The budget was $24,915,000 and the average tax rate was increased by 3.5% which were adopted on December 12 by the city council of Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot The elected representatives took advantage of the extraordinary meeting to also adopt the three-year capital plan 2025-2027 particularly in the context of the new 2025-2027 property assessment role coming into effect on January 1 the board presented a budget with an average tax increase of 3.5% The tax rates were adjusted to offset the average increase of 42% in property assessment for a residence with an average value of $670,000 the increase in the tax account in 2025 will be $183 The impact of the rate adjustment on the tax account may differ from one owner to another depending on the variation in the value of their property relative to the average This variation in value is not uniform across the city and depends on sales of properties in different sectors Rates have been revised to reflect actual costs of municipal services As a result of the major upgrades to the Water Board compensation for drinking water treatment and distribution will be increased from $233 to $287 per residence An increase in compensation for wastewater treatment is also necessary to support infrastructure maintenance The actual cost analysis also revealed that the surplus water tax is not tied to the actual cost of producing one cubic metre of water this tax will increase to $2.136 per m3 above the authorized 250 m3 The increase is intended to bridge the gap between actual and billed costs but also to remind all of us that tap water is not free and that efforts will be needed to protect this precious resource Under the Quebec Strategy for Saving Drinking Water some government subsidies could be dependent on the ability of Perrotdamois to meet provincial drinking water reduction targets Faced with a constant increase in spending funding sources that are still not diversified in the municipal world and almost no subsidies for financially healthy cities the City of Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot has adopted a regulation that will now allow it to levy a charge on new construction and residential developments These fees are a means of expanding municipal taxation and generating new revenues without further drawing from the pockets of already established residents as this measure did not have an immediate effect the City made a decision to use some reserves to pay non-recurring expenses and to reduce the impact of the increased water board share and other tax account expenditures the Ville de Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot plans to devote 31% of its budget to the payment of various contributions including the Sûreté du Québec the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal and the MRC de Vaudreuil-Soulanges As in the case of several towns in Vaudreuil-Soulanges Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot saw its bill for services from the Sûreté du Québec increase significantly to $2.5 million 27% of the total budget will be allocated to salaries 9% to snow removal contracts and various collections and finally 4% to miscellaneous expenditure The three-year capital program (QSP) is a set of projects and investments that the City plans to undertake over the next three years It should be noted that this is not an authorization to spend and that the projects included in this authorization could be carried over $8.3 million would be spent in 2025 on various municipal infrastructure projects and $3.6 million of this amount will be used for the rehabilitation of aerated ponds.  you will see little tangible results because most of our projects and grants will be dedicated to our municipal infrastructure Their maintenance is essential and we do not want to delay these investments We have therefore decided to prioritize the infrastructure and urgent work to be done,” said Mayor Danie Deschênes In an effort to reduce the financial burden on citizens the city council was faced with choices.  For example in the face of a steady decline in traffic since the pandemic the City made the heartbreaking decision to end boat rental services and close the Centre nautique located at the Parc historique de la Pointe-du-Moulin “We will come back in the spring with a more focused proposal within the neighbourhoods Something similar to the Neighbours’ Festival that is being held in other cities.” The usual snow park at Parc des Eperviers will not be artificially snowcapped for the 2025 winter season the Grande Tablée party will not be renewed for the summer of 2025 Pour partager votre opinion vous devez être connecté la MRC de Beauharnois-Salaberry annonce sa participation à l’initiative ministérielle Proximité des Pêcheries et de l’Alimentation de Québec (MAPAQ) permettant ainsi à onze entreprises du territoire de bénéficier de formations ainsi que d'un accompagnement .. Pet owners sometimes face high veterinary costs especially when it comes to purchasing medication an alternative exists for owners: adding their pet to the pharmaceutical file enabling certain prescription treatments to be obtained at reduced cost from pharmacies access to these medications remains limited due to regulatory .. The refrigerated skating rink at Parc des Éperviers in Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot now has a roof