The Gazette (Montreal)
May 28, 2014 Wednesday
Champlain Bridge rail link a hot topic again for city council;
Bergeron calls for ‘united stand’ vote backing transit plan
RENÉ BRUEMMER, The Gazette
In a day of many motions at Montreal’s city council meeting, proposals
for changes to the city spanned from the recreational – the creation
of a year-round skating oval at Angrignon Park and car-free streets on
Sunday mornings à la Bogota – to the deadly earnest, in the request
that city council officially recognize the Armenian genocide of 1915.
Chief among the motions Tuesday was opposition party Projet Montréal’s
call for council to endorse a light-rail public transit system on the
new Champlain Bridge. Saying it is greener, cheaper in the long run
and more popular than buses, party leader Richard Bergeron called for
a unanimous vote of council to show the city’s united stand.
Unanimity looked doomed after councillor Marvin Rotrand said he would
vote against. There are no studies showing light rail is necessarily
cheaper or more environmentally sound, cost estimates vary wildly
between $1 billion and $2 billion, no route has been chosen and it
could provoke an outflow of Montrealers to the South Shore, Rotrand
said.
“Everyone is jumping on the bandwagon, and I think we have to ask some
serious questions,” he said. In the face of council pressure, however,
Rotrand absented himself from chambers, allowing for a unanimous vote.
“The priority for all of the Montreal region is obviously the light
rail system, but it will not be to the detriment of the extension of
the métro system’s Blue Line that was already announced, or a new
train line to the West Island, for instance,” said Mayor Denis
Coderre, referring to fears that pushing for light-rail subsidies
could hamper the city’s other transit wishes. “It’s to give us an
integrated system so we have a public transit system that can respond
to the population’s needs, that can keep more families on the island
and solve congestion problems.”
Steve Shanahan, of Mélanie Joly’s Le Vrai changement pour Montréal,
said their party would support the motion, with the understanding the
city would show “flexibility” if it’s found other options are
preferable.
Other MOTIONS presented >
Widening the war on corruption Projet Montréal presented a motion
calling on Quebec to broaden the scope of its anti-corruption
Integrity Law that requires companies bidding on construction
contracts undergo an extensive police check first. The party wanted
the stipulation extended in Montreal to firms bidding on contracts to
design or oversee projects, such as engineering firms, and to
companies supplying construction materials, on contracts of $100,000
or more, after tainted firms were found to still be winning contracts.
The motion was passed, with amendments: it was widened to include all
professional services firms; but the clause pertaining to construction
materials was restricted to asphalt companies for now, for fear of
impeding construction work.
Cyclovia Projet Montréal suggested the city start a Cyclovia
pilot-project based on a concept born in Bogota, Colombia, in 1976
that has since spread worldwide, including to Winnipeg, Halifax and
Ottawa. On Sundays in the summer, cities close a long stretch of a
relatively wide urban thoroughfare (St-Denis St. would be an example)
from 7 a.m. to 2 p.m., reserving it only for cyclists, pedestrians,
joggers and in-line skaters.
Motion passed unanimously Angrignon Park year-round skating oval Based
on the will of residents of the Sud-Ouest borough and a 1,500 name
petition, Projet Montréal suggested a feasibility study on the
creation of a $5-million, 400-metre refrigerated skating oval, with
ice skating from November to May and in-line skating the rest of the
year, to create a much-needed training space in a province known for
its speedskating prowess.
Motion passed with amendments: City will study the feasibility of
creating the oval anywhere in Montreal, with priority going to the
Sud-Ouest borough.
Capitalizing trees Projet Montréal suggested the city “capitalize” its
trees, classifying them as parts of the urban infrastructure like
bridges and tunnels and thereby opening them to wider funding under
the city’s three-year capital works program (right now, money for
trees comes from the city’s operating budget, which is tight).
Amended motion passes: Current federal accounting laws don’t allow the
concept, but the Coderre administration amended the motion to indicate
the city’s dedication to its urban canopy and intention to move toward
greater protection.
Armenian genocide Coalition Montreal’s motion calling for the official
recognition of the Armenian genocide of 1915 put offuntil next
meeting.
Hybrid taxis Coalition Montreal’s suggestion Montreal institute a plan
to encourage its fleet of 4,400 taxis to make the switch to hybrid
vehicles or other green technologies was adopted with minor
amendments.
Review of protest law P-6 Projet Montréal called for public hearings
involving civil rights groups, civilians and police into modifications
of the city’s anti-protest law P-6, which ordered protesters to
provide route itineraries, and outlaws wearing masks. “Innocent people
are being arrested,” councillor François Limoges said.
The motion was amended to request a police report only, with the
result Projet Montréal voted against its own motion. It passed anyway.
Publishing contracts Le Vrai changement pour Montréal tables motion
calling for free access to contracts proposed and awarded by the city.
Motion amended, with restrictions on what can be made public, and
passes.
From: A. Papazian