Laval QC ☕ The morning chat
Good morning,
Today, we’re talking safety, memory, and commitment. Two Laval police officers were injured in a collision, the city commemorated the victims of the Concorde overpass, and local businesses were honoured. Enjoy the read.
What to remember this morning
- Two Laval police officers injured in a collision in Vimont: Their vehicle struck an SUV while they were responding to an emergency call, and all three people involved walked away with injuries considered minor.
- Laval remembers the victims of the Concorde overpass, 20 years later: Nearly 200 people attended the first official commemoration ceremony, held near Jules-Verne school.
- Three Laval businesses honoured at the Entreprendre ici gala: Inspecteasy, Novo Trafic, and L’École fait du Bruit are among this year’s 24 winners.
- Laval’s opposition parties join the campaign: Action Laval and Parti Laval are calling for a reform of municipal democracy.
Around town
- Twenty years after the collapse of the Concorde overpass, Laval commemorates: The ceremony, organized by the Société d’histoire et de généalogie de l’Île Jésus, took place on September 30. A white rose and a candle were offered to participants. Executive director Jasmin Miville-Allard recalled the names of the five victims and the importance of remembering for generations who didn’t live through the event.
- Three Laval businesses honoured at the Entreprendre ici gala: The ceremony was held on September 24 at the Théâtre Cartier in Montreal. The three companies—Inspecteasy, Novo Trafic, and L’École fait du Bruit—were selected among 24 winners representing seven administrative regions of Quebec. They will receive financial support of up to $25,000, plus business development assistance.
Main story
Two Laval police officers injured in a collision with a civilian vehicle in Vimont
Thursday morning, around 11:30 a.m., a patrol car from the Service de police de Laval (SPL) collided with an SUV at the intersection of boulevard des Laurentides and rue Renaud, in the Vimont district.
The officers were travelling northbound with lights and siren on, responding to an emergency call about a case of domestic violence. At the corner of rue Renaud, the patrol vehicle struck a Ford Mustang Mach-E that was heading east and turning onto boulevard des Laurentides.
The two officers suffered injuries to their upper bodies, while the SUV driver, a 49-year-old woman, was injured in her lower body. All three people involved were taken to hospital, but their injuries are not life-threatening.
Boulevard des Laurentides was closed to northbound traffic between boulevard Saint-Martin and rue de Dakar to allow investigators to analyze the scene.
In detail
Laval’s opposition parties join the provincial election campaign
Action Laval and Parti Laval, which together represent four of the five opposition members on the city council, have decided to make their voices heard in the provincial campaign.
In early September, David De Cotis (Action Laval) and Louise Lortie (Parti Laval) co-signed an open letter in La Presse with representatives of opposition parties from Gatineau, Trois-Rivières, Lévis, and Saint-Jean-sur-Richelieu. They are asking party leaders to commit to mandating the Ministry of Municipal Affairs within the first 100 days of a new government to begin a reform of municipal democracy.
Three weeks later, Action Laval leader Achille Cifelli renewed the call to those vying for the premiership. The six opposition parties are calling for an update to the Cities and Towns Act, whose last major revision dates back more than 60 years.
Louise Lortie, interim leader of Parti Laval, laments that opposition members are too often shut out of where decisions are made. She cites as an example the overrepresentation of governing party members on committees and commissions, where they hold 68 of the 71 positions to be filled.
CAQ candidates in Laval report a positive campaign
The six Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ) candidates in Laval ridings say they’ve met thousands of citizens during a “dynamic and positive campaign.”
They highlighted party proposals such as injecting $1 billion for home care, adding two weeks to paternity leave, and funding to build 2,000 housing units for independent seniors.
Four of the six Laval ridings were won by the CAQ in 2022. Christopher Skeete (Sainte-Rose) and Valérie Schmaltz (Vimont-Auteuil) are seeking re-election. It’s worth noting that according to the Qc125 aggregator, all six Laval ridings are poised to turn Liberal red, with tight races in Laval-des-Rapides, Sainte-Rose, and Vimont-Auteuil.
Coup de Cœur
The 20th anniversary ceremony for the Concorde overpass shows that collective memory can be passed on with delicacy. Offering a white rose and a candle to each participant invites everyone to make room for the departed in their own memories, while never forgetting those who survived and still carry the scars.
To close
We wish you a gentle day, with a little time to remember what matters and to encourage those who are building the city of tomorrow. In Laval, every gesture counts, even the quietest ones. ☕