much to the delight of skating and ice hockey fans the Town inaugurated the new infrastructure officially opening the season for outdoor skating and ice hockey The investment of nearly $3 million will enable young and old alike to enjoy the skating season for longer "We're very proud to offer Perrotdamers this new infrastructure which will enhance the year-round recreational and community activities offered at Parc des Éperviers It's an excellent investment for our young people but also for all families," says Danie Deschênes Mayor of Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot Danie Deschênes also took the opportunity to salute the involvement of the partners who made this project possible including members of the municipal council and administration the architectural firm Poirier Fontaine Architechtes inc The rink use policy has been revised to recognize the collaboration of our partner cities in the management of the Cité-des-Jeunes Arena Access to the rink will be free at all times for residents of Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot “We want to encourage residents of towns that are working in partnership with the City of NDIP to maintain access to a nearby arena pending the construction of an arena directly on Île Perrot," said Ms users will be required to show proof of residence and a $10 fee (taxes included) will be charged to residents of cities that are not partners in the management of Aréna Cité-des-Jeunes Changes have been made to the schedule in response to feedback from users Free skating slots have been more evenly distributed to better meet skaters' expectations and family field hockey slots have been added exclusively for ages 12 and under Younger field hockey players will be able to be accompanied by a parent and enjoy a safer environment in which to practice their favorite sport and perfect their skills The Ville de Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot is counting on everyone's cooperation to ensure that the various users live together harmoniously The schedule and usage policy have been drawn up with a view to providing all the rink's different clienteles with convenient times for practising their favourite sport in complete safety.  the Ville de Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot (NDIP) and the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC) announced the acquisition of four lots in the Pointe-du-Domaine area 11 hectares of woodland will be preserved for the benefit of the local population protected by the Ville de Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot was made possible thanks to the financial support of several partners including the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) through the Greater Montreal Green and Blue Network program Fish and Wildlife Service and the Age of Union Alliance “I seem to realize today that it's true We really do have this great piece of land that's going to be protected for life It's a legacy of our time for future generations For the Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot council the conservation and enhancement of our green spaces are at the heart of our actions since we're privileged to have partners like CNC with whom we've worked extensively considering the magnitude of the legacy we're all making together With the creation of the Parc-nature and the acquisition of the lots in Pointe-du-Domaine we are continuing to promote access to nature for the entire Perrotdam community,” emphasized NDIP Mayor Danie Deschênes The newly acquired lots will be encumbered by a perpetual conservation easement the Town of NDIP will be required to comply with certain rules aimed at maintaining the integrity of the natural environment These two lots will be combined with two other 5-hectare lots acquired by NCC in 2022 thanks to a total financial contribution of over $1 million Thanks to financial support from the Quebec government as part of the Accelerating Conservation in Southern Quebec (ACSQ) project drawn up a management plan and carried out follow-up visits to the Pointe-du-Domaine woodland The woodlands and wetlands of the Pointe-du-Domaine area were identified by CNC because of their high biodiversity The forest is generally undisturbed and at an intermediate stage of maturity The site is rich in shade-tolerant hardwoods and mixed stands and three plants likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable at the provincial level two wetlands and an intermittent stream provide occasional habitat for the western chorus frog a species designated as threatened in Quebec and Canada “Despite the challenges encountered and the patience required to carry out such a project it's a pleasure to work for the protection of this woodland so prized by the residents of Île Perrot We look forward to working with them to care for this beautiful natural environment and the wonders it harbours,” says Annie Ferland Project Manager at the Nature Conservancy of Canada Member of Parliament for Vaudreuil-Soulanges announced an investment of $920,000 for the purchase and protection of land at NDIP The funds come from the Climate Solutions Fund and the Nature Trust of Canada both administered by Environment and Climate Change Canada “Local communities like Vaudreuil-Soulanges play an essential role in the fight against climate change and biodiversity loss stronger and more resilient future for our children and future generations,” he said at a press conference Mercier mayor and CMM executive member Lise Michaud noted: “Projects like the Pointe-du-Domaine project demonstrate the relevance and mobilizing effect of the Green and Blue Fabric in protecting the metropolitan region's ecosystems and the species that make them up the population of Greater Montreal will be able to enjoy the benefits of this woodland with its high ecological value as well as benefiting from an almost untouched natural environment in an urban setting.”  “Pointe-du-Domaine is a rich natural environment on Île Perrot The acquisition of these four lots will help preserve its biodiversity as part of Greater Montreal's Green and Blue Network the partnership between the Quebec government the Montreal Metropolitan Community and the Town of Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot is making it possible to carry out projects to protect woodlands of importance to the local population and those of neighbouring regions,” adds Marilyne Picard “As a beneficiary of the Nature Canada Fund granted by ECCC Nature-Action Québec is pleased to participate financially in the project thereby consolidating the protection in perpetuity of the Western Chorus Frog's essential habitat on Île Perrot in an area where it is still very vulnerable Collaboration between all stakeholders is an essential factor in the success of recovery projects for this endangered species,” added Jérôme Maurice Director of Restoration of Natural Environments at Nature-Action Québec “Protecting the woodlands and wetlands of Pointe-du-Domaine We are privileged to have this natural jewel so close to home Age of Union is proud to be associated with this initiative to preserve our biodiversity and combat climate change Actions like today's demonstrate how collaboration plays a key role in protecting nature which is essential to our survival,” concludes Dax Dasilva Le Nichoir receives a grant to respond to pollution spills Flood zones: “Let municipalities take responsibility” - Guy Pilon A few showers early becoming a steady rain overnight Major flooding occurred from one end of the metro Montreal region to the other on Friday night after an historic amount of rain fell in just a few hours The scene above was on Ile Perrot at Don-Quichotte and Rue de Provence in Notre-Dame-de-L'Ile-Perrot The service roads and ramps off Highway 40 at Côte-Vertu were once again closed this morning due to major flooding The roads were closed during the evening commute as well In all between 100-175mm of rain fell in Montreal Friday Highway 40 was once again closed Friday evening due to flooding Major flooding was also reported in Laval on Friday evening The first round of rainfall managed to flood several roads in Montréal but not the Decarie Expressway when 100mm of rain in just a couple of hours closed down the flood-prone highway once again 8:15AM UPDATE: The flood waters are gone for the most part with the exception of parts of Île-Bizard and the Highway 13 Airport Tunnel  Transport Quebec is reporting that a pumping station has failed and the roadway remains flooded The closure is in both direction for an indefinite period of time Meanwhile thousands of homes had significant flooding in Montreal Debris litters the front of homes across the Island damage will certainly run into the hundreds of millions of dollars It is estimated by US based AccuWeather that Debby caused close to $28 billion dollars in damages in the US alone One possible fatality has been reported due to flooding from Debby a man in his 80's was pulled from the Batiscan River in the municpality of Lac-aux-Sables it would be the ninth fatality related to the storm from Florida to Quebec Hydro-Quebec has restored most of the 500,000 clients who lost power during the height of the storm Friday with the exception of 2500 customers as of Monday morning 8:30 AM UPDATE: The calm after the storm and the cleanup begins Hydro-Québec had nearly 100 crews and contractors on the job overnight with power out to over 500,000 clients at the height of the storm That number this morning is down to 161,000 with firefighters responding to hundreds of calls across the city from west to east and into Laval to pump basements as well as water rescues on area highways There are still some road closures Saturday morning so travel with care today Yesterday's rainfall not only broke the daily and monthly records for the city but it was the most rainfall in a single day in Montréal dating back to 1871 The previous record was 93.5mm set on November 8 The remains of Debby passed just southeast of the city Lawrence Valley in the sweet spot for heavy rain along with some gusty west winds up to 50km/h to help in the drying process 10PM UPDATE: This evening's heavy rain has caused major flooding to roads and homes from Vaudreuil-Dorion in the west across the central part of the city and north into Laval Over 100mm of rain fell over a 4 hour period including large stretches of Highway 40 on the West Island and in Saint-Laurent Sanivac here on Ile Perrot is responding to over 300 calls for service to pump flood water from basements over 450,000 Hydro-Quebec clients are without power Previous Posts: A spectacular rainbow has just appeared in the eastern sky here on Ile Perrot after an historic weather day Tropical Storm Debby dumped