Montreal mayoral hopeful, Soraya Martinez Ferrada, vows to streamline housing construction approvals if elected, along with her party Ensemble Montréal.
Addressing the pressing housing crisis, Martinez Ferrada emphasized the need for modernization and the removal of unnecessary barriers. “Montreal, as a vibrant metropolis, has the capacity to do better. Ensemble Montréal is committed to ensuring that housing projects progress smoothly, without being hindered by bureaucratic delays,” she stated.
The party aims to establish a maximum standard for issuing building permits within 90 days and renovation permits within 25 days for minor projects.
Highlighting the impact of delays on construction initiatives, Sylvain Gariépy, spokesperson for Ensemble Montréal on housing, and mayoral candidate for the Villeray–Saint-Michel–Parc-Extension borough, emphasized the importance of expediting the permitting process to boost construction activity and instill confidence among residents and stakeholders. He described this initiative as a positive step towards unlocking Montreal’s housing potential.
Ensemble Montréal proposes leveraging artificial intelligence and an online portal, similar to the system implemented in Saint-Laurent, to facilitate these changes.
