Barely in office, the new mayor of Outremont, Laurent Desbois, promises to review the controversial parking plan put in place by the previous administration. According to him, in addition to arousing significant discontent, the universal stickers implemented in 2019 have encouraged travel by car to the detriment of travel on foot or by bicycle.
Candidate with Ensemble Montreal, Laurent Desbois won a narrow victory against the outgoing mayor of Projet Montreal Philipe Tomlinson on November 7th. A judicial recount ultimately determined that only 30 votes separated the two opponents.
In interview at To have to, Laurent Desbois confirms that revising the parking plan is a priority for him. “There are a lot of major irritants and they are unnecessary,” he sums up.
In May 2019, the former mayor Philipe Tomlinson created quite a surprise by announcing the creation of a single zone for the borough and the establishment of annual vignettes allowing residents to park in any sector of Outremont. By making all parking spaces chargeable, the former mayor wanted to prevent non-residents from parking for free in the streets of Outremont and required them to obtain a monthly permit to park. Mr. Tomlinson estimated at $ 400,000 the revenue that the borough could receive annually with this new plan. These revenues were to be devoted to the ecological transition, for the planting of trees and the development of sidewalk protrusions in particular.
Non-ecological solution
Laurent Desbois believes that on the ground, the plan has not had the desired effects. “The creation of a single zone has made it easier to travel by car, rather than on foot or by bicycle, because people are sure to be able to park anywhere in the borough. It goes against the objective that was given and we, what we would like to do is to reframe all that, ”he explains.
Universal vignettes also ensured that residents returning to their homes in the evening no longer had a parking space on their street, which was occupied by other motorists holding an annual vignette, he said. “I do not think that this meets the ecological objective that we want to achieve and that complicates the lives of citizens. “
At the first meeting of the borough council on Monday, the new mayor tabled a notice of motion intended to allow certain flexibilities. Thus, the two-hour free period will be moved from 10 p.m. to 7 p.m. But Mr. Desbois is careful not to give further details on the changes he wishes to apply. “I just arrived a week ago. We had to pass the budget, but [le stationnement] is a priority for us. “
The new mayor promises to present an action plan next year. In particular, he wants to ensure that the funds collected are actually used for the ecological transition and that the policy will reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
Projet Montréal, which is now in the minority on the Outremont borough council, did not wish to comment on the revision of the plan envisaged by the new mayor.
Consult first
Outremont traders complained about the new measures imposed on them. In addition to requiring the purchase of expensive stickers for store workers, they said the plan reduced customer access. Not knowing the intentions of the new administration, the Association of Merchants and Professionals of Avenue Van Horne and the Société de développement commercial de avenue Laurier Ouest said they wanted to wait to see the new administration’s proposals before proceeding. comment.
In the wake of the implementation of the parking policy of the former mayor Tomlinson in 2019, a group of citizens had forced the holding of a consultation on the project. A party called Citoyens Outremont had even been created on the initiative of Marc Poulin, a resident of Outremont. With the approach of the elections, Denis Coderre had made an alliance with this local party and the economist Laurent Desbois had run for mayor of Outremont under the banner of Ensemble Montreal.
Now that Mr. Desbois has been elected, Marc Poulin says he is confident that the irritants of the parking plan will be corrected. “It will take a lot of thought. It cannot be done tomorrow morning, improvised. I think the approach will be to consult the citizens, ”he said. “The problem with parking is that you almost have to look at it street by street. Each sector has its peculiarities. But it sure will never do for everyone. “
“You don’t want to improvise twice as was the case with Mr. Tomlinson,” he continues. “If Mr. Tomlinson had done the consultation before the plan was adopted, rather than the other way around, maybe he would still be mayor today. “
The new mayor would have many other issues to settle. In particular, he will have to look into the issue of the Hasidic community which is experiencing demographic growth in Outremont and needs new places of worship.