Business Plan

2009 BUSINESS PLAN Business Plan INTRODUCTION In view of current economic circumstances and the international financial crisis, Montréal’s 2009 Budget has been prepared so as to preserve and develop the ability of Montrealers to pay. At this time of uncertainty, it has become increasingly important to maintain a steady course and persevere in achieving Montréal’s ambitious goals. It is in this spirit that the 2009 Budget proposes efforts based on the following three major commitments: making living environments safer and more satisfying, asserting Montréal’s leadership as a metropolis and providing residents with an effective administration to meet their needs. The city will, accordingly, step up the pace of its investment in infrastructure even beyond what had been planned, while substantially boosting contributions to the Investment Fund for carrying out major economic development projects. Furthermore, because of the city’s ability to manage its public finances in a prudent and responsible manner, it has, for the fourth year in a row, kept its promise to freeze the general tax burden. Furthermore, since our review of programs and activities has generated recurring savings of $300 million, the city can roll out major development programs, while posting some of the lowest budget growth of any major Canadian city in the past five years. It is due to such efforts to save, coupled with prudent management of debt and major infrastructural investments, that Moody’s awarded Montréal an Aa2 rating—the highest in its history. Montréal’s core actions focus on improving the quality of life for its families as well as in supporting sustainable development, an area in which has it made record investments for public transit and active transportation. Next spring’s rollout of the BIXI self-service bike system clearly attests to these efforts. The city outlines its priorities and the actions it will take to meet them in the following business plan. ix Business Plan PRIORITY 1 RENOVATING AND UPGRADING INFRASTRUCTURE Montréal has initiated the largest infrastructure restoration program in its history. To meet this challenge, the city has adopted powerful financial resources, such as the Water Fund and Road Fund, to ensure lasting investment and to reduce the borrowing needed to fund this work. The city’s efforts to restore its infrastructure are designed to promote sustainable development. Road Infrastructure The most visible efforts in this area involve repairs to Montréal’s 5,600 km of roadways. In 2008, major repairs were carried out on some 133 km of roads and six road structures (bridges, tunnels and overpasses). The city also boosted safety at 57 intersections and upgraded traffic signals at 650 intersections. Drawing on investments of $152.6 million, considerable road repair work will take place in Montréal throughout 2009. These efforts will bring total investments from 2006 through 2009 to $602.6 million, or more than 20% than the city administration’s initial target of $500 million for road structures during that period. Furthermore, the city will spend $22.9 million on the construction and restoration of road structures and on upgrading traffic signals and road signs in 2009. This work will focus on the repair and replacement of 145 km of local and arterial roads, the upgrade of traffic signals, the refurbishment of seven road structures and sidewalk reconstruction or repair. Several large-scale development programs requiring investments of some $82.7 million will also be initiated or maintained in 2009. These include the reconstruction of Rue Notre-Dame, improved access to Montréal-Trudeau Airport and the extension of Boulevard Cavendish Nord. Funding of $258.2 million will, accordingly, be earmarked for different kinds of renovation work on and upgrades to Montréal’s road system in 2009. Water Management Major investments have also been made over the past few years in water management. The challenge is great, because each day Montréal produces 2.8 million cubic metres of drinking water flowing through more than 6,000 km of primary and secondary mains. In 2008, over $80 million was earmarked to upgrade various water supply and sewer renovation projects, plus $28 million in investment to bring drinking water production plants up to standard. xi 2009 Budget These investments will continue in 2009, with the city earmarking $708 million for the water sector, including $350.7 million for capital works activities. Key projects include: The repair of some 50 km of water mains and sewer lines. Ongoing efforts to bring drinking water production plants up to standard. Repairs on the McTavish Reservoir mains and tunnels. Installation of equipment designed to optimize the water supply and reduce the demand for drinking water production. Installation of 7,000 water meters in industrial, commercial and institutional buildings. Construction of a pumping station at the Francon quarry. Installation of ozone treatment equipment at the Jean-R.