Call for candidates for commissions and committees in Boisbriand
Since the municipal elections are over, many times for a city to function well, just choosing your candidate is not enough. There is always a need for citizens to get more involved.
In Boisbriand, the members of the municipal council invited citizens to sit on the various committees and commissions, adopted last January, in order to make fair and informed choices that meet the residents’ concerns. There exist a multitude of different extremely important committees affecting everyday life in the city presenting citizens with a wonderful opportunity to shape the future of how things are run.
“Boisbriand is constantly evolving and it does so with you! Commissions and committees deal with issues that affect you directly. We want to hear from you in order to offer you a pleasant, safe living environment close to your values! “, said the mayoress Christine Beaudette.
These commissions and committees are made up of elected officials, municipal employees and citizens. Their mandates consist of making recommendations in their sector of activity and submitting them to the Board. The number of meetings varies between six and twelve per year.
The seats to be filled concern the following committees and commissions in the city of Boisbriand: Family and Seniors and Community Life, Committee Civil Security and Fire Service, the Environment Commission, the Commission for a Safe City, the Monitoring Committee for the Cultural Policy Action Plan, and finally, the Advisory Committee for urban planning and toponymy
Citizens can consult boisbriand.ca to find out which profiles they are looking for and to obtain further information. To submit an application, it is necessary to complete the online form no later than March 22. It is also possible to obtain a printed version at the reception of the town hall and at the library.
The current issue of The North Shore News volume 18-08 published March 4th, 2022. Covering North Shore local news, politics, sports and other newsworthy events. (Click HERE to read the paper.)
Front page of The North Shore News, March 4th, 2022 issue.
The City of Blainville’s “Heroes of Evacuation” shortlisted for an Ovation Municipale Merit Award
On February 22, the Union of Quebec Municipalities (UMQ) unveiled the list of 26 finalist projects within the framework of the 2022 edition of the municipal Ovation merit awards. Among these projects, one can find “Heroes of Evacuation” produced by the Fire Department of the City of Blainville, in collaboration with several other departments and the Department of Public Security.
The Fire Safety Department and its partners have proposed an innovative means of educational communication in the form of videos aimed at primary and secondary school students.
In the context of the pandemic and in the impossibility of carrying out evacuation drills in schools, the Fire Safety Department wanted to reach as many students as possible and in 2021 produced a first video aimed at elementary school children. Then, a second video was developed for secondary school students. These videos present the actions to recommend in order to evacuate a school in a safe manner, but also the behaviors to avoid, the various situations that make evacuation complex and the right actions to take. The project has generated such enthusiasm that several municipalities, and even the Quebec Ministry of Public Security, has used it.
Timeless, easily exportable, inexpensive and above all very useful, the two videos have generated more than 40,000 views on social networks alone. The finalist projects will be presented on May 12 and 13 as part of the UMQ 2022 Assises and a jury will determine the winners who will be honored at the May 13 gala which will take place in Quebec City.
After a forced break last year, due to the epidemiological situation, the mayor of Saint-Eustache, Mr. Pierre Charron, the municipal councilor responsible for cultural issues, Mr. Raymond Tessier, as well as Éric Bouchard, owner of Cinéma Saint-Eustache, announced the reopening of Ciné-Eustache for a 5th time.
This activity, for which Eustachian families are showing great interest, will be offered at the Cinéma Saint-Eustache in the morning during spring break, from February 28 to March 4, 2022. Eustachian children and their parents or grandparents will be able to attend free at 10 a.m. performances.
A varied program that promises to delight
Here, in order of projections are the films that will be on show:
February 28: 100% Wolf
March 1: The Addams Family
March 2: Poly
March 3: Tom & Jerry – The Movie
March 4: Space Jam: A New Era
To to take advantage of the free admission reserved for the residents of Saint-Eustache, the young people or adults who will accompany them must present proof of residence in Saint-Eustache, either a Citizen’s Card or a driving licence, at the entrance to the cinema. They will also have to comply with the sanitary measures in force. To date, the vaccination passport and proof of identity are required for people aged 13 and over and wearing a mask is required at all times inside. It should be noted that to attend the performances scheduled in the Ciné-Eustache program, the principle of first come, first seated applies, no reservation is possible.
