Geneviève Lachance
Mayor
Ville de Saint-Lazare
STRONG LEADERSHIP FOR OUR FUTURE
It was the natural spaces and the quality of life that brought me to Saint-Lazare 25 years ago. Mother of three children and a holder of a bachelor’s degree in Social Development Studies, I worked for 15 years in the financial services industry and have owned a business since 2006.
As a City Councilor since November 2017, I proudly represented the residents of District 1 and was involved in various city committees: the environment, sustainable development and economic development.
I possess leadership, I am proactive, diligent and have integrity in all my functions. I am constantly looking for solutions for the well-being of the community. I am also known for my communication skills, always motivated by the desire to properly inform the population.
Vision and Priorities
ENVIRONMENT AND LAND USE PLANNING
FAMILIES, SENIORS AND QUALITY OF LIFE
GOVERNANCE AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
ENVIRONMENT AND LAND USE PLANNING
I. Better planning and management to control the development of residential and commercial projects while continuing to protect our environment
I will work with the next council to better control and plan the development of residential and commercial projects, while respecting Saint-Lazare’s natural environment and rural character. We will do so by strengthening the by-laws to better reflect the requirements of sustainable development. This will ensure that we are adequately prepared when new projects are submitted to the city.
This rigorous and careful approach to project assessment will be applied throughout the territory, particularly along Route de la Cité-des-Jeunes. Significant residential and commercial development is expected here as a result of the new regional hospital construction. In addition, the western sector will continue to be a focus of attention due to groundwater recharge areas.
The environment has always been at the heart of my urban planning decisions. I will continue the implementation of the Master Conservation Plan and ensure it is being swiftly updated according to best practices and new data. I will also pursue implementing the 2021-2026 Sustainable Development Plan. Other actions will be targeted to ensure the sustainable management of our groundwater resources and to fight climate change more effectively.
My priorities regarding sustainable urban planning, environmental protection and the fight against climate change are as follows:
1. Review urban planning by-laws to ensure that new residential and commercial projects follow the requirements of sustainable development, while respecting the town’s rural character.
2. Request an impact assessment of projects to better understand their consequences for the environment, additional infrastructure needs and the long-term financial burden on the city.
3. Introduce a development fund for the maintenance and development of municipal infrastructure and facilities, attached to the issuance of building permits.
4. Require long-term planning for the maintenance of existing infrastructure and the identification of future needs.
5. Carry out and update the Master Conservation Plan.
6. Implement the 2021-2026 Sustainable Development Plan.
7. Devise a roadmap for the sustainable management of our groundwater resources and drinking water consumption.
8. Adopt sustainable practices for landscaping and maintenance of city property.
9. Consult the public on targeted actions to address climate change more effectively.
FAMILIES, SENIORS AND QUALITY OF LIFE
II. My priorities for families, with a focus on seniors and youth, are as follows:
It is important to me to support the creation of welcoming, stimulating and safe living environments. While the quality of recreational services has always been a strong point in Saint-Lazare, there are still important unmet needs in terms of affordable housing, safety of public spaces, public transportation and renewal of recreational equipment.
I believe that seniors who wish to remain in Saint-Lazare in housing that better suits their changing needs should be able to do so. I think that many residents, young and old alike, would appreciate having local access to another public transportation option that is more flexible and efficient. I also think that we need to listen more to our teens to find recreational projects that appeal to them.
My priorities for families, with a focus on seniors and youth, are as follows:
1. Facilitate processes for the construction of affordable housing for seniors.
2. Start the process to establish a taxibus service.
3. Implement an “active streets” pilot project encouraging free and safe play on designated streets.
4. Develop a collective garden project for the day camp.
5. Involve teenagers more in decisions regarding recreational facilities that concern them.
GOVERNANCE AND CITIZEN PARTICIPATION
III. Increase citizens’ participation in municipal decision-making and strengthen its governance
I will work with the next council and administration to create an organizational culture where doing more than the minimum required will be the norm. One of my goals is to implement a client service approach for the benefit of local residents and businesses.
With the powers of the office of the mayor, I will be able to strongly advocate more consistently for the city at the regional, provincial, and federal levels. Our municipal input at these levels is a prerequisite to the future of our town’s vitality. Potential discussions include water protection and supply issues, regional public transportation projects which include alleviating an increase in regional traffic, and/or shared costs to reach environmental protection targets.
In addition, I will further the municipality’s transparency and accountability to the public. As a councillor, I have proposed new ways of doing things that have been implemented with the support of council and I am confident that I will be able to continue the work that has been started.
