Ottawa floats idea of municipal money
While Ottawa’s purse strings are loose, it’s suggesting it might give money to municipalities – but only if the provinces agree. And it’s doubtful Quebec would allow Ottawa to meddle to this extent.
While Ottawa’s purse strings are loose, it’s suggesting it might give money to municipalities – but only if the provinces agree. And it’s doubtful Quebec would allow Ottawa to meddle to this extent.
david22 18:39 on 2020-05-22 Permalink
Montreal should be spending every available dollar to get projects evaluated and as close to ‘shovel ready’ as possible. Like, everything else should stop – delay repavings, forget coloring bike lanes, etc. They should reassign city staff, ask for retired engineer volunteers, create cross-party committees, sideline naysayers, and absolutely every single dollar that can be spared/re-routed should be put into making the business case on these to the feds.
And, of course, if at all possible, the top three should be the pink line, the Bois Franc orange line extension, and the yellow line extensions (both to “old” Longueuil and, if possible, north and west with the Plateau and McGill college stops). They have so many studies to dust off as starting points, and could have three teams working great guns for a few months on these, giving Trudeau revised estimates at every stage along the way.
It’s not likely, but it’s not impossible! Show everyone, Valerie Plante!
david22 19:04 on 2020-05-22 Permalink
That said, there are all sorts of community centers, swimming pools, park renovations, etc. that we can trot out for the feds.
But getting a bunch of new metro stations, or even a new metro line going, man, that would be something. If it’s at all possible, it’s political malpractice not to try.