What's New

“Montreal balances its budget by overtaxing citizens of suburban municipalities!”

- Mayor Georges Bourelle

 
 
November 29, 2019 – Beaconsfield Mayor Georges Bourelle deplores the fact that once again, Montreal overtaxes the 250,000 citizens of the 15 suburban municipalities by 150 million dollars per year to balance its budget.
 
“For Beaconsfield, this represents a surcharge of 12 million dollars per year – an equivalent of $600 per person. For a property inhabited by a couple, $1,200 goes to Montreal without any services added in our City. For a couple living with two children, Montreal takes $2,400 out of our pockets to balance its expenses. This is completely unacceptable!” denounces the Mayor of Beaconsfield.
 
As vice-president of the Montreal Agglomeration’s Finance and Administration Commission, Mr. Bourelle knows what he is talking about.
 
“Since I was elected Mayor, we have been trying all sorts of means to make the Montreal administration aware that this situation is unfair and, even worse, escalates every year to the detriment of our residents. Montreal is turning a deaf ear for the simple reason that it is benefiting from it”, he says.
 
According to Mr. Bourelle, Montreal must stop this serious injustice which it conceals with complicated mathematical formulae that violate every rule of justice and of social and financial equity in terms of public funds management.
 
“The Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Andrée Laforest, has also urged Montreal and the municipalities to find a new, equitable formula in order to restore the fairness that every tax payer on the island of Montreal should rightfully expect”, reminds Mr. Bourelle.
 
The Minister has set the deadline for August 2020. “Montreal must stop systematically obstructing the restoration of equitable and fair sharing of Agglomeration service costs for the people in the suburban cities of which Beaconsfield is a part,” concludes Mr. Bourelle.
 
The administrative system in place at the Agglomeration allows the City of Montreal to impose all its financial decisions and political choices on the 15 suburban cities, without them having any say.
 

November 26, 2019 – The City of Beaconsfield is proud to announce the adoption of By-law BEAC-129, which prohibits the distribution of certain single-use shopping bags in retail stores located in Beaconsfield.
 
On October 22, City Council voted in favour of the implementation of a new by-law which will take effect on April 1, 2020. 
 
This prohibition specifically targets oxo-degradable, oxo-fragmentable, biodegradable and traditional plastic bags less than 50 microns thick.
 
Plastic bags are harmful to the environment because their production requires petroleum products and large amounts of water and generates greenhouse gases. Moreover, they have significant impact on wildlife and plants in addition to being a visual nuisance.
 
Aware of the importance of protecting the environment, the City of Beaconsfield has always been proactive in the fight against climate change. This by-law is in line with the actions taken by the City to implement the three action plans of the i3p project.
 
"We are proud to follow this initiative already adopted by other municipalities. Cities play a central role in climate protection. By adopting this by-law, we demonstrate our commitment to fight climate change. Reusable bags are the most ubiquitous items known by all, but all too often forgotten. This way, we play a positive role and we hope to motivate our residents to adopt a more sustainable behaviour towards the use of these types of bags, “says Mayor Georges Bourelle.
 
The City will conduct a campaign to help raise awareness among residents and targeted retailers in the coming months. 
 

The work is scheduled to begin on Saturday, November 30 at 7:30 a.m. This project should be completed in early December, if weather permits.

Please note that for the duration of the work, traffic will be disrupted. For your own safety, while near the construction site, we ask that you stay clear of the heavy machinery and excavated trenches and follow the detour routes according to the road signs and directions from the work crew.

If you would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact our Public Works department at 514 428-4500.

If weather permits, the work is scheduled to begin on November 25, 2019 and should be completed in 2 weeks.
 
This project entails the re-leveling of the existing parking lot, expanding the current entrance, reconfiguring the space and adding a pedestrian walking path towards the City of Kirkland. 
 
Please note that for the duration of the work, traffic will potentially be disrupted. For your own safety, while near the construction site, we ask that you stay clear of the heavy machinery and excavated trenches and follow the detour routes according to the road signs and directions from the work crews. 
 
For more information, please contact Public Works at info@beaconsfield.ca or 514 428-4500.

