Front page of the North Shore News Volume 16-08, published April 17th, 2020.
Click on the image to read the paper.
North Shore News Volume 16-08
The City of Sainte-Thérèse begins spring cleaning
The Department of Public Works, Parks and Buildings of the City of Sainte-Thérèse has started the usual spring cleaning on its territory. In the particular context of the pandemic, the operation of a few weeks could however extend over a longer period this year.
The activities that will be carried out by the teams include, among other things, sweeping the streets and medians, cleaning the Village and plugging potholes. The rink strips will be removed as soon as the weather permits, but the play areas of all the parks are closed until further notice.
Beware of fraudulent N95 respirators
Health Canada is warning Canadians about the risks of using fraudulent and unauthorized N95 respirators, as they may not protect consumers against COVID-19. Health Canada has received reports that fraudulent and uncertified N95 respirators that falsely claim to protect consumers against COVID-19 are being illegally sold to consumers online and in some stores.
Check whether your N95 respirator has been certified by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH). In Canada, N95 respirators are regulated by Health Canada as Class I medical devices and are manufactured or imported by companies that hold a Medical Device Establishment Licence. They are also certified by the U.S. National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH).
Fraudulent or unauthorized N95 masks may not meet the same performance measures required by the NIOSH N95 standard and, as a result, may not properly protect consumers from COVID-19. When worn properly, NIOSH‑certified N95 respirators are designed to secure a close facial fit and reduce the risk of inhaling hazardous airborne particles and aerosols. It is illegal to sell or advertise health products that make false or misleading claims. The Department takes this issue seriously and will use all available tools to stop these activities.
Thérèse-De Blainville police launches Operation Neighborhood Awareness
The police of Thérèse-De Blainville is trying to enforce the Quebec government rules for social distancing by announcing a new initiative urging the population to be vigilant and kind by paying attention to their surroundings and their neighbors.
The current situation of isolation and confinement due to the Covid-19 makes violence more difficult to see, but it is more present than ever for the people who suffer it. Operation Neighborhood Awareness advocates social responsibility through citizen vigilance.
Citizens are urged to report any concerns of theirs that have to do with a situation that they became aware of that involves physical, psychological abuse or neglect. Posters of this project have been placed in the main food stores as well as pharmacies in the area.
Witnesses of such situations are asked to call 911 for emergency situations or in other cases 450-435-2421 ext. 0
North Shore recap April 12 2020
A summary of North Shore News according to each city Hall:
Rosemere
With the Easter break about to begin, the Town would like to remind citizens of the importance of respecting social distancing guidelines. Although Easter is usually an opportunity to reunite with family and loved ones, it is essential for residents to maintain the measures in order to avoid the spread of the virus. Thanks to technology, people will still be able to share beautiful moments with their loved ones! The city asks not to hesitate to use platforms such as Zoom, FaceTime and Skype to celebrate Easter… virtually!
Sainte Thérèse
Following the operations which took place during the night of March 29 to 30 in a sector of the city bordered by the Rivière aux Chiens, the City of Sainte Thérèse maintains the critical situation status regarding the possibilities of flooding of the river until further notice.
This means that citizens who have already installed sandbags must maintain these protective measures until the critical situation status is lifted. No houses were flooded, no streets were blocked, and the City continued to monitor the level of the river closely. The teams remain ready to intervene if necessary.
Boisbriand
In order to limit the spread of the virus, the City of Boisbriand takes the situation very seriously and complies with the recommendations issued by the Government of Quebec.
Despite the closure of municipal buildings, several employees telework and are able to respond to citizens’ requests by telephone (voice mail – reminders made regularly) or online. In light of the current circumstances, note that the response time may be longer than usual.
The website will be updated as the situation evolves. The city asks the residents to consult it frequently.
Deux-Montagnes
LET’S BUY LOCAL! THE CITY PUBLISHES THE LIST OF OPEN LOCAL MERCHANT’S STORES
The City of Deux-Montagnes encourages its citizens to show solidarity with local merchants and publishes on its website a list of groceries, pharmacies, restaurants and other open businesses: https://bit.ly/3c5rnlj
Merchants:who want their store on the list or have any correstions of published information are asked to email communications@ville.deux-montagnes.qc.ca. Deux-Montagnes merchants open in this time of crisis are also invited to register their business with Le Panier Bleu, an initiative of the provincial government to support the local economy: https://lepanierbleu.ca/
Blainville
The skateparks, located in the parks of Bolivars, Fontainebleau and Maurice-Tessier, are now closed until further notice. The City also closes all of its sports facilities: soccer, baseball, basketball, tennis, pickelball, etc. until further notice.
The parks remain open, but gatherings are prohibited there. A minimum distance of two meters is to be respected between people not living under the same roof. The City asks citizens to avoid play modules since they are not disinfected. Anyone who does not follow the instructions can be fined from $ 1,000 to $ 6,000.
Saint-Eustache
The Saint-Eustache City Police Service is counting on your cooperation so as not to clog up the telephone lines of the 9-1-1 emergency center for any questions concerning the Covid-19.
The Police Service has written a Frequently Asked Questions in connection with COVID-19 in order to better answer your questions. Do not hesitate to do your own research before contacting your emergency services. All together, it’s going to be fine!
