topped with a cap, the graduates, accompanied by applause and cries of joy, threw their cap high in the air at the end of the video, as is the tradition at the very end of a graduation ceremony. These ceremonial gestures truly mark the end of an important stage in student life.

« The municipal councillors and I are taking a few moments to highlight the exceptional work, diligence and resilience of all the Rosemère graduates. Graduation is a turning point in the lives of students and considering the exceptional circumstances of the 2020 promotions, we couldn’t stay quiet. We hope that this video will be shared widely to reach all the graduates as they deserve our congratulations », stated Rosemère Mayor Eric Westram.

The City thanked the 8 grads for their contribution to the video: Noah Fournier, Juliette Gingras, Alyssa Marceau, William Monfette, Anthony Napolitano, Gabrielle Rochon, Bronwyn Song and Noah Swaminadan.

Ste Thérèse citizens want financial assistance to replace ash trees

Local News

Dimitris Ilias

June 25, 2020

Ste Thérèse citizens want financial assistance to replace ash trees

Following the news on the numerous ash trees attacked by the emerald ash borer at the Jardin des sources residence in Sainte-Thérèse, more ash trees from another sector of the City, where the development of Havre du ruisseau condominiums is located, are also at risk. North Shore news recently reported on the programs of Ash tree replacements by other cities like Rosemère and the help they provide to their citizens.
The condo association of Havre du ruisseau recently received a formal notice from the City of Sainte-Thérèse, urging them to replace the affected trees, at their expense, within ten days. At $ 150 a tree, the local group “It is starting to get expensive” says it is too much and in collaboration with the owners is asking the City to offer them financial compensation to cut down, collect and replace dead ash trees. Nearly forty are affected while a dozen will have to be cut down.
The «ça commence à faire cher !» association is asking the city of Sainte-Thérèse that the trees are inspected and analysed by city experts in order to be informed which of them should be cut, which can be treated and how the city is planning to help them. Instead they got an ‘arrange yourself!’ notice.
Different cities have different compensation programs to take care of the emerald ash borer problem.
The City of Sainte-Thérèse does not intend to change its way of proceeding, especially when the trees in question present a danger to its population, as are the ash trees attacked by the emerald ash borer. The city maintains that it is the responsibility of the owners to take care not only of the tree cutting but also the replacing of them and no assistance is offered.

North Shore towns celebrate Québec!

Local News

Dimitris Ilias

June 24, 2020

Dimitris Ilias

Despite COVID-19 the North Shore towns celebrated Quebec’s day in their own way on the 23d and 24th of June. Some of the municipalities had cancelled all their outdoor activities whereas others found creative ways to still celebrate.
In St-Eustache online video capsules of artists, patriotic speeches as well as competitions with several prizes constituted the mostly online character that the city chose for celebrations!
In Ste-Therese artists aboard three flatbed trucks crisscrossed the streets of Sainte-Thérèse to offer colorful musical performances featuring Quebecois and folk songs. This type of event was also a first in Sainte-Thérèse. Citizens who were visited by the parade were encouraged to go out on their balcony or on their property to enjoy the show. They were also invited to decorate their residence and dress in the colors of the National Day to be part of the party!
In Boisbriand the national holiday was indeed celebrated on June 23. Despite the exceptional context surrounding COVID-19, citizens were invited to celebrate Quebec by enjoying the entertainment that roamed the streets. “Let yourself be surprised by itinerant and joyful entertainment that will delight the whole family. Since we could not hold the national holiday show due to the pandemic, we decided to innovate. If people can’t get to the show, then the show will get to them, ”said Mayor Marlene Cordato.
Buskers, DJs and entertainment vehicles roamed the streets the city from the start of the evening. Respecting the physical distance, people are invited to enjoy the National Day COVID-19 version of their lawn, their balcony or their windows. Unfortunately, a strong thunderstorm prevented some of those events to take place. The city had to cancel them for safety reasons

Fireworks and outdoor fires forbidden
Given the weather conditions, the Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks, in collaboration with the Society for the Protection of Forests Against Fire (SOPFEU), prohibited open fires in or near the forest in several regions of Quebec until further notice.
The MRC Thérèse-De Blainville, was affected by this measure. Campfires, fireworks, sparks and flying lanterns are therefore currently prohibited. Only fires in spark arrester installations on clay or gravel ground are permitted. Currently, 11 fires are active in Quebec. The authorities asked for everyone’s essential collaboration if the ban on open fires in or near the forest is to be respected. The purpose of this measure is to limit the risk of forest fire.

Notice to former Air Pro Solution customers

Local News

Dimitris Ilias

June 23, 2020

Notice to former Air Pro Solution customers

The Office de la protection du consommateur advises consumers who have done business with Air Pro Solution (9167-0430 Québec inc.) that they may be entitled to a reimbursement for the claims they would have to assert against this itinerant merchant, who ceased operations in November 2019.
The company specializing in heating and air conditioning was located at 1919 boul. Lionel-Bertrand, office 201, in Boisbriand. As required by the Consumer Protection Act, it held an itinerant merchant’s permit from the Office and had provided the security required under the law. This sum could be used to compensate consumers who have a claim against it.
Consumers who have concluded a traveling sales contract with Air Pro Solution or Auraclima and who believe they have a reason for complaint against this merchant are invited to consult the Office’s website, in the section Indemnification. They will find the documents they need to apply.
About itinerant commerces
By law, an itinerant merchant is a merchant who, other than at his establishment, attempts to conclude or conclude a contract with a consumer. Any merchant who conducts itinerant trade in Quebec must hold a permit issued by the Office de la protection du consommateur. This permit and the accompanying bond provide consumers with financial protection in the event of non-performance of the contract, bankruptcy or closure of the business.

CCITB – Pas de Gala – All Winners!

Local News

Dimitris Ilias

June 23, 2020

“The Pas de Gala – All winners! Is the Chamber of commerce and industry of Thérèse-De Blainville’s way of recognizing the exceptional work of businesses and organizations in the region who, despite the current situation, have shown resilience and innovation.
Here are the 16 companies in the region that have shown resilience and innovation in recent weeks and that have quickly adapted to the new situation created by the covid-19 pandemic: