Montreal mayor race: Parties unveil climate, housing, bike lane commitments

Soraya Martinez Ferrada, Ensemble Montréal

On Monday, the leader of Ensemble Montréal and current frontrunner in the race for Montreal mayor according to a recent poll, Soraya Martinez Ferrada unveiled her commitments to address flooding situations in the city.

Ferrada announced millions in what she termed preventive measures to tackle recurring inundations in flood-prone areas.

The commitments include: $20 million for homeowners through the RénoPlex program and a Climate Emergency Reserve Fund with $10 million annually for the boroughs to deal with extreme weather events.

The platform also said it would include a land purchase for developing stormwater absorption and promised to fund the Langelier collector project within one year of coming to power.

“For Montrealers affected by recurring flooding, every heavy rain is a nightmare. I understand their frustration, and it’s important to offer them solutions so they can regain a better quality of life without having to live in constant fear,” Ferrada said, announcing the promises.

In a press release, the party also unveiled candidates for Saint-Laurent, including Alan DeSousa for the borough mayor and councilor candidates Vana Nazarian, Jacques Cohen, Aref Salem and Annie Gagner.

Ferrada is leading in voter intention with 18 per cent, according to the latest Léger poll.

Luc Rabouin, Projet Montréal

Projet Montréal Leader Luc Rabouin is polling slightly behind Ferrada at 15 per cent.

After unveiling climate and stormwater policies last week, Rabouin turned to housing.

He promised to crack down on “negligent landlords” who do not deal with repairs and let the tenants live in “substandard” housing.

Projet Montréal said the city will intervene to conduct repairs if the landlords do not respond to warnings. The landlords will be billed for the repairs the city conducted through its qualified suppliers.

The party says it plans to significantly increase fines on landlords who fail to provide sanitary housing conditions for tenants.

“It is unacceptable that in 2025, Montreal families are still living in housing that is dangerous to their health and safety,” Rabouin said. “With the systematization of ‘on-site’ interventions, we want to crack down on negligent landlords to ensure healthy living conditions for all Montreal tenants by putting in place concrete intervention mechanisms. This means no more endless waiting for tenants. We are acting more quickly, more firmly, and with a single priority: taking care of people.”

Jean-François Kacou, Futur Montréal

The leader of the new political outfit Jean-François Kacou announced his party’s policy on bike lanes.

Kacou said that he would permanently freeze construction of new bike lanes on commercial arteries and criticized the current mayor’s signature initiatives as driven by “ideology.”

New development will be limited to residential areas after consultations.

“Our small businesses are the heart of Montréal’s economy. Many have been family-owned for generations, and today they are being penalized by an administration that refuses to think beyond ideology. When a bike lane drives away customers, blocks deliveries, or cuts off access to merchants, it makes no sense, and Futur Montréal will correct the situation,” Kacou said.

The party said it will prioritize investments to make existing mobility infrastructure safer with measures such as better lighting and clearer signage.

Montrealers head to the polls Nov. 2.