The Table de concertation des SDC du Plateau-Mont-Royal, which includes the borough’s four commercial development companies (SDCs), are happy to be part of the democratic process again and thus help to shape and shine the light of the day. Metropolis. After all, the traders and occupants of the SDC offices are at the heart of the economic and cultural vitality of one of Montreal’s most dynamic sectors. You will find below, grouped by category, questions and answers from the candidates for mayor of Plateau Mont-Royal.
1.FINANCING OF THE INTERVENTION AUTHORITY OF SDC
Business Development Companies (SDCs) play a key role in supporting businesses and taking important initiatives to encourage the commercial, cultural and social vitality of an artery or area of the city. They take this role particularly to heart and with the current health crisis, the SDCs have shown us more than ever their necessity, agility and proximity to both traders and the community. The private financing base of the SDCs is provided by its merchant-members (approximately $ 2 million per year). That said, since 2011, following the increase in the price of parking meters in the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough, the creation of the Commercial Arteries Revitalization Fund by the City of Montreal has made it possible to offset these price increases by a additional financial contribution to the borough’s SDCs. This financial contribution is the main lever for the major initiatives and partnerships of the SDCs that occur in the borough, such as the MURAL public art festival, the cleaning squads, the development, the pedestrianization, the night watchmen of the boulevard. . the open-air exhibition, gourmet weekends, the illumination of Saint-Denis, the emblematic Christmas lights of Laurier Ouest, the flowering, the lighting project on Avenue du Mont-Royal, the UK event , the torchlight march, and many other projects. Unfortunately, the revitalization fund is not recurrent and its annual renewal can often be called into question following the health pandemic. For the SDCs, this represented on average annually from 2015 to 2020 $ 414,000 for Avenue du Mont-Royal, $ 400,000 for Boulevard Saint-Laurent, $ 175,000 for Saint-Denis and $ 60,000 for Laurier. As for small SDCs like Laurier and Saint-Denis, it is essential that the Revitalization Fund be at the minimum amount that the city-center grants to other SDCs in the City of Montreal (approximately $ 100,000). For us, this fund is essential in order to keep our commercial arteries dynamic and attractive.
Question : Do you commit to ensuring the equivalent sums of the Commercial Arteries Revitalization Fund to financially support the Plateau-Mont-Royal SDCs as before the COVID-19 pandemic ?
Luc Rabouin : First of all, it is important to point out that the Revitalization Fund comes from parking meter revenues and that these revenues fluctuate from year to year. In addition, if there had been no emergency support program from the City, the amount allocated to the Plateau SDCs in 2021 would have been $ 0 given that the Revitalization Fund was dry due to the pandemic. The most important issue for me, as mayor of the Plateau, is to stabilize the funding of the SDCs in the Plateau, to maintain a level of funding comparable to the situation of recent years and to ensure its predictability. I remind you that Projet Montréal has already announced a financial commitment of $ 4.5M per year for the 4 years of his mandate if elected. This amount is based on the amounts paid to the Montreal SDCs during a pandemic. For the Plateau SDCs, this represents sums similar to recent years and above all, stability and predictability for 4 years. This is what I am committed to defending: funding at a level comparable to recent years guaranteed for 4 years. In addition, Projet Montréal has already announced the renewal of the support program for summer pedestrianization projects which represented a source of funding for the SDCs of Avenue du Mt-Royal and Boulevard St-Laurent, as well as for the association. of Duluth Street merchants in 2021.
Shant Karabajak : Our administration believes in the cultural influence of Montreal neighborhoods and commercial arteries. Above all, we want to strengthen the integration of SDCs in the representation and activity of their commercial arteries. Ensemble Montréal is committed to creating a financial assistance program for the SDCs to create traffic on commercial streets with cultural events from the perspective of cultural districts (PRAM-Culture). Ensemble Montréal intends to set up a $ 50 million fund to address the issues of cleanliness, safety and urban health present on many commercial arteries.
Daniel Vazquez : The revitalization fund is here to stay and I would love to see a revival of other SDCs who receive less funding, that kind of distributive spirit is in the party’s DNA.
Question : Are you ready to financially support the small SDCs in the borough to the same extent as the minimum funding granted to the SDCs outside the APMR ?
LR : The new SDC funding program of $ 4.5M per year for four years announced by Projet Montreal will take into account the needs of the smaller SDCs as we did in 2021 during COVID when I was in charge of development economic and commercial to the executive committee. If we are elected on November 7, there will be minimum funding in the fundraising program so that the smaller TCSs can also fulfill their mandate.
