Opening of walk-in vaccinations and a heartfelt praise from Ms. Landry
The Laurentians Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CISSS) is informing the population that, starting January 30, walk-in vaccinations will be available at several vaccination sites, for all people aged 5 and over who wish to receive a dose of the vaccine against COVID-19. To find out the schedule, as well as the opening hours of the targeted sites, visit the Vaccination against COVID-19 section of the sitesantelaurentides.gouv.qc.ca.
An interval of eight weeks or more is recommended between a 1st and 2nd dose. To get a booster dose, an interval of three months or more is needed after the last dose. Vaccination without an appointment to receive a 1st dose of the vaccine against COVID-19 remains accessible, at all vaccination sites in the region.
People with reduced mobility and requiring accompaniment can use our free shuttle service to get to a vaccination site. To access it, simply call 1 866 495-5833
In other news from CISSS des Laurentides, its President- Executive Director Ms. Rosemonde Landry, highlighted the exceptional work carried out by the staff and doctors of her organization during this 5th wave of the COVID-19 pandemic in a press release sent to North Shore News.
“The 5th wave is without a doubt the one that had the most impact on our teams, which were greatly strained. Since last December, we have received around 700 people with COVID-19 in our hospital units, not to mention all the care and services that have been deployed on a large scale, whether it be virus tracing, screening services, laboratory, and vaccination”, she explained with great gratitude for her teams who responded to the call to deal with such a crisis.
“It’s a tour de force that has been achieved! The staff mobilized, helped each other, and responded to this great flood of needs. We must not minimize the hard work, the fatigue, the perseverance, and the sacrifices that have been experienced by all these workers. The managers, for their part, made themselves available 7 days a week and got to work providing services. This new wave calls for new efforts with people who have been working in a pandemic situation for almost two years. I would like to salute their exemplary courage and dedication,” said Ms. Landry.
“Obviously, we had to put in place the offloading of certain services to meet the most critical needs in this period of crisis. However, we have maintained many services, including some that cannot afford to wait for treatment, such as urgent surgeries or treatments for people with cancer. The maintenance of these services, in this difficult context, is also an achievement of which I am very proud, and which is greatly due to the employees and doctors who work there so ruthlessly,” continued Ms. Landry.
“Experts indicate that the peak of this 5th pandemic wave has possibly been reached or is about to be. Nevertheless, the next few weeks will continue to be demanding for staff and physicians.
I sincerely hope that the Saint-Laurent community will share my gratitude and appreciation for our dedicated teams. I remind you that the best support we can offer them remains to follow the health measures aimed at reducing the spread of the virus,” she concluded.
The City of Blainville is inviting performers and singer-songwriters aged 12 to 17 from the MRC of Thérèse-De Blainville to apply for the Blainville en chansons contest by February 26. Candidates will have the opportunity to record the demo of a song that they can keep afterwards. The jury will select the demos of fifteen young artists and then pass them on to the live audition stage on March 27th. Ten of them will take part in the great adventure and the final on June 18, at the Lionel-Groulx Theater.
This year, the finalists will have the chance to be sponsored by Steve Veilleux. Originally from Drummondville, Steve Veilleux founded the Kaïn group in 1990 with Yannick Blanchette, later joined by Patrick Lemieux and Éric Maheu. With his seven albums, his popular successes and his successful concert tours, Kaïn is an integral part of the Quebec musical landscape.
“This competition, created in 2006, has become an essential event on the regional artistic scene and contributes to offering a most interesting scenic and personal experience to our young artists. I invite all the teenagers of Blainville and the MRC who love song and music to register for this edition which promises to be very talented once again”, underlined Marie-Claude Collin , delegated adviser to the committee on community life.
The 2022 mentors
The finalists will be able to follow the development workshops offered by the artists Amylie and Julie Dassylva who are currently evolving on the Quebec scene, and who will act as mentors.
Once again this year, the Blainville en chansons contest can count on the collaboration of many partners: Desjardins, official presenter of the contest, the Festival international de la chanson de Granby, the Center musical de Blainville, the Groupe Nord Scène, Origine consultation-création, Odyscène and the National Society of Quebecers of the Laurentians.