The City of Saint-Eustache announced the replacement of the electronic billboards on its territory. New generation screens are equipped with state-of-the-art technology that allows for superior image resolution.
The City of Saint-Eustache announced the replacement of the electronic billboards on its territory. New generation screens are equipped with state-of-the-art technology that allows for superior image resolution.
The electronic billboards represent an important means of communication for informing the population about programs, activities, practical information and for disseminating any general communication emanating from the City. In addition, they prove to be great allies for the dissemination of urgent messages. Messages are managed by the City’s Communications Department.
These panels are placed in strategic locations in the city to be visible to as many passers-by as possible, at the corner of Arthur-Sauvé and Industriel boulevards, Arthur-Sauvé and Pie-XII boulevards, Arthur-Sauvé near the civic number 230 (Aquatic Complex), corner of 25th Avenue and Saint-Laurent Street and at the intersection of Grande-Côte Road and Lemay Terrace.
In other municipal news, in the wake of the progressive deconfinement announced by government authorities and public health, the City of Saint-Eustache announced the end of mandatory reservations for public skating activities at the Walter-Buswell Complex and public swimming at the Aquatic Complex, as of February 28, 2022. This relief is attributable to the end of the measure limiting the number of people admitted simultaneously to sports facilities, which was in effect from the end of December 2021 to February 27, 2022.
Maintenance of hygiene measures and vaccination passport
The instructions concerning the distancing and hand washing on arrival remain in effect. In addition, wearing a mask is always mandatory for people aged 10 and over entering the Walter-Buswell Complex or the Aquatic Complex. The mask can only be removed during the practice of the activity and must be put back on at the end of the latter. In addition, participants aged 13 and over must present proof of vaccination as well as an identity document, until further notice. The City also asks users to pay particular attention to respecting schedules in order to facilitate the verification work of on-site personnel.
Part of the CISSS des Laurentides disability programs
It was at the height of the 5th wave of COVID-19 that the interns of the Work Integration program for people with an intellectual disability, an autism spectrum disorder or a physical disability (DI-ASD-DP) have once again come to lend a hand to the teams at the Laurentides Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CISSS). Since January 10, between six and eight trainees have been preparing gargling screening kits, used to screen certain patients or employees. This internship follows the positive experience achieved during the first wave. Indeed, a first internship at the CISSS des Laurentides warehouse had enabled DI-TSA-DP interns to collaborate in preparing orders for personal protective equipment for CISSS des Laurentides staff and regional partners. In the midst of the 5th wave, the objective was also to ensure internal production of COVID-19 screening tests in order to meet the increased demand. Once again, the tasks required to achieve this objective were completely appropriate, accessible and above all interesting for the trainees’ learning. “The collaboration of these interns has been noticed by all since September 2020. The efforts they put in preparing gargling screening sets led to achieving 8000-9000 tests weekly. It is thanks, among other things, to this considerable contribution that we can respond to the strong demand for screening tests. Their autonomy for the task, their interest and their pride in helping to protect health care personnel and the population is simply worthy of mention,” said the President and CEO of the CISSS des Laurentides, Ms. Rosemonde Landry.
People with an intellectual disability, an autism spectrum disorder or a physical disability evolve easily in carrying out adapted tasks. For them, these responsibilities are rewarding, motivating and they accomplish them with both meticulousness and pleasure. Thus, interns in the Work Integration program have the chance to develop their autonomy and develop various professional skills.
The City of Sainte-Thérèse invites professional artists in the region to submit their portfolios as part of its Art Acquisition Policy. The selected artists will have the opportunity to sell their works so that they can be integrated into the municipal collection and distributed to the Teresian community.
