Review of the year 2020 – Achievements

A dynamic and proactive council, working in concert with involved citizens can accomplish many wonderful things for the good of the entire community. 

Opening of the municipal boat washing station 

Please be reminded that the main objective of the washing station is to preserve the quality of our lakes and shorelines and to prevent the introduction of invasive exotic species. 

This undertaking has been very well received by our citizens as we have heard many positive comments throughout the season. More than 200 decals were issued for motorized boats and nearly 150 decals were issued for non-motorized boats. Of course, the washing station was used well over 350 times since each decal included unlimited access to it. 

Except for non-motorized small craft, which also had to be washed before each launch, we did not have any launches by non-residents this year.

As it pertains to the washing station, we have done the following: 

• Hired and trained competent staff;
• Passed a by-law regarding boat washing and the use of the municipal boat launch;
• Adjusted fees, particularly for non-resident kayakers at a cost of $20 per launch which included washing;
• Prepared the washing station premises to accommodate visitors, using asphalt surrounded by riprap (loose stones) for better penetration into the ground;
• Installed signage;
• Revised the forms to better suit the needs of the washing station;
• Written and printed a high-quality pamphlet containing all relevant information: https://ivry-sur-le-lac.qc.ca/wp-content/uploads/2020/07/Depliant_VA.pdf

Several grants confirmed in 2020 

• Transport Canada Boating Safety Contribution Program

($150,000 grant over 3 years, including nearly $100,000 in the first year) 

This program has enabled several projects that would not have been possible without this financial assistance. Kindly note that all these achievements are made possible without any impact on our operating budget, in short, your tax dollars were not used on any of these expenditures.  

Here are some achievements of this much appreciated program: 

• Purchase of a watercraft valued at close to $40,000 (the grant includes insurances, gas, maintenance and winter storage for the years 2020, 2021 and 2022);
• Boat patrol on Lac Manitou (approximately 4 per weeks) for 2020, 2021 and 2022;
• Reimbursement of the cost of graphic design, translation and printing of the nautical information pamphlets where we were to include all information on the washing station;

Production of signs, including those that will be installed no later than next spring, as soon as the nautical map is finalized.

• Control of speed signals on the lake;
• Creation and printing of a ‘’Safe Boating Code’’ map.

• Local Road Assistance Program

Component – Accelerating investment in the local road network

(grant of $197,830 for the 2020 refurbishment work) 

This grant allows us to do work without having all  costs borne by municipal taxes. 

Completion of the 2020 work valued at over $350,000

• Pavement replacement (200 meters) on Lacasse Road and reprofiling of ditches;
• Replacement of a short challenging section on Lac-Manitou Road South (50 meters);
• Granular regrading on all of Fyon Road, removal of blockages and reprofiling of ditches;
• Replacement of some culverts. 

• Canada Summer Jobs Program

(grant of nearly $9,500 for 2 students, i.e. the washing station attendant and the road attendant) 

This program allows the Municipality to reduce the fees that it has to pay and thus be able to pay our students at a rate that is more advantageous than the minimum wage. 

Therefore, overall, more than $500,000 was provided to the Municipality in 2020 as additional revenue in the form of grants that allowed us to prioritize certain projects that were not included in the original budget.

• Several files were brought up to date in line with municipal regulations               

• Inventory of dangerous trees

Considering that every year the Municipality has to attend to fallen trees on public roads on an emergency basis and considering the risk of injury, this dossier was prioritized.

• Several notices have been sent to citizens for dangerous trees in the private right-of-way which could fall on to the public road;
• A notice was also sent to Hydro-Québec for all dangerous trees near its wires, and
• The Municipality has also instructed a company to cut down dangerous trees located in the public right-of-way. 

Thank you for your cooperation in making Ivry-sur-le-Lac a safe place for everyone!

• Inventory of non-compliant shoreline/riparian strips

An inventory was carried out at the end of summer 2020 that lists all non-compliant riparian strips. Follow-up on this file will be prioritized this winter and the Municipality will send notices to all concerned citizens , proposing a reasonable deadline for adherence. 

As you surely know, a well-managed shoreline strip has very positive impacts on a body of water and represents its filtering lungs, while a non-compliant shoreline strip represents significant risks. All concerned citizens should receive a notice at the beginning of 2021, with the objective of working with you to ensure that all shoreline strips comply with environmental standards and our regulations. Please note that there  is no possibility of acquired rights  for landscaping. 

Thank you in advance for your usual cooperation! We all love Lac Manitou. To keep it healthy, we must all work together!

Of course, many other accomplishments have been achieved, however, due to the lengthy nature of  this Newsletter, we will focus on those accomplishments that have resulted in  significant financial, environmental, rehabilitation and public safety efficiencies. 

New regulation concerning the control of dogs on the territory

The provincial government has adopted a new regulation under the Act to promote the protection of persons by establishing a framework for dogs applicable to all local municipalities in the province of Quebec. The Municipality has therefore made changes to its municipal by-laws to comply with the new provincial regulation.

More specifically, the by-law confirms the following elements in addition to defining the power of inspector visits, the rights of the inspector, and the procedures in the case of a dangerous dog:

NUMBER OF DOGS

In Ivry-sur-le-Lac, no person shall keep more than three (3) dogs per occupancy unit unless the owner can demonstrate that he or she owned all the dogs prior to the effective date of this by-law.

If a female dog or cat gives birth, the litter may be kept for a period not exceeding three (3) months from birth.

