COVID-19 / Coronavirus

As a consequence of COVID-19 (Coronavirus), all across Quebec, towns and villages, big and small, are putting in place plans to temporarily redesign streets and public spaces so that residents and visitors alike can move about in safety and with confidence.  Considering the speed of progress of the de-confinement period I asked for our own plan to be updated to reflect not only the current reality of the pandemic, but also the preoccupations and suggestions of many of our citizens and business owners. 

Next week, 25 of the designated parking spaces directly on rue Principale will be removed and the freed-up space given over to pedestrians; this extra space will stay in place through Thanksgiving.  The sections chosen are the busiest ones and or where the pavement is narrowest: on the east side between rue Mountain and rue Maple and on the west side between Au Naturel and rue Academy.  A line of bollards and pots of flowers will be installed to mark off the new extended pedestrian areas.  

Close study of the number of parking spaces in the village core indicates that we can compensate for a temporary loss of up to 30 parking spaces. As things stand, we do not plan to use the site of the former Filtex factory as a parking lot. 

Better management of municipal parking includes clearly signposting municipal lots from the road, and distribution of a plan of parking sites. A map will be installed at the lot between the Post Office and the John Sleeth Centre, and at the Parc des Veterans lot. There will be a maximum two-hour parking period on rue Principale and in the entire parking lot next to the Post Office. Citizens and visitors who wish to park for a longer period, such as cyclists, will be directed to the summer parking lot next to the Curling Club. We will keep a close eye on the impact of these changes and adjustments will be made, as necessary.  

We plan other temporary changes to tackle the problem of traffic congestion on rue Depot.  Shortly, access at weekends will be restricted solely to the residents and businesses of Depot who have their own parking. Citizens and businesses directly impacted by this change will be consulted to validate a possible extension of this restriction to include weekdays. This would also more freed-up space to pedestrians and enable the instillation of picnic-tables.  

Lastly, I want to remind you that public health is a collective responsibility. We each have a role to play in maintaining our own health and that of our fellow citizens – especially our seniors and those whose health is vulnerable. Regardless of your personal beliefs regarding COVID-19 I ask each of you to continue to follow health directives, especially social distancing, and to respect the actions of the Town. I assure you that we will listen to all comments that contribute to the attractiveness and calm of our village core.     

Michel Lafrance
Mayor of Sutton

To view the agenda for the July 7, 2020 council meeting, please click here.

Please be advised that public access will be denied at the Town council meeting. In the meantime, you can send your questions by email to [email protected] before July 6, 2020 at 4:30 p.m

Be advised that we will try to live streaming the council meeting on our YouTube channel : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCho_cik7f5pK2CjJ0f5dxSA.

Few days after the meeting, the financial report for the year 2019 will be available on the Town’s website (in PDF version). Citizens will be able to ask their questions on this financial report, by email ([email protected]) or by mail at 11, rue Principale Sud, Sutton, which questions will be answered no later than the session of August 3, 2020 by the Town of Sutton auditor. This procedure is exceptional and makes it possible to comply with government directives.

During the pandemic, my priority, and that of the Council and the administration, has always been to do everything possible for the health and safety of our citizens. As the period of confinement is over, we move to the next stage: de-confinement and recovery.

It was with that in mind that I requested our administration to develop a relaunch plan for the rue Principale. The objective of this plan was first and foremost to help citizens respect health directives, in particular social distancing, but also to support our local businesses so that they can adjust to the new realities imposed by COVID-19 (Coronavirus).

The plan, undertaken jointly by the CDES and our fire and public security service, but also with a committee of citizens made up of people in the areas of tourism and culture amongst others, included various measures all with the principle goal of ensuring the safety of our citizens and visitors, and then helping our businesses.

Therefore, public hand washing stations and portable toilets, and directional arrows were installed. Other suggestions included a temporary arrangement to enable wider spaces for pedestrians, completed with flowers, achieved by removing parking places from rue Principale and relocating them to an alternative temporary parking area. Several possibilities were investigated but were refused or proved to be problematic and it was the former Filtex site that proved the most suitable.

Since then, the daily new government directives indicate that de-confinement is happening much more rapidly than we had originally anticipated. Considering both the latest health information, and the concerns expressed about the impact of the new arrangements on traffic circulation, I have asked that the plan be re-examined. I will share the updated plan with you as soon as possible.

Meanwhile, as already announced, we are completing planned tests to provide us with more detailed information about the Filtex site. This will complete our understanding of the extent of contamination. Please note that there is no link between these tests and the possible use of the site for temporary parking in relation to the relaunch plan.

At long last, with the help of these extra tests, we will, together, be able to consider the possible, and the best, future for the site. Moreover, the village core Steering Committee maintains its role and value in reflecting on the permanent use of the site regardless of any temporary project. Once the process of reflection has been completed by Steering Committee, the Town plans to move to a broad consultation open to the entire community.

Be advised that, following a resolution of the council adopted on April 6th, 2020 and a second one adopted on June 1st, 2020, the Town has reduced its interest rate and penalties to 0% for a total period of 200 days, starting on April 7^th, 2020, on all accounts receivable and due to the Town. Council will review this extension before the expiry of the 200 day period if the current situation related to COVID-19 (Coronavirus) continues. This measure covers the municipal taxes due on May 15th and August 3rd, 2020, transfer duties (welcome tax), all balances currently due and other fees payable to the Town.

However, we ask citizens who can pay their taxes or other fees to do so on time. Such payments will help the Town to limit the financial impact of the pandemic and will allow the Town to help those in need.

For those who have already sent a postdated cheque for the August 3rd payment and who will not be able to honor payment of such, please send an email to [email protected] to request that your cheque be cancelled. A proof of cancellation will be sent to you by email.

🌈 #ItsGoingToBeOK