What's New

The City of Montréal’s Service de l’eau will perform work on the drinking water supply system on Brighton Drive, between Shamrock Road and London Drive.
 
Nature of the work
Pressure monitoring 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 several flow measurement chambers in the water system supply pipes.
 
Traffic
Brighton Drive, between Shamrock Road and London Drive: Complete closure with local traffic only. Detours and alternative routes proposed.
 
Anticipated 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.
 
Work duration and schedule
  • From August 19 to September 3, 2019
  • Monday to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
  • Work may be carried out during weekends
 
Temporary supply during the closing of water
Closures of the drinking water supply are planned. Notices will be distributed to affected residences 48 hours prior to these closures.
 
INFO: 514 872-3777 or 311 or ville.montreal.qc.ca/chantiers 

trekfit citylaneYou will be pleased to learn that the installation of new Trekfit training circuits at Montrose and City Lane parks is complete!
 
Currently very popular, this equipment aims to attract and appeal to more users and provide residents 13 years of age and older the ability to complete workouts in stimulating outdoor settings.
 

Details on the installations:

 
CITY LANE (Recreation Centre)
  • Features a cargo net
  • 7 exercise stations
  • 56 exercises divided into 2 fitness programs Trekfit instruct
 
MONTROSE 
  • 6 exercise stations
  • 28 exercises divided into 2 fitness programs 
 
HEIGHTS (coming Fall 2019)
  • Features a bamboo jungle, recreating the movement of bamboo in the wild
  • 3 exercise stations
  • 16 exercises divided into 2 fitness programs 

trekfit oli stretchNot to be missed

Free introductory training session with a kinesiologist on Saturday, September 14.
We will provide explanations of the different stations and exercises.
 
Montrose Park: 10:00 - 11:30 a.m.
City Lane (Recreation Centre): 1:00 - 2:30 p.m.
 
Postponed to September 15 in case of rain.
 

August 7, 2019 - Mayor Georges Bourelle is pleased to announce that the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing (MAMH) revised the flood map on Monday and that a preliminary analysis has determined that no more buildings are included in the Special Planning Zone (SPZ) on Beaconsfield territory.
 
Along with other elected West Island officials, the Mayor and a senior city manager had the opportunity to meet with Minister Andrée Laforest and her team last Friday in Québec City. During this meeting, they successfully substantiated Beaconsfield’s arguments and presented exhaustive documentation demonstrating that the City was erroneously included in the SPZ. 
 
As a matter of fact, no buildings were flooded in Beaconsfield in 2017 nor in the spring of 2019, and there were no damages in the 0-20 year zone established by the government in 1985 at an elevation of 22.75 metres. This threshold has been applied in Beaconsfield for 34 years and was never exceeded by the rising water levels during major floods. Moreover, the regulation of the Seaway water levels controls the water levels on our shores.
 
In this context, Beaconsfield’s inclusion in the SPZ did not reflect the reality and inflicted unacceptable financial prejudice as well as major stress on the homeowners concerned. Ever since the government tabled its draft order on June 17 and the map of affected properties, the City has prioritized this dossier and ensured ongoing communication with the residents concerned. The Mayor acknowledges the meticulous and thorough work accomplished in order to gather all information as well as the joint efforts by residents, Council members and administration.
 
“The City had mobilized because, although the SPZ included only certain properties in Beaconsfield, the whole City could have been financially affected in the long run. Supported by city staff from various departments, Councillors Dominique Godin, Karen Messier and Robert Mercuri followed up closely with the affected residents in order to obtain the owners’ declarations. This has allowed us to properly document the situation in Beaconsfield and to demonstrate that we should not be included in the SPZ”, declares Mayor Bourelle.
 
Beaconsfield has always supported the actions taken by the government and Minister Laforest to handle the emergency situations and difficulties caused by the floods in Québec – an issue that is not new and must be addressed in order to protect and ensure the safety and health of the people who live close to the flood zones.
 
Mayor Bourelle states, “In Beaconsfield we are fully aware of this. We have been rigorously and successfully monitoring this situation for almost 40 years. Construction or reconstruction is not allowed in the 0-20 year zone, as established by the Agglomeration’s land use plan and integrated in Beaconsfield’s zoning by-law. We believe that we have already proven by our actions, and we reaffirm, that we are committed to the quality of the environment, sustainable development and protection of Lake St-Louis”.
 