November 19, 2019 – The Mayor and members of Council are proud to announce an agreement with the Lord Reading Yacht Club regarding the management of the Beaconsfield Centennial Marina. Adopted at the Council meeting of November 18, this agreement will allow the City to offer residents access to the banks of Lake St. Louis and the services of a marina.
 
“We are completely rethinking the space currently in use by the Lord Reading Yacht Club by renaming the future marina “Beaconsfield Centennial Marina” and by reducing the occupied area to allow more space for the park," explains Mayor Georges Bourelle.
 
As a property of the City, the marina will be located near the lake, and current buildings will be gradually replaced by a harbour master’s office which will be dedicated to the operation of docks and related equipment, for the benefit of residents and other users. By signing this agreement, the City recognizes the expertise of the Lord Reading Yacht Club in the management of quality boating activities. With a 15-year term and two renewal options of five years each, the agreement entails long-term projects for this municipal facility, and the Club is committed to a number of development, maintenance and improvement projects in order to ensure the sustainability of the facilities.
 
“I am very pleased with this agreement with the Lord Reading Yacht Club, which demonstrates the importance of working together to best serve our citizens. I want to acknowledge the openness of Commodore Wagner and his team, as well as the City managers involved in this community-based project,” said Mayor Bourelle.
 

The City of Beaconsfield has awarded a contract to Travaux Routiers Métropole Inc. to proceed with the addition of sanitary manholes on Claude Street at the intersection of Sweetbriar. 
 
The work is scheduled to begin on November 18, 2019.
 
This project entails the removal of the existing pavement, excavation and installation of sanitary manholes. If weather permits, the work should be completed in a week. The contractor will also be responsible for rebuilding the pavement foundation and paving of the street.
 
Please note that for the duration of the work, traffic will be disrupted. For your own safety, while near the construction site, we ask that you stay clear of the heavy machinery and excavated trenches and follow the detour routes according to the road signs and directions from the work crew.
 
If you would like more information, please do not hesitate to contact our Public Works department at 514 428-4500.
 
 

 
November 5, 2019 – The City of Beaconsfield, among twenty-five municipalities across Canada, was selected for an intensive pilot project with the leading global climate initiative. 
 
The City will benefit from a network of leading municipalities across Canada who have joined the Global Covenant of Mayors for Climate and Energy to help Beaconsfield achieve our specific climate action priorities. Over the next year, the municipality will receive targeted technical support, training and access to tools and resources. The City’s participation in this pilot project will be an important step in the implementation of the three action plans of the i3P project to make our community more resilient to the impacts of climate change: GHG Reduction Plan, Community Energy Plan and Climate Adaptation Plan.
 
"Municipalities play a central role in climate protection because they have a direct or indirect impact on almost half of Canada's GHG emissions. We are proud of this unique initiative that allows us as a City and community to consolidate our efforts in this fight against climate change. This is a great opportunity that our administration is undertaking with energy and enthusiasm," says Georges Bourelle, Mayor of Beaconsfield.
 
The Global Covenant of Mayors Canada is a collaboration between FCM, ICLEI ˗ Local Governments for Sustainability, the Global Covenant of Mayors Secretariat and the International Urban Cooperation Project supported by funding from the European Union. 
 
The initiative combines two leading domestic climate programs, the Partners for Climate Protection (PCP) program and Building Adaptive and Resilient Communities (BARC), with the global climate program. 
 

The City of Montreal will carry out work on the drinking water supply system on St-Andrew, between Beaurepaire and St-Lawrence, as well as on Beaurepaire, between St-Louis and Charnwood from November 4 until November 15.
 
Nature of the work
Flow measurement chamber work.
This work is part of the project to optimize the main drinking water supply system in the greater Montréal area: construction and repair of a number of flow measurement chambers in the water system supply pipes.
 
Traffic
Complete closure with local traffic only on St-Andrew, between Beaurepaire and Church. Detours and alternative routes proposed.
 
Impact 
Access to buildings: Pedestrian access to the buildings around the work site will be maintained at all times. Sidewalks will be accessible, except during certain stages of the work.
 
