Press release
The 2013 Ville de Montréal budget must be rigorous and rationalize spending
Montréal, October 25, 2012 – A few days before the Ville de Montréal tables its budget, the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal reminds the city administration that it needs to rationalize spending.
“In a tough, uncertain economy, the Ville de Montréal has to resist the temptation to increase property taxes beyond the rate of inflation and commit instead to controlling spending and increasing productivity,” said President and CEO of the Board of Trade, Michel Leblanc. “Excessive tax increases hamper the business environment and undermine businesses.”
“The report A city that lives up to our aspirations, widely known as the “Côté-Séguin report,” advocates that any increase in the tax burden keep pace with the rate of inflation,” Michel Leblanc said. “Any additional increase could hamper the competitiveness of Montréal’s economic base and job creation among small businesses, at a time when Montréal is marked by its unusually high unemployment rate compared with the rest of the province.”
“Furthermore, the recent allegations before the Charbonneau commission suggest that there are significant savings to be found by reinforcing processes,” Michel Leblanc said. “Elected officials must show that they have done everything possible to ensure that these savings are realized.”
“Montréal also suffers from a serious problem of excessive governance that creates dysfunction and considerably slows decision making and action taking,” Mr. Leblanc said. “The fragmentation of power at the municipal level creates additional costs through overlapping responsibilities between the central city administration and the boroughs. This budget exercise must strengthen governance and generate savings.”
“In terms of infrastructure projects, the city’s business community reiterates the need to improve the traffic situation,” Michel Leblanc said. “For the coming year, the Ville de Montréal has to concentrate on projects under way and planned projects before considering putting in place new infrastructure.”
In short, the priorities for the Montréal metropolitan area business community are:
- Rationalizing spending at the Ville de Montréal without increasing the tax burden beyond the rate of inflation;
- Simplifying the city’s governance to promote wealth creation;
- Pursuing efforts to improve traffic as a matter of priority.
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.
-30-
Source:
Sylvie Paquette
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: 514 871-4000, extension 4015
spaquette@ccmm.qc.ca
Facebook: www.facebook.com/chambremontreal
Twitter: @chambremontreal
Follow the discussion: #ccmmqcca