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Quick answers to popular questions

  • Why don’t the Police at the Westminster railway crossing direct traffic? They’re paid by Exo only to ensure vehicles respect the barrier closings.

  • Traffic lights at railway crossing:  dismissed as unworkable; a consultant was used.

  • Why doesn’t the Town clear the sidewalk path across the tracks in winter?  CP won’t let us.

  • New dog runs? none forseeable at this time.

  • Bike paths?  waiting for Montreal master plan.

  • Infrastructure priority list: promised at xxx council meeting.

  • BIXI stand in MoWest? Expensive ($25,000? per year?), At new train tunnel: NDG decision.

  • Neglected properties: can be fined only a few times, time consuming/?expensive court proceedings.

  • Will wood burning stoves & fireplaces be banned?  Council & the Environmental Action Committee are reviewing, likely prohibited when air quality is bad.

  • Fossil fuel heating ban? none considered at this time; however, Montreal periodically mentions 2030 and we’d likely follow suit after.

  • Restrict trucks on Avon? waiting for Lachine to approve the bylaw. Difficult to enforce, what are the alternatives? Concrete trucks for house extensions in MoWest/CSL

  • Salt: no alternatives, [too much is sometimes spread]

  • Tempos:  will remain illegal – unsightly and traffic safety issues.

  • Better street lighting: new light poles are only put in when streets are redone; a consultancy made a master plan.

  • Speeding on Westminster:  can’t put speed bumps due to buses & emergency vehicles, no new stop signs or traffic lights.

  • Why aren’t we part of the Beaconsfield Agglomeration challenge? It’s a zero-sum game, if they obtain a reduction, all other Agglomeration towns must make up the difference.

  • Airbnbs: illegal.

  • Lead in pipes, water testing, filter program: Streets with no lead are those for which road infrastructure work was done, and if the homeowner replaced any lead service entry at the time, which is why infrastructure renewal is important. See...

  • Why don’t our PSOs patrol overnight when most of the car thefts and beak-ins tend to occur? Good question.

  • Will the Town remove wild animals from my property?  From the Town FB page around May 7, 2024:   The law stipulates that the Town cannot remove wild animals from your property. Consult with the SPCA de Montreal.

  • What recourse is there when PAC issues a permit with recommendations (that is, not what you wanted to do)?  Once PAC issues a permit with recommendations, it is legally binding and cannot be reversed. (See FAQs page.)

  • Town committees:  see...  (Find current memberships)

  • CRA programs:  see...   (appears to be in hiatus??)

Bylaws “more honoured in the breach (i.e. breaking) than the observance (i.e. obeyed)”.

 ... with a nod to Shakespeare

Discretionary tolerance. Some bylaws are on the books in case of abuse:

  • The 4 hour parking limit is not practical for people who work at our three schools and various daycares, or work on Westminster (the Strathearn and Westminster parking lots can’t accommodate everyone). Westminster in the business area has a one-hour limit.

  • Kids playing on streets: hockey, basketball, soccer. Nobody wants to ban this unless there’s a real problem.

  • Bikes on Westminster sidewalks. Realistically, there are no alternatives. Westminster is extremely dangerous between Milner & Sherbrooke, especially when trains have frustrated drivers. What I believe we want is bike riders to walk their bikes, or ride very slowly.

       If not a discretionary tolerance, this bylaw is pretty much unenforceable unless an officer is lurking out of sight on the sidewalk. 

  • Garbage/recycling/compost bins out too early, left out too late. ​

​​

 Other bylaws are difficult to enforce due to the transitory nature of the offence :

  • A few garden contractors still blow leaves into the streets, as do some blissfully ignorant residents.

  • Gas powered leaf blowers. Banned, but many garden service companies still use them.

  • A number of private snow removal contractors still block sidewalks and craftily slowly raise their plows while driving off leaving a layer of snow on freshly cleaned streets..

INDEX of FAQs

  1. Agglomeration  See...

  •   The Beaconsfield challenge.

     Animals -- wild  (see Environment)

2.  Basketball on streets. (see Bylaws)

  3.  Bike paths & Bixi  See...

          Bike safety committee membership list.

  4.  Bylaws  (Also see Councillors’ Reports)  See...

  •   Airbnbs – illegal  (See Councillors’ Reports. Fines described)

  •   Bikes on Westminster sidewalks.

  •   Car washing & tire changing prohibited on streets.

  •   Children playing on streets.  (See Sidewalk obstructions just below)

  •   Fossil fuel heating ban?  (see Environment)

  •   Gas powered leaf blower ban.

  •   Home swimming pools. (See Councillors’ Reports  -- specify item)

  •   Kids playing on streets. (See Sidewalk obstructions just below)

  •   Leaf blowers. (See Gas powered leaf blower ban)

  •   Leaves swept into street. 

  •   Neglected properties.

  •   Parking on Westminster in the business area. 

  •   Sidewalk obstructions. (Also see Councillors’ Reports)

  •   Size of trees on private property.  (See Trees)

  •   Swimming pools.  (See Councillors’ Reports)

  •   Triplexes permitted in certain zones.  (See Councillors’ Reports)

  •   Wood burning stoves & fireplaces.  (See Environment)

  •   Zoning bylaw changes and challenges.  (See Councillors’ Reports)

  5.  Children playing on streets. (see Bylaws)

  6.  Citizen outdoor cleanup events.  (See Volunteer cleanup events below)

  7.  Communauto Flex car sharing.  (See Councillors’ reports)

  8.  Council meetings & Councillors.  See...

  •    Questions submitted for Council meetings.

