In 2025, priority for housing in Quebec for Mayor Bruno Marchand

In 2025, Mayor Bruno Marchand's priority will be devoted to housing, while the city is facing a starving vacancy rate and the crisis remains acute.

In an end-of-year editorial interview, the mayor of Quebec City did not hesitate for a second when asked what he wanted to focus his efforts on for the last year of his current mandate. “Accommodation. We are in a situation where we have nowhere to go. I am very proud of the way the city has transformed,” he says.

“We want to meet the imperative housing needs for all types of incomes and citizens.” It therefore remains focused on the 2025 objective of reaching 500 new units to be built.

The successes of recent months in terms of housing are also part of his main pride, which he even names before the tram. In 2024, the City started construction on 906 new social and affordable housing units, or 8.6% more construction starts compared to 2023 for the first 11 months.

“Complex” work

It is a summit, for at least 10 years, which brings him closer to the objective of building 80,000 new units by 2040. “Complex” and long-term work, he says, which he welcomes. been able to accomplish with his team.

But the vacancy rate still remains tiny, at 0.8%, very far from the equilibrium threshold of 3%. This is why he intends to execute the plan that his administration has set to achieve the ambitious objectives. This translates into the acceleration of the issuance of permits, ongoing discussions with developers, the creation of a one-stop shop, adjustments to the standards regarding heights and side margins, for example. We create “happy density”, illustrates Mr. Marchand.

More agility

He emphasizes that several promoters are delighted with a new “agility” of the municipality. Developers are seen as “partners”, and this brings “huge gains”. “A change in culture” which has taken place at great speed, he rejoices.

There is no question for him of postponing housing projects until after the campaign, to avoid offending the neighbors of future buildings, as it may be tempting to do to secure votes. “If I'm already in electoral mode, for each controversial project, I'm going to say: 'Let's wait, we'll do that after the campaign.' But in the meantime, we would have a very difficult year in 2025 in terms of housing.” He says he prefers to have “the courage” to move forward with projects to accommodate the growing number of new residents in the city.

Patience, for the tram

Even though he says he is “impatient” to build the tramway, Mayor Marchand accepts the three-year deadline imposed on the project, to avoid doing things “completely wrong.”

In June, the Caisse de dépôt et placement du Québec Infra (CDPQI), which is now officially the project manager of the megaproject, had planned for commissioning in 2030. This week, it changed the schedule to 2033.

The mayor of Quebec assures that the postponement “is not at all a political request” from the CAQ government. “The Fund, the politician, yes, they work with it, but they don’t show political kowtowing to anyone. They work to carry out a project, with science.”

Bruno Marchand would have liked to maintain the finish line in 2030. “2033, I find that far away, that's for sure. But I have to trust the Fund. I will not replace their experience.”

Avoiding Ottawa's mistakes

He recalls that other projects were “pushed” by politicians, with unfortunate results. “The experience we learned from Ottawa is that the politicians pushed and it was put into service more quickly. In the end, it didn't help anyone. The project wasn't ready, the doors were freezing, everyone was working all wrong. We don't want to experience that. In the end, I’m impatient, but not at the cost of doing things wrong.”

Depoliticize the project

He is convinced that the governance established in the two agreements recently signed for the project will contribute to “depoliticizing” it. He emphasizes that the committees which will manage the project are mainly composed of experts. “There aren’t many politicians left. It’s a gain for governance and it’s thanks to the Fund. If a pitfall comes up, there will be a politician who will choose.”

On this point, the fact that the government has the last word in the event of a dispute does not annoy him. “It had to be. The government pays most of it.” However, political intervention should no longer arise in the details related to the route, sidewalks, trees or shared streets, he assures, these are issues that will be taken care of by the CDPQI, in collaboration with the City. Mr. Marchand promises to defend his citizens if communication fails.

Federal funding

As for federal funding, he urges Minister Jean-Yves Duclos and Prime Minister Justin Trudeau to secure funding up to 40% of the $7.6 billion project. If Pierre Poilievre were to take power, it would be “childish” to go back on the signed agreements, according to him. “He has no choice” to respect at least the $1.5 billion already promised. Otherwise, he said, “he will have to explain the injustice for Quebec.”

Marchand awaits recommendations on the crucifix

The mayor of Quebec has “a personal position” on the debate surrounding the possible removal of the crucifix from the municipal council room. But he does not wish to express it at the moment, preferring to wait for the recommendations of the Commission for an Inclusive City. The question will be submitted to this body at its next meeting, on February 20. “We will let the Commission do the work and after that, I will decide. […] Their opinion will greatly influence me.” If possible, this decision will be communicated to the population before the next electoral deadline, which takes place in November 2025. The mayor is aware that the debate “raises passions”, but he is careful not to enter the arena. “We’ll see.”

Flowers for Labeaume

“Mr. Labeaume had made excellent financial management. The City found itself in a very good position compared to others,” praised Mayor Marchand. This is the second time this week that he has thrown flowers at his predecessor, Régis Labeaume, the first being to salute the fact that he carried out the tram project before him. Bruno Marchand says he is proud to have continued within the same financial framework and to have held the purse strings tight, in a difficult financial context. “It would have been easy to benefit from that and let go a little. Increasing the debt a little wouldn't have seemed too much. I refused that.” He is pleased that Quebec City has experienced the lowest tax increases of all major cities in Quebec. “I’m super proud of that. Super proud of this financial rigor, where we have a decreasing debt.” As for the tram and the choice to “pay for it in cash”, “it’s an incredible tour de force”. Mr. Marchand recalls that $500 million is thus saved in interest, thanks to the good financial health he inherited as mayor.

No surprises expected for the campaign

Without naming them, Bruno Marchand already says he knows his opponents for the next mayoral race, even if they have not yet revealed themselves. “I don't think [avoir de surprise]. There may be some, but we already know four, five, six candidates who will take the plunge.” Still without naming him, he seems to be targeting former liberal Sam Hamad, who “will offer a very different vision” of the city, according to him. He also points out to his future adversaries, who “do not offer any solutions” to combat congestion. He also expects that a majority of his advisors will run again for the next campaign. A team that he describes as “extraordinary” because the elected officials “come here for the City” and not for personal goals. He is very proud that his team is “a coalition”, of three different parties, even if this brings challenges, he admits.