Court Rules Saint-Colomban Guilty of Defamation and Abuse of Power Against Baseball Team

Tribunal Rules Against Saint-Colomban in Defamation Battle

The Tribunal has found the City of Saint-Colomban liable for abuse of right and defamation against Les Cardinaux des Laurentides, according to local reports from regional broadcaster Cime.

A Lost Home Field and a Seductive Proposal

The conflict traces back to 2022. Les Cardinaux des Laurentides—a team competing in the Ligue de Baseball Majeur du Québec—faced the loss of their home field in Saint-Jérôme. Saint-Jérôme officials announced plans to construct a permanent ice rink on the site of the team’s existing field, leaving the club searching for a new venue.

According to court documents detailed in the Cime report, Saint-Colomban Mayor Xavier-Antoine Lalonde approached team leadership to discuss moving the club to Saint-Colomban, which was finishing construction on its first baseball diamond. While initial discussions pointed toward an integration of the team into the municipality’s new facilities, both parties quickly identified a major hurdle: the field failed to meet league standards.

Broken Promises and Collapsed Funding

Judge Francine Lauzé outlined in the public judgment that the club, a non-profit organization operating with limited financial resources, entered into an agreement to cover the necessary upgrade costs. Team leadership relied on repeated assurances from the mayor that municipal and governmental grants would help offset the expenses.

However, the financial arrangement collapsed on June 28, 2024. The Ministère des Affaires municipales et de l’Habitation du Québec denied the requested subsidy under the Fonds régions et ruralité program, noting that the project was ineligible because the baseball club did not own the municipal infrastructure slated for improvement.

Abrupt Termination and Public Fallout

Following the grant denial, court records show that Saint-Colomban demanded immediate payment for the construction work, added new fees for signage, and ultimately terminated the agreement without legal right in November 2024. Furthermore, the municipality issued a press release and published a video that the Tribunal concluded actively damaged the club’s reputation.

The Tribunal’s Financial Ledger

The financial penalties handed down by the Tribunal divide accountability between the municipality and the baseball organization. Saint-Colomban has been ordered to pay Les Cardinaux a total of 39 162 $. This figure encompasses 24 162 $ for the loss of the field and associated operational inconveniences, 10 000 $ in moral damages for defamation, and 5 000 $ in punitive damages. Conversely, the judgment requires the club to reimburse 1 000 $ to the municipality alongside facility reconfiguration costs amounting to 44 890 $, with payment scheduled to begin in May 2026. The resolution brings a definitive legal conclusion to a standoff that threatened the operational future of one of the region’s baseball organizations.