As local government, our role is to manage effectively and with integrity in a non-partisan atmosphere in which all elected officials are working for the well-being of Montrealers. As the mayor of Montréal, my role is to meet the needs of residents, to defend the underprivileged and ensure that Montréal continues to excel nationally and internationally.
Everyone agrees that Montréal is a metropolis and Québec’s economic driving force, but this status brings with it special responsibilities at different levels: economic development, social housing, transportation infrastructures, integration of immigrants, protection of the environment, etc.
This is why we are continuing our efforts with the provincial and federal governments to share responsibilities and financial resources that are adapted to the context and status of metropolis.
One of our first actions was to create the Inspector General’s Office to guarantee the integrity of the contracting process, a “watchdog” against collusion and corruption for the municipal administration. But the housecleaning doesn’t stop there. We have also reined in rising municipal expenditures through a workforce rationalization process.
This rigorous financial management has positively influenced markets: Standard & Poor’s has raised Montréal’s credit rating for the first time in 30 years.
Our expenditure reduction efforts have translated into increased investments in rebuilding water and road infrastructures to address the accumulated delays over the past few years. In addition to this upgrade work, a number of large projects have been undertaken (Rue Ste-Catherine, Bonaventure Highway, covering the Ville-Marie Expressway), which will profoundly transform the face of Montréal and bring the city back to a human scale.
The Smart City is a concept that includes numerous actions to better meet residents’ needs through technologies in areas such as mobility, democratic life and public services. It’s also major economic leverage for Montréal, with its many innovative businesses. The city supports this digital “ecosystem” through targeted investments.
Our efforts are bearing fruit: In June 2006, Montréal was named the world’s “Intelligent Community of the Year” by the Intelligent Community Forum.
The fluidity and performance of our transportation networks are essential and pose a constant challenge for Montréal and its area. This challenge is even greater now that we are rebuilding major throughways such as the Turcot Exchange, the Bonaventure Expressway or Rue Ste-Catherine.
This is why we are working tirelessly to improve all components of urban mobility, by addressing public transit, active transportation, the taxi industry, self-service vehicles and even parking regulations at the same time.
Although Montréal is known for its creativity, its entrepreneurship is not as well recognized. We want to reverse this situation by giving our entrepreneurs all the support they need to succeed. Launched in fall 2015, the PME-MTL small business network’s mission is to support our entrepreneurs by offering them training and financial assistance.
We also encourage the emergence of innovative key sectors for which Montréal businesses can develop and export their expertise, such as the digital sector, green chemistry or electrifying transportation.
The cultural metropolis is a source of pride for all Montréal residents, but it also contributes to Montréal’s notoriety around the world. We must continue to pay careful attention to this aspect, which is even more valuable now that the 375th anniversary celebrations of our city are fast approaching. To this end, a number of legacies – like the new river-mountain walkway, the makeover of Parc Jean-Drapeau and the redevelopment of Square Viger – will be added to the long list of Montréal’s heritage attractions.
Among the challenges that large cities face, the challenge of living together has stood out over the past few years because of the rise of radicalization and the episodes of violence that it has caused. In Montréal, we reacted by opening the Centre for the Prevention of Radicalization Leading to Violence.
However, fighting radicalization is not the only component of living together. We are working to make Montréal a more inclusive city for everyone; by working with new arrivals, for example, to promote their economic and social integration. We have also created policies for specific groups, such as people living with homelessness, or children, to meet their specific needs.
Planting 300,000 trees by 2025, a strategy for electrifying transportation, legislation on wood-burning appliances and plastic bags, our zero landfill objective for waste, the extension of bike paths and saving BIXI: Our sustainable development initiatives are numerous and varied.
We can’t stop there. Our priorities as set out in the 2016-2020 Sustainable Montréal Plan are still to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and dependence on fossil fuels, green and ensure the continuity of resources, ensure access to sustainable neighbourhoods and transition to a green, circular and responsible economy.
Across the world, the role of cities has changed. From public safety to sustainable development and immigration, cities must face new issues. This is why they are collaborating more, discussing and sharing their expertise within international networks.
If we want to move forward in our quest for a better city, better quality of life for our residents, we must play an active role and make contributions in these international networks for the benefit of our residents.