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Nature Lover 93, Donates Private Island Nestled Between Montreal and Laval to Conservation Group

https://youtu.be/7qGFTVjiQyoHear Thor Vikström talk about his donation of the Île Ronde island to The Nature Conservancy of Canada.Ninety-three-year-old nature lover and sportsman Thor Vikström donated his private island, which sat opposite his riverside home in Laval, to the Nature Conservancy of Canada (NCC).The NCC is the largest national land conservation organisation in the country, helping to protect 14 million hectares (35 million acres) of land since 1962. Vikström's act of generosity ensures the island, a haven of biodiversity, he purchased in the late 60s and refused to sell to developers, remains protected for future generations."Nature was more important than some stupid money in my pocket," he said in the video interview. "It's just a good feeling in my heart. I know this will be there forever."The seven-acre area named Île Ronde sits in the middle of Rivière-des-prairies nestled between Montreal and Laval. And is home to a unique species called the shagbark hickory, various waterbirds, and the vulnerable northern map turtle.

A Shelter for Biodiversity

This donation increases the number of protected areas in the area and improves the habitat for many species. Of note: - Shagbark hickory, a tree species in Quebec that is likely to be designated as threatened or vulnerable.- Wetland ideal for fish and amphibian reproduction.- Map turtles, a species listed as vulnerable in Quebec and of special concern at the federal level, frequently use the natural shores of this island, which provide them with a safe resting place.- Waterbirds and waterfowl, including the Canada goose, wood duck, gadwall, black duck, American wigeon, and common merganser.- Burbot, northern pike, yellow perch, bowfin, largemouth bass, and black crappie can all be found in the waters of the Rivière des Praires. The preservation of undisturbed shorelines contributes to the water quality required by these fish.The island is called Île Ronde and sits in the middle of Rivière-des-prairies nestled between Montreal and Laval. Image Courtesy Nature Conservancy of Canada

The Vikström Family

Immigrating to Canada from Sweden in 1962, the Vikström family settled in Quebec, eventually founding Scanada, a successful family company in the hydraulics industry.Over the years, the island served as a family vacation destination. A cable ferry was built to access the island, and the family regularly invited neighbours and friends to join them."I bought the island because I couldn't see it destroyed," Vikström said.Support the NCC here Read the full article

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Restaurants, Bars, Clubs Symbolic Reopening After Devastating Year of Closures and Layoffs

This Saturday, Montreal's restaurants, bars, and clubs are staging a symbolic reopening after the pandemic forced a shutdown that has lasted well over a year.  #covid19 #montreal #reopening Read the full article

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Remembrance Day: The Enduring Nature of The First Two-minute Silence

"In spite of all the divisions and pain caused by the war and regardless of political or religious differences, the simple act of pausing for quiet remembrance became the most successful monument to the dead." Image: Ben Kerckx / Pixabay Daniel McKay, University of Cambridge At 11am on November 11 1919 a great silence fell over the British Empire. Everywhere people stood silently: in their workplaces, on the street, assembled in public squares, before war memorials and in churches from Sydney to Ontario and New Delhi to Edinburgh. At the Cenotaph in London, visiting Australian Methodist minister J. W. Burton recalled that the crowd was overwhelmed by an “awful silence”, which “was so intense that the flutter of the pigeons’ wings away above us in the calm sky seemed to deepen it”. For two minutes people were united by the silence. In spite of all the divisions and pain caused by the war and regardless of political or religious differences, the simple act of pausing for quiet remembrance became the most successful monument to the dead. Symbolically marking the first anniversary of the signing of the armistice, which concluded the World War I, the first two minutes silence was intended to bring together a grieving empire. More than a million servicemen and women had been lost, many more had been injured, and families and communities were grappling with the upheaval to their lives. Read the full article

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The SuperDogs Are Back in Town

Forty years is a long time. Maybe not for a giant redwood, or the orbit of Pluto, but certainly for a theatrical production. And yet that’s how long SuperDogs have been entertaining audiences all over the world. https://youtu.be/jSWWhpZUrMI The SuperDogs are back in the city after a 5-year absence. Trainer Émilie Ménard put some of her dogs through some tricks at a park in the Westmount area of Montreal Thursday, September 3, 2020.  Forty years is a long time. Maybe not for a giant redwood, or the orbit of Pluto, but certainly for a theatrical production. And yet that’s how long SuperDogs have been entertaining audiences all over the world. The canines have appeared on hundreds of television shows, from Canada’s Got Talent to CBC’s The Rick Mercer Report and the feature movie Daniel and the SuperDogs. Touring constantly across North America, the show draws from a talent pool of about 150 experienced trainers in different parts of the country who bring their family dogs and become cast members for these fast-paced, interactive and heart-warming productions.   The tail-gate like party will be held at the Royalmount Drive-In Theatre on September 13th starting at 11 A.M. Click here for times,tickets and information. Read the full article

