To govern is to choose. But sometimes that means weathering the storm. Laurence Lavigne Lalonde had the experience recently when she had to deal with citizens furious at losing precious parking spaces due to the development of secure cycle paths. But the mayor of Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension (VSP) does not budge: there is no question of backing down, despite the protest.
On September 5, tensions were high during the district council meeting. Several citizens took to the microphone to vehemently denounce the new cycling facilities planned on Legendre and de Louvain streets, in Saint-Michel, which will result in the removal of more than fifty parking spaces. Same anger regarding avenue Querbes, in Parc-Extension, where cycle lanes will eliminate 250 spaces.
“The City has decided unilaterally to install cycle paths for I don’t know how many cyclists, three per day, perhaps,” said a resident of the 15e Avenue. What are we going to do this winter when you close the parking side of the street to clear snow? There will be zero parking. »
Despite the hostility of the audience, Laurence Lavigne Lalonde did not give up. “The City does not have the responsibility to find a parking space for each car on the territory,” she said unequivocally. The automobile fleet is growing significantly faster than the population. There are people who have two, three, four, five cars, but there are 60% of people in our borough who travel in ways other than by car. […] Our responsibility is to offer alternatives to people who choose not to own a car. »
A question of fairness
In an interview in her offices on rue Ogilvy, the 39-year-old elected official persisted and signed. When it comes to developing safe infrastructure for pedestrians and cyclists, compromises are not possible, she argues. “It’s like that all the time. Nobody is going to say: I don’t want us to make cycle paths. But once they arrive, they have an impact. We cannot create more public space. So we have to take the space we have and transform it. »
She likes to point out that at present, cycle paths only occupy 1.3% of public space, compared to 3% for public transport, 20% for pedestrians and all the rest for cars. .
When she took over as VSP town hall in 2021, the borough only had one secure cycle path, that of the Saint-Denis express bike network. There was therefore some catching up to do, because the cycle lanes painted on the ground do not allow safe travel, according to her. The district notably created the rue Villeray trail. It is now up to the Parc-Extension and Saint-Michel districts to undergo developments.
Citizens criticized the elected official for not having consulted them before acting. They wanted a referendum more than a consultation, retorts the mayor. “I do not believe that we can give the right of life or death of this project to certain citizens. These are security projects. »
Save the world
Born in Saint-Michel, Laurence Lavigne Lalonde holds a bachelor’s degree in psychology from the University of Montreal and a master’s degree in international development studies and social project management from the University of Paris 1 Sorbonne. “Ever since I was little, I’ve wanted to save humanity,” she says with a laugh.
She notably worked as a mental health worker, then went into exile to manage projects within various international NGOs. It was at this time that she realized the role played by local governments, she relates. In 2013, while in Peru, she decided to return home. “At that time, things were not going well in Montreal. I knew a few people at Projet Montréal. I wanted to take the leap. »
She decides to run for office in the district of Maisonneuve–Longue-Pointe, where she lives. She wins and learns in opposition. “The opposition was a perfect school. It takes time to understand the municipal machine. » Re-elected in 2017, she joined the executive committee and became responsible for the ecological transition and urban agriculture. She is piloting the 2020-2030 Climate Plan, unveiled in December 2020.
In 2021, she returned to live in the neighborhood where she grew up and decided to run for mayor of VSP. She then faced Guillaume Lavoie, one of the stars of Denis Coderre’s party, whom she defeated with a majority of more than 6,000 votes.
As the middle of her term approaches, the elected official believes that her team was able to introduce several important changes. “In less than a year, we managed to completely change our regulations on zoning and urban planning. » On the ground, these new rules impose greening, require the planting of trees and abolish minimum requirements for parking spaces for new construction.
Other issues are in his sights, such as the lack of community premises, the construction of social housing and the improvement of the Francon quarry sector.
But that of security is particularly pressing in his eyes. “I remember the death of little Mariia,” she said about the little girl hit by a car in December 2022 in Ville-Marie. All the microphones turned towards the City, saying: why didn’t you act before? I don’t want that microphone under my nose. »