Montreal mayor wants more power to tax

Montreal's mayor says his city is struggling financially and needs to be allowed to collect new taxes.

Mayor Gérald Tremblay said Thursday that he's asking the province for more "administrative and fiscal responsibilities."

This would mean he could tax items like parking, real estate transactions or entertainment events.

Tremblay would not say specifically which areas he would consider taxing. He said he's already met with Quebec premier Jean Charest to discuss Montreal's financial situation.

"It was very important to reiterate the fragility of the situation of the City of Montreal," he said at City Hall.

Boroughs forced to make sacrifices

Tremblay said Montreal is in serious need of money. In November, when the city was preparing its budget, it found itself hundreds of millions of dollars short.

"We had to freeze our expenses and ask for a lot of sacrifices from the boroughs," he said. "We can't continue like that."

Tremblay said he doesn't want to saddle future Montreal generations with financial woes.

He is looking for a deal similar to the one Toronto secured in June 2006, when the Ontario government passed a law allowing Toronto to institute municipal taxes on alcohol served in bars and restaurants.

The law also allows Toronto to collect on movie and concert tickets. The law went into effect Jan. 1.

Tremblay said he plans to meet with Charest again soon.