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Montreal Selected Top Five Cities in The World for iGaming Startups

"Working in the iGaming world is a dream for a lot of people. But this is a highly competitive field with strong demand for jobs," UK TECH News. Photo: hitesh choudhary / Pexels UK TECH News has selected Montreal as one of the top five cities in the world for iGaming startups. "Canada has opened its doors to the iGaming industry more than most countries, making Montreal a good choice for iGaming startups," UK TECH News. The city has dozens of iGaming companies, surpassing Vancouver or Toronto. In making its selection, the tech magazine balanced the attraction of working in the highly competitive iGaming industry, the job demands and the rapid expansion of the industry. "With that in mind, we have picked out the top five cities in the world for iGaming startups," wrote UK TECH News. San FransiscoLondonToKyoAustinMontreal Read the full article

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Montreal's World's Largest Rooftop Vineyard Yields Excellent Sparkling Rosé

Imagine sipping of sparkling rosé wine and discovering it was 100 per cent made with grapes grown and harvested on Montreal rooftops. Image: Véronique Lemieux (Vignes en Ville) The project by Vignes en Ville founder, and rooftop wine pioneer, Véronique Lemieux, began in 2016 as a way to analyze the use of recycled crushed glass because it reflects sunlight, as a substitute for sand in soil mixtures. The rooftop vineyard, the largest in the world, has 545 plants across four rooftops, Centre Agricole in Ahuntsic-Cartierville, Institut de tourisme et d'hôtellerie du Québec, Palais des Congrès, and the Ubisoft building. The first harvest produced an average sparkling white wine, which was converted to a rosé. According to Lemieux, this was where the magic happened. "It tasted like hard candy, without being sugary. It had a nice acidity, like an explosion of fresh raspberries," said Lemieux. Lemieux plans on organizing a tasting so more people will have an opportunity to sample the rosé wine. Image: Vignes en Ville In 2019 the vineyard won the Novae prize winners, which recognizes the 20 best practices in social responsibility and sustainable development in Quebec. More Information: Vignes en Ville Read the full article

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La Ronde Amusement Park Opens This Weekend Under New Health and Safety Guidelines

According to Six Flags, the safety guidelines meet or exceed provincial guidelines for sanitization, hygiene, and social distancing protocols. Image: La Ronde - Six Flags La Ronde is officially opening for the season, by reservation, at reduced attendance levels beginning Aug. 3. The amusement park will open earlier for season pass holders and members on July 25, 26 and 31, and Aug. 1-2. Due to the pandemic, some of the amusement park rides will not be operating during the 2020 season, click Here for the complete ride list. Reservations for members & season pass holders started as of Monday, July 20 at noon , and Wednesday July 22 at noon for all the general public. Safety Measures Image: La Ronde - Six Flags The park is implementing safety measures following guidelines from the provinces' health officials. According to Six Flags, the operator of La Ronde, the safety guidelines meet or exceed provincial guidelines for sanitization, hygiene, and social distancing protocols. On its website, the park operator posted a health and safety guidelines designed to protect guests and workers from potential exposure to COVID-19. Read the full article

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New Headquarters for Global Biodiversity Research Network Relocates to Montreal

The city's rich research environment and artificial intelligence expertise entices the Group on Earth Observations - Biodiversity Observation Network (GEO BON) to relocate its headquarters from Germany to Montreal. Foto de NastyaSensei no Pexels The organization initiates and coordinates efforts to improve monitoring of earth’s biodiversity within a global research network and community, aimed at improving the availability of biodiversity change data to decision-makers and scientists in support of policy. According to the newsrelease the Quebec Centre for Biodiversity Science (QCBS) won the bid to host GEO BON, in partnership with the Fonds de recherche du Québec - Natures et Technologies, Montréal International, McGill University, Université de Montréal and Université de Shebrooke. “The Montreal headquarters will provide our extensive biodiversity research community of researchers and students the opportunity to observe and participate in the development of worldwide responses to threats to biodiversity,” said Bruce Lennox, Dean of McGill’s Faculty of Science. Speaking about the relocation to the city, Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante said, “The addition of a new international organization to Montréal is excellent news. I am very pleased that GEO BON has chosen to locate its headquarters here. We are firmly committed, both locally and internationally, to protecting the environment, safeguarding our natural heritage and preserving biodiversity. Read the full article