two months worth of rain on the region in just a few hours 175.8mm (6.9 inches) of rain fell since the pre-dawn hours This is the most rain I have ever recorded at any one location I have lived in over the 48 years I have been observing the weather A remarkable 105mm of that total fell between 4pm and 8pm Friday evening Normal rainfall for August in Montreal is just over 94mm The rainfall today crushed both the daily record of 76.2mm set in 1917 and the monthly record for August set on the 29th back in 1893 numerous highways and ramps were closed during the morning commute creating gridlock once again focused around our office at Côte-Vertu The Suburban office building flooded again as it did back in July during Hurricane Beryl Many drivers were once again stranded as their vehicles became inundated with water Some of the same roads have been closed by Transport Québec again this evening due to significant water accumulation The rain that hit the city late Friday was even heavier including the Decarie Expressway and may roads leading into Trudeau Airport winds gusted close to 80km/h at Trudeau Airport as the final heavy rain pulled across the region The result has been widespread power outages to over 120,000 Quebec homes and businesses The good news is the rain is now over for Ile Perrot with the back edge pulling across the city as I write If the rain has not ended in your location allowing many to assess the damage and begin the cleanup process Once again insurance adjusters will be busy Email notifications are only sent once a day Your browser is out of date and potentially vulnerable to security risks.We recommend switching to one of the following browsers: Please enter your email and we'll send you a new password request code Please complete your profile to unlock commenting and other important features It was the only Quebec entry in the ranking proximity to coworking spaces and major metro areas and the "percentage of local workers in the arts" to find the 10 Canadian cities that offer the best quality of life for remote workers PCMag said Notre-Dame-de-L'Île-Perrot "balances on the line between town and country," emphasizing its proximity to parks "more affordable suburban homes." The publication suggests homebuyers could get a bigger bang for their buck on Île Perrot The municipality also scored points for its residents' relatively high median income The Canadian ranking accompanied a similar list of 40 cities in the United States for what PCMag described as "reasonable prices for big houses," as well as the Salt Lake area's "gorgeous mountain scenery and [...] considerable tech industry." Pennsylvania followed Layton in the ranking Your free account has now been created. You can change your notification settings anytime here you will be required to verify your email before reading our content You are now ready to login with your new Milla account You will be asked to share permissions with the AskMontreal community You can manage your subscription anytime by navigating to your account settings Password reset email has been sent to ${C} Please check your inbox for the reset code and enter it here: We built a Welcome tour we highly recommend The town of Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot has published a new optimized schedule for the refrigerated skating rink in Parc des Éperviers over the holiday season.  the rink will be open according to the following schedule Access to the rink is free for residents of Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot Residents of other municipalities pay a $10 fee during busy periods the Ville de Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot will inaugurate the new covered refrigerated skating rink in Parc des Éperviers Residents are invited to attend the event and take their first skate of the season People will be able to discover the new roof which will extend the ice sports season and provide a covered site for multiple activities throughout the rest of the year They will also learn about the new usage policy that will be in place from the opening to promote resident access to this infrastructure mayor of Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot says: “The members of the council and I are very proud to offer Perrotdamois and Perrotdamois this new infrastructure which will enhance the year-round recreational and community activities offered at Parc des Éperviers.” The rink use policy has been revised to recognize the collaboration of partner cities in the management of Aréna Cité-des-Jeunes pending the construction of an arena directly on Île Perrot,” explains Ms The schedule and usage policy have been drawn up with a view to providing all the rink's different clienteles with convenient times for practising their favourite sport in complete safety houses go up for sale in Vaudreuil-Soulanges But some homes attract more attention than others Such is the case of the windmill converted into a private residence on boulevard Perrot in Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot.  “The fourth floor features a breathtaking mezzanine under an 18-foot-high conical roof,” the description reads.  