Temporary supply during the closing of water
A temporary supply will be put in place during the closure. Some residences will be directly connected to the temporary network. Residents will be notified a few days before the connection is done
 
For more information, please contact 311 or visit ville.montreal.qc.ca/chantiers

GES PriDistinction FondBLANCOctober 28, 2019 - The City of Beaconsfield is proud to announce that the municipality took first place in the category « Management practices and psychological wellbeing – small and medium-sized enterprises » at the 2019 Distinction Award Gala of Groupe Entreprises en santé which took place on October 23, 2019, in Montreal.
 
The jury took into consideration the commitment of the City’s executive management to improve its actions relating to the health and well-being of its employees by introducing a very well structured programme aimed at obtaining the “Healthy Enterprise” certification under the BNQ 9700-800 standard. The standard sets out requirements regarding good organizational practices that foster healthy lifestyles among employees, a healthy workplace, and sustainable improvements in the health of individuals. 
 
The jury also took into account the numerous initiatives included in the City’s health and well-being programme implemented in 2018 which are based on needs previously evaluated by an extensive survey among its entire workforce. In terms of management practices, a number of actions have been put in place, including a survey tool used to regularly evaluate the mood, mindset and satisfaction of its employees and to take action as needed. 
 
“This award acknowledges the efforts of all the employees of the City of Beaconsfield who have contributed to the implementation of the Healthy Workplace Policy adopted by Municipal Council in 2018. All this work was carried out thanks to the involvement of our Health and Well-being Committee and senior executives,” states the Director General of the City of Beaconsfield, Patrice Boileau. “Investing in the health of our employees is a choice that pays off!”
 

The City of Montréal’s Service de l’eau is carrying out work on the drinking water supply system until November 2019. All efforts are being made to maintain regular water service, however, some buildings and homes may experience a temporary drop in water pressure during the connection process.
 
If your water pressure is affected and does not return to normal within 24 hours, please contact Public Works at 514 428-4500.

Average property value increased by 25.9%  
 
“We will keep tax increases within inflation” 
                                    – Mayor Georges Bourelle
 
 
While the value of Beaconsfield properties has experienced one of the strongest growth rates in the Montreal area with an average of 25.9% over the last three years, the impact on the next municipal tax bill will be contained within inflation, which should be around 2% for the local portion of the property tax.
 
The average value of a single-family home in Beaconsfield, established by the evaluation service of the Montreal Agglomeration, rose from $571,900 to $732,800. This is a difference of $130,000 compared to the same type of property on the island of Montreal, assessed at $600,900.
 
“This is excellent news. The considerable increase in value of our homes means, in concrete terms, that we all have become wealthier. This is important, as for the majority of us, our home constitutes our most valuable asset”, explains Mayor Georges Bourelle.
 
Mayor Bourelle also wishes to reassure residents that the next municipal tax bill for 2020 will be adjusted to the consumer price index of about 2% for the local property tax portion which is controlled by the municipal administration of Beaconsfield, while the other portion is strictly the responsibility of the Montreal Agglomeration.
 
“The role of public managers is to ensure that the taxpayers’ ability to pay is preserved. This is what we have done over the past seven years, while maintaining our infrastructure, roads and parks, and continually improving our services and offers. This is what we will continue to do despite the increases recorded in the property assessment role”, indicates Mayor Bourelle.
 
The assessment role, tabled every three years by the Agglomeration determines the market value of properties on the island of Montreal, therefore also for Beaconsfield. However, the tax bill contains a variety of elements used to determine the property value, including the assessment.
 
“We will weight this major increase of 25.9% in property values by reducing the mill rate accordingly. Since the assessment increases vary for each property, some tax bills will be adjusted to inflation, while others will be slightly higher or lower”, concludes the Mayor.
 
 

The City of Montréal’s Service de l’eau will perform work on the drinking water supply system on Elm Avenue, between Westcroft and Allancroft.
 
Nature of the work
Flow measurement chamber work.
 
This is part of the project to optimize the main drinking water supply system in the greater Montréal area: construction and repair of a number of flow measurement chambers in the water system supply pipes.
 