-Marcotte waste treatment station to promote sustainable development and to enable Greater Montréal residents to reclaim recreational access to the river. The additional contribution to the Water Fund will total $125 million in 2009. This fund will help consolidate all water-related financial information and make it easier to monitor the status of the financial resources earmarked for this sector. xii Business Plan PRIORITY 2 CARING FOR OUR FAMILIES AND ENSURING THEIR SECURITY The city has, over the past few years, demonstrated an unprecedented commitment in providing Montréal’s families with a constantly safer and more enjoyable living environment. Through this approach, the city is hoping to encourage families to live in Montréal. Family Action Plan The Family Policy was adopted in 2008 and provides a coherent framework for all family-oriented initiatives. The policy comprises 14 major commitments grouped under the headings: “My Home,” “My Street,” “My Neighbourhood” and “My City.” Montréal will pursue its efforts on behalf of families in 2009 with projects built around these four themes. MY HOME: Good Housing for Everyone Montréal wants to ensure access to good housing for all Montrealers and particularly for young families. Various programs and projects have been created to promote home ownership or affordable housing in Montréal. The Opération 15,000 logements operation, which kicked off in 2006, will wind up in 2009. The program will have introduced 5,000 new social and community housing units to Montréal’s housing stock. Some $50 million will be invested in 2009 to complete this operation. The city is continuing to roll out the Stratégie d’inclusion de logements sociaux et abordables [social and affordable housing inclusion strategy] for new residential projects. This strategy provides setting aside at least 30% of the dwellings in new residential projects as social and affordable units. The city is, accordingly, taking proactive measures with respect to several major residential development projects. In its efforts to ensure healthy housing, the city’s special inspection team will, by late 2008, have completed its inspection of more than 3,000 units in 140 substandard buildings and cited 28,225 violations. In addition to some 4,000 corrective measures applied by owners, a complex of 23 buildings, containing 551 units, will be demolished to make way for a housing project consisting of 1,300 new units. Another eight-building complex with 191 units will be completely renovated. In 2009, more than 3,000 inspections are expected as part of the ongoing effort to improve housing conditions throughout Montréal. The city has once again set aside $1 million to support this initiative. The city will also lend its support to other major residential projects and a number of formal agreements have already been concluded, such as that regarding the Viger Station and Hotel project. Agreements in principle have also been reached on nine other projects, including some pertaining to the former postal sorting centre on Rue Ottawa, Maison Radio-Canada, Pierrefonds Ouest, Place l’Acadie and Place Henri-Bourassa. Progress is also being made on the fire department’s plan to enhance fire prevention efforts and ensure prompter response. In October of 2008, Montréal’s safety risk cover plan was certified by Québec’s Minister of Public Safety. Under the plan, certain prevention programs will be rolled out in xiii 2009 Budget 2009, including the periodic inspection of high-risk buildings and improved water access in areas without a local water supply system. The city has earmarked $4.8 million to carry out this plan in 2009, including $2.1 million for capital expenditures. MY STREET: Response and Prevention “My Street,” which is the family policy’s second heading, focuses on family safety. The emphasis for 2009 will be on road safety. Improving Road Safety The city’s road safety efforts are producing results. Montréal now has one of the best road safety records in recent history and the statistics are encouraging: The number of collisions involving a death dropped from 54 in 2006 to 38 in 2007 (-30%). The trend in 2008 seems to have been maintained, with a decline of some 18% to date. The number of collisions involving a serious injury was down a substantial 32% over the first half of 2008 (175 in 2007 and 118 in 2008). Collisions involving injuries dropped significantly, from 8,346 in 2003 to 6,325 in 2007. For 2009, the Division de la sécurité routière et de la circulation (road and traffic safety) has set the following goals: Enhancing compliance with the Highway Safety Code by stepping up speed control operations, ensuring an increased presence of officers at different intersections and enforcing zero tolerance for speeding in school zones. Reducing unsafe pedestrian behaviour, particularly by stepping up enforcement efforts that target this group and through the strict application of regulations. The city also intends to cut the speed limit from 50 km/h to 40 km/h in 2009.

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