Streets and parking

It is prohibited to shovel, blow, or push snow into the street, onto the sidewalks, in a park, on public land, on a public place, into water or watercourses belonging to the municipality, or within 3 m (9.9 ft.) of a fire hydrant. The snow must be piled on your own property. For everyone’s safety, it is also forbidden to create snow banks by the curb that exceed 2.5 m. It should also be noted that companies that remove snow from private properties are bound by the same regulations.

If you use the services of a private snow removal company, it is not allowed to display its company name, telephone number, or logo on the driveway demarcation posts.

Overnight street parking is permitted from December 1 to March 31, unless prohibited by parking signs or when a snow removal alert is in effect. In this case, parking on the streets between midnight and 5:30 a.m. is prohibited throughout the entire municipality, WITHOUT EXCEPTION.

In certain areas, you must have a sticker to park on the street. Consult the map of the areas covered by the parking stickers.

To purchase a residential sticker (area R), residents must present:

1. Completed application form
2. Driver’s licence
3. Vehicle’s registration certificate
4. Proof of residence, if the address on the driver’s licence is different

To purchase a commercial sticker, business owners or their representatives must present:

1. Completed application form
2. Driver’s licence
3. Vehicle’s registration certificate
4. Certificate of occupancy
5. Proof of employment

The stickers are valid until December 31, 2024, and are available at a cost of $150. Residents will be able to obtain their sticker at the Permit Office during office hours and pay in cash, by debit card or by cheque. Credit cards will not be accepted.

It is forbidden to let your vehicle’s engine idle for more than three minutes per hour when you are at a standstill. This by-law was created to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and help preserve our air quality.

The by-law prohibits idling in a number of instances, including:

• for the purpose of heating a vehicle in winter or cooling it in summer;
• during short errands (dépanneur, gas station, etc.);
• while waiting for a passenger;
• while waiting for a train to cross at a level-crossing;
• while waiting to be served at a drive-through window;
• when using a remote starter.

When should I turn off my engine?

If your vehicle is stationary for more than 60 seconds, unless you are in traffic, turn off your engine. Unnecessary idling wastes money, fuel, and produces greenhouse gas emissions, which contribute to climate change.

Why turn off my engine?

• To protect health: An idling vehicle releases a witches’ brew of gases and small particles into the air we breathe. Poor air quality can cause serious respiratory problems in people suffering from respiratory illnesses, such as asthma, and affects everybody’s health.
• To protect the environment: Turning off your engine is an effective way to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and it contributes to meeting the Kyoto targets.
• To save money: Idling wastes fuel: your vehicle burns twice as much gas when idling as when driving at an average speed of 50 km/h. By turning off your engine, you waste less fuel and save money.
• To reduce engine wear: Unnecessary idling can damage the components of your engine, including the cylinders, spark plugs, and exhaust system.

Did you know?

1. A commonly held myth is that idling is the best way to warm up your engine. In fact, even in cold temperatures, the best way to warm up an engine is to drive it at a moderate speed.
2. The tires, transmission, wheel bearings, and other moving parts only begin to warm up once a vehicle is in motion.
3. Restarting the engine has little impact on engine wear. What’s more, ten seconds of idling can use up more fuel than stopping and restarting the engine.
4. On cold winter days, you can help to reduce the impact of starting your vehicle by using a block heater. This affordable device warms the coolant, which in turn warms the engine block and lubricants. The engine will start more easily and reach its optimal operating temperature faster.

The speed limit throughout the municipality is 30 km/h. This by-law was created in response to growing pressure from concerned citizens regarding speeding on city streets and to ensure increased safety for pedestrians, cyclists, and drivers.

In school zones around elementary schools, the speed limit has been reduced to 20 km/h from Monday to Friday, from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A few exceptions…

The speed limit on the main arteries is 50 km/h to ensure that the flow of traffic between the different city sectors remains fluid. These are:

• Victoria Avenue
• Riverside Drive
• Simard Boulevard
• Tiffin Road
• Sir-Wilfrid-Laurier Boulevard

Look for signs that indicate the change in the speed limit allowed on these streets.

Did you know?

1. In urban areas, driving 10 km/h over the posted speed limit quadruples your chances of having an accident.
2. Most minor or serious injuries occur in zones where the speed limit is 50 km/h, because a variety of different users share the road in these areas.
3. An impact at 50 km/h is equal to a fall from the top of a four-storey building.
4. Speeding increases braking distance: at 30 km/h, the braking distance needed is 15.5 m, compared to 31.2 m at 50 km/h.

(Source: SAAQ)

A vehicle may not be left on concrete blocks or on any other type of support.

It is forbidden to strip a motor vehicle anywhere other than in areas where this activity is expressly authorized through a town planning by-law.

A roundabout is a usually circular intersection where traffic circulates counter-clockwise around a central island and where entering vehicles must yield to those already in the roundabout.

Its benefits

The installation of a roundabout will offer a number of concrete benefits to neighbourhood residents and visitors:

• Greater safety for all users: Pedestrians and cyclists will only have to look in one direction to find out when to cross. Also, crosswalk lights will clearly tell motorists when to stop.
• Lower speeds: Vehicles will slow down as they approach the roundabout because it represents a major change in the driving environment.
• Environmental benefits: As motorists will come to full stops less often, this will reduce noise and gas consumption, which in turn will have a direct impact on air quality. Also, the roundabout implies a surface of asphalt, which acts as a “heat island.”
• Esthetically pleasing: A roundabout creates a distinctive entry that can be landscaped and that forms an eye-catching landmark.

1. Slow down: Reduce your speed as you approach the roundabout to enter safely.
2. Select the correct lane: Get into the lane you will use for your desired exit and stay in it until you exit.
3. Yield on entry: Before entering the roundabout, you must first yield to pedestrians and cyclists, and then to vehicles already in the circle. You may have to come to a complete stop while waiting for a safe gap in the traffic flow to enter.
4. Enter the roundabout: Safely enter the roundabout using the lane you have chosen for the exit you will use.
5. Signal before exiting: As you approach your exit, signal right to indicate your intention. Never stop in a roundabout, unless it is to avoid a collision.
6. Exit the roundabout: Exit the roundabout. Yield to pedestrians and cyclists when necessary.

The roundabout design includes crosswalks for pedestrians and cyclists. Cameras that automatically detect pedestrian or cyclist activity will activate lighted signs to warn motorists of their presence at the crosswalks. For their safety, we ask that pedestrians and cyclists always use the crosswalks to cross the road.