Police commander Patrice Vilnéus, a Black man of Haitian origin, has resigned from the SPVM after 30 years with an open letter denouncing its chronic ingrained racism.
Update: The SPVM claims it’s making efforts to address racism. This kind of promise has been made periodically the whole time I’ve done this blog (nearly 23 years now) and I suspect it will continue to be made from time to time, with little effect.
As noted in comments on this blog, danger from the lithium battery fire Monday at the port was not well conveyed to nearby residents. The city posted on Facebook and X that people should stay inside and close windows, but power was out in the area so many people couldn’t be reached that way.
Every now and then we see brief news items warning of siren testing in industrial areas. Does the port have similar hazard sirens? What about phone alarms? Someone in the La Presse story echoes Chris’s remark here: “on reçoit des messages pour des enfants perdus dans la Ville de Québec, mais quand il y a une urgence juste à côté, on ne reçoit aucune information.”
The New York Times previews a major exhibition of Inuit art opening this November at the Museum of Fine Arts.
La Tulipe has issued a press release saying it’s ceasing activities “for the moment” following this week’s court ruling, bringing an end to more than a century of live performances.
Radio‑Canada summarizes the “mistake” made in 2016 when the city rezoned the adjoining building as residential – something that was actually against its own rules about not allowing residential space to adjoin venues and bars.
I wonder what this guy’s endgame is. I sincerely doubt he actually live there, as the article mentions. Maybe SOMEONE lives there, but I don’t know if it’s the guy making the complaint. He lives in Orford, according to his tax documents. Also, there were people living there before he bought the place in 2016. If you check Google Maps, you can see tables and chairs on the balconies. So, what rezoning took place, in actuality?
Again, I wonder what his motives are. Does he want to buy the building La Tulipe occupies, possibly on the cheap as it is no longer a viable business? Is he just trying to be a killjoy? What does he want?
Luc Rabouin announced this afternoon that a special borough council meeting will be held on Thursday “afin de modifier notre réglementation pour préserver les salles de spectacles.”
Since the judge’s ruling was based on a narrow interpretation of Article 9 of the Plateau’s noise bylaw, what happens if the Plateau changes the bylaw?
Even if they change the bylaw, can they force the owner to change how he uses his property based on a retroactive application of the bylaw?
They could change the rules for a new construction/renovation.
I really hope they modify the noise by-laws to grandfather current places. I’m worried that the new condos being built in the old Molson brewery will shut down the practice spaces in the uhaul building next door.
@Kate The city is already suing Beaudoin for illegal occupation of a property. I’m not sure about the details of that case but that’s not what will be addressed in the council meeting. This has to do with the noise bylaw. If the noise law changes, Beaudoin would no longer have grounds for a complaint… right? I’d love to hear from someone with more legal knowledge.
Okay, so based on today’s press conference, it seems the Plateau will exempt restaurants, bars, music venues and theatres from Article 9 of the noise bylaw. Article 8, which regulates decibel levels, will still stand.
The sense I’m getting is that Article 9 is meant to prevent individuals from blasting their speakers in a way that causes a nuisance to their neighbours. But it must have been vaguely written because the Court of Appeals judge interpreted it in such a literal way that it effectively banned any business from broadcasting amplified sound.
Thank you for the reporting, DeWolf.
The PGA website has an intense little five things to know about the Royal Montreal Golf Club, including that it was Queen Victoria who made it royal.
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