Montreal

Projet Montréal chooses Luc Rabouin as candidate for Plateau-Mont-Royal mayor

Rabouin wants to make the Plateau greener, improve social housing and reduce traffic.

Longtime Mayor Luc Ferrandez said he was quitting politics in May

Luc Rabouin, centre, will run to replace Luc Ferrandez as Plateau-Mont-Royal mayor for Projet Montréal. (Radio-Canada)

Projet Montréal has nominated Luc Rabouin to represent the party in the byelection to replace Plateau-Mont-Royal borough Mayor Luc Ferrandez.  

Rabouin was chosen over the public relations expert Paule Genest by an assembly of about 120 members, the party said in a statement.

"You have chosen a very clear path, of maintaining the course and accelerating the ecological transition in the Plateau and in Montreal," said Rabouin, a longtime member and donor to the party.

Rabouin, currently the director of strategic development and communications for the Caisse d'economie solidaire Desjardins, said he knows that the battle is not over to keep the borough in Projet's hands.

"I need you, as the resistance is strong and very loud," he said.

He said he would work to reduce traffic and continue to make the Plateau a greener place to live.

He also said he would improve social housing in the borough and defend independent businesses.

Ferrandez announced in May that he was leaving politics, criticizing Valérie Plante's administration for not being aggressive enough with its environmental policies.

Plateau residents will vote for their new mayor on October 6.

The opposition party at city hall, Ensemble Montréal, has not yet announced its candidate.

Based on a report by La Presse Canadienne