The city of Rosemere released it budget for 2022. In a document provided through the city’s official website the operating budget was set to $34,322,100 with a 2.25% increase in general taxes and rates on the average residential tax bill. The Infrastructure Fund contribution is $0.0105 per $100 of assessment (residential property) and the overall increase in the average residential tax bill is 3.25%, below the CPI*. The city will continue to use of remainder of Quebec government financial assistance for COVID-19
*Institut de la statistique du Québec, CPI for Quebec in October 2021 is 5.3%
The main projects for 2022 are: the access to and use of the Grand Coteau Forest, the Urban forest master plan, the Plan to fight and adapt to climate change and the ongoing emerald ash borer action plan.
In the operating budget new infrastructure taxes are introduced following a consultation with the Rosemère citizens in 2020 in order to create a fund for the investments required to maintain and strengthen the city’s infrastructure. The 2022 increase is equivalent to 1% on the average residential tax bill and this Increase is to be revised upward in the coming years to meet investment needs
COVID-19 government assistance
In 2020, the Quebec government announced it would allocate financial assistance to municipalities in response to COVID-19 in order to mitigate the repercussions of the pandemic on municipal finances. The total assistance received by the Town of Rosemere was $1,478,400. Some of these funds have been applied to offset the direct financial impacts on the Town; to a greater extent, they have gone toward easing the fiscal burden caused by the pandemic, especially for local businesses that have been particularly hard hit
3-Year Capital Investment Program
The 3-yearCapital Investment Program includes an investment of $21.7 million in 2022, the redevelopment of the Charbonneau Park shoreline, the acquisition of lands with high ecological potential, $13.6 million to strengthen, maintain and replace infrastructure, and a $67.6 million capital investment program for 2022-2023-2024. 57% of investments planned for 2022 will be funded by third parties or grants.
Results of the concerted national alcohol-drugs operation
The Quebec police services, in collaboration with the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec (SAAQ), revealed the results of the concerted national Alcohol-Drug operation that took place from November 26, 2021 to January 3, 2022.
These were operations were deployed throughout the province. During this period, more than 3,500 roadside checks targeting alcohol-impaired driving, drugs or a combination of the two have been deployed across the province. The establishment of these checkpoints has enabled the police to raise the awareness of tens of thousands of drivers.
More than 650 drivers were arrested for driving while impaired by alcohol, drugs or a combination of both. Over 1,400 drivers provided a breath sample for the approved screening device and more than 130 drivers underwent movement coordination tests. This concerted national operation was organized in partnership with the Association of Quebec Police Directors, the Sûreté du Québec, the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal and the Société de l’assurance automobile du Québec.
Although the holiday season is over, police operations to prevent impaired driving will continue throughout the year. The RIPTB (Régie intermunicipale de police Thérèse-De Blainville) reminds the population that patrol officers can intercept motorists in order to detect impaired driving and arrest drivers at fault. They use different techniques and tools to detect drugs and alcohol in drivers. In addition, the current mandatory testing allows police to demand that a driver provide a breath sample at the roadside, whether or not they suspect that the driver has recently consumed alcohol.
Finally, the 2021-2026 Transportation Network Safety Strategy, “Human life, at the heart of our actions”, aims to reduce the number of fatal collisions and collisions that seriously injure on road and recreational tourism networks. Courses of action are implemented in each of the distinct courses of action: Partnership, Intervention, Awareness, Technology, Evaluation (PISTE) by the Sûreté du Québec and its partners, in order to work together towards a common objective, that of making our roads, trails and bodies of water safer. No matter what time of year, the RIPTB suggests: if you go out and plan to take alcohol or drugs, plan an alternative!
The City of Deux-Montagnes is inviting the public to the very first edition of L’HIVERNALE, which will be held on Saturday, February 5, from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m., at parc Olympia. This new family event is an invitation to play outside and enjoy the many joys of winter! On the beautifully illuminated site, several activities will be offered: skating to the sound of music (DJ on site!), labyrinth and snow forts, sliding hill, hot chocolate, Sapré Charles Foodtruck ($), singer by the campfire and much more!
As far as programming the events start at 6pm with: Skating on the illuminated ice ring (park chalet open, wearing a mask is mandatory), a sliding hill (bring your sled!), a maze and snow forts to delight the little ones and snow games by the Ludusium org. There will be Music (DJ on site) and hot chocolate, will be offered free of charge by IGA Les Marchés Lamoureux and served by the Maison des jeunes de Deux-Montagnes. Bring your reusable cup. There will also be a Sapré Charles foodtruck.
