MRC seeks input on new social development strategy

Off-Islanders are invited to learn more about social issues in Vaudreuil-Soulanges, and participate in updating the regional social development policy at an upcoming public forum exploring issues ranging from health care, transportation, and social services, to child development, immigration, housing, green space, healthy living and more. On Nov. 27, the Municipalité régionale de comté (MRC) for Vaudreuil-Soulanges is hosting its fourth annual regional forum on sustainable social development, which will include a summary of results from an online public consultation survey conducted earlier this year, as well as opportunities to discuss and provide feedback on social policy challenges and goals. The social policy forum will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. at the Pavillion récréatif des bénévoles, 145 Valade St., Les Cèdres. Participants must register online before Nov. 20. Lunch and refreshments will be provided. The Vaudreuil-Soulanges MRC represents 23 municipalities with a collective population of over 160,000 people and a territory of over 155 square kilometres, about the size of Montreal and Laval combined. Sébastien Legros, the MRC’s social development support officer, said results from the online survey reveal a portrait of a region that is a study in contrasts: urban/suburban and rural, French and English, rich and poor. About 600 citizens and 121 community organizations participated in the online consultation, expressing their perspectives on issues like access to health care, transportation, housing and other subjects. Legros said social issues in Vaudreuil-Soulanges have changed dramatically in the decade since the MRC’s social development policy was first established. As one of the fastest-growing regions in Canada, Vaudreuil- Soulanges now not only has a much bigger population, but has also become much more ethnically and economically diverse. Looking at the overall statistics for the region can be misleading, he said. For example, the average income for the area is relatively high compared to many parts of Greater Montreal, yet a closer look reveals pockets of poverty throughout the region that are eclipsed by the high incomes of neighbouring districts. “Looking at the big picture, all seems to be fine, but when you take a closer look it’s clear that poverty is a reality in Vaudreuil-Soulanges,” Legros said. “It’s like a Swiss cheese around the region. It makes it hard to put in services.” The growing number of immigrants settling in Vaudreuil and Île-Perrot, for example, is presenting new challenges for teachers at local schools, because there are so many new students who do not yet speak French, Legros said. To address these and other new challenges, the MRC’s sustainable social development table is currently in the process of updating the region’s social development policy, which Legros said is expected to be released early next year.