For more than three years, funding and construction delays have left a hole in Montreal's English-language social services network and left the youth who need these services at risk of sexual violence.
Since 2015, one brand new building and a second - that is unfinished on the inside - have sat vacant and lacking funding. The new buildings for the Batshaw Centre were to replace outdated facilities in Dorval and to reduce possible risks of sexual assault from other children in the facilitiy's care.
Beaconsfield's new mayor, Georges Bourelle, says the delays were created when the West Island health CIUSSS became responsible for the Batshaw Centers, under reforms brought in by the previous provincial government.
After several misstarts, Mayor Bourelle says it looks like the project is now getting back on track.
"Based on what CIUSSS has told us, funds have also been allocated to complete the whole campus. Slightly different than what it was originlally," said Bourelle. "I think that it will be four buildings, rather than five, but that would be then the completed campus."
Stakeholders and educators at the Dorval Batshaw Campus are eager to move to Beaconsfield because current facilities are obsolete.
Bourelle says all parties to this project have been fustrated by its lack of progress and noted that he was told "very recently, that the funds are now available," but he was unable to provide an updated timeline.
CJAD 800 tried contacting the West Island CIUSSS for comment, but was unanle to reach a spokesperson at the time of publishing this article.