On August 26, Saint-Clet's elected officials unveiled a new version of the municipal family policy. The document, which first saw the light of day in 2013, has undergone a facelift in recent months, and the revamped version now includes some twenty objectives and forty actions.

In concrete terms, the core of the policy is an action plan of 27 objectives and 44 actions. The municipality is confident of achieving the majority of these actions within three years, i.e. by 2026. In 2013, the locality succeeded in doing so. 

For the first year of its implementation, here are some of the actions to be implemented in Saint-Clet according to the document: 

- Continue to disseminate information on regional projects in the Le Munici'Parle newsletter;

- Create a photo bank of the municipality to enrich the visuals of communication tools, such as the website; 

- Promote registration with the COMALERTE emergency call system; 

- Install signage in residential neighborhoods to announce activities and events; 

- Enhance library services, such as intergenerational activities;

- Include the steps taken with the Ministère des Transports in the highlights section of the Le Munici'Parle newsletter; 

- Encourage carpooling among residents;In 2024, here are just a few of the actions Saint-Clet hopes to implement: 

- Add content for teens in the Le Munici'Parle newsletter; 

- Add water fountains in certain parks and public spaces; 

- Create a local promotional campaign with families praising their favorite features, such as Parc Apollo, conviviality, the countryside, mutual aid, proximity, tranquility and family spirit; 

- Plan an open house for municipal buildings; 

- Create an agreement with the Centre de services scolaire des Trois-Lacs, following the school's expansion, for the use of infrastructures such as gymnasiums; 

- Develop cooking workshops for young people; 

- Identify pedestrian rights-of-way with road markings; 

- Extend sidewalks in strategic locations;

- Exchange with the Sûreté du Québec to organize public awareness days to reduce speeding on the territory. 

"Saint-Clet has done and continues to do a great deal for families, seniors and teenagers. Examples: renovation of pedestrian walkways, lighting of the pétanque court, repair of the sidewalk in front of the heritage building (church). The municipal family policy is helping to speed things up," says Mayor Mylène Labre. 

The first working meeting of the committee set up to update the document was held in May 2021. Its official launch took place on August 26, during Saint-Clet en fête, a family event par excellence that provided an excellent springboard for this important undertaking. 

The main obstacle encountered during this project was, without a doubt, the pandemic. "The process was special because it took place during the COVID-19 pandemic. The steering committee was able to adapt. We're very proud of that.The public consultations (a survey and individual interviews) were held in virtual mode, in the fall of 2021.The process was interrupted a few times during periods of confinement, such as in December 2021.Each time, the volunteers remained faithful to their commitment. In fact, the committee included volunteers who had participated in the first municipal family policy adopted in 2013," she reports. 

Special features of the policy

While the pandemic slowed down the process of updating the policy, it also had to take into account its impact on seniors."The health crisis has led to their isolation and the abandonment of outings and social activities. But there are also positive aspects to all this.The pandemic has enabled seniors to benefit from the support of regional organizations and services. Many received help from their families to buy supplies and groceries.On a larger scale, Quebec data show that seniors have increased their use of technology, whether it be computers or tablets.That's great!Our goal, as a municipality, is to strengthen the participation of seniors after the pandemic," she emphasizes. 

The municipal family policy is available at https://st-clet.com/sites/default/files/politique_familiale_vf_lowres_web.pdf.