Public transit tops agenda at meeting of Valérie Plante, Martin Coiteux
'Montrealers want to have more mobility options,' Montreal mayor-elect tells minister for metropolis
Economic development, social housing and public transit were among the issues raised in a meeting this morning between Valérie Plante and Martin Coiteux, the provincial minister responsible to Montreal.
Plante got elected mayor on a promise to improve Metro and bus service and ease congestion on the roads. She will need Coiteux's help to make it happen.
"It was a very productive meeting,"Coiteux told reporters at joint news conference following their discussion, adding that they exchanged cell phone numbers "so it will be easy to communicate."
There were no specifics announced, but Coiteux said the city will have more control over its housing policy by the end of the year.
Blue line comes first
Plante's commitment to improve public transit, he said, is also a priority shared by the Quebec government.
Her proposed Pink line, however, likely won't happen anytime soon.
Coiteux said the province is already committed to Montreal's light-rail system and the extension of the Metro's Blue line.
Plante said she's also on board with those projects.
"I will continue to support those projects because they are important. They will serve the needs of a lot of Montrealers," she said.
But she said she wants to make sure public-transit projects don't stop there.
"Mobility is important. That's something that came out very loudly in this campaign: Montrealers want to have more mobility options," she said.