Denis Coderre’s troops finally unveiled their financial framework on Friday, a few hours before the vote. Ensemble Montréal expects to generate revenues of 327 million by 2025, including more than 100 million in the last year of the mandate. Party commitments would cost nearly $ 278 million over four years, while investments in major projects would reach $ 2.4 billion.
“Me, what I’m going to recommend is that non-essential expenses be frozen for three months, with a freeze on new hires until we can take control,” explained to Press the mayor of Saint-Laurent and the party’s finance spokesperson, Alan DeSousa. He promises “less spending and less borrowing” than under the Plante administration.
More than a third of the income generated by training, or 135 million, in fact comes from a “Plan to restore the finances of the City”. The group also figures at seven million potential income related to a “red tape reduction plan”. However, this financial framework never explains how the party would compensate for the 289 million in income from the welcome tax, which Mr. Coderre plans to abolish.
Mr. DeSousa says it will be crucial to “generate a surplus for the months and years to come”. “There has to be a fundamental analysis done for each expense, because right now, it’s not healthy. We spend endlessly and without calculations, ”he criticizes.
PHOTO DAVID BOILY, THE PRESS
Alan DeSousa
A series of new tax charges are at the heart of Mr. Coderre’s plan. His party estimates that a tax on large commercial parking lots – to encourage them to “become eco-responsible” – would bring in up to 82 million, while a tax on “large billboards” would release 35 million, revenues that would allow “to increase the budget of the City in culture”. “We are not going to tax just to tax, but to change behavior. If you have heat islands in shopping malls, that will help us green them, ”says DeSousa.
His party also plans to create a “tax on unsanitary conditions” that would release up to 15 million over four years, in addition to $ 500,000 from “increased fines for unsanitary conditions.” Adding 50,000 housing units in four years – a flagship promise from Mr. Coderre – would garner around $ 42 million in revenue. Finally, the use of “unallocated” surplus would bring in 10 million.
“We would have appreciated discussing”
In mayoress Valérie Plante’s office, criticism was not long in coming. “If this framework were a little serious, it would not be tabled within 24 hours of the vote. We would have appreciated debating in recent weeks errors slipped into its financial framework, questioning Denis Coderre on his plan to cut 135 million, for example. Unfortunately, Ensemble Montréal chose to submit an important document at the very last minute, ”denounces the press secretary, Marikym Gaudreault.
From the start of the day, Friday, Valérie Plante went on the attack, claiming that the presentation of this financial framework on the last day of the campaign “is disrespectful of the democratic process”. “Denis Coderre shows that he is still a fan of opacity. It will be impossible, 24 hours before the vote, to seriously analyze this financial framework, ”also denounced its potential number 2, Dominique Ollivier.
“The plan we are submitting is as complete as possible. We didn’t do that in improvisation like Mme Plant. By announcing its financial framework early, it added other promises that are not reflected there, ”replied Mr. DeSousa on this subject.
An idea of expenses
It is the hiring of around 250 police officers that would cost the party the most, totaling 110 million by 2025. A sum of 50 million would go as planned to the Commercial Development Companies (SDC). Some 37 million spending would finally go into the “urban health strategy” in homelessness, which would include “24 hour a day” heat stops and social housing “targeted for the homeless”. The implementation of free access to the metro and buses for people 65 and over would cost 25.5 million.
17 million: This is the amount budgeted to convert 3000 office space into housing. Ensemble Montréal wants to unblock a “dedicated envelope” of 40 million, with the help of Quebec and Ottawa if necessary.
On the fixed assets side, around 660 million would be dedicated to the integration of the Eastern REM in the neighborhoods, a commitment that Valérie Plante had already made during the campaign, by promising 500 million. In total, 2.4 billion are planned over ten years in major projects.
In bursts, 180 million would go to the “No street without trees” program, 240 million to the reform of the Residential Acquisition Assistance Program and 100 million for the launch of negotiations with Ray-Mont Logistiques, with a view to the purchase of its land in the east of Montreal. The “student city” that the former mayor wants to develop would benefit from a budget of around 30 million.