For the past 16 years I have measured my life in elections. Wow, how quickly a four-year mandate comes and goes!

I was first elected in 2005 as the city councillor for District 2. Twice I faced opponents and three times I was acclaimed, most recently on October 1. A huge thanks to my father-in-law Reuben Spector, who has served as my campaign manager for all five elections. Without the support of my wife, daughter, mother-in-law, my mom and my late father, none of this would have been possible.

When the COVID-19 pandemic hit in March 2020 and simply did not go away, I wondered how we would even manage to hold an election.  But life has gone on with new precautions. I personally started my re-election efforts in the summer of 2020 when I decided to walk the entire district at least five days a week with business cards and a pen and paper in hand. This included regular stops at the well-utilized Rembrandt Park and engaging in dialogue with every person I met, be it someone walking by or sitting on their balcony. I took note of potholes, damaged sidewalks, lights that did not work and speeding vehicles.

With Mayor Brownstein.

I also turned to Zoom, creating my own District Advisory Council with reps from all buildings and streets. It proved to be an excellent exchange of information. I write this blog, host a podcast and have multiple Facebook pages.

Council meetings and committees moved to Zoom and while we will go back in public soon, Mayor Mitchell Brownstein and our council led the way in COVID-19 safeguards. Our online meetings resulted in more citizens following our activities. With the new Omicron variant and COVID cases skyrocketing, I do not see in-person meetings resuming anytime soon.

I formally launched my 2021 re-election campaign last June, with a committee in place. While I stepped up my walkabouts, door to door began after Labour Day with visits to homes and some meet and greets at apartment and condo buildings.  The message was loud and clear: please do not come walking down our hallways during a pandemic.

It has been my adage that a city councillor should always be in election mode, responding to every inquiry regardless of when the next vote may be. When I got calls at midnight on a freezing winter night that a new high rise had its generator making so much noise people could not sleep, I got dressed, drove over and recorded a YouTube video. That was sent to the building owners and our inspectors at City Hall. Action was taken.

I am honoured to have been acclaimed again this year. It is my sincere hope that the efforts I make during my our next 48 months in office contribute to that. Mayor Mitchell Brownstein has assigned me the following portfolios for this mandate: Communications, Toponomy (naming of streets, parks, districts etc.), Local Commerce, Library  and Culture and Animal Protection.

Here is look back on 2021.

Rembrandt Park Basketball Courts

In the company of Mayor Mitchell Brownstein, members of city council and staff, I was proud to preside over the formal launch of the refurbished Rembrandt Park basketball courts in October. Besides the main court, we also built a half court for younger children. This is a beautiful and popular facility, which, also features two tennis courts, a soccer field, a playground, a permanent ping pong table, a water spray area, a chalet for art classes, an area for Israeli dancing in the summer, various hills and numerous picnic tables and benches.

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The existing court was in poor condition and in dire need of repairs. Among the selected new equipment are the basketball poles, backboards, front mounted rims basketball nets and players benches. Crews removed the existing cracked asphalt and installed six inches of MG-20 crushed stone to maintain a slop of one percent for better drainage. There was new asphalt installed, as well as two coats of colourful epoxy paint acrylic surface, a new 30-foot light projector with two LED fixtures and new grass (SOD) around the perimeter of the basketball court. Both the refurbished courts and the half court have been hugely popular since work was completed in August. A big thanks to Dalia Mohamed, our lead engineer on the project.

Another effort to make Rembrandt Park more handicapped accessible

Last summer I was contacted by a constituent on Rembrandt Avenue. Her husband is an amputee in a wheelchair. She told me that there was a problem leading into the park as the unipave bricks were not even and they had a difficulty getting from the sidewalk into the park and leaving. Compounding issues, the wife just had hip surgery, so she was using a walker and managing the bumpy bricks was beyond problematic.  She asked if our Public Works team could smooth out the bricks. "Because of the wheelchair we can't use our balcony, so going to the park is our outing for fresh air," she said. I want to thank our Public Works team for immediately assessing the situation. It was determined that the problematic path be adjusted with new asphalt as there would be too many bricks to replace. Soon after they completed the work.

