Eric Allard and his team have heard Châteauguay residents’ priorities: “now it’s time to take action”
Châteauguay, Saturday, October 30, 2021—Mayoral candidate Eric Allard is very pleased to be able to count on comments and suggestions from Châteauguay residents following his candidates’ over 8,000 door-to-door visits to visits with them.
“At the start of the pre-election campaign, we said that we would listen to citizens’ suggestions, discuss concrete solutions and, above all, that we would focus on citizens’ priorities. Mission accomplished for our team! We have a plan inspired by our door-to-door visits,” Eric Allard said.
Identified priorities: environment, street and park conditions, drinking water, taxation, security and businesses
While the Équipe Eric Allard Team’s platform tackles many aspects of municipal life, Eric Allard think that several citizen concerns stand out and require immediate attention.
Environment
“First of all, we were the first team to lobby the provincial and federal governments to support the acquisition and full protection of the Châteauguay-Léry Green Corridor. We also announced reforestation and greening projects in several sectors, especially in the context where many ash trees are dying because of the borer, a destructive insect for this species of tree,” stated Eric Allard.
The Conditions of Streets and Parks
“It is clear that there is still work to be done to modernize our parks and repair our streets. The necessary budgets are available and we will maintain the pace of catching up that has been done over the past few years. For example, the street repair budget has increased from $700,000 to $3.5 million per year since Ms. Simon’s administration. We will continue to increase the budget for park upgrades to over $1 million per year. It’s pressing, young families are coming back to Châteauguay,” Eric Allard continued.
Drinking Water
“Currently, a temporary solution to increase water production is in the authorization stage by the Quebec Ministry of Environment, which will significantly reduce the watering bans that we have been experiencing over the past years, until a permanent solution is built. A reduction in water consumption should also be encouraged, through rain barrels, surface wells and awareness campaigns, for example,” Eric Allard added.
As supported by the current members of the Eric Allard team on the city council, the construction of a new, permanent, water production system is also planned. This new investment will be made to mitigate the drinking water production issue. Maintenance and improvement work will continue to be made on the entire water system in the meantime.
Taxation
“Châteauguay citizens’ and businesses’ tax bills are still among the highest. We are aware of this and the citizens we met are aware of it too. We are determined to take the bull by the horns by regulating to limit the City’s debt and especially tax rate increases to the cost of living at most,” said Eric Allard. “We must also think of the citizens whose financial stability is threatened every time we increase taxes. I am thinking of retirees and certain groups of workers whose income is fixed and does not increase each year, or increases very little.”
Business
“Municipalities can stimulate economic life in a number of ways. In some cases, changing regulations can be very effective. We saw it with the Regional Centre. The proprietor has made significant investments. Now we have to do more to reach our full potential », expliained Eric Allard.
What About the Faubourg Châteauguay?
A zoning or usage change could be a judicious choice for some lots which, despite the current high demand, has been slow to develop. “We need to put all of our options on the table. In the case of the Faubourg Châteauguay, which is owned by Westcliff, quite frankly, we need to stop believing their promises. We were promised a hotel, stores, restaurants, so many projects. Nothing has come to fruition and it is high time that the city take control of developing this very valuable commercial area. There are tools that a city can use, we need to review our urban plan and then use the development tools that are available to us.”
Other Important Projects in the Election Platform
According to Eric Allard, culture, sports and recreation are moments to be cherished and represent significant economic leverage. Châteauguay’s 350th anniversary will take place in 2023 and the team’s hope is to launch a long-awaited annual signature event or festival.
“I invite all citizens to take a look at our platform and to send their comments and suggestions. It’s available on our website www.alliancechateauguay.com and on our Facebook page. Our team is made of up people with varied and complementary skills. I am extremely confident that we will be able to make a difference,” assured Eric Allard.
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