‘We will have to develop an economy that is diversified,’ he said, warning of consequences
During the February 4 meeting of Laval city council, Mayor Stéphane Boyer led off with an issue that’s been on the minds of many people these days – the impact that the policies of newly-inaugurated U.S. president Donald Trump are going to have, not only on countries and regions, but also on cities like Laval.
“It’s true our world is in the process of changing,” he said, while observing that Quebec Premier François Legault had made the same observation about the Trump effect in the National Assembly just a few days earlier.
Local impact of tariffs
While also noting that over the past four years the Covid pandemic caused a lot of disruptions – including inflation, pressure on the city’s revenues, as well as on those of governments in general and on Laval residents – Boyer said, “this is going to affect us here in Laval,” even if relations with the U.S. are a federal issue.
Mayor Boyer had spent the better part of a day a few days before speaking with the leaders of several major businesses located in Laval (including representatives of the food, aerospace and plastics transformation sectors), to be able to assess what’s been happening to them lately.
Looming unemployment
He acknowledged that the picture that emerged “isn’t rosy,” with potentially thousands of jobs which might have been created in Laval now hanging in the balance if Trump’s tariffs go through.
He suggested that a local rise in unemployment could result in a corresponding increase in residents’ needs, for which the city would have to find appropriate solutions. “If businesses close, this will also mean less revenue to pay for our public services,” said Boyer.
“And if tariffs are applied, this will also mean much higher costs for the municipality.” He pointed out that although the city tries as much as possible to make its purchases from local businesses, there are certain types of purchases which are available only from providers in the U.S., including police cars, firearms for police officers and firefighting equipment.
U.S. imports affected
As well, the City of Laval’s water filtration plants use specialized equipment available only in the U.S., “and this will mean much higher bills,” said Boyer. “So, this all means we will have to do more with less. And there could sometimes be choices that will be difficult in the months and years ahead.”
While noting that among the issues to be discussed during the council meeting would be grievances by Laval’s unionized police and blue-collar workers about the slowness of negotiations for new collective agreements, Mayor Boyer said that if this and other issues are to be addressed, “then we will have to be able to innovate, to make compromises – that we rise above partisanship.
More diversification
“We will have to develop an economy that is diversified. During the pandemic, Laval’s economy was fairly resilient, because we have this advantage and we must continue to use this even more so.”
He said local businesses will have to be encouraged as much as possible. “But mostly, we will have to remain attentive to all those who will be the most affected by these impacts, because, yes, unfortunately there will be negative impacts.”
