This article written in french by Stéphane St-Amour was automatically translated using AI
Action Laval leader Achille Cifelli and the party’s mayoral candidate, Frédéric Mayer, are appealing to the Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Andrée Laforest, to block a $3M loan bylaw adopted at the last municipal meeting.
This bylaw, passed by a vote of 12 to 5, aims to cover the costs of implementing a new Human Resources Information System (HRIS) at the Société de transport de Laval (STL) to replace an aging software system.
“I am ashamed to see the current administration cutting services for seniors, cutting jobs at STL, reducing service on several bus lines, yet spending $3M on HR software,” Mayer stated in a press release on March 19. “This is how they are managing the increase they imposed on vehicle registration fees.”
Action Laval considers this expense unnecessary, dismissing Mayor Boyer’s explanation that the current software will no longer be supported by its developer by the end of 2026.
“[…] The company was acquired by another that could provide an update at a significantly lower cost. Moreover, 97% of the $3M budget consists of labor costs,” the opposition party argues.
Decision-Making Process
According to Article 123 of the Public Transit Corporations Act, STL’s board of directors can authorize a loan through a bylaw—which it did on November 25, 2024—but the loan must be approved by the municipal council before receiving final approval from the Minister of Municipal Affairs.
“There is a serious lack of judgment from the mayor and his team,” Cifelli said. “That is why we have decided to call on Minister Laforest, the last line of defense in this decision.”
Debate
During the debate preceding the vote at the March 11 municipal meeting, Parti Laval city councilor Louise Lortie criticized the lack of collaboration among transit agencies for this type of service, arguing that cooperation could have helped reduce costs.
In response, Mayor Boyer quoted STL’s General Director, Josée Roy, explaining that, due to contractual reasons, public transit operators in Greater Montreal were not allowed to pool resources in this case. He also reaffirmed his full confidence in Ms. Roy.
In its statement, Action Laval condemned “the lack of concrete solutions from the mayor’s team,” accusing them of “increasing expenditures without exploring all possible options.”
However, on March 12, during the resumption of the municipal meeting that had been adjourned the previous day, STL board vice-president and councilor from the mayor’s party in L’Abord-à-Plouffe, Vasilios Karidogiannis, stated that “all options were still on the table” until the contract was awarded at the end of the summer. He even suggested a meeting with his critic, David De Cotis, inviting the Action Laval councilor to share his “ideas” and “expertise” on possible software solutions.
As for the $3M loan bylaw, Mayor Boyer noted that the amount was determined based on cost estimates from STL’s management. He emphasized the “urgent need” to replace the public transit agency’s human resources management software.
Simple and Free
Meta (Facebook and Instagram) is blocking your news from Courrier Laval, just as Google continues to restrict access in response to Bill C-18.
To stay connected and access your news, Courrier Laval invites you to download its app. You can also subscribe to the weekly newsletter. This way, you can continue reading your news for free and in real time, with fewer ads. Don’t forget to enable notifications and share this with your friends and contacts!
Apple: https://apple.co/3wsgmKE
Android: https://bit.ly/3uGPo1D
Newsletter: https://courrierlaval.com/infolettre/
