Côme Street in Fabreville had a hectic early evening when a fire broke out in the basement of a single-family home while its occupants were out enjoying the nice weather.

Upon returning from their walk, the two residents unfortunately inhaled a concerning amount of smoke, as their smoke alarm—although present—was barely audible.

It was 6:50 p.m. when 911 was alerted to the incident. Laval’s fire department dispatched seven units, including 26 firefighters and their officers, to the scene.

When the first crews arrived at 6:56 p.m., flames were clearly visible in the basement of the home, located just west of Marc-Aurèle-Fortin Park.

Two injured

While administering first aid to the three occupants and simultaneously requesting assistance from Urgences-santé paramedics to take charge of them and quickly transport them to the Centre hospitalier de l’Université de Montréal (CHUM), firefighters rapidly deployed their hoses to attack the blaze and quickly limit its spread.

With this approach, firefighters successfully prevented the flames from spreading and contained the fire to the basement of the residence, bringing it fully under control by 7:32 p.m.

Heavy damage

Nevertheless, the fire—whose cause remains unknown, with several possibilities still under consideration—resulted in estimated damages of approximately $200,000 to the structure and $25,000 to its contents.

The two residents, who were accompanied by their son at the time of the incident, will unfortunately need to find temporary housing.

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Around 11:40 a.m., a fire raging in a wooded area of Saint-François is believed to have been deliberately set, prompting the closure of Avenue Marcel-Villeneuve in both directions.

Firefighters from the Laval Fire Safety Service (SSIL) are still working to bring the situation under control.

Due to the spread of the fire to a nearby field, Avenue Marcel-Villeneuve is closed between Avenue Roger-Lortie and Rue de l’Harmonie, as well as Montée Masson between Avenue Marcel-Villeneuve and Rue Léopold-Hamelin.

The SSIL will forward the case to the Laval Police Service to investigate the exact causes and circumstances.

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The Laval Pétroliers have reached the finals of the Ligue nord-américaine de hockey (LNAH) playoffs thanks to a 3–1 victory over the Jonquière Marquis.

This win allowed the Laval team to take the series 4–2.

In this sixth matchup, both teams were tied until midway through the third period. It was Anthony DeLuca, the Pétroliers’ leading scorer in the regular season, who put his team ahead with just under 12 minutes left in the game.

Carmine-Anthony Pagliarulo then stood strong in net, stopping 21 of the 22 shots he faced throughout the game. Defenseman Yann Sauvé sealed the victory with an empty-net goal.

A highly anticipated final

The Pétroliers will now face the Saint-Hyacinthe Bataillon in the championship series. The South Shore team defeated the Thetford Assurancia in five games in the other semifinal.

This is the expected final in the LNAH, as both teams finished at the top of the regular-season standings. Laval posted a 25-11-0 record, while Saint-Hyacinthe recorded a 19-12-5 mark.

Pierre Pelletier’s squad also went 4-1-0 against their upcoming rivals during the regular season.

For now, the full finals schedule has not yet been released. However, the Laval organization has announced that the first home game will take place on Saturday, April 25 at 6:00 p.m. at the Colisée de Laval.

Regrettable incidents

Meanwhile, LNAH officials issued a statement following incidents that occurred during Game 5 of the series between the Pétroliers and the Marquis at the Colisée de Laval.

During that game, a fan notably threw beers toward Jonquière players and displayed inappropriate behavior.

“The LNAH wishes to be clear: it does not in any way condone the actions that took place during this game,” the league wrote. “[…] The safety of players, coaches, officials, and spectators remains an absolute priority for the league.”

It was stated that “immediate measures” were taken following these events, including “strict disciplinary actions agreed upon in collaboration with the Laval Pétroliers organization to strengthen security protocols and prevent any similar situation in the future.”

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L’article The Pétroliers reach the LNAH final est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

The possible demolition of the Richard-Trottier Arena continues to spark discussion at city council. The issue took up nearly 30 minutes of the question period during the April 14 meeting.

Eight citizens had registered to speak. Some questioned the current process, while others wanted to highlight the lack of ice rinks in the Fabreville area.

Audrey Charpentier, vice-president of Ringuette Laval, was among them.

“While I have been working to promote ringette for over 30 years — and as the recruitment coordinator for my association for the past six years — I am completely stunned that I cannot work in my own neighbourhood,” she said. “[…] The closest arenas to our neighbourhood are a 15-minute drive away.”

It should be noted that the Demolition Committee held a public hearing on March 30 to invite citizens to express their views on the demolition of this heritage building, which has been unused since 2018. Following the hearing, the municipal body decided to postpone its decision to a later meeting, the date of which has not yet been announced.

Giving citizens a voice

The opposition used this question period to reaffirm its position on the issue: it wants a public consultation on the future of the site to be held before any demolition takes place, not after the building is already gone.

