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The meeting opened with the announcement that Mayor John Belvedere and members of the city council would be meeting with constituents in a series of community meetings across the city from April 18th to May 3rd.

The Pointe-Claire Volunteer Rescue Unit will be celebrating 75 years in Pointe-Claire with a series of events recognizing their contributions to the city, with the first event being held on May 3, 2026. The mayor expressed gratitude for their hard work, stating, “Their dedication, courage, and professionalism are truly remarkable.”

The interim city manager responded to questions from the March 10th meeting, reporting that the city has met with certain residents with questions pertaining to stormwater management, that the pothole issues on Donegani Ave. have been addressed, that a meeting with the officials determined that maintenance work carried out on the Beaconsfield Golf Course did not require permits from the city, and that letters regarding the flooding claims from August 2024 and July 2025 will be sent out shortly by the legal department.

Question period

A Greenwich neighbourhood citizen submitted a petition signed by 78 residents, requesting year-round overnight parking. The area, located west of Saint-Jean Blvd. near Gendron Ave., has been subject to disputes between neighbours, congestion, and safety concerns.

Residents of Longmeadow continued to seek reassurance from the city that flooding from the Beaconsfield Golf Course does not happen again and to help determine who shares in what responsibilities for drain maintenance.

Two requests were made asking that inquiries posed during question period be included in the minutes of council meetings to improve the ease of searching for information.

An update was requested about two items that had been removed from the agenda of the March 10, 2026 meeting, pertaining to a minor exemption request for 37 Cartier and to a renewal of a contract with LinkedIn. The mayor responded that council had not yet reached a consensus on the matters pertaining to the building on Cartier and that the city was awaiting a response from LinkedIn regarding statistics and data.

The mayor was asked what measures were being taken to create safe access for bicycles through the city to the new REM station and asked about extending the bike path along Hymus Blvd. that currently ends at Delmar.

A question was asked about how heritage buildings are protected on the territory and what the city does to ensure owners comply, with the reply that the city can do the work and charge the owner.

Safety concerns were presented about the former woodland in the Greenwich neighbourhood near Tony Proudfoot Park. Trees were cut, resulting in exposed stumps, water, mud, and mosquitoes. Some tree planting was done, but not enough to make the area safe.

Two questions were asked, mentioning Prime Minister Mark Carney’s pledge of $3.8 billion to protect 30% of Canada’s green spaces and natural spaces and providing updates about the campaign to save Fairview Forest, and asking a second question about expanding the availability of community gardens throughout the city.

A resident whose backyard abuts the Terra-Cotta Natural Park parking lot expressed annoyance about excessive noise coming from the area from soccer teams playing late at night and dust from maintenance equipment. The resident also recommends putting a community garden in that area to eliminate the need for constant mowing.

Responsibility of property owners

Andrew Swidzinski, councillor for District 4, announced his decision to vote against item 5.3, concerning the occupancy and maintenance of buildings. Using up his allotted 10 minutes before being cut off, the councillor expressed his objections about the by-law being expanded to all homes, with more power for the city inspectors. He also cited issues with the fines in Pointe-Claire being much higher than in other cities and cumulative as well.

After a five-minute procedural debate to determine if he would be allowed to make his position clear on the resolution, Councillor Bruno Tremblay (District 6) stated that he supported the adoption of the resolution as a first draft but wished it made clear that modifications could still be made prior to it being finalized.

Aquatic Centre renovations

Councillor Swidzinski requested to speak about item 15.8, regarding the $5.8 million contract for renovation works on the locker rooms and offices at the Aquatic Centre, Referring to the feedback he received from his constituents, he expressed the belief that while there is value in the upgrades and improvements to the facility, the money could do more to benefit the city’s infrastructure. The resolution was passed 6-2, with Councillor Eric Stork of District 7 and Councillor Swidzinski voting against.

Proposed construction projects

Members of the public were invited to express their views about item 17.5, a resolution to approve the conditional use of the lots located on the northwest corner of Saint-Jean and De Salaberry boulevards. With two questions already being asked during question period about the rumours about the construction of a potential 17-storey hotel, residents stepped up to the mic requesting more information, asking whether conditional use meets the objectives in the planning program, asking questions on permissible building heights, and asking how such a project would reduce heat islands in the area.

Other concerns mentioned that the zone is currently in a development freeze, which suspends the planning program. With council also looking to approve plans for the former Bar-B-Barn location, former councillor Brent Cowan expressed apprehension that “this could be the start of approving major projects, with those projects defining the future planning program, as opposed to the other way around.”

Councillor Tremblay read a statement about how the Agglomeration’s contribution formula punishes Pointe-Claire for having high real estate values, making it pay a larger slice for the island’s expenses. With more people moving to the northern sector of the city, he expressed a desire for improvements to the infrastructure for the residents living there, such as the installation of sidewalks, improvements to Hermitage Park, or a library being installed in a north sector community centre. The resolution passed 6 to 2, with opposition from councillors Swidzinski and Tremblay.

The remaining item of interest was 17.14, a draft resolution to approve a spot zoning (SCAOPI, subject to a vote of contiguous property owners and residents) change for the former Bar-B-Barn location. The project calls for 249 residential units to be built, with 10% of the units being affordable housing. Councillor Tremblay expressed his belief that the area should remain commercial, while Councillor Swidzinski felt that residents living there would be completely isolated from the rest of the city and that this location would be more suitable for a hotel. The resolution passed with a vote of 6 to 2.