Eric Allard will establish a commercial development team within the first 100 days of his mandate
Châteauguay, Friday, October 8, 2021 - Eric Allard and his team have been working with business people and citizens on a concrete commercial development plan for the City of Châteauguay. The mayoral candidate will be ready to take action as soon as he takes office, implementing proposals made by the merchants, the industrial sector stakeholders and the economic experts with whom he met over the last year. Citizens’ ideas are also part of the effort, many provided their vision for the city’s commercial development during the Équipe Eric Allard Team’s door-to-door visits.
Several measures are planned, including the establishment of a Commercial and Economic Development Office to make the city more attractive to commercial investors by improving the city’s brand image. According to Eric Allard, it is an inexpensive and effective way of aligning all stakeholders toward common goals and concrete results. “We want concrete solutions, not lofty musings,” he reassured.
“Municipalities can stimulate commercial life through a variety of means. In some cases, amending regulations can be very effective. The Centre Regional shopping centre is a prime example of that, as its proprietor is making significant investments. But now we need to do more to truly fulfill our potential. Establishing a team that is dedicated to this particular issue is another very interesting way for us to surround ourselves with expertise. We need to revisit the City’s image and assess how effectively it attracts merchants,” Eric Allard indicated.
What About the Faubourg Châteauguay?
Changes to zoning or utilization could make a lot of sense for certain lots that, despite the current high demand, are still slow to develop. “We need to put all of our options on the table. When it comes to the Faubourg Châteauguay, which is owned by Westcliff, quite frankly we need to stop taking their promises to the bank. We were promised a hotel, stores, restaurants- so many different projects. Nothing has come to fruition and it is high time that the city took control over the development of this extremely valuable commercial area. One solution might be changing the zoning to allow multi-storey buildings to be erected. The ground floor could be occupied by storefronts and office spaces could be developed above,” added the mayoral candidate.
Eric Allard and his team have the firm intention of establishing a working group composed of local merchants, elected officials and professionals with expertise in land use planning. He would like this team to be led by aspiring city councillor Sylvie Castonguay, who is the Vice-President of a clothing store chain.
“Merchants’ role is to attract clients to their establishment. The city’s role is to attract residents and business people to our streets and shopping centres. It’s all about teamwork! We need to start to revitalize certain commercial sectors now, before it’s too late,” affirmed aspiring councillor Sylvie Castonguay.
Several methods have been suggested by merchants and citizens to promote local commercial development. Among which are animation activities such as a large-scale festival, offering support for building improvement and beautification, making commercial boulevards more attractive and showcasing Châteauguay’s heritage.
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