By Matthew Daldalian, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As voters in Deux-Montagnes prepare for the municipal election, Mayor Denis Martin is pointing to 12 years of work on financial stability, flood protection, and community development as the foundation of his campaign for another term.

Financial turnaround

When Martin took office in 2013, he said the city was in financial difficulty. His administration prioritized debt reduction and balanced budgets, which he argues restored confidence in City Hall. “We turned the city around to be a better financial solidity,” he said.

That financial stability, he adds, made it possible to pursue major infrastructure investments and eventually secure grants from higher levels of government.

Flood protection

Flooding in 2017 left a strong mark on the city. Martin’s administration partnered with Quebec and the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) on a pilot project to improve resilience. The program delivered a new dike, stormwater basins and other measures meant to protect homes from rising water.

“Now it’s functioning very well,” Martin said, pointing to recent storms where damage was limited. A new basin is also planned within two years to further strengthen defenses.

Mayor Denis Martin in his office on September 3 2025 (Matthew Daldalian, North Shore News)

Community identity

For Martin, civic pride has been another focus. He said residents today identify more directly with their city than they did a decade ago. “Most citizens are telling me they’re proud to say they come from Deux-Montagnes,” he said.

His administration has added new parks and free family activities, and according to him, aims to make the city attractive for young families. In 2019, publications like Maclean’s ranked Deux-Montagnes among the best Canadian cities to raise children, something Martin views as validation of that effort.

Growth and density

The city’s growth has created new pressures. Provincial directives required densification near the commuter rail line, and the town’s urban plan was updated to allow taller buildings around stations while keeping most neighbourhoods low-rise.

“For a quiet suburb, it’s quite a shock for many of our residents,” Martin acknowledged. Still, he said the city was able to preserve about 70 per cent of its housing stock as bungalows.

Residents have also raised growing concerns about traffic, especially as nearby municipalities expand. With only a few exits to Autoroute 640, congestion has become a daily issue. Martin said the city is pressing the province for fixes while adding local connections to relieve pressure.

Public transit and the REM

The REM commuter system is set to begin service soon later this year, replacing the old Deux-Montagnes train line that was among the busiest in the Montreal area. Service interruptions since 2020 have forced residents to rely on shuttle buses and longer commutes.

Martin said the return of rail service will be welcome. The REM will run 20 hours a day, with trains every 10 minutes, and will be fed by nine new bus routes from surrounding towns. But he also noted that the densification tied to the project has been one of the community’s biggest adjustments.

Climate and infrastructure

Martin points to climate resilience as another key part of his record. He argues the flood-control measures are not only protecting homes but also reducing pollution by limiting runoff into the lake. “We’re really for climate change. We’re getting on the right track,” he said.

Looking ahead, he has promised to re-engineer key corridors like 8th and 15th Avenues to reduce congestion and improve safety. With the city almost fully built out, most of the work will focus on redeveloping existing areas and updating streets to meet today’s needs.

The campaign ahead

Martin is emphasizing continuity: cautious finances, steady investments, and an experienced team to manage change. “The experience we have had here for many years is to have plans,” he said.

While challenges remain— traffic, growth pressures and climate adaptation among them— Martin argues that he’s positioned himself to face them with solid footing. The question for voters is whether that record is enough to carry him into another term.

By Matthew Daldalian, Local Journalism Initiative Reporter

As Rosemère heads into municipal elections, Mayor Eric Westram is asking voters to weigh his record: eight years as mayor following 12 years on council, and a tenure marked by service to residents, financial caution and ongoing disputes over development.

Background and accomplishments

Westram, a Rosemère resident since 1980, entered politics more than 20 years ago. He served three terms as a councillor before being elected mayor in 2017. He said his main achievement has been keeping close to citizens.

“I’m very proud to have been chosen by the population for all those years,” Westram said.

One of his early priorities as mayor was changing the culture inside City Hall. He wanted staff to understand that “our customers are the taxpayers” and to focus on service. He said that shift took time, but is now reflected across departments.

“You don’t change culture over the flip of a coin,” he said. But over time, he argues the mandate has taken root.

Westram also pointed to challenges the city faced through the pandemic, when offices were nearly empty. He noted the town managed to restore services while residents became more demanding and anxious. “Society has changed as a whole,” he said, and city staff had to adjust.

On the environmental front, the town cut down roughly 6,000 ash trees due to the borer infestation, but has since replanted to preserve Rosemère’s green character. Westram said maintaining the town’s scenery is a priority.

Budget pressures

Inflation and rising costs remain a major concern. Westram said essential expenses such as chemicals for the water plant and asphalt for road work have become much more expensive. Despite that, Rosemère has kept tax increases relatively low compared with surrounding municipalities.

The mayor argues careful financial management has allowed the city to maintain services without steep tax hikes, even as residents feel the broader strain of higher living costs.

“And we had to be very careful for every dime that we would invest,” Westram added.

Development and disputes

The future of Rosemère’s former golf course has become one of the town’s most contentious issues. Westram said his team campaigned on a plan to split the land between construction and green space. After the election, divisions within the council emerged, with some councillors withdrawing support.

That disagreement led to a prolonged legal dispute with the property owners. Westram now argues for a negotiated compromise that would allow limited housing development while preserving a significant portion of green space.

