Three independent candidates are also running to become city’s mayor
As a public service to the City of Laval’s nearly half-million residents, the Laval News is publishing a condensed listing of the four main municipal parties’ priorities and positions in this our last issue before election day on Nov. 7.
While this is not a comprehensive listing, we are including the principal platform statements of the four parties as set out on their websites and in their published campaign literature.
In addition to this, we are also publishing a short summary of the smaller Équipe Pierre Anthian’s platform, and a listing of all the candidates running for mayor, including those doing so as independents.
It should be noted that of the five municipal parties dealt with here, three (Mouvement lavallois, Action Laval and Parti Laval) opted to make their platforms available in French and English, while two (Laval Citoyens and Équipe Pierre Anthian) had information available online in French only when we went to press earlier this week.
Mouvement Lavallois (as stated on their website)
Quality Services in Neighbourhoods
“At Mouvement Lavallois, we believe that quality of life begins with quality services. In concrete terms, this means that we want to have well-maintained streets and parks, a sense of security in our neighbourhoods and quick and easy access to information and services from the municipality. In short, we need to strengthen the foundations upon which we want to build the home and neighbourhoods of our dreams.
Ambitious Action for the Environment
“Although the pandemic has received tremendous attention in recent months, we still believe that climate change remains the major challenge of the 21st century. Our parks, shorelines and wooded areas have been host to unprecedented levels of visitors. The COVID-19 crisis and resulting lockdowns have accentuated the need of our citizens to be more and more connected with nature. In the years to come, we wish to continue acquiring natural areas in order to protect them, to continue reducing our greenhouse gas emissions, to increase the urban canopy and to enhance our natural environments so that the population can fully enjoy them.
A supportive and Secure City
“We want to continue to build a Laval where everyone can find their place and feel that they can contribute to their community. With the pandemic, the last few months have allowed many different groups and social movements to open up and show us all what collective efforts can be made to support this inclusion. In order for Laval to thrive, it is important to build a strong social fabric. At Mouvement Lavallois, we strive to live in a united city where everyone’s strengths are recognized and valued.
A Prosperous and Attractive City
“In recent years, the population of Laval has regained pride in its city and community. We have been one of the most economically dynamic cities in Quebec and have been resilient to the shock of the pandemic. We want to build upon this movement and continue to make Laval a city where people want to come to work, study, raise their families, play, grow old, get involved in their community or start a business. This entails sound governance of our public institutions along with the continued economic vitality of our region, including by improving communications in Laval to strengthen the feeling of community.”
Action Laval (as stated on their website)
“Values are what unite members of a political party. It is therefore essential to define these values in order to justify the party’s priorities. This is a task that Action Laval has taken on over the past few years to prepare the platform that is presented to you today. Each of the choices and projects that our team wants to defend finds its justification in these fundamental values.”
Action Laval states the following are part of its values:
• Establish sound management and accountability practices.
• Consult citizens on issue that concern them (a bottom-up approach).
• Decentralize the administration to bring it closer to citizens.
• Develop the city in a responsible, eco-responsible, intelligent, and innovative manner.
• Find a balance between economic development and the environment.
• Establish district citizen advisory committees.
In addition to this, Action Laval has established a list of more than a dozen important areas of focus for the City of Laval’s future development, including the environment, agriculture, management, taxation, the business community, the post-Covid economy, transportation, family, seniors, public security, sports and cultural facilities, promotion of arts and culture, animal protection and support for community organizations.
In its platform, Action Laval has also established a list of large scale projects the party says would be on the AL agenda if they form the next city administration. These include the International Trade Centre project, revitalization of the Old Penitentiary in St-Vincent-de-Paul, and a new hospital to be located in Laval’s west end (to supplement Cité de la Santé in the east).
From a list of “solutions” the party offers for the improvement of Laval’s Chomedey district, they pledge to set up stations dedicated to seniors in Sablon park, revitalize Kennedey and Campeau parks, install speed control bumps in residential areas, set up water games in Montcalm park and generally improve security in the district.
In Sainte-Dorothée, they pledge to invest in existing infrastructures, including streets and sidewalks, review the management of snow removal in the district, create a sports complex nearby, regularly sponsor activities and festivities in the neighborhood, develop the entrance to the Bois Sainte-Dorothée, add a water feature in Robitaille park. set up speed control mechanisms on the streets while enforcing pedestrian crossings, lobby the provincial government to resolve the traffic problem at the entrance to autoroute 13, increase police presence and surveillance in the district, build a dog park with all the needed equipment, and ensure intelligent development of bike paths to ensure they are safe.
Parti Laval (as stated on their website)
Vision, Missions and Values
“Vision: To make Laval a contemporary and vibrant city, rich in the diversity of its living environments and communities. Laval will be a model city where friendly neighbourhoods, a rich cultural life, successful businesses, fertile farmland, and numerous natural environments provide opportunities for its residents to flourish. Laval will be dynamic and stimulating and its residents will be proud to work, study, play and live here.
