Press release: Using creativity to drive Montreal's growth

Press release

Using creativity to drive Montreal 's growth

Montreal, February 28, 2005 – On behalf of its some 7,000 members, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal today submitted its brief to the Office de consultation publique de Montréal as part of the consultation on the Cultural development policy proposal for the City of Montreal.

“At a time when international competition is being played out between the major urban centres, it has become critically important for cities to create an environment conducive to business development and to offer citizens the best possible quality of life. And if we hope to position Montreal favourably among the other major cities of the world, we must do everything in our power to support one of the characteristics that makes our City distinctive: its cultural vitality,” stated Isabelle Hudon, president and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal.

“In Montreal , the cultural sector generates economic spin-offs of some $5 billion a year and about 90,000 direct and indirect jobs, not to mention the large part it plays in attracting over seven million visitors year after year. Culture also has a mobilizing effect on Montreal neighbourhoods—one need only think of TOHU or the Quartier des spectacles as glowing examples. In our view, culture plays a strategic role in the quality of location, and in our collective capacity to innovate and expand our knowledge. What's more, it also greatly affects our ability to attract and retain talent, and by extension, our City 's development, ” continued Isabelle Hudon.

“ While the City, through its Policy, may have decided to lead the development of Montreal 's culture, it clearly does not have the financial means of its ambitions or those of its many creators. For this reason, we believe that the MMC and the provincial and federal governments must be called upon to actively participate in developing Quebec 's primary cultural engine, and this is where the City can play a key role. Montreal is already informally recognized as a cultural metropolis; let's do what it takes to make this signature official,” added Mrs. Hudon.

“The Board of Trade therefore reiterates its commitment to promote and defend the key role culture plays in Greater Montreal 's economy and quality of life and plans to tap into its own creativity to achieve this objective, ” concluded Isabelle 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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www.ccmm.qc.ca/culturalPolicy