Another challenge is Place Rosemère, the regional shopping mall that has lost value and tenants in recent years as online shopping grew.

The town recently adopted a planning framework to allow residential units on the site, following a North American trend of turning malls into mixed-use districts. Westram said this step should help stabilize local revenues while modernizing the area.

Community concerns

Traffic remains the top concern Westram hears from residents. He said the town has limited exits to Autoroute 640, and congestion has worsened as nearby communities have grown. Rosemère has pushed the province for improvements while making local adjustments to ease circulation.

Residents have also raised concerns about climate change and flooding. Last year, heavy rain damaged many homes. Westram has pledged major investments in infrastructure to reduce future risks.

The mayor’s approach

Westram describes himself as a hands-on mayor who listens directly to residents. He said people often approach him in public, and he tries to hear them out even when conversations are difficult. “It’s almost more like a psychologist than a manager,” he said of the role.

He also points to staff retention at City Hall as a sign of stability. “Any employee here could leave for another city, we have been able to keep our employees here,” he said, adding that a change in leadership could disrupt that.

Looking ahead

If re-elected, Westram said his priorities would be to resolve the golf course dispute, implement the new plan for Place Rosemère, and move forward with infrastructure projects to protect against flooding and climate impacts. He framed his pitch as continuity: steady leadership, cautious finances, and a focus on keeping Rosemère’s green, small-town character intact.

“I’ve kept myself close to the citizens,” Westram said. The decision, he added, now rests with them.

The Régie intermunicipale de police Thérèse-De Blainville (RIPTB), which serves the municipalities of Boisbriand, Lorraine, Rosemère, and Sainte-Thérèse, released its 2024 annual report highlighting both operational challenges and community-focused achievements.

Leadership Changes

One of the year’s most significant moments was the retirement of Director Francis Lanouette after 32 years of service. Lanouette, who had led the RIPTB since 2015, was recognized for advancing community policing, developing intelligence-led strategies, and forging partnerships, including with First Nations police services. He was succeeded by Luc Larocque, confirmed as director in November 2024, who had previously held leadership roles across all divisions.

Key Operations and Divisions

The RIPTB, comprising 187 employees and 12 cadet police officers, operates through three main divisions: territory surveillance, criminal investigations, and operational support.

• Territory Surveillance: Patrolling 24/7, officers addressed urgent calls, carried out targeted road checks, and prioritized mental health interventions. Agents of proximity focused on vulnerable populations, reinforcing a model of community policing.
• Criminal Investigations: Teams handled cases ranging from general crimes and narcotics to domestic violence. Investigators also contributed to regional anti-cannabis, anti-organized crime, and anti-corruption units.
• Operational Support: Officers focused on youth prevention, school-based interventions, neighborhood patrols, and commercial safety, including a renewed partnership with Place Rosemère to reduce theft and fraud.

Notable Incidents and Initiatives

• Fire Evacuation: On February 29, officers evacuated residents from a Boisbriand apartment building engulfed in smoke, rescuing a mobility-impaired woman without injury.
• Hypertrucage Awareness: In March, RIPTB warned about “deepfake” sexual images created by youth, noting their potential classification as child pornography under Canadian law.
• E-Scooter Safety Campaign: In July, the RIPTB and its four municipalities launched Quebec’s first municipal campaign on safe use of electric scooters, emphasizing helmets, speed limits, and road sharing.
• Blood Drive: The RIPTB exceeded its target by collecting 63 blood donations, potentially benefiting nearly 190 patients.
• Opération Père Noël: Officers contributed to a province-wide initiative that distributed more than 30,000 gifts to children from vulnerable families.
• Youth Rehabilitation: The RIPTB participated in the opening of a new rehabilitation center in Sainte-Thérèse, designed to accommodate up to 90 youths in difficulty.

Cadet officers were also active in 2024, completing more than 7,200 site visits, attending 124 community events, and conducting over 550 interventions.

Statistics and Trends

The report shows mixed results across operational data:

• Emergency Calls: Calls rose to 53,571 in 2024, an increase linked partly to flooding in August.
• Mental Health Interventions: Social intervention cases increased by 8% to 637, with most related to disturbed mental states. Suicide attempts, however, decreased by 22%.
• Traffic Safety: Road accidents declined by 5% to 354, and impaired driving incidents dropped by 22%.
• Crime: Overall crime rose by 15%, reaching 2,814 cases. Property crimes saw the sharpest increase, driven by fraud (notably false representatives and “grandparent” scams) and break-ins. Auto theft, however, decreased significantly.

By municipality, crime rose sharply in Boisbriand (+21%) and Sainte-Thérèse (+20%), while Lorraine saw a 34% increase. Rosemère recorded a 5% decrease, mainly in crimes against persons and traffic-related offences.

Looking Ahead

The RIPTB emphasized that many increases in crime mirror broader provincial and national trends, particularly fraud-related offences. Despite this, decreases in road accidents and impaired driving were seen as indicators of successful prevention efforts.

The report concluded by reaffirming priorities: ongoing officer training, support for vulnerable populations, and collaboration with municipalities and community partners to maintain safe living environments across its 57-square-kilometer jurisdiction, home to about 80,000 residents.