A Dragon for Eco-Schools!

SAINT-LAURENT, QC, Oct. 1, 2019 /CNW Telbec/ - As part of the first edition of the Eco-Citizens' Rendez-Vous, Saint-Laurent resident Marie-Josée Richer, co-founder of the Prana company and 2019 Dragon on Radio-Canada's famous TV program, will be giving advice to Saint-Laurent schools participating in the event on October 26 at the Sports Complex. She will form a committee of experts with Alan DeSousa, Mayor of Saint-Laurent, and Patrick de Bellefeuille, presenter and climate specialist at MétéoMédia. All educational institutions in the Borough, including elementary schools participating in the Mon école écolo program, will be invited to submit their projects to receive valuable advice from this committee. One of them will receive a Coup de coeur du public (people's choice) award.

Quotes

"The climate emergency has become an absolute priority in the world. The historic demonstration of September 27 proved that young people are at the forefront of the mobilization. With the Mon école écolo program set up by Saint-Laurent in 2004, thousands of elementary school students and dozens of adults working in the school environment have already been educated on environmental issues. We are proud to continue this environmental education and to support this great movement to mobilize young people by offering them a variety of expertise from the economic and scientific world during the first edition of the Eco-citizens' Rendez-Vous."

Alan DeSousa, Mayor of Saint-Laurent

"I hope to be able to inspire young people through my own career path and that of my company. It will be a real pleasure to be able to advise young people at the Eco-Citizens' Rendez-Vous in Saint-Laurent on October 26. I am encouraged to see young people concerned about their future who are committed to preserving the environment. Their initiatives are in line with the values that I personify with my own company, Prana, recognized as a leader in the organic industry. I am even more proud to be not only a native of Saint-Laurent but also an eco-citizen of this borough."

Marie-Josée Prana, co-founder of Prana and former Dragon

"Since the beginning of this millennium, we have recorded the warmest 18 years since weather records were compiled. The latest report by UN scientists is clear; we must reduce our emissions in order to counter the climate change we are facing. Already, time is flying by and, every year, the weather shows us what it is capable of doing when it rages. Residents of many cities around the world have always been at the forefront of the fight against climate change by proposing innovative solutions that are respectful of the planet. Be part of the solution!"

Patrick de Bellefeuille, weather presenter and climate specialist at MétéoMédia

Highlights of the event

Kiosks will be provided to interested Saint-Laurent educational institutions to present their environmental initiatives during the first edition of the Eco-Citizens' Rendez-Vous on October 26 at the Saint-Laurent Sports Complex.

The public is invited to vote in the morning for the project that draws the most attention.

Starting at 1:30 p.m., the committee of experts will tour all the projects presented, in order to discover them in turn. It will take the opportunity to make some suggestions for improvements to each educational institution. At the end of the day, a Coup de coeur du public (people's choice) award will be presented based on the votes received in the morning.    

About the Eco-Citizens' Rendez-Vous

On the strength of 15 years of commitment highlighted by numerous initiatives, Saint-Laurent declared itself "a sustainable municipal territory" in January 2019 and adopted a new Sustainable Development Policy. Saint-Laurent wants to go beyond awareness and enable its community to take concrete action to improve its quality of life on a daily basis, while preserving the environment in the current context of climate change. That is why it is organizing the first edition of the Eco-Citizens' Rendez-Vous.

This major event will provide Borough residents and businesses with concrete tools to adopt eco-responsible habits and pose #1geste (Action#1) on a daily basis.

It will take place in two parts:

• For businesses: on Friday, October 25, 7:30 a.m. ? 10:30 a.m., at Le Challenger conference and reception centre: rdvecocitoyen.ca
• For residents: on Saturday, October 26, 10 a.m. ? 6 p.m., at the Saint-Laurent Sports Complex: Borough's Facebook page

This event is also intended as a great opportunity for people to get together and exchange ideas to learn while having fun as a family.

About Marie-Josée Richer

A visionary social entrepreneur, Marie-Josée Richer, mother of 3 young boys, co-founded PRANA in 2005. Leader in the organic industry for nearly 15 years, PRANA is Canada's #1 organic snack brand and is actively involved in transforming the food landscape. In 2016, Marie-Josée Richer received the Arista Award in the Young Entrepreneur of the Year: Growing Enterprise category from the Jeune Chambre de commerce de Montréal. Driven by the desire to make a positive impact and to respond to social and environmental problems, she uses entrepreneurship as an agent of change. In particular, she took part in Radio-Canada's Dans l'oeil du dragon TV program in 2019.

About Mon école écolo

The Mon école écolo program was set up by Saint-Laurent in 2004 to raise awareness about urban cleanliness and environmental issues among young people attending elementary schools in Saint-Laurent. Thousands of elementary school students and dozens of adults working in the school environment have benefited from the program's activities, which have been offered in turn by competent Borough staff or by non-profit organizations. Initiatives supported include landscape beautification projects, big clean-up operations, making musical instruments with recycled materials and developing green/zero-waste lunch boxes.

About Saint-Laurent

Having celebrated the 125th anniversary of its incorporation in 2018, Saint-Laurent is one of the 19 boroughs in Ville de Montréal. As sustainable development is at the heart of all its decisions, the Borough declared itself a "sustainable municipal territory" on January 8, 2019. Its population of over 100,000, is one of the most multicultural: 81% of its residents are immigrants or have a parent born in another country. Located at the crossroads of Montréal's main highways with great accessibility to public transit, the Borough extends over 42.8 square kilometres in area. More than 70% of its territory is devoted to industrial and commercial activities. With 4500 companies and 110,000 jobs, it is in fact the second largest employment pool on the island of Montréal. It also boasts one of Québec's main industrial and technological centres. And last but not least, with its two libraries, its Centre des loisirs (recreation centre), its new Sports Complex, its arena and some 50 parks, Saint-Laurent offers a wide range of services in many fields, such as culture, sports and recreation. In this way, the Borough ensures a high quality of life for the families and businesses within its community.

SOURCE Ville de Montréal - Arrondissement de Saint-Laurent