(Paris) Dozens of streets closed in front of schools, a city center forbidden to the most polluting, cars banned from the banks: Valérie Plante said Thursday to be inspired by the current trajectory of Paris, but refuses to commit to import their ideas.
Passing through the French capital, the mayor of Montreal praised the way in which Anne Hidalgo has been transforming her city for almost a decade, while temporizing.
“What M.me Hidalgo has done and continues to do, it is in direct line with our vision, ”said Valérie Plante, in the inner courtyard of Paris city hall.
The closure to car traffic of 180 Parisian streets bordering schools, “I think it’s a good idea, but far from me the idea [de l’annoncer pour Montréal] at this time without having discussed with our partners [les écoles, les commerces, le milieu] “. “We are in the process of evaluating it,” she added.
As for the Crit’air program, which radically limits the circulation of the most polluting vehicles in Paris? “Clearly, this is a practice that seems to apply in several countries, including Scandinavia. Are we going to be exactly the same? I can’t tell you today,” she said.
“I really like the reappropriation of the Seine, the traffic all around it,” she continued, referring to the closure to cars of several quays at the water’s edge.
I am very attached to the idea that we are islanders. But we don’t feel it all the time. How do we manage to reclaim our shores? […] We must always go further and think outside.
Valérie Plante, Mayor of Montreal
But Paris could also be inspired by Montreal, underlined Mme Plant. “Mme Hidalgo is preparing the Champs-Élysées, which it wants to make much more accessible to cyclists, and even remove traffic lanes there. I was just telling him that this is what we did in Montreal with rue Saint-Denis,” she said. The mayor of Paris “should come to Montreal soon, I can’t wait to introduce her to her”.
“I draw a lot of inspiration from Valérie’s energy,” says Hidalgo
Valérie Plante and Anne Hidalgo met on Thursday, on the fourth day of the mayoress of Montreal’s European tour. She has already passed through London and Vienna.
PHOTO PHILIPPE TEISCEIRA-LESSARD, THE PRESS
Valérie Plante and Anne Hidalgo, in the office of the latter, Thursday
The two women share the same status, they underlined: elected women at the head of large metropolises, who are the subject of harsh criticism, but were re-elected with a large lead.
Elected in 2014 and then in 2020, Anne Hidalgo embodies the transformation of Paris into the spearhead of ecology, at the cost of significant municipal debt and virulent criticism from several motorists. His candidacy for the French presidential election in 2022 ended in bitter failure.
“Me, I am inspired a lot by the energy of Valérie”, said Anne Hidalgo, Thursday, in her large office of the town hall of Paris. “We share a lot, we are two women, from two big cities, two very beautiful cities. »
We have policies that are very similar on the notions of mobility. We are both very committed to ecological issues. We will continue to inspire and support each other. Because women, we are not that numerous and we need to support each other.
Anne Hidalgo, Mayor of Paris
In a press briefing afterwards, Valérie Plante went further, saying that they will also try to support the other women elected to head other large cities. Because “yes, the pressure is different. Yes, attacks can be extremely virulent and gender-based. Yes, it is difficult, ”launched Mme Plant.
On Friday, the two women will also participate in a meeting of the International Association of Francophone Mayors (AIMF) on the theme of hate speech. “We can make links” with the “virulence and personal attacks against women on social media”, she said, including herself among the victims of this phenomenon. “It’s really very difficult. »
“Perhaps 20 or even 10 years ago, mayors were attacked less, but now we are positioning ourselves and taking an increasing interest in social issues which are – in the current context – very polarizing “, she added.
The two elected officials also renewed the cooperation agreement that unites Montreal and Paris. It facilitates exchanges between municipal officials and notably contributed to the creation of the Mobile Mediation and Social Intervention Team (EMMIS) in Montreal, a unit of civilians that responds to certain emergency calls.