Clean streets, reduction of speed near schools, hunt for illegal AirBnBs, development of new neighborhoods, protection of affordable housing, better management of construction sites… The mayor of Montreal, Valérie Plante, announced her priorities for the year on Wednesday. come, before bowing out next November.
Published at 3:06 p.m.
“Even though I announced that I would not stand for re-election in the next elections, I have no intention of slowing down, quite the contrary. My mandate ends on November 2 and not before,” she said, in the main hall of city hall, in front of the elected officials of her party and several guests who warmly applauded her.
His team presented this event as a “speech to the nation”, like those given by the presidents of certain countries, such as the United States and France.
Without giving details on the realization of his projects, and without answering journalists’ questions, Mme Plante began by mentioning the problem of dirt and trash on city streets. “This spring, we plan to organize a big chore with a campaign to make everyone aware of the importance of doing their part,” she indicated, saying she wanted to maintain a “sense of pride” among Montrealers.
PHOTO PATRICK SANFAÇON, THE PRESS
Mayor Valérie Plante presented on Wednesday her priorities for the remainder of her mandate, which will end next November.
The mayor also announced that the speed limit on all streets bordering schools would be reduced to 30 or 40 km/h in places where it is still 50 km/h.
Failing to control the financing of public transport or the installation of photo radars, we will control the speed limit. Nowhere should there be schoolchildren walking next to a street where cars are traveling at speeds that could kill them.
Valérie Plante
Valérie Plante did not specify what means will be used to carry out her other priority projects, among which we also find the fight against homelessness, the development of a public transport system in the east of the city and sponge infrastructure, which aims to reduce the risk of flooding due to heavy rains caused by climate change.
However, she revealed that she would announce in the coming days the developer chosen by the City for the development of a real estate project on Voyageur Island, an abandoned building that has disfigured the Latin Quarter for several years.
“Public relations exercise”
The leader of the opposition at city hall, Aref Salem, considered the speech given by the mayor unnecessary, which he described as a “public relations exercise”, since none of the administration’s priorities receives more funding.
Even if elected officials from his party, Ensemble Montréal, often criticize the filth in various Montreal neighborhoods, Mr. Salem stressed that the municipal budget tabled last November did not provide for more investments in street cleaning.
It’s good to talk about it, but the problem is in the actions. We need a budget so that the 19 districts can hire cleanliness brigades. I don’t know where she’s going to get the money to clean the streets of Montreal.
Aref Salem, leader of Ensemble Montréal
He is also skeptical about the Plante administration’s ability to act on housing construction, homelessness and the development of public transportation.
“What she announced today, she will not be able to do in 10 months, while she has not managed to do it in the last seven years,” he said.
