Gaston Saucier

Lawyer, Partner

Expertise

Municipal Law

Language

French

Office

Saguenay, Montréal

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Gaston Saucier is a partner at our Saguenay office. His practice consists mainly of providing support to municipalities with regard to the numerous laws that specifically apply to them. He has represented municipalities before all jurisdictions in Quebec, including the Court of Appeal.

Gaston advises municipalities on contracts and requests for proposals. He also assists them in evaluating the proposals they receive to ensure that they are in accordance with their specifications. Gaston has represented municipalities as plaintiffs, prosecutors and defendants in civil litigation, penal prosecutions, administrative matters, and in ethics and professional conduct cases involving elected officials. He is also an ethics advisor for elected officials registered before the Quebec Municipal Commission.


Representative files and mandates

  • Representing municipalities before the courts in contestations of business property assessments
  • Contesting applications for the exemption of business property, buildings and equipment from the property assessment roll
  • Expropriating property on behalf of municipalities
  • Obtaining orders for the cessation of non-conforming uses of buildings
  • Obtaining orders for the demolition of deteriorated buildings, or buildings built in violation of municipality planning regulations
  • Representing cities and municipalities following requests for proposals in contentious cases involving work that does not conform to specifications, or work considered to be unforeseen or surplus to requirements


Publications and Conferences

  • For over 20 years, Gaston has designed and conducted training sessions for municipal directors and secretary-treasurers throughout Quebec, in collaboration with groups such as the Association des directeurs municipaux du Québec, the Fédération québécoise des municipalités, and the Corporation des officiers municipaux en bâtiment et en environnement du Québec. These training sessions included topics such as:
    • The legal status of roads in Quebec and potential liabilities related to opening, maintaining and closing public roads
    • The liability of clerks and secretary-treasurers
    • Principles to consider in drafting by-laws, resolutions, and minutes for city council meetings
  • Since 1990, Gaston has written a regular newsletter on municipal topics of interest, which is sent to several municipalities.
  • Every four years for over two decades, he has provided training sessions to newly elected officials in close to 20 municipalities, preparing them for their new functions and drawing their attention to possible pitfalls.


Community Involvement

  • Red Cross, Saguenay-Lac-Saint-Jean region:
    • President (1990–1995)
    • Took part in the organization’s fundraising campaigns for over 10 years
  • Director of a regional competitive downhill skiing organization and a competitive downhill skiing club for over a decade
  • Acted as a legal advisor to city councillors during municipal elections for over 30 years


Education

Bachelor of Laws (LL.B.)

Université Laval

1982


Call to Bar

Quebec

1984