What's New

The project office of the Réseau express métropolitain (REM) wishes to inform drivers of major work to be done on Highway 40 (A40), which will require the complete closure of a portion of the highway between the A13 (exit 60) and Saint-Jean Boulevard (exit 52) in both directions, including the service roads, from 6 p.m. on Saturday, November 3 to 5 a.m. on Monday, November 5 (closures of the service lane as of 3 p.m. Saturday). Local traffic for stores and businesses in the area around the highway will be allowed.
 
For more information, visit REM.info/en or Mobility Montreal at quebec511.info

October 12, 2018 – At the Water Excellence ceremony held by Réseau Environnement, the City of Beaconsfield was awarded a certificate of recognition for its various initiatives relating to conserving drinking water, as part of Réseau Environnement’s Municipalité Écon’eau program. 
 
The annual Water Management Symposium that took place on October 10 and 11 aims to promote the communication and discussion of the shared opportunities and challenges of integrated water management, regulatory changes as well as new knowledge and techniques in treating and managing potable water, wastewater and stormwater.
 
This acknowledgement confirms the completion of Phase 2 of the program in which the City has been recognized for its leak detection program, its activities to raise awareness about drinking water conservation, as well as for the quality of the information available in the Water section of its website at beaconsfield.ca .
 
“We are proud to say that our total drinking water consumption decreases year after year. We regularly carry out awareness-raising activities as part of the Drinking Water Conservation Program: education in schools and day camps; communications organized on various platforms; participation in special events in addition to steps taken by our teams to discuss the subject of drinking water with the community (door-to-door campaign). The investment in replacing underground infrastructure ensures quality drinking water is distributed to residents and also makes sure wastewater drains efficiently. Each of these actions plays an important role in managing our resources responsibly,” states Mayor Georges Bourelle. 
 
Through the Municipalité Écon’eau program, Réseau Environnement supports municipalities in their efforts to reduce water consumption. Using methods developed by Réseau Environnement and the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Land Occupancy, cities can measure their performance in terms of drinking water consumption and get recommendations on how to develop an action plan that meets the goals of the Quebec strategy for drinking water conservation. In addition to recognizing the efforts made, Municipalité Écon’eau also serves as a knowledge-exchange community that pools the expertise and experience of other members of the programs and experts in the field.

fumer canabisNew provisions concerning smoking on Beaconsfield’s territory
The City has recently adopted an amendment to the Nuisance By-law BEAC-033 which provides that smoking tobacco products as well as any other products or substances, whether natural or chemical, that may be smoked by any means, including electronic cigarettes or any other device of this nature is prohibited on public property, excluding streets, alleys and sidewalks.

October 10, 2018 - Recent federal and provincial legislation on the remuneration for elected municipal officials is leading to a revision of their compensation, in particular due to the abolition of the untaxed expense allowance and new criteria established.

“It is our duty to assure that the citizens’ representatives are adequately remunerated in compliance with the modified legal provisions, moral obligations and tax payers’ ability to pay," explains Mayor Georges Bourelle.
 
The revision of the remuneration was accomplished by following Council’s specific instructions to situate Beaconsfield in the lower stratum for elected officials of municipalities similar in terms of population.
 
A three-fold comparative remuneration basis was developed to ensure that Council members receive equal, just and reasonable compensation. The comparables were evaluated according to the remuneration for elected officials in cities with similar profiles as well as in the 15 demerged suburban municipalities, and by using a calculation tool offered by the Union des municipalités du Québec (please consult documents below for further information).
 
It was determined that the most equitable basis of comparison was to divide the total cost of remuneration in municipalities of similar population by the number of citizens. 27 municipalities throughout the province, including Beaconsfield, share a similar demographic size.
 
“In addition, we have used data from 2018 or prior. In this way, the remuneration of Beaconsfield elected officials will be in line with the median and below average. This procedure also limits the growth in compensation, for the benefit of our taxpayers," concludes Mayor Bourelle.
 
