Soraya Martinez Ferrada made a bold statement at the East Montreal Chamber of Commerce, emphasizing the significance of her vision as mayor.
During her address on Wednesday, Martinez Ferrada reiterated her commitment to rejuvenating the city’s East End, a key promise from her recent campaign.
Calling for essential financial backing, the mayor asserted, “We need support to turn this vision into reality.”
She emphasized that the revitalization of the east end would require collaboration with various stakeholders, including other levels of government, community organizations, and businesses.
The event drew a crowd of officials from different governmental levels, with notable attendees like federal Minister of Industry Mélanie Joly and provincial Minister of Economy Christine Fréchette.
The primary focus of the agenda was on boosting the economy and improving transportation infrastructure in the East End.
Jean-Denis Charest, CEO of the East Montreal Chamber of Commerce, expressed his belief that the eastern part of the city had been neglected for decades.
Martinez Ferrada echoed this sentiment, highlighting the isolation of the east from Montreal’s economic hub. She emphasized the importance of advancing the Projet structurant de l’Est (PSE) to remedy this issue, which aims to connect the east to downtown efficiently.
Minister Joly stressed the significance of developing the copper industry in east Montreal to reduce Canada’s reliance on the United States economically.
The potential loss of 500 jobs in the industry was a concern raised by the East Montreal Chamber of Commerce, emphasizing the importance of copper recycling in various projects.
The mayor’s strategy of collaborating with federal and provincial authorities has been pivotal in her initiatives, according to experts like Daniel Tran.
Tran emphasized the short timeframe Martinez Ferrada has to make substantial progress before the upcoming elections, emphasizing the need for investments in both transportation and housing to be aligned.
In her closing remarks, Mayor Ferrada Martinez envisioned an inclusive and empowered community that could dream and thrive for the betterment of Montreal.