“We are putting the cart before the horse,” said Louise Lortie, municipal councillor for Marc-Aurèle-Fortin. “We are talking about demolishing first, then thinking about the future of the site. That is exactly the opposite of what we should be doing as a local government.”

“During door-to-door outreach, [the future of the arena] is a question that comes up regularly,” added councillor Martin Vaillancourt, whose Fabreville-South district includes the arena. “Citizens are concerned about what is happening and […] it shows that we need a consultation. A demolition is irreversible.”

Ms. Lortie also tabled a letter from Jocelyn Thibault, former NHL goaltender, calling for the preservation of the arena.

“Renovating, modernizing, and bringing the Richard-Trottier Arena back to life would send a clear message that Laval chooses to invest in its youth and in its communities,” wrote the former Director General of Hockey Québec. “I respectfully invite you to reconsider the current approach and to prioritize an option that would preserve this neighbourhood arena, where many young people took their first steps in hockey. Laval needs spaces for its youth to be active. The Richard-Trottier Arena is one of them. We cannot afford to lose such an infrastructure in Laval.”

Mr. Vaillancourt instead tabled a notice of motion asking the executive committee to commit “not to authorize the demolition of the Richard-Trottier Arena until a public consultation on the future of this building has been completed.”

He also calls for the executive committee to “mandate the general administration so that the public consultation covers all possible options to meet the neighbourhood’s needs for local infrastructure.”

The motion will be debated next month.

Excessive costs

For his part, Mayor Stéphane Boyer justified the process by stating that the building is no longer usable.

“Regardless of what we decide to do and what purpose we assign to the site, the building is so outdated that we will need to rebuild something and obtain authorization to demolish the existing structure,” he said.

He pointed to the condition of the concrete slab and structure, corrosion, and the clay soil beneath the arena where water accumulates, as some of the reasons that would lead to “excessive costs to renovate the arena.”

However, Mr. Boyer added that he hears the citizens calling for a public consultation regarding the demolition. “We will suspend the decision to ensure clarity on what the next steps will be before taking any further action,” he concluded.

Petition launched

A petition was also launched by Parti Laval on the evening of April 14.

It calls on the City “to hold a complete, accessible, and transparent public consultation on the future of the site, including the option of preserving the arena building, and to do so before any irreversible decision regarding the Richard-Trottier Arena.”

At the time of publication, it had a little over 350 signatures.

It is available at: voselus.info/pétitionarénatrottier.

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L’article Demolition of the Richard-Trottier Arena: questions, opposition, and petition est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

On Tuesday, April 14, the Laval Police Service (SPL) arrested 53-year-old Sylvain Riopelle in connection with several sexual exploitation cases.

The arrest was carried out by investigators from the SPL’s Sexual Crimes Unit.

Investigators believe the suspect may have had other victims and are asking for the public’s help in identifying and contacting them.

Facts and Court Appearance

Between 2024 and 2026, the suspect allegedly used a ruse to target vulnerable individuals, whom he then sexually exploited while acting as a pimp.

Sylvain Riopelle was apprehended under an arrest warrant issued against him.

He faces multiple charges related to sexual exploitation and is expected to appear at the Laval courthouse on Wednesday, April 15.

Information

Anyone who may have been a victim of Sylvain Riopelle is encouraged to contact Laval police confidentially via the info line at 450-662-INFO (4636) or call 911, referencing file LVL-250625-096. (B.L.)

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The Integrated Health and Social Services Centre (CISSS) of Laval has eliminated more than 250 full-time beneficiary attendant positions in the region’s long-term care homes (CHSLDs) since the beginning of 2026.

As of April 2, a total of 252 full-time positions had been replaced by 170.8 part-time positions in Laval’s public CHSLDs.

Sainte-Dorothée is the facility most affected by the cuts, with 100.6 full-time positions converted into 63 part-time roles. Idola-Saint-Jean follows, with 72 full-time positions turned into 43.4 part-time jobs. At Val-des-Brises, 54 full-time equivalent positions were reduced to 51.1 part-time roles.

The Sainte-Rose and La Pinière CHSLDs are losing 13 and 10 full-time positions respectively, replaced by 9.1 and 4.2 part-time jobs. Finally, the Fernand-Larocque team is losing 2.4 full-time positions without any replacements.

Despite this reduction in working hours, the Laval health authority maintains that “the level of care and services offered to users remains the same,” while allowing for “rigorous and responsible management of public funds.”

“This transformation makes it possible […] to achieve savings estimated between $6 and $7 million,” added the CISSS de Laval communications department. “Nearly half of these amounts is being reinvested to support the opening of additional long-term care beds, including those opened in 2025, as well as others that will become available in the coming weeks.”

Confusion and concern

Unsurprisingly, the Syndicat des travailleuses et des travailleurs du CISSS de Laval (STTCISSS-Laval) is opposing these significant cuts to full-time positions.

