Notes on the Council Meeting held June 9th, 2026 – The meeting was called to order at 19h30.
Questions from the public (for issues not on the agenda)
Mayor Ektvedt took the opportunity to explain to the audience the bylaw No 1059 respecting the governing of the council meetings adopted in 2018, particularly question periods. There were no questions from those in attendance.
SPVM Report
The new PDQ1 commandant, Jean Sébastien Masson, was in attendance, was introduced and spoke a few words. An audience member asked him about the recent door-to-door visits by police cadets, and he agreed that, in the future, the Town would be notified prior to any such activity. Please remember to call 9-1-1 in case of emergency but that you can also call the local station at 514 280 0101 or pdq1@spvm.qc.ca
Councillors’ Reports
Cllr Pagé presented the monthly statistics for the Rescue Squad. SBDRS accumulated another 445 volunteer-hours of service during the month of May. Their activities included the charitable breakfast benefitting a Guatemalan school, first-aid support at the Leaster-B. Pearson School Board cross-country run on May 5th and 7th, first-aid support at an event at Pierrefonds Community High School (PCHS) on May 26th and 27th. On May 31st, Rescue held an open house at 300 Surrey to celebrate their 20th anniversary. They demonstrated their vehicles and operations to the public. The vCOPs amassed 196 volunteer-hours during the month of May. Their activities included 60 hours of patrol, traffic control during the LBPSB’s cross-country run on May 6th and 7th, assistance at the Town’s electronic and tire recycling day on May 23rd and attendance at the Dorset Home and School barbecue on May 28th.
Cllr Lowensteyn advised that the Junior Council’s games night would be held on June 19th at the Red Barn and would not be held during the months of July and August. The Junior Council will, once again, host a paintball activity at Baie-D’Urfé Day.
Cllr Caron thanked the staff and students at Alexander von Humboldt Schule for growing seedlings for the Garden at Fritz and for helping to plant them.
Mayor’s Report
Mayor Ektvedt presented her report and mentioned that she and Councillor Pagé attended the conference of the Union of Québec Municipalities, as well as a meeting with the Société de Transport de Montréal (STM) to celebrate their bus route reforms. A bus to downtown has been maintained and a new bus loop in the industrial park is in operation to connect the businesses with the REM trains. The Environment Committee and Irina Sambueva of the environment department presented a biodiversity workshop to the public, which was well attended. This presentation is available on lone through the Town’s website. The mayor attended the Rescue Squad’s 20th anniversary celebration and presented them with a symbolic key to the town. The mayor congratulated NOVA on their upcoming 115 years of service to the West Island. The mayor and councillor Lowensteyn attended the Federation of Canadian Municipalities in Edmonton and were exposed to new and updated municipal infrastructure and environment ideas.
Correspondence
There were 10 items of correspondence received.
Tammy Wolf and Lindsay Spier/Andrew Glowacki, all residents on Surrey Drive, wrote concerning the deforestation and resulting increase in the noise levels from the highway. Mayor Ektvedt responded that installation of a berm/acoustic wall did not receive support from the council and, therefore, no sound survey would be conducted. There is ongoing consultation with a forest engineer to revitalise and manage the wooded area. Remedial work will be planned for the fall of 2026.
Valentin Brinza of 30 Picardy wrote asking that the portable toilet at Picardy Park be re-located to a more appropriate location. The current site was chosen so that the service vehicle can reach the unit in order to remove the sewage on a regular basis.
There were four items of correspondence regarding the proposed pickleball courts. Ralph Allison of 704 Devon Place asked if there was the possibility of recommending another location based on the acoustic study. Josie Caruso of 54 Linden, who is a pickleball player, wrote that the leisure group in Baie-D’Urfé has not had any noise complaints in 10+ years and she feels that the cases previously referenced are larger ones and don’t necessarily reflect the scale of this project. She stressed that these courts are for leisure, not tournaments. Alain Brunet of 76 Churchill Road wrote that the pickleball should be maintained in the same location as the basketball court behind the Red Barn. Ngoc Huyen Phan (Annie Chedeville) of 61 Churchill Road requested that the Town keep in mind the quality of living of homeowners around the proposed pickleball courts and the possibility of changing the location of same. Cllr Lowensteyn responded to these letters that the mandate for the acoustic study does not include other locations where pickleball is currently being played or recommendations for other locations. The process is continuing.
A letter was received from a resident of Sainte-Anne de Bellevue expressing concern about the effect of fireworks on the nesting bald eagles in our Town’s territory. Mayor Ektvedt responded that the town’s environment department had contacted Environnement Québec as the bald eagles are a protected species and had received a reply that reassures us that the Baie-D’Urfé Day fireworks should not cause a problem because they will be far enough away from the nest and they are the “low noise” fireworks.