  •    Councillors on social media.  (See Councillors’ Reports)              

  9.  Crime.  See Suburban April 17  See...

  10.  Dog runs.  See...

  11.  EV charging stations. See... (Also see Environment)

  12.  Environment  See...

  •    Animals -- wild

  •   Christmas trees: carbon footprint of real versus artificial

  •   Circular economy.  (see Councillors’ Reports)

  •   Electrical charging stations.

  •   Environment Action Committee.  (Also see Councillors’ Reports)???

  •   Fireplaces & wood-burning stoves.

  •   Fossil fuel heating.

  •   Lead water pipes. see...   (Also see Councillors' Reports)

  •   McGill University student environmental issues.

  •   New garbage regulations.  (See Councillors’ Reports)

  •   Salt.

  •   Water testing & water filter program.   see...

  •   Where does our recycling go? (See Councillors' Reports)

13.  Financial information.  (See website: xxxxx)

14.  Fireplaces & wood-burning stoves. (see Environment)

15.  Garbage regulations. (See Councillors’ Reports: Environment)

16.  Infrastructure.  See...

  •   Grants seem to be less available.      

  •   Brock N. between Curzon & Fielding;  Strathearn between Curzon & Nelson;  Brock S. & Ballantyne S, between Avon & Broughton; 

        Percival between Milner & Nelson.

  •  Lead water pipes. see...(See Councillors’ Reports: Environment)

  •  Publish infrastructure priority list.

  •  Potholes on railway crossing.

  •  Potholes: patch versus repair.

  •  Why are Brock North sidewalks only patched with asphalt?

17.  Leaves.   (See Trees)

18.  Linden tree sap. (see Trees)

19.  Oil heating.  (see Environment: Fossil fuel heating)

20.  Parking  

  •  4 hour limit, 1 hour limit on Westminster.  

21.  Parking on Strathearn & Hudson during school terms. (See Traffic & pedestrian safety)

22.  Playing on street. (see Bylaws)

23.  Neglected properties. (see Bylaws)

24.  New garbage regulations (see Environment & Councillors' Reports)

25.  Potholes. (see Infrastructure)

26.  PAC, SPAIP & urban planning bylaws. See... (Also see Councillors’ Reports)

  •   Inspections by Urban Planning department.  Find reference

  •   PAC members.

  •   PAC overreach.

  •   Will neighbours be notified of upcoming projects on someone’s property?

27.  Property valuations & re-assessment.  (See Councillors’ Reports)

28.  Phase-out of fossil fuel heating. (see Environment)

29.  Rights & responsibilities of neighbours. (See Councillors’ Reports)

  •   Access, encroachment, fences, water runoff, etc. Find reference

  •   Will neighbours be notified of upcoming projects on someone’s property? (see PAC)

30.  Salt  (see Environment)

31.  Seniors & MADA  See...

  •   50+ Club.  (See Councillors’ Reports)

  •   MADA consultation and 90 action items. Volunteer snow shoveling for some seniors

32.  Snow clearing.  See...

  •  Priority list for clearing.

  •  Railroad crossing.

  •  Salt (Also see Environment)   Find reference

  •  Snow removal on weekends – expensive?  Check Councillors’ reports

  •  Tempos

  •  Why not blow onto yards as in the “old days”?

  •  Why we do what we do [regarding snow removal]. (See Councillors’ Reports)

33.  Sidewalk obstructions  (See Traffic & pedestrian safety)

34.  Stairs between Courtney & Ronald Drive. (see Traffic & pedestrian safety)

35.  Street lights. (see Traffic & pedestrian safety)

36.  Street hockey. (see Bylaws)

37.  Tax/mill rates.   (see   xxxx  on this site)

38.  Tempos, temporary car shelters (see Snow clearing)

39.  Term limits for Councillors. Find reference

40.  Traffic & safety.  See...

  •   Committee members.

  •   Bikes on Westminster sidewalks.  (See Bylaws)

  •   Brock & Ballantyne North above Sherbrooke two-way?  Find reference 

  •   Circumventing barriers on Devil’s Hill (Broughton west of Easton)

  •   Crosswalks on either side of the tracks. 

  •   (Other) Crosswalks on Westminster

  •   Lights at Westminster & Nelson?

  •   Malfunctioning light at Broughton crosswalk.

  •   Missing sidewalk north of Hump.

  •   Parking on Strathearn by EBS

  •   Parking on Westminster in the business area  (See ??Bylaws)

  •   Police stationed by railroad tracks.

  •   Poor lighting on Brock S. & Ballantyne S.

  •   Pot holes   (See Infrastructure)

  •   Snow clearing off CP tracks sidewalk. (See Snow clearing)

  •   Speed bumps & bollards ????(Traffic calming)

  •   Ballantyne North above Sherbrooke:  Ainslie, Fenwick, Wolseley South.

  •   Speeding on Westminster

  •   Staircase between Courtney and Ronald Drive.

  •   Street Light Master Plan.

  •   Traffic lights at Sherbrooke & Westminster tracks.

  •   Trucks on Ronald Drive & Avon

41.  Trees  See...

  •   Cutting down.  (notify Town even when a dead tree is removed!)

  •   Inventory.  (See Councillors’ Reports)

  •   Leaves.

  •   Electric leaf blowers used year-round?  Find reference   

  •   Gasoline Leaf blowers outlawed November 1, 2023. (see Bylaws)

  •   Leaves swept to side of road? (see Bylaws)

  •   Linden tree sap.

  •   Trees on private property. 

  •   Tree planting program, mandatory planting. (See Councillors’ Reports)

  •   Trimming  

42.  Valuation challenges.  (see Tax/mill rates)  (See Councillors, Reports)

43.  Volunteer cleanup events. See... 

44.  Water testing & water filter program. (see Environment)

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