Missions:
• Implement innovative and bold initiatives to develop our City and its neighbourhoods by meeting the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet theirs.
• To inform, consult and involve our residents in the major changes being considered.
• Create a favourable business climate that allows our entrepreneurs to prosper.
• Establish Laval’s leadership among the major cities of Quebec.
Values:
Sound management:
“A fundamental value of political exercise, sound management encompasses the principles of transparency, integrity, sustainability, efficiency, equity, balance, and responsibility.
Innovation:
“Today’s policies must meet tomorrow’s needs. With respect for the past, we will develop innovative practices that take into account the principles of sustainable development.
Proximity:
“The accessibility and availability of municipal services, infrastructure, green spaces and elected officials are essential to the well-being and needs of residents.
Conducive Environments:
“Enable Laval residents to develop their full potential by having access to all the necessary resources in diversified, safe and attractive environments where beauty and nature have place of choice. These favourable environments are the cornerstone of our community life and pride in living in Laval.”
The Parti Laval fleshes out its platform in eight distinct themes dealing with issues that include neighbourhood life, mobility, citizen services, the environment, sound management, economic development, urban development and community issues.
“Neighborhoods are the soul of our city,” the party states in the segment concerning this issue. “They are one of the reasons people move to Laval and stay. Working to make neighbourhoods more dynamic is an ingredient that not only keeps Laval residents happy and together, but also encourages people to grow, study, work and play here. Improving the quality of life in neighbourhoods contributes to human, social and economic development.”
In a different segment regarding cultural diversity, the party pledges to “support the creation of Laval festivities and to provide support so that Laval’s diversity can express itself and participate in the festivities and cultural activities of our different neighbourhoods.”
Laval Citoyens
The party being led by city councillor and mayoralty candidate Michel Poissant has published a platform consisting of nine general commitments, which are in turn sub-divided into a wide range of detailed pledges.
The commitments are: 1. Respect and support for the Declaration of Services to Residents; 2. Towards a green and sustainable city; 3. A loud voice for Laval, a special place in Greater Montreal; 4. Development of infrastructures and improvement of quality of life; 5. Security of citizens and social safety net; 6. Improving community and cultural initiatives; 7. Active mobility with harmony; 8. Ethics and governance; 9. Economic development.
Among other things, the party promises to freeze residential, business and agricultural taxes in 2022-2023, to increase the efficiency of Laval’s 3-1-1 public works helpline service, to establish annual garage sales on fixed dates in May and September, to subsidize the planting of 1,000 trees in major parking lots throughout the city, to complete the link between the Montmorency and Côte Vertu Metro stations along the Orange line while getting the REM train extended to Laval, and to build a new skatepark somewhere in central Laval (with Chomedey being one place Laval Citoyens had announced previously).
In a vision statement Laval Citoyens makes on the front page of its website, the party declares, “All Laval residents deserve a city in their image, a city to be proud of. The municipal elected officials thus have a duty to make decisions in conjunction with the interests of the citizens.
The party lists six key words as instrumental in formulating its philosophy: proactivity, efficiency, integrity, thoroughness, cooperation and innovation. In a key phrase displayed prominently, they say, “Service to citizens is at the heart of our priorities and our team is listening and present on the ground with a humane approach.”
The party says that re-greening Laval’s downtown area “is also a priority, while maintaining that a Poissant administration will show strong leadership towards positioning Laval and its projects in a high profile within the Greater Montreal region to attract the provincial government’s attention. “The Michel Poissant team is determined to get rolling productive projects that will be in the image of a city that is modern, innovative and green.”
Équipe Pierre Anthian
This party, which was created only a few months before this election and also goes by the name Ma Ville maintenant, is much smaller than the other four parties, but is no less ambitious.
It is led by a former Laval city councillor from Laval-des-Rapides Pierre Anthian who is also a highly-idealistic community activist. However, at our deadline earlier this week, Équipe Pierre Anthian had managed to announce just 14 candidates for Laval city council’s 21 seats.
The party lists up to 16 areas of concern on the front page of their website, including a focus on the well-being of children and senior citizens, housing security, food security, flood management, automobiles in the city, free ridership on STL buses, mini-animal services centres, a tax freeze, and police body cameras.
Candidates for mayor
Running as party leaders:
Pierre Anthian
Ma ville maintenant – Équipe Pierre Anthian
Stéphane Boyer
Mouvement lavallois – Équipe Stéphane Boyer
Michel Poissant
Laval citoyens – Équipe Michel Poissant
Michel Trottier
Parti Laval – Équipe Michel Trottier
Sophie Trottier
Action Laval – Équipe Sophie Trottier
Running as independents:
Hélène Goupil
Nicolas Lemire
Redouane Yahmi
