The mayor of Montreal argued that construction starts are “quietly increasing” in the metropolis on Tuesday, defending her administration’s action on housing.
Valérie Plante assured that it is not the obligation to include social and affordable units in real estate projects (via the Regulation on the mixed metropolis, nicknamed 20-20-20) which explains the marked drop in developments. construction site in Montreal, while they continue to multiply in Vancouver and Toronto.
“We are experiencing a housing crisis because the market has not done its job. And what we say is that we are going to force the market. We are going to bring them with us to be able to achieve targets so that in 5 years, 10 years, 20 years, everyone will be able to find housing in Montreal,” the mayor argued before the municipal council.
“Yes, Montreal, we had a significant drop, but it is slowly increasing,” she continued. “Unlike the rest of the country, in 2021 we had an absolutely incredible year. We stood out across the country. »
Mme Plante was questioned by the leader of the opposition and its leader in the municipal council, Aref Salem and Julien Hénault-Ratelle. The latter insisted on knowing how many affordable housing units had been built in Montreal since the re-election of Projet Montréal, which promised 60,000 over 10 years. “There are more than 2,000 units of affordable housing that have been built,” replied the mayor.
Mme Plante also accused MM. Salem and Hénault-Ratelle to take inspiration from Pierre Poilievre by “simplifying” housing issues. “Is Ensemble Montréal becoming the Montreal arm of the Conservative Party of Canada? “, the mayor asked herself out loud.
However, opposition elected officials are not the only ones to question the Plante administration’s approach to housing.
Last week, the Chamber of Commerce of Metropolitan Montreal (CCMM) called on city hall to change course. “We absolutely must review the processes of the City of Montreal and suspend the application of the 20-20-20 regulation which does not work,” wrote the boss of the Chamber, Michel Leblanc, on X. “We must do better. The situation is critical and requires leadership. »