Following the violent earthquake that shook all of Haïti’s population last January 12, 2010, and the residents’ appeal for solidarity, the members of Council agreed Saint-Lazare could not remain indifferent in face of such human drama. The Town of Saint-Lazare agreed to contribute to the Fonds municipal de remise en opération des infrastructures, an initiative launched by l’Union des municipalités du Québec (UMQ) which suggested Quebec towns could contribute at the rate of $0.25 per capita, which Saint-Lazare did for a global amount of $4,500. Money collected by the UMQ will go towards rebuilding the basic town infrastructures destroyed during the earthquake. By the end of January, more than 30 municipalities answered the call, which allowed l’UMQ to harvest half a million dollars.

During the Council session held on February 2nd, the Mayor, Pierre Kary, also invited people present to observe one minute of silence in honour of the earthquake’s victims.

Town employees also raised money which allowed them to collect $450, which they handed to the Red Cross.