Electric scooters   banned in our parks following incidents at Rembrandt last summer

 In 2020 some parents presented a petition to me out of concern over the dangers of reckless scooter drivers at Rembrandt Park. I took the matter to City Hall, where our senior legal official and City Manager Jonathan Shecter and Director of Public Safety Philip Chateauvert examined the request and began the process of banning such scooters at any parks. In fact, the by-law adopted at our Monday, February 9, 2021 Council meeting went much further. It is now law in Côte Saint-Luc that scooter-style electric bicycles are included in the list of vehicles prohibited by Section 5.7 of the Nuisance By-law (2470), primarily   because of the danger related to the considerable speed they can reach (+30km/h).  The speed and weight of this type of bike significantly increases the risk of serious injury. Our second piece of legislation is to include a section prohibiting driving and/or reckless or dangerous use or use that puts the safety of others at risk, regardless of the type of vehicle. This section now covers all means of transportation whether electric or not. We believe that no one should be allowed to use a skateboard, bicycle or any other means of transportation in ways that put the safety of other users of the park at risk. The motion was adopted unanimously, and I am pleased to say that over the summer I saw Public Security enforce this by-law multiple times. In fact, I even did so myself.

An Outdoor Rink

In 2021 we also debuted the first ever skating rink at Rembrandt Park. It was in one of the tennis courts. Families and young children really enjoyed this new edition.

Repaved Pathway

When I started my re-election campaign last summer, a few people who regularly use the pathway from the end of Rembrandt Avenue to Cavendish Boulevard asked if it could be repaved. I met with Gordon Aizer and Chris Wilds from the Villas Merrimac Condominium Association in August and we took a proper walk through. There were several potholes. Rembrandt Avenue resident Meyer Freed also called, concerned about the water buildup in those sections when it rained. I consulted with our Public Works Department. Given the fact this was late in the season, they promised to look at some patch up work. I stressed the importance of making this as walkable as possible and they found a way to repave virtually the entire strip. Thanks to Operations Head John Monteiro and his entire team!

Restoring the Marc Chagall Greenspace

The owners of the Equinoxe apartment buildings failed to live up to the terms of the lease they signed to use a large greenspace on Marc Chagall Avenue as a parking lot for construction workers for a period of three years. The understanding was that the company would return that land in the precise form that they found it. Regrettably this did not occur. In the fall of 2020, the company cleared the sand and gravel, but when spring came the grass was not growing. Our legal team had them come do the work a second time and once again it did not take.  They made two more tries, including having an employee spend a few days literally picking up every rock he could find and placing them in buckets.  Our legal team intervened and in October we took over the project. The contractor we hired removed the entire existing top layer of space, added a new layer of proper soil and then hydro seeding and new sod and watered it for a few weeks.  The grass was still growing as late as November so we will follow this closely in the spring and make any adjustments necessary. We also created a new pathway with benches and picnic tables with backs. As well, new trees will be planted on the grounds.

Isadore Goldberg Park

A new paved walkway now exists on Marc Chagall Avenue leading to Isadore Goldberg Park. This was never accessible to anyone other than for the Kildare Road and Sir Walter Scott Avenue residents. We   planted new trees and flowerbeds, removed heavy bushes, installed new lighting and added new park equipment.

Traffic on Marc Chagall

Last winter I worked regularly with the Traffic Committee to try and come up with solutions to deal with actions of speeding on Marc Chagall. Last summer we introduced a new 30 km/h speed zone and at the curb, between the Marquise and the Bellagio, two bump-out sidewalks. By reducing the width of the street and the length people have to walk, it will be a safer area. We also have a crosswalk and illuminated signage.  I wish to add that for quite some time residents have been asking us to come up with new measures to deal with speeding vehicles.   I   personally   monitored this, and vehicles did indeed reduce their speed.   We also added a sign that measures the speed vehicles are going.

Janine West and Myra Shuster.

Monarch Butterfly Program

The Monarch Butterfly is a pollinator and vital contributor to our ecosystem’s health and survival. However, the population has plummeted in recent years by more than 80 percent and they depend upon milkweed in order to lay their eggs and feed the larvae. With their breeding habitat on the decline, the David Suzuki Foundation is spearheading an initiative to help restore the Monarch Butterfly’s habitat by educating the public to its importance and by encouraging the planting of milkweed. They are doing this by encouraging mayors of North American cities to adopt the Mayor’s pledge and to become a “Butterfly-Friendly City.”  To date over 340 mayors across North America have done so. Last September, Côte Saint-Luc became the 75th city in Quebec to be certified as a Butterfly-Friendly City. The request to be part of the David Suzuki Foundation initiative to save the Monarch Butterfly and its habitat came from District 2 resident Myra Shuster, who had brought the matter  to my attention. I submitted the application, committing to the city to follow through with at least 15 action items out of 24 possibilities, earning us a silver designation. A huge thanks to Director of Library Services Janine West, who called me the moment she heard about this initiative. She and Myra had previously worked together, so it was a perfect match. Janine and Myra have already formed a committee and set up shop in Ashkelon Gardens behind the library. Janine has also added a pedagogical component to the program, with events like Monarch Butterfly Storytime for kids three and up.