At 6:30 p.m. there will be a friendly hockey game between teams of the Lac Deux-Montagnes Minor Hockey Association. Finally at 7:30 p.m., 8:30 p.m. and 9:30 p.m. the public is invited to enjoy performances by singer André Thériault around the campfire!
In order to comply with the government measures in force, the vaccination passport and a valid ID will be required for people aged 13 and over wishing to access the site. Access to the event site is via Guy Street, near the park chalet. At the Park chalet wearing a mask is always mandatory and no drink or food is allowed. Physical distancing between each family bubbles is mandatory.
On the day of the event, access to the site will be restricted to facilitate the preparation of activities and the planning of the different areas.
A major fire broke out around 10 p.m. on the 26th of January at the CPE Les Petits Amis de Lorraine, located on rue Belfort. Firefighters from the city of Bois-Des-Filion quickly arrived on the scene to control the flames. Five fire departments from neighboring municipalities were called in for reinforcement. The building was completely destroyed by the intensity of the blaze. Concerned parents were present at the scene early this morning to see the extent of the damage. The parents received, through the CPE, a message to advise them that the establishment would be closed until further notice due to a fire. For the moment, no information has been published regarding the relocation of the daycare center and the children. Arson rejected as a cause for the moment After the alert 4 was triggered at the barracks of Bois-Des-Filion, the night was long for the firefighters of the 5 municipalities who lent a hand. “Our firefighters have been working very hard since 10 p.m. last night in very difficult conditions, the extreme cold did not help the cause, but we quickly managed to control the blaze. “, announced to local media Steve Canestrari, director of the fire safety service of the city of Bois-Des-Filion. Fire search and cause investigators are attempting to establish the exact causes of the fire and for the moment there appears not to be any criminal intent. A mechanical shovel was at work even the following day to extinguish the last hot spots following the collapse of the structure. As for the firefighters from the city of Sainte-Thérèse who came as reinforcements, it was also a very difficult night: “Our team was dispatched to the scene in order to provide additional resources, we were on the scene from 10 p.m. last night until 4am. Our equipment was put to the test,” said Mathieu Lacombe of the Sainte-Thérèse fire department. The latter specified that no firefighter was injured during the operation, in addition to a few minor injuries which are part of the risks of the profession. In a press release, the mayor of the city of Lorraine, Mr. Jean Comtois, said he was relieved that the worst had been avoided: “The positive point in this drama is that the fire started during the night. The situation would have been much more dramatic if the children and educators had been there” added the mayor of Lorraine. In order to help parents and educators, who found themselves facing a CPE that no longer exists, the city also mentioned offering their collaboration to the administrators of the CPE in order to be able to relocate them as quickly as possible.
If there’s one thing, we all need these days, it’s kindness and love! Building on last year’s success, the City of Sainte- Thérèse is once again offering the contest A Valentine’s Day.
Until February 6, the city invites its residents to send them a message of love addressed to a specific person or to the whole community and they could have the chance to get their hands on a gift basket from the Maison des métiers d’arts 2021, an assortment of chocolates from Fays Terroir chocolaté, a gift certificate redeemable at 425°F restaurant, Jardin Dion, Libraire Ste‑Thérèse, and more!
Whether the message is in the form of a poem or sweet words, the important thing is that it is composed by a resident and sent to saint‑valentin@sainte‑therese.ca. On February 7, ten winning messages will be drawn at random from all the texts received.
“Pull out your finest pen and be creative! What’s more, this contest sends a wave of love to Teresian merchants. In addition to the prizes to be won at some of them, I invite you to think about the restaurants and shops of Sainte-Thérèse in anticipation of your next Valentine’s Day evening! », said Mr. Christian Charron, Mayor of the City of Sainte-Thérèse.
To create a great chain of love, the messages received will be shared on the City’s website just in time for Valentine’s Day. For the more shy, the messages can be broadcast anonymously on request.
As the new year started, the new budget was presented by the administration with Mayor Jean Comtois highlighting certain files that were significant for the year 2021. With regard to public safety and the beautification of the territory, Boulevard De Gaulle has been reconfigured to improve the sharing the road. A new cyclopedestrian route has been set up on the west, north and south sides of the boulevard. On the other hand, several streets in the Ronchamp sector have been repaved and new play structures have been added to the André-Rufiange, Sorbiers and Sapins parks.