SK :
DV :
2. TAXATION AND OCCUPANCY OF PREMISES
In our opinion, Montreal must continue to reduce the difference in the tax burden observed between the categories of non-residential and residential buildings, as in the city’s latest budgets. We hope and ask that the City continue in this direction for the next few years. In the fight against commercial premises in poor condition and left vacant, we hope that this file will remain at the heart of the priorities and concerns of the Plateau Mont-Royal and the City of Montreal, especially in this health crisis. Moreover, we welcome the recommendations of the report of the Commission on Economic and Urban Development and Housing on the problem of vacant premises on commercial arteries such as: the creation of a register of vacant premises, to improve the competitiveness of municipal taxation in connection with the non-residential sector, better control of rents and commercial leases, limit commercial sprawl to consolidate the existing offer, adopt urban planning instruments to optimize diversity and improve the commercial offer and improve the dynamics and the commercial environment by focusing on the experience on the street. However, due to the pandemic, there are many of these recommendations that have not been implemented. This is normal in the current context, but we believe that it will be essential, in order to promote Montreal’s economic recovery, to apply certain recommendations in the near future, such as the creation of a register of vacant premises.
Question : Do you commit to continuing to reduce taxation on non-residential properties and at least to freeze tax charges during your mandate?
LR : Across Montreal, we are already committed to pursuing the strategy of differential tax rates for non-residential properties, allowing smaller business owners to continue to obtain tax reductions. We even announced that we would increase the base amount allowing a tax reduction from $ 750,000 to $ 900,000 in property assessment, which will further reduce taxes for traders.
SK : The current administration has put us up to the wall by increasing spending like there is no tomorrow. Even before the pandemic, it had already increased municipal spending by more than $ 1 billion, a budget increase of 20% … Unheard of! This administration is bringing us to the brink of a haircut, despite its hike in taxes beyond inflation (which it had promised not to) from the first months of its mandate.
DV : We are the only party that is considering reducing the gap between residential and non-residential properties. I would like to reduce it to a 2.75x spread.
Question : If you are elected, will you put pressure on your colleagues and the city-center so that the rapid implementation of several of the recommendations of the report Commission on Economic and Urban Development and Housing on the issue of vacant premises on commercial thoroughfares be made ?
LR : The City’s executive committee has already responded favorably to most of the recommendations of the Commission chaired by an elected official from the Plateau, Richard Ryan. During the last term, I was elected responsible for the implementation of the recommendations, so I personally made sure that things move forward despite the pandemic, and several actions are already well underway. For example, work on setting up a business premises inventory tool is already under development and we should have a first version by the end of the year. We have also already made representations to the Government of Quebec. I myself met on this subject the Minister for the Economy, Lucie Lecours, in order to make her aware of the importance of supervising commercial leases and, in the event that the government considers that it is of a particular problem in Montreal, to transfer powers to us so that the City can do so. We also announced the creation of the “Accès-Locaux” program, in collaboration with the SDCs and various financial partners. This is a project I have worked on a lot and which is particularly close to my heart. We are also committed to implementing a certificate of commercial non-occupancy providing maintenance standards and accelerating the improvement of the experience on commercial arteries. On the central city side, our commitments largely reflect the concerns of the SDCs, which is normal given the close collaboration we have had in recent years and the sharing of a common vision and objectives. At the borough level, we intend to continue modernizing certain urban planning rules in order to adapt them to current commercial reality, while maintaining a high quality of life for residents. These should in particular make it possible to ensure the maintenance and cleanliness of vacant premises and facilitate their temporary occupation.
SK : We will certainly put pressure on colleagues from the city-center so that the rapid implementation of the vast majority of the recommendations of the report of the Commission on economic and urban development and housing on the problem of vacant premises on commercial arteries. Many of our commitments are based on the rapid implementation of the Commission’s recommendations. To give you a few examples, we recognize the importance of commercial arteries, in particular by increasing the number of street furniture for seniors, including raised public benches throughout the city. We will use property taxation on vacant land serviced to counter speculation and stimulate the development of new housing units, while raising new housing capital. Among our commitments, we will mandate the Committee on Finance and Administration to study a tax on vacant homes, drawing on Vancouver’s “Empty Home Tax” to reduce artificial vacancy in the housing stock. It is very important for the Coderre-Gelly administration to set up registers of residential leases and commercial premises, vacant and non-vacant. Our plan will therefore be to frame and better structure with targeted solutions everything related to commercial arteries, vacant premises, the service offered to traders as well as adapting urban planning instruments.
DV : Regarding the recommendations of the report Commission on Economic and Urban Development and Housing, I undertake to have the points that have not been adapted, as well as to reduce the time taken to examine applications. development for small and medium-sized businesses.