“The municipal collection is an integral part of the Town’s history and heritage. Thanks to the works that compose it, citizens have the chance to immerse themselves in the sensational universe of the visual arts. It is also a unique dissemination opportunity, allowing professional artists from the region to share their works with the public and to allow the entire community to benefit from their artistic talent! “, said Mr. Christian Charron, mayor of Sainte-Thérèse.
To be eligible, artists must:
Be residents of Sainte-Thérèse or the region;
Hold the status of professional artist and be recognized as such by their peers;
Submit works from one of the following disciplines: graphic arts (drawing, printmaking, digital art, photography) or painting (watercolor, acrylic, oil, mixed media).
Applications must contain:
The completed registration form, available at www.sainte-therese.ca > Services for citizens > Culture > Services for artists and artisans as well as an up-to-date curriculum vitae, a description of the artistic process, a short biography, a press kit (if applicable), the asking price for the works and a visual documentation of the proposed works (jpeg format in 300 dpi).
Duly completed applications must be sent before April 30, 2022. The city recommends that artists use the free WeTransfer platform to send their files to the email at appeldedossiers@sainte-therese.ca. Only the artists selected for the final selection will be contacted.
The City of Sainte-Thérèse’s art acquisition policy aims to increase the municipality’s heritage and contribute to the promotion of works by local artists. Used for dissemination and cultural mediation purposes, the municipal collection raises awareness among the Thérèse population of the various artistic practices in the visual arts, while supporting local creators. Discover all the works in the collection.
Sainte-Thérèse updates its regulations for the use of drinking water
During the public meeting of February 7, the City of Sainte-Thérèse made changes to the municipal regulations concerning the use of drinking water. These follow the 2020 report of the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAMH) resulting from its Quebec Strategy for Drinking Water Conservation.
In doing so, Sainte-Thérèse’s by-laws now harmonize with the Model municipal by-law on the use of drinking water developed by the MAMH, in collaboration with the municipal, technical and ministerial partners concerned. The City regulations are adjusted as follows:
Filling swimming pools and spas
Filling a swimming pool or spa is now prohibited from 6 am to 8 pm. However, it is permitted to use water from the distribution network when installing a new swimming pool to maintain the shape of the structure.
Air conditioning systems without a recirculation loop
It is prohibited to install any air conditioning or refrigeration system, as well as any compressor using drinking water. Any system or equipment installed before the entry into force of the by-law must be replaced before January 1, 2025 by a system that does not use drinking water. It is permitted to use systems or devices connected to a water recirculation loop on which regular maintenance is carried out.
Urinals with an automatic flushing tank
It is prohibited to install any automatic flushing urinal equipped with a flushing tank that uses drinking water. Any urinal of this type installed before the entry into force of the regulation must be replaced before January 1, 2025 by a urinal with manual flush or presence detection.
Time limit for repairing defective private supply pipes
Any occupant of a building must notify the City as soon as they hear an abnormal noise or notices any irregularity in the service connection. Municipal employees will then be able to locate the defect and repair it. If the defect is on the private piping, between the shut-off valve and the meter, or between the shut-off valve and the building’s interior shut-off valve, if there is no meter or if the meter is installed in a room near the street line, the City then advises the owner to make the repair within 20 days.
In 2020, the City of Sainte-Thérèse had already modified the watering schedule in collaboration with the cities of Blainville, Boisbriand and Mirabel in order to better distribute the consumption of drinking water necessary for watering lawns and landscaping.
“Drinking water is an invaluable asset that we must preserve. Individually, we can do many small things to avoid wasting it. But cities also have a role to play in this regard. The regulatory changes that we have made based on the new requirements of the MAMH demonstrate the will of the City of Sainte‑Thérèse to participate in the preservation of this precious resource,” said the mayor of Sainte-Thérèse, Mr. Christian Charron.
