Other files

Neighborhoods in Los Angeles ravaged by forest fires - a reminder that the disruption of natural elements caused by habitat development can have major negative consequences. In 2023, didn't forest fires force the evacuation of 220,000 homes across Canada?¹ Quebec was the hardest-hit province. The smoke and smell of burning wood even enveloped the distant metropolis.

The construction of houses and cottages in the Laurentians, outside urban centers, meets specific criteria that differentiate them from city residences. Wood siding is favored for its natural, aesthetic appeal. Asphalt shingle roofing can be reminiscent of cedar shingle roofing, while this material, which has an ecological impact, requires a lower initial cost than metal roofing.

Shouldn't the balance between appearance, a more affordable investment, and the security of our home be recalculated? With the new rule favoring the density of the latter; with the implementation of the era of integrated projects; with increasingly restrictive protection of our forest cover; aren't we putting ourselves at greater risk of facing the eventuality of forest fires in our Pays-d'en-Haut? Wouldn't a winter with less snow and a spring without precipitation, for example, be enough for a fire to break out?

Concrete strategies to prepare homes and communities for forest fires² do exist, however, to limit the impact of such an eventuality. Do our PIIA criteria incorporate the recommended choice of building materials, location of the house and its accessory buildings in their topographical environment, establishment of a buffer zone around the house, selection of hardwoods rather than softwoods, landscaping or other wildfire protection measures?

“FireSmart Canada” presents us with sketches and tables to illustrate its recommendations on the ‘residential flammability zone’, on the ‘fire-smart home’, on site maintenance, on tree pruning, etc., or on the affordability of the various measures.² It even introduces us to the ‘FireSmart® Begins at Home’ application for our cell phone, capable of telling us what specific actions to take on our property to reduce the risk of fire.

“FireSmart Canada also offers a “Home Assessment Program”, “launched in 2022 in Paradise, California, a town that suffered severe damage during the 2018 Camp Fire”, and supported by insurance. But while these measures are aimed directly at homeowners, they must first and foremost rely on the support of communities; MRCs and municipalities are therefore called upon to be the prime movers behind their implementation.

By Carl Chapdelaine

1. Protégez votre maison contre les feux de forêt avec une construction ou une rénovation résiliente  
2. Préparation aux feux de forêt : Des conseils pratiques pour renforcer la résilience des résidences et des collectivités du Canada

Our article of December 6, “Bringing citizens together”, was inspired by the success of the Montfort Christmas Potluck, initiated by Diana Zakaib Jegou. In it, we discovered the interest of residents in getting together for this type of activity and hoped that it would engender a movement of solidarity. Creating links between citizens, developing a sense of belonging to a community seemed achievable. But we weren't offering anything concrete to achieve these goals.

Traditionally, and still today, social activities in Montfort have revolved around sporting events, or those emerging from the lake association or parish: the Regatta, the Ski Marathon, ice golf (with Super Bolf day), the corn roast, and so on. It had to rely on the initiative of family members, enterprising citizens or said organizations. Sporting events were crowned with medals or trophies, and ended with festivities.

Since our arrival at Lake Saint-François-Xavier in 2003, we'd also noticed that small groups of walkers were taking advantage of the Aerobic Corridor to go hiking. These hikes offer greater proximity than cycling, although the latter is certainly a feature of the Corridor.

These small groups may be made up of friends or neighbors who have known each other for a long time, who live near the lake, who share the same language or some other common value, but who do not submit to any formal structure. Wouldn't it be possible to form clubs from these nuclei, inviting everyone to join in, as Diana's café does? There would be no language or political barriers.

Saint-Michel has its Cercle de Fermières Saint-Michel/Pine-Hill; its Groupe de la Sagesse Saint-Michel/Pine Hill. Laurel has its Club de l'Étoile du Nord. But it is on nautical activities that we find the Viking Canoe & Kayak Club, emblematic of Lake Saint-François-Xavier. In many Quebec villages, clubs are an integral part of social life. If you've just moved here from the metropolis and are looking to fit in, you'd do well to join one of these clubs.

The fashion for walking clubs, or other activities, seems to be spreading fast in Quebec. Often less demanding than sports clubs, they appeal to everyone, although they are often dedicated to a specific age group. Some clubs are even federated across Quebec. Such is the case with the FADOQ network, which counts over eight hundred clubs, including some in the Pays-d'en-Haut, such as Les 4 Saisons d'Adolphe, in the neighboring municipality. FADOQ can help organize your club. We should also be able to count on Loisirs Laurentides.

The Club 50 ans + de Claude-Robillard, which benefits from the collaboration and subsidy of the Ville de Montréal and uses the facilities of this sports complex, is open to all citizens of the Greater Montreal region. In addition to sporting activities, such a club offers its members social events, from sugar shack visits to Christmas dinners. With 700 members, it has its own board of directors.

Lake associations, when they are not aimed at a whole community, could form clubs, whose vocation would no longer be focused on preserving waterways, but on social activity.

Village clubs could join forces at the level of a sector, then the municipality. Occasionally, and with greater resources, certain activities would therefore be aimed at all Wentworth-Nord clubs, just as town meetings are. This would foster a sense of belonging and bring citizens from all sectors closer together.

The municipality, which has just “recognized” various groups on its territory, in order to offer them a few advantages, should have given the necessary push to set up such associations. But these associations would have their own authority, even an autonomous board of directors.

By Carl Chapdelaine