6700 Avenue apartment   expands commercial use on ground floor

When the 6700 Avenue residential apartment building was constructed as part of the redevelopment of the Quartier Cavendish area, the original zoning allowed for commercial space to be rented on the ground floor. The Mayor and City Council have dreamed from the start for The Avenue to become Côte Saint-Luc’s version of Monkland Avenue in NDG. Regrettably, on the Quartier Cavendish side, both Yeh Yogurt and a café were unable to make a go of it. Ownership of 6700 Avenue changed hands in the last two years. The new company in charge did an extraordinary job beautifying the entire property and they made it clear to me that their preference is to convert the ground floor to strictly residential. I for one supported them with this request, but with a major redevelopment of Quartier Cavendish on the horizon the Mayor and Council want to keep the dream of a Monkland Avenue alive. In order to assist the new owners, Council   allowed them to widen their search for commercial tenants. On Wed. June 24 we launched a 15-day write-in consultation period. Subsequently, I held a virtual information meeting about the proposal. Our Urban Planning Coordinator Melanie Rothpan and Sylvain Gariepy, a consultant on the project, were available to explain the changes and respond to questions.

The following uses are prohibited: childcare services in a nursery, day-care facility or a kindergarten as well as   pet shops and veterinary clinics. What would be allowed? Offices of professionals, medical clinics, fabric stores, coffee shops, convenience stores and pharmacies. The latter is not necessary when we already have one of the best pharmacies in the city thanks to David Banon and Sarah Ettedgui at Pharmaprix.  Harvey and Michael Wolfe, co-owners of Quartier Cavendish, as well as André Doudak representing 6700 Avenue, were part of the virtual meeting. We approved the move and 6700 The Avenue will welcome a storefont business likely by the spring.

Changes to Come

In early 2022 Quartier Cavendish will formally propose a large-scale mixed-use redevelopment with residential and commercial space. That process will also involve Decarie Square and the Côte St. Luc Shopping Centre. 

The Ashkelon Woodlands

The management of the Ashkelon woodlands, behind City Hall and near Cambridge Courts, has been underway since 2018, with the felling of hazardous trees, followed by understory vegetation treatment (primarily buckthorn) and revegetation of indigenous species. All hazardous trees have been dealt with, and the primary focus going forward is the understory management comprised of buckthorn treatment and plantations. There was a clear need in 2019 to cut down many dead and diseased trees. A total of 20,000 stems of buckthorn were removed.   We had the area inspected and undertook prunings.  

Train Noise

 During my 16 years on council, and well before that, meetings between the city and Canadian Pacific over train noise have been quite common.   Residents of Merrimac, Baily Road and parts of Hampstead have been repeatedly woken up at the ungodly hours near 3 am during certain periods each year. This has impacted constituents of myself and Councillor Dida Berku. In meetings we reminded CP officials that the last time the noise was this bad in 2017, CP put a stop to it.  Resident Charles Guerin   collected written complaints from people, and we presented these to them. This remains a continuous file. Sadly, our noise bylaw does not impact CP so we must continue to apply pressure.

 Improvements made to reduce noise emanating from the snow dump

There was shortage of snow last winter and that meant a lot of activity in our snow dump on Marc Chagall Avenue. I want to thank our Public Works team, notably Director Beatrice Newman and Manager of Operations John Monteiro for taking numerous actions to try and curtail noise from the snow dump. Over the last two years we have implemented several changes to reduce the noise emanating from the snow dump.   There are large signs posted at the entrance/exit to the snow dump advising truckers that banging the rear truck gate is strictly prohibited. These signs did not exist in the past. The snow wall along Marc Chagall has been increased in height to reduce the sound traveling towards the town houses to the west. In the past the wall was constructed only using the bulldozers. Last year a large shovel was used to build the wall that is 50 percent higher. The bulldozer operators were advised to no longer drop the blade onto the ground creating a thumping noise. Previously the bulldozer operators would drop the plow in one swift action. Now they drop the blade halfway before allowing the blade to drop onto the ground reducing the loud thump.  Finally, the monitors have always been instructed to advise the drivers who bang their truck gates that this will not be tolerated. Now they also make a note of the truck and if this is a recurring problem, we advise the contractor that the driver is banned from entering the snow dump.