according to the 2023 municipal assessment the house is for sale for the tidy sum of $599,000 colonel and First World War veteran Roger Maillet acquired it for the modest sum of $100 and move it to his estate in Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot The mill was subsequently converted into a private residence Colonel Maillet's estate featured an eclectic mix of architectural elements According to the Centre d'archives de Vaudreuil-Soulanges included elements from the Hôtel Windsor and a chapel whose entrance door came from the former Pied-du-Courant prison where many of the Patriotes of 1837-1838 were imprisoned The Ville de Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot officially launched construction work on the roof of its refrigerated ice rink in Parc de l'Épervier on Monday the new infrastructure will enable residents to enjoy the facility twelve months a year The work was entrusted to Pégase Construction while the architecture was created by the firm Poirier Fontaine Architechtes inc “The roof is the final stage of this refrigerated rink project The strategy has been to put money aside to have the capacity to buy and rent the equipment needed for the refrigerated rink The intention is really to ensure resilience to climate change and to allow ice sports to be played for longer,” says Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot mayor Danie Deschênes.  ice sports enthusiasts were able to enjoy Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot's refrigerated rink for five months while the other traditional ice rinks were open for around 30 days The municipal administration aims to make the infrastructure a gathering place for local families “The roof will allow us to use the infrastructure year-round.This summer we won't be able to use it we'll be able to do a number of activities there including with the bel âge.We'll be able to organize dance and sports activities and why not hold an open-air potluck,” adds the mayor “The council and I are delighted that the project has been launched but we decided to keep it as simple as possible The idea is to provide access to the facilities and not for it to become a monster infrastructure out of respect for the people who live in the neighborhood,” concluded Ms access to the park will be minimally disrupted but caution is still advised in the vicinity of the rink Fences have been installed to delimit the worksite "For your safety and that of the workers please respect the signs in place,” reminds Ms Deschênes we can't wait to see the structure go up let's observe the worksite from a safe distance.”  the Service de police de la Ville de Montréal (SPVM) and the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) conducted six searches related to organized crime in Laval Rosemère and Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot The same operation took place in the last 48 hours in the Vaudreuil-Dorion area as part of a major criminal investigation.  This major investigation is aimed at solving several murders linked to organized crime that occurred in Montreal and on the North Shore Certain individuals associated with notorious groups such as the Italian Mafia the Hells Angels and criminal street gangs are targeted by the investigation The searches carried out this week are aimed at gathering additional evidence Among the homicides the investigators are trying to solve are those of victims who were mistakenly targeted: who was murdered in a residence on Brunel Street in Laval in August 2012; who was shot dead in a café on boulevard Provencher Anyone with information is invited to contact Info-Crime Montréal anonymously and confidentially at 514 393-1133 or the SQ's Centrale de l'information criminelle at 1-800-659-4264 Pincourt and Terrasse-Vaudreuil have imposed watering restrictions under the advisement of the Régie de l'eau de l'île Perrot (REIP) The measures were introduced to change people's watering habits and conserve drinking water by reducing unnecessary usage we need to examine our consumption habits to better manage our drinking water supply drinking water is not an unlimited resource," said Danie Deschênes Mayor of Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot (NDIP).  Watering in NDIP is allowed only on Tuesdays and Fridays and in Terrasse-Vaudreuil on Mondays and Thursdays Saturdays and Sundays in all three municipalities Data from the REIP indicates individual consumption varies from 282 to 463 litres of water per day which is higher than the provincial average of 268 litres per day While the new regulations are already in place each municipality has a grace period until the end of July to give residents time to comply with the new restrictions.  A one-time warning will be issued for a first offence Fines for noncompliance will be issued starting August 1 in all three municipalities or if a second offence occurs during the grace period the first offence will cost $150 and each subsequent offence will be $300 "Our aim isn't to issue tickets and impose fines We just want residents to get used to the new rules and reduce their water consumption," said Pincourt Mayor Claude Comeau.  Each municipality now has a water consumption dial on their respective websites that allows residents to monitor water consumption within the previous four hours "We're asking for everyone's cooperation to prevent the dial's needle from ending up too often in the high or excessive zones," said Michel Bourdeau "By collectively reducing our water consumption we can make sure we always have enough drinking water to properly serve our beautiful communities and especially for fire protection," Bourdeau added Lawn watering in Notre-Dame-de-l'Île Perrot is now restricted to two days a week after council voted unanimously to adopt a new policy regarding the use of drinking water Bylaw 505-5 was unanimously adopted at the city's monthly council meeting on May 9 It restricts the watering of lawns and gardens to two days a week on Tuesdays and Fridays only.  