Montréal, May 13, 2013 ‒ Following the Coalition Avenir Québec’s proposal to reform the Ville de Montréal’s political and administrative structures, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is delighted that the much-needed debate about overgovernance is being fuelled just months before municipal elections and believes that this proposal would strengthen the central city and Montréal.
“This proposal follows on the heels of the Léonard Report on awarding contracts in Montréal and is a response to recommendations raised by the Côté-Séguin Report on issues of the city’s governance and taxation,” says Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “The Board of Trade has maintained on a number of occasions that Montréal’s governance structure needs to be streamlined.”
“The Board of Trade is pleased that the issue of the city’s overgovernance is being raised and debated in Québec City,” Michel Leblanc says. “Montréal cannot transform its governance structure alone and from the inside. Now more than ever, the climate is favourable to making major structural changes.”
“The status quo is not an option,” Mr. Leblanc says. “Comparisons with other major Canadian cities, such as Toronto, Calgary, Ottawa and Québec City, invariably lead to the same conclusion: there are too many elected officials, and powers between central and local services in Montréal need rebalancing. The city can’t afford to wait to make changes.”
“The municipal election is around the corner,” Mr. Leblanc says. “So the CAQ’s proposal to adopt this reform before the coming elections merits study. The Board of Trade asks all the parties in the National Assembly to engage in a non-partisan debate over this issue so that we can ensure the future of Montréal as an economic driver of Quebec.”
To consult the Côté-Séguin Report, click here.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of some 7,000 members. Its mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montréal and to provide individuals, merchants, and local businesses of all sizes with a variety of specialized services to help them achieve their full potential in terms of innovation, productivity, and competitiveness. The Board of Trade is Quebec's leading private economic development organization.
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Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514 871-4000, ext. 4015
Sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca
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