While the complaints are minimal, I have always believed if even one person is disturbed then I would act. I gathered a few of the concerned individuals with Ms. Newman, Mr. Monteiro and Mayor Mitchell Brownstein. “This is a snow dump,” Ms. Newman began.  “Although we try to reduce the noise, it doesn’t always happen big trucks, 10 tons of snow in each truck and pushing tons of snow uphill with a bulldozer.” The tailgate noise may occur, but it’s important to remember that this level of noise has dramatically dropped

 Hydro-Québec’s planned major electrical system upgrade

 District 2   will be part a major electrical system upgrade of the Hydro-Québec network. Work will occur between 2023 and 2026 and impact homes on Merrimac Road, Marc Chagall Avenue as well as Bialik High School. Hydro will be converting three 120-kV substations to 315 kV. This includes the Hampstead substation (in Côte Saint-Luc) and rebuilding the 120-kV Aqueduc-Saraguay overhead transmission line at 315 kV over a span of 18 km between LaSalle and Saint-Laurent. Known as the Aqueduc-Saraguay project, the cost is estimated at over $500 million. The project involves replacing aging equipment, maintaining the system’s reliability, meeting future electricity needs and supporting economic development. Both Hydro and Côte Saint-Luc did a study related to what the level of Electromagnetic fields (EMF) will be, that being a combination of invisible electric and magnetic fields of force. They occur both naturally and due to human activity.  Hydro’s study showed that the EMF’s will be within the norms. Our investigation confirmed that.  There are valid reasons for this work. Despite the fact people are becoming more energy efficient, power consumption is up, and more people are purchasing electric cars. In District 2 alone we just added two large Equinoxe towers. Not far off, the former Blue Bonnets Raceway will become the base to some 5,000 housing units.

A joint working committee of representatives from Hydro-Québec, the City of Côte Saint-Luc and a few members of the public started work January 27, 2020 to address public concerns about the Aqueduc-Saraguay project.   The committee’s mandate was to review how Hydro-Québec can implement the project in Côte Saint-Luc while minimizing its impact. For example, the committee is to assess how greenspaces can be enhanced. There will be as many as  12 towers constructed in Côte Saint-Luc and this entire project will take over a decade to complete. We also have questions about noise and public safety we need answered. The feedback from our committee resulted in Hydro going back to re-evaluate certain problematic aspects of the project. We expect some news from them soon.

Another Hydro project which directly impacts the upgrading of wiring at the Meadows has been delayed for several years because it involves the exchange of certain servitudes. The Meadows did have some say in that matter, but keep in mind that the condo property is supported by very old equipment and we may pay the price for this.

Why microchipping your dog or cat is mandatory  and important!

Microchipping dogs and cats became mandatory in Montreal and Laval last January. The law also applies to Côte Saint-Luc and we decided to give pet owners more than a year's grace, but that time is now over. Starting April 6, 2021, all Côte Saint-Luc cats and dogs over six months of age had to be microchipped. A proof of microchipping will be asked when you renew your annual dog or cat tag. A microchip is computer chip, the size of a grain of rice, with a serial number associated with the owner’s contact details. It is inserted, by a veterinarian, under the skin of the animal. A microchip makes it possible to identify a lost animal and quickly find its owner. The device cannot be lost and accompanies your pet throughout its life. Dog and cat ownership information is accessible to veterinarians. This avoids overloading shelters and most importantly carrying out avoidable euthanasia. You can get your pet microchipped at your local veterinarian or at the SPCA. All of my cats have been microchipped. My 12 year old  Cleopatra never goes outside. But we worry heaven forbid if she ever escaped (when I open the sliding door for the barbeque she heads in the opposite direction) what would happen? I hope to never find out, but a microchip is a vital purchase if you love your pet. We have all heard stories about dogs breaking lose from a backyard or off a leash. You have to be a pet owner to understand this. Our dogs and cats are family. We care about them, well at least I do, like they are your own flesh and blood. So please, adhere to this new regulation!

Dog Owners

Just over four years ago I was completing my door to door campaign for the 2017 elections, with a pledge to create a Côte Saint-Luc Dog Owners Committee and allow dogs in parks. It was mission accomplished on both counts. Jonathan Goldman, Anna Marie Katz and Tamar Hertz (representing non-dog owners) were among those who stepped up. Jonathan and Anna paid special attention to our two dog runs, notably the one on Mackle Road. One idea I had was to create a system of special reps in each district. These individuals would serve as our eyes and ears, taking note of any developments and spreading the word on our mandate to other dog owners. We just needed someone to steer that ship. In recent months a leader surfaced in Sivan Rehan, who just happens to be the wife of Jonathan Goldman. We recently declared November as Scoop the Poop Month.

