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 to bring these issues to light and to take this opportunity for concrete commitments from the candidates.

Here are the 8 major issues that need to be addressed by our provincial MNA, and what I expect from our next government.

[1]. ROUTE DE LA CITÉ DES JEUNES (PROVINCIAL ROAD 340)

In the planning of the development of the territory in view of the hospital that is coming in 2026 and because there is already a glaring traffic problem, the government must address the situation as quickly as possible for the provincial road 340 (Cité des Jeunes). For many years now, as established in the MRC’s Schéma d’aménagement, the safest solution adapted to our reality is a 4-lane road and this is what we are demanding from our government.

Not only is there a safety and congestion issue, but there is a great need for connectivity with safe bicycle networks. The projected plans for the roads around the hospital are poorly designed. Not only was Saint-Lazare never considered in the development of their plans, but there will be a bottleneck as soon as you reach the viaduct entering Saint-Lazare that will change to a two-lane road. This situation will not only affect the residents of Saint-Lazare, but also those of Vaudreuil-Dorion and all the bordering municipalities that rely on route 340.

Read the survey results regarding Cité des Jeunes:
https://ville.saint-lazare.qc.ca/en/the-city/news/6/survey-conducted-among-the-saint-lazare-population

Demande :

We are asking the government and the MTQ to take seriously the traffic issue on route 340 in the Saint-Lazare sector and to invest in a long term solution as soon as possible for the proper development of the 4 lanes and bike paths that link Saint-Lazare and the new Vaudreuil-Soulanges hospital.

[2]. GREEN MAPLE HILL PRIVATE WELL

It is inconceivable that in 2022, an entire neighborhood (approximately 240+ residents) does not have access to a reliable source of drinking water. I would like to remind you that this area was on boil water advisory in 2010 for over two and a half years due to E. coli bacteria that was reportedly detected. Residents in this area draw their water from a private well that does not belong to the municipality. In addition, there is no generator for the well, which means that when there is no electricity, not only do they not have access to water, but they can’t even flush their toilets. We know that power outages are common in forested areas.

We have been trying to find a solution since I was elected in 2017 when I was a councilor in this district, but it has been a vicious cycle since then. The government wants us to own the well in order to provide subsidies, but without subsidies we can’t fund the acquisition of the well or bring it up to code.

Read : St. Lazare’s Green Maple Hill residents hoping boil water order will soon be rescinded  https://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/off-island-gazette/st-lazares-green-maple-hill-residents-hoping-boil-water-order-will-soon-be-rescinded

Demande : 

We are asking the government to guarantee funding to mitigate the costs of acquiring and upgrading this well in order to reduce the fiscal impact to affected citizens.

[3]. SENIOR AND ALTERNATIVE HOUSING

Nearly 20% of Saint-Lazare’s population is over 60 years old. Our seniors want to stay in Saint-Lazare, but we have no affordable or adapted housing for aging people in need of medical care or who can no longer take care of their home. In Saint-Lazare, almost all of the housing is single family homes and there are very few alternative options for our seniors. The CAQ government announced many seniors’ homes across Quebec during their mandate, but they rejected Saint-Lazare as a possible location when we previously approached them. With the proximity of the new hospital, we believe that Saint-Lazare is the ideal location for the government to invest in a seniors’ home here.

Demande : 

We are asking the government to invest in our seniors in Saint-Lazare with a seniors’ home project.

[4]. PUBLIC TRANSIT

We always talk about climate change and the need to act as urgently as possible. We know that transportation is a major cause of GHG production and climate change. In 2019, a study found that over 93% of Saint-Lazare’s population used cars to get to work. Saint-Lazare’s territory is vast and it is currently difficult to provide adequate public transit service that is efficient enough to attract a wider clientele.

We know that we need to invest more in public transit to expand the offer, because it is not sufficient at the present time. Furthermore, with the pandemic, the current regional and metropolitan deficits for public transit and the arrival of the REM, we know that these expenses will explode. In 2022, Saint-Lazare spent over $1,028,600 on public transit (ARTM). It is not reasonable to think that municipalities will be able to cope with the increase in these expenses, especially with revenue resources limited mainly to property taxes.

Demande :

We are asking the Quebec government to better finance public transit for towns like Saint-Lazare, without putting the tax burden directly on the municipalities. Most of the funding and investments in public transit must come directly from the two levels of government, the provincial and federal.

[5]. ÎLE AUX TOURTES BRIDGE

It’s a rather simple request, this bridge which is to be rebuilt around 2029 and will be there for at least the next 50 years, absolutely must be built with a long term vision. For now, the new bridge will be basically the same as the current bridge except for the addition of a bike path. The government refuses to consider even minimally a dedicated bus lane on the new bridge. A structure for a light rail system had been promised, but the provincial government has changed its tune and no longer plans to build an infrastructure to accommodate a future train. 86,000 users use the Île-aux-Tourtes bridge every day and several thousand more vehicles are expected to be added over the next decade.

Demande :

We are asking for the construction of a bridge that will meet our long-term future needs, including the provision of public transit amenities and structure.

