Montréal, June 19, 2013 ‒ This week Montréal is facing two new crises: the arrest of Mayor Applebaum and the construction strike. In both cases, elected officials are called on to assume their responsibilities by doing what is needed to get back to normal as soon as possible.
“The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal believes that Michael Applebaum’s resignation as interim mayor of Montréal was necessary,” says Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “We are confident that city council will once again be able to rally around a new interim mayor who will effectively manage the city’s day-to-day affairs, as is appropriate, until November 3. We would like to emphasize the importance of the interim mayor and members of the executive committee being above suspicion, as we can simply no longer afford these repeated crises that are hurting the city’s business climate.”
“The crisis at City Hall cannot blind us to the urgency of a resolution in the construction industry,” Michel Leblanc says. “We are in a crucial period for construction given the number of active construction sites, the most since Expo 67 and the 1976 Olympic Games. The strike represents a loss to the city’s economy of over $15 million per day, not to mention the cost overruns that will result from any delivery delays and the major inconvenience to the owners, tenants and users concerned.”
“We cannot afford delays in projects that are under way,” Mr. Leblanc says. “Our attractiveness and the security of users depend on it. The risk is simply unacceptable given the slow economic recovery. The metropolitan area has suffered enough, and for long enough. We ask the parties to resume negotiations as soon as possible and find common ground. If they cannot, we ask the Government of Québec to announce its intention to settle the issue by the weekend using special legislation.”
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
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
Phone: 514 871-4000, extension 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca
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