Illegal Animal Traps

 Last summer a skunk was spotted caught and suffering in an illegal trap on Castlewood Avenue in Côte Saint-Luc. It seems the animal had walked quite the distance, attached to this trap. Someone came by, released it and saved the animal’s life. Now we may not be particularly fond of skunks, notably for the noxious smell of their spray. But they are living, breathing creatures.   An outdoor cat or a dog off leash could have easily been injured or killed from such a trap. We never did find the perpetrator, but as the city councillor responsible for Animal Protection I am working with our Public Safety Department on the issue. Director Philip Chateauvert and Division Chief Jean-Marc Dubois have been very helpful. If our agents happen to cross one of these illegal traps, they can apply By-Law 2470 (Nuisance), Article 8.2: Trapping, capturing, disturbing, injuring or killing wild animals, unless certified to do so by the Ministère des forêts, de la faune et des parcs du Québec. It carries a $100 fine for physical person and $200 for a moral entity. Had someone known the identity of the person who put out the trap, we could not only fine them, but have the Ministère des Forêts, de la Faune et des Parcs du Québec assign an agent to investigate. The fines they issue are far higher. I ask all citizens to be on the lookout for these traps and advise Public Safety at 514-485-6960.

Cats Committee

Our CSL Cats Committee continued its mandate of Trap, Neuter, Release and Adopt. Our all-volunteer committee, headed by Diane Liebling, continued to rescue felines. We have people fostering cats until homes are found for them as well as feeders for outdoor homeless cats.  Our annual fundraising concert has been cancelled two years in a row due to the pandemic but replaced by a very successful raffle.

Harvey Levine

In Memoriam

 I was deeply saddened to share the news that Harvey Levine, longtime CSL resident and the director of B'nai Brith Canada in Quebec, lost his battle with cancer in May. Harvey was the brother of former CSL City Councillor Allan J. Levine and an extraordinary individual whom I am proud to say I had a very close relationship with, notably via his role with B'nai Brith.

The community mourned the passing of Miriam Lang, the longtime first lady of Côte Saint-Luc. Her late husband, Bernard Lang, served Côte Saint-Luc as mayor and a member of city council for 35 years. He passed away in 2014. The couple were married for 65 years. In her own right, Miriam Lang was an active figure in our community. 

In my 16 years as a city councillor, I have met few constituents like Steve Acre. He was that special kind of human being who would call and e-mail me so often with concerns and suggestions, that when that communication stopped most recently, I started to worry. Last April   Steve passed away. He was an unequivocal supporter of mine, providing unsolicited donations to my election campaigns. Almost four years ago, right after sitting shiva for his dear wife, he withstood a long lineup at advanced polls to vote for me. Steve loved surfing the internet and he would regularly sound out mass e-mails to all his friends on a wide variety of topics. He served on my District Advisory Council and attended meetings with great enthusiasm, always voicing his opinion. I credit Steve for pushing me on traffic measures we took with the lights at Cavendish and Kildare and the new stop sign we installed at Rembrandt and Kildare just less than three years ago

District 2 encompasses Merrimac, Rembrandt., Kildare  (between Marc Chagall and Honoré Balzac), Sir Walter Scott,  Ilan Ramon, Marc Chagall, Mackle  (between Cavendish and Brandeis),  Quartier Cavendish Mall, Cavendish (Le Montefiore, Manoir Camelia, L’Excelsior), The Avenue,  Jubilee, Park Place, Honoré-de-Balzac..

Bilan de l'année 2021

Au cours des 16 dernières années, j'ai mesuré ma vie en termes d'élections. C'est fou ce qu'un mandat de quatre ans passe vite.
J'ai été élu pour la première fois en 2005 en tant que conseiller municipal du district 2. Par deux fois, j'ai affronté des adversaires et par trois fois, j'ai été élu par acclamation, la dernière fois le 1er octobre. Un grand merci à mon beau-père Reuben Spector, qui a été mon directeur de campagne lors des cinq élections. Sans le soutien de ma femme, de ma fille, de ma belle-mère, de ma mère et de mon défunt père, rien de tout cela n'aurait été possible.

