Montreal’s mayor is outlining her hits and misses of the Quebec budget, saying there isn't enough for public transit.
While Valerie Plante said she is pleased the budget meets some of the city’s expectations for housing and revitalizing eastern Montreal, she also disapproves of the lack of investment in public transit, reminding Premier Francois Legault that “to meet the challenge of climate change, a shift is needed.”
The mayor said she was disappointed with the CAQ’s decrease in the share of public transportation, from 31 per cent to 27 per cent – a trend, she said, that is heading in the wrong direction given the importance of fighting climate change.
“Today more than ever, it is necessary to plan the next steps to unclog the road network, which is responsible for 43 per cent of greenhouse gas emissions,” said Plante in a statement, adding that the CAQ government was “failing” in that regard.
“In the coming years, it will be imperative to take the necessary steps to continue Montreal's transformation and to meet the major challenges we face. The Quebec government can always count on Montreal's support to get there,” the statement read.
There were items in the budget she appreciated though, saying the CAQ offered Montreal $72.8 million to fill the housing backlog and help create more affordable housing.
Plante said she appreciated that the province is also funding $100 million to decontaminate areas of eastern Montreal, a first step in developing and revitalizing former industrial spaces in the area.
