A partnership agreement was approved with the Ecological Committee of Greater Montreal in order to continue a project to protect, conserve and develop the Marcel-Laurin Park woodland as well as to maintain it. This agreement will cost up to $61,540 for the borough.
Mon école écoloThe ecological sensitization program directed towards students will be renewed. “Mon école écolo” will be carried out in 2012, at a cost of $11,442 for the borough. “There is a great interest among young people and in our schools. We want to give them the opportunity to understand and share the environmental values that we defend,” said Mayor Alan DeSousa.
Call to fight against povertyA call for project proposals to fight against poverty and social exclusion was officially launched by the borough. These projects will have to take place in 2012.
Range of subsidiesMany subsidies were distributed by the municipality. The most important relate to the Centre d’initiatives pour le développement communautaire l’Unité ($11,500), the Centre d’action bénévole et communautaire of St. Laurent ($14,000), which will soon become a government information center for seniors (see related article). The Bon Courage Community Centre will be entitled to $30,500 annually for three years starting in 2012. Another triennial agreement was approved for the Centre des femmes of St. Laurent, which will benefit from $12,500 per year. Lastly, the association of photographers of St. Laurent, who are getting ready to celebrate their twenty fifth anniversary will get $2,000.
Police force on guardThe bi-monthly report was presented by representatives of the local district station of St. Laurent. “Crime levels remained low, but the situation was more difficult on the roads, with an increase in accidents in 2011. We however noted a decrease in November and December,” said Eric Penna, commander of district station 7.
AstraZeneca to closeMayor Alan DeSousa reacted, earlier this week, to the closing of the AstraZeneca research and development centre, a pharmaceutical company located at Technoparc Montreal in St. Laurent. Last week, the company announced that it is ceasing its activities at this location in the borough, resulting in the loss of 130 jobs. The center had been inaugurated in 1997.
DeSousa pleaded for an extension of the 2007-2012 action plan for the manufacturing sector, set up by the provincial government. “This plan must continue beyond 2012 to ensure the competitiveness of the metropolitan area in Quebec and Technoparc Montreal, St. Laurent Campus,” he said.
(Translated by Michael Beigleman)