The Comtois administration pointed out that the city has been creative in the context of a pandemic, especially in the desire to get citizens moving and entertained. The mayor also reviewed the agreements concluded with the Golf de Lorraine and the Domaine Vert park in Mirabel to allow citizens to practice winter sports there for free. With a balanced budget of $17,499,443, the fiscal year is down 0.18% compared to the previous year and allows both the continuity of ongoing projects such as the sports complex, the noise barrier and the seniors’ residence. The budget also involves a three-year capital expenditure program which announces investments of $10,285,000. These amounts will be used to renovate, acquire equipment, and bring various buildings, parks and green spaces up to standard.
In addition, the new three-year roll indicates a variation rate of 18.53%, leading the city to reduce the combined property tax rate. Thus, the increase in the municipal tax bill is limited to 1.5%, below the consumer price index.
Public work of art: call for applications
Sculptors of Lorraine are invited by the city to present their abilities by submitting their application by February 20, 2022 at the latest to imoreau@ville.lorraine.qc.ca and propose a work that harmonizes with the chosen location and evokes seniors. It is expected that the selected sculpture will be installed in the spring of 2022. The selection committee will be made up of representatives of the municipality and a member of the Club Lorr “Aînés”, an elected official as well as a person specializing in visual arts with knowledge of public art. Click here to find out how to register and the selection criteria.
“This project fits well with the orientations of our Cultural Policy. The latter aims to develop projects integrating the arts into the environment, to oversee the cultural development of our territory and to make culture accessible to all. It also pursues the objective of creating a sense of belonging to their living environment among the people of Lorraine. The choice of the surroundings of the Cultural Center as the place where to develop this Place des Aînés and install a permanent work of art was self-evident since this building has housed the premises of the Club Lorr “Aînés” for many years. We are excited about this project and are eagerly awaiting applications,” said Diane D. Lavallée, municipal councilor responsible for arts and culture.
Over 1,114,000 doses administered in the Laurentians
Over 1,114,000 doseshave been administered (as of January 11) in the Laurentians since the start of the vaccination campaign and the operation is progressing at a good pace according to Alain Jutras, director responsible for the COVID-19 vaccination file at the CISSS des Laurentides, during a conference call with regional media Tuesday January 18th
“It is important to check on Clic santé , because we are constantly adding appointments)” added Mr. Jutras. So much so that there is, according to him, “possibility of having an appointment in a nearby site and not too late in the calendar”. Other good news, according to Alain Jutras: “We are pampered in the Laurentians, because we recruit vaccination staff every week”.
One hypothesis that was put forward on Tuesday was this increase in opening hours could perhaps go through the addition of reinforcements in the coming days. It’s still very early to think about that, but, in response to a question, Alain Jutras mentioned the possibility that we could take advantage of a helping hand from the Canadian Armed Forces in the centers of vaccination.
If that were to be the case, it would be in the vaccination centers in the south of the region that this extra help would be given. In fact, Alain Jutras explained that discussions have been going on for some time for the deployment of a contingent for Greater Montreal. If members of the armed forces were to come and lend a hand in the Laurentians, it would be in the vaccination clinics of Saint-Jérôme, Saint-Eustache and Blainville. The possibility of them coming to support the nursing staff must be ruled out. “These are service aids. They have no medical training,” concluded Mr. Jutras.
The municipal council of Blainville elected last November presented its new permanent commissions as well as their mandates and composition.
“Beyond the appointments of elected officials who will sit on the commissions, considerable reflection has been done on our governance and the decision-making process that we want to be both effective and aligned with the orientations and priorities that we have presented to the Blainvilloises and Blainvillois during the election campaign. Our priorities will thus be supported by the administrative apparatus and municipal services thanks to this governance structure. The commissions will be workplaces that will receive mandates directly from the municipal council and that will implement projects in line with our commitments with game plans, deadlines, follow-ups, and ultimately, the achievement of objectives,” explained Mayor Liza Poulin.