[6]. THE REM

Closely linked to the demand for the Île-aux-Tourtes Bridge and public transit, and I’ve been talking about it since 2019, the REM must reach Vaudreuil-Soulanges. The MRC of Vaudreuil-Soulanges is ranked 5th for the highest projected growth in Quebec by 2036. There are so many reasons to have a reliable and efficient mode of transportation like the REM in the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region (new hospital, labor shortage, regional economic benefits, environment, quality of life, etc.).

Read:  https://genevievelachance.com/the-cost-of-not-having-the-rem

Demande :

There must be a commitment and concrete plans to finance and bring the REM to the Vaudreuil-Soulanges region in the future. And here… I mean real commitments based on needs, not vague and fuzzy political positions just to satisfy an electoral base.

[7]. REFORM OF THE MUNICIPAL TAXATION SYSTEM

One of the most important issues in my opinion for all municipalities in Quebec is municipal taxation. It is important to reduce our reliance on residential property taxes as our primary source of revenue because changing demographics such as an aging population, increasing demand for social services and the challenges posed by climate change will require municipalities to take on even more responsibilities in the future. Asset maintenance deficits are also significant for many types of infrastructure and there is insufficient funding to keep them in good condition.

Municipalities, with their limited powers and restricted revenue sources, must continue to struggle to maintain their fiscal health. At the same time, due to insufficient means of generating revenue, many municipalities are forced to rely on residential development to increase their tax base. This brings us to issues of the environment, urban sprawl and all the other costs and consequences that come with it. In order to find solutions and establish effective and feasible policies, it is essential that governments at all levels work together to achieve mutual goals that ensure the well-being of the public. Municipal taxation is the foundation of it all!

Demande :

We are calling for a realignment of existing sources of revenue and the way in which taxes and responsibilities are allocated among the various levels of government. The provincial and federal governments must be prepared to increase direct contributions to municipalities without imposing limiting conditions, and to give municipalities the power to diversify their revenue sources.

[8]. BETTER TOOLS AND POWERS TO PROTECT OUR TERRITORY

We are proximity governments and we are being given more and more responsibility. Yet we are at the bottom of the ladder in terms of powers granted. Higher governments still override municipalities in their powers and the law. That said, no one understands their own territory better than we do, and we should have the powers to protect it. Here are some examples:

• Current expropriation legislation allows a developer to charge a municipality, in an expropriation proceeding for environmental protection or any other reason, for the projected profit lost as if a development were built in addition to the cost of the land. This makes the cost of land acquisition unaffordable for municipalities. Expropriation laws should be reviewed to ensure that fair value is considered and not a projected value should a proposed project proceed.

• Even if the MRC Vaudreuil-Soulanges during the elaboration of its new schéma d’aménagement identified the preferential recharge zones on the territory being incompatible with mining activity, the governmental orientations relative to mining activities indicate that these territories do not constitute conservation territories for which mining exploration activities are prohibited by the law on the conservation of natural heritage, the mining law. This means that, in theory, these areas could be exploitable by mining companies in accordance with the laws in force. I understand that this is unlikely, but it opens the door to risks. To me, when it comes to drinking water resources, it’s zero tolerance for risk. No mining should be allowed in or near recharge areas because of potential contamination. Read in La Presse https://www.lapresse.ca/actualites/environnement/2022-08-25/quebec-refuse-d-exclure-l-activite-miniere-au-mont-rigaud.php

• The companies that exploit our groundwater do not have to divulge the amount of water they draw because they are protected by law as it is considered a commercial secret. It is inconceivable that these companies would come and exploit our groundwater for financial gain and we would not be able to control or know how much they are taking. This could have a serious impact on the proper management of our groundwater. If we want to ensure sustainable development, we must have access to all available data to plan our future. Listen (in French): https://omny.fm/shows/alexandre-moranville-ouellet/on-n-a-aucunement-de-fa-on-de-savoir-combien-les-e

Demande :

The government must put the well-being of citizens before the profit of private companies. The laws must give the tools and the power to the municipalities to protect their territory and to better plan their development, all in a sustainable development perspective.

IN CONCLUSION

While these demands may seem ambitious, it is important not to remain silent on issues that our governments have the power to address. If no one asks questions or speaks up, priorities will be decided without our involvement. Most of these requests are of great importance to Saint-Lazare and the region. Being a local government also means that we know what our priorities are in order to ensure the long-term well-being and sustainability of our municipalities. The government must give more importance to Vaudreuil-Soulanges.

Will any of these candidates be willing to make a concrete commitment on these issues? That remains to be seen!

CANDIDATES

Here are the 5 candidates for Soulanges. Ask them what their priorities and commitments are!

 

Party	Candidates	Facebook
Parti libéral du Québec	Catherine St-Amour	Catherine St-Amour | Facebook
Coalition avenir Québec	Marilyne Picard	Marilyne Picard – Députée de Soulanges | Facebook
Québec solidaire	Sophie Samson	Sophie Samson – Candidate Québec solidaire dans Soulanges | Facebook
Parti conservateur du Québec	Éloïse Coulombe	Éloïse Coulombe – Candidate dans Soulanges | Facebook
Parti vert du Québec	Kristian Solarik	Kristian Solarik – Candidat pour le Parti Vert du Quebec dans Soulanges | Facebook