MONTREAL - The Quebec government might start offering tax breaks and other financial incentives to persuade families to stay in the city.
The possibility was raised Friday by Jean-Francois Lisee, Quebec’s Minister Responsible for Montreal, as he announced the launch of a committee of 20 experts to try to reduce the number of families fleeing to the suburbs.
“If we want Montreal to be a vibrant island with people from all generations, with schools that are filled with children, we need to stem the flow of the number of children who are leaving,” said Lisee
Many families have moved to the suburbs because of lower-priced housing. And many find that they like suburban life.
“There’s more space for the child to play,” said Laval resident Pierre Sylvestre. “It's a little more quite too less noise, less pollution.”
Along with their higher price tags, many newly-constructed Montreal homes are condos, which are not always suitable for families.
As a result, distant bedroom communities such as Vaudreuil-Dorion have been booming in recent years, thanks largely to lower-priced homes.
The ruling Parti Quebecois has previously expressed concern that the departure of families from the island is leading to a smaller French-speaking presence on the island of Montreal.