3- Development of a terrace café in the public domain
With the COVID crisis, we would like to salute the initiative in place for the price of installing a terrace on the public domain at $ 50 and the flexibility of the public administration for sending project sketches. of terraces by traders for validation. This last measure has been greatly appreciated by our restaurant members and we hope it will remain in place. However, although the will of the elected officials of the borough is to make the PMR a district at the local level, we note that the cost of the permit, in normal times, for the installation of a terrace café on the public domain in the APMR is one of the most expensive, if not the most expensive in Montreal. We believe that it would be good to review the pricing and take inspiration from the Verdun borough bylaw which establishes the cost of a terrace café by a price set per square meter. In our opinion, this approach is more equitable for merchants than the current one in Plateau-Mont-Royal. Until new regulations are put in place and with the health crisis we are experiencing, if we want our neighborhood to remain attractive to future traders wishing to have a terrace café in the public domain, we must at least consider maintaining the symbolic rate of $ 50 or to freeze rates for the year 2022.
Question : Will you undertake to quickly review the regulations on the pricing of the development of sidewalk cafes in the public domain in order to facilitate accessibility and reduce the financial burden on traders ?
LR : Given the particularly difficult situation experienced by cafes – restaurants and bars which are struggling for their survival – I confirm that we will maintain the symbolic rates at $ 50 in 2022. In return, we expect respect for the rules of good neighborliness and accessibility universal sidewalk cafes by all traders. Over the past few years, we have significantly expanded the possibilities for the development of sidewalk cafes by making them possible on smaller commercial streets such as Duluth, St-Viateur or Laurier Est. We have thus gone from 93 terraces in 2020 to 185 terraces in 2021, i.e. double. I remind you that we had already reduced the costs of sidewalk cafes in anticipation of 2020, before the pandemic. With regard to the year 2023 and the following ones, I remain open to discussing the different possible models of patio pricing with the SDCs and the Plateau trade associations.
SK :Our administration works for you, to make Montreal a better, inclusive city, based on actions to build a vision of Montreal of tomorrow. To do this, we will take all means to facilitate accessibility and reduce the financial burden on traders. Thus, we will certainly review the regulations on pricing for the development of sidewalk cafes and find a sustainable solution. Ensemble Montréal is committed to reducing and simplifying the paperwork required to obtain permits, in particular to allow contractors and merchants to install signs, street furniture and terraces more simply and quickly, while respecting current regulations.
DV : We spoke with enough traders to realize that we should have offered more support during the pandemic. We will reduce the price of the pricing on the sidewalk cafes layout and it is believed that the city can provide benches and comfort zones near shops to motivate people to spend more time outdoors.
Question : Would you be prepared to maintain the symbolic price of $ 50 for the installation of a terrace café or to freeze the tariffs for 2022, while the regulations are reviewed ?
LR : Yes, I have already confirmed that. For your information, this represented a loss of revenue of approximately $ 400,000 per year for the borough in 2020 and 2021.
SK : Sidewalk cafes make our city more alive and it is important for us to continue to encourage this practice. Yes, we are proposing to maintain the symbolic price of $ 50 for the installation of a sidewalk café or to freeze the rates for the next year. Too many merchants are currently being told that the terrace will no longer be able to have a storefront in the coming years, we are going to clarify the regulatory situation and ensure that the borough can have all the terraces possible, while respecting the quality of life. citizens.
DV : We are going to maintain the symbolic price and we think that the revival will take place through a strategic investment during future urban planning.
4- Light use of the public domain, development and greening
Merchants in all major cities around the world regularly use the public domain in a light way to promote their products and services to the public, or simply to optimize the experience of customers and passers-by around their space. They install sandwich panels on the sidewalk, public benches, terraces, flower boxes, etc.
Unfortunately, the City of Montreal prohibits most of these initiatives. However, in a borough like Verdun, a derogation has been introduced to allow these practices. We hope that this type of regulatory relief will be extended to all boroughs and will allow merchants to take relevant local initiatives, considering that they can be fairly easily supervised by the boroughs. and with respect for universal accessibility.
Question : Do you commit to creating a regulatory policy that would allow APMR merchants to lightly occupy the public domain while respecting universal accessibility ?
LR : As universal accessibility standards can be met at all times and certain design quality standards are in place, and trade associations are committed to playing an active role in ensuring light and judicious use public domain, I am open to us working together to develop this framework. I would favor a pilot project, as a first step, in order to assess the experience and make adjustments before extending it more widely.
