Maja Vodanovic, mayor of Lachine, is entering the race to succeed Valérie Plante at the head of Projet Montréal. She made the announcement Monday morning during a press conference.
From the Grand Quai of the Port of Montreal, Ms. Vodanovic recalled that she had joined the Projet Montréal party in 2017 to participate in a growing movement of citizens who are involved in the progress of their city
.
Responding to the media, Maja Vodanovic listed her priorities: reviewing the tax burden on Montrealers, fighting road congestion and looking into the issue of housing and homelessness.
Montreal must face it with limited financial resources and the tax burden on citizens is already too high
she said.
For Ms. Vodanovic, we concentrated a lot of our efforts in the city center, […] but the peripheral districts need love too
.
Avoiding dwelling on the details of the projects she intends to propose, she indicated that she intended to first meet Montrealers, particularly in the outlying boroughs, to feel the pulse.
At the press conference, Ms. Vodanovic was accompanied by the former grand chief of Kahnawake, Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer, who offered her support on her behalf, but not on that of the indigenous community.
Correction
On December 16, 2024, this text was corrected to reflect that Sky Deer endorses Maja Vodanovic in her personal name only.
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Maja Vodanovic received the support of the former grand chief of Kahnawake, Kahsennenhawe Sky-Deer.
Photo: - / Marie-Josée Paquette-Comeau
She promised to announce her entire program during the next three months of the electoral campaign.
The mayor of Montreal and head of Projet Montréal, Valérie Plante, announced on October 23 that she would leave political life following her mandate, opening the door to her succession at the head of the party a year before the municipal elections from fall 2025.
Last Thursday, the mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough and president of the executive committee of the City of Montreal, Luc Rabouin, confirmed that he would be in the race for the leadership of Projet Montréal.
The mayor of the Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce borough, Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, and, earlier, the former president of Projet Montréal Guedwig Bernier had announced that they would enter the race.
Quebec solidaire MP Vincent Marissal and federal minister Soraya Martinez Ferrada are also expected to jump into the fray.
Valérie Plante’s successor at the head of Projet Montréal will be known on March 15. Candidates for leadership have until January 31 to submit their application.
With information from Marie-Josée Paquette-Comeau