 “We are pleased and satisfied by the decision of the MAMH. By acting quickly, documenting the situation in Beaconsfield and being well prepared for the meeting with the minister, we have obtained the desired outcome, which is the exclusion of any buildings on our territory. We thank Minister Laforest for hearing us. We also thank our MNA, Gregory Kelley, for accompanying us throughout the process to correct the situation. What is left of the portions of land included in the ZIS can be managed as we did before, and residents shall no longer be exposed to undue financial prejudice and stress due to the SPZ that was applied in an arbitrary manner but has now been modified to our satisfaction”, concludes Mayor Bourelle.
 
 

The work is scheduled to begin on August 12. This project, which will take approximately 10 weeks to complete, entails installing new drainage pipes, constructing the sidewalk and restoring the landscapes to their original state.
 
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 crews.

Construction work on the Beaconsfield water network will be carried out by the City of Montreal from July 15 to November 11, 2019.
 
Locations and dates:
  • Elm Avenue, between Westcroft and Allancroft: July 15 to September 10
  • Beaconsfield Boulevard between St-Charles and Kenwood: July 15 to August 23
  • Brighton Street, between Shamrock Road and London Drive: July 25 to October 11
  • St-Andrew Street at the intersection of Beaurepaire: July 25 to October 18
  • Lakeshore Road at the entrance to Pointe-Claire: partial obstruction in August
  • Beaconsfield Boulevard at the intersection of Valois: October 29 to November 11
 
Schedule: Monday to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.
Please note that operations could be staggered or the duration of work extended depending on weather conditions or due to other constraints.
 

It is possible that the water may be discoloured for a period of time. If it is, please run it for a few minutes until it is clear again. We apologize for any inconvenience you may experience.

 
Traffic
Local traffic will be permitted at all times. We ask you to please use caution and ensure that you respect the temporary traffic signals.
 
Parking 
Parking restrictions will be in place in the work site.
 
We apologize for the inconvenience caused by this work. 
 
For additional information, please call 311.

Beaconsfield homes are equipped with meters to register water consumption on which your bill is based.

During August and September, a representative of Compteur Lecomte will take the annual reading of your meter. This is usually done from outside your home. If an indoor inspection is required, the representative will ask permission to come in or leave a written notice at your door to schedule an appointment.

 
On July 22, the City formally submitted the withdrawal request form to the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation (MAMH) along with the resolution adopted by Council in a special meeting on July 17.
 
The City also  sent a letter last week to concerned Beaconsfield residents informing them of the Order and requesting a statement from them on their individual situation. This information will be used to defend their interests.
 
In support of the City's withdrawal request, the forms completed by the homeowners will be sent to MAMH next week. The deadline for submitting these documents to the City is August 9.

Beaconsfield, July 18, 2019 - Municipal Council held a special meeting yesterday morning at City Hall in order to urgently reiterate its request to the Québec Government to exclude 152 homes erroneously included in the special planning zone (SPZ) for floods.

“There are no homes on our territory that meet the three criteria set out by the government for inclusion in these flood zones, e.g. to have been flooded in 2017 and/or this year, or to be located in the areas mapped for recurring 20-year floods”, mentions Mayor Georges Bourelle.

Since the announcement of the Order on June 17 establishing special planning zones for the flood zones, Mayor Bourelle has immediately made representations to the Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing in order to withdraw 197 properties targeted in Beaconsfield. The 45 homes that were withdrawn are not located on waterfront.

“Our history shows that our citizens have never been affected by floods in 2017, 2019 or at any other time. That’s a fact. The Ministry’s flood zone maps do not withstand a thorough analysis of the actual reality on our territory in Beaconsfield”, states the Mayor.

He also points out that this is all the more surprising given that the levels of Lac Saint-Louis are controlled by the St. Lawrence Seaway. The seaway flood level is lower than the flood thresholds of Lac Saint-Louis in Beaconsfield.

“The impact of such a designation has serious negative consequences for the owners not only in financial terms, for it devalues their property, but also at the emotional level due to the concerns and uncertainties this causes. In Beaconsfield, this designation is as erroneous as unjustified.”

Mayor Bourelle and Municipal Council are committed to use all means necessary to have the falsely identified properties withdrawn by Québec.

On Monday, the Mayor requested meetings with Andrée Laforest, Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, and Chantal Rouleau, Minister Responsible for the Metropolis. A mandate was also given to a law firm in order to determine legal options failing the withdrawal of the falsely identified properties in Beaconsfield.

