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Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac 2022 budget

Local News

February 11, 2022

A necessary tax-hike according to the council

The municipal council of the City of Sainte-Marthe-sur-le- Lac adopted on the 26^th of January its 2022 budget totaling $26,928,942. This procedure was fraught with several major challenges, but the announced increase was necessary in order to offer more services to the population of Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac, while preserving the financial health and development of the City.

In fact, the municipal council had to deal with the entry into force of a new property assessment roll, which saw an average increase of 21.6%. Added to this is the lack of indexation of the tax bill in recent years and the financial repercussions of the events of 2019. The city’s financial health has been weakened in the past and a catch-up was therefore required in order to improve the services offered while not sacrificing the investments essential to the proper functioning and development of the City.

“We worked hard to make relevant choices and an increase was essential to achieving our objectives. It would have been irresponsible on our part not to proceed with this increase after analyzing the files. The City was operating on a minimal budget, which did not allow for any long-term strategic vision, and we had to go further to meet the demands of the population,” explained the mayor, François Robillard.

Main projects for 2022

The City is starting 2022 with the firm intention of prioritizing the drinking water dossier. Moreover, several major investments are planned for the drinking water plant to improve the efficiency and proper functioning of the current infrastructures. The City will continue the studies begun in collaboration with Polytechnique Montréal to better understand the accumulation of deposits throughout the network and attempt to reduce manganese directly at the source.

The City also wishes to improve the offer of leisure services as well as cultural and community activities in order to create an ever more family-oriented and dynamic living environment.

The maintenance and upgrading of certain aging infrastructures are two other essentials that will make it possible to extend their lifespan, while maximizing their proper functioning in the long term.

The City also wishes to highlight and develop its parks and green spaces; thus, an upgrade of some parks will take place this year. The environment remains a priority, of course, and it is for this reason that the addition of a position reserved for this mandate is planned, which will allow the City, among other things, to begin the project to create micro-forests .

Finally, the council wishes to deploy a long-term strategic vision regarding the development and the financial situation of the City. “My team and I are satisfied with this first budget, which is responsible and consistent with our common vision for the future of our city. We have decided to invest in our living environment and in the services offered to citizens in order to build the future of Sainte-Marthe-sur-le-Lac together,” concluded the mayor.

Tax account and deadlines

Once again this year, owners will be able to pay their tax account in four equal instalments. As in previous years, an explanatory leaflet will be attached to the mailing of all accounts. Citizens who wish to view their account online will be able to do so via the Voilà platform as of February 2, and that postal statements will follow in the following days.

A contest for the foodies in Blainville

Local News

February 11, 2022

The City of Blainville is renewing the Blainville gourmand contest this year, as part of the buy local campaign, and to encourage the citizens of Blainville to make a purchase in your restaurant.

From February 21 to March 20, citizens are invited to buy a meal for a minimum amount of $10, in any restaurant in Blainville, for a chance to win $100 in gourmet gift certificates! Thirty winners will be drawn at random at the end of March.

Each participating restaurant that registered before February 10^th benefitted from: Free visibility on the Facebook page of the City of Blainville, a promotional poster for the contest with the name of the restaurant appearing on it and free visibility on an advertising insert distributed in the Publisac.

This contest is organized in collaboration with AGAB which was founded in 1990 at the instigation of businesspeople from Blainville. The AGAB is a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting the interests of its members.

AGAB’s mission is to bring together, within a strong and dynamic entity, merchants, manufacturers, professionals and self-employed workers working in the territory of Blainville, in order to create favorable conditions to promote their products and services in their respective markets.

AGAB brings together more than 450 members from all sectors of the Blainville business community: retail, raw materials processing, production of goods and services, etc.

46 new family doctors expected in 2022 in the Laurentians

Featured

Maria Diamantis

February 11, 2022

46 new family doctors expected in 2022 in the Laurentians

The Laurentians Integrated Health and Social Services Center (CISSS) will welcome 46 doctors in the region during the year 2022. This considerable boost to the health services of the region with their gradual arrival will allow greater medical coverage for home support services and care for people waiting for a family doctor. Many of them will also join the medical teams of hospitals and CHSLDs in the region.

Ms. Rosemonde Landry, President and CEO of the CISSS des Laurentides, was delighted with this

news. “The arrival of these 46 new general practitioners will make it possible to solidify current services. We look forward to welcoming them to our various care settings,” said Ms. Landry.

This news follows the announcement by the Minister of Health and Social Services, Mr. Christian Dubé,

regarding the addition of 442 family physicians in all regions of Quebec. Each year, the regions are granted a number of positions in family medicine by the Department in order to distribute geographically and equitably the medical staff for all regions of Quebec. This distribution is carried out according to the difference observed between the needs and the resources of each region.

The arrival of the new family doctors will also help decongest the hospitals of the region which were overloaded for a very long time, not only due to covid but also because of staff shortages and long awaited expansions that are taking too long to be completed.

Breakdown of the 2022 Regional Medical Staffing Plan (PREM) in the Laurentians region:

Sector Number of PREMs

MRC of Antoine-Labelle 4

MRC of Laurentides 4

MRC of Pays-d’en-Haut 2

MRC of Argenteuil 3

MRC of Deux -Mountains and Mirabel-Sud sector 11

MRC de la Rivière-du-Nord and Mirabel-Nord sector 16

MRC de Thérèse-De Blainville 6

TOTAL FOR THE LAURENTIANS 46

The North Shore News volume 18-05

Archives

NSN Staff

February 11, 2022

The current issue of The North Shore News volume 18-05 published February 11th, 2022.
Covering North Shore local news, politics, sports and other newsworthy events.
(Click HERE to read the paper.)