Council members’ remuneration will come to a vote at the regular council meeting on October 22. The basic remuneration for the 7 elected officials will be adjusted by $28,940. The tax adjustment for taxable expense allowances will be $31,762, for a total of $60,702 or 0.14% of the municipal budget. Thus, for the mayor who holds a full-time position, the basic remuneration will increase from $47,780 to $58,000, with a tax adjustment of $11,296 and a taxable expense allowance that remains unchanged at $16,595. For the councillors, the basic remuneration will increase from $15,920 to $18,000, with a $2,274 tax adjustment and a taxable expense allowance of $10,137. These salaries shall come into force in 2019. 
 
Documents to consult:
 
This  document covers all criteria that can be considered to establish the remuneration of elected officials, according to the tool produced by the UMQ, in collaboration with CEFRIO.
 
 
This tool covers the criteria used to establish the proposed modification for Beaconsfield elected officials. A conservative approach was taken by not including agglomeration services for which we work and collaborate on regular basis.  
 
 

The implementation of our smart garbage collection has been so positive that in June 2016, the City undertook a pilot project to evaluate the benefits of transferring this system to the collection of recyclable materials. This project aimed to measure the frequency of the blue bins put out for collection, the level of contamination by garbage, the collection trucks’ GHG emissions during different operations, and the potential for savings upon the renewal of the recycling collection contract.
 
For one year, the group of residents participating in the study had to respect two rules: to put out the blue bin only when it was full and to respect the list of materials accepted for recycling by the City.
 
Positive results that inspire us to move forward!
  • Decrease in the contamination rate of the blue bins to 6% versus a national average of 12%!
  • Blue bins placed at the curb less frequently, 59% of the time.
  • Less frequent stops of the collection truck reduced GHG emissions by 10%, even if the distance of the route is the same!
 
Smart collection: a logical choice that benefits both citizens and the environment
  • The flexibility of the service allows us to maintain a weekly collection that residents can use according to their needs.
  • The contractor’s remuneration is linked to the number of pickups. The less frequently you place the bin at the curb, the lower the costs. You help reduce the cost of service!
  • The stops and starts of the truck combined with the automated pickup consume a lot of fuel. The less the truck operates, the less it pollutes. You have a direct positive impact on minimizing GHG emissions!
  • Finally, if you put out the bin less often, it is also a sign that you are reducing your packaging and your environmental footprint.
 
The City is moving ahead with the smart recycling collection and has awarded a contract that will begin in April 2019. No tariff is planned for this service.
 

What are the next steps?

  • From October 11 to November 2, 2018: census of blue bins and installation of transponders

As of October 11, 2018, leave the blue bin permanently accessible outside to allow the transponder to be installed. It is not necessary to empty the bin and you can place it at the curb for collection as usual. A notice will be delivered to your mailbox once the transponder has been installed. We are counting on your usual collaboration for this important phase.

  • January to March 2019: system verification
  • April 4, 2019: start of new smart collection contract
 
Thanks to the efforts of all residents since 2014, the City of Beaconsfield has become a benchmark for waste management in Quebec. We are committed to making the best choices for both the environment and our citizens. Our collective success demonstrates that it is possible to work together to minimize our impact on the environment.
 
And it continues!
 

Questions? Contact us at reduction@beaconsfield.ca

 
collection recycling
 

Nature of the project
To modernize the power distribution system in your neighborhood, Hydro-Québec will replace several wooden poles and electrical components (power lines, transformers, insulators, etc.) over the next few weeks.
 
Work sequence
To replace each pole, a new pole will be installed in the same location as the existing pole or very close by. The electrical and telecommunication equipment can then be transferred to the new pole and the old pole will be removed. Most of the work will be carried out in the servitude of Hydro-Quebec located in your backyard. Some poles could be located in the public right-of-way along the street in front of your home. The site will then be restored, if required.
 
Securtiy
A service interruption will be required in some cases to ensure the safety of workers during the transfer of the equipment. Hydro-Québec’s customer services will notify affected customers in advance of the date and time.
 