LICENSE

A license is mandatory and must be obtained within fifteen (15) days following the acquisition of the new family member or following the day the dog reaches the age of three (3) months, whichever is later.

The license is a medallion, on which is inscribed the sequential number of the license and the name of the Municipality. To obtain the medallion, you must fill out the form to that effect.

To obtain the form, please visit:https://www.ivry-sur-le-lac.qc.ca/en/forms-and-permits/

The license is issued for the life of the dog and is non-transferable and non-refundable.

COSTS

The fee for a lifetime license is twenty-five dollars ($25.00) for each dog spayed or neutered (with a spay/neuter certificate) and forty dollars ($40.00) for all others.

In the event of loss or destruction of the license, you may obtain another license for fifteen dollars ($15.00).

THE IMPORTANCE OF OUR DOG HAVING ITS LICENSE 

If your dog decides to run away or you lose him and you want to get him back, it will be very easy for us to identify him and to contact you so that it avoids ending up in a kennel for example. Dogs sometimes have tremendous  stamina and can roam for hours before being found, so with the license, no matter where he will end up, we will be contacted and it will be easy to make the link with you!

Please note that any kennel can proceed with the putting down of the animal after 3 days without being claimed, so this is yet another good reason to obtain a license!

The by-law was adopted at the regular meeting on November 9th and is available on the website:

https://www.ivry-sur-le-lac.qc.ca/en/by-laws/

Happy reading!

Managing your bins!

When should I put my bins out on the road?

In order to avoid any damage to your bins, it is important that they be placed as soon as possible the day before collection and removed as soon as possible after collection. Heavy machinery plowing the roads can damage or bury the bins. The Municipality is not responsible for damage caused by snow removal trucks.

How should I direct my bins for collection?

The bins must be located at the curb, with the handles facing the house so that nothing interferes with the collection, as close as possible to the outside line of the road, at a maximum distance of one metre. A minimum space of sixty (60) centimetres is required between each bin to ensure access.

Leaving for the cold season?

Be sure to store your bins in a place where they do not indicate that the residence is uninhabited, due to potential thieves.

Mon vrac sans sac! Campaign

 Did you know? It is not recommended to place your recyclable materials in a plastic bag before putting them in the green bin. By putting them in bulk in the bin, you reduce your consumption of single-use plastic bags, reduce your impact on the environment and make the work of employees at the waste sorting centre easier! For more information on waste management, visit www.traindeviedurable.com

Expansion of the Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts Ecocentre

Since its opening in 2012, the Sainte-Agathe-des-Monts Ecocentre has grown in popularity. The number of visitors is constantly increasing and the quantities of materials brought in are becoming more and more significant. Such an influx of visitors and materials means that the Ecocentre has reached its functional capacity and that an expansion of the space it occupies is now required. 

With three times the current surface area, the expansion will allow for a greater number of containers for sorting materials and will ensure more efficient and safer circulation of visitors and staff. 

This need for expansion demonstrates the commitment of citizens through concrete actions to reduce our ecological footprint!

Containers and bins at the municipal garage

We found that many cardboard boxes, as well as items such as suitcases, have been discarded near the recycling bins at the municipal garage.

It is very important that when you come to drop off cardboard at the municipal garage, the cardboard must be in the bins. If the size is too large, the cardboard must be broken and/or cut beforehand to fit inside the green bins.

There are two relevant issues  when items are left outside the green bins.

First of all, they are not recovered by the RITL. It is our small team who will have to find the time to break them down, and put them in the green bins, to ensure their recovery.

Secondly, if it rains or snows, the boxes will become soiled and cannot be recovered because they will be contaminated.

Therefore, in the future, please cut up and/or break down your boxes and put them in your green bin at home.

If you have large quantities, please ensure that when you drop off your recyclable materials at the municipal garage, they must be placed inside the bins.

Be aware that the bins at the municipal garage are intended primarily for citizens who do not have collection at their homes due to the fact that trucks are unable to access them.

For the past few months, we have noticed that the use of the bins at the municipal garage has been abused.

It would be regrettable to close access to all citizens simply because some do not respect the rules.

We appreciate your full cooperation.

New financial assistance measures for Canadians

This fall, three new financial assistance measures for Canadians are available: the Canadian Sickness Benefit for Economic Recovery (CSBER), which provides financial support to people with Covid-19 or who need to be isolated because of Covid-19. Second, the Canadian Economic Recovery Benefit (CERB), whose objective is to provide financial assistance to workers directly affected by Covid-19 and are not eligible for Employment Insurance. This new measure replaces the Canada Emergency Benefit (CEB). And finally, the Canada Caregiver Economic Recovery Benefit (CCERB), which is intended to provide financial assistance to people who are unable to work because they need to care for a child under 12 years of age or a family member who requires supervised care. These various measures have been in effect since September 27, 2020, and will extend until September 25, 2021.

 For more information, please visit

https://www.canada.ca/en/department-finance/economic-response-plan.html#individuals

Formation Centre des Cimes

Other subjects of interest

Should you have any other topics you would like us to address in a future municipal Newsletter, just let us know and it will be our pleasure to address them.

Should you have any questions, please do not hesitate to ask!  The municipal team is there for you!

Once again, I thank for your trust; it’s a real pleasure to represent you!

Mayor,

Daniel Charette
Municipalité d’Ivry-sur-le-Lac
Tél. (819) 321-2332
info@ivry-sur-le-lac.qc.ca