The SWLSB learning backpack-Edu Tech to the rescue
Dimitris Ilias
It did not take long really. The Sir Wilfrid Laurier School Board following the closure of all its schools to avoid the spread of Covid-19 sprung into action to keep its students educated, motivated, occupied and entertained during these difficult times. Led by Geoffrey Hipps, the SWLSB Pedagogical services worked for a week to create the first version of an online learning hub for the students of the entire board. After the learning backpack was launched, having a better understanding of the situation and the needs, the site was revised for week 2 and will continue to be updated on a weekly basis.
The hand-picked resources curated by the Pedagogical Services Department team to support the learners and their families include many features such as “Weekly activities’ for every level, several subject based resource pages, family support page for the parents, specialist support pages and a SWLSB PreK/K Transitions website.
This was a school board initiative. The activities housed on the site however should not be considered a program. The pedagogical services simply provided the parents, or anyone else wishing to access the site, because it is open to all, a variety of activities that their children can experience. The department has also offered a suggested schedule should they wish to follow.
The Learning Backpack is completely optional and the Pedagogical Services worked extra hard to create it being conscious of the fact that parents are not teachers. Several criteria were followed when choosing activities for the site for example: it should be easily understood by parents, where possible, a child should be able to navigate autonomously, and it should be engaging.
Pedagogical Services focused on helping the parents keep their children, students, engaged in productive learning activities. The current directive from the Ministère de l’Éducation et de l’Enseignement Supérieur, is that students should be engaged in activities that will help consolidate the learning that took place up to the closure of the schools. Pedagogical Services are in close contact with the MEES and will follow their directives as they move through this crisis.
Finally, Pedagogical Services informed us that they do not foresee the necessity of maintaining the Learning Backpack when the schools open.
North Shore News Volume 16-07
Front page of the North Shore News Volume 16-07, published April 3, 2020.
Click on the image to read the paper.
Two COVID-19 evaluation clinics in the Laurentians
2 clinics testing for COVID-19 in the Laurentians
In an effort to better serve residents of the Laurentians and avoid crowding at the hospitals, the Minister of Health and Social Services has given approval for two designated evaluation Clinics in the Laurentians. These clinics, available by appointment only, will provide medical consultation to people presenting flu-like symptoms, symptoms of gastroenteritis or COVID-19-like symptoms. It will also be possible to get a COVID-19 screening test at the same place.
The first one will be in the Lower Laurentians and the other in the region’s centre.
The procedure for making an appointment is the same as for screening tests: patients must call the hotline at 1-877-644-4545. A nurse will refer them to the service they require. It will also be possible to get a medical consultation by referral from a doctor or pediatrician. The clinics are open 7 days a week from 8:00 am to 8:00 pm.
There will be strict safety measures to protect patients as well as healthcare workers. Residents must come to the clinic alone to limit the risk of contamination. The designated COVID-19 evaluation clinics are intended as a complementary measure for non-critical cases requiring care. They are designed to support the hospitals, family medicine clinics and public health teams. Opening these clinics will help avoid overcrowding of emergency rooms and lower the number of people going to medical clinics.
Business community initiative to support local businesses in Thérèse-De Blainville
The economic players of the MRC De Thérèse-De Blainville are joining forces to better help local businesses and ensure economic continuity. The effort manifests itself with the creation of a committee, a facebook group and the mailing of a survey.
Economic continuity committee: The economic continuity committee provides an opportunity to discuss the various issues related to the current crisis and also to have a clear picture of the economic situation with the aim of establishing a realistic action plan so that ” in unison the economic partners can intervene to ensure continuity in economic development and ultimately see together to plan a future revival
Creation of a Facebook group: The Facebook group business community in action, brings together the business community , managers, entrepreneurs and economic partners of the territory of the MRC of Thérèse-De Blainville in order to offer a common place of exchange and information in order to better equip our businesses and thus contribute together to economic continuity. Managers and entrepreneurs can ask their questions to the various stakeholders, share their concerns and stay informed of local measures by joining this group led by the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of Thérèse- De Blainville (CCITB) in partnership with the MRC Thérèse -From Blainville and all the economic players in the community: federal and provincial deputies, AGAB, CORDEV, the Ministry of Economy and Innovation, Investissement Québec, Services Québec and the Business Development Bank of Canada (BDC).
Survey on the impacts of COVID-19 on a business: A survey will be sent to businesses in the region. This survey will assess the current situation of businesses, better understand their issues and ensure effective monitoring in order to deploy assistance measures for entrepreneurs in the territory in the most concrete and rapid manner possible.
Antiseptic gel à la CISSS
At a time when more and more countries around the world are forced to rely on their own means to produce much needed front-line protective materials, the clinical pharmacy department of the CISSS des Laurentides will also produce its own brand of antiseptic gel to fill its growing need.
The initiative belongs to its clinical pharmacy department, the Centre intégré de santé et de services sociaux (CISSS) des Laurentides after seeing the demand of large quantities of this solution in daily use for cleaning the hands of health and social service workers. The gel is is also available at the entrances of CISSS facilities for members of the public requiring services. The hydroalcoholic gel is an essential product for the prevention of infections, which is more important than ever in this pandemic.
The many elements required to prepare this solution are already in stock at the CISSS des Laurentides. Thus, the clinical pharmacy department hopes to help cover part of the current need for this product that so essential to providing well-functioning services.
For Rosemonde Landry, president and director general of the CISSS des Laurentides, this initiative fills a great need. “This product will be made directly in our pharmacy departments, according to strict rules of hygiene and supervised by our professionals. In addition to healthcare workers, all our teams are putting their shoulders to the wheel to deal with the current pandemic and I am very proud of them,” she said.