SK : Ensemble Montréal believes that Montreal is a cultural metropolis. It represents a formidable asset for Montreal, whether through its expression or its living together, it acts as a source of pride for economic development here and internationally. We recognize that its new creators are in our museums, in our theaters, but also in all public spaces. We want to make Montreal an open, innovative and creative city. We will of course be inspired by the practices of other boroughs in order to offer a relief solution for the public domain. We are going to modernize our approach by reducing and simplifying the paperwork to obtain permits from the City of Montreal, in particular to allow entrepreneurs and merchants to install signs, street furniture and terraces more simply and quickly, while respecting the regulations. In progress.
DV : Yes, we are ready to allow more visibility for our businesses. However, as always, we will have to do inspections to ensure that pedestrian crossings and residential life are not blocked or disrupted.
5- State of sidewalks, street furniture and cleanliness
The condition of sidewalks, street furniture and cleanliness on the commercial arteries of the Plateau-Mont-Royal has improved, but there is still a lot of work to be done. Although some SDCs in the borough invest several thousand dollars annually in cleaning brigades, while promoting social reintegration with organizations such as TAPAJ, the fact remains that there is room for improvement of the furniture. urban and city sidewalks. We remind you that our borough is a popular destination for people from here and elsewhere. International tourists will return shortly after the health crisis to discover the beauties of our neighborhood. Let’s not forget that customer experiences start in the public space. For example, the condition of the sidewalks on Laurier Street leaves something to be desired and causes problems for people with reduced mobility as well as the lack of trash cans and recycling. Therefore, it would be good to consider a plan to revitalize the street furniture, the condition of the sidewalks while emphasizing cleanliness and beautification.
Question : If you are elected as mayor of the borough, will you commit to developing a plan to revitalize street furniture and the condition of sidewalks on commercial arteries?
LR : We have indeed invested significant sums to repair the sidewalks on Avenue du Mont-Royal and Boulevard St-Laurent, which were in dire need of it, even though it is not a local responsibility. development of arteries under the City center. As mayor of the Plateau, I will continue to insist that the city center increase the resources allocated to repairing sidewalks for commercial arteries, but we will not hesitate to intervene locally if the required funds are not available. on the side of the city center. This commitment is indicated in our local platform. The furniture is regularly maintained or replaced as needed. We have also made a commitment to extend the summer cleaning brigade on an annual basis on commercial streets and to add street baskets as needed.
SK : Beautifying the city is crucial for our Party and for our borough. We want to put a policy in place to “make everything more beautiful”, ranging from street furniture to manhole covers, including lampposts, medians and any other infrastructure that falls within the remit of the City. We will work to make Laurier Street more beautiful and more accessible. We recently announced the creation of 6 funds that the boroughs can tap into for missions, including cleanliness, upkeep of sidewalks, among others. The districts will thus have a certain independence to carry out the projects, while respecting the sharing of powers between the city and the districts of course.
DV : I am committed to improving the condition of our sidewalks through the mobile app. We will put a good part of the budget for the repair of sidewalks, as well as urban development.
6- The issue of the resurgence of homelessness in the Plateau-Mont-Royal
The issue of the increased presence of the resurgence of homelessness in the Plateau-Mont-Royal raises safety and cleanliness concerns for residents, businesses and visitors who come to our commercial arteries. We would like to underline all the efforts put forward by the borough and by stakeholders such as the creation of a rooming house for marginalized populations in order to offer a roof and professional services to help them and offer them care. However, we believe that we must continue the good initiatives and that we are in the right direction to help and provide appropriate care to marginalized populations of the Plateau-Mont-Royal. However, the social cohabitation and public space sharing plans (Mont-Royal and Milton-Parc metro stations) should be improved and supported in collaboration with local stakeholders (Montreal Native Friendship Center, CIUSSS Connection team, Exeko , Plein Milieu, SPVM – PDQ 38, etc.) and socioeconomic actors (SDCs, associations of traders, etc.).
Question : As future mayor, are you ready to improve the plans for social cohabitation and sharing of public space with marginalized populations in collaboration with all local stakeholders and socio-economic players on this priority issue for our district?
LR : We intend to continue working together on homelessness with the health network (CIUSS), the city-center, the SPVM, merchant associations and community organizations so that people experiencing homelessness can have access to services they need, particularly in terms of accommodation, housing and psychosocial support, and that residents and businesses can live and work in a safe living environment. The mayor and head of Projet Montréal, for her part, has pledged to double the annual budget for homelessness. The specific situation of Aboriginal homelessness in the Milton-Parc district and in the St-Denis / Mont-Royal sector is explicitly mentioned in Projet Montréal’s commitments in this area, with culturally appropriate service proposals. A crisis unit led by the CIUSS du center-sud was also set up in September, bringing together all the actors involved and recognizing that the phenomenon goes well beyond the issue of social cohabitation, and that it is indeed of a public health and safety issue. I will continue to contribute to the search for solutions by adding district resources as needed, and by calling on all the actors who have a public responsibility to take, especially the health network, so that they help us deal with the situation.
