A quick look at Montreal's mayoral candidates
The candidates vying for your vote on Nov. 3
Party: Projet Montreal
Age: 54
Occupation: Politician/Urban planner
Key issues: Review governance structures in Montreal and reduce the powers of the executive committee; Develop true urban neighbourhoods; Improve and expand public transit and invest in electric transit with a modern tramway; Protect green spaces; Expand pedestrian streets.
Claude Blais
Party: Independent
Party: Intégrité Montréal
Occupation: businessman, publisher, writer
Key issues: government transparency; reduction of top-heavy administration and number of elected officials; revamping of public transit system that would include free fares for students, seniors and parents with young children; promotion of Montreal to the rest of the world as an open, cosmopolitan, and francophone city.
Party: Équipe Denis Coderre pour Montréal
Age: 50
Occupation: Politician (former federal MP)
Key platform issues: Create the position of inspector general to investigate and fight corruption; Invest in the development and support of local artists, cultural institutions and companies; Ensure that Montreal is a leader in social development; Maximize the use of existing transportation infrastructures.
Party: Coalition Montréal - Marcel Côté
Age: 70
Occupation: Economist, public policy expert
Key Issues: Create an ethics commissioner position; Develop a clear and efficient administrative process for contract management; Develop an integrated policy to attract families to the city; Promote better traffic practices to promote safer streets; Improve the ecological management of waste; Accelerate the development of active public transit.
Party: Independent
Age: 35
Occupation: Industrial Engineering degree from Concordia University and experience in operations management and quality control.
Key platform issues: Involve Montrealers in decision making; Full public disclosure on publicly-funded projects; Improve rules to improve safety for cyclists; Develop pedestrian areas in the city and increase spaces for people; Develop social housing and create food banks for low-income families.
Party: Vrai changement pour Montréal - Groupe Mélanie Joly
Age: 34
Occupation: Lawyer
Key platform issues: Put in place a 130 kilometre rapid bus network by 2010; Make all tendering documentation held by the city accessible to the public; Pedestrianize Ste-Catherine street in the summer and extend business hours; Work with social groups to find shelter for vulnerable individuals and families.
Party: Independent
Age: 40
Occupation: Aeronautics expert, Bombardier
Key platform issues: Restore Montrealers' confidence in their city; Empower youth and new immigrants;
Reinforce Montreal's leadership in aerospace and technology; Improve quality of and access to public transit.
Party: Independent
Age: 67
Occupation: Secretary/Researcher at a not-for-profit
Key platform issues: Freeze property tax for next four years and get rid of the welcome tax; Collect, with interest, the funds misappropriated from the city; Make significant investments in social development; Cut the police budget.
Patricia Tulasne
Party: Independent
Age: 54
Joseph Young
Party: Independent