Traffic
  • Elm Avenue, between Westcroft and Allancroft: complete closure with local traffic only controlled by traffic control persons. Detours and alternatives routes proposed.
  • Westcroft: closed, detour via Fairway and Brighton.
  • John-F-Kennedy School: access to parking lot
  • The bike path on Elm Avenue will generally remain open to cyclists but may be hindered during certain stages of the work.
Anticipated impact of this work
Access to buildings: Pedestrian access to the buildings around the work site will be maintained at all times. The sidewalk at the height of the work will be hindered.
 
Work duration and schedule
  • September 11 to December 6, 2019
  • Monday to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Work may be carried out during evenings, nights and weekends
 
Temporary supply during the closing of water
A temporary supply will be put in place during the closure. Some residences will be directly connected to the temporary network. Residents will be notified a few days before the connection is done.
 
INFO: 514 872-3777 or 311 or ville.montreal.qc.ca/chantiers
 
 

As part of our action plan for the maintenance of our sanitary and storm sewers, the City of Beaconsfield will be performing mandatory sump pump inspections in the North sector as follows:inspector

North limit: Kirkland border
South limit: Elm Avenue
East limit: Westcroft
West limit: Montrose

Over the years, the City’s sanitary system has experienced significant infiltration, causing undue pressure on the sewer network. The largest contributor to this surcharge is the illegal connections of residents’ sump pumps into the City’s sanitary sewers. Respecting the City’s by-law against illegal sump pump connections is important for numerous environmental, health, and safety reasons. Among them are the following:

  • An overloaded sewer system caused by illegal connections can lead to sewer backups in your home or that of your neighbours. Raw sewage can reverse especially if you do not have a proper backwater valve connection installed.
  • Sewage treatment facilities cannot handle the added volume of water, and as a result are unable to properly treat the wastewater that they receive and discharge.
  • The added pressure on our lines can cause pipes to burst throughout the City, as the sanitary network is not designed for such an influx of water flow. This phenomenon is especially prevalent in the spring and during periods of heavy rain.

If you are not home at the time that City inspectors passed by, we kindly ask that you schedule an appointment with one of our inspectors:

Click here to schedule an appointment online

or call Public Works at 514 428-4500 during opening hours.

At the time of your appointment, a City employee will pass by your home and verify that your sump pump is properly connected. The inspection should require no more than 15 minutes. Owners of homes with problems will receive information on corrective action and deadlines for compliance.

Inspectors will at all times arrive in a marked City vehicle, be wearing a “Beaconsfield” safety vest and possess a City identification card.

 

August 20, 2019 - The Mayor and Council members are pleased to announce that they welcome the recommendations made by the Reimagining SPACE Steering Committee following the findings which emerged during the consultation process with residents to revitalize Centennial Park and the Lord Reading property.
 
At the August 19 meeting, the first step was taken when Council adopted a resolution concerning a list of criteria to help select a qualified professional advisor. Once chosen, this advisor will assist the City in launching a multidisciplinary architectural competition for the construction of a future multipurpose center. For this innovative project, the City is working with the Ville de Montréal Bureau du design, which has extensive expertise to oversee this process.
 
“City Council has carefully considered the recommendations of the Committee's report and agrees to proceed with this first step of the project. The process leading to an architectural competition involves several phases, and we must evaluate, along the way, the feasibility and relevance to pursue this venture. The support of a professional is essential for this unique project which is an exceptional experience for our municipality”, says Mayor Georges Bourelle.
 
In addition, the City will hold an evening dialogue with residents about the customers’ user experience of the cultural and library services on October 2, 2019, in the Council Chamber.
 
“We hope that residents will continue to get involved in this unifying project and that they will participate in large numbers during this special evening. Architecture shapes our public spaces, our neighbourhoods and has a lasting effect on the territory, which is why it is important for Council to have the pulse of our residents. We hope that this consultation approach, which we have applied since the beginning of the Reimagining SPACE project, will allow us to share information in order to envision a modern and adapted centre as a magnificent cultural and community place for our citizens”, declares Mayor Bourelle.
 

bike safety signRecent modifications to the Highway Safety Code allow municipalities to let cyclists use sidewalks where designated lanes for cyclists are not feasible and when cycling on the roadway is considered to be too dangerous. 
 