SK : The city we know today was built and enriched thanks to all of its components, drawn from various communities. We understand the difficult situation in the Milton-Parc sector and around the Mont-Royal metro station. Ensemble Montréal wishes to improve and adapt resources in a territorial logic. Clearly, a responsible administration must be proactive and agile in the face of homelessness issues by wanting to put all the energy necessary to ensure that options are offered to the most vulnerable Montrealers so that they can live with dignity, in particular by creating 1,800 housing units with psychosocial support services, by re-qualifying hotels into new transitional rooming houses and rehousing, by seeking increased funding for the Rent Supplement Program dedicated to homeless people. It is also essential to increase funding in order to meet the many needs of homelessness by reserving $ 36M in the City of Montreal’s budget dedicated to homelessness and by creating a fund of $ 10M dedicated to TCS,in particular to finance community services and meet the challenges of cohabitation.
DV : Yes, we are proposing a short-term solution: we will increase the capacity and the subsidies for the cohabitation plans and the accommodation that are there. There are accommodations or organizations that do not have the means to do detox, support and this lack of funds contributes to the current situation, we want to act quickly. In our plan we propose 30,000 affordable housing units and 24,000 social housing units; our long-term solution is to offer them rent and open more doors for them with scholarships and ensuring that there is no discrimination in hiring.
7- The development of Place Gérald-Godin
“In 2013, the Société de transport de Montréal (STM) announced its intention to upgrade the Mont Royal metro station and bring it up to universal accessibility standards. Seizing this opportunity, in 2014 the borough initiated an in-depth reflection and invited citizens to participate in the co-creation process “Imagine Place Gérald-Godin!” », To develop the vision of the sector. Carried out in 2016, the preliminary development concept proposes to extend the limits of Place Gérald-Godin beyond the pedestrian block that currently defines it, to make it a unifying, daring place focused on sustainable development, in the heart of the Plateau and Montreal. At the feasibility study stage, the Place Gérald-Godin development project should start following work on the entrance to the Mont-Royal metro station, which began in 2018 to be completed early. from 2022. ” Taken from the website of the City of Montreal COVID raises concerns about the completion of the development of Place Gérald-Godin with regard to the schedule and others. This project, located in the heart of the Plateau and next to the Mont-Royal metro station, is the gateway to many of our commercial arteries.
Question : Are you going to make the development of Place Gérald-Godin a priority within the framework of your mandate?
LR : This is a priority project for the borough. We will continue with the redevelopment and greening of the Pôle Gérald-Godin, around the Mont-Royal metro, following work by the STM.
SK : The Place Gérald-Godin redevelopment project represents the vision of the environment in which the place fits. This integrated achievement will be beneficial for the community. My mandate will be focused on accessibility by public transit, sustainable development, living together and everything that will enhance the well-being of our borough. A local administration from Ensemble Montréal promises to make the construction of Place Gérard-Godin a priority project.
DV : Yes. Our program aims to make all metro stations accessible by 2028; this development brings us closer to our objective.
8- Maintain collaboration between the Table de concertation with the APMR
The four Plateau-Mont-Royal commercial development companies invest nearly $ 2 million annually in private funds in economic, cultural and social development. This contribution is essential for the vitality of our commercial arteries and we are proud of it. In 2019, the SDCs created the Table de concertation des SDC du Plateau-Mont-Royal. The creation of this permanent place of exchange between the SDC and the management of the APMR has been a success and a great help with the unprecedented health crisis we are experiencing. We found that by working together we were more effective, more efficient and that communication was better between us. In the end, we all came out the winners of setting up such a collaborative structure. However, there is still a lot of work to be done and new challenges await us as the pandemic emerges.
Question : As a future mayor, do you consider investing yourself at this table periodically and regularly with members of your management in order to work on concrete, innovative and tangible projects for the APMR?
LR : We will obviously continue to invest in it on a regular basis with members of our management with a view to concrete collaborations. We also wish to develop jointly with this table a Trade Action Plan for the Plateau.
SK : A local administration from Ensemble Montréal will listen to merchants and business development companies present in its territory. We are committed to having frequent contacts between our administration and the various local players to advance all concrete, innovative and tangible projects for the development of the Plateau-Mont-Royal.
DV : Sure! Consultations and collaborations are part of the change we want to make in the city. We want to get involved in order to know the challenges and act accordingly at City Hall. Likewise, we don’t want to reinvent the wheel, everything that is working well at the moment will not be affected so that we can focus on the borough’s urgent issues in terms of quality of life, housing, greening and accessibility.