Lorsque la pandémie de COVID-19 a frappé en mars 2020 et n'a tout simplement pas disparu, je me suis demandé comment nous pourrions même réussir à organiser une élection. Mais la vie a continué avec de nouvelles précautions. J'ai personnellement commencé mes efforts de réélection à l'été 2020 lorsque j'ai décidé de marcher dans tout le district au moins cinq jours par semaine avec des cartes de visite et un stylo et du papier à la main. Cela incluait des arrêts réguliers au parc Rembrandt, très utilisé, et l'engagement d'un dialogue avec chaque personne que je rencontrais, qu'il s'agisse d'un passant ou d'une personne assise sur son balcon. J'ai pris note des nids de poule, des trottoirs endommagés, des feux qui ne fonctionnent pas et des véhicules qui roulent vite.

Je me suis également tournée vers Zoom, en créant mon propre conseil consultatif de quartier avec des représentants de tous les bâtiments et de toutes les rues. Cela s'est avéré être un excellent échange d'informations. J'écris ce blog, j'anime un podcast et j'ai plusieurs pages Facebook.
Les réunions du conseil et des comités sont passées à Zoom et, même si nous reviendrons bientôt en public, le maire Mitchell Brownstein et notre conseil ont montré la voie en matière de garanties COVID-19. Nos réunions en ligne ont permis à davantage de citoyens de suivre nos activités. Avec la nouvelle variante d'Omicron et la montée en flèche des cas de COVID, je ne vois pas les réunions en personne reprendre de sitôt.
J'ai officiellement lancé ma campagne de réélection pour 2021 en juin dernier, avec un comité en place. Alors que j'ai intensifié mes marches, le porte-à-porte a commencé après la fête du travail avec des visites à domicile et quelques rencontres dans des immeubles d'appartements et de copropriétés. Le message était fort et clair : s'il vous plaît, ne venez pas marcher dans nos couloirs pendant une pandémie.

Selon mon adage, un conseiller municipal devrait toujours être en mode électoral, répondant à toutes les demandes, peu importe le moment du prochain vote. Lorsque j'ai reçu des appels à minuit, par une nuit d'hiver glaciale, au sujet d'une nouvelle tour d'habitation dont le générateur faisait tellement de bruit que les gens ne pouvaient pas dormir, je me suis habillé, je me suis rendu sur place et j'ai enregistré une vidéo sur YouTube. Celle-ci a été envoyée aux propriétaires de l'immeuble et à nos inspecteurs à l'hôtel de ville. Des mesures ont été prises.

Je suis honoré d'avoir été élu par acclamation cette année encore. J'espère sincèrement que les efforts que je déploierai au cours de mes 48 prochains mois de mandat y contribueront. Le maire Mitchell Brownstein m'a confié les portefeuilles suivants pour ce mandat : Communications, Toponomie (dénomination des rues, des parcs, des quartiers, etc.), Commerce local, Bibliothèque et culture et Protection des animaux.

 Loi 96

La Ville de Côte Saint-Luc a demandé au gouvernement du Québec de retirer le projet de loi 96 du feuilleton et de consulter de façon significative la communauté d’expression anglaise du Québec et les associations comme le QCGN qui représentent cette communauté avant de présenter toute législation qui permettrait de modifier la Charte de la langue française.

La résolution adoptée à l’unanimité par le conseil municipal de Côte Saint-Luc le 4 octobre 2021 stipule également que « plusieurs des modifications contenues dans le projet de loi 96 contreviennent manifestement à l’esprit d’équité et d’ouverture d’esprit et ne respectent pas la communauté d’expression anglaise du Québec, conformément au préambule et à l’esprit de l’actuelle Charte de la langue française. »

Le projet de loi 96— Loi sur la langue officielle et commune du Québec, le français—est actuellement à l’étude à la Commission de la culture et de l’éducation de l’Assemblée nationale du Québec. Il s’agit d’une mise à jour de la loi 101, la Charte de la langue française.

Pour lire la résolution adoptée par le conseil municipal de Côte Saint-Luc, pour voir la séance du conseil, ou pour lire le mémoire présenté par l’Association des municipalités de banlieue, dont Côte Saint-Luc est membre, visitez www.cotesaintluc.org/fr/projetdeloi96.  

Côte Saint-Luc s’opposera à tout effort de la CAQ pour retirer le statut de ville bilingue

La Ville de Côte Saint-Luc est une municipalité de banlieue de 35 000 résidents située au cœur de l’île de Montréal. Selon le recensement du Canada de 2016, environ 67 pour cent des résidents ont indiqué que l’anglais était leur première langue officielle parlée. Côte Saint-Luc est également une ville multilingue et multiethnique.