The City of Beaconsfield has therefore recently installed signs informing road users that cyclists are now allowed on St-Charles Boulevard sidewalks, between Highway 20 and Kirkland City limits.
 
However, we would like to remind you that this new configuration comes with certain obligations on the part of cyclists. A cyclist using the sidewalk must travel at a safe and reasonable speed and always give priority to pedestrians.
 
When approaching a pedestrian, the cyclist has the obligation to reduce his speed to ensure that the pedestrian is aware of his presence and to pass beside the pedestrian only if there is enough available space. Failure to comply with these rules could result in fines.
 
For more information, visit codesecuriteroutiere.gouv.qc.ca

January 28, 2019 - The City of Beaconsfield is pleased to announce its participation in the Project for the electrification of municipal trucks and specialized transport - Study Component - (PéCTS) together with the cities of Nicolet, Plessisville, and Varennes. Led by the Société d’innovation en environnement and YHC Environnement, the four cities will participate in a feasibility study to evaluate the technical and financial considerations for the electrification of the municipal fleet.
 
The PéCTS project will develop solutions to convert trucks to use electric power or some of their components to achieve a reduction of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions of at least 20% and to lessen the environmental impacts of transportation.
 
In addition to GHG reduction in the identification of solutions, the targeted benefits of this study include the reduction of energy expenditure, the optimization of the management of the municipal trucks, the development of new regional expertise in the field of electrification of transport, and modernization of the vehicles of the municipal fleet.
 
"Municipalities play a central role in climate protection because they have a direct or indirect impact on almost half of Canada's GHG emissions. For Beaconsfield, there is no doubt that the environment is an important issue and that it is obvious to encourage the development of technological solutions aimed at reducing the ecological footprint of transportation. Thanks to the PéCTS project, this collaboration between Quebec municipalities allows us to multiply our efforts in this joint initiative for the benefit of our respective communities," says Georges Bourelle, Mayor of Beaconsfield.
 
The realization of the PéCTS project is possible thanks to funding from the Municipalities for Climate Innovation program of the Federation of Canadian Municipalities (FCM). The FCM contributed $95,440 for the study component of this project.

January 9, 2019 - The City of Beaconsfield is proud to have been selected to participate in the development of the Smart Energy Communities Scorecard. QUEST and Pollution Probe are non-profit organizations bringing together nine communities across Canada to help develop a roadmap on how to transition towards being a “Smart Energy” community, and evaluate their progress along the way. “Smart Energy” communities improve energy efficiency, limit energy consumption costs, enhance energy reliability and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
 
"Beaconsfield is the only city in Québec to make the short list for the QUEST pilot project. We are proud to collaborate with innovative communities across Canada, which will serve to motivate our residents to join us in the efforts to become a more sustainable, self-sufficient, and resilient community in the face of climate change," said Mayor Georges Bourelle.
 
The Scorecard is a tool that will help benchmark and evaluate the progress of Smart Energy Communities in Canada. Beaconsfield will join Bridgewater, Calgary, Grande Prairie, Inuvik, London, Yellowknife, Markham and Campbell River to provide insight on how best to gauge a community’s progress towards energy efficiency.  At the end of the pilot, Beaconsfield will receive a Scorecard Report that will contribute to its ongoing community energy planning efforts.
 
To learn more about QUEST and the Smart Energy Communities Scorecard visit questcanada.org/scorecard

City representatives participated in a first meeting with Transport Québec on October 11, 2018. The objective of this meeting was to launch the project. The firm mandated by Transport Québec, WSP, was also present at the meeting. WSP presented the work schedule and issues perceived. The next steps are to analyse the rights-of-way and to establish the concepts retained according to the results.  
 
A first deliverable should be submitted in 6 months, followed by consultation meetings with citizens. The initial schedule is being respected. The preliminary pre-project study for the construction of a sound wall on the south side of Highway 20 in Beaconsfield should be submitted in the fall of 2019.