9- Specific requests and challenges of each of APMR’s four SDCs
A- Saint-Laurent Boulevard Development Corporation (SDBSL)
For the SDBSL, it is essential that Montreal adopt a nightlife charter or policy, as is the case in many large cities around the world. “Nightlife is part of the DNA of the Main. This has been a recurring request of the SDC during the last three municipal elections. With the context of the health crisis that has hit the nightclub community in the metropolis hard, it is essential that Montreal follows suit in this direction to ensure and support the economic recovery of this key sector.
Question : If you are elected, would you be ready to support the establishment of a first charter or policy for nightlife in Montreal ?
LR : ure. Our administration also supported the organization of the first overnight summit in Montreal. We also granted an amount of $ 600,000 over 3 years to the Mtl 24/24 organization, in particular to collaborate with the City in the implementation of a first Nightlife Policy, but also more broadly to the establishment. and the implementation of concrete actions in this direction, including work on the revision of regulations, citizen participation and cohabitation with neighborhoods.
SK : For Ensemble Montréal, the night economy, “nightlife”, is one of the brand images of our metropolis. A pleasant city by day and by night. Montreal has been recognized for decades as a city where the evenings are lively. I don’t know if it has to go through a nightlife charter / policy, but we think there needs to be a clear diagnosis of the economic and cultural potential of nightlife to get the most out of it.
DV : SFollowing the unprecedented health crisis, the SDAMR produced in partnership with the APMR a pilot project for pedestrianization throughout the summer of 2020 and 2021. This pilot project was a great success with traders, residents and residents. many visitors who took full advantage of it. Therefore, the SDC held a public consultation in autumn 2020 with its members to find out their opinions, suggestions and improvements to be made, the constraints of pedestrianization, etc. Studies are also underway in the context of pedestrianization 2021. We have reached our goal in 2021 to produce a better pedestrian street project. The site is magnificent, traffic is on the rise, the satisfaction of residents and users is positive, the number of complaints is clearly down, the rate of vacant premises is decreasing, sales seem stable (an achievement in the context) and the cohabitation between bicycles and pedestrians obtains, it seems to us, the passing mark. All this work and these positive results would not have been possible without the collaboration between our SDC-arrondissement teams, which was exceptional, despite the many challenges to overcome.
The SDAMR board of directors and the vast majority of traders are in favor of extending the project for the coming summer seasons. This is what happened and which once again proved to be a great success thanks to the collaborative work between the SDC, its members, the borough, the Villecentre and the various services (police, firefighter, etc. ).
Therefore, we would like to perpetuate the summer pedestrianization project of Avenue Mont-Royal for the next few years and improve its attractiveness and citizen appropriation.
Question : If so, would you be prepared to support the recognition of Saint-Laurent Boulevard as an artery of nightlife?
LR :The Boulevard is an artery of nightlife in Montreal, which does not exempt us from implementing measures promoting good cohabitation with the neighborhood. There does not exist
no designation or status “artery of nightlife” in the zoning, so it would be better to understand what you mean by this recognition.
SK : Saint-Laurent Boulevard has always been an artery of entertainment, bars and drinking parties. The COVID-19 pandemic has hurt the nighttime economy of our metropolis. Montreal must revive this economy. We are not against the recognition of Saint-Laurent Boulevard as a nightlife artery, but we wish to consult all the stakeholders and citizens of this sector in order to define an overall vision of nightlife development. Ensemble Montréal is in favor of extending the opening hours of
shops, but with respect for the quality of citizens’ lives.
DV :
B- SDC de l’avenue Mont-Royal
Following the unprecedented health crisis, the SDAMR produced in partnership with the APMR a pilot project for pedestrianization throughout the summer of 2020 and 2021. This pilot project was a great success with traders, residents and residents. many visitors who took full advantage of it. Therefore, the SDC held a public consultation in autumn 2020 with its members to find out their opinions, suggestions and improvements to be made, the constraints of pedestrianization, etc. Studies are also underway in the context of pedestrianization 2021. We have reached our goal in 2021 to produce a better pedestrian street project. The site is magnificent, traffic is on the rise, the satisfaction of residents and users is positive, the number of complaints is clearly down, the rate of vacant premises is decreasing, sales seem stable (an achievement in the context) and the cohabitation between bicycles and pedestrians obtains, it seems to us, the passing mark. All this work and these positive results would not have been possible without the collaboration between our SDC-arrondissement teams, which was exceptional, despite the many challenges to overcome. The SDAMR board of directors and the vast majority of traders are in favor of extending the project for the coming summer seasons. This is what happened and which turned out once again to be a great success thanks to the collaborative work between the SDC, its members, the borough, the city center and the various services (police, firefighter, etc. .). Therefore, we would like to perpetuate the summer pedestrianization project of Avenue Mont-Royal for the next few years and improve its attractiveness and citizen appropriation.