The commissions will be overseen by the commission for administration, planning and development. In addition to the main commission which will meet on a weekly basis, the other commissions will hold monthly sessions. Each of the commissions will be supported by municipal directors and employees. Their main mandate will be to present the progress of files and make recommendations to the Board in their sectors of activity.
Budget
In a special meeting, the municipal council also adopted the city’s operating budget for 2022.
This balanced budget includes a revenue and expenditure forecast of $113.5 million. It also provides for measures to mitigate the impact of the new 2022-2023-2024 assessment roll, which increases the average value of properties by 18.48%. Yhese valuations are established by an independent firm, based on the sales market.
“We are lowering tax rates and pricing to achieve a slight variation of $54 in the tax bill for owners of a house with an average value of $439,400. Without these measures, these same owners would have seen their tax bill increase by $478. As often as our public finances allow us, we will act to preserve this ability to pay by the residents. This is our commitment,” said Mayor Liza Poulin.
Highlights of the 2022 budget
All residential tax rates are revised downwards, which makes it possible to reduce the total of these rates from 0.685 to 0.613 cents per 100 dollars of assessment.
“In addition, the total amount of the tariff is reduced from $444 to $335 since the water tariff is now integrated into the residential rate. For owners who do not have a swimming pool, the total amount of the pricing is reduced to $315,” explained the councillor for the district of Alençon, Stéphane Bertrand.
For owners of commercial and industrial buildings and buildings with six or more dwellings, the municipal administration has also decided to lower the tax rates to limit the impact of the new assessment roll.
Regarding public debt, it remains stable “With a ratio of debt to our property wealth which stood at 8.5 billion dollars as of December 31, 2021, we obtain a ratio of 1.88% which is a slight decline despite significant investments that have been made such as the new workshops,” added the adviser.
2022-2023-2024 capital plan
In addition to the budget, the municipal council also adopted the 2022-2023-2024 capital plan which provides for projects with a total value of $19.6 million, but whose cost is reduced to $13.5 million thanks to government grants.
“For the WATER component, investments of $11 million have been granted, including $8.5 million for the construction of a 2nd Ayotte reservoir which will allow the City to build up a water reserve in the event of a fire. and to supply water to residents during peak hours of consumption,” said Henri-Dunant District Councilor Jean-François Pinard.
In the SAFETY component, the Poulin administration is investing $1.15 million, in particular to replace vehicles and equipment.
In the QUALITY OF LIFE FOR CITIZENS component, a budget envelope of $1.3 million has been set aside for improvements to municipal buildings and to begin developing the concept plan for Place de la Savoie in the Chambéry district.
“The parks and green spaces development program, in the amount of $3.6 million, will, among other things, replace the usual bins at the Equestrian Park with semi-buried bins to introduce organic materials, recyclable materials and waste. It will be a great addition to make our public activities more eco-responsible. Also, trails will be developed in the ravines of Fontainebleau, which includes revegetation and planting of trees, once the stabilization work currently underway is completed,” said Councilor Jean-François Pinard.
Finally, $2.6 million will be allocated to road repairs.
Improvement projects in some parks will be announced in the coming weeks.
Environment, forestry, citizen services, youth and others
Mayor Liza Poulin listed other projects that will help improve the quality of life of the population and that will be carried out thanks to the 2022 budget:
Major projects such as a new environmental policy including citizen consultation;
The hiring, in 2022, of a new resource who will report to the Direction générale to ensure an ecological transition in all municipal services;
A winter space at the Equestrian Park and the themed weekends Rendez-vous sous zero in February;
The urban forestry plan with investments totaling $1.1 million for 2022;
A first economic development policy in collaboration with the business community;
New funds injected into the financial assistance program for entrepreneurship and the revision of admission criteria to help SMEs in the context of the pandemic;
Establishment of two new commissions to optimize the service provided to citizens and to consult our organizations and associations;
The realization of the youth commission’s action plan and the involvement of young people in various city projects;
And finally Improved maintenance of outdoor skating rinks and analysis of options to allow citizens to skate despite bad weather.
“This budget and new governance mark the beginning of our mandate. The year 2022 will be important in terms of consultations, major reflections, and start-ups under the themes of the environment, youth, inclusiveness and services to the population. The budget will also make it possible to launch initiatives that will contribute to the implementation of these themes. We are proud of this very first budget from our new administration,” concluded Liza Poulin.