Watering was previously allowed on alternate even and odd days according to the property address. An information campaign has been launched to advise residents of the change The town will provide a grace period to allow residents to adapt to the new restrictions and will issue warning tickets until the end of July.  Fines will be issued beginning August 1 when the new regulations officially take effect The first violation will cost $150 and subsequent violations will be $300 for each offence The same watering restrictions have been adopted in neighbouring Pincourt and Terrasse-Vaudreuil A group of citizens concerned about the vitality of the island of Île Perrot held on Saturday 2024 the official launch of AVENIR ÎLE PERROT - BECOMING ÎLE PERROT a non-profit organization founded in November 2023 with the goal of bringing together four municipalities on the island: namely Pincourt L'Île-Perrot and Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot the new association constitutes a place of exchange and discussion for citizens interested in the future of Île Perrot Businessman Gérard Farmer-the spokesperson for the organization - explained that merging the four municipalities will allow for more effective management by pooling human and material resources “Merging our four municipalities will increase the political weight of the island gain efficiency and make it easier to obtain services Avenir île Perrot's website indicates that should the four towns unite to form a single entity the municipal council would consist of a mayor and eight councillors four mayors and 24 councillors govern the island's municipalities combining the four municipalities of Île Perrot into a single entity would create a city of over 40,000 inhabitants The new Île Perrot agglomeration would then be comparable to the other major cities of the Suroît region including Vaudreuil-Dorion (43,228 inhabitants) Salaberry-de-Valleyfield (41,837 inhabitants) and Châteauguay (51,292 inhabitants) It would rank 9th among Quebec municipalities with populations of 25,000 to 50,000 the island will thus be able to speak "coherently and with a single voice" to various bodies the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal (CMM) and the provincial and federal governments According to Île Perrot historian Lise Chartier the successive divisions of the island in 1948 for Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot in 1955 for L'Île-Perrot and in 1958 for Pointe-du-Moulin slowed the development of essential services and infrastructures forcing elected officials and civil servants into constant inter-municipal negotiations "The decision to amalgamate the four municipalities of Île Perrot into a single large town is a fundamental and legitimate right that belongs to the citizens," says the organization Avenir île Perrot plans to conduct research disseminate information and launch a campaign to get the population to recognize the merits of unified political representation on Île Perrot To find out more about the new organization visit the Avenir île Perrot Facebook page and its website at: www.avenirileperrot.ca A family from L'Île-Perrot owes its life to its smoke alarm after a fire completely destroyed the family home on Wednesday night Firefighters from the Pincourt-Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot Terrasse-Vaudreuil and Vaudreuil-Dorion fire departments were called to assist their Île-Perrot colleagues Pub on Don Quichotte Boulevard in L'Île-Perrot early this morning Firefighters quickly responded at 3:20 a.m after receiving a call from the Sûreté du Québec (SQ) police who were on patrol at the time and noticed smoke billowing from the structure.  One firefighter was overcome by smoke and was treated by paramedics at the scene The blaze caused considerable damage to the building Firefighters from Terrasse-Vaudreuil and Pincourt\Notre-Dame-de-l'Île-Perrot were also dispatched and helped their colleagues put out the blaze.  SQ spokeswoman Valérie Beauchamp confirmed the fire was not of criminal origin A major power outage is currently affecting all four municipalities on île Perrot The Hydro-Québec website reports the outage began at 2:51 p.m because of equipment failure and is affecting 17,430 customers - 5,818 in L'Île-Perrot 4,485 in Notre Dame de l'île-Perrot 6,206 in Pincourt and 917 in Terrasse-Vaudreuil The power failure is also affecting two customers in Vaudreuil-Dorion No information is yet available as to when power will be restored MontrealNewsFree outdoor films in off-Island suburb will be French only this summer because of Bill 96By Keila DePapePublished: June 22, 2023 at 10:05PM EDT Twitter feed ©2025 BellMedia All Rights Reserved Development is on the brain in Quebec as the province works to find its financial footing following the losses of the COVID-19 pandemic But by streamlining environmental and archaeological assessments during the rush to build experts say ancient Indigenous sites could