Latest news with #ProjetMontréal
Montreal Gazette
4 days ago
- Politics
- Montreal Gazette
Martinez Ferrada pledges to consult borough mayors regularly if Ensemble Montréal wins election
Montreal Politics By Borough mayors would meet regularly if Soraya Martinez Ferrada is elected Nov. 2. Speaking to The Gazette Monday, the Ensemble Montréal leader said the current Projet Montréal administration has ignored the needs of the boroughs, to the point that Montreal Mayor Valérie Plante has not even met with some of them in years. As an example, she claimed Montréal-Nord mayor Christine Black told her recently that she hasn't had a sitdown meeting with Plante since 2021. She said if she becomes the mayor of Montreal, she will create a roundtable made up of all the mayors of the city's 19 boroughs, and it would meet regularly. Although, she did not say at what frequency. 'The idea is to make sure we are giving the boroughs more power of influence before the executive committee makes decisions,' she said. Martinez Ferrada said many of the decisions currently made by the executive committee don't take the specific experience of local boroughs into account. She gave the city's new snow-clearing policy as an example. 'I understand the idea was to save money, but I think we have to make sure that there is the space for everyone to make a decision, so that every citizen has the opportunity to have the same quality of services,' she said. The snow-clearing policy came under fire from several opposition boroughs earlier this year because of a lack of flexibility. The boroughs of LaSalle and St-Laurent were penalized for undertaking partial snow-clearing operations last Feb. 4 without the approval of the central city. 'I think as a mayor, you have to work with the other mayors, wherever they are,' Martinez Ferrada said. 'It's surprising to me that the mayor of Montréal-Nord has not sat down with the central city mayor.' Martinez Ferrada said the boroughs have also been asking for more funding under the Plante administration, complaining that the increases in allotments from the central city to the boroughs have not been in line with the inflation rate over the last few years. She recognizes that borough budgets are tight, and added that she would increase the amount the city doles out to its 19 boroughs. How much, however, has not yet been determined. 'I'm not there yet,' Martinez Ferrada said. 'We haven't figured out yet how we will address the needs and how we will fund things, but we also have to look at blue-collar workers, because many boroughs don't have enough people to give the services to their citizens.' Martinez Ferrada said that after nearly eight years of the Projet Montréal administration under Plante, Montrealers are ready for something new. 'People don't feel listened to,' she said. 'People are telling me it's very hard to have a conversation with the elected officials of Projet Montréal. We want to have a city for everyone and not leave anyone behind.' She added that Projet Montréal has polarized the city, and there is an impression that the party only caters to a certain segment of Montrealers.
CBC
18-03-2025
- Business
- CBC
Montreal limits short-term rentals like Airbnb to summer months
Can Montreal finally get control of its illegal Airbnb problem? 2 months ago Duration 2:32 Social Sharing Montreal has put in place new rules that will limit most short-term rentals to the summer months in an attempt to ease the city's shortage of affordable housing. Under a new bylaw adopted Tuesday, rentals through sites like Airbnb will be permitted across the city between June 10 and Sept. 10. The rest of the year, they will only be allowed in registered units within a small zone permitted by the city. Alia Hassan-Cournol, a Projet Montréal city councillor responsible for economic development, said the changes will make more apartments available for long-term renters, and that hotels can replace the option of renting an Airbnb. The city will be monitoring the impact of the bylaw and make changes if necessary, she said. Montreal has struggled to get a handle on short-term rentals, despite attempts to further limit illegal rentals following a fatal fire in Old Montreal in 2023. WATCH | 2 years after deadly Old Montreal fire, victim's families still waiting for answers: 2 years after deadly Old Montreal fire, victim's families still waiting for answers 1 day ago Duration 1:43 Seven people died in the fire that broke out in a building that was mainly used for short-term rentals in Montreal. A criminal investigation and a civil case are underway. Quebec's coroner is also set to conduct an inquiry. According to the city, more than half of roughly 4,000 units currently available on the short-term rental market are illegal. The changes could therefore free up 2,000 units to the long-term rental market. Previously, it was up to inspectors to gather evidence and bring a case against a property owner, who was presumed innocent. Now, similar to traffic offences, property owners will have to contest fines. Inspectors will be able to issue $1,000 fines directly to offenders for each day the rules are broken. Additional fines of $2,000 may also be issued for each day of recidivism. Airbnb calls move 'shortsighted' In a statement, Alex Howell, a representative for Airbnb Canada, called the proposal "extreme and shortsighted" and said it would hurt "industries that rely on tourism year-round like retail, restaurants, and other small businesses." Airbnb declined an interview request. David Wachsmuth, an urban planning professor at McGill University, said the changes will make it easier for the city to enforce the rules while not "completely destroying" the short-term rental market, which is busiest during the summer. "If anybody is operating an Airbnb in Montreal in February, the city knows without a single inspection that it is illegal. That is going to make enforcement so much easier," he said. Julien Hénault-Ratelle, Ensemble Montréal's housing critic, said the new rules should also include an exemption during winter months, from Dec. 15 to March 15.
CBC
16-03-2025
- Politics
- CBC
Luc Rabouin to lead Projet Montréal into 2025 municipal elections
Projet Montréal members have elected Luc Rabouin to become their next leader. On Saturday evening, he won 59.2 per cent of the vote in the fourth round, while the borough mayor for Côte-des-Neiges–Notre-Dame-de-Grâce, Gracia Kasoki Katahwa, came in second with 40.8 per cent. Also in the running were city councillor Ericka Alneus, former Projet Montréal president Guedwig Bernier and borough mayor Laurence Lavigne Lalonde. At one point, the borough mayor for Lachine, Maja Vodanovic, was also in the race but decided in January to drop out of the race and endorsed Rabouin instead. Rabouin, mayor of the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough and chair of the city's executive committee, said that, as Montreal's mayor, he would focus on the environment and housing — two areas Valérie Plante prioritized during her tenure as the city's mayor. On Saturday evening, in front of over 300 people at Entrepôts Dominion in the Saint-Henri neighbourhood, delivered a speech that, in addition to housing and climate change, focused on the economy. He also called for a greater autonomy of the city in relation to Quebec City and Ottawa, while highlighting the need to strengthen ties with the Quebec government. The municipal elections will take place on Nov. 2, 2025. In February, the Official Opposition party Ensemble Montréal announced MP Soraya Martinez Ferrada was its new leader. The two other parties represented at city hall are Équipe LaSalle Team led by LaSalle borough mayor Nancy Blanchet and Équipe Anjou led by Anjou borough mayor Luis Miranda. Last fall, Montreal mayor Valérie Plante announced she would not seek a third term in office after seven years on the job. "I realized I was not able to guarantee Montrealers four more years with the same level of energy that I have always given," she told a room of reporters and staff at city hall in October 2024. Plante has led the party since December 2016. She will continue to serve as mayor until the end of her mandate.
