Montréal, December 16, 2015 – The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal welcomes the new parking policy announced today by the Mayor of Montréal and President of the Communauté métropolitaine de Montréal, Denis Coderre. The policy explicitly aims to improve the business environment and traffic in Montréal.
“The Board of Trade supports the Ville de Montréal’s new harmonized vision of parking in Montréal,” said Michel Leblanc, President and CEO of the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal. “The city has been suffering for too long from inconsistent parking decisions, particularly because of different points of view among the boroughs. We firmly support this new strategy, which will optimize the use of strategic arteries for motorists and merchandise deliveries. We believe that the policy will simplify travel for shoppers and labour in different areas of the city.”
“Creating a strategy specific to commercial streets is an interesting approach to improving the business environment,” Michel Leblanc said. “The Ville de Montréal’s decision to change parking conditions on strategic arteries, particularly on the weekend, will create the right conditions to increase traffic and sales for merchants on those streets. By creating partnerships with the private sector to offer off-street parking, this policy will also help alter the perception that there is a shortage of short-term parking spaces in Montréal. Finally, we support the decision to authorize the construction of multi-storey or underground parking, which is the solution for getting cars off the street.”
“The policy also emphasizes the importance of continuing to migrate to new high-performance technology,” Mr. Leblanc said. “The directions proposed respond to the need of the business community to have real-time access to information about the availability of parking. This application will reduce the time motorists spend looking for parking, which accounts for around 30% of the traffic downtown. This type of driving is a major waste of time for employees and customers of Montréal businesses, affecting their productivity and sales.”
“Finally, the Board of Trade is particularly proud of the partnership established over 20 years ago with the Ville de Montréal for the sound governance of Stationnement de Montréal, an independent organization that originally managed large amounts of cash,” Michel Leblanc said. “We would also like to point to Stationnement de Montréal’s outstanding organizational performance over the years. The policy released today recognizes that operational excellence by planning to create a new agency that carries on from the existing organization. The Board of Trade offers its full cooperation to ensure a successful transition to this new municipal agency.”
About the Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
The Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal is made up of over 7,000 members. Its mission is to be the voice of Montréal’s business community and to promote the city’s prosperity. It is involved in key areas of economic development, advocating a philosophy of action based on engagement, credibility, proactivity, collaboration, and innovation. The Board of Trade also offers a range of specialized services to individuals and to businesses of all sizes to support them in their growth at home and abroad.
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Source:
Guillaume Bérubé
Advisor, Media Relations
Board of Trade of Metropolitan Montreal
Phone: 514 871-4000, extension 4042
gberube@ccmm.qc.ca
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