Boyer reacts to Legault government’s latest financial exercise
Laval mayor Stéphane Boyer was pleased with certain aspects of the Coalition Avenir Québec’s latest annual budget, which was tabled in the National Assembly recently.
Although he said some measures answered several needs for the city, he maintained that others fell short. “On first reading this budget, I am pleased to see that several of our pre-budget requests were heard by the government of Quebec,” said Boyer.
Boyer ‘disappointed’
“I am nonetheless disappointed not to see more measures to allow us to face challenges in housing and transport. But I acknowledge that factors like inflation and a slowdown in the economy were not favourable.”
Among other things, the Legault government announced a $50 million allocation over the next five years to introduce new measures to combat violence involving weapons such as handguns. Part of this will be going to the City of Laval.
St-Martin transit project
The new budget also announced the creation of a project office for a major mass transit project to take place along Saint Martin Blvd. The measure is one that the City of Laval had asked for.
On the downside, Mayor Boyer said he was disappointed that another request, for a study on the feasibility of extending the Montreal Metro system’s orange line northward towards Laval, was not mentioned in the budget.
Boyer ‘disappointed’ at NOT seeing more measures to allow Laval to face challenges in housing and transport
Biodiversity projects
However, the provincial government is allocating $475 million over five years for biodiversity conservation projects, including the acquisition of green spaces and forest lands. This falls into line with an ongoing project by the City of Laval to build up a large reserve of protected green space on its territory.
Regarding housing issues, Mayor Boyer said a $1 billion investment the CAQ government has pledged to make for social and affordable housing is meaningful, but unfortunately insufficient to meet demands and needs, taking into consideration the housing crisis currently underway.