Dates and work schedule
October 1, 2018 to March 1, 2019
Work will be carried out Monday to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m.
On an exceptional basis, the work could be postponed due to unfavorable weather conditions or operational constraints.
 
For information, please call the Info-project line at 514 385-8888 ext. 3462.
 
 
Source: Hydro-Québec

carte angell woods anse orme 2018September 24, 2018 - The mayor of Beaconsfield, Georges Bourelle, and Council are happy to confirm that an immense 78,500-square-metre plot in the Angell Woods has been purchased by the Montreal Agglomeration for use as a park.

A forest of 180,647 square metres – the equivalent of 35 football fields – was purchased in the amount of 14 million dollars by the City of Montreal.

“It is a source of pride for all of us and the result of continued, hard work for the benefit of Beaconsfield citizens that contributes to sustainable development and quality of life. This is the second most important purchase that the Agglomeration has made in three years in Beaconsfield,” the mayor of Beaconsfield was pleased to announce.

This transaction confirms the expansion of the magnificent Anse-à-l’Orme Park for the residents of the greater metropolitan area, the West Island and Beaconsfield.

“It permanently protects a high-quality green space where our citizens can regularly go to stroll and enjoy open air recreation. It also contributes to protecting air quality and the plants and wildlife found there, which include several rare species,” Mr. Bourelle added. 

In line with this goal, in 2015, the City of Beaconsfield had the Montreal Agglomeration purchase the Marian Hall plot, also in the Angell Woods with a surface area of 78,500 square metres, for 3.5 million dollars. 

“It is truly exceptional that, in under three years, the elected officials and City administration working together succeeded in obtaining nearly 20 million dollars in investments to purchase private land for public purposes with a goal of sustainable development, for current and future generations,” the Mayor proudly stated. 

The purchase of the plot by Seda eloquently attests to the permanent protection of Angell Woods and creates an exceptional environment and great access to a metropolitan nature park right in our City for recreation and environmental protection.

Permanent Public Reserve
The protection of green spaces is essential in urban areas, but requires significant expenditures, both on the part of the owners who hand over their land for public use, and in terms of our citizens’ ability to pay. 

Protecting forests to make green spaces is a double financial commitment for cities because, in addition to purchasing sites and maintaining them, public administrations are foregoing development of those sites and the tax revenue they would generate. 

“That shows the significance of this commitment. For Beaconsfield, the intervention of the Montreal Agglomeration is all the more appreciated because such a purchase would have been financially difficult, even impossible. From a regional perspective, the Agglomeration is proving its value, for the benefit of all,” Mr. Bourelle concluded. 

Mayor Bourelle and Beaconsfield Council would like to thank the mayor of the City of Montreal, Valérie Plante, the members of the executive committee and particularly the mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal district and the executive committee member responsible for large parks, green spaces and large projects, Luc Ferrandez, for this exceptional commitment to the metropolitan region, the West Island and Beaconsfield.

 

August 8, 2018 - The City received a grant from the Federation of Canadian Municipalities’ Green Municipal Fund for a project that aims to evaluate the best practices to divert organic matter from landfill, and to quantify the efforts for local treatment of these materials.  Launched in July for a one-year period, this project represents a continuation of the Waste Reduction Strategy adopted by the City in 2014. 
 
Thanks to the sustained involvement of the residents, the amount of garbage sent to landfill has gone down by 51% per capita, without increasing the total costs for waste management. Beaconsfield has become the city with the lowest rate of garbage generation among municipalities of the Agglomeration of Montreal. Despite these excellent results, the average garbage bin contains more than 50% of compostable organic matter. In 2018, the City of Beaconsfield implemented the recovery of food residue with the green residue collection. The City also encourages backyard composting, grasscycling, and leaf mulching which remain the best practices for reducing costs while avoiding the environmental impact of transport and large-scale processing. 
 
