The protection of green spaces, the dilapidation of schools and the lack of hospitals are among the main electoral issues raised in the To have to by some of the candidates from the five main provincial political parties running in Laval, where the housing crisis is also raising concerns.
Of Laval’s six Liberal ridings, only one fell into the hands of another political party, the Coalition avenir Québec (CAQ), at the end of the 2018 election. Four years later, the MNA for Sainte-Rose and candidate for the CAQ on his re-election, Christopher Skeete, paints a positive portrait of his first term in this position. “We have expanded the protected areas and wildlife refuges,” in collaboration with the City of Laval, he rejoices.
Like the candidates of several other political parties, Mr. Skeete believes that in terms of environmental protection, the priority will be to carry out the City’s project to add 568 hectares of municipal land which will benefit from a protection status. recognized by Quebec at the Rivière-des-Mille-Îles wildlife sanctuary. This wildlife refuge, which includes ten islands belonging to the cities of Laval and Rosemère, currently covers 26 hectares. “We must do more, we must continue to buy land and do more” to make this project a reality, notes the CAQ candidate.
“For me, it’s a great legacy,” notes the mayor of Laval, Stéphane Boyer, who hopes that this file will be among the priorities of the next Quebec government, which has the capacity to move it forward. . “The Ministry of Forests, Wildlife and Parks must analyze the request and authorize it”, indicates the elected municipal official, who specifies that a regulatory framework from Quebec is necessary to “secure” the vast green space selected. by the City to expand this wildlife refuge.
The candidate of Québec solidaire (QS) in the riding of Mille-Îles, Guillaume Lajoie, is worried for his part for the future of agricultural land in Laval, which “is currently threatened by real estate developers”. “Laval is near Montreal, so it is likely to take the brunt of urban sprawl,” which threatens to encroach on wooded sites and farmland. The father of two young children believes that “measures must be taken” by the provincial government to better protect these green spaces.
“There are plenty of natural environments that we have lost, and it is important to put a stop to that”, also advances the former candidate defeated for mayor of Laval last November, Michel Trottier, who this time is trying his luck as the candidate of the Liberal Party of Quebec in the riding of Sainte-Rose. A resident of Laval for more than 30 years, he also hopes that one day we will be able to swim again in the Rivière des Mille Îles.
“To correct this, we must review the aqueduct and water treatment infrastructures” in order to improve the quality of the water in this river, he argues. His party’s platform thus proposes to increase the water charges imposed on industries by up to six times in order to use the money raised to “support the upgrading of the wastewater treatment network” in the various Quebec cities.
“Lack of service”
The dilapidated state of the schools is of concern to the young PQ candidate in Fabre, Catherine Dansereau-Redhead, who is also a primary school teacher in this sector. “Massive investment should be made to improve infrastructure for children,” insists the candidate, who denounces in particular the widespread ventilation problems in the province’s classrooms.
“In Saint-François, a neighborhood to the east of the island, there is really a lack of services,” also notes QS candidate Guillaume Lajoie, who notes that “the nearest CLSC is 25 minutes away. car” from home.
“There is an incredible lack of CHSLDs here in Laval,” notes Michel Trottier. “The ratio of hospitals to population is very low,” also notes electronics engineer and candidate for the Conservative Party of Quebec, Stéphane Turmel, who is making his first leap into politics.
Mr. Trottier is also concerned about the shortage of affordable rental housing that affects a growing number of low-income households in Laval. “At the moment, there are being built, housing” in the region, which is facing a real estate boom, but these are very often “very expensive”, notes the Liberal candidate.
Mayor Stéphane Boyer stresses the importance of “tackle climate change”, in particular by focusing on improving the public transport offer. “Other alternatives to the car are necessary, and we will need Quebec to finance them,” insists the elected municipal official.
The latter is also calling for more investment in the prevention of armed violence, at a time when the number of shootings has increased significantly last year, particularly in the Chomedey district, according to data from the Service de police de Laval. For him, “if we wait to act until there are firearm accidents on the territory, it is too late”.