Danielle Brochu sent a letter concerning the treatment of the animals at ITR Laboratories in the industrial park. She asked what the town was doing about this matter and also if the town would consider setting up a citizens’ committee to monitor the treatment of these animals. Mayor Ektvedt responded that this company’s operations fall under federal and provincial regulations, not municipal, and that ITR has acquired rights in our industrial park for as long as they comply with all these. The town did pass a bylaw in 2017 prohibiting any new installations involving animal testing.
Stephen Powell of 99 Dorset sent a letter concerning the roadside parking situation in his area whenever there are soccer games. People are parking on both sides of the roads and often not leaving clear passage for emergency vehicles. This matter has been referred to the Traffic and Road Safety Committee for their recommendations.
Administration
The Traffic and Road Safety Advisory Committee members were appointed for the next 2-year period and a mandate regarding parking on Dorset and a stop sign on Churchill Road at Victoria Place was given for their consideration and recommendations.
An 18-month appointment was given to Marie Seka as a maternity leave replacement for Megan Smith, our recreation technician. She will have a 6-month probation period which commenced May 25th.
A donation in the amount of $150 was given to the Literacy Foundation in memory of Mme Denise Gilbert, the mother of our general director, Nicolas Bouchard, who recently passed away.
The Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee members were appointed for the next 2-year period and a mandate concerning commemorative benches was given for their consideration and recommendations.
Finance
Expenses in the amount of $12,448,690.51 in the month of May were approved. This sum included the first payment of the amount due to the agglomeration of the City of Montreal for 2026, approximately $12,000,000.
Public Works and Town Infrastructures
There were various contracts awarded: for professional services regarding the re-surfacing of Morgan Road, for the acquisition of water meters for industrial, commercial and institutional installations, for the inspection of storm and sanitary drains, for an acoustic study prior to the construction of pickleball courts and for the flat roof on the Whiteside-Taylor Centre.
Town Planning
Approval of the Town Planning Advisory Committee was given for three projects: 81 Churchill Road, 37 Lombardy Road and 15 Sunny Acres Road.
Citizen Services and Community Affairs
Grants in the amount of $300 each were given under the Excellence Support Program as follows:
Max Chantler – Waterpolo, National Championship League (East Finals U18) April 24 to 26, 2026, Markham, Ontario
Jasmine Cyr – Cheerleading Worlds (International) – U18 April 24-27, 2026, Orlando, Florida, U.S.
Sophianne Cyr – Canadian World’s Face-Off (National Cheerleading, large co-ed) April 10, 2026, Toronto,
Sophianne Cyr – Cheerleading Worlds (International) – large co-ed April 24-27, 2026, Orlando, Florida
Sophie Lu – Tennis – Waterloo Tournament (14 years) April 25-26, 2026, Waterloo, Québec
Zihan Peng – Badminton Magog 2026 Invitation April 3-4,2026, Magog, Québec
Zihan Peng – Badminton – 2026 Yonex Quebec Elite/ABC Championship April 24-26, 2026, Trois-Rivières
Question Period (for items on the agenda)
Ralph Allison, 704 Devon Place asked why the council did not mandate the Parks and Recreation Advisory Committee to look into the pickleball courts. Mayor Ektvedt replied that council did not feel that PRAC had any additional insight into the matter.
Robert Latour, 81 Churchill asked if the value of renovation projects could be kept more private, not published in the News & Views. DG Bouchard replied that the council notes in the News & Views were prepared by the Citizens’ Association, not the town.
Ngoc Huyen Phan of 61 Churchill Road asked why the council was not considering that there was already a lot of disruption in the area of the proposed pickleball courts, what with the existing pool and tennis courts, both of which do not respect the Town’s noise bylaws. Mayor Ektvedt replied that this project was still in its preliminary stages and there is still much to be determined.
Willy Classen, 210 Champagne Drive summed up the pickleball situation with the acknowledgement that the pickleball project was still under planning and when would the acoustic report be available. DG Bouchard replied that they expect the results in about three months due to the complexity of measuring three different scenarios, some of which are being done at existing installations in other municipalities. Construction of the project has always been forecast for 2027.
Meryem Abouamal of 59 Lombardy asked if there was any change in the Town’s position on a sound wall along the highway. Mayor Ektvedt replied that an acoustic barrier was not being considered but that the Town was consulting with a forestry engineer to install new plants to resolve the situation.
The meeting was adjourned at approximately 21h15.