I would like to know why the mayoress did not give the right to vote by mail to people aged 70 and over?
Louis Plante
Valérie Plante: It is a decision taken by the City Clerk, it is not a political decision, contrary to what Mr. Coderre is trying to make people believe. The clerk makes his decision based on the information he receives from the Chief Electoral Officer of Quebec. There were fears that if we applied postal voting to the entire population, it would not be operational. Such an important democratic exercise as this must be done in due form. In principle, I agree. Currently, the people who have access to postal voting are those 70 and over who are vulnerable. To ensure that everyone possible gets to vote, the clerk also decided that there should be four voting days rather than two.
Do you think you will (much!) Improve the cleanliness of the city? I am terribly ashamed when I receive visitors from outside. Do you think you are severely cracking down on those who do graffiti?
Manon Malinosky
Valérie Plante: Yes! There are efforts that were made during the first term and there is still work to be done. In our platform, in our first 100 days, one of the elements concerns cleanliness with our different brigades. And for graffiti, there is already a program in place. We even clean up graffiti that is not in Montreal. In principle, for example, Canada Post should take care of the graffiti on its mailboxes. We decided to be proactive and move forward, but it is not easy.
Before the elections (in 2017), you said, about the REV (Express bicycle network), that you would “consult the population beforehand”. How do you explain then, that in the midst of a pandemic, the REV Bellechasse was installed in July 2020 and that the section east of Pie-IX was modified from the initial project without consultation, which caused the withdrawal of 383 parking spaces and the ban on stopping at all times on this section?
Michele Néron
Valérie Plante: The REV Bellechasse was a local initiative, and the work was done accordingly. But I understand that during the pandemic, it upset people a lot, and we can hear it. But at the same time, I want to mention that the REV Bellechasse is on its way to being the most popular after the REV Saint-Denis. There are many schools and sports centers in Bellechasse, and I am proud to see young people and families on the move. I think it was the right thing to do.
Even today, some of Montreal’s most disadvantaged neighborhoods lack adequate library services. What are your commitments to the issue of libraries?
Louise Guillemette-Labory
Valérie Plante: We decided to innovate by creating libraries that cover two districts. We are in the process of doing one straddling Ahuntsic and Montreal-North because the needs are great. There is also the library in Mercier – Hochelaga-Maisonneuve, which is in the process of being enlarged at the moment. Of course, these are major investments, but when we talk about the city 15 minutes, that means access to a park, a grocery store, cultural and sports infrastructure. It is a priority for us, for the quality of life and for territorial equity in sports, leisure and culture.
What have you planned to consolidate public finances: duplication, planning errors, reduction in unnecessary human resources, waste, etc. ?
Rubens Lavigne
Valérie Plante: We started working with the Projet Montréal boroughs, and we are continuing with the others, to make the processes simpler and put a lot of permits online. It’s very practical, but it helps businesses and residents a lot. In terms of planning, we have drawn up a site charter which really aims to make major contractors more accountable, who follow the same criteria as us when it comes to safety, signage, and site dressing. Finally, in terms of work, we did a pilot project on Sainte-Catherine to do work 24/7 and it worked well. It was at the request of the traders and, when it is possible, it depends on where, we are going to do it so that it is faster.
There is a lot of talk about retaining and attracting young families to Montreal. But I would like to know what concrete actions are taken to promote the maintenance of aging people who want to continue living in Montreal, while improving their quality of life?
Johanne Pratte
Valérie Plante: We know that there are a lot of seniors who have difficulty staying in the city because, among other things, of the average price of houses which is increasing. The question [de la réduction] of the residential tax on the first $ 500,000 is intended to help families, but also seniors to stay in their community. There is also public transport that has been reduced by 50% – it costs 90 cents to get a metro ticket for a senior – and it will be free next year.
What is your best idea for a “unique and spectacular” project that would put Montreal even more on the map? map touristic ?
Jacques Haket
Valérie Plante: La Sainte-Catherine. It is the first commercial artery of the country. The 1 billion plan that we have started to invest and that we will continue to implement, for me, is major. To compete with electronic commerce and shopping centers, our commercial arteries must stand out, there must be an experience, an added value, something pleasant both in the occupation and in the arrangements and the animation. For me, it remains a flagship project. Otherwise, there is Mount Royal. We will present in a second mandate the park road as requested by the OCPM [Office de consultation publique de Montréal], it will be a way to improve our beautiful mountain that we love.
Interview by Nathalie Collard, Press
Note: The questions and answers have been slightly edited for ease of reading.