‘Good news for Laval,’ says Marc Demers
In a statement issued last week before he announced his withdrawal from next November’s municipal elections, Laval mayor Marc Demers said he was very pleased with the provincial government’s 2021-2022 budget.
Measures for Laval
In the budget, which focuses largely on relaunching the economy and continuing the fight against COVID-19, were several measures that Demers said stand to positively impact Laval by stimulating development and growth of the third-largest city in the province.
The mayor said he was satisfied by the government’s announced supplementary investment of $250 million over three years in social and community housing across Quebec.
Meeting urgent needs
“Taking into account the sanitary crisis, these investments will allow us to respond to the most urgent needs in order to rapidly improve the situation of families already burdened by the scarce availability of housing and an increase in the cost of rents,” said Demers.
However, the city points out that significant efforts are already being made to improve sustainable housing conditions for the population. In this context, the city says its a step in the right direction taken by the government with its announcement of $37.6 million to finance 500 new AccèsLogis housing units.
Public transit help
In public transit, the government will be earmarking an additional $200 million in the Programme d’aide d’urgence au transport collectif program. The city also acknowledges the importance of this investment which will allow public transit to be maintained adequately.
In environmental issues, Quebec allotted $957.4 million for the period 2021-2031, to pay for, among other things, municipal projects such as biomethanisation and composting, improvement to municipal water dams, and other issues.
For social development
On social development, the city maintains that the government’s latest budget places emphasis on this issue, whether it means recognizing those who are most vulnerable, or women who are victims of violence, or senior citizens or victims of criminal acts.
In economic development, the government allotted $885 million for efforts to kick-start the province’s economy. In addition, the government is consecrating $4 billion over five years to help relaunch the province’s economy.