Towards an ever more efficient management of organic matter
The City wants to improve its services to manage and treat organic matter without compromising the community’s efforts for composting, grasscycling, and leaf mulching. The project aims to:
  • Measure the amounts of organic matter diverted by backyard composting and grasscycling
  • Evaluate the best options for food residue collection while limiting food waste
  • Compare the related GHG emissions for different scenarios
  • Collect data for a future contract for organic matter collection
“This Green Municipal Fund grant allows us to continue making environmental gains. This project illustrates the innovative spirit of Beaconsfield’s municipal management as well as our ongoing concern for the environment that motivates us every day. It is also an excellent example of how citizens and government can work together to protect the environment,” said Georges Bourelle, mayor of Beaconsfield.
 
The Green Municipal Fund is a $625 million program, delivered by the Federation of Canadian Municipalities and funded by the Government of Canada. The Federation of Canadian Municipalities supports this Beaconsfield study because it considers the objectives innovative and the results will be a benefit for Canada’s municipalities. A grant of 50% of all the expenditures has been awarded, which will bring down the costs for Beaconsfield to less than $35,000.

An amendment to By-law BEAC-033 regarding nuisances was adopted by Council on Monday.

This amendment prohibits the use of leaf blowers from June 1 to September 30 and will be in effect starting next year. 

The pertinent documentation relating to this amendment can be consulted below: 

July 3, 2018 – Starting next year, the City of Beaconsfield will implement new regulations for electric and gas-powered leaf blowers in order to reduce their negative effect on human and animal health as well as on air and noise pollution.

"This new regulation aims at protecting health and supporting our sustainability efforts with a view to ensuring our quality of life, preserving our fauna and flora, and reducing air and noise pollution caused by the use of leaf blowers in the summer", explains Mayor Georges Bourelle on behalf of Municipal Council.

The guidelines for operating leaf blowers are initiated within the context of the wide range of actions undertaken by the City in recent years to preserve public health and help achieve the environmental targets determined by the governments of Canada and Québec. This applies in particular to improvements in waste management, guidelines for the consumption of drinking water, the protection of Angell Woods, restrictions related to harmful emissions from wood-burning appliances, the installation of electric charging stations and the acquisition of electric vehicles, the expansion of the cycling network, the promotion of active mobility, and urban densification.

Under the new regulation, leaf blowers will be allowed from October 1 to May 31. By steering their usage, the City of Beaconsfield minimizes the most important health risks and pollution problems caused by these tools while permitting them for spring cleaning and leaf pick-up in the fall.

Both types of leaf blowers (electric and gas-powered) generate decibel levels well above the limit (55 decibels) recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and the Département de santé publique de Montréal (DSP). Electric leaf blowers generate an average of 80 decibels while gas-powered leaf blowers produce up to 115 decibels. The noise levels vary between 62 to 75 decibels at a distance of 15 metres (49 feet) from a leaf blower in use.

The blower emits air at a velocity varying between 240 to 450 kilometres per hour. The powerful and concentred air jets propel particles that are up to ten times finer than the limit of 2.5 micrometres established by the WHO, beyond which they may provoke cardiovascular and respiratory diseases, and cancer. The ultrafine particles are composed of fecal matter, pollen, mould spores and various chemical substances (insecticides, herbicides, fertilizer, etc.).

Laboratory testing has further demonstrated that gas-powered two- and four-stroke leaf blowers release high pollutant emissions into the air; depending on the pollutants in question, the emission levels may be 6.8 to 300 times higher than those caused by an 8-cylinder truck engine. These findings show that, in terms of pollutant emissions, operating a leaf blower for 30 minutes is equivalent to driving a full-size pick-up truck for 6,255 kilometres (3,887 miles) under regular conditions.

According to WHO and DSP, air pollution is responsible for the premature death of 4.2 million people worldwide, and of 1,500 citizens in Montréal.

"The mission of the City that we are all proud of, and its sustainable development plan help ensure the health and safety of present and future generations of Beaconsfield residents," concludes Mayor Georges Bourelle.

