Here are the candidates for mayor of Montreal had to say about different issues

Photo archive, Maxime Deland

Marc-Antoine Turcotte

Sunday, 15 October 2017 23:09

UPDATE
Sunday, 15 October 2017 23:09

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Citizens must wait until 5 November to elect the next mayor of Montreal, but the two candidates have visited the plateau de Tout le monde en parle to discuss various municipal issues.

The candidate for projet Montréal, Valérie Plant, and the outgoing mayor Denis Coderre, have clarified their vision of Montréal, in particular in connection with the transportation, sharing the road and in the Formula E.

Valerie Plant

Photo QMI AGENCY, CHARLOTTE A. CASTILLOUX

Here are the words of the candidates on 5 issues.

• On the proposed metro line pink Valerie Plant

She wishes to connect Lachine in Montreal-North, which, according to her, involves the construction of 29 metro stations and a bill of $ 6 billion.

However, the 5 stations of the blue line will cost $ 3 billion, and the three stations in Laval cost $ 750 million.

“It is the technology of large tunnel boring machine, which does not require the opening of the roads. It is done directly in the rock. It is used, among others, in Paris. It allows you to build a great metro, but at a lower cost. […] There is a window of opportunity at the federal level, at the provincial level, there is money dedicated to infrastructure.” – Valerie Plant

“We are all for more subways. The proof of this is that we are going to do the blue line, but it has taken decades before. Good year, bad year, it is at least $ 300 million per station. It’s not 6 billion, but 10 billion. […] Think that this is going to be done by 2028, this is not realistic.” – Denis Coderre

• Sharing the road and bicycle

The death of Clement Ouimet, a cyclist of 18 years, hit by a motorist that has made a maneuver to be illegal on the way Camillien-Houde, has brought the debate on the sharing of roads in the headlines.

“A death is a death too many. There are nearly 57 hubs accidentogènes, one of the supports, but it also takes a change of culture, of behavior. […] It is the goal of Vision Zero, zero accident and no injured.” – Denis Coderre

“Me, here, where I have some discomfort, it is only in this moment, in the City of Montreal, which has been advocated, it is to address the roads issues only when there are a number of serious accidents or deaths. It is a matter of concern.” – Valerie Plant

“There is a reality of cohabitation. There is the whole question of the hours of delivery, for example, the reality of trucks, and put them in the equipment for a more cautious approach. We don’t wait until the worst happens to act. It is necessary to ensure that we can apply the rules. If someone has made a detour unlawful, it must needs be that there is something going on also in this sense. It is necessary to think to the most vulnerable.” – Denis Coderre

• The popularity and the number of tickets sold for the Formula E

“I will say the following thing: first, the sponsor has responded to the questions, there were 45 000 people. When we are doing a first year, it can be more difficult, but there are marketing strategies with it. You can’t say, but it was a first event which was a success. The proof, there will be a second race.” – Denis Coderre

“There are 24 million of taxpayers’ money that has been earned in there, and it refuses to give us the number of tickets sold. It should not be forgotten that it was decided to create an NPO, which is not subject to the law of access to information. It is impossible to know.” – Valerie Plant

“First of all, on the $ 24 million, there is the repairing of a road that we needed to redo it anyway. There are also assembly/disassembly, and the concrete blocks that are used to the security. The impact of recurrent expenditure is minimal. There are no hiding places in this sense.” – Denis Coderre

• The implantation of a headquarters of Amazon in Montreal

The giant american request a free land, the financing of a portion of the salaries of employees, a leave of absence of property tax and a commitment to a period of 15 years from the city.

“The State has invested in the media. It has developed the markets, clusters, which have allowed us to become a hub for exceptional. We will not on the public square, but it is sure to have 50 000 jobs, of course not at the expense of other companies, we will not say no. We have a great workforce, it has everything for development.” – Denis Coderre

“For me, it is two elements to consider: the issue of equity and long-term planning. Last week, we talked about Netflix, and we wondered a little why some laws were different for some. I bring this same question to Amazon: it is necessary to arrive at criteria that make sure that we do not give the butter and the butter’s money to one company rather than another. I believe that there is a way to set winning conditions, to encourage businesses to install, but it is necessary to think what one has to win over the long term, and negotiate.” – Valerie Plant

• On the overall vision of the Island of Montreal

“The idea is not to plateauiser Montreal. Each borough has its own particularities and realities. The idea is to respect what is done elsewhere. We can demonize the Plateau Mont-Royal, but this is the third place visited in Montreal after the Old Port and the Oratory. It is I, the next mayor, not Luc Ferrandez.” – Valerie Plant

“I think that what the people want, is that we can have realities that are practical, that they are getting value for their money.” – Denis Coderre