Aware that its data is erroneous and must be corrected, the Ministry has granted a second revision of its maps by the citizens and the municipalities. The second revision, following the first in July, ends on August 19.

The City will send a letter tonight to the concerned Beaconsfield residents to inform them of the Order and obtain a declaration by them with regard to their individual situation. This information shall be used to defend their interests.

Click here to consult the resolution adopted following the special Municipal Council meeting of the City of Beaconsfield held on July 17. 

July 9, 2019 - The Quebec government has tabled the draft order 564-2019, on June 17, 2019, concerning the declaration of a special planning zone to promote the management of flood zones. This draft order, and its effect of creating a freeze, has therefore a great impact on the City of Beaconsfield.
 
At the Council meeting of July 8, Mayor Georges Bourelle and Council members adopted a resolution opposing the proposed provincial draft Order concerning the establishment of a special planning zone (SPZ) and its effects on properties near Lac Saint-Louis that are included in this zone in Beaconsfield.
 
"It is clear that the flood zone in Beaconsfield needs to be reviewed because it is wrong. We believe that the government proceeded arbitrarily to hastily produce a document that demonstrated its decision-making speed. However, the designated zone makes no sense and the impact would be major for the 200 targeted residences, which were never flooded in 2017 nor 2019, as the draft Order suggests", states Mayor Bourelle.
 
On July 2, the City also met with the Ministère des affaires municipales et de l’habitation (MAMH) and clearly expressed its opposition to this SPZ map in its current form.
 
In its resolution, Council asks the Minister to amend, without delay, the current draft Order to exclude the City of Beaconsfield from the special planning zone since no building in the City was flooded in 2017 nor 2019.
 
 

The City of Montreal will carry out work on the drinking water supply system on Beaconsfield Boulevard, between Kenwood Road and St-Charles Boulevard, from July 22 to August 23.
 
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 of Beaconsfield Boulevard. Detours and alternative routes proposed.
  • The bike path will remain open to cyclists.
 
Anticipated 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 

The Government of Québec tabled a draft order establishing a Special Planning Zone (SPZ) on June 17, 2019. All properties in Beaconsfield located on the shores of Lake St. Louis are affected by this draft order. The City has contacted the affected residences.

The Government decree imposes a moratorium (freeze) on the municipality regarding the issuance of any permits and certificates for such properties.

The Government of Québec will also hold a public consultation on this project at the Holiday Inn Suites Pointe-Claire Montreal Airport (6700 Transcanada) on Thursday, July 4, 2019, at 7 pm.

You will find all documentation pertaining to the SPZ order, including a map indicating the affected areas, on the website of the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation (À consulter - Publications en anglais).

You may also contact the Secrétariat à la région métropolitaine at the Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation: metropole@mamh.gouv.qc.ca ou 514 873-3860. 

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

The City is pleased to announce the launch of a new citizen platform that will allow residents to centralize their interactions with the City.
 
Bciti is an application serving municipalities. Several cities have already successfully made this digital shift. We are glad to announce we are taking a step towards the digitization of the City's communications.
 
Access to the bciti platform can be done via a computer, tablet or smartphone. The usefulness of the application will continue to grow as new features are gradually implemented. Citizens can take advantage of the following options today:
 
  • Receive important notices and news from the City by email or text message
  • Make requests, ask questions or make comments and track the progress of your file online and in real time
  • Report a non-urgent problem
 
« It is with great pride that we launch bciti in Beaconsfield. We are confident that this new multiservice platform will positively transform the relationship our residents have with the City's administration. To evolve in the digital era, a city must be able to count on citizen engagement, in addition to being able to communicate with residents very quickly. The more informed citizens are, the more involved they become », said Mayor Georges Bourelle.
 
In the coming months, other services will be offered on this platform: online citizen consultations, a calendar of activities, a digital citizen card offering direct access to the resident’s secure file, including registration for leisure and library activities and more!
 
The app is available for Android and iOS mobile devices. To access bciti, visit beaconsfield.b-citi.com.

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.

In keeping with the recommendation of the Parks Master Plan, Heights Park has been earmarked for renovation in 2019. The objective is to create a universally accessible park which encourages play and social interaction for residents of all ages.
 
Three Open House sessions in November offered residents the opportunity to view concept plans and provide feedback on the redesign of Heights Park. 
 
girl swing
Consult the plans for the two proposed concepts for the redesign of Heights Park as well as additional documents relating to urban furniture and equipment:
 
 

 

 
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.