On the eve of the call of the provincial elections in Quebec, the Quebec Federation of Municipalities (FQM) presents its demands concerning the main issues in the regions of the province. She hopes that the next government will take into consideration her important needs for their development.
The FQM shared nine demands – resulting from a consultation in which more than 1,000 people participated – to the various political parties in the hope that certain points will be found on their electoral platform.
“It is the demand of their citizens, of their [électeurs] across Quebec,” says FQM president Jacques Demers. This is not a grocery list with very high demanding amounts […] that’s why I think each of the parties should be able to take big chunks of it. »
“Now that we have fiber everywhere, we have to supplement the cell phone,” he says. The president maintains that “there is not a region” that does not have an area where the cellular network is difficult to reach.
He believes that having a reliable and extensive cellular network is important for the safety of the population. “We no longer have a pager, our firefighters, our paramedics need to have cell phones that work,” argues Mr. Demers. He adds that people also need to be able to communicate when they have a car breakdown or an accident on the road.
One of the FQM’s nine demands concerns housing. According to a document from the federation, “successful governments have never fulfilled their promises in terms of social, community and affordable housing. »
Jacques Demers, who is also mayor of Sainte-Catherine-de-Hatley, denounces that we always talk about affordable housing, but that this term is not defined. “The market has been on fire in the regions in recent years,” he says, adding that it is very difficult, especially for young people, to acquire a house or accommodation.
He also maintains that the regions risk losing businesses, because people who would be ready to come to work do not have housing. “It is an emergency file”, underlines the president.
According to the FQM, “the government must provide significant financial support to enable the construction of affordable housing in the regions of Quebec, taking into account locally observable construction costs”. In addition, RCMs must have the legislative and financial means to plan housing needs.
Moreover, although the labor shortage affects all of Quebec, Mr. Demers believes that in the regions the risk of completely losing many businesses rooted in the community is greater.
It asks to promote immigration in the region, in particular by relaxing immigration rules, for example in terms of qualification of international workers and by welcoming more foreign students.
Decentralize the state
The FQM denounces the fact that public administration in Quebec is concentrated mainly in the Capitale-Nationale and the metropolis. She wants to see leaders who have decision-making positions established in the regions.
Mr. Demers thinks that several departments such as Agriculture, Forestry and Natural Resources should be closer to the regions. “We need people who are in the field, and it’s not just people in offices that are located hundreds of kilometers away. We need people who live in our communities and who bring our problems to the level of decision-makers because they know them, because they are on the ground,” he explains.
The centralization of the State also brings about a problem with regard to local service. Mr. Demers says that very often, smaller services are closed, for example, for lack of employees, to meet needs in other regions. The President believes that a principle should be adopted which favors a minimum of services.
The FQM asks that a project be launched for the sustainability of local services and businesses, among other things, by setting up local investment funds as well as a support program to ensure the existence of basic local businesses in towns.
Moreover, although municipalities want to get their hands dirty in the fight against climate change, they lack the tools at their disposal.
Mr. Demers believes in relying on public transit, which includes the transportation offered to get from one region to another. It also calls for a green infrastructure funding program.
The FQM sent all of its demands to the various leaders of the political parties. The latter will have the opportunity to announce their intentions on September 22 at the FQM Congress, where some 2,000 people from the municipal world will participate.