Question : Will you commit to supporting the summer pedestrianization of Avenue du Mont-Royal for the coming years and to putting in place financial support measures that take into account the extent of the territory and the cultural programming?
LR : We are committed to perpetuating the summer pedestrianization of Avenue du Mont-Royal in collaboration with the SDAMR, the City of Montreal and citizens. In addition, we have
also announced that a city-wide administration of Projet Montréal would renew the summer pedestrianization program for the next four years, with a budget of $ 4M per year. The absence of financial support from the City would have an impact on our ability to perform.
SK : Yes. Pedestrianization, when done in consultation with all economic players and residents, is a formidable tool in the commercial and tourist attraction of an artery. Following the experiences of the last two years, we will analyze what worked well and what caused problems.
DV : Yes. Pedestrianization, when done in consultation with all economic players and residents, is a formidable tool in the commercial and tourist attraction of an artery. Following the experiences of the last two years, we will analyze what worked well and what caused problems.
Question : Do you commit to initiating production work in partnership with the borough and the SDAMR at the start of each year?
LR : We are committed to this and understand the importance of planning as early as possible.
SK : Yes. A local administration Ensemble Montréal is committed to being proactive with the entire economic ecosystem of the Plateau-Mont-Royal. It is by regularly consulting our partners that the Plateau-Mont-Royal borough will be able to establish better relations with all the stakeholders in its territory.
DV : Yes, we will move forward in a very pragmatic way, looking at the 2021 results and listening to your recommendations.
C – SDC Rue Laurier est et ouest
The SDC Laurier Ouest is committed to the simplification of administrative processes in order to standardize everything because the commercial artery and the SDC are located in two boroughs, APMR and Outremont. which complicates the layout and development vision of the street. Therefore, it is the only SDC in Montreal with this problem. We would like to standardize the efforts of the two boroughs and the SDC to promote the future development of Laurier Street. In addition, we want there to be a review of the quota for bars on the commercial artery because they have been revised downwards following the update of the urban planning regulations of the APMR in 2021.
Question : Do you commit to finding a permanent solution with the stakeholders (SDC Laurier and Outremont borough) to this problem?
LR : We are committed to exploring possible solutions to this problem with SDC Laurier Ouest and the Outremont borough.
SK : Yes. Ensemble Montréal is committed to a complete review of administrative processes in order to simplify and clarify their content for citizens, promoters and merchants. This review will be supported by our local teams from Plateau-Mont-Royal and Outremont. The two districts will work together to find a common methodology.
DV :
Question : Are you ready to increase the bar quotas on Laurier?
LR : We set the quotas with the objective of maintaining a balance between flexibility for investors, commercial dynamism of the street and the quality of life of residents. Like you, we want to ensure a commercial mix on our streets. If there is a demonstration from the SDC of a particular issue related to bars, we are open to discussing it as we have already started to do in a recent meeting.
SK : For Ensemble Montréal, the nightlife economy, those of bars and event venues, contribute to the influence of our metropolis. We must support the economic and cultural potential of these industries, while respecting the quality of life of citizens. The local Ensemble Montreal team intends to study this issue with the businesses and residents of the area.
DV :
D- SDC Saint-Denis street
The St-Denis Street Revival Plan of 1.2 million is in full fruition and implementation until 2022. Of all the actions that are in the plan, the challenge of illuminating the commercial artery is that of which holds the most attention of traders and residents and has been for several years. In fact, in 2019, a document on municipal architectural lighting projects for rue Saint Denis was announced with great fanfare. However, the large-scale project required an investment of several millions as well as an agreement with the private owners. There is approximately $ 600,000 of the $ 1.2 million that will be spent on an upcoming illumination project. However, although this sum seems high for the realization of a street lighting project, this amount is far lower than several projects carried out on certain arteries in Montreal, let us take the boules in the village as an example. In addition, the electrical infrastructure on the street is partly obsolete and requires rapid updating if we want to create a unique lighting project in Saint-Denis.
Question : If you are elected, would you be ready to increase the envelope of the Saint-Denis Street lighting project so that it matches the initial project as well as the aspirations of traders and residents who are waiting? this project for a very long time?