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Léger Poll: Eighty Per Cent of Quebecers are proud to be Canadian

According to pollster Jean-Marc Léger, this is the highest level for Quebec since his firm first asked the same question 35 years ago. Photo: Andre Furtado / Pexels Last week a Léger poll asked just over 1500 Quebecers the following question: “Are you proud to be Canadian?” Eighty per cent of respondents replied they were proud to be Canadian. Although Quebec scored the lowest level of Canadian Pride among the province's, according to pollster Jean-Marc Léger, this is the highest result for Canada's largest province since his firm first asked the same question 35 years ago. "80 per cent of Quebecers now say they are proud to be Canadian. It’s the highest rate I’ve ever measured in 35 years," Jean-Marc Léger. https://twitter.com/JeanMarcLeger1/status/1278113383263490049 Read the full article

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The Dirty Dozen 2020 List of Vegetables and Fruits Which Contain the Highest Levels of Pesticides – Plus the Cleanest 15

For the fourth straight year strawberries top the list as the food with the most pesticides, followed by Spinach and Kale. Photo: Karolina Grabowska / Pexels The nonprofit Environmental Working Group (EWG) each spring publishes a list of fruits and vegetables containing elevated levels of pesticides called the Dirty Dozen. The annual list of the 12 most contaminated produce is based on 40,900 samples tested by the U.S. Department of Agriculture and the Food and Drug Administration. For the fourth straight year strawberries top the table as the food with the most pesticides, followed by Spinach and Kale. Samples are tested for pesticides after they have been thoroughly washed and, when applicable, peeled.EWG On the other side of the fence the organization also publishes a second list of fruits and vegetables containing low levels of pesticides referred to as the Clean Fifteen. Avocados top the clean food list, followed by sweet corn and pineapples. “It is important to note that the samples are tested for pesticides after they have been prepared to be eaten. This means the produce has been thoroughly washed and, when applicable, peeled,” EWG. The 2020 Dirty Dozen Fruits and Vegetables List StrawberriesSpinachKaleNectarinesApplesGrapesPeachesCherriesPearsTomatoesCeleryPotatoes Source The 2020 Clean Fifteen Food List AvocadosSweet cornPineappleOnionsPapayaSweet Peas (Frozen)EggplantAsparagusCauliflowerCantaloupesBroccoliMushroomsCabbageHoneydew MelonKiwi Source Read the full article

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Canadian Government Supports Quebec's Tourism Sector with $ 30 Million infusion

The announcement made this Tuesday will provide over $30 million in financial assistance to the provinces tourism sector. Photo: Manuel Fernandes Canadian Minister of Economic Development and Official Languages, Mélanie Joly accompanied by Élisabeth Brière, Member of Parliament for Sherbrooke and Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Economic Development Agency of Canada for the Regions of Quebec, announced this Tuesday over $30M in financial assistance for the provinces tourism sector. Quebec's tourism industry with its 1.8M employees is one of the sectors hit hardest by COVID-19, with impacts to last for several months.  "The tourism sector and the 1.8 million people it employs across Canada have been hit hard by the slowdown caused by COVID-19, and we are here for you. We are working with businesses so they are ready to reopen and to help Canadian tourism to flourish once again. Our message to the sector is clear: we are here for you now with immediate measures, we are here for you as our economy reopens, and we will come through this together," said Joly in the official press release. Health measures, including restrictions such as the closing of borders and some regions, have led to major consequences and much uncertainty in the tourism industry. The industry will also have to deploy adaptation measures to comply with new health standards to welcome visitors in complete safety.  Out Read the full article

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Trudeau Extends Canada Emergency Response Benefit Eligibility Period by 8 Weeks

If you’ve been getting the CERB and still can’t work because you’re unable to find a job or it’s just not possible, you will keep getting $2,000 a month. Photo by Brett Sayles from Pexels Trudeau announced Tuesday that the federal government is extending the Canada Emergency Response Benefit (CERB) eligibility period by eight weeks as the COVID-19 pandemic continues. “If you’ve been getting the CERB and you still can’t work because you’re unable to find a job or it’s just not possible, you will keep getting that $2,000 a month over the next few weeks,” he said. Read the full article

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Montrealers to March Sunday Against Police Brutality Towards Black Communities

The rally begins Sunday, June 7, at 11 a.m in Place Emilie-Gamelin by the Berri-UQAM metro station.