The North Shore News volume 18-04

Archives

NSN Staff

February 10, 2022

The current issue of The North Shore News volume 18-04 published February 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. — Front page of The North Shore News, February 4th, 2022 issue.

A virtual travel festival in Sainte-Thérèse

Local News

Maria Diamantis

February 5, 2022

A virtual travel festival in Sainte-Thérèse

The City of Sainte-Thérèse is launching the first edition of the International Travel Festival which will take place online from February 5 to 11 next February. Organized by Les Aventuriers Voyageurs, this event offers a real journey around the world thanks to a free program of the most inspiring films and travel stories!

“The context of the last two years having limited the possibility of traveling abroad for many, the moment could not be better chosen to propose an event of this kind. Bringing together passionate travelers from Quebec, France, Belgium and Switzerland, the International Travel Festival is the ideal opportunity for Thérésiens and Thérésiens to escape in the comfort of their living room! said the mayor of Sainte-Thérèse, Mr. Christian Charron.

The program starts on february 5 at 1 pm live on zoom with the Conference: Living Differently – Road to Alaska directed by Delphine Casimir and Quentin Carbonnelle (Belgium)

This conference is live from Belgium with the directors of the film Living Differently – Road to Alaska. They will passionately describe to the audience their journey across Canada, from Quebec to Alaska, and their encounters with those who dare to live differently in order to realize their dreams.

Available at all times from february 5 to 11, online is the film 300 km to Everest by the French director Aurélien Chantrenne. The film follows the journey of 60 travelers accompanied by the famous Dawa Sherpa, during a hiking and mountain running competition on the trails of the region of Everest.

On the Silk Roads – Once Upon a Time in the East by French directors Julien and Sébastien Perret takes the audience to meet the populations of Central Asia thanks to this travelogue of a road trip on the roads silk, from the Kazakh desert to the snowy peaks of Kyrgyzstan.

Moving to South America the film: Peru in humor by directors Yannick Gervais and Alban Jouvin a Franco-Canadian collaboration takes the audience with humor to discover the essentials of Peru through the desert, the deep canyons, the colonial cities, Lake Titicaca, the Amazon jungle, the high mountains of the White Cordillera and, of course, the archaeological sites of the time of the Incas.

Finally the film Around the world by bike One World, One Bike, One Dream by Swiss director Pascal Bärtschi invites the audience to take part in a travelogue of a six-year around the world by bike. With more than 109,000 km traveled and 59 countries crossed, this film bears witness to the adventure of a life guided by a thirst for discovery and unforgettable encounters.

To attend the Festival program for free, residents are invited to register online now at inscriptions.sainte‑therese.ca or by phone at 450 434-1440, ext. 2400. The connection links and the procedure for attending the conference and viewing the films will be emailed a few days before the start of the event.

Father Christmas race: $900 donation to the Saint-Eustache Vulnerability Fund

Local News

Maria Diamantis

February 4, 2022

Father Christmas race: $900 donation to the Saint-Eustache Vulnerability Fund

from left to right: Maryse Taillefer, manager at the Sports and Outdoors Department, Nicole Carignan-Lefebvre, municipal councillor, Alain Boulianne, director of the Course and Marc Lamarre, municipal councillor.

It’s at the Maison du citoyen, in the presence of Ms. Nicole Carignan-Lefebvre, municipal councilor, responsible for the community component, and of Mr. Marc Lamarre, municipal councilor, responsible for the sports component, that Mr. Alain Boulianne, director of the Course des Pères Noël, presented a check for $900 to the persons in charge of the Vulnerability Fund of Saint- Eustache. This amount was raised on December 19 during the 14th edition of the event, which combines physical activity and the holiday spirit with the aim of giving back to local organizations.

Due to the pandemic, the 2021 Race took place with ease. About fifty mothers and Santa Clauses then covered a distance of just over 6 km, running or walking, for the benefit of the Vulnerability Fund for a third year.

“I extend our most sincere thanks to the organizers and participants of this festive family activity, for their generous contribution to the well-being of the community. The amounts raised, which will be donated to the Saint-Eustache Vulnerability Fund, will provide support and respite to children, adults and families going through difficult times. It really warms the heart to see the extent to which solidarity is a value anchored in our community,” said the mayor of Saint-Eustache, Mr. Pierre Charron.

The Vulnerability Fund aims to support a person or a family in Eustache who has experienced a difficult or traumatic event, in order to give them the opportunity to have a good time, to have respite or to put a balm on their psychological wounds. For example, the Fund is setting up Operation Elves for young people aged 4 to 12, a day during which they take part in various fun activities in addition to receiving a gift from Santa Claus and his elves.

Ms. Nicole Carignan-Lefebvre, municipal councillor responsible for the community component, declared: “I am delighted that this donation will help people or families in our community who are in great need of support. On their behalf, I say to you: thank you!

The Vulnerability Fund sub-committee reports to the City of Saint-Eustache Public Security Commission.

Opening of walk-in vaccinations and a heartfelt praise from Ms. Landry

Health

Maria Diamantis

February 4, 2022

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.

Blainville song competition

Local News

Maria Diamantis

February 4, 2022

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.

Rosemère 2022 budget

Featured

Maria Diamantis

February 4, 2022

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.