Quebec will cover most of an $8 million slope stabilization project in the Chaline Valley area of St-Lazare.
A March 28 information meeting for property owners affected by planned slope stabilization work in the Chaline Valley drew a large crowd of residents who wanted to hear details of what to expect, and how it will impact the properties touched by the landslide mitigation exercise.
The project will begin in winter 2018, and is expected to take over 15 weeks. About 7,000 truckloads of sensitive clay will be removed and replaced with rock-fill to help stabilize a stretch of slope along the Quinchien river that has been deemed at high risk for landslides, an approach recommended by engineers from the Transport Ministry that has been successfully used in other parts of Quebec.
About 74 per cent of the estimated cost of the project, or just over $5.9 million, will be covered by the province’s 2013-2020 Climate Change Action Plan Green Fund, with the remaining $2 million is to be funded by the municipality.
“I am pleased that this funding agreement has been signed between the Public Security Ministry and the City of St-Lazare,” stated Soulanges MNA Lucie Charlebois on Monday. “This partnership will protect more than 90 residences, 1.7 kilometres of municipal roads and a bridge. These families will soon have peace of mind as to the security of their home and their loved ones.”
The slope stabilization work will require temporary or permanent removal of accessory buildings, above-ground pools and septic systems on several lots, mainly located on Charbonneau, Chaline, Du Chêne and Du Calypso streets as well as on Place Cardin. The profile of some slopes will also be altered. When the work is completed, affected areas will be reseeded with native plants.
Owners of the properties that will be directly affected by the slope stabilization work were given information specific to their land, including aerial imagery annotated with information on how the profile of the slopes will change. Follow-up meetings with representatives from the town and provincial officials will be announced to answer further questions from affected homeowners.
More information on the Chaline Valley slope stabilization work is available on the town’s website at www.ville.saint-lazare.qc.ca/zonesdecontraintes.
http://montrealgazette.com/news/local-news/off-island-gazette/help-for-st-lazare-homeowners-in-landslide-risk-area
