Mid-term of Valérie Plante | “Still passionate”, despite the Legault government

Halfway through her second mandate, Valérie Plante claims to have “still the fire” and to be “still passionate” about the management of Montreal, despite her often stormy relations with the Legault government.

In an editorial interview with The Pressthe mayor deplored – perhaps more openly than ever before – that Quebec governs too frequently at the expense of its metropolis.

“Over the past few years, there have been several directions and decisions taken by the current government that have a negative impact on the metropolitan region,” she said, sighing. “That’s a bit like it, my observation. »

“It has an impact on the economic dynamism of the metropolitan region, on its international reputation. Each gesture alone? No. But when we start to [additionner]…”

Despite these frustrations, Valérie Plante confirmed that she would try to obtain a third term in 2025.

“Yes, there are a lot of construction sites. But I believe that Montrealers understand that it will be for the best and that life will be even more beautiful afterwards,” continued M.^me Plant.

Promises and priorities

Valérie Plante was re-elected in 2021, at a time when gun violence, the COVID-19 pandemic, housing and road obstructions were at the center of concerns. Two years later, orange cones and the housing shortage are still giving Montrealers nightmares, but homelessness and the future of public transportation have risen to the top of the headlines.

It is not easy to take stock of the 250 commitments made by M^me Planted before the last vote. Some have clearly been achieved: free public transport for seniors, for example, or doubling the budget linked to homelessness. Others are clearly missed: the Montreal police officers never saw the color of the body cameras with which they were to be equipped from 2022 and the Summit on construction sites was not held during the first six months of the mandate, but only this year.

The vast majority of promises, however, fall between these two extremes: either they are being fulfilled or the deadline that Projet Montréal had set has not yet expired.

In the premises of The Press, Thursday, the mayor clearly reiterated her flagship promise to build, protect or maintain 60,000 affordable housing units in 10 years. Despite the apparent ineffectiveness of its Regulations for a mixed metropolis in bringing such projects to fruition, the promise holds, she swears. “We are completely mobilized, motivated,” she assured, without being overly concerned about the impact of the real estate slowdown on these projects.

An increase in penalties imposed on developers who prefer to take out the checkbook rather than build social, affordable or family housing is planned.

In return, the mayor revealed that the new version of her regulations would henceforth exclude projects with fewer than 20 housing units from these obligations, while the bar was set at 6 until now. “We saw in the data that it works more with the largest buildings,” she said.

“Shocked” by a minister

But these days, it is mainly the financing of public transport that occupies the mayor’s days. It was in the middle of the editorial interview that Minister Geneviève Guilbault announced her “final offer” for bailing out the operators’ deficit. The CMM rejected it on Friday.

The honeymoon between the two most powerful women in Quebec, at the time when M^me Guilbault invested tens of millions in the police, seems finished.

“Can we hear from the minister that sustainable mobility is really important? Because we can’t hear it,” asserted Valérie Plante, who can no longer stand comments that call into question the need for all Quebecers to contribute to the Montreal metro. “I heard this argument from a minister,” she reported. It shocked me. »

When we mention the example of Saint-Constant, which threatens to withhold part of its contribution to the Regional Metropolitan Transport Authority, the mayor is far from condemning the gesture. “We will move forward together. We are united,” she said.

On several occasions in her assessment of the last two years, the mayor has pointed the finger at Quebec to explain delays in fulfilling her commitments. When it comes to social housing, Valérie Plante is outraged by what she considers to be a total disengagement from the government.

However, everything is not dark. The mayor views positively the recent conclusion of a new fiscal pact between the government and the municipalities, which provides for dialogue mechanisms on a regular basis.

“Traditionally, it is a very paternalistic report from the Quebec government, whatever it may be. The CAQ is particularly…” she said, without finishing her sentence. “It’s: ‘Here’s the money, leave us alone, see you in four years.’ “This time, there is a real attempt at discussion as equals, rejoiced Valérie Plante.