Photo: Anna Shvets / Pexels Thousands of Montrealers are coming together this Sunday, June 7 at 11 a.m. to march against police brutality towards black communities. The peaceful march is organized by the Busta John Foundation and starts at Place Emilie-Gamelin by the Berri-UQAM metro station. People attending the event are encouraged to practice safe social distancing, wear a mask and consider drumming rather than shouting to limit the possible spread of COVID-19. Read the full article

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Quebec Gives Montreal Green Light to Open Pools and Beaches

As Montreal's aquatic facilities gradually re-open, visitors need to observe a set safety procedures

Photo: Martin Lopez / Pexels The Quebec government and health authorities have given local municipalities the green light to open community aquatic facilities across the province. It will be up to each municipality to decide when to open pools, wading pools and beaches. Despite the province continuing to report hundreds of newly confirmed COVID-19 cases, the coming warm weather will place pressure on municipal officials to open these popular cooling spots. As Montreal's aquatic facilities gradually re-open, visitors will need to observe the following safety procedures: Keep a physical distance of two metres from others at all times.Comply with all signage.Do not exceed the maximum number of people allowed in the play fountain area.If it’s busy, let the next person have their turn. Don’t stay longer than 30 minutes.Wash your hands frequently.Bring a water bottle and alcohol-based hand sanitizer because fountains and washrooms are not open at present. Do not wear masks and face coverings in the water. Click here to confirm Montreal's the opening dates and hours of the city's aquatic facilities. Read the full article

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Cities Should Embrace the Rapidly Expanding and Controversial E-scooter

The proliferation of e-scooters in urban zones can be viewed positively in terms of their potential to increase sustainable urban mobility, but also negatively in terms of potential space issues, accessibility and sustainable implementation

Image: Eric Goveder / Pexels Stefan Gössling, Lund University Large ungainly versions of the childhood microscooter have started to populate cities around the world. These electric scooters can be seen dotting streets, parks, pavements all over. Many people own them individually, and hire schemes in some cities mean that they are increasingly available for more general use too. E-scooters are now legal in a growing number of countries, though there are very different rules as to where they can be used. Sometimes, riders are allowed to use pedestrian walks, sometimes roads, and sometimes cycle tracks. But the emerging consensus is that e-scooters should be treated as bicycles. They seem to be hugely popular. Introduce e-scooters in any city, and demand is instant. Companies like Bird and Lime have sold millions of rides. Assuming that e-scooters replace a share of car traffic, this is a very good reason to welcome them. Yet resistance to this new mode of transport is often significant. Vandalism, cluttering, and reckless riding anger many. It’s no surprise that newspaper headlines have invoked urban “scooter wars”. Whether you like or hate them, what is certain is that the way transport operates in cities needs to change – they are too crowded and polluted, there are too many accidents, there is too much noise. To make them more liveable, we need more green space and more active transport – walking, cycling or riding electric vehicles. Given the promises and problems of e-scooters in particular, I’ve been looking into them more systematically. My research has shown that there are three key areas where they cause problems – but they have fairly easy solutions.

Conflicts and tensions

My focus was on ten cities that have introduced them recently: Brisbane, Christchurch, Copenhagen, Dallas, Los Angeles, Málaga, Paris, Stockholm, Vienna and Zurich. I analysed all local news items from these cities discussing e-scooters, to identify the problems encountered and the policy solutions implemented. My results indicate that e-scooters can certainly improve transport systems, and the common gripes and difficulties can be avoided with a few simple policies. E-scooters cause three main types of conflicts. Most obviously, people are angered by irresponsible use of the scooters. Speeding, drink and reckless riding, or riding on sidewalks or roads greatly annoy other users of the roads. This is related to questions about the safety of e-scooter riders and other transport users, which is the second major issue discussed at length in the news. Another major source of annoyance is cluttering and vandalism. This is enabled by the way in which e-scooter rental schemes work: rather than having designated pick-up and drop-off areas, they can be found dotted around the city. An app shows users where the nearest scooters are, which you can activate online, use, and drop off wherever you want.

Image: Nikguy / Pixabay This system unsurprisingly leads to e-scooters being left in far from ideal places. E-scooters parked on sidewalks, thrown over fences, or ditched into rivers indicate that many of them have short lifetimes, a few months at most. In response to these gripes, various cities have introduced a wide range of policies, often on an ad hoc basis – meaning that these new rules fairly regularly need to be readjusted. Paris, for example, has repeatedly changed its legislation as to where e-scooters are allowed to drive, and at which speed, and where they should be parked. Cities also struggle when national legislation prevents meaningful local policy initiatives. Spanish cities, for example, have struggled with this, as councils would like to restrict their use in their extensive pedestrian areas, or allow use only at lower speeds, but may not be able to legally do so because of national laws.

