a ditch “swallowing our land”

This is why they have just filed a formal notice against the City in order to get the municipal administration to take action to resolve the problem.

The formal notice was given during the council meeting of January 13. The two neighbors reminded elected officials that in January 2024, information was sent to them according to which a study would be carried out to address the problem of this ditch located behind several houses on rue de l’Érable.

“It’s been a year and we have no follow-up. We have had no feedback, no results from the study. It is not known which firm was selected. There is a gap, it cost me a swimming pool so far and my fence is going away. Quite astronomical costs will follow.

— Audrey Castonguay, resident of rue de l’Érable

Ms. Castonguay and Mr. Adams are not the only ones struggling with this eroding divide. Other neighbors also have to deal with a ditch “which is swallowing our land,” she adds, which compromises buildings, cedar hedges and other property.

“Audrey made a first approach in May 2023,” notes Mr. Adams. “We presented ourselves to the council on December 11. During the floods, you came to us and thank you for the support.”

“We received the response that there would be a study, but we have had no news so far. We are talking about almost 20 months. The ground, we have lost about two feet compared to last year.

— Keven Adams, resident of rue de l’Érable

Obviously, no study has been done, Mr. Adams believes.

“I made a request to public works for a soil examination. After that, I didn’t get a response. But I would like there to be a lot of follow-up, because eventually it is perhaps the house which will be affected,” declared councilor Alain Pichette.

Heavy rains in recent years have done nothing to improve the situation.

“It’s exponential every year. In a few years, the effects will be quite damaging,” adds Ms. Castonguay.

According to the latter, the formal notice is in no way a personal action filed against anyone in the municipal administration. The goal of this approach is for the file to move and for these citizens to be aware of the City’s actions by February 12.

“The water level in the ditch is super dangerous,” observes Mr. Adams. “We are regulated for my above-ground pool. There are children in the neighborhood who are near a creek that has 10-12 feet of water. We require an embankment or a four-foot buried pipe. We don’t talk about the gap anymore. We want our land to remain. We put money and effort into making the grounds beautiful. We want it to stay like that.”

“We’re going to look at that.”

Mindful of the comments made by Ms. Castonguay and Mr. Adams, Yvon Deshaies assures that the City will seriously study the situation.

“Is the City 100% responsible? This needs to be verified. The problem is the gap. People’s land collapses into the ditch. We’ll look at that. We are here for our citizens.”

— Yvon Deshaies, mayor of Louiseville

According to Mr. Deshaies, this file suffered from the absence of the general director for a few months in 2024.

“Mr. Douville [Yvon] had this file in hand, but he went on sick leave. He’s going to take it back.”