One thing that will not change is the sound management of the city’s finances. I am very proud of the accomplishments of this council (2017-2021) in this regard, and I will do everything in my power to continue in this direction. I am convinced that we can accomplish a great deal by improving our municipal services and communications to citizens, and by keeping our focus on the needs of the population.
My priorities for citizens’ participation and municipal governance are as follows:
- Develop a public participation policy while maintaining the referendum approval process.
- Allocate an annual amount of money to finance a citizen project, selected according to previously defined criteria (participatory budget).
- Consult the population earlier with more information than is required by law during the planned revision of the urban plan and by-laws.
- Maintain the option of expanded installments for municipal tax payments.
- Ensure that the annual tax increase remains reasonable.
- Adopt a transparent procurement guideline that promotes local purchases where possible and competitive.
- Make available on the city’s website the annual budgets and three-year capital programs for the previous five years.
ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT
IV. Be explicitly and consistently involved in the revival of our local economy
COVID-19 has shown us how important it is to support our community, including our local merchants. I believe we can do more to encourage buying locally and contributing to the economic vitality of our city.
The first step is to create an environment where people have the desire to do business. To that end, the EDC has established a close collaboration with Développement économique Vaudreuil-Soulanges (DEV). I will build on this collaboration by taking advantage of all the services offered by DEV.
Saint-Lazare is a remarkable place to live. Under my leadership, all the available city resources will be used to shape the economic fabric of our main thoroughfare, considering the needs of the citizens and merchants. The village core would benefit from a variety of artisanal stores, terraces and other destination businesses. We must also ensure that future economic development on Route de la Cité-des-Jeunes is thoughtfully planned.
My priorities regarding the local economy are as follows:
1. Work closely with Développement économique Vaudreuil-Soulanges (DEV) and local partners to: :
a) create a favourable environment for local merchants and
b) facilitate the attraction of artisan businesses.
2. Revise the regulations applicable to the commercial sector to smooth out undue difficulties, avoid prolonged vacancy of premises, promote an integrated commercial plan and facilitate local initiatives.
3. Continue the development of user-friendly public spaces.
4. Examine the opportunity to grant incentives for the renovation of buildings in commercial zones in the village core.
5. Start a discussion with local farmers and landowners of agricultural lands about the ways to ensure the future of urban agriculture in Saint-Lazare.
6. Assist in the outreach and success of our local farmers’ and artisans’ markets.
7.Support community and collective garden projects.
My most recent articles
Taking a break
Due to my busy schedule, I had to take a break from writing on my blog. Visit my Facebook page for more content. https://www.facebook.com/GenevieveLachanceMairesse
Frontenac Sector Sanitary Sewer Project: Overview
TO THE CITIZENS OF SAINT-LAZARE IN BRUNET AND DUHAMEL SECTOR Sanitary sewer project in the Frontenac sector, the project des Pins and the extension of the drinking water network on Route de la Cité-des-Jeunes. *Please keep in mind that I am not an engineer or road...
Provincial elections: Soulanges candidates’ commitments
I have compiled my list of priorities for Soulanges candidates for the October 3rd provincial election. Most of these points have been raised with the government in the past few years, but without success. Since there is a provincial election, this is the perfect time...
Your concerns about water are my concerns
PROTECTING OUR WATER SOURCES TOGETHER Residents are constantly questioning and making several assumptions regarding the water situation in Saint-Lazare. I would like to provide information to bring in facts and hopefully to also reassure residents. It brings me to a...
Stop Building: Our Resources and Infrastructures
I hear almost daily from people telling us to stop giving building permits or to stop development. Even if we wanted to do that, it is totally impossible at this point and for many reasons. I wanted to explain why so that people can better understand the challenges...
Stop Building: Our Obligations
I hear almost daily from people telling us to stop giving building permits or to stop development. Even if we wanted to do that, it is totally impossible at this point and for many reasons. I wanted to explain why so that people can better understand the challenges...
Stop Building: Labour shortage
Wanting to stop all development is impossible and for many reasons. I wanted to explain why so that people would better understand the challenges that all municipalities in Quebec face in terms of development and municipal governance.
Stop Building: Housing shortage
Wanting to stop all development is impossible and for many reasons. I wanted to explain why so that people would better understand the challenges that all municipalities in Quebec face in terms of development and municipal governance
Stop Building : Population growth
Wanting to stop all development is impossible and for many reasons. I wanted to explain why so that people would better understand the challenges that all municipalities in Quebec face in terms of development and municipal governance.
FAQ: Your Municipal Taxes
Sound city management means that sometimes there will be difficult decisions to be made, because we must ensure the well-being of the city not only for today, but for tomorrow as well. Municipalities in Canada supply the vast majority of the public services we rely on...
Countdown Municipal Election November 7, 2021
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