Three policy suggestions

My comparative study has allowed me to develop three simple measures that should resolve most of the conflicts surrounding e-scooters. Most important, perhaps, is that cities restrict their use to bicycle infrastructure. E-scooters interfere with traffic flowing at higher or slower speeds when used on roads or sidewalks. To align cyclists with riders, their speeds should be limited at 25 km/h. Cities should also establish designated parking rental areas, ideally every 200m, preferably with options to recharge e-scooters. The above policies should resolve most e-scooter problems. But cities can and should go further, if they see these vehicles as a catalyst for real urban change. Yes, e-scooters require additional space. This should not be seen as an obstacle to their use: there is so much promise in the idea of introducing entire car-free “micromobility streets”, where cyclists, pedestrians and e-scooters could share the road. Such streets would invite more vulnerable traffic participants, such as children, to become active transport users: accident risks are vastly reduced. And where they form networks throughout cities, such streets would make it far more attractive to cycle, walk or ride. This would have the benefit of reducing the pressure on existing transport systems, improving population health, and creating more liveable cities.

The way ahead

Re-designating road space is of course not easy. There are many with vested interests who would prefer to keep city systems reliant on the car. But such a re-design would benefit more people in the long run. The car uses more space than such vehicles, pollutes, and causes more severe accidents. And each micromobility user reduces pressure on scarce urban space. A car driven at 50 km/h requires 70 times more space than a cyclist or pedestrian. Even though my research confirms that there are considerable complaints and issues when it comes to e-scooters, I think that they are an overwhelmingly welcome addition to urban transportation. E-scooters provide an opportunity to re-think urban transport, increase quality of life, and improve city dwellers’ mental and physical health. Stefan Gössling, Professor in Service Management and Service Studies, Lund University Disclosure statement: Stefan Gössling received funding for earlier research (prior to 2010) from the Norwegian Research Council. This article is originally appeared in The Conversation and is republished here with authorization . Read the original article. Read the full article

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Lachine Citizens Invited to Online Consultaion Meeting of 60-Hectare Ecoquartie Development

The areas green spaces and location, which border the Lachine canal, development projects have been the subject of significant citizen mobilization.

Photo: David Bartus / Pexels Developers and elected officials have spent well over a year in planning the development of Lachines's ecoquartier and now invite 500 of the borough citizens to a Zoom public consultation meeting on Thursday at 7 p.m. The Zoom online conference set for May 21, will update participants on the progress of the project and allow participants to present their perspectives. Click here to register for the public consultation meeting. Registration begins at 6.30 p.m. - space is limited to 500 people. The Ecoquartier Lachine-Est project covers a surface of more than 60 hectares which will house up to 10,000 people and because the areas green spaces and location, which border the Lachine canal, development projects have been the subject of significant citizen mobilization. Planning for the Ecoquartier is carried out by representatives from the City of Montreal, the Lachine borough, Atelier Lachine-Est (coordinated by Concert'Action Lachine) and landowners. The meeting will be attended by Éric Alan Caldwell, Town Planning at the Executive Committee of the City of Montreal, Lachine mayor Maja Vodanovic, and Concert'Action director-general, Lachine, Pierre Barrette. Read the full article

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Young Quebec Students Face New Reality as Schools and Daycares Reopen

"What model will the children learn, when teachers tell them not to share a toy, not to touch, another student or a friend"

Image: Pexels The province, which accounts for over half of the country's COVID-19 cases, is this morning reopening daycares and elementary schools outside the greater Montreal area. The step is part of the gradual process of lifting restrictions imposed by the Quebec government to curb the spread of the Novel coronavirus pandemic. Attendance is not mandatory, classes are limited to 15 students, each student will be assigned to a desk complete with a personnal set of supplies. Each class will also have its toys and a staggered recess period. While schools and daycares are required to follow public guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting, students will need to maintain social distancing and regular handwashing. As young students face a very different 'world' when they return to class, parents are questioning the long term impact the new guidelines will have on their children. "What model will the children learn, when teachers tell them not to share a toy, not to touch, another student or a friend," said a parent who asked not to be named. "I'm worried about the long term impact this will have on the children." The reopening of elementary schools, daycares and businesses in the greater Montreal area is scheduled for May 25. Read the full article