Arrest following an armed attack in Sainte-Thérèse
The police officers of the Thérèse-De Blainville police department arrested a 29-year-old man on the morning of Friday the 25th February 2022, following a call at the emergency room at the 911 central by the victim. The latter, a woman in her sixties, was transported to a hospital in the region to treat injuries that were not life-threatening.
The police are currently with the victim in order to obtain a first version of the events. Witnesses will be interviewed shortly, and the crime scene will be thoroughly analyzed by investigators and the forensic identification service. “The most plausible hypothesis at present is that the suspect assaulted a neighbor on the landing, armed with a blunt object. The reason for this attack has not been determined at this stage,” explained Martin Charron, spokesperson for the RIPTB.
The population of Blainville satisfied with sports, cultural and community activities
The City of Blainville has made available the results of a survey carried out among 630 adults in Blainville from May 10 to June 1, 2021. People had been invited to respond online.
This survey conducted by the firm Aramis aimed to measure the degree and profile of participation in sports, cultural and community activities offered in Blainville as well as the degree of satisfaction with these same activities. Ultimately, it helps to identify various ideas to improve them. This survey shows that respondents are very satisfied with the city’s service offering.
“For sports, cultural activities and community activities, the satisfaction index fluctuates between 82% and 93%, which shows that our overall offer meets the current needs of the population. Moreover, this survey also reveals that users also practice a lot of free activities outside the associative framework, but which require the use of our infrastructures,”said Mayor Liza Poulin.
A high degree of satisfaction
In terms of sports activities, 85% of respondents expressed their satisfaction. The atmosphere, the proximity of the activities, the organization, the quality of the speakers and the accessibility to the facilities are the elements that garner the most satisfaction. The types of sports activities preferred by Blainvilloises are very varied: jogging, running, walking, the outdoors, cycling, free skating, tennis, badminton, etc.
“We see it everywhere in our parks, our natural spaces, on our cycle paths and along the streets: people are exercising on their own and we must take this into account in our overall offer and in the planning of our capital works. However, we learn in the survey that parents favor associative sports for their children, ” noted the adviser responsible for associative life, Marie-Claude Perron.
In addition, respondents to the survey are satisfied with cultural activities in a proportion of 93%. While free weekend activities without registration are at 47%, supervised weekend activities that require registration also receive support of 41%.
Finally, community activities arouse the satisfaction of 82% of respondents, who mainly engage in mutual aid and volunteering activities.
Suggestions for improvement
The survey also aimed to identify options for improving the service offer. Thus, respondents would like more courses (41%), conferences (38%) or online cultural activities (38%).
Similarly, 70% of respondents would be willing to pay taxes or additional fees to improve the quality of sports, cultural and community facilities or to benefit from new interior infrastructures accessible year-round in a proportion of 82%.
“The message is clear: there is an openness for our administration to invest, over the next few years, in indoor facilities that will benefit the population and our associations throughout the year. This is why we are committed to carrying out a feasibility study to measure the viability of an indoor and multi-sport playing surface. Considering a project of such magnitude certainly requires that we rigorously analyze the needs, the state of the current infrastructures as well as the costs, and that we present them to the taxpayers in complete transparency,” explained association life advisor, Marie-Claude Collin.
In the same sense, the current administration will assess the different possibilities that will allow residents to enjoy outdoor skating rinks that will withstand the weather.
Improving services for seniors
In addition, the survey also measured the degree of interest in improving services offered in particular to seniors, such as prevention programs (100%), activities in living environments (100%) , the facilitation of travel on the territory (97%), intergenerational activities (91%) and access to public spaces (88%).
“What we understand from the results of this survey is that the population feels very satisfied with the current offer, but that they are ready for their city to invest more in improving sports, cultural and community infrastructures and some services for seniors. Over the next few weeks, we will meet with our associations to discuss their current situation and their vision for the future. Actions will certainly result from the survey and our discussions. This is part of our mandate to improve our quality of life in Blainville and we intend to deliver the goods,” concluded Mayor Liza Poulin.