 


Mayor's Office, 514 428.4410

June 19, 2018 – In an effort to ensure the best possible use of public access points to Lake Saint-Louis for present and future generations, the City of Beaconsfield has reviewed its lease agreements with Beaconsfield Yacht Club and Lord Reading Yacht Club to incorporate a vision for the future and for sustainable development.
 
 “Public access to waterfronts is rare and therefore constitutes a true jewel for the population, even more so for a municipality in an urban area. In Beaconsfield, we have enjoyed this huge privilege for more than 200 years. This is a major asset that we have been able to preserve and that we really appreciate. It is our intention to maintain and optimize this asset for the benefit of all and to ensure its perpetuity,” explains Mayor Georges Bourelle.
 
At its public meeting in June, the Municipal Council approved the renewal of the lease agreements with Beaconsfield Yacht Club and Lord Reading Yacht Club geared towards a forward-looking approach to ensure public access, mixed usage and sustainable development. 
 
 “Beaconsfield Yacht Club provides much appreciated access for boaters on an exceptional site that has been owned by the City since 1966. This site is important, as it offers both private and public access for recreational boating. For a city, this is a rare service that we want to preserve in the interest and for the benefit of all,” underlines Mayor Bourelle. The lease has been renewed for 15 years with an option for five more years.
 
Boaters use the site for sailing on Lake Saint-Louis. A protected bay and relatively deep water provide appropriate conditions for sail boats as well as for light and recreational watercraft. A historic building serves as reception centre and restaurant.
 
The City also renewed the lease with Lord Reading Yacht Club for two years in order to take the time to assess the best usage and improvements requested and required for the services offered in Centennial Hall Memorial Park adjacent to the private club, as projected in the 3-year Capital Investment Programme adopted last year.
 
“Council perceives this renewal as an ideal opportunity to rethink our long-term actions so as to assure the best possible usage, services and private and public developments for the benefit of all. As responsible managers, this context provides us with more latitude and allows us to plan, together with our residents, a layout that will refresh our range of services, rethink the usage, satisfy emerging needs and benefit our population,” states the Mayor of Beaconsfield.

April 30, 2018 - The City of Beaconsfield is proud to launch its new awareness campaign aimed at making drivers more mindful of the need to slow down and drive cautiously. Outdoor signs will soon be set up at main entry points of the municipality, school zones and near parks and playgrounds to highlight this message to drivers.
 
More than 1000 traffic studies have been conducted in the last 10 years in Beaconsfield. They were used to analyze and measure the speed of close to 365,000 vehicles. Here are the highlights:
 
  • Nearly 60% of motorists travel at a speed of between 11 km/h and 20 km/h above the speed limit in school zones
  • More than 8% of motorists travel at a speed exceeding 20 km/h above the speed limit in school zones
  • Less than 12% of motorists travel at a speed below the speed limit of 40 km/h
  • Nearly 58% of motorists travel at a speed between 1 km/h and 10 km/h above the speed limit of 40 km/h
Targeting local schools
Over the next few days, communication tools for parents will be given to students attending elementary schools in Beaconsfield. Parents are invited to take the Safe Driving Pledge and become Road Safety Ambassadors by affixing an electrostatic sticker with the slogan “Safe Driving Pledge. I’m on Board!” to their vehicle.
 
The City plans to install speed displays in school zones in 2018 in order to make motorists more aware of the speed limit of 30 km/h. This project is receiving financial assistance equivalent to 50% of the costs for purchasing and installing equipment under a financial assistance program from the ministère des Transports, de la Mobilité durable et de l'Électrification des transports.
 
“The respect of signage requires all users of the road to exercise vigilance at all times. As a motorist, we need to know, adhere to and adopt the practices of a good driver in school zones; the safety of our children is at stake. While road safety improvements are essential, the fact remains that awareness and education are crucial to changing one’s own behaviour and that of others,” said Mayor Georges Bourelle.
 

 
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.