Official Opposition Demands Concrete Work for Reseau de Transport Metropolitain

During their latest municipal council meeting, the Plante Administration was questioned on its next steps regarding housing and public transportation in Montreal.

Aref Salem, the leader of the Official Opposition, questioned mayor Valerie Plante on the sincerity of her plans to make housing more accessible to Montrealers, as many citizens still find themselves unhoused. Salem stated that in a previous and recent conversation he held with Mayor Plante, she insisted that housing matters were settled and resolved. Salem said the Official Opposition found it improbable as the Blue Bonnets Raceway and the Ilot Voyageur had still not been  transformed into affordable housing sites, as respectfully announced by Projet Montreal in 2022 and 2020. Salem highlighted that the project should have already been underway with Projet Montreal having been voted in for two consecutive terms.

Mayor Valerie Plante answered that housing matters was never discussed as settled and that the Plante Administration is very focused on improving the current issues in regards to housing. Plante emphasized that the administration is working with the provincial government, developers and organizations to foresee future spaces, as well.

Nancy Blanchet, another member of the Official Opposition, brought up the Reseau de Transport Metropolitain, and its importance to Montrealers. In 2021, Quebec announced that 20M$ would go towards a study for a new mode of transportation in the Southwest of Montreal, to finally serve the area. 800M$ was confirmed to be dedicated to implementing this new mode of transportation. Blanchet, however, mentioned that other boroughs should be prioritized, as some of them, such as Lasalle have over 80,000 residents, but no metro station or other major public transit stops.  She asked the administration what they would do to ensure more mobility for those residents. 

Sophie Mauzerolle, the city councillor of Sainte-Marie, answered Blanchet's comments by saying that the Reseau de Transport Metropolitain is currently finalizing studies on different routes, as well as holding public consultations to broaden the public transit system in Montreal, and that they eventually were intending on serving many more zones of the island.