“I was stunned when they told us,” said its president, Nathalie Bourque. “We promise two baths per week and respect for residents’ biological schedules because it’s a living environment—but you still need the time and staff to do that. […] This is yet another step backward for Laval.”

She cited several examples of people whose lives will be disrupted by these cuts: a couple losing two full-time positions, a single mother who will have to travel much farther to keep her job, and workers who moved to Lanaudière to maintain full-time status.

In response, the CISSS de Laval stated that “individual meetings were held to ensure the smoothest possible transition and to provide personalized support to affected individuals, in addition to continued access to the Employee Assistance Program.”

“That’s nonsense,” replied Nathalie Bourque. “Sometimes we showed up to meetings and they were cancelled because someone couldn’t make it, and we hadn’t even been notified by email. […] There were many situations like that.”

She emphasized that “labour relations staff were not very familiar with the process” and that her group had to correct certain information. “Sometimes people were in tears and devastated, and they just walked away,” she added. “Who picks those people up? We do!”

The STTCISSS-Laval has also issued a statement proposing cuts to management positions in response to the CISSS decision. It estimates that savings of $2,519,932 could be achieved by converting certain management roles to part-time. Managers could even be more present on the ground.

“These figures are estimates, but we know we’re not far off,” said Nathalie Bourque. “We’re not saying they do nothing, but […] it’s always frontline staff who get cut first. There are no major cuts at the top.”

“In fall 2024, the CISSS de Laval already eliminated positions as part of its balanced budget plan,” responded the communications department. “Each manager at CISSS de Laval supervises more employees than the Quebec average.”

Next steps

The STTCISSS-Laval confirms that all beneficiary attendants affected by the cuts have now been informed.

The process has now reached the bumping stage. Workers can choose to take a vacant part-time position or displace a less senior employee in another department.

“Many are choosing bumping, so there’s still a lot to be done. Even when taking someone else’s position in another facility, it’s often only evenings or nights if you want full-time hours. It creates a ripple effect everywhere and impacts all workplaces,” concluded Nathalie Bourque.

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L’article Over 250 full-time positions cut in Laval long-term care homes est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

The Carrefour des Aubaines of the Relais Communautaire de Laval, located in Pont-Viau, was the scene of an electrical fire on the evening of Wednesday, April 8.

A failure or defect in the electrical wiring installed within the walls is what sparked the blaze in this business, which has been operating for six years in service of the community.

At 9:44 p.m., 911 was alerted to the incident, while the first of seven units dispatched by the Laval Fire Safety Service—26 firefighters and their officers—arrived on scene barely two minutes later.

At that time, smoke and flames were visible inside the building located on Boulevard des Laurentides, slightly south of Rue Grenon East.

Upon arrival, firefighters launched a rapid and effective attack on the flames, quickly stopping their spread and containing the fire to the front section of the business.

It should be noted that the premises were unoccupied at the time of the fire.

Despite the efforts of firefighters, who brought the blaze under control at around 10:22 p.m., the incident resulted in estimated damages of approximately $100,000 to the building and $50,000 to its contents.

Officials at the Relais Communautaire de Laval confirm that the Carrefour des Aubaines will temporarily close and is not expected to reopen before at least next week.

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L’article A fire causes $150 000 in damage to a community business in Pont-Viau est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.

The Laval Police Service (SPL) has issued a warning regarding counterfeit $100 bills in circulation.
Several Laval residents have reported receiving fake bills during transactions on resale platforms such as Marketplace.

Unfortunately, victims of counterfeiting cannot be reimbursed, regardless of the amount lost. This is why the SPL is urging the public to exercise caution and follow proper practices to verify the authenticity of bills received during such transactions.

How to verify?
Each banknote has its own unique serial number. It is therefore possible to ensure there are no duplicates when multiple bills are involved in a transaction.

The transparent window on the bill is another key feature to check. Tiny numbers corresponding to the bill’s value should be visible. You should also be able to see a portrait that matches the main portrait on the bill.

Additionally, the SPL notes the presence of small hidden numbers in the transparent maple leaf. A bright light is required to make them visible. The metallic portrait should also change color depending on the angle of the light.

You should also be able to feel the raised ink texture on the main portrait.

“Remember, you are under no obligation to accept a bill if you have doubts about its authenticity,” the SPL adds in its statement. “Do not hesitate to ask for another bill or choose a different payment method if you are unsure.”

The police also remind the public that a neutral zone is available to ensure the safety of transactions conducted through online sales platforms. It is located at the Laval Police headquarters at 2911 Chomedey Boulevard.

Anyone with information regarding the circulation of counterfeit money can contact the SPL confidentially at 450-662-4636 or by dialing 911. (N.P.)

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L’article Fake $100 bills circulating in Laval est apparu en premier sur Courrier Laval news.