The sky is literally falling on Valérie Plante’s head, while traffic chaos is on everyone’s lips in Montreal.
Already criticized for her management of major events and infrastructure, the mayor once again finds herself at the center of a media storm after Dan Rappaport, one of the most respected journalists in the golf world, publicly destroyed the image of the city and its transport management during the Presidents Cup.
This golf tournament, supposed to be a proud moment for Montreal, turned into a real logistical debacle, amplifying criticism of municipal management and the chaotic decisions of Valérie Plante.
The main problem? The hellish traffic which paralyzes access to L’Île-Bizard, the place where the competition takes place. The city imposed a sticker system to limit traffic, but this generated monstrous delays, even preventing crucial deliveries, such as drugs for chemotherapy patients.
This nightmare scenario spread across the media, triggering a wave of indignation among residents, spectators, and even golfers themselves.
Dan Rappaport, an influential voice in the golf world, was simply scathing in pointing out Montreal’s inability to manage an event of this scale.
He described the city as mired in chronic and poorly anticipated traffic problems, openly criticizing Valérie Plante for her lack of preparation.
On social networks, frustration is felt, residents and visitors expressing their anger at hours of traffic jams and failing organization.
The delays are so significant that even spectators are left wondering why the city agreed to host such an event if it was not capable of ensuring its smooth running.
One of the most revealing incidents of this fiasco is the failure of the management of the infrastructure around the Jacques-Bizard bridge, the renovation of which was supposed to be completed this summer.
However, this bridge, essential for access to the island, will not ultimately be completed before 2025, forcing motorists to use a temporary bridge with three lanes, one of which is reserved for buses and emergency vehicles.
This decision amplified traffic jams, transforming what should be a journey of a few minutes into an ordeal of several hours.
And that’s not all. Valérie Plante faces severe criticism regarding security and the organization around the tournament.
The vignette system, designed to limit traffic on the island, has not only isolated residents, but also penalized local merchants, whose businesses are suffering terribly due to the absence of customers.
But the mayor of L’Île-Bizard, who is also accused, affirms that it is the City of Montreal which is responsible for this catastrophic management, since it is it which manages the work on the bridge and the vignette system.
Additionally, local authorities, including the police, appear to have been deployed ineffectively, blocking off unimportant areas and neglecting key intersections where traffic jams rage.
Added to this are incidents such as cars breaking down on the bridge and a burst pipe on Pierrefonds Boulevard, events which have made traffic even more chaotic.
Faced with this situation, Valérie Plante can only watch helplessly as the logistics around this international event collapse.
Already weakened by its controversial management of the city, particularly with regard to the STM and transportation infrastructure, it once again finds itself on the front line of criticism.
The fact that the Presidents Cup was so poorly organized only brought back memories of previous crises, where its handling of major events was called into question.
Citizens, caught in monster traffic jams, rail against a city incapable of properly managing a tournament which should have been a showcase for Montreal.
And in the meantime, Dan Rappaport continues to take aim at the city, accentuating the international perception that Montreal is not up to the task of such events.
The journalist even suggested that this debacle could damage the city’s reputation for future major sporting events, an alarming prospect for a city desperate to attract international investment and events.
In this climate of chaos, François Legault must also face the storm.
The government of François Legault, which generously financed the Presidents Cup to the tune of $6.5 million, also finds itself in the hot seat (the Trudeau government donated $2.5 million).
The scandal of massive public subsidies for unpopular sporting events, such as the coming of the Los Angeles Kings to Quebec, has only amplified citizen discontent.
While Valérie Plante tried to keep her distance from these financial scandals, she found herself indirectly linked to the decisions of the provincial government, and her silence or inaction in the face of the crisis only aggravated the criticism.
Valérie Plante finds herself in an untenable situation. 25 millimeters of rain fell on Montreal today, but the sky seems to be falling on it as traffic chaos, poor infrastructure management, and harsh criticism from a figure as influential as Dan Rappaport combine to plunge it into a new crisis.
Montrealers are exasperated, and the city’s reputation, both locally and internationally, is seriously damaged.
Whether through her absences or her erratic management, the mayor finds herself carrying the weight of this failure on her shoulders, once again.
And in the midst of this disaster, she can only see the extent of the damage caused by political and logistical choices which, in the end, leave a bitter taste for the entire city.