be destroyed – and their artifacts lost to history forever “From the perspective of an archaeologist, we are literally losing and destroying sites every day to development,” archaeologist Adrian Burke told APTN News the situation has been disastrous for years it was bad to begin with – it can only be worse now.” APTN took a look at two potential historical sites currently facing construction A “huge land grab” in Notre-Dame-de-l’Ile-Perrot  Shelagh McNally and her compatriots with eco-collective Pincourt Vert already prevented development in a lush forested area near their homes once before When McNally received word of another large-scale development in the neighboring municipality of Ile-Perrot – this time with an Indigenous interest – she reached out to APTN with her concerns “I thought ‘here’s a great opportunity to make amends,’” she explained “There’s an archaeology report that’s saying there’s evidence of an ancient Indigenous community there What a great opportunity [for the municipality] to turn and say ‘we’re going to hold off.’” both the municipality and the Quebec Ministry of Culture received copies of an archaeological notice specifying a planned development site in Ile-Perrot in particular the multiple points and bays that punctuate their shores have on many occasions served as stopping places (temporary camps) portage areas or even places of establishment,” archaeologist Alexandre Lefrancois-Leduc wrote in his February assessment is a unique witness to an ancient cultural landscape,” according to Lefrancois-Leduc Except the plan is to clear-cut the forest in order to build 17 private residential homes “This is part of one of the issues is that – we really need somebody other than developers to step in and do a thorough study of this report and before it’s completely lost,” McNally added “It’s not like a lifesaving COVID vaccination clinic they’re building APTN’s messages to the municipality’s mayor went unanswered Mohawk Council officials said they’re aware of the file and have been attempting to get a meeting with municipal – and provincial – officials it’s all rooted in what I often tie things to which is “doctrine of discovery” worldview-taking,” explained Mohawk Council portfolio chief Ross Montour to lands that do not belong to their ancestors.” Evidence of trade routes found near Hudson’s Sandy Beach  APTN received word of protests held at another residential homes are set to be constructed within the woods near Sandy Beach Hudson councillor Jim Duff has been coming to Sandy Beach since childhood After years of attempting to slow development in the Hudson area You either buy the land at whatever price the seller wants to charge or you let them go ahead and build,” Duff explained Sandy Beach isn’t just a potential historical site – those who’ve studied it say artifacts have already been recovered there a guy who used to like to go to the beach and look for coins And in the process he found a couple of arrowheads,” archaeologist Adrian Burke explained Also found at the site: an axe – possibly a “trade axe,” according to Burke – some pieces of copper kettle But it’s the stone tool – made of quartzite – which may in fact be the most valuable of the items recovered at Sandy Beach so far “It was made out of a material that comes from very far north in Quebec It’s also estimated to be over 4,000 years old Burke filed a report with Quebec’s Ministry of Culture to notify them of the archaeological potential at Sandy Beach But the likelihood of Quebec ordering a thorough dig based on a few preliminary finds is slim “[Quebec] can decide that finding just a couple of objects on the surface does not constitute a site,” according to Burke Heritage: a “different kettle of fish” in Quebec  Earlier in the pandemic – in June 2020 – Quebec tried to pass an economy-stimulating bill that waived the obligation to consult with First Nations Ross Montour says other Canadian provinces have power to stop development on privately-owned lots if there’s a potential Indigenous interest – but Quebec lacks similar policies “In Quebec – it’s a different kettle of fish Intervening – or putting a stop to development on a private lot – can only really happen if the municipality in question gets on-board and also prods the Ministry of Culture municipalities are also looking for ways to boost revenue in a post-pandemic era  This is true despite the presence of hundreds – possibly thousands – of archaeologically significant sites all over Quebec we’re probably going to sweep aside – especially Indigenous history and Indigenous archaeology in the name of development I’ve seen it pretty much every single time,” Burke explained “The ideal of course is to have First Nations archaeologists who will really look out for their own rights and their own heritage.” the ladies of Pincourt Vert – with one success already under their belt – say they’re ready to continue pushing to preserve the site in Ile Perrot “I really saw how that is part of the community – this idea of stewardship And how Indigenous communities have been guardians for centuries,” McNally added “And I look at my culture – look what we’ve done in 100 years.” Signup to our newsletter and receive this week's top stories every Saturday morning MontrealNewsConstruction worker struck and killed by dump truck west of MontrealBy Daniel J. RowePublished: August 29, 2022 at 3:22PM EDT