Press release
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal Endorses
City of Montreal's 2005-2010 Economic Development Strategy
Montreal, June 9, 2005 On behalf of its members, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal endorses the City of Montreal's 2005-2010 Economic Development Strategy unveiled today by Alan DeSousa, executive counsellor responsible for sustainable development and economic development, and applauds Montreal Mayor Gérald Tremblay's ambition to make Montreal's standard and quality of living among the best in North America by 2025.
The Board of Trade commends the determination exhibited by the City of Montreal in its strategy to significantly improve the region's economic performance. On many occasions, we publicly expressed a desire to see the region's economic development stakeholders develop a grander vision so that Montreal can face the competition delivered by the other large cities of the world. The City's strategy is definitely consistent with our way of thinking and its ambitiousness is most commendable, declared Isabelle Hudon, president and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.
Last December, the Board of Trade filed its brief on the City of Montreal's Economic Development Strategy. Our main concern was to see the strategy harmonized with the strategy of the Montreal Metropolitan Community (MMC). In fact, for a few years now, the Board of Trade of Trade has been insisting on the importance of a metropolitan economic development vision. We are therefore pleased to see that the City took the region into account when developing its action plan, stated Isabelle Hudon.
Our other major concern is how to guarantee the successful implementation of this strategy. In our eyes, t he main challenge to achieving the plan's ambitious growth objectives will be to successfully mobilize and get all the development stakeholders in the metropolitan region to tangibly support the strategy. Because despite the urgent need to get going, the key to success is coherent action and cohesion between the parties. In this regard, the Board of Trade reiterates to the City its intention to play a responsible, contributory role in this process, added Mrs. Hudon.
The strategy unveiled today very appropriately highlights the importance of Montreal's contribution to the region's economic activity. Montreal is clearly Quebec's economic engine, and when it does well, all of Quebec benefits, concluded Mrs. Hudon.
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal has some 7,000 members. Its primary mission is to represent the interests of the business community of Greater Montreal and to provide individuals, merchants and 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
Coordinator, Media relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Tel.: (514) 871-4000, ext. 4015
sylvie.paquette@ccmm.qc.ca