Coderre proposes new council of mayors to handle billions of dollars in funds
Montreal mayoral candidate Denis Coderre wants to give more power to borough mayors through a new, cross-party committee to manage $120 billion in dedicated funds.
The mayors would be able to allocate that money over four years, but his opponents say it would only mean more red tape.
“We want to create some specific funds,” said Coderre at his Sunday campaign event, surrounded by Ensemble Montreal borough mayor-hopefuls.
“The new management should now be based on dedicated funds because its easier to follow and it has the merit to be more accountable,” he said.
The proposed committee would allocate money for road safety, sidewalk upkeep, park maintenance, and the creation of dog parks.
Coderre says it will prevent projects falling victim to partisanship – accusing Projet Montreal of causing delays in Ensemble Montreal-held boroughs.
Projet Montreal, for its part, says it’s better suited to respond to the needs of boroughs.
"Projet Montreal stopped the cuts planned by the Coderre administration, which ultimately returned several millions of dollars to local budgets,” read a statement from Projet Montreal.
“The boroughs will be able to continue to count on our team to restore the inequities left by the former administration.”
Movement Montreal's Balarama Holness agrees with giving boroughs more autonomy but doesn’t think Coderre’s plan is the right way to do it.
“We don't need extra councils or commissions,” he said. “Let’s give money to boroughs directly. Right now, [there’s] too much red tape.”
Montreal’s 19 borough mayors already sit on city council in addition to their regular borough council duties.
Political analyst Raphaël Melançon says that any committee with members from more than one party will have to deal with partisan politics.
You have people that that represent the two parties, and they play political games all the time at city council,” he told CTV News.
“So, if you have another committee, where you have bipartisan representatives, you're going to have the same games.”
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
BREAKING Police investigating shooting outside of Drake's Bridle Path mansion: source
Toronto police are investigating a shooting that took place outside of Drake’s Bridle Path mansion early Tuesday morning, a source tells CP24.
There's actually no such thing as vegetables. Here's why you should eat them anyway
The rumours are true: Vegetables aren't real — that is, in botany, anyway. While the term fruit is recognized botanically as anything that contains a seed or seeds, vegetable is actually a broad umbrella term.
'It looked so legit': Ontario man pays $7,700 for luxury villa found on Booking.com, but the listing was fake
An Ontario man says he paid more than $7,700 for a luxury villa he found on a popular travel website -- but the listing was fake.
The Met Gala was in full bloom with Zendaya, Jennifer Lopez, Mindy Kaling among the standout stars
The Met Gala and its fashionista A-listers on Monday included Jennifer Lopez, Zendaya and a parade of others in a swirl of flora and fauna looks on a green-tinged carpet lined by live foliage.
3 Indian nationals accused of murdering Hardeep Singh Nijjar facing court in B.C.
Three Indian nationals accused of murdering Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar are due to face court Tuesday over the killing that triggered a major diplomatic rift with India.
Israeli forces seize Rafah border crossing in Gaza, putting ceasefire talks on knife's edge
Israeli tanks seized control of Gaza's vital Rafah border crossing on Tuesday as Israel brushed off urgent warnings from close allies and moved into the southern city even as cease-fire negotiations with Hamas remained on a knife's edge.
Canadian cadets rock mullets and place second at U.S. military competition
Sporting mullets, Canadian Armed Forces officer cadets placed second in an annual military skills competition in the U.S.
Highlights from the 2024 Met Gala exhibit: Sleeping Beauty would wake up for these gowns
Sure, she was a royal princess and all. But there’s no way Sleeping Beauty — either before or after her nap — ever had quite the fabulous wardrobe that’s been assembled at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Noelia Voigt resigns as Miss USA, citing her mental health
Noelia Voigt, who was crowned Miss USA in November 2023, has announced she is resigning from her role, saying the decision is in the best interest of her mental health.