LR : The St-Denis Street Recovery Plan, which is expected to be rolled out over several years, was discussed at length with the SDC and merchants before being adopted in 2018. The addition of a financial contribution from the City of Montreal of $ 1.2M is an important part of the stimulus package, but it is not the only one. Think of the REV, the addition of pedestrian crossings, the planned requalification of the Institut des sourdes-muettes or the redevelopment of the Sherbrooke metro area, among others. The actions provided for in the approved budget of $ 1.2M were jointly developed by the borough, the city center and the SDC. When the lighting project is developed in a more precise manner, including the cost of implementation, I undertake to support the SDC in order to explore different possible funding avenues. We all want a signature project for this emblematic street of Montreal and we are aware that the current amount, even if it is significant, remains limited for a project of this scope.
SK : A local administration from Ensemble Montréal is committed to taking all possible means to carry out this Saint-Denis Street lighting project. This artery needs a new lease of life, a new attraction in order to attract tourists and Montrealers.
DV : I do not see why we would be against an illumination project on rue Saint Denis which seems to me, especially compared to other arteries, quite forgotten. However, we want to improve transparency and bargaining power to reduce the cost of the work.
Question : If so, since the electrical infrastructure needs to be updated quickly, are you ready to make it a priority from the start of your mandate?
LR : This is already a priority and the SDC is very well informed of the efforts we are making to take charge of the electricity issues with our colleagues in the city center, at our expense.
SK : We are in favor of creating unique projects to create the appeal of the neighborhood. On the other hand, rue Saint-Denis has seen work in recent years. At Ensemble Montréal, we understand that the accumulation of work harms the economic vitality of a commercial artery. Street traders have suffered greatly. We are committed to supporting this project and finding solutions so as not to reopen the entire rue Saint-Denis.
DV : Yes
Question : In the event that the upgrade of the electrical infrastructure is postponed to later years, you agree to keep the money for this project until its completion.
LR : Yes, but there is no way it will be postponed.
SK : A local administration from Ensemble Montréal will support the various projects put forward for all economic players in the Plateau-Mont-Royal. If the project were to be postponed, we are committed to working with the SDC Saint-Denis to find palliative measures to promote a strong economic recovery.
DV : It will not be postponed if we are elected on November 7th.
Question : In the case of the bike express network (REV) located on the artery, you agree to strengthen the safety of pedestrians, particularly at crosswalks, and also to set up an awareness program regarding compliance with the rules of the road for cyclists ( speeding, failure to respect lights, failure to respect stops at pedestrian crossings) and at the same time limited access to electric vehicles which disrupts the mobility of cyclists?
LR : We are indeed going to step up our efforts to ensure compliance with the Highway Safety Code by all road users, including cyclists. The safety of pedestrians and cyclists has significantly improved on St-Denis Street since the development of the REV. It should be noted that we are already focusing on the development and enhancement of cycling culture in Montreal, in particular through the education of young cyclists and the implementation of an awareness and information campaign on road safety for the all road users, including cyclists.
SK : Ensemble Montréal is committed to improving the Réseau express Vélo (REV) on Saint-Denis Street by making it safer, in particular by adding missing bicycle lights in strategic places and by improving the coexistence between pedestrians and cyclists, in particular at intersections.
DV : In the case of the bike express network (REV) located on the artery, you agree to strengthen the safety of pedestrians, particularly at crosswalks, and also to set up an awareness program regarding compliance with the rules of the road for cyclists ( speeding, failure to respect lights, failure to respect stops at pedestrian crossings) and at the same time limited access to electric vehicles which disrupts cyclists’ mobility.
Question : Since rue Saint-Denis is mainly a destination artery, will you commit to creating more park-and-ride spaces around our artery?
LR : Customers on rue Saint-Denis currently have access to 540 on-street parking spaces with parking meters, 43 free on-street parking spaces with a maximum duration of 2 hours and 353 spaces in neighboring institutional parking lots, for a total of 936 spaces. . Currently parking meters do not show 100% ridership. (Source, map of parking lots for customers on rue Saint-Denis: https://res.cloudinary.com/villemontreal/image/upload/v1622126933/portail/luyct6uoqerpdsd9slft.pdf). In addition, access to a daily permit also allows customers to use the parking spaces reserved for residents on an ad hoc basis. We are committed to simplifying access to a daily vignette on
Le Plateau and we are working in this direction with the Sustainable Mobility Agency with a view to setting up in 2022. If the SDC wants us to add parking meters around in order to ensure customer rotation, we will assess Requirement. Across Montreal, we want to make information on free parking near commercial arteries available online through the Agence de Mobilité durable application.
SK : Rue Saint-Denis is a changing artery. Ensemble Montréal wishes to keep its vocation as a destination artery. The COVID-19 pandemic and the establishment of the Réseau Express Vélo have had an impact on traders, who have suffered greatly over the past two years. A local administration from Ensemble Montréal is committed to consulting better on any major projects. As for adding park-and-ride spaces around, our administration will study the issue.
DV :