Plante meets Martinez Ferrada in historic city hall transition

Outgoing mayor Valérie Plante returned to City Hall on Wednesday to congratulate the city’s newly elected mayor, Soraya Martinez Ferrada.

It marks a first in Montreal’s history: an official transition meeting between an outgoing and incoming mayor.

“I do wish them luck. I want to do the right thing for them,” Plante said of the incoming Ensemble Montréal administration.

Plante said she hopes the gesture will set a new tradition for future handovers of power at City Hall.

Martinez Ferrada, the 53-year-old career politician, takes over from Plante after winning Sunday’s election. Plante, the city’s first female mayor and longtime leader of Projet Montréal, did not seek a third term in office.

“I want to say a little word for Valérie,” Martinez Ferrada said in her victory speech Sunday night. “Valérie, I want to thank you, for your engagement. I want to thank you because you broke a very big glass ceiling for this city, for women.”

Martinez Ferrada is Montreal’s second woman mayor and first mayor of immigrant descent.

“Coming from the first woman with a diverse background, I think it sends a great message,” Plante said.

First order of business: STM strikes

Behind closed doors, the two discussed several key files: the Namur-Hippodrome redevelopment; the extension of the blue line; and homeless services like the Saint-Laurent and Lucien-Saulnier warming centres.

But for Martinez Ferrada, the top priority is breaking the deadlock between STM workers and the metro authority. She says negotiations need to be more transparent.

“Citizens are expecting them to be at the table,” the mayor-elect said.

Martinez Ferrada is giving herself until Nov. 15 – when bus and metro services are expected to be fully shut down for two days – to reach a deal.

READ: Day 5 of STM strike: Transit interruptions persist across Montreal, medical trips affected

She’s ruling out investing more money in the STM within her upcoming budget

“The maneuverability we have is very limited, and I’m expecting them to negotiate at the table,” she said.

After riding a thirst for change during the election, political analyst Karim Boulos says the pressure is on for Martinez Ferrada to deliver results quickly.

“If she can pull it off in a matter of weeks and find a lasting solution, I think that’ll bode very well for her. She’ll be seen as a problem solver,” Boulos said.

And it won’t stop there. Boulos says the same pressure applies to the cost of living and affordable housing.

“She has to deliver economic development,” he said. “She has to deliver homes. She has to deliver social housing.”