Montréal, September 5, 2013 – The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal presented its recommendations today as part of consultations conducted by the Office de consultation publique de Montréal for a draft Montréal Development Plan.
“The Ville de Montréal submitted for consultation a proposed development plan for the next 20 years,” says Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “While the Board of Trade agreed to present its recommendations, we need to keep the significance of this exercise in perspective given the crisis of trust we are experiencing and the municipal elections taking place in less than two months.”
“The Board of Trade believes that Montréal needs a global, inspired and unifying vision that fosters public commitment,” Michel Leblanc says. “However, the plan should be developed in a way that forces the governments of Canada and Quebec to buy in to it. We need to reassert Montréal’s leadership when the time comes to define priorities and directions for the city’s development.”
“The Board of Trade also asks that the Montréal Development Plan make reinforcing the economic base the major priority for the next 20 years,” Mr. Leblanc says. “Increasing the individual and collective wealth of Montrealers is essential for Montréal to achieve the desired development, offer a better quality of life and attract more talent, families and businesses. As such, the next plan should propose concrete efforts for increasing the competitiveness of the business environment and supporting the development of downtown and the commercial arteries. It must also establish a clear, logical order of priority for implementing strategic major public infrastructure projects to improve traffic flow and business productivity.”
“Finally, the business community expects the Montréal Development Plan to indicate the level of financing and the financial tools that will be required to achieve its objectives,” Mr. Leblanc says. “The Development Plan should also propose a system for tracking and evaluating targets.”
The Board of Trade’s recommendations for a draft Montréal Development Plan fall under the following areas:
- Strengthening the leadership of Montréal
- Reinforcing downtown and commercial arteries
- Reinforcing the economic base and improving quality of life for Montrealers
- Investing in and modernizing infrastructures that are strategic to the city’s development
The Board of Trade’s brief on the draft Montréal Development Plan can be consulted here.
À propos de la Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain
La Chambre de commerce du Montréal métropolitain compte quelque 7 000 membres. Sa mission est de représenter les intérêts de la communauté des affaires de la région métropolitaine de Montréal et d'offrir une gamme intégrée de services spécialisés aux individus, aux commerçants et aux entreprises de toutes tailles de façon à les appuyer dans la réalisation de leur plein potentiel en matière d'innovation, de productivité et de compétitivité. La Chambre est le plus important organisme privé au Québec voué au développement économique.
-30-
Source:
Michelle LLambias Meunier
Advisor, Communications
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: 514 871-4000, ext. 4042
mllambias@ccmm.qc.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chambremontreal
Twitter: @chambremontreal
Follow the discussion : #ccmmqcca