Ensemble Montréal’s plan to restore the Village

Members of Montreal’s Official Opposition held a press conference Thursday morning to present a plan they say will revitalize the city’s Village.

Party leader, Aref Salem, homelessness spokesperson, Benoit Langevin, and economic development spokesperson, Julien Hénault-Ratelle, presented a plan that addressed social cohabitation, cleanliness and the area’s economic development.

They say the solutions they have will tackle numerous issues head-on in order to give this neighborhood the pride it has lost.

“The Village has been a bright, colourful and vibrant place for years,” said Salem. “Today, this iconic Montreal neighbourhood is facing many challenges and is going through a difficult period. However, with determination and leadership, we can restore its pride. This is the objective of the recovery plan proposed by Ensemble Montréal.”

Addressing homelessness in a humane fashion

The party says the two meetings they held with local merchants and residents has made it clear that ensuring social cohabitation is at the heart of locals’ concerns.

“It is essential to maintain resources dedicated to vulnerable people, so it is imperative they be able to meet their basic needs at all hours of the day and night,” the party said in a press release issued Thursday.

“Ensemble Montréal is therefore calling on the authorities to find a location for a 24/7 continuous resource for vulnerable people, after they consult with the SDC of the Village and local organizations. In the same vein, the return and maintenance of the E=MC2 clinic is essential in order to facilitate access to health services.”

Several businesses testified to the difficulty of obtaining help in the event of a person experiencing a psychosocial emergency.

The party is proposing that a mixed intervention teams have a nearby location so they can react as quickly as possible to people in distress. This would also allow for an improved and continued presence. They also recommend that local businesses be provided with a direct telephone line to them.

“We can no longer leave vulnerable people behind. It is no longer viable, neither for them nor for anyone,” said Benoît Langevin.

Restoring the Village’s economic vitality

The party says that more should also be done to fill vacant spaces in the area, which accounted for 26.5 per cent of commercial spaces this past November.

Incentives to encourage the arrival of new businesses, the creation of a public register of vacant premises and the loosening of local zoning by-laws, to allow for offices on the ground floors of buildings along Ste-Catherine, are among the measures proposed by the party.

They also urged the city administration to do more to counter increased uncleanliness in the area and install more ashtrays. They also want owners of vacant commercial premises to be required to decorate their window displays and be encouraged to clean and maintain the facades of their buildings.

Ensemble Montréal also wants to set up a permanent forum to allow for discussion between the various levels of government to ensure that they all play their role. The party is calling for the creation of an intergovernmental standing committee on priority issues that threaten the survival of the sector.