From left to right: City Councillors Josée Marc-Aurèle and Sylvie Beaulieu, Sainte-Julie Mayor Mario Lemay, Sébastien Létourneau, Co-President of Protech Construction, City Councillor Éric Faucher, Chantal Brais, General Manager of L’Envolée, Suzanne Roy, Minister for the Family, Caroline Coulombe, President of SQDPI and Raymond Ouellette, founder of Novatech and principal donor.
The official ground-breaking ceremony marking the start of the reconstruction of L’Envolée, Centre d’action bénévole Sainte-Julie, took place in the presence of Mrs. Suzanne Roy, MNA for Verchères and Minister of Family, Mr. Mario Lemay, Mayor of Sainte-Julie, several municipal councillors as well as Mrs. Caroline Coulombe, President of the SQDPI, Mrs. Chantal Brais, General Manager of L’Envolée, and Mr. Mario Lemay, Mayor of Sainte-Julie. SQDPI President Caroline Coulombe, L’Envolée General Manager Chantal Brais and Sébastien Létourneau, co-president of Protech Construction, the company responsible for designing and building the project.
A new era for L’Envolée
For over 30 years, L’Envolée has offered support and comfort to the community of Julieville. The reconstruction of the center marks an important milestone: a building entirely redesigned to meet the growing needs of citizens, particularly seniors. Among the planned improvements, a more spacious and better-adapted kitchen will enhance the range of homecare services on offer. Thanks to the involvement of over 100 volunteers, L’Envolée pursues its mission to break isolation, encourage mutual aid and build a supportive community. It plays a central role in maintaining the social safety net essential to our collective well-being.
“L’Envolée is a veritable institution in Sainte-Julie. For over 30 years, its team – led with dedication by Chantal Brais, the General Manager – has been at the heart of the social fabric of our riding. This reconstruction project is an important step in enabling the organization to pursue its mission in optimal conditions, for the benefit of the volunteers, families and seniors who depend on it every day,” said Suzanne Roy, MNA for Verchères, Minister for the Family and Minister responsible for Montérégie.
“The construction of the new center marks an important turning point for our community. With more functional and welcoming premises, l’Envolée will be able to enhance its essential services and better meet the growing needs of Sainte-Julie’s citizens. This organization plays an important role for many Julievillois,” added Mario Lemay, Mayor of Sainte-Julie.
"It's a source of great pride for us to bring to fruition a project that will have a direct impact on the services offered to the population," said Sébastien Létourneau, co-president of Protech Construction.
A forward-looking project
L’Envolée will also host a unique demonstration project. The new building will be constructed entirely using prefabricated walls insulated with hemp concrete – a first in Quebec’s commercial construction sector! This eco-friendly, low-carbon footprint material stands out for its excellent insulating properties and sustainable energy performance.
This innovative project is made possible by the collaboration of the Société québécoise des plantes industrielles (SQDPI) and WallUp, a European factory specializing in the manufacture of prefabricated hemp concrete panels. “I feel privileged to have the opportunity to take part in a promising project like this, which could truly revolutionize the way we build,” concludes Sébastien Létourneau.