 
211An information and referral service available 7 days a week, from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., 365 days a year, which will eventually be open 24 hours a day.
 
211 Community resources directory is also available on the web. In collaboration with community organizations, all information on social and community resources is updated annually.
 
With the help of statistics from calls and web frequency, 211 sheds a light to government officials and decision-makers on social needs and in determining missing resources that are needed.
 
211 service helps curb poverty and social exclusion, giving the people with non-urgent social needs rapid information on the social and community resources that will help them find solutions to move beyond their precarious situations.
 
211 is a free service, largely accessible especially for low-income people, seniors and newcomers.
 
 

sewer grate 2sewer grate rectThe Public Works department has noticed that certain sewer lines in your sector are blocked due to an accumulation of small branches and other small bits of debris which can only be there if they were purposefully put down the gaps in the sewer grates.  Recently, the accumulation of debris has caused many sewer back-ups.

We would ask for your cooperation in stopping this recurring issue in your sector by asking you to inform your children and anyone else who you might see putting debris in the gaps in the sewer grates of the consequences of their actions.

Thank you for your cooperation.

 

Muted citizen response regarding utility and financing

November 20, 2015 – Beaconsfield residents are cautious in their assessment of the utility and financing methods of a sound wall along the south side of Highway 20, despite the exceptional proposal made by the Provincial Minister of Transport Robert Poëti for its implementation.

This was revealed by a survey of 600 adult Beaconsfield residents conducted by Léger Marketing from October 16 to 23, 2015; the results were weighted according to sex, age, owner or tenant status and district of residence. Such research reflects an overall position of citizens regarding the project’s relevance and financing methods. The results can be expected to be accurate to within 4% if repeated again 19 out of 20 times.

“We have conducted this survey to become fully aware of the overall position of our residents on this project. The results confirm the caution with which we have handled this matter from the beginning”, explains Mayor Georges Bourelle.

According to the pollster’s analysis, the survey results show that “the majority of the citizens seem unconvinced of the sound wall’s necessity […], because they have doubts regarding its efficiency and appearance or disapprove of the costs related to the implementation of the project.

“This first level of consultation allows us to take stock of the stakes to be considered before deciding whether to accept the Minister’s proposal. We will now address the financing and consultation methods to ensure that the decision will be made with total transparency as part of a democratic exercise which will respect all parties concerned”, adds the Mayor.

Transport Minister Robert Poëti recently offered to bear 75% instead of 50% of the project costs. Despite this exceptional proposal, Beaconsfield’s part would still amount to five million dollars.

The survey results demonstrate that the noise problems caused by the highway affect a very slight majority of respondents in the three districts closest to Highway 20, whereas the respondents in the three other districts declare to be hardly or not affected.

The two main reasons given by those opposed to the project are the costs (53%) and the fact that they are not directly affected by the noise generated by highway traffic (46%).

This trend is even more pronounced when considering the cost issue. The most impacted districts favour a general cost-sharing solution, while those less or not impacted believe that the costs should be covered by the affected owners.

Click here to consult the survey and its results (PDF)

 

The City of Beaconsfield has implemented an automated call system called CodeRed to provide the means to reach citizens in an emergency. It is an efficient call system that can reach a large number of people in a very short time and can be deployed in a specific area, even a street if, for example, a broken water main were to force interruption of the water supply. In other cases, authorities could use it to announce an environmental accident, a gas leak or other emergency. The message could include information on procedures to be followed.

Is your phone number confidential, have you only a cell phone or have you moved in the last month?
The CodeRed database system contains numbers of landlines in our territory. In case of an emergency, citizens are called at home, on their cell, or at both numbers. If your phone number is not in the database, you will not be called. The CodeRed automated call system gives individuals and businesses the ability to add their own telephone or cellular numbers directly to the system's database. This can be done by visiting the City's website and clicking CodeRed.

Caller ID

When you see 866 419-5000 displayed, you will know the call is from the City. If you would like to hear the last message delivered to your phone, simply dial the number back.

This project complements other procedures already established as part of